Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving

On Thanksgiving Day, the most peculiarly American national holiday was first celebrated in 1621 by residents of the Plymouth Colony. These settlers, who later were called Pilgrims left England because they wanted to separate from the established church and worship God in their own way. After leaving England, the Pilgrims settled in Holland in 1608.

Finally in 1620 they embarked on the Mayflower seeking religious freedom in the New World. Complete with its original destination was the colony of Jamestown, Virginia, a storm brought them out of their way 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.

Corn Squanto, an Indian warrior, he befriended them and taught the colonists how to plant and cultivate corn, and helped to establish good relations with neighboring Indian tribes. In the fall of 1621, after a good harvest, Governor Bradford proclaimed a "day of giving thanks to God for us in a special way rejoicing after picking the fruit of our work."

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

Due to a poor harvest and problems with the Indians, it was not possible to celebrate Thanksgiving next year. However, in 1623 the Governor Bradford proclaimed July 30 as the Day of Thanksgiving to celebrate the end of a long period of drought.

Thanksgiving Day, a celebration nacionalDespués 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.

During the following years have not had an annual national celebration of the holiday. However, in 1846, Mrs. Sarah Hale, editor of Godey's Lady Book, a magazine for women, launched a campaign to make Thanksgiving Day a national holiday. After 9 years achieved its goal and the Thanksgiving Day was designated a national holiday, just before the Civil War.