How Thanksgiving Came To Be

Thanksgiving as how we all know now is particularly a four day weekend where everyone either watches football, have a family reunion, spend time playing games together, and have a large feast with the family. The holiday Thanksgiving like any other holiday, all have a history behind it for it to be significant and celebrated. However the holiday wasn't first started as a celebration, but a gathering which the Pilgrims migrated to Plymouth Rock on December 11, 1620. The Mayflower carried 102 Pilgrims although only 56 of the immigrants survived the harsh winter which later was aided by 91 Native Americans in 1621. That same year, the Pilgrims harvested plenty of crops which they celebrated with the Native Americans that lasted three days for a "thanksgiving".

The celebration of Thanksgiving wasn't celebrated again until June 29, 1976 in Charleston, Massachusetts for the community's good fortune. The Indians however wasn't included in the festival because of the recent victory the colonist had with the Native Americans. All thirteen colonies didn't get to celebrated thanksgiving until October 1777, which was held for their victorious battle against British at Saratoga. Then in 1789, President George Washington made Thanksgiving a National Holiday and President Abraham Lincoln made it to be the last Thursday of November in 1863. Even though Thanksgiving was proclaimed as a National Holiday in 1789 Congress didn't approve of itit until 1941.

Although Thanksgiving was celebrated for many reasons such as reunion, significant day, successful harvest year, and most importantly God. On a clear note, the Pilgrims wasn't the only one that influenced thanksgiving, but also the Puritans. While the Pilgrims celebrate Thanksgiving for a successful year of harvest the Puritans on the other hand thank God and feast. As of today, Thanksgiving is known throughout the Unites States as well as all over the world. Thanksgiving is a holiday of rejoice and by being thankful for all that's happened that year.

Literature Cited:

• William Bradford, Of Plymouth Plantation: S.E. Morison, ed. Knopf. N.Y., 1952. p 90

•  "Meaning of Thanksgiving." AllAboutHistory.org. All About History, 2002-2015. Web. 26 Nov. 2015.