Thanksgiving has a long history that can be traced back to harvest festivals celebrated by the Pilgrims and Native Americans:
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Colonial origins
In the 1600s, colonists in New England and Canada regularly celebrated days of prayer and thanksgiving for blessings like military victories, safe journeys, and bountiful harvests.
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First Thanksgiving
In 1621, the Wampanoag people and the English colonists known as Pilgrims shared a harvest feast after a season of diplomacy. This feast is considered one of the first Thanksgiving celebrations in the colonies.
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National holiday
In 1863, President Abraham Lincoln proclaimed a national Thanksgiving Day to be celebrated annually in November. The holiday was officially moved to the fourth Thursday in November in 1942.
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Controversial holidaySome Americans, including people of Native American ancestry, believe that Thanksgiving celebrations mask the true history of oppression and bloodshed between European settlers and Native Americans.
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