The passage highlights the Pilgrims' dire conditions upon arrival and their first winter, explaining their need for Native American assistance, particularly from Squanto. This context helps in understanding why the Thanksgiving celebration took place after the harvest, symbolizing a successful collaboration between the Pilgrims and Native Americans.
The excerpt "The Pilgrims were not in good condition. They were living in dirt-covered shelters, there was a shortage of food, and nearly half of them had died in the winter" from paragraph 9 significantly contributes to the author's version of the Thanksgiving story by emphasizing the dire circumstances the Pilgrims found themselves in upon their arrival in the New World and their first winter spent there.
This context illustrates the Pilgrims' desperation and need for assistance, which was benevolently provided by the Native Americans, particularly Squanto. Therefore, the correct answer to how this excerpt contributes to the Thanksgiving story is B. It demonstrates why the Pilgrims needed help from Squanto.
Despite facing a harsh winter, a lack of shelter, and a severe food shortage, the Pilgrims received crucial help from the Native Americans. With guidance from Squanto, a member of the Patuxet tribe, not only did the Pilgrims learn vital survival skills such as growing corn and utilizing local resources like herring to fertilize the soil, but they also learned to fish effectively. This knowledge exchange and the subsequent harvest led to the famous Thanksgiving feast which symbolizes cooperation and the sharing of resources and knowledge between the Pilgrims and the Native Americans.