Thanksgiving Day

On Thanksgiving Day, the national holiday of the United States itself. It was first celebrated in 1621 by residents of the Plymouth Colony.
Finally in 1620 they embarked seeking freedom of worship in the New World. Its original destination was the colony of Jamestown, Virginia, but a storm out of his route and arrived in November 1620 north of Plymouth, Massachusetts. The first winter was one of great hardship for the settlers, since more than half the colony died of starvation and disease. However, those who survived continued to fight and spring planted his first crop of corn, with the help of a native
befriended them and taught the colonists how to plant and cultivate corn, also helped to establish good relations with neighboring tribes. In the fall of 1621, after a good harvest, Governor Bradford proclaimed a "day of giving thanks to the Lord that they might in a more special rejoicing after collecting the fruits of their labor."

In a gesture of friendship, the Pilgrims invited the Native neighbors to a party together, which shared turkeys and geese, corn, lobster, clams, squash, pumpkins and dried fruits.


After 1623, the celebration of Thanksgiving was irregular and usually with a regional base. However, in 1789, shortly after the thirteen colonies had come together, President George Washington had an agreement for Congress to hold a national day of "public thanksgiving and prayer." Approved the resolution and 26 November 1789 held the first National Day of Thanksgiving. The proclamation for George Washington urged Americans to give thanks to God for his protection, for victory in the struggle for freedom and for peace and prosperity in the new country.