The origin of Valentine's Day or Thanksgiving Day

Thanksgiving was founded before the founding of the United States of America. /kloc-at the end of 0/6/kloc-at the beginning of 0/7, when most parts of North America were still virgin land, Britain on the other side of the Atlantic was undergoing a vigorous religious reform movement. At this time, King James I of England only respected the state religion and suppressed other religions. The Puritans who believed in Calvinism and were dissatisfied with the state religion chose to escape in the face of cruel persecution. They hope to find a country with freedom of belief and safeguard the right to worship God in their own way. America, the "new continent" that Columbus just discovered, became their first choice. It is not only vast and rich in products, but also undeveloped in many places. There is no king, no parliament and no inquisition.

1620 In September, Bradford, the famous leader of Puritans, called 102 companions and boarded a wooden sailboat named "Mayflower". They embarked on a Columbus-style adventure with a beautiful vision. The Mayflower weighs 180 tons and is 90 feet long. It used to be a small boat for fishing. At this time, it is the most unsuitable season for sailing in a year, and the sea is stormy. Mayflower is like a leaf struggling in a huge wave. After nearly two months of sea bumps, they finally saw the outline of the land with faith and courage. Only one person died unfortunately during the voyage, but a newborn was born, which made the number of people who arrived in the United States still 102. String 2

A new home is in sight. At this moment, the ship stopped. Everybody gather on the deck and form a circle. Since the Mayflower set sail, people have been imagining the ruling order of the new world. Now, they decided to find out the problem before going ashore. The discussion is very intense, but 5 1 adult men on board have the right to participate in the discussion, and women are only qualified to attend. Finally, they drafted and signed a convention, which read: For the glory of God and the progress of Christianity, we who signed here set sail for the sea and will soon open up our home on this land. We solemnly signed a contract before God and voluntarily formed a people's autonomous organization. In order to ensure the smooth progress, maintenance and development of the above objectives, and to formulate and implement just laws, regulations, rules, articles of association and public offices that are beneficial to the overall interests of the colony at any time in the future, we all promise to abide by and obey them. This is the so-called Mayflower Conference. This contract, written on a simple piece of paper, fundamentally denies the theory of divine right of monarchy, expounds the source of state power from the perspective of the people for the first time, and lays the foundation for the establishment of autonomy and rule of law in the new world. To commemorate their hometown, they named this new land "New England".

Thank God and Indians.

According to the ancient sailing tradition, the immigrants first climbed a big stone towering above the sea. Salute roared on the Mayflower, and people were buzzing, celebrating the beginning of a new life. This reef was later called "Plymouth Stone" and became the historical witness of the first permanent colony in New England in North America.

However, the first winter is not easy for these confident and happy immigrants. The cold wind blowing from the Atlantic Ocean and the snow and ice all over the sky caught them off guard. Bad environment and lack of necessary equipment make many people sick. Subsequent infectious diseases claimed many lives. After the winter, only 50 immigrants who arrived in the United States after hardships survived. When spring came, the kind Indians found them, brought them many necessities, and sent people to teach them how to hunt, fish, grow corn, pumpkin and raise turkeys. With the help of Indians, they got a bumper harvest this autumn. The first pilgrims from England finally established themselves in this colony.

165438+1At the end of October, the immigrants held a grand celebration. They want to thank God for his gift and the Indians for their selfless help. The celebration lasted for three days. At dawn on the first day, the immigrants fired a salute and marched into a room used as a church to express their sincere thanks to God, then lit a bonfire and held a grand banquet. The Indians who came before were invited to bring five deer as gifts. Mountain game and self-produced corn, pumpkin, turkey, etc. Made into delicious food by immigrants. The two sides sat around the blazing bonfire, eating a feast and chatting about friendship. In the cool autumn wind, Indian boys and young people in Plymouth colony are singing and dancing. On the second and third days, wrestling, running and archery were held. Since then, the Puritans have started a new life.

This custom has been handed down. When the thirteen States of North America were unified, the first president George W? Washington has designated Thanksgiving as a national holiday, but each state decides its own celebration time. It was not until 1863 that President Lincoln decided to take the fourth Thursday in June as the fixed celebration day of Thanksgiving. [3]

Accumulate resentment day by day

In the mid-1960s, John Eliot, a Christian priest in New England, had converted hundreds of Indians to Christianity. Several "prayer towns" were also established. But when he preached the gospel to the Vampanoag (Metacomet), the chief "Metacomet" grabbed the imam's coat, tore off a button and held it in front of him. Claiming that you are interested in Christianity is like this button-then throw it on the ground.

Metakomet, who became famous in the later war against colonial expansion, was nicknamed "King Philip" by British colonists, but his real name has been forgotten. Philip's father, the old chief massasoit, had established friendly relations with colonial immigrants. He sold and resold a lot of land to new immigrants. However, the continuous influx of immigrants has no end to their thirst for land. The colonial government in New England used various methods to force the surrounding tribes to sell their land. However, the war disputes between Indian tribes made the chiefs demand more guns and ammunition, so they had to exchange land when fur and local products were not enough.

16 1 When the old chief "Meiseyi" died, the tribe was surrounded by colonies. When Indians go to town, they must abide by colonial laws. When an Indian is drunk in the street, he will be whipped or served for ten days. The harsh laws of the Puritan colonial government bound the Indians and made them feel bitter.

1662, Philip's younger brother (Wamsutta) was summoned by Plymouth court shortly after he succeeded as chief. Although he had the honor of a chief, he was escorted to the judge with a weapon under a bayonet. More strangely, after the judge summoned him, Philip's brother fell ill and died soon. He was in office for less than two years. Philip suspected that the white colonial government poisoned him. Philip was full of suspicion and resentment towards the colonial government and inherited his brother's chieftain position.

1675, several incidents intensified the contradiction between colonial people and Indians.

A group of cattle belonging to colonial residents ran into Indian cornfields and trampled on crops-it is said that this happens from time to time. Indians shot and killed eight horses, and colonists shot and killed an Indian, which led to sudden tension between whites and aborigines.

The trial of John Salmon. John Simon is a member of the Wampanoag tribe. His parents died of smallpox when he was a child, and he was adopted by a Puritan family. He naturally became a Christian. John Simone received a good cultural education and went to Harvard University to study. After returning, he worked as an interpreter for Chief Philip, shuttling between the tribe and the colonial government.

John Simon warned the colonial government that Philippe was trying to rebel. Soon, Simone was murdered. A court composed of whites and Indians found three suspects guilty of murder and three criminals were executed. One of them is a close friend of Philippe. The whole case pointed out that Philippe was behind the scenes. Philippe felt compelled by the situation and decided to rise up against it.

A bloody war

Philippe ordered tribal soldiers to attack colonial towns quickly. He gave orders to his men: burn down all houses, destroy all towns and kill all white people. Everywhere Philippe went, flames rolled and blood splashed. A witness described the place where tribal soldiers attacked: two old people threw themselves at the door, and their lower bodies were burned inside. A young woman was lying in the yard with a bullet through her head, and a baby lying not far from her was stabbed in the head with a bayonet. ...

The terror of Philippe enveloped the land of New England, and the colonists abandoned their newly-opened homes and contracted to larger towns along the Atlantic coast. Philippe's troops are equipped with flintlock guns, which are more advanced than those of the colonial government. Therefore, at the beginning of the war, King Philip was aggressive and arrogant. He had the ability to direct the war, designed several ambushes in succession, and wiped out nearly 200 government troops.

This stimulated the chain rebellion of several other tribes (Nala Guincestre, Nipmuk, Pokumtak and Abenakis). Originally hostile tribes formed allies under the common goal of opposing white people occupying their homes. For a time, New England was trembling and under siege. The war enveloped Plymouth, Rhode Island, Massachusetts and Rhode Island (Massachusetts. Connecticut Valley), the colonists felt panic and despair.

However, in less than a year, the war began to reverse, the ammunition consumption of King Philip's army was not supplemented, and the grain reserves were exhausted. The barracks had to be stationed by the river, fishing. The troops dispersed into small groups, and the tribes that had originally formed an alliance split and some tribes left. The fighting capacity of the anti-colonial alliance has been greatly weakened.

The colonial army with new weapons and equipment and sufficient food and grass began to focus on counterattack. There were two famous sneak attacks, which hit Indian tribes hard. Government troops surrounded the Indian compound at night and suddenly launched an attack at dawn, killing 600 Indians at one time and 1000 people at another. Including many women and children. The revenge of the colonial army was equally cruel.

A year later, King Philip's offensive was over, and he became a wandering guerrilla. /kloc-in the summer of 0/676, King Philip and several followers were trapped in the swamp. After he was killed, his body was chopped and thrown into the water, and his head was picked on the head of a gun. The victorious army strutted across the street. The city of Plymouth celebrated its great victory, and it was a scene of jubilation.

According to the statistics of the colonial government, 1200 farmhouses were burned, 13 towns were razed to the ground, and 8,000 horses and livestock were killed. More than 600 soldiers died, and about 2,000 civilians, women and children died. The war debts owed by the colonies exceeded all the assets of the colonies.

The death toll in India is ominous, which is generally considered to be three times that of the colonial government. It is estimated that 2000 people died on the battlefield alone. Infectious diseases have claimed more lives than wars. Take the Wampanoag tribe in Philippe as an example. Before the war, there were about 65,438+05,000 people, and war and disease wiped out nine-tenths of the population. The main leader of the captured tribe was hanged, the wife and son of King Philip were sold to Bermuda as slaves, and a few fugitives joined other tribes. The "Wampanoag" tribe was wiped out.

Philippe finally owned his own small state, and he left only one sentence that made the colonists jumpy:

"Fight for the dying life and the dying country." Chief Vampanoah, Philippe

"I am determined that no country will not live." -Chief Vampanoag, King Philip 1675

Special holiday

Thanksgiving without donors

Thanksgiving Day is a unique traditional festival in the United States and Canada. On Thanksgiving Day, many people will warmly review the history of immigrants. The first European immigrants set out from Plymouth, England, took the may flower and went through hardships. They arrived in North America in the winter of 1620 (they later named this landing point Plymouth).

At that time, vilen was covered with heavy snow. Hunger and cold made the immigrants desperate, and some people died. Thanks to the Indians who found them and gave them generous assistance, they survived. The next year, the new immigrants had a bumper harvest, threw a turkey feast and drank with the Indians. The feast lasted for three days and nights. ...

But people don't know that the simple and hospitable tribe is Wampanoag tribe, and the enthusiastic Indian chief is Philippe's father massasoit.

16 18, the east coast of north America was attacked by smallpox, a large number of indigenous people died and some villages were deserted. The chief is willing to let these tourists from afar settle in these abandoned villages and form a friendly alliance with them. This brotherhood lasted nearly 50 years.

European immigrants expand to the North American continent at an annual growth rate of 3%. 1676, there were 52,000 immigrants in New England. Immigrants are mainly anti-objects. And proud of its advanced culture, there is discrimination and contempt for Indians. Some businessmen often seek benefits through cajoling in their contact with primitive aborigines, which makes Indians lose trust in whites.

In the initial period, the colonists would express "gratitude" to the generosity of the Indians; In the end, if you don't "give", I will try to "take". The root of the dispute over Philippe is the conflict of land resources development and utilization. Without land ownership and development and utilization rights, it has evolved into a war for and maintenance of land ownership.

The history of North America seems to reveal such a cold law: if a piece of land has a more effective development method and can create greater social wealth, then this land will eventually be developed in this way. Cultural tradition, land ownership, religious laws, ethics and so on can not stop the operation of this potential law.

Although Indians are the oldest inhabitants in America and the original owners of this land, their attempts to maintain inefficient and traditional land use methods always fail. This failure is not in a civilized way, but in a barbaric way. Unfortunately, it is manifested in a very barbaric way: Indians not only lost their land ownership, but also ruined many people's lives. The pain of failure is unbearable.

Of course, some people regard the battle of King Philip as a contest between Indian culture and European culture, and tend to establish Christian civilization. Some people regard it as a racial war between whites and aborigines, which is intended to stimulate nationalist sentiment; Some people found the evil evidence of colonial expansion to prove the justice of opposing colonialism; Others exposed the hypocrisy of holding high the banner of human rights in the United States today with serious acts of destroying human rights in this war; Even white supremacy people can find a large number of examples of ignorance and backwardness of colored people to support the theory of racial superiority of white people ... All these things are to their liking, trying to choose a color from the garden to represent spring.