The History of Thanksgiving Day

History of Thanksgiving Day

On November 26, 1941, U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt signed a bill formally establishing November 26 as Thanksgiving Day. The president designated the fourth Thursday in November as a Thanksgiving public holiday. 

As reported on the History page, the tradition of celebrating the holidays on Thursday dates back to the early history of the colonies of Plymouth and Massachusetts Bay. The day was set when a number of people celebrated the post-harvest holiday to do a banquet. The day is set on a weekday that is regularly set aside as "Lecture Day," a midweek church meeting where sermons with a topic are delivered. 

The famous Thanksgiving celebration occurred in the fall of 1621 when Plymouth governor William Bradford invited local members of the Wampanoag tribe to join the Pilgrims in a festival held in gratitude for the blessings of the season. Thanksgiving then became an annual custom throughout New England in the 17th century. 

In 1777 the Continental Congress announced the first American national Thanksgiving after the Patriot victory at Saratoga. In 1789, President George Washington became the first president to announce the Thanksgiving holiday. It happened at the request of Congress. 

At the time, George Washington declared November 26, Thursday, as a national day of gratitude for the U.S. Constitution. However, it was not until 1863, when President Abraham Lincoln declared Thanksgiving officially falling on the last Thursday of November, that modern holidays were celebrated nationally. 

With some deviations, president Lincoln was followed annually by every subsequent president until 1939. In 1939, President Franklin D. Roosevelt abandoned tradition. He changed the date stating November 23 as Thanksgiving Day. 

The considerable controversy surrounding the perversion of Thanksgiving celebrations. Some Americans refused to honor Roosevelt's remarks. Over the next two years, Roosevelt repeated the unpopular proclamation. But on November 26, 1941, he admitted his mistake and signed a law formally making the fourth Thursday of November a Thanksgiving Day public holiday. 

Thanksgiving became an annual custom throughout New England in the 17th century and in 1777 the Continental Congress announced America's first national Thanksgiving, after the Patriots' victory at Saratoga. Then, in 1789 President George Washongton became the first to announce the Thanksgiving holiday, at the request of Congress, he then declared that Thursday on November 26 as a national day of gratitude for the U.S. constitution. 

However, in 1863, President Abraham Lincoln officially declared that the last Thursday of November was a modern holiday celebrated nationally. With some deviations, the tradition was followed by president Lincoln and every subsequent president until 1939. 

In 1939, Franklin D. Roosevelt deviated from that tradition, announcing that November 23rd, the following Thursday of the year, was Thanksgiving Day. There was considerable controversy over this perversion, which resulted in some Americans refusing to honor Roosevelt's remarks. 

For the next two years, Roosevelt repeated an unpopular proclamation, but on November 26, 1941, he admitted his mistake and signed a law formally to make the fourth Thursday of every November, a Thanksgiving Day public holiday. 

Thanksgiving or Thanksgiving is celebrated by citizens of the United States every 26 days  Thanksgiving is celebrated by citizens of the United States every November 26th. Usually, thanksgiving is done by gathering with family. 

Why Turkey Cooks During Thanksgiving Day 

One of the things not to miss in this family gathering is to eat Turkey into a must-eat snack on Thanksgiving. Quoted from CNBC Ashley Rose Young, a historian at the Smithsonian's National Museum of American History, said that Thanksgiving is celebrated by eating the same foods including turkey. It is also to distinguish the celebrations performed by the People of the United States from other countries. Even the Founding Father of the United States, Alexander Hamilton, once stated that no U.S. citizen refrains from turkeys on Thanksgiving. 

Hamilton's statement came true, and according to the National Turkey Federation, about 45 million to 46 million turkeys are consumed every Thanksgiving. Another reason why turkeys are eaten on Thanksgiving is that it has been done for decades. And in the New England area, turkeys are consumed during traditional harvest festivals. 

Meanwhile, The Smithsonian historian added that the bird's popularity spread for more pragmatic reasons. First, turkeys are native to North America. Secondly, unlike chickens, turkeys weigh 15 to 20 pounds so can feed a lot of people. 

Why is called a turkey? 

Turkey is referred to as turkey in the United States. Same name as Turkey or Turkey. This naming has its own history. Quoted from American Heritage, in 1519 there were Spaniards who came to Mexico. Then their ship returned with some turkeys to Spain. 

The Spaniards breed turkeys as pet poultry. Within a few years, breeders brought turkeys north and east. In France, the birds are called indian chickens or chicken d'Inde. In Turkey, turkeys are called Hindi. 

However, when poultry farmers take them further north, the origin of the poultry becomes less clear. When turkeys arrived in England in 1541, the British thought they were from Turkey. Actually the British are mistaken because there are birds from Africa that are similar to turkeys so they think they are both the same. 

Another theory states that the birds were captured in a series of naval battles between Turkey and Spain in the 16th century. It was then brought back to Turkey and there was found by the British who began to call them Turkish birds.