Thanksgiving Day, celebrated on the fourth Thursday of November, is one of the most beloved holidays in the United States. It is a time for family gatherings, feasting, and giving thanks for the blessings of the past year. But Thanksgiving’s roots go much deeper than just turkey dinners and parades. The holiday has a rich history tied to early colonial America and has evolved over centuries to become the federal holiday we know today. This article explores how Thanksgiving became a national holiday, the key figures involved in its establishment, and some interesting details about this important American tradition.
The origins of Thanksgiving are often traced back to the autumn of 1621, when the Pilgrims of Plymouth Colony held a harvest feast to celebrate their first successful growing season in the New World. After a harsh winter in which many of the Pilgrims died, they were helped by the Wampanoag people, who taught them how to grow crops and survive in their new environment. In gratitude for the harvest, the Pilgrims and the Wampanoag shared a three-day feast, which is widely considered to be the "First Thanksgiving."
While this event is seen as the beginning of the Thanksgiving tradition, it wasn’t an annual or widespread holiday at the time. Harvest celebrations were common in many cultures, and various colonies held their own days of thanks throughout the 17th and 18th centuries, often in response to specific events such as successful harvests or military victories.
Throughout colonial America, days of thanksgiving were declared sporadically, often by church leaders or colonial governors. These days were typically religious in nature, with services of gratitude and reflection. In 1777, during the Revolutionary War, the Continental Congress declared a day of thanksgiving to celebrate the victory at the Battle of Saratoga. Other similar proclamations followed, but these observances were not yet an annual tradition.
The first national Thanksgiving Day in the United States was proclaimed by President George Washington in 1789. At the request of Congress, Washington declared November 26th of that year a day of national thanksgiving to honor the new Constitution and the founding of the country. Washington’s proclamation emphasized gratitude for "the favorable interpositions of His providence," and marked the first time Thanksgiving was celebrated on a national level.
While Washington’s proclamation was significant, Thanksgiving was still not an annual event. Presidents after Washington made similar proclamations, but the holiday’s observance remained irregular, with no set date or national recognition. It wasn’t until the mid-19th century that Thanksgiving became more widely celebrated and institutionalized as a national tradition.
The Thanksgiving holiday as we know it today owes much to the efforts of Sarah Josepha Hale, a writer and editor who campaigned tirelessly for the establishment of a national day of thanks. For years, Hale wrote letters to politicians, including several U.S. presidents, urging them to declare Thanksgiving a national holiday. She believed that a unified day of thanks would promote national unity, especially during the divisive years leading up to the Civil War.
In 1863, in the midst of the Civil War, President Abraham Lincoln responded to Hale’s efforts by issuing a proclamation that officially established Thanksgiving as a national holiday. Lincoln declared that the last Thursday of November would be set aside as a day to give thanks for the "blessings of fruitful fields and healthful skies" and to offer prayers for healing the nation. Lincoln’s proclamation marked the first time Thanksgiving was established as an annual, nationwide event.
From Lincoln’s proclamation in 1863 until 1939, Thanksgiving was consistently celebrated on the last Thursday of November. However, in 1939, President Franklin D. Roosevelt changed the date of Thanksgiving in an attempt to extend the holiday shopping season and boost the economy. That year, Thanksgiving was moved to the second-to-last Thursday in November, a decision that was met with widespread controversy and confusion.
Many Americans were upset by the change, and some states refused to follow Roosevelt’s new date, creating two competing Thanksgiving celebrations in 1939 and 1940. In response to the backlash, Congress passed a law in 1941 that officially set the date of Thanksgiving as the fourth Thursday of November, where it has remained ever since. This law also established Thanksgiving as a federal holiday, cementing its place in the American calendar.
Thanksgiving has long been associated with the values of gratitude, family, and togetherness. For many Americans, it is a time to reflect on the blessings of the past year and to gather with loved ones for a festive meal. The holiday’s central focus on giving thanks aligns with its historical roots, as it was originally intended as a day to offer gratitude for the year’s harvest and for the prosperity of the nation.
Over the years, Thanksgiving has evolved into a holiday that celebrates not only gratitude but also American traditions and culture. The holiday is often marked by large family gatherings, with turkey as the centerpiece of the meal, along with dishes like stuffing, mashed potatoes, and pumpkin pie. For many, Thanksgiving also serves as a reminder of the importance of community and charity, with organizations holding food drives and other charitable events to help those in need.
Thanksgiving is celebrated in a variety of ways across the country. One of the most famous traditions is the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, which has been held in New York City since 1924. The parade features giant balloons, floats, marching bands, and performances, and is watched by millions of people both in person and on television.
Another well-known tradition is the annual "turkey pardon," in which the President of the United States ceremonially pardons a live turkey, sparing it from being cooked and served at a Thanksgiving feast. This lighthearted tradition began with President George H. W. Bush in 1989 and has continued with each subsequent president.
As a federal holiday, Thanksgiving affects various aspects of business and legal operations:
To manage deadlines and transactions around the Thanksgiving holiday, tools like DeadlineCalculator.com can be helpful for businesses and individuals.
Thanksgiving, celebrated on the fourth Thursday of November, is a cherished holiday in the United States that reflects the values of gratitude, family, and togetherness. From its origins with the Pilgrims and the Wampanoag people to its establishment as a national holiday by Abraham Lincoln, Thanksgiving has evolved into a day for Americans to reflect on their blessings and gather with loved ones. As the holiday continues to bring people together, it remains a vital part of American culture and tradition.
Note: This article provides historical insights into Thanksgiving as a federal holiday. For more information on how federal holidays impact deadlines, visit DeadlineCalculator.com.