Early history and the myth of the first Thanksgiving
The popular image of the first Thanksgiving is a 1621 harvest festival attended by the Pilgrims and the Wampanoag people, though the exact date is uncertain.
- This event was not called Thanksgiving and was not a regular occurrence. It was a three-day event that included feasting and diplomacy, not a simple harvest celebration.
- The food was different from modern Thanksgiving meals, featuring venison, fowl, seafood, and vegetables like corn and squash, but likely not turkey or cranberry sauce.
- The history of Thanksgiving is not just about the 1621 feast. Some historical accounts indicate that other "days of thanksgiving" were celebrated in the 17th century in honor of military victories over Native Americans, such as the 1637 Pequot Massacre. National holiday and modern traditions.
- First national Thanksgiving: In 1789, President George Washington issued the first Thanksgiving proclamation on behalf of the United States.
- Push for a national holiday: The tradition of celebrating Thanksgiving at the state level grew, but a national holiday was not established until later. Sarah Josepha Hale, the editor of Godey's Lady's Book, campaigned for an annual national Thanksgiving holiday for decades.
- Lincoln's proclamation: In 1863, during the Civil War, President Abraham Lincoln declared a national day of Thanksgiving, influenced by Hale's efforts.
- Fixing the date: Thanksgiving was celebrated on the last Thursday of November until 1939, when President Franklin D. Roosevelt moved the holiday up a week. In 1941, Roosevelt signed a bill making Thanksgiving the fourth Thursday in November.
