Chesterfield New Hampshire Historical Society
The Story of Maize (Corn)
Although now found across the globe, maize originated in the New World. The actual origin of the grain has been hotly debated. Consensus today is that maize (known as corn in the USA) was domesticated from a single wild grass called teosinte in the Balsas River Valley of south-central Mexico. Archaeological evidence suggests the sweet juice of teosinte stalks was consumed before the discovery of the grain.
A teosinte ear is only 2"- 3” long with 5 – 12 kernels. The kernels have a hard outer casing that enables it to survive an animal’s digestive system and makes the dry grain inedible for humans. A mutation occurred 10,000 years ago, resulting in a diminished shell. Ancient horticulturists took advantage of this mutation and over the years domesticated it by improving the ear size and kernel texture. However, it was not until approximately 4,000 years ago, when the domesticated plant hybridized with the highland variety of teosinte, that maize became a significant part of the human diet. This mixture of genes is reflected in cob size and flowering time. The resulting hybridized plant had a higher yield and could grow outside the tropics. It also demonstrated “hybrid vigor” meaning that the plant’s genes have fewer harmful mutations.
Eventually, maize spread out from Mexico, probably by the circulation of seeds along trade routes rather than population migration. The indigenous people of Mesoamerica, such as the Maya, Aztecs, and Olmecs played a key role in developing corn cultivation techniques. This rise in maize cultivation roughly coincided with the rise of more complex, densely populated societies that relied heavily on agriculture. Maize became so important that most indigenous cultures deified it.
Corn made its way to the southwestern United States about 3,200 years ago. Eventually, it appeared in the eastern US about 2,100 years ago. Christopher Columbus introduced it to Europe in 1493. Now, corn is one of the world’s most widely grown crop. It is consumed by both humans and animals and used as raw material for industrial products.
How does all this fit into Thanksgiving? Corn contributed greatly to the Pilgrims' survival. After 66 days at sea, they landed on Cape Cod in late 1620. There, they discovered fresh water and a stash of corn that had been buried by the native Nauset tribe. Being desperate for food, they took 14 bushels from “Corn Hill”, present day Truro, MA. However, they found Cape Cod ill-suited for a permanent settlement. After a month of searching, they decided to sail across the bay to an area that had plentiful water, a good harbor, cleared fields, and elevated land acceptable for a settlement. Actually, it had been a Wampanoag village, Pautuxet, which was abandoned after the 1616-1619 epidemic that killed approximately 90% of the Native American population in present day southern New England.
After a harrowing winter, the surviving Pilgrims only consisted of 22 men, 4 women, and 25 children. In March 1621, Tisquantum (Squanto) arrived. He is credited with teaching the floundering pilgrims how to survive in this unfamiliar environment. Although most were originally farmers in England, they had worked in Holland’s textile industry for more than a decade, resulting in many lacking skills in farming and gardening. In addition, the European seeds they had brought did not flourish in the area's sandy soil. It was the cleared fields, native seeds, and Native American teachings that allowed this small group to gain a foothold in the New World. Without this support, they never would have been able to celebrate and give thanks for having a harvest in 1621.
