The Mayflower Voyagers

The first Thanksgiving was held in Virginia in 1619, several years before the events depicted in this "educational" cartoon. I understand that the popular culture surrounding the Holiday has focused on the Massachusetts ceremony, and this production was aimed at younger children, but it perpetuates the fallacy of where and when the first Thanksgiving took place. If providing some education along with entertainment is the goal, then the real history should be included - even if it's only a mention: "A few years after the first Thanksgiving was celebrated in Virginia, the Pilgrims began their journey to the New World where the most-known Thanksgiving would take place".

First episode there. And how that the Peanuts gang and that over in adults there like pilgrims and Indians there. As they suffer along with the adults to go to the week to make it the very first Thanksgiving. Really someone needed to take Lucy down a notch. She really needs to be a team player and be humbled. Patty and Marcie in particularly should had mutiny there. Giving her the reason she sucks speech. But all in all a great show and start over in the Peanuts miniseries about America.

As a descendent of one of the Mayflower passengers, seeing their story played out by familiar characters is a refreshing change of pace. Since most people skip right from Halloween to Christmas, it seems that the story get lost in between the two other holidays. The only other telling of this story I can remember is from 5th grade history class. This show is set as a double-bill with the Peanuts Thanksgiving special and makes an effective one-two combination. To really get the better effect, see this one first and then the Thanksgiving special.

In this episode from "This is America, Charlie Brown" the Peanuts gang recreate the famous Mayflower Voyage and trials and perils of the passengers and crew as they make their way to the new world. Having never studied this in school I never knew what Thanksgiving was about other than eating a turkey. This episode details all the main parts of the story and is quite a history lesson. It's a natural companion piece to A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving as is obvious by it's inclusion on the DVD. But for all of you non-American people who don't fully understand the holiday perhaps you should watch this first. I don't get why the starving passengers didn't just eat Woodstock though.