Thanksgiving Day: Meaning, History, and Facts
Thanksgiving Day is an annual national holiday in the United States and Canada that honors the harvest and other blessings from the past year. It is traditionally a time when family and friends gather to celebrate.
Origins and Historical Background
Americans generally view their Thanksgiving as inspired by a 1621 harvest feast shared between the Pilgrims—European colonists of Plymouth—and the Wampanoag people.
"Americans model their holiday on a 1621 harvest feast shared between the Wampanoag people and the English colonists known as Pilgrims."
In New England and Canada, early colonists observed "thanksgivings" as days of prayer, celebrating blessings like safe journeys, military victories, or plentiful harvests.
Canadian Thanksgiving can be traced back to 1578 when Martin Frobisher led an expedition giving thanks for safe passage.
Modern Celebration Dates
- In the United States, Thanksgiving Day is celebrated on the fourth Thursday of November, as established by a 1941 congressional resolution and a presidential proclamation by Franklin D. Roosevelt.
- Since 1957, Canada celebrates Thanksgiving on the second Monday in October.
Traditional Foods and Customs
The holiday meal in America commonly features turkey, cranberries, and pumpkin pie, symbolizing the harvest's bounty.
Summary
Thanksgiving Day unites people in North America to express gratitude through historic roots, shared meals, and time-honored customs.