About this episode
The first Thanksgiving wasn’t about turkey, cranberry sauce, or pie—it was about survival. In this episode of Smartest Year Ever, Gordy breaks down what the Pilgrims and Wampanoag really ate in 1621, using the only two surviving written accounts. Forget the gravy boats and pumpkin pie—this was a feast of venison, wildfowl, shellfish, and cornmeal shared between two worlds.Gordy dives into how this three-day harvest celebration became the foundation for an American tradition—one that looked nothing like what we celebrate today. Discover the real foods, cooking methods, and cross-cultural exchange that shaped the very first Thanksgiving table.If you think you know the story of Thanksgiving… think again.Music thanks to Zapsplat.Sources:Winslow, E. (1621). Mourt’s Relation.Plimoth Patuxet Museums. (2024). The 1621 Harvest Celebration.Smithsonian Magazine. (2013). What Food Was Served at the First Thanksgiving in 1621?TIME Magazine. (2021). The First Thanksgiving Was Nothing Like Today’s Holiday Feast.National Archives. (2023). Thanksgiving: Historical Perspectives. #ThanksgivingHistory #HistoryFacts #Thanksgiving #DailyFacts #FunFacts #AmericanHistory #DidYouKnow #pilgrims #firstthanksgiving #foodfacts #thanksgivingfacts #plymouth #ushistory
