- The modern Thanksgiving holiday tradition in the United States is traced to a 1621 celebration at Plymouth Colony.
- The Pilgrims held this feast sometime between September 21 and November 11, 1621, with about 90 local Wampanoag tribe members, including Chief Massasoit.
- The meal likely included berries, fish, clams, plums, and boiled pumpkin.
- It wasn’t until October 1777 that all 13 colonies celebrated a day of Thanksgiving.
- President George Washington proclaimed the first nation-wide Thanksgiving celebration on November 26, 1789.
- President Abraham Lincoln issued a Thanksgiving Proclamation in October 1863, making it a true national holiday.
- For 75 years, succeeding presidents honored Lincoln’s tradition and issued a Thanksgiving Proclamation for the last Thursday in November.
- In 1939, President Franklin D. Roosevelt moved Thanksgiving to the second-to-last Thursday of November to help the economy during the Great Depression.
- This caused confusion, as some states honored the new date while others kept the traditional date.
- Congress passed a law declaring that Thanksgiving would occur every year on the fourth Thursday of November.
- In modern times, the President issues a proclamation and traditionally “pardons” a turkey.
Parent Tip: Review the logic above to help your child master the concept of history reading worksheet.
