Could you survive in 1621?  Coming off a ship after months at sea only to find you were hundreds of miles away from your destination, faced with surviving a brutally cold winter you weren’t prepared for? Could you escape a murderous disease that has killed over a third of your people while denying yourself an education because you’re constantly working? These were the conditions in 1621, the year of the first Thanksgiving.  We asked MHS students if they could survive. Could you? Tweet your responses @MtkaBreezes.

Over 90% said they could not survive. “The cold weather and sickness would kill me…there’s a disease spreading and I can’t take a shower” (sophomore). A junior said, “I could not survive in 1621 because I don’t like going on diets.”  A freshman agrees saying they, “like food too much.” The prospect of not having electronics was also an unhappy thought, “I don’t know what I would do having to grow up without electronics,” says a freshman. Obviously iPads are inhibiting

The remaining brave (or foolish) 10% said if they didn’t catch a disease, they could survive. The idea of getting out of school was a key factor for one sophomore who said, “Being a little cold is no big deal and being outside is better than being in school.” Another student’s sentiment was that 1621 was more than just a harsh reality, it was an opportunity for freedom.  For many, coming to America represented the hope of having a better life.

What would you have hoped to see at the first Thanksgiving table? One Junior answered, “After living off dried food I think any of the Thanksgiving dishes would be great”.  One group agreed on their top three, “turkey, mashed potatoes, and pumpkin pie.”  They would be so disappointed if they ate the same dishes as the pilgrims. Unfortunately for them, Pumpkin pie and mashed potatoes were NOT on the menu in 1621.