Thanksgiving Day: Meaning, History, and Facts
Thanksgiving Day is an annual national holiday celebrated in both the United States and Canada to honor the harvest and other blessings from the past year.
Origins and Historical Background
Americans generally trace their Thanksgiving tradition to a 1621 harvest feast shared by the English colonists, known as Pilgrims, and the Wampanoag people in Plymouth. Early colonists in New England and Canada often held days of prayer or "thanksgivings" to express gratitude for safe journeys, military victories, or plentiful harvests.
Canadians, on the other hand, recognize their earliest thanksgiving celebration in 1578, when Martin Frobisher's expedition gave thanks for a safe passage through dangerous waters.
Modern Celebrations
- In the United States, Thanksgiving Day is observed on the fourth Thursday of November, a date established by a joint resolution of Congress in 1941 and proclaimed by President Franklin D. Roosevelt.
- Since 1957, Canadians celebrate Thanksgiving on the second Monday of October.
Both countries gather family and friends for a festive meal and various celebrations.
Traditional Thanksgiving Foods
Typical American Thanksgiving dishes include turkey, cranberries, and pumpkin pie, highlighting the harvest theme of the holiday.
"Thanksgiving is an annual national holiday in the United States and Canada that celebrates the blessings of the past year."
Author's summary: Thanksgiving Day commemorates gratitude for past blessings through shared meals and traditions rooted in historic harvest celebrations in both the United States and Canada.
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