Kids Reenact The First Thanksgiving With Smallpox Blankets And Whiskey (VIDEO)

How did the Pilgrims celebrate the first Thanksgiving? According to these adorable young history buffs, with blankets covered in smallpox. While it may appear that these kids are simply playing dress-up, their reenactment is pretty true-to-life, and includes hilarious depictions of The Pequot and King Philip's War. At the end, the Pilgrims give parting gifts to their Native American friends: whiskey, keys to a pickup truck, and of course, more smallpox.


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[johnnyp67]

Although this depiction is correct, I believe (as an Anishnaabe) if you continue to live in and dwell in the past we will always remain there. We must learn from the past and move on and try to prepare a better future. I understand the whites hosed the Anishnaabe, but as a rationale man i also understand the White people of today(Not Including Government officials) had nothing to do with it. Look,Learn, and move on. Aho!

[shanmerc]

white people: you can stop feeling guilty now. the truth is what it is whether you feel personally attacked or not. i am white. i understand. but stop trying to pretend this self image of purity and rationalized justifications. it's just false. and it's unnecessary. and if you're shaking your head, don't try to pretend you don't feel guilty. of course you do. just keep digging. race is such a defining issue in this country (not only this country) naturally you are going to feel linked to others with your skin color (past and present). when you (white people) can stop denying, the healing can begin.

[shanmerc]

the land was unquestionably stolen from the native americans. that is why they are called native. i don't think this is hard to understand. who did the stealing is more nuanced of course.

i don't know the history. i don't remember who fought what and when. treaties, etc. i'm totally without comprehensive knowledge here. the fact still remains that "white europeans" likely encompasses a handful of groups (and doesn't include a handful of others).

the land was clearly stolen. international law of rights to land (as in a nation -- not like, the plot out back) is simple. if you go there and there is no one there. it's yours. if there is someone there. you can't take it. these standards have been in place for centuries. the colonizers and the generals rationalized their actions because they knew it was wrong!!! The rationalized their actions by calling the indians "savages" (IE not fully human and therefore not entitled to equal treatment) and by engaging a "christianizing" crusade that justified their means due to holy ends.

[CelticMajic]

Wonderful, lets teach all our "non designated victim" children to loath themselves.

[MJHammonds]

Oh please. Recognizing historical accuracy is hardly a recipe for self-loathing, unless adults like you create the issue.

[CelticMajic]

That is exactly what it is when not taught in the context of other civilizations. It is all about creating reliable self hating liberals.

[righteouskat]

How about finally teaching them the truth? We have lived with the truth of what your people have done, so how about finally taking responsibility?

[scotberlin]

First, great job kids, the movie is hysterical. Well done (as well as to the adults behind the scenes). Second, from the comments I've read it's clear we need to do a better job educating our population about our settlement history. There's no way around it, the Natives did indeed get hosed. Over 500 treaties were signed by the Federal Government, and to date not a single one has been honored in full. It's lousy. But no, I don't have a solution. All I can say is the Germans are doing a better job living up to their dreadful history, but be warned, neither are Germans so high-strung about patriotism. The United States is getting very weird these days. Fact is no longer fact, given way to extreme opinion based on some thin, hot air. Good luck, kids, you'll need it.

[Logion]

Right on, Scotberlin.

[Young Liberal]

It takes a true American to admit to the mistakes and atrocities of their ancestors. The first English colony set up in the New World was in Jamestown, run not by pilgrims, but by adventurers and ex-soldiers looking to find gold and wealth. They barely knew how to plant crops, and they cared very little for the people whose land they stole. They were intent on finding the riches necessary to pay for their expedition. Next came the Pilgrims and Plymouth, the first Puritan Colony. They were running from religious persecution, only to bring it to their new home, except this time, they were in power. Over the next two hundred years, we slowly but surely moved west, making treaties and breaking them as we went. We had a cultural arrogance only matched by the imperialism we claimed to fight against so fiercely in the Revolutionary War. This is our history. It is bloody and tragic and full of mistakes. We have to accept it, not hide from it or deny it because it will not go away. This is the history of the U.S.A. We were equal parts great and terrible. We created ideals and failed to stick to them. But we have a chance now, by learning and understanding this past, to make sure these mistakes never happen again. This is our past, not our future.

[Tyler-Durden]

good luck with that!

the evil are far too deeply rooted in the core of the system.

[MJHammonds]

Well said. Those who do not learn from the past are destined to repeat it.

[Silas Barnaby]

Here's some real American history for you. I wonder when the kids are gonna star in one of these plays?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indian_massacre

[Cinnamonape]

Lord Jeffery Amherst (for whom the College is named) was the one who ordered the distribution of the smallpox laden blankets (and a gift handkerchief, as well) to Native Americans suspected of supporting the French in the 1840's.

[Sing Out and Slap Iron]

I'm thinking more like the 1740's.

[Lefort]

Sooooooooooo cute. I love when kids reenact history. What were we talking about again?

[ramblin jack]

To degrade thanksgiving like this well it is revisionism. What happened happened and white europeans are no more barbarous than any other race or ethnic group. It is so easy to judge in hindsight as none of you know what you would have done in the same conditions.

[Babele]

True, but let's not glorify the situation for the little kiddies. They need to know the bloody truth.

[Altruth]

Truth Hurts?

[rowzeer]

True but at least be honest about their intentions.

[MercurialRust]

But, what WERE their intentions? What was the state of knowledge at the time? Did they know about viral transmission vectors? Did they INTENTIONALLY infect people, or were their gifts of goodwill (in their minds, given the state of cultures and societies at the time) an unfortunate mistake based upon ignorance? Even in the 21st Century, many people still don't know how diseases are spread. Is it an honest criticism that people living in the 17th Century did?

Unfortunately, it is disingenuous to ascribe current conditions to events that occurred centuries ago.

[airmikee99]

Telling the truth about history is not degrading.

I wouldn't have murdered people, I can tell you that right now. You're showing some integrity admitting that you would consider genocide as a means to and end though. Bravo.

[freethinking moderate]

yes, white Europeans stole this land. So, what do we do now in 2009...give it all back?

[boombox]

well, it would be a start.

[ramblin jack]

Nonsense

[Lefort]

Let's start with your property. If you give yours back, I'm sure all your friends will too.

[Caily]

Acknowledgment of the truth, at the very least.

[shanmerc]

trying to sweep it under the rug or change the subject won't heal any wounds or empower anyone who feels they've been wronged. that's for sure

[righteouskat]

No, why don't you go and steal the Middle East? Oh yeah, they already probably know your history and are ready for you. Like we would want your nasty polluted land and water now.

[choctawfrazer]

I'm of mixed blood. My white ancestors were Quakers who treated the Indians with respect. Having said that, this is an amusing take by some worldly children.

[MsMsBurning]

My mother's white ancestors took land from my father's Choctaw ancestors. I am in quite the dilemma.

[BLSabob]

Homeland Security:
Fighting terrorism since 1492

[LindaInAus]

Some of you people are rewriting history.

First, Europeans were not all alike. To assume they were all "Pilgrims" is just reverse discrim-ination. There were many groups who came in the 1600s, Planters, Pilgrims, Puritans, Quakers, etc.

My ancestors were approx. 60% Quakers and anti-war and anti-slavery; escaping horrible conditions. They didn't know Indians were going to be here. They had to survive. Get over it.

Besides:

Research your own genealogy. You have more than just 4 sets of grandparents.
In the 1600s you had many lines, perhaps 15-20 Grandparents (w/ 15-20 Greats in front)

Chances are your ancestors, one line or many, were the people you're criticizing. Unless you've traced back ALL your ancestors, you can assume at least some of your people were (above group).

And don't tell me "my ancestors were 100% Brazilian!". (for example) You're wrong. None of your ancestors are 100% anything. Don't believe me? Get your DNA tested.

NO your ancestors were NOT Native Indians. Genealogist and geneticists are laughing re: so many ppl claiming they have Indian blood. Its romance until you can prove it. Get busy on Ancestry dot com, and/ or DNA, or shut up.

If you CAN prove it, who cares and so what? You still have umpteen other lines. If you're White, most of whom were [group above].

Get respect for your own GGGgrandparents. Stop reading revisionist history.
Learn the reasons ANY people would suffer so to get here.

[jcause28]

Chill out. I criticize most everyone, so why not ancestors? It's not like I worship paragons or they are are automatic saints for passing down their DNA, like most everyone else. And anyways, those things in the video are true, even if simplified. And those actions deserve to be bashed around.

"NO your ancestors were NOT Native Indians. Genealogist and geneticists are laughing re: so many ppl claiming they have Indian blood. Its romance until you can prove it. Get busy on Ancestry dot com, and/ or DNA, or shut up."

I'm not sure if this is directed at the people who made the video or people in general. Either way, it's a silly comment at best. I'm pretty Irish/German, but live in an area where Miami descendants are quite common in ratio and married to a woman who has proof of Native American blood line, albeit small. It's not like we are talking about magical elf blood or anything. There were Native Americans, and they did have sex and bare children.

[Lou Bridges]

You're kinda missing the point. It's not my ancestors against your ancestors. It's a comment on the human condition and injustice.

[LindaInAus]

Many of you are talking/ implying all sorts of things about the very ppl who settled America. The play reflects::

1) Indians, bless their innocent hearts.
2) Those loser Europeans who came over here for no good reason, decided to abuse Indians fromlack of sense ---they were stupid, lazy & evil.

The people in #2 are my family. Stop criticizing my family.

How would you like it if I logged onto Huff-Post and criticized YOUR mother, your grandfather, etc.? [I know each one of my ancestors going back to year 450.]

Apparently, you've never bothered to make history and your own DNA intersect. Thats childish re: family.

Your inability to make history come alive is your fault. It reflects that you've never bothered to make American history personal.

An embarrassingly large # of critics,do NOT know where you're from. But you ARE them -- the Pilgrims, Quakers, Planters, Your DNA IS theirs.

Most of you are wrongly assuming your family was from SOME PLACE ELSE, far, away.

1) The chances are EXTREMELY high, perhaps 85% you and I are kin; 2) The very people on the Mayflower + quakers, pilgrims, are YOUR family. U just don't know it yet.

Stop disrespecting your family from back then; you sound childish like a spoiled teen hating his parents!!

Let me at your Family Tree for a couple days and I'll prove your family lived a # miles away from my family on East Coast of the New World in the 1600s.

[Caily]

They came to colonize; hence, to steal land.

'Stop reading revisionist history"

[LindaInAus]

Some of you people are rewriting history.

First of all, the Europeans were not all alike. To assume they were all "Pilgrims" is just reverse racism. Actually, there were many groups who came in the 1600s, the Planters, the Pilgrims, the Puritans, The Quakers, etc.

My ancestors were almost all Quakers. They were anti-war and anti-slavery.

Have some of you people who gripe and whine about the Europeans who first came here ever:
1. Researched your own genealogy?

[choctawfrazer]

So true.

[boombox]

what do you want, a medal?

[LindaInAus]

hey ! Now THAT would be a good idea !!

And a ceremony with all the pomp and circumstance, please. :-) LOL

[Sing Out and Slap Iron]

The fools that floated over on the Mayflower were freaks. Christ, they got thrown out of every country they went to. And remember folks, these are the people that brought you the Salem Witch Trials.

[rowzeer]

Quakers still came and took land that wasn't theirs.

[righteouskat]

Yeah, I see a lot of really strong thriving tribes in mainland Quakerville, Pennsylvania. All that tolerance must have given them large reservations there where they can be found today speaking their own language and practicing their own religion. They all came for one reason and that was to take our land, otherwise we would be coexisting throughout America. Yeah, I am still trying to get over it, damn Manifest Destiny!

[Poorsarah]

Whiskey was commonly used as an analgesic and antiseptic...modern medicine has definitely advanced.