The pilgrims landed on Plymouth Rock on December 11th, 1620. By the next fall they had lost 46 of the original 102 settlers that came over on the Mayflower. However, even with all the hardship they had managed to produce a bountiful harvest. They decided to have a feast (that lasted 3 days) to celebrate and invited 91 Indians who had helped them to survive.
Govenor William Bradford ordered 4 men to go "fowling" for wild ducks and geese. There may have been wild turkey at the first Thanksgiving, but the pilgrims called all fowl "turkey".
The first feast had fish, fowl, venison, clams, oysters, lobsters, berries, dried fruit, plums, and watercress. Contrary to popular belief there was no pumpkin pie because the flour was long used up, but there was boiled pumpkin. The same is true for bread, but there was a type of pan-fried bread made from corn. There was also no milk, butter, cheese or cider.
There was not another Thanksgiving until June 29th of 1676. It was in Charleston, Massachusetts. After that it was another 100 years, until October of 1777, before it was celebrated again. This time was the first time that all 13 colonies celebrated Thanksgiving together. George Washington tried to make it a national event but was not succesful.
Thanksgiving was finally made a national holiday in 1863 by President Lincoln, who declared it would be the last Thursday in November. This was the result of a magazine editor named Sarah Josepha Hall, who campaigned for over 40 years to make it so.
Since then Thanksgiving has only been changed once. Franklin Roosevelt changed it to the 3rd Thursday to make a longer Christmas shopping season. However, pubic outrage made him change it back 2 years later.
What is Thanksgiving without the Macy's Parade?!?
9 A.M. EST
Thanksgiving Links
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