Happy Thanksgiving from Florida!

When we think of Thanksgiving we think of Plymouth Rock Pilgrims joining the Wampanoag tribe for a harvest feast in the fall of 1621. But 56 years before this celebration, Pedro Menéndez de Avilés arrived in present day St. Augustine, and he wanted to show his gratitude to God for a safe journey and a new land. The explorer planned a Thanksgiving feast that was enjoyed by the Spanish, with the local tribe of Timucuas as guests. This September 8th will mark the 445th anniversary of this event.

You will learn about this and other Florida history facts in Robyn Gioia’s, America's REAL First Thanksgiving. The contents of this 44 page book include.
1. The World in 1565
2. Uncharted Lands
3. Spain in the 1560s
4. Florida in the 1560's
5. The Timucua, St. Augustine's Native Americans
6. The Founding of St. Augustine, 1565
7. Day of Thanksgiving
8. St. Augustine Today

Also included are a cocido recipe, a timeline and a glossary. This is a must-have book for any child studying Florida history.

Ages 9-12
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Activity: On September 8, celebrate the first Thanksgiving with a big pot of cocido, a traditional Spanish stew. You’ll find the recipe at Spain Recipes.com.