Happy Birthday USA

This past week, my family and I vacationed in Williamsburg, Virginia. As a history lover, this is one of my favorite spots. It wasn’t extremely crowded for our vacation, but all the sites we visited expect large numbers of visitors to celebrate our 250th Happy Birthday USA.

Since this wasn’t our first trip to the area, we omitted renewed visits to Yorktown and Jamestown. However, Williamsburg beckoned us for a repeat visit. A new experience this trip was the Mariner’s Museum where we learned much more about the two ironclad vessels, the Monitor and the Merrimack (CSA Virginia). These two forerunners to modern battleships clashed during the American Civil War.

One of our highlights was a stop at the Berkeley Plantation,* set on the James River. The three story, Georgian style manor house, built in 1726 survived the Revolutionary War and Union occupation during the Civil War. The first ten presidents of the United States were guests at Berkeley during their lifetimes. Benjamin Harrison V, born at Berkeley, and a lifelong resident, signed the Declaration of Independence.

Picture above and the two below courtesy of Berkeley Plantation

Well…this history loving girl found herself awed by the events which occurred on this now peaceful spot along the James river. Ancient, towering poplar and oak trees still proudly surround the house where Abraham Lincoln met with Union General McClelland, early in the Civil War, as the army camped on the grounds.

The “First” Thanksgiving

In elementary school, we likely learned that the first Thanksgiving occurred with the Plymouth settlers in 1620. Berkeley Plantation disputes that claim. Settlers came ashore at the land grant site of Berkeley in 1619 and immediately praised God for safe travels across the Atlantic and their opportunity to settle in the new land. This, they declare (and have a monument to commemorate), is the site of the first Thanksgiving.

From the Berkeley Plantation website:

Clifford Dowdy noted in his book, The Great Plantation, the men were rowed ashore, placed their personal luggage on the hard ground, gazed at the woods enclosing them and listened to the complete silence.
Then, at a command from Captain Woodlief, with which they were profoundly stirred to comply, the homesick men knelt on the dried grass to pray.

As instructed by the London Company, Woodlief prayed: “We ordaine that this day of our ships arrival, at the place assigned for plantacon, in the land of Virginia, shall be yearly and perpetually kept holy as a day of Thanksgiving to Almighty God”.

You see, the Berkeley Company had given a very specific list of ten instructions to the settlers when they departed England. The very first instruction was upon landing that they give a prayer of Thanksgiving for their safe voyage and to do so annually and perpetually thereafter.

America’s first official English speaking Thanksgiving had just occurred, one year and 17 days before the Pilgrims landed in Massachusetts and almost 2 years before the pilgrims held a 3 day Harvest Feast with their Native American friends, which is commonly thought today to be the first Thanksgiving. (Berkley Plantation Website)

With Thanksgiving

I hope and pray we recognize these first brave travelers and the courageous men and women who worked and sacrificed to form our great nation. AND, for those who continue to cherish and protect cherish our freedom, let us be forever grateful. I pray we, as individuals, can do our part to preserve our country, pray for our leaders, and vote in all elections with wisdom and guidance from our Father.

Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good, his love endures forever. (1 Chronicles 16:34)

May God bless you, my friends and God bless America! Happy Birthday USA!

*The link offers more lovely pictures and information about Berkeley Plantation.