Thanksgiving History: A Fall Festival Turned National Holiday

Thanksgiving more than likely originated from harvest home ceremonies originally held in England to thank God for bountiful crops and a plentiful harvest late in the fall season after crops were gathered they celebrated. The actual first Thanksgiving in America was really a religious event and had little or nothing to do with feasting. It was celebrated by a group of 38 settlers arrived at Berkeley Plantation on the James River, now known as Charles City, Virginia. The leader of the group pronounced that the day they arrived be observed as a Day of Thanksgiving to God.

Many people still believe Plymouth Rock was the site of the original colony. The pilgrims did land at Plymouth Rock on December 11, 1620 in search of fresh provisions; the natives in the area greeted them with hostility so they got back on the boat and went back out to sea. Just a small distance further south they landed around the Cape Cod area where they set up their settlement at Berkeley Plantation on the James River, known now as Charles City, Virginia.

Thanksgiving actually resulted from the cruel Massachusetts winter, which killed almost half the original 102 colonists. In the spring of 1621 two braves called Samoset (of the Wampanag Tribe) and Squanto (of the Patuxtet Tribe) brought their tribe members and taught the remaining colonists how to plant corn and how to catch alewives (a fish in the herring family) which they used to fertilize to fertilize growing pumpkins, beans and other crops. The pilgrims were also instructed by their new friends the Native Americans how to hunt and fish for food.

By that summer, even though the crops of peas, wheat and barley were poor the corn and pumpkin crops were plentiful. In early Autumn Governor William Bradford put together a harvest festival to honor the help provided by the natives and to give thanks to God for having survived. Whether turkey was the bird of choice is questionable. The term "turkey was used by pilgrims to describe any type of wild fowl such as duck and geese.

The history of Thanksgiving shows that it was not observed every year after the first festival.

It was not until November 26, 1785 when president George Washington issued a proclamation of the nation-wide day of thanksgiving. He made it clear that the day should be set-aside for prayer and giving thanks to God. Many people opposed the idea at the time. It was though celebrated by all religious dominations, which helped support the spirit of unity in the new country. In 1830, New York had an official State Thanksgiving Day this prompted other northern states to follow their lead. In 1855, Virginia was the first southern state to adopt the holiday on the last Thursday in November.

The history of Thanksgiving credits the nationalization of the holiday is usually attributed the efforts of Sarah J. Hale the editor and founder of the Ladies' Magazine in Boston in 1828. She had written editorials in the magazine along with letters to President Lincoln urging the establishment of a national holiday. This resulted in President Lincolns' proclamation in 1863 officially designating Thanksgiving as a national holiday on the last Thursday of November.

Over 300 million turkeys are raised throughout the country for consumption each year. Only one is selected to travel to the White House where the bird is granted clemency from being a Thanksgiving meal by receiving a Presidential pardon. The turkey is then relocated to a nearby farm where it lives the rest of its life free from the butcher block. Turkey, football, friends and family are what Thanksgiving is usually all about and we all are thankful. Therefore, this Thanksgiving give thanks for the blessings you have received.