Thanksgiving is the holiday between Halloween and Christmas. Thanksgiving is a time for families and friends to come together and celebrate what they’re thankful for. Some families go to someone’s house or they host, and they all sit around the table and stuff their mouths full of food while the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade is playing behind them, then later they all gather and watch a football game. Thanksgiving plans vary for everyone, but where did the tradition that is Thanksgiving start?
Back when the colonists were starting to adventure out into the new world, a group called the colony of Plymouth Rock came from Great Britain on a ship called the Mayflower. They landed in what is now called Provincetown, Massachusetts, in Cape Cod in December 1620. They founded the colony on a vacant Wampanoag village called Patuxet. In 1621, during autumn, around 52 English colonists and 90 Wampanoag villagers including their leader came together to celebrate the corn harvest. But they did more than feast, they entertained each other including the colonists showing arms (Firing guns).
Many people think they had stuff like pumpkin pie mashed potatoes, but this in fact is not true because pilgrims had no sugar nor did they have ovens to bake the pie, and potatoes were not introduced to New England yet. The meal that was provided for the three day feast included wild fowl, venison, fish, cornmill, squash, and berries. For the pilgrims, this was not yet a religious day of thanksgiving because a religious day of thanksgiving would consist of praying and fasting.
Thanksgiving doesn’t end there, it is rather the very beginning. In 1789 President George Washington issued the first national Thanksgiving proclamation, issuing that on November 26 as a day of thanks to God for the American constitution. However this day never became a federal holiday, at least not how Washington imagined.
The next major Thanksgiving was by Shara Josephas campaign. Shara Josepha is the woman who created “Mary Had a little Lamb”. She believed we should have an annual national holiday for Thanksgiving. She wrote many letters to Congress and politicians to make Thanksgiving an annual holiday.
The next important Thanksgiving was by President Abraham Lincoln. In 1863, amid the Civil War, President Abraham Lincoln agreed to Shara Joseph’s idea of a national Thanksgiving holiday. The President proclaimed that annual Thanksgiving will be held on the last Thursday of every November. He thought this would help heal the wounds of the nation.
The last most important Thanksgiving was established by President Franklin D. Roosevelt in 1939. He tried to move Thanksgiving to early November to boost the economy during the Great Depression, but Congress disagreed with this decision. They later passed a bill making it the fourth Thursday of every November, as it remains today.
One fun fact about Thanksgiving is that every year since 1989, the President of the United States will spare a turkey. President Nixon and Carter did pick a turkey and release it to the zoo but it was President Reagan who was thee first to use the word pardon in 1987 during the pardoning of a turkey named Charlie. The pardoned turkeys now these days go to a farm or a university where they will live out their days.
Along with the extensive history of Thanksgiving brings an extensive history of Thanksgiving traditions.
“I invite a bunch of family over and then we eat like a lot of different things other than just like turkey and other stuff. Then we like hang out, [and] talk,” Joshua Babauta (10) said.
“We love to come together as a big family, and we eat together until we’re all stuffed” Collin Sharp (11) said.
Cuz, let me tell you something. So like my mom makes this five cheese mac and cheese right? And it’s like the best thing I’ve ever had bro, I ain’t even gonna hold you” Lucas Taylor (11) said.
“My favorite things for Thanksgiving is just whenever all my family gets together and we all hang out” Noah Mortain (10) said.
Throughout history, Thanksgiving has played major roles besides just sitting and eating with friends and family, so next time you think, I will just skip thanksgiving for christmas remember all the people who fought for it to be a holiday so you can leave school and work for three days. Not everyone celebrates Thanksgiving though, a lot of native Americans look back on thanksgiving and morn on how their land was seized and the conflict they had. Other Native Americans celebrate by honoring their ancestors. With all this, take Thanksgiving as a time to spend with family and friends, and to look at what you have that many other people don’t, so be grateful for what you got and have a Happy Thanksgiving.
Image source “Freepik”.
