Thanksgiving History

The evolution of the classic holiday in America

Every school child is taught the story of the Pilgrims and the Native Americans, celebrating the first successful year in the New World with a Thanksgiving feast. While the story is often repeated, few of us know all of the details.

The New World

The Pilgrims landed in Plymouth on December 11, 1620. Their first year in the New World was devastating. One year later, 46 of the original 102 colonists aboard the Mayflower had perished from hunger, cold, and disease.

The fall harvest of 1621, however, was successful. The Pilgrims were amazed at the survival of their crops, and they owed a debt of gratitude to a handful of Native Americans who had assisted them. To celebrate the success, Governor William Bradford proclaimed a day of Thanksgiving, to be shared by the Native Americans who had been so helpful. The holiday was based on a traditional English harvest and lasted three days. Interestingly, it is not certain that turkey was eaten at this feast; it is more likely that wild ducks or geese were prepared. The Pilgrims used the word turkey to refer to any type of wild fowl.

The birth of a custom

The following year, although harvests were good, the feast was not repeated. However, 1623 saw a serious drought followed by a steady rain that saved the crops at the last minute, and Governor Bradford again stepped forward to proclaim a celebration.

Thanksgiving fell by the wayside again until 1676, when councilmen in Charlestown, MA chose June 29th for another celebration. By then, the friendly relationship between the colonists and the Native Americans had dissolved and the Native Americans were no longer included in the ceremony.

In 1789, George Washington attempted to establish an annual day of Thanksgiving, but didn't meet with much support. It wasn't until 1863, when President Lincoln chose the last Thursday in November as the annual holiday, that Thanksgiving actually became a part of the American vernacular.

Evolution of Thanksgiving Day

Since Lincoln's declaration of Thanksgiving as a holiday, every president thereafter has supported the idea, and the day of feasting has evolved into an American custom.

In 1939, President Franklin Roosevelt attempted to change the date to the next-to-last Thursday in November. His purpose was to extend the Christmas shopping season. He celebrated alone that year. The rest of America revolted against the change, and two years later Thanksgiving was back to its original date. Finally, in 1941, Congress sanctioned Thanksgiving as a national holiday.

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