Angela Olivera, Journalist
November 21, 2023
Thanksgiving is a national holiday that was created in the 1600s by the pilgrims at Plymouth. This holiday has continued for centuries. It was made an official holiday in 1863, according to Time magazine, it is always celebrated on the last Thursday of November every year. This is when people give thanks for things they appreciate, such as family, friends, etc. People tend to celebrate by gathering with their families and eating a large dinner.
According to History Channel, in 1621, colonists from England and the Wampanoag tribe had a feast, which is known as the first ever Thanksgiving. However, there are other events that are also known as the first Thanksgiving, such as the event in 1565. This was when a Spanish fleet planted a cross in the sand for the new settlement, which was celebrated with a feast. According to Western Union, another example of Thanksgiving in history was in 1578, held by Europeans in Newfoundland. English explorer Martin Frobisher traveled through Northwest safely, to celebrate, he threw a celebration.
According to Library Congress Blogs, Thanksgiving became a way to give thanks on October 3, 1789, when George Washington issued a Thanksgiving proclamation. It became an official date in 1941 and was declared an official holiday in 1863, by Abraham Lincoln. Abraham Lincoln believed in peace and union, and declared it after victory after the Battle of Gettysburg. Two years later, Andrew Johnson tried to issue it to be on December 7th, but it was denied.
Originally, nobody ate turkey on Thanksgiving. According to Britannica, by the 19th century, turkey was added because people thought that turkey had great qualities, and at the time, there were many turkeys. They were always available for people to eat.
Every food eaten on Thanksgiving has a significant meaning. For example, according to the Smithsonian, potatoes became a part of Thanksgiving because thousands of years ago, they were a staple crop. According to Pioneer Woman, people eat cranberries on Thanksgiving because cranberries were a huge part of the Wampanoag tribe’s diet. Since the Wampanoag Tribe celebrated the first Thanksgiving, people decided to keep cranberries a part of the Thanksgiving feast. Pumpkin pie was continued in the Thanksgiving feast for the same reason. According to The Washington Post, pumpkin pie was a part of the early Thanksgivings.
The history of Thanksgiving plays a significant role in how people celebrate it today. Most of the early traditions still remain today.