Jennie Augusta Brownscombe: Thanksgiving at Plymouth Thanksgiving at Plymouth, oil on canvas by Jennie Augusta Brownscombe, 1925; in the National Museum of Women in the Arts, Washington, D.C. (more) When Was the First Thanksgiving? Ask the Chatbot a Question More Actions Share Share Share to social media Facebook X URL https://www.britannica.com/topic/When-Was-the-First-Thanksgiving Feedback Corrections? Updates? Omissions? Let us know if you have suggestions to improve this article (requires login). Feedback Type Select a type (Required) Factual Correction Spelling/Grammar Correction Link Correction Additional Information Other Your Feedback Submit Feedback Thank you for your feedback Our editors will review what you’ve submitted and determine whether to revise the article.

　　External Websites Ask the Chatbot a Question Written by David J. Silverman Assistant Professor, Department of History, Wayne State University. David J. Silverman Fact-checked by Britannica Editors Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree.... Britannica Editors Last updated Nov. 12, 2025 •History Table of Contents Table of Contents Ask the Chatbot The first Thanksgiving is said to have taken place in 1621, when the English colonists (Pilgrims) of Plymouth, in present-day Massachusetts, shared a harvest feast with the Wampanoag people. The colonists had arrived in December 1620, and the first winter was especially difficult. About half of the original group died from disease and starvation. Likely to promote a political alliance, the local Wampanoag decided to help the colonists, teaching them how to hunt and grow crops. That fall the...

　　Continue reading with Britannica Premium The trusted destination for facts and information 7-Day Free Trial, No Ads, Unlimited Access Subscribe Today