Thanksgiving is a original religious party of America. Is symbolize by a meal a turkey in family. The Canadian and American we have an town origin this party. Today Thanksgiving is celebrated by numerous country in Liberia, Caribbean islands. In America thanksgiving is celebrated the fourth thursday of month November. In Canada thanksgiving is celebrate the second Monday of month October.
Thanksgiving origin
Americans have been celebrating Thanksgiving every year since 1789. The Plymouth colony and the Mayflower are at the origin of this tradition. In 1620, Pilgrims Fathers or separatist Pilgrim Fathers fled the persecutions of King James I and the regime imposed by the Church of England. They boarded the Mayflower ship for a trip that lasted 65 days. On November 26, 1620, the ship with its 110 emigrants landed in one place, named Plymouth by the Pilgrim Fathers. Today, this place is known as Boston. The emigrants settled there, but the harsh winter led to the death of half of the colony and the failure of their plantations. Gradually, the pilgrims created links with the Iroquois Indians. The two inhabitants have set up a cooperation agreement for mutual aid. According to this agreement, the Indians would teach the new inhabitants new cultures, fishing and hunting. Emigrants, on their side, would support them in case of attack of the Narragansetts, the rival tribe.
The following autumn, the harvest was plentiful. In
honor of this great success, the pilgrims then decided to thank God, the land
and the Indians. Governor William Bradford then invited the Indians to share a
festive meal. This day was considered the very first Thanksgiving meal. The
pilgrims then took up this idea to celebrate the autumn harvest each year.
The relatives of the passengers of the Mayflower then arrived by a second ship called the Fortune and brought the documents which made official the implantation of the pilgrims on these grounds. But as the foreign population increased in number, the Indians, they disappeared gradually. Among the Indians, the diseases caused several deaths, and the 1963 smallpox epidemic did not help matters. And at the time of the establishment of the thirteenth colony, the Indians were 5 times less numerous than the foreign population. Becoming a source of dispute, the development of settlements has generated territorial conflicts. In the end, the Indians were colonized.
- National holiday
On October 3, 1789, 5 years after the war of independence in the United States, George Washington formalized the celebration of Thanksgiving Day. That year, the President also set the date of Thanksgiving Day for Thursday, November 26. In honor of this great day, he invited the people to thank God for the independence of the United States. Since that day, pilgrims to the Mayflower ship were considered the first settlers to found the United States of America.
Until 1863, Thanksgiving Day was celebrated in America on different days. But
following the request of Sarah Josepha Hale, a journalist who fought to set up
a common national holiday, Abraham Lincoln made Thanksgiving a national holiday
and fixed it on the fourth Thursday of November. Today, Thanksgiving is an
important tradition for Americans. Every last Thursday in November, they gather
with their family to share a pumpkin cake and the traditional Thanksgiving
turkey.
Testimony of Jeffrey (English assistant) about Thanksgiving:
- Why do you eat turkey?
In the past, the Indians hunted turkey to eat with corn.
- What is your best memory about Thanksgiving?
When I was in Ohio, I celebrated Thanksgiving with all my family. There were my cousins, my uncles and a few friends
- Why did Canada celebrate Thanksgiving before the USA?
I don’t know.
- Do you prefer Thanksgiving or Christmas?
I prefer Thanksgiving because it is more friendly and merry, you have a long week-end to enjoy your family, your friends far away.
