Martin Frobisher is credited with the first expedition into the Arctic in search of the Northwest Passage. But the idea for the journey didn’t come out of nowhere.
22: Frobisher prepares to journey to the Arctic by privateering
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North America witnessed its first Thanksgiving feast in 1621, or so the myth goes. “Pilgrims” who were in fact religious dissidents (not Anglican) landed in what would become Plymouth, Massachusetts, but being non-explorers, their food ran out. Their new theocratic settlement in the vein of “The Handmade’s Tale” were saved by the Wampanoag peoples who took pity on these rattled foreigners.
It is an enduring American myth that has been purged of its less pleasant elements and replaced with cuddly, fun stuff: tables full of stuffed turkeys, pumpkin pies, vanilla ice cream; family gathered around the TV to watch the usual sports games; and embarrassed children dressed as either “Indians” or “pilgrims” putting on endearing plays for the adults. It is appealing and completely disconnected to any real events that took place centuries ago.
It is also completely wrong in one key aspect. Long before the rattled foreigners sat down to a spartan Wampanoag meal, a much less celebrated and more solemn Thanksgiving event took place in 1578 in the most northern place any European had so far visited - the Artic. This simple event was presided over by an Englishman named Martin Frobisher and was a simple meal made up of the typical rations from the crew - salt beef, hard biscuits and mushy peas. After which a communion was held. They had good reason to be thankful.
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22: Frobisher prepares to journey to the Arctic by privateering