The arrival at Plymouth was accidental for the pilgrims since they were supposed to arrive at Virginia. Not used to the cold winds, they had already lost 46 pilgrims and feared more deaths since there was no food. Living on stale waste was the only option for them. The native Indian, Squanto was their saviour and taught them how to grow food and be able to survive on their own.

Before the crop could be harvested, there was a severe drought and the corn crop could have been lost. The pilgrims then prayed to god and fasted for the whole day and at the end of that day it rained. This called for joy since the crop was saved and as promised, the pilgrims held a thanksgiving feast. They also invited the native Indians to join them and thank god for his bountiful harvest. Although this tradition was not followed for some years to come, the day is celebrated since many years now and is a national holiday for the United States.