The origin of Thanksgiving is related to the religious conflicts of British Christianity. Around the late 16th century to the 17th century, the Puritans in England launched a vigorous religious reform movement, declaring their separation from the state church and establishing their own church, advocating the elimination of residual influences within the Church of England. However, in the mid-17th century, the royalist parliament passed the Act of Uniformity, leading to cruel persecution of the Puritans by the government and church forces, including arrests, torture, and religious trials, which constantly threatened the Puritans. Forced into desperation, they moved to the Netherlands for refuge. But life under others' roof was not easy. In the Netherlands, the Puritans were not only unable to escape religious persecution but also suffered from the pain and suffering caused by war. What was even more unbearable was that, being far away from their homeland, their children could not receive "British-style education," and their feelings for their motherland gradually faded. To completely escape the claws of religious persecution and preserve the language and traditions of their country for the next generation, they once again thought of making a large migration.

Columbus discovered this "new continent" over a hundred years ago, which was vast, rich in resources, and had many areas without kings, parliaments, or executioners, untouched virgin land. "The sea is wide for fish to leap, and the sky is high for birds to fly." Only in such a place could they live comfortably and freely believe in and spread the religion they liked, and create a paradise for the Puritans.

Therefore, the famous leader of the Puritans, Bradford, gathered 102 companions and boarded a wooden sailing ship named Mayflower, which weighed 180 tons and was 90 feet long, in September 1620, beginning an adventure similar to Columbus's expedition. For navigation, this ship with a romantic name was too small. Due to the circumstances, they "chose" the worst season for crossing the ocean. However, with their beautiful vision for the future and the desire to reclaim their lost rights and freedom, these people who had endured hardships were determined to go ahead regardless of everything.

The sea was stormy, and the Mayflower was like a leaf in the wind and rain, struggling forward, facing the danger of shipwreck at any moment. However, through the joint efforts of everyone, the ship did not suffer any damage and safely arrived on the North American continent at Cape Cod on November 21 after a 66-day voyage, which is today's Provincetown Harbor in Massachusetts, USA. After a short rest, the Mayflower continued along the coastline. Due to the headwind and time difference, it failed to reach the intended destination, Jamestown in Virginia, but instead landed them on the land of New England on the first day after Christmas.

Interestingly, during this dangerous expedition, only one person died. However, due to the birth of a baby during the journey, the number of people who reached America remained exactly 102. The immigrants were all devout Christians, each making the sign of the cross, sincerely thanking God for His care.

Now, what lay before them was a completely unfamiliar land, with winding and twisted coastlines, appearing silent and desolate. Therefore, for about a month, the immigrants dared not land, still living aboard the ship. During this period, they sent out reconnaissance teams, taking small boats to search along the Cape Cod Bay for a settlement. One day, while everyone was anxiously waiting, the reconnaissance team returned and reported that they had found a suitable place for the immigrants to live, a real "paradise." This "paradise" is today's Plymouth Harbor, a natural good harbor, very suitable for the Mayflower to dock. Nearby, there was an excellent fishing area, providing a large amount of seafood. Not far away, a chain of undulating hills formed a natural barrier around this land. Under bright sunlight, icy streams reflected a sparkling glow, providing sufficient fresh water for the immigrants. Cultivated fertile farmland was neatly arranged in blocks. In addition, they saw a series of houses, although damaged, that could provide shelter from the wind and rain and help them survive the harsh winter... Everything looked good and couldn't be better. The only thing that puzzled them was that this land, full of signs of human habitation, showed no signs of people or smoke, looking so desolate, as if it had been prepared for them in advance. Later, they learned that this was originally a fairly prosperous Indian village. A few years ago, when smallpox broke out, the entire village was wiped out, making it the best refuge for these foreign wanderers.