History of Thanksgiving
by Sarah Formica
This Thursday, November 26, 2020, is Thanksgiving! This beloved American holiday is celebrated every year on the fourth Thursday of November. Since this year will be slightly different, and definitely a Thanksgiving for the history books, we thought it would be a good idea to look back on the history of this holiday. How did it all start? Why did it become such a sacred
American tradition? And should we even be celebrating it in the first place?
How It All Started
In the fall of 1621, the Pilgrims of Plymouth Rock celebrated their first successful harvest in a new land. To start their celebration, they fired guns and cannons all around. This loud noise attracted the attention of the Wampanoag tribe to the area. Despite the scene that is depicted in the famous painting by Jean Leon Gerome Ferris, the Pilgrims and the Wampanoag did not simply sit down for a civilized feast. Massasoit, the Wampanoag leader, sent around 90 warriors to Plymouth with the intent of engaging in battle with what he thought was a threat. A translator, however, told them that the Pilgrims were simply celebrating a harvest. Skeptical, the group decided to camp outside the settlement for the whole of the festival. The Pilgrims never invited the tribe to feast, but members of the two groups could have potentially eaten together if Wampanoag men happened to be passing through a village since it was, of course, still their homeland.
How Did This Holiday Become So Widespread?
The first “national thanksgiving” was proposed by George Washington on the last Thursday of November in 1789, but this was held in little regard and did not mark the beginning of the holiday. Washington’s idea was brought to life in 1863 during the Civil War. Abraham Lincoln saw what division was doing to the country, so he made Thanksgiving a national holiday in an
attempt to bring everyone together. He kept it on the last Thursday of November, just like Washington wanted. This changed on December 26, 1941, however, when President Roosevelt changed it to the fourth Thursday of November because he believed that in the years when there were five Thursdays, pushing it up a week would be better for the economy.
Should We Still Celebrate Thanksgiving?
Even though many Americans see Thanksgiving as a day for unity, feasting, and giving thanks, many other Americans believe that we shouldn’t celebrate the holiday at all. For many Indigenous peoples, Thanksgiving is just another reminder of the genocide and oppression following the European settlement in this land. They, along with many others, see Thanksgiving as a day of mourning for all of the people lost to prejudice and hatred in America. Though everyone has the right to celebrate what they want and in their own way, it is important to keep in mind the true history of this holiday and try to put yourself into someone else’s shoes.
So, as November comes to an end and 2020 nears its finale, take some time to reflect on the history of Thanksgiving as you sit around the table with your family. While you eat your turkey, think about what you are thankful for during this strange holiday season and how you can make the most of the rest of this unpredictable year. Most importantly, use your time off to relax and spend time doing what you love with the people you love. Happy Thanksgiving, Northstars!
To learn more about the history of Thanksgiving, check out the sources I used:
https://www.voanews.com/usa/all-about-america/what-really-happened-1st-thanksgiving
https://indiancountrytoday.com/archive/what-really-happened-at-the-first-thanksgiving-the-wampanoag-side-of-the-tale-iTFzfinx_Eiclx573os-yg
https://www.countryliving.com/life/a40556/why-thanksgiving-on-the-fourth-thursday-november/
https://blog.nativehope.org/what-does-thanksgiving-mean-to-native-americans
https://time.com/5457183/thanksgiving-native-american-holiday/
American tradition? And should we even be celebrating it in the first place?
How It All Started
In the fall of 1621, the Pilgrims of Plymouth Rock celebrated their first successful harvest in a new land. To start their celebration, they fired guns and cannons all around. This loud noise attracted the attention of the Wampanoag tribe to the area. Despite the scene that is depicted in the famous painting by Jean Leon Gerome Ferris, the Pilgrims and the Wampanoag did not simply sit down for a civilized feast. Massasoit, the Wampanoag leader, sent around 90 warriors to Plymouth with the intent of engaging in battle with what he thought was a threat. A translator, however, told them that the Pilgrims were simply celebrating a harvest. Skeptical, the group decided to camp outside the settlement for the whole of the festival. The Pilgrims never invited the tribe to feast, but members of the two groups could have potentially eaten together if Wampanoag men happened to be passing through a village since it was, of course, still their homeland.
How Did This Holiday Become So Widespread?
The first “national thanksgiving” was proposed by George Washington on the last Thursday of November in 1789, but this was held in little regard and did not mark the beginning of the holiday. Washington’s idea was brought to life in 1863 during the Civil War. Abraham Lincoln saw what division was doing to the country, so he made Thanksgiving a national holiday in an
attempt to bring everyone together. He kept it on the last Thursday of November, just like Washington wanted. This changed on December 26, 1941, however, when President Roosevelt changed it to the fourth Thursday of November because he believed that in the years when there were five Thursdays, pushing it up a week would be better for the economy.
Should We Still Celebrate Thanksgiving?
Even though many Americans see Thanksgiving as a day for unity, feasting, and giving thanks, many other Americans believe that we shouldn’t celebrate the holiday at all. For many Indigenous peoples, Thanksgiving is just another reminder of the genocide and oppression following the European settlement in this land. They, along with many others, see Thanksgiving as a day of mourning for all of the people lost to prejudice and hatred in America. Though everyone has the right to celebrate what they want and in their own way, it is important to keep in mind the true history of this holiday and try to put yourself into someone else’s shoes.
So, as November comes to an end and 2020 nears its finale, take some time to reflect on the history of Thanksgiving as you sit around the table with your family. While you eat your turkey, think about what you are thankful for during this strange holiday season and how you can make the most of the rest of this unpredictable year. Most importantly, use your time off to relax and spend time doing what you love with the people you love. Happy Thanksgiving, Northstars!
To learn more about the history of Thanksgiving, check out the sources I used:
https://www.voanews.com/usa/all-about-america/what-really-happened-1st-thanksgiving
https://indiancountrytoday.com/archive/what-really-happened-at-the-first-thanksgiving-the-wampanoag-side-of-the-tale-iTFzfinx_Eiclx573os-yg
https://www.countryliving.com/life/a40556/why-thanksgiving-on-the-fourth-thursday-november/
https://blog.nativehope.org/what-does-thanksgiving-mean-to-native-americans
https://time.com/5457183/thanksgiving-native-american-holiday/