1 Thanksgiving has been a national holiday in the United States
since October 3, 1863. 2 0n that
date, President Abraham Lincoln proclaimed the fourth Thursday
in November as a national day of
giving thanks. 3 However, the practice of proclaiming a day for
thanks did not originate in the United States.
4 The ancient Hebrews, the Greeks, and the Romans
celebrated harvest festivals; the English
also celebrated a harvest festival. 5 Nevertheless, because of
its special history, Thanksgiving
is probably the most American
of the national holidays in the United States. 6 The settlers
who are now called Pilgrims had left England
in the seventeenth century because they had not been allowed to
worship in their own way. 7 They first fled to Holland
and in 1620 sailed to North America on the Mayflower,
seeking a place to worship as they pleased. 8 Their original
destination was Jamestown, Virginia, but storms blew them northward,
and they landed at what is now Plymouth, Massachusetts, in icy
November. 9 During their first winter,
over half of the settlers died of starvation or illness. 10 The
next year, friendly Indians taught
them how to plant corn and how to hunt animals. 11 After their
good harvest the next fall, Governor William Bradford proclaimed
a day of special thanks. 12 In 1789, President
George Washington proclaimed the first national celebration
to celebrate the adoption of the Constitution.
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