Thanksgiving has a long history that can be traced back to harvest festivals celebrated by the Pilgrims and Native Americans:Â
-
-
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.Â
-
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.Â
-
-
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.Â
-
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.Â
Discover more from McDonald Bookkeeping Services
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
You must be logged in to post a comment.