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The first recorded Thanksgiving occurred in 1621 between the Pilgrims and the Indians.
After a difficult first year, they decided to celebrate and give thanks to God for His blessings.
“And God be praised we had a good increase… Our harvest being gotten in, our governor sent four men on fowling, that so we might after a special manner rejoice together after we had gathered the fruit of our labors. They four in one day killed as much fowl as, with a little help beside, served the company almost a week. At which time, amongst other recreations, we exercised our arms, many of the Indians coming amongst us, and among the rest their greatest king Massasoit, with some ninety men, whom for three days we entertained and feasted, and they went out and killed five deer, which they brought to the plantation and bestowed on our governor, and upon the captain and others. And although it be not always so plentiful as it was at this time with us, yet by the goodness of God, we are so far from want that we often wish you partakers of our plenty.”
Edward Winslow
In 1777 the Continental Congress proclaimed the first national Thanksgiving.
“that servile labor and such recreations (although at other times innocent) may be unbecoming the purpose of this appointment [and should] be omitted on so solemn an occasion.”
National Thanksgivings were also proclaimed by Presidents Washington, Adams, and Monroe.
President Lincoln declared two national Thanksgivings during his presidency. His decision was influenced by Sarah Josepha Hale, the editor of the women’s magazine Godey’s Lady’s Book. She encouraged the President to make Thanksgiving a national holiday; saying it would help to reunite the war torn country.
The holiday did not become a fixed annual event though. A President still had to proclaim Thanksgiving every year. The last Thursday in the month became the customary day.
President Franklin D. Roosevelt declared Thanksgiving for the next-to-last Thursday in November, in an attempt to lengthen the Christmas shopping season.
Thanksgiving was not a fixed national holiday until Congress permanently established the holiday as the fourth Thursday in the month of November, in 1941.
