The History of Thanksgiving

It's Thanksgiving! The best time of year for family and friends to come together, eat delicious food, and enjoy each other's company.

But how did this holiday become so important to Americans? And why do we celebrate it?

Thanksgiving has its origins in a 1621 celebration hosted by the Pilgrims at Plymouth Plantation in New England. The colonists were grateful that they had survived their first winter in the New World. They invited the Wampanoag tribe to join them for a three-day feast of turkey, venison and fish. The event was held annually until 1659, when it was suspended due to the ongoing conflict between the colonists and Native Americans.

In 1789 George Washington proclaimed November 26 as a day of thanksgiving for "the many signal favors of Almighty God." He asked Americans to pray for peace and harmony in the nation (which was experiencing political upheaval at that time).

The tradition continued throughout American history but didn't become an annual holiday until Congress passed a resolution establishing Thanksgiving as an annual holiday on June 28, 1941.

I hope you enjoy your Thanksgiving!