Many families gather to give thanks every November and enjoy being together for this holiday. Can you guess what it is? It’s Thanksgiving, a popular holiday. But why do we celebrate Thanksgiving? And what’s the story behind it?
Long ago, a group of travelers known as Pilgrims journeyed to what is now the United States, then called the United Colonies. While the details of their story remain somewhat unclear, historians believe they held a grand feast in either 1565 or 1621. This feast was a celebration of a successful harvest, marking an important moment of gratitude and unity.
In 1789, George Washington declared November 26 as a day of national thanksgiving, marking the first official Thanksgiving in the United States. Decades later, in 1863, Abraham Lincoln solidified the tradition by declaring the fourth Thursday of November as a national holiday—Thanksgiving—a time for the nation to come together in gratitude and reflection
Here are some quick facts you may not know about Thanksgiving:
- In 1939 and 1940 Thanksgiving was celebrated twice!
- Elephants were once a part of celebrations!
- Animals from the Central Park Zoo were a part of a parade!
- A few turkeys get released in safe places to live out their lives.
- It was officially announced as a national holiday by President Lincoln, according to the White House.
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