 CEFR Level C1-C2 The Cross and the Lynching Tree by James Cone is an intense read at the beginning, especially if a reader has been taught to avoid saying anything that will make others uncomfortable or to use euphemisms or vague references if it is necessary to talk about such things.
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The Thanksgiving holiday is most often associated with the United States and Canada, but other countries also celebrate Thanksgiving or a similar holiday.
Australia may celebrate Thanksgiving in some places, but it is not a public holiday. Canada celebrates Thanksgiving in October. Thanksgiving is not a statutory holiday in all provinces. Like the U.S. Thanksgiving, there are different understandings of when the first Canadian Thanksgiving was held and the reason for the holiday has changed over the centuries. Grenada celebrates Thanksgiving. Unlike the Canadian and U.S. origins of Thanksgiving, there is no religious history to the Thanksgiving in Granada. Instead, the holiday commemorates a military event in 1983. Germany may celebrate Thanksgiving, but it is not a national holiday. Not all Germans celebrate Thanksgiving. In Germany, Thanksgiving is usually related to the harvest and is observed in September or October. Japan has a public holiday called Labor Thanksgiving Day. Japan does have a history of a day to give thanks for a good harvest, but in modern times, November 23 is typically reserved for giving thanks to laborers and municipal workers. It is closer in purpose and observance to the U.S. Labor Day than the U.S. Thanksgiving. Liberia celebrates Thanksgiving on the first Thursday in November. It is a more religious holiday than in the U.S. Food and family gatherings are also important parts of the observance. The Netherlands may celebrate a U.S.-like Thanksgiving, but it is not an official public holiday. Even if you grew up being taught the typical U.S. Thanksgiving story of Pilgrims in Massachusetts, you may not have heard about the history connecting the Pilgrims and The Netherlands. Saint Lucia celebrates Thanksgiving on the first Monday in October. It appears to be a low-key holiday that is observed by families similarly to how families in the U.S. observe Memorial or Labor Day weekend. There are likely other countries that have autumn (or spring) harvest festivals. Even so, it seems that Thanksgiving as a national holiday dedicated to gathering with friends and family to eat too much as a sign of gratitude for all that is needed for life is primarily a practice in the U.S. and Canada. How did European colonization affect Native Americans?
Native Americans owned land, but the colonizers wanted it. Even though the Europeans were coming to someone else’s land, ultimately, it was the British government that made the rules for how sales were to be transacted in the areas that became the British colonies. This did not turn out so well for the native peoples. The Salem Historical Society has a page of links to many resources about and by Native Americans. Learning about a people group from that group themselves has a value that a generalized lesson plan cannot give. If you are teaching or studying native peoples for November, make an effort to find sources directly from the people you are learning about. Is Native American culture the same today as it was in the 1600s? Native Americans in the 1600 and 1700s had cultures as complex and diverse as any in Europe. That diversity continues today. Being aware of this diversity in cultural practices, it is important to study the history and culture of each tribe with as much respect for their differences between tribes as one gives when studying the history and culture of, for example, Norway compared to Italy. It is also important to remember that the way a culture was in the 1800s is not the same as it is today. A full education should include historical and contemporary studies. Who lived in Massachusetts when the Europeans came?
In the 1600 and 1700s, the Massachusett, Wampanoag, and Nipmuc peoples lived in the area that European colonizers called Massachusetts. Other indigenous peoples also lived or traveled in the area. Do Native Americans still live in Massachusetts? Today, there are two federally recognized tribes in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. These are the Wampanoag Tribe of Gay Head (Aquinnah) and the Mashpee Wampanoag Tribes. Keep in mind that in the US, there are many tribes that are not federally recognized. Where can you learn about Native Americans in the 21st century? It is best to learn about a people group from those people themselves. Here are some links to help you get started learning about indigenous peoples in Massachusetts. Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe Wampanoag Tribe of Gay Head (Aquinnah) Matthew Maguire is one of the two men who may be responsible for initiating the first Labor Day in the United States. Matthew Maguire was a machinist known for his socialist views. He led strikes to protest the inhumanely long working hours that were commonly imposed on skilled laborers. He was one of the organizers of the Central Labor Union of New York and was its secretary at the time of the first Labor Day celebration. Many free internet sites say that Matthew Maguire sent the invitations to the first Labor Day parade. His family’s lore is that he rode in the leading carriage of the parade. Beyond that and a few more bits and bobs about Maguire’s activist and political work and suggestions of evidence that he was the initiator of the first Labor Day, the free internet is silent on the details of Matthew Maguire’s biography. Even the New Jersey Historical Society doesn’t tell about his early life or give more personal information than the other sites. I wonder if the reason there is so little about Matthew Maguire’s full life is because of his more controversial political positions? Sure, being from a working-class background, there may be little recorded history about him, but even Peter McGuire, who appears to be from a similar background, has a slightly more extensive biography freely available. I wonder what the difference is with Matthew Maguire?
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Jill Hames is a writer, musician, biblical studies teacher, and ESL tutor who finds life too interesting to pick a niche. She has a B.A. in Music and Spanish, a Masters in Library and Information Science, is TEFL.org 168-hour certified to teach English as a second language, and is working towards a Master of Divinity. Jill is a member of Delta Omicron and the International Women's Writing Guild.
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Copyright 2025
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Copyright 2025