Pilgrim Myths P1

Sadly, many modern portrayals of the Pilgrims are at best superficial. Too often they reflect a trend by some academics of attacking and vilifying traditional American heroes, presenting a picture quite different from what actually occurred. One example is the increasingly popular narrative that Thanksgiving Day should be changed to a national day of mourning because the Pilgrims killed and oppressed the natives.

The “history” used to support this claim focuses on three early conflicts involving Pilgrims and Indians: a 1623 clash, the Pequot War of 1637, and King Philip’s War of 1675. But what is the truth? Are the modern clams correct that the Pilgrims oppressed and killed Indians? Since we have not covered any of these conflicts as they involved the Pilgrims, let’s briefly do so in our next American Moment.

Content sourced from The American Story, The Beginnings. By: David Barton and Tim Barton