The History of Thanksgiving Monday, December 13, 2010 By Jesse Pothoof [ArticleImageHyperLink] Advertising Oh, the joys of Thanksgiving: warm, juicy turkey; steamy, savory stuffing; sweet pumpkin pie, fresh from the oven; and of course, cold, tart cranberry sauce. Yes, the delicious delicacies that make up the modern Thanksgiving meal, topped off by a full and satisfied belly. However, this holiday has not always been such a feast to indulge in. In 1620, the first colonists, known as the Pilgrims, traveled over to the New World from England on the Mayflower. These pioneers had come to Plymouth Rock in order to escape religious persecution. The first winter at Plymouth was not a successful one; out of 102 passengers, including women and children, 46 of these members died. Like a blessing, the survivors were able communicate with the Native Americans; as a result, the Pilgrims learned how to plant and harvest food. Thus, they reaped an abundance of food the following fall with enough to last them through the harsh winter. To celebrate this abundance, the Pilgrims decided to have a feast, feeding themselves and the Native Americans as payment for their help. Some historians say that the feast was more like the traditional harvest feast of England rather than the traditional Thanksgiving that is now celebrated. In fact, the Pilgrims did not have turkey but used the word to describe wild fowl, such as waterfowl. Other food included boiled pumpkin, corn, peas, deer, bread, and fish. This festivity of thanks was not celebrated the following year, due to crop damage. It was not until 1676 that another Thanksgiving was celebrated. After a council was held in Charlestown, Massachusetts, it was decided to celebrate June 29 as a day to give thanks for prospering as a community. In 1777, the next Thanksgiving was announced in October after the success over the British at Saratoga. In 1789, George Washington declared that there should be a national day of thanks. However, many people opposed the idea. It was not until 1863 when magazine editor Sarah Josepha Hale had written several decades worth of editorials promoting a day of thanks that Thanksgiving was officially declared an official holiday by President Lincoln. The date: the last Thursday in November. Over the years, there have been debates about when Thanksgiving should be held in order to give Christmas shoppers adequate time to shop. Franklin Roosevelt had tried to change it to the third week of November, but due to the uproar of the people, the date was changed back to the fourth Thursday in November. Today, Thanksgiving is celebrated yearly throughout the country. While the gorging of food is still a tradition, Americans have created their own traditions. The first annual Thanksgiving football game took place in 1920. Now families gather around the television, shouting, jumping, and eating as they cheer on their favorite team. Many families also play their own football games. In addition to tackling each other, families enjoy watching the Macy’s Day Parade or giving to others by serving in soup kitchens. Thanksgiving has become a day to spend with the family, giving thanks, and giving to others. After all, “silent gratitude isn’t much use to anyone” (G.B. Stern), so why not have a day dedicated to thanks?

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