Thanksgiving Day is an annual holiday celebrated in both the United States and Canada. It is primarily a day to give thanks for the harvest and the blessings of the preceding year. While both countries observe Thanksgiving, the holiday is particularly steeped in historical narrative and cultural significance in the United States. Often considered a uniquely American holiday, the core concept of Thanksgiving, a day to express gratitude for blessings, resonates universally.
The commonly accepted origin story in the U.S. revolves around the first Thanksgiving, believed to have taken place in 1621. This feast was supposedly shared between the English colonists, known as the Pilgrims, of Plymouth, Massachusetts, and the Wampanoag people, a local Native American tribe. This event is romanticized as a moment of harmony and cooperation, although the full historical context is more nuanced.
Historical accounts suggest that the Plymouth colonists organized a hunting expedition in the autumn of 1621. While aiming for turkeys, they likely secured easier game such as geese and ducks. These efforts proved fruitful, providing enough fowl to feed the colony for nearly a week. During this time, approximately 90 Wampanoag individuals unexpectedly arrived at the Plymouth settlement. Initially, this might have caused some alarm amongst the roughly 50 colonists. However, over the subsequent days, interactions between the two groups were peaceful. The Wampanoag contributed venison to the communal meal, supplementing the fowl caught by the colonists. The Thanksgiving food likely included not only these meats but also fish, eels, shellfish, stews, locally grown vegetables, and beer. The setting was quite rustic; lacking substantial infrastructure, the participants likely ate outdoors, seated on the ground or barrels, using plates held in their laps. The gathering also involved typical celebratory activities, including shooting guns, running races, and consuming alcoholic beverages. Communication was challenging, with both groups attempting to converse in broken English and Wampanoag. While perhaps not as orderly as later depictions suggest, this gathering is historically significant as it solidified a treaty between the Pilgrims and the Wampanoag. This treaty fostered a period of relative peace that lasted until King Philip’s War in 1675–76, a conflict that tragically resulted in significant losses on both sides.
The Path to a National Holiday in the United States
The tradition of Thanksgiving celebrations was not entirely new to the New England colonists. They were accustomed to observing “Thanksgivings,” which were days dedicated to prayer and gratitude to God for specific blessings. These blessings could range from military victories to the end of droughts. For instance, the U.S. Continental Congress declared a national Thanksgiving to mark the ratification of the Constitution.
However, after 1798, the newly formed U.S. Congress shifted away from national Thanksgiving proclamations, leaving the decision to individual states. This change was due to various factors. Some opposed federal involvement in religious observances, while others, particularly in the South, were hesitant to adopt what they perceived as a New England custom. Furthermore, the day sometimes became a platform for partisan speeches and parades, making a national Thanksgiving a source of division rather than unity.
It wasn’t until the mid-19th century, amidst growing national tensions, that the idea of a national Thanksgiving holiday resurfaced as a unifying force. Sarah Josepha Hale, the editor of the influential Godey’s Lady’s Book magazine, tirelessly campaigned for a national Thanksgiving Day. Her efforts were finally successful when she gained the support of President Abraham Lincoln. In 1863, during the Civil War, Lincoln issued a proclamation on October 3, declaring a national day of thanksgiving to be celebrated on the last Thursday of November. This act was deeply symbolic, aiming to foster unity and gratitude during a time of national crisis.
Following Lincoln’s proclamation, every subsequent president annually declared Thanksgiving Day. The chosen date remained largely consistent as the last Thursday in November. An exception occurred during President Franklin D. Roosevelt’s administration. In an attempt to extend the Christmas shopping season and stimulate the economy during the Great Depression, Roosevelt moved Thanksgiving a week earlier, to the third Thursday in November. This decision was met with mixed reactions, and not all states complied. Eventually, in 1941, a joint resolution by Congress officially set Thanksgiving Day as the fourth Thursday in November, a practice that continues to this day.
Modern Thanksgiving Traditions in the US
As the United States evolved into a more urbanized nation with families spread across greater distances, Thanksgiving transformed into a significant occasion for family reunions. The holiday gradually shed some of its overtly religious connotations, becoming more inclusive for immigrants from diverse backgrounds to partake in a shared American tradition.
Several secular Thanksgiving traditions have become deeply ingrained in American culture. Thanksgiving dinner is central to the celebration. The traditional Thanksgiving meal typically features turkey as the centerpiece, accompanied by bread stuffing, potatoes, cranberries, and pumpkin pie. These dishes, while evolving over time, are widely recognized as quintessential Thanksgiving fare.
Thanksgiving Day football games also emerged as a popular tradition, dating back to a game between Yale and Princeton in 1876. These games provide entertainment and a lively atmosphere to the holiday. Parades with costumed participants became common in the late 19th century. This evolved into large-scale parades like the Gimbel’s parade in Philadelphia in 1920 and, most famously, the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade in New York City, which began in 1924. The Macy’s parade, known for its giant balloons since 1927, has become a televised spectacle and a beloved part of the Thanksgiving experience for many Americans.
In contemporary American culture, Thanksgiving, while rooted in historical events and evolving traditions, symbolizes intercultural harmony, the opportunities America offers to newcomers, and the importance of home and family. It’s a time for reflection, gratitude, and togetherness.
Thanksgiving in Canada
Canada also observes Thanksgiving, with its own distinct history and traditions. Similar to the United States, Canadian Thanksgiving origins are rooted in European customs of celebrating bountiful harvests and giving thanks for blessings. The earliest documented Thanksgiving celebration in Canada took place in 1578. An expedition led by Martin Frobisher held a ceremony in present-day Nunavut to express gratitude for the safety of their fleet during their voyages.
In 1879, the Canadian Parliament officially established a national Thanksgiving Day, initially set for November 6th. The date has shifted several times throughout history. Since 1957, Thanksgiving Day in Canada has been consistently celebrated on the second Monday in October. While sharing the same fundamental theme of gratitude, Canadian Thanksgiving has developed its own unique character and timing, distinct from its American counterpart.
In conclusion, What Is Thanksgiving? It is a holiday with deep historical roots in both the United States and Canada, evolving from harvest festivals and religious observances to become a widely celebrated secular holiday focused on gratitude, family, and community. While the specific historical narratives and traditions differ between the two countries, the underlying spirit of Thanksgiving – a time to reflect on blessings and express thankfulness – remains a central theme in North American culture.
