The document summarizes the origins of the Thanksgiving holiday celebrated in America. It describes how in 1620, 102 passengers aboard the Mayflower traveled from Europe to start a new life in America. After a difficult journey, they arrived in December and many died from disease over the winter. In the spring, the remaining settlers were helped by native Americans who taught them farming techniques for crops like turkey, squash and potatoes. After their first successful harvest, the settlers and native Americans held a celebration that included a huge feast, which has inspired the modern American Thanksgiving tradition of cooking the same foods.