What is Thanksgiving?

 

 1. The_First_Thanksgiving_Jean_Louis_Gerome_Ferris

The fourth Thursday of November is a national holiday for the Americans who travel great distances to visit their families and celebrate Thanksgiving together.

Everything started on 6th September 1620, when a small ship called the Mayflower left Plymouth, England, carrying 102 passengers (the Pilgrims) and about 30 crew members to the New World of America, later called ‘New England’. After a very difficult voyage across the Atlantic Ocean which lasted 66 days, they dropped anchor near the tip of Cape Cod on 11th November 1620, far north of their intended destination at the mouth of the Hudson River.

One month later, they settled near Plymouth Rock in America and they started to build their homes there. However, they spent the first winter onboard the ship. The winter was long and hard and most of the Pilgrims suffered from cold, hunger and disease. Only 53 passengers and half the crew survived to see their first New England spring.

In March, the survivors turned for help to Native Americans (Indians) who taught them how to cultivate corn, catch fish in the rivers and avoid poisonous plants. Soon, the Pilgrims and the native Americans became friends. The Pilgrims grew crops and that summer harvest was excellent.

By November 1621, everyone had food and home. There was hope for the future. The Pilgrims were very thankful to God for what they had so they decided to invite their Native American friends to a feast. The first Thanksgiving was celebrated and lasted for three days.

Thanksgiving became a national holiday in 1863.

Today it is still a day to be thankful for family, friends and everything people have. Families gather around the table and enjoy a traditional dinner of roast turkey which is the main part of the Thanksgiving meal. Other foods commonly eaten include stuffing and mashed potatoes with gravy, cranberry sauce and pumpkin pie for dessert. According to Wikipedia, “Americans eat more food on Thanksgiving than on any other day of the year.”

Along with Christmas and New Year’s Day, Thanksgiving is one of the three major holiday celebrations of the year.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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