The Pilgrims and Thanksgiving* Of the 104 passengers that came over on the Mayflower, only 52 survived the first year at Plymouth Rock. Twenty-one of these survivors were under the age of 16. America was, in fact, founded in large by children.* 90 Massosoit Indians arrived for the first Thanksgiving celebration.* Only four Pilgrim women had survived and oversaw the three-day feast for 142 people.* Games were played at the first Thanksgiving and most likely included: "The Staggin Match" where two contestants with their feet tied together and their hands tied behind their backs tried to knock each other down and "A Egge Race To Be Runn," where contestants placed a whole egg in their mouth and raced to a finish line; the first person who crossed with an unbroken egg in their mouth won.* Sarah Joseph Hale, fashion editor for Godey's Lady's Book, started a campaign that made Thanksgiving Day the true national celebration as we know it today.* Although it wasn't the first, Abraham Lincoln's "Thanksgiving Proclamation," in 1863 seems to be the one that put the holiday on our calendars.The Pilgrims and Thanksgiving* Of the 104 passengers that came over on the Mayflower, only 52 survived the first year at Plymouth Rock. Twenty-one of these survivors were under the age of 16. America was, in fact, founded in large by children.* 90 Massosoit Indians arrived for the first Thanksgiving celebration.* Only four Pilgrim women had survived and oversaw the three-day feast for 142 people.* Games were played at the first Thanksgiving and most likely included: "The Staggin Match" where two contestants with their feet tied together and their hands tied behind their backs tried to knock each other down and "A Egge Race To Be Runn," where contestants placed a whole egg in their mouth and raced to a finish line; the first person who crossed with an unbroken egg in their mouth won.* Sarah Joseph Hale, fashion editor for Godey's Lady's Book, started a campaign that made Thanksgiving Day the true national celebration as we know it today.* Although it wasn't the first, Abraham Lincoln's "Thanksgiving Proclamation," in 1863 seems to be the one that put the holiday on our calendars.