Thanksgiving originated from a 1621 harvest feast shared by Plymouth colonists and Wampanoag people. The holiday became a national event after President Abraham Lincoln issued a proclamation in 1863, and was later cemented as the fourth Thursday of November by a 1941 congressional resolution signed by President Franklin D. Roosevelt. While the 1621 feast is considered the first Thanksgiving, earlier harvest celebrations and days of thanks occurred in other colonies, and the modern holiday's history is complex and includes a darker history of oppression of Native Americans.
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1621 "First Thanksgiving":
The Plymouth colonists and 90 members of the Wampanoag people shared a three-day harvest feast in what is now Plymouth, Massachusetts. This event is widely recognized as the origin of the modern holiday, though the name "Thanksgiving" was not used at the time.
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Wampanoag contribution:
The Wampanoag people were crucial to the survival of the colonists, teaching them how to cultivate native crops. They also provided food for the feast, including deer.
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Other early thanksgivings:
Before the Plymouth feast, other colonies had their own days of thanks for blessings like military victories and good harvests. One notable early example was proclaimed by John Winthrop in 1637 to celebrate an English victory over the Pequot tribe.
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Lincoln's proclamation:
In 1863, during the Civil War, President Abraham Lincoln officially declared a national Thanksgiving Day to be held each November to promote unity among the states.
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Sarah Josepha Hale's advocacy:
For decades, magazine editor Sarah Josepha Hale campaigned for a national Thanksgiving holiday, influencing Lincoln's 1863 proclamation.
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Roosevelt's change:
In 1939, President Franklin D. Roosevelt moved the date of Thanksgiving to the fourth Thursday in November, initially a week earlier to extend the Christmas shopping season. This change caused public outcry and led to the holiday being celebrated on two different dates in 1939.
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Congressional resolution:
To end the confusion, Congress passed a resolution in 1941, and Roosevelt signed it into law in 1942, officially establishing the fourth Thursday in November as Thanksgiving Day.
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Holiday meaning:
Today, Thanksgiving is a time for families and friends to gather for a meal, often featuring turkey, cranberries, and pumpkin pie. Parades and football games are also common traditions.
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Native American perspective:
Many Native Americans view the holiday with complexity, acknowledging that the holiday's history is tied to a much darker history of colonization. Some may still participate in the celebration while also using the day to remember the true history and hardship faced by their people.
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