Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving is part of American history and culture.  For most people it is a time of feasting and family get-togethers. Have you ever wondered why Thanksgiving is always on the last Thursday in November? Why is it in November and not February or June? Why is it on Thursday and not Monday or Friday? What is the REAL history of Thanksgiving?

The first recorded colonial Thanksgiving was in the fall of 1621. The pilgrims at Plymouth set aside several days in the middle of the week for feasting and offering of thanks. Records show that Governor William Bradford of Massachusetts sent out four hunters to acquire wild game for a great feast. They returned with a large supply of game animals which included a large number of turkeys. Turkeys were plentiful in the woods of Massachusetts during the early 1600's. Governor Bradford invited Chief Massosoit and ninety other Wampanoag (Pokanket) Indians to this festival. The Indians brought with them five deer as a gift tot he pilgrims. The first Thanksgiving lasted three days. It started on Thursday and ended on Saturday, the day before the Sabbath began.

In 1631, Governor Bradford proclaimed a day of Thanksgiving to a merciful God. Among the Puritans of Massachusetts, Thanksgiving was a solemn day. They appointed February 22, 1630 their Thanksgiving Day. Governor John Winthorp of Massachusetts wrote: "We keep Thanksgiving Day today in Boston." In 1693, the state of Connecticut celebrated its first Thanksgiving. In 1644, the Dutch of Pennsylvania held their first Thanksgiving Day. For the next one hundred and fifty years, Thanksgiving Day was held at various times throughout the year.

In 1789, congress requested the president declare an official day of Thanksgiving. President George Washington proclaimed November the 26th, the last Thursday of that month, as Thanksgiving Day. It remained November 26 until the whiskey rebellion of 1794. After the suppression of the rebellion, Washington, in honor of the new peace, proclaimed February the 19th as the new official day of Thanksgiving.

In 1789, President John Adams changed Thanksgiving Day to May the 9th instead of February the 19th. This was the first time that Thanksgiving Day did not fall on a Thursday since Washington's first official proclamation. The following year, President Adams declared April 25, 1799 the new Thanksgiving Day, which was on a Thursday. For the next thirteen years, Thanksgiving remained on April 25th. During the war of 1812, President Adams changed it to the third Thursday in August. In 1815, President Adams in a celebration of peace changed Thanksgiving to the second Thursday in April. It remained the second Thursday in April for the next forty-nine years.

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