In
1621, the Plymouth colonists and Wampanoag Indians shared an autumn harvest
feast that is acknowledged today as one of the first Thanksgiving celebrations
in the colonies. For more than two centuries, days of thanksgiving were
celebrated by individual colonies and states. It wasn’t until 1863, in the
midst of the Civil War, that President Abraham Lincoln proclaimed a national
Thanksgiving Day to be held each November.
THANKSGIVING
AT PLYMOUTH
In
September 1620, a small ship called the Mayflower left Plymouth, England,
carrying 102 passengers—an assortment of religious separatists seeking a new
home where they could freely practice their faith and other individuals lured
by the promise of prosperity and land ownership in the New World. After a
treacherous and uncomfortable crossing that lasted 66 days, they dropped anchor
near the tip of Cape Cod, far north of their intended destination at the mouth
of the Hudson River. One month later, the Mayflower crossed Massachusetts Bay,
where the Pilgrims, as they are now commonly known, began the work of
establishing a village at Plymouth.
Did You Know?
Lobster, seal and
swans were on the Pilgrims' menu.
In
November 1621, after the Pilgrims’ first corn harvest proved successful,
Governor William Bradford organized a celebratory feast and invited a group of
the fledgling colony’s Native American allies, including the Wampanoag chief
Massasoit. Now remembered as American’s “first Thanksgiving”—although the
Pilgrims themselves may not have used the term at the time—the festival lasted
for three days.
THANKSGIVING
BECOMES AN OFFICIAL HOLIDAY
Pilgrims
held their second Thanksgiving celebration in 1623 to mark the end of a long
drought that had threatened the year’s harvest and prompted Governor Bradford
to call for a religious fast. Days of fasting and thanksgiving on an annual or
occasional basis became common practice in other New England settlements as
well. During the American Revolution, the Continental Congress designated one
or more days of thanksgiving a year, and in 1789 George Washington issued the
first Thanksgiving proclamation by the national government of the United States.
THANKSGIVING
TRADITIONS
In
many American households, the Thanksgiving celebration has lost much of its
original religious significance; instead, it now centers on cooking and sharing
a bountiful meal with family and friends. Turkey, a Thanksgiving staple so
ubiquitous it has become all but synonymous with the holiday, may or may not
have been on offer when the Pilgrims hosted the inaugural feast in 1621. Today,
however, nearly 90 percent of Americans eat the bird—whether roasted, baked or
deep-fried—on Thanksgiving, according to the National Turkey Federation. Other
traditional foods include stuffing, mashed potatoes, cranberry sauce and
pumpkin pie. Volunteering is a common Thanksgiving Day activity, and
communities often hold food drives and host free dinners for the less fortunate.
Parades
have also become an integral part of the holiday in cities and towns across the
United States. Presented by Macy’s department store since 1924, New York City’s
Thanksgiving Day parade is the largest and most famous, attracting some 2 to 3
million spectators along its 2.5-mile route and drawing an enormous television
audience. It typically features marching bands, performers, elaborate floats
conveying various celebrities and giant balloons shaped like cartoon
characters.
Beginning
in the mid-20th century and perhaps even earlier, the president of the United
States has “pardoned” one or two Thanksgiving turkeys each year, sparing the
birds from slaughter and sending them to a farm for retirement. A number of
U.S. governors also perform the annual turkey pardoning ritual.
THANKSGIVING VIDEO PRESENTATION
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