The Pilgrims fled from England, Prosecuted for their faith
And went to Holland Far from the reforms of King Henry VIII
They found religious freedom there
But soon they would depart
Because their children talked and lived like Dutch
Which broke their parents' hearts
They boarded the ship Mayflower
Toward freedom over the sea
On the 66-day journey, one went to eternity
Though one was gone, two boys were born to everyone's delight
First Oceanus Hopkins, and little Peregrine White
At long last, the Mayflower anchored in the Massachusetts Bay
But one thing must take place before the Pilgrims all would stay
They wrote some rules and agreed to submit to the rulers
They would choose It was known as the Mayflower Compact, a government they'd use
By Plymouth Rock, they disembarked, they struggled to survive
Til' Native American Samoset from the woods arrived
None could speak the other's tongue
They didn't know what to do
But Samoset brought Squanto, who taught them a thing or two
This is thanksgiving day's history
A day they gave thanks with their families
Squanto was a traveler from the Abenaki tribe
He spent some time in England and knew how to transcribe
Their new friend taught them many things, what berries they could eat
They learned to plant corn with a fish, to hunt for deer and meat
Squanto introduced the Pilgrims to Wampanoag, Chief Massasoit
They made a peace treaty that lasted until the rule of Metacomet
Pilgrim leader William Bradford wrote of Squanto with elation
A special instrument sent from God for their good beyond their expectation
In 1621, 102 pilgrims had arrived But by fall of 1621, only half were still alive
But those that lived were also very grateful they'd survived
That they invited the Wampanoag to a three-day harvest jive
William Bradford wrote about it, and Edward Winslow too
And that is how we know the thanksgiving story is true
That the Pilgrims had invited people from the First Nations
To the very first Thanksgiving's harvest celebration
This is thanksgiving day's history
A day they gave thanks with their families
They ate deer, eel, lobster, clams, mussels, duck and turkey
Goose , squash, pumpkin, corn, onions, turnips, and parsley
Sage, carrots, lettuce, oats, blueberries, and cranberries
A feast they shared Thanksgiving day was just extraordinary
The 1621 banquet was quite a celebration
Pilgrims and Wampanoags shared with great appreciation
That George Washington decreed to all in 1789
A national Thanksgiving day from Maine to the Georgia line
The years passed by with the occasional feast until 1863
When Lincoln made the day a national holiday annually
The president said it would take place one day every year
The last Thursday in November, from city to frontier
In 1939, Thanksgiving came a week too early
Roosevelt thought it wise, but it caused quite a controversy
He hoped the extra week of holiday shopping would bring new market highs
But it failed to boost the economy and made people criticize
So in 1941, he reversed his declaration
So now the last Thursday in November brings Thanksgiving vacation
We're thankful for our homes, our friends, our relatives, and food
So let's spend the day with thankful hearts and lifelong gratitude
This is Thanksgiving Day's history A day we give thanks with our families