Monday, November 17, 2008

The First Thanksgiving Day was in....

1621.

Yes, this was the first feast between the pilgrims and the Indians/Native Americans (to be politically correct). Last night, I was laughed at because I did not have quite the right date for the first Thanksgiving. (I only teach it once a year so I cannot be expected to remember it all year long.) So I thought I would do my research and let you know all because I am sure you were losing sleep over it. So Paul, here is a little tidbit of history for you, if you did not already know it, of course!

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

Yeah I thought the 1850's sounded a little too recent!!!! :) love you elise.

Jim said...

A little more history:

Several Presidents, including George Washington made one-time Thanksgiving holidays

In 1827, Mrs. Sarah Joseph Hale began lobbying several Presidents for the proclamation of Thanksgiving as a national holiday

Abraham Lincoln finally made it a national holiday with his 1863 Thanksgiving Proclamation.

The Thanksgiving Day is celebrated on the fourth Thursday of every November. The holiday was set by President Franklin D. Roosevelt in 1939 (approved by Congress in 1941).