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TimeLines of Liberty
American Holidays |
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Thanksgiving Day -
TimeLine
Observed the Fourth
Thursday of November
A TimeLine history of the Thanksgiving Holiday.
Thanksgiving -
TimeLine -
Other Traditions -
Proclamations -
Links |
Thanksgiving Day
Thanksgiving is a day to give thanks to God for the plenty He
has provided.
"O that men would praise the LORD for His
goodness, and for His wonderful works to the children of men!"
-Holy Bible; Psalm 107:8,15,21 and 31
Today, whether in thanks to God
or the failure to thank God, it is a day American families gather
together. Gathering sometimes in re-union to eat and to meet the
new family members brought in whether through new birth or new
marriages.
Churches hold their Thanksgiving services the Sunday or
Wednesday before Thanksgiving Day. The Massy's Thankgiving Day
parade has become a television tradition across America.
Football is a mid-day tradition on Thanksgiving, for the sports
enthusiast. Even the non-religious often observe the tradition
of each person taking a turn to tell, "what they are thankful
for."
The most remembered tradition is the feast; Turkey, Ham, Roast,
Prime Rib or other main dishes accompanied by the vegetables,
casseroles, salads, and deserts. The saying of 'grace' prior to
the meal will often include proclaiming thanks to God for the
food and other blessings bestowed upon us.
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Thanksgiving TimeLine |
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ancient |
pagan
Thanks |
Throughout history there have been
many harvest, autumn and 'thanksgiving' festivals. The most
known among them are of Grecian, Roman, and Egyptian
civilizations. The festivals were to appeal to the gods for
their harvest seasons.
England's home-harvest ceremonies were held to thank God for
blessing the people with bountiful harvests. Thus the tradition
of celebrating such "Thanks" in the fall after the harvest. |
|
1578 |
First
Canada |
Martin Frobisher held the first
formal celebration of Thanksgiving in North America. He had
tried to establish a settlement, on Canada's Baffin Island in
New Foundland, having failed to find a passage to the orient. |
|
1607 |
First |
The first known Services of
Thanksgiving in America was as early as 1607 in Virginia. |
|
1619 |
Dec. |
In December 1619, thirty-eight English settlers arrived at the
James River calling it Berkeley Plantation. (Now known as
Charles City, Virginia) The
group's charter required the day of their arrival be observed as
a Day of Thanksgiving to God. |
|
1610s |
Late |
Members of the English Separatist Church in escaping religious
persecution had fled to Holland becoming disillusioned with the
Dutch ways of life. They would become the Separatists that would
join with others to the New World aboard the Mayflower in
1620. |
|
1620 |
Sept. |
On September 6th the Pilgrims sailed from Plymouth, England in
search for the New World, aboard the vessel Mayflower.
Although dangerous and uncertain the voyage to the New World
offered civil and religious liberties. |
|
1620 |
Nov. |
102 passengers survived the vast sea
of storms with a faith in Divine Providence. In November of 1620
the cry, "Land!" was called. The Mayflower had been used
to transport wine. The spilt wine had served to disinfect the
cargo holds keeping disease to a minimum. The only person to
die, was ironically the one who protested the hymns saying he
would take joy at the tossing of their bodies overboard after
they succumbed to disease. |
|
1620 |
Nov. |
In late November the Mayflower
arrived at what we now know as
Massachusetts. |
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1620 |
Dec. |
Plymouth Rock was named and chosen
as a suitable landing site. Before disembarking the "Mayflower
Compact" was signed on December 11, 1620. The "Mayflower
Compact" was America's first document of civil and self
government. |
|
1620 |
Dec. |
A Prayer service was held by the Pilgrims prior to the building
of shelters. |
|
1621 |
Winter |
Without experience of the harsh New England winters nearly half
of the Pilgrims had died before the coming of spring. |
|
1621 |
Spring |
The native Indian Squanto taught the Pilgrims how to grow corn
and other food. Some sources say the Indians were Iroquois while
others say they were Wampanoag Indians. One source has the
Wampanoag Indians celebrating Keepunumuk which is the time of
their harvest. |
|
1621 |
Summer |
The summer of 1621 brought dry weather that threatened the
crops. A Day of fasting and prayer was called to thank God and
ask for a bountiful harvest. God answered the prayers with rain
at the end of the day, saving the crops. Steadfast in prayer and
assisted by the local Indians the summer of 1621 brought a
bountiful harvest. |
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1621 |
Dec. |
To thank God for survival and the bountiful harvest a three day
feast was declared to begin on December 13, 1621. This was
America's first thanksgiving festival. (Services of Thanksgiving
had been held in Virginia as early as 1607).
The Pilgrim's Thanksgiving celebration was described by Pilgrim
Edward Winslow with the following words,
"Our harvest being gotten in, our Governor
sent four men on fowling [bird hunting] so that 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... served the company almost a week... Many of the Indians
[came] amongst us and... 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...
And although it be not always so plentiful as it was at this
time with us, yet BY THE GOODNESS OF GOD WE ARE... FAR FROM
WANT." |
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1623 |
proclaim |
The festival feast was repeated after the drought of 1623. After
a prayer service asking God for help, heavy rains fell the
following day. Governor Bradford proclaimed another day of
Thanksgiving inviting their Indian friends. |
|
1630 |
day |
The Massachusetts Bay Colony first set a day for Thanksgiving in
1630 which was done frequently until 1680. |
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1639 |
day |
Connecticut occassionally observed a day of Thanksgiving
beginning in 1639. |
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1644 |
day |
1644 began the occassional day of Thanksgiving for the Dutch in
New Netherland. |
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1647 |
day |
Connecticut began to observe a
day of Thanksgiving annually after 1647. |
|
1676 |
proclaim |
Puritan proclaimation of June 20th, 1676:
"The Council has thought meet to appoint and set apart the
29th day of this instant June, as a day of Solemn Thanksgiving
and praise to God for such his Goodness and Favour, many
Particulars of which mercy might be Instanced, but we doubt not
those who are sensible of God's Afflictions, have been as
diligent to espy him returning to us; and that the Lord may
behold us as a People offering Praise and thereby glorifying
Him; the Council doth commend it to the Respective Ministers,
Elders and people of this Jurisdiction; Solemnly and seriously
to keep the same Beseeching that being perswaded by the mercies
of God we may all, even this whole people offer up our bodies
and soulds as a living and acceptable Service unto God by Jesus
Christ." |
|
1680 |
annual
day |
The Massachusetts Bay Colony began to observe a day of
Thanksgiving annually in 1680. |
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1668 |
Court
proclaim |
Lasting only five years the Plymouth Court had set the
celebration of Thanksgiving on November 25th. |
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1676 |
proclaim |
With a unamous vote Edward Rawson was selected by the governing
council of Charlestown,
Massachusetts to proclaim June 29th as a day of
thanksgiving. This was partly to ask thanks to God for the
victory over the heathen natives. |
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1676 |
proclaim |
The Pilgrims proclaimed another day of thanksgiving in 1676. |
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1777 |
proclaim |
General George Washington
Commander in Chief of the revolutionary forces proclaimed a day
of Thanksgiving in December 1777. The observance gave thanks to
God and celebrated the defeat of the British at Saratoga. |
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1777 |
proclaim |
Marking the victory over the British the 13 colonies joined in a
communal celebration prompted by the Continental Congress
proclaiming a day of Thanksgiving in December.
During the American Revolutionary War one or more Thanksgiving
days were designated by the Continental Congress each year after
1777 except in 1782. The executives of the 13 colonies were
suggested to observe the observances in their states. |
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1778 |
Canada |
It is believed that many of the colonial British loyalist who
had fled to Canada during and after the American Revolution
brought with them many of the American customs; among them a day
of Thanksgiving. |
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1784 |
turkey |
Benjamin Franklin, in a letter to his daughter Sally (Mrs. Sarah
Bache), expressed his belief that the Turkey would make a better
symbol for America than the Bald Eagle. His preference became
public and is thought to have helped make the Turkey a standard
for the Thanksgiving feast. |
|
1789 |
proclaim |
The new U.S. Congress recommeded a "a
day of public thanksgiving and prayer" in thanks to
God for casting His blessings on America.
George Washington made the
first Presidential proclamation of a day of Thanksgiving in
1789. America celebrated its first Day of Thanksgivng to God
under a new constitution. The first Thursday of November was
designated as the date to observe the new holiday.
Washington's Proclamation |
|
1789 |
proclaim |
The Tradition was made firm by the Protestant Episcopal Church (George
Washington was a member) proclaiming the first Thursday of
November to become its regular day to give thanks. |
|
1795 |
proclaim |
George Washington made
another proclamation of a day of Thanksgiving in 1795. |
|
1798 |
proclaim
protest |
President John Adams
declared Thanksgiving to be a national event setting it to
november 26th then due to the resistance moved it back. |
|
1799 |
proclaim |
President John Adams
again declared a day of Thanksgiving to be a national event. |
|
1801 |
protest |
Some of the new founded states did not feel that hardships of a
few Pilgrims warranted a national holiday.
President Thomas Jefferson
scoffed at the suggestion of a 'celebration' for a day of
Thanksgiving. |
|
1812 |
proclaim |
Congress passed a resolution that
President Madison
proclaim a day of Thanksgiving after the end of the War of 1812. |
|
1815 |
proclaim |
Two days of Thanksgiving were proclaimed in 1815 by
President Madison;
neither of those occured during fall. |
|
1817 |
state |
The state of New York adopted
the annual custom of Thankgiving Day in 1817. |
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1817 |
protest |
Some of the Southern States expressed opposition of a
Thanksgiving day based on the origination from puritan bigotry. |
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1833 |
lobby |
Observance of Thanksgiving had remained at the State level. Mrs.
Sarah Joseph Hale, editor of Godey's Lady's Book began to
promote the idea of a National Thanksgiving Day about 1833. |
|
1858 |
state |
By the mid 19th century Thanksgiving Day was being celebrated by
many of the individual United States.
As of 1858, 25 State and 2 Territorial Governors were
proclaiming annual Thanksgiving Day observances. |
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1863 |
Lincoln
&
Christ |
60,000 American lives were lost at the Battle of Gettysburg.
Abraham Lincoln
delivered his "Gettysburg Address" in November.
Walking among the thousands of graves at Gettysburg Lincoln
committed his life to Jesus Christ.
Lincoln said, "When I
left Springfield [to assume the Presidency] I asked the people
to pray for me. I was not a Christian. When I buried my son, the
severest trial of my life, I was not a Christian. But when I
went to Gettysburg and saw the graves of thousands of our
soldiers, I then and there consecrated myself to Christ."
Lincoln's commitment set his mood to the eventual proclamation
of a Thanksgiving Day. |
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1863 |
lobby
day
proclaim |
Mrs. Joseph Hale maintained a thirty-year campaign, contacting
President after President for a National Day of Thanksgiving.
During the Civil War Mrs Hale wrote a series of editorials with
the last appering in 1863 in the Godey's Lady's Book.
President Abraham Lincoln
agreed and set aside the last Thursday in November as a national
Day of Thanksgiving. The Day would be proclaimed by every
President over the next seventy-five years.
Lincoln's Proclamation |
|
1872 |
Canada |
The first official Thanksgiving Day in Canada was on April 5th,
1872 to give grattitude for the Prince of Wales' recovery from
near death. |
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1876 |
football |
The Intercollegiate Football Association begins holding it
championship games on Thanksgiving Day. |
|
1879 |
Canada |
The Canadian Parliament first declared Thankgiving day in 1879
as an annual secular holiday. |
|
1920 |
football |
The first NFL game on Thanksgiving is held in 1920. The Acron
Pros beat the Canton Bulldogs seven to zero. |
|
1934 |
football |
The Detroit Lions begin playing games in 1934 when the team lost
to the Chicago Bears; nineteen to sixteen. |
|
1939 |
moved
day |
President Franklin Roosevelt
had changed the date of Thanksgiving to be a week earlier
(second to the last Thursday in November rather than the last
Thursday) to create a longer shopping season for
Christmas. Public uproar
caused him to move it back. |
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1939 |
football |
During WWII the Thanksgiving Day football series was suspended
from 1939 to 1944. |
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1941 |
Holiday |
The fourth Thursday was perminently established as a National
Holiday in 1941, by the United States Congress. Thanksgiving Day
becomes a National celebration. Congress had split the
difference; the fourth Thursday is sometimes the last Thursday
and sometimes the second to the last. |
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1942 |
Holiday |
In 1942 President Franklin
Roosevelt signed Congress' bill setting the date of
Thanksgiving day as the fourth Thursday of November. |
|
1945 |
football |
The Thanksgiving Day football series begins playing games again
in 1945. |
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1957 |
Canada |
The date of the Canadian Thanksgiving holiday had been moved on
several occassions. In 1957 Canada established "a day of general
thanksgiving" on the second Monday of October. |
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1965 |
Song |
The events of Thanksgiving day at the family of Arlo Guthrie
prompted his song "Alice's Restaurant." The song is still
played on many Radio Stations at least once on Thanksgiving Day. |
|
1966 |
football |
The Dallas Cowboys begin playing football on Thanksgiving Day in
1966 with a win of twentysix over fourteen beating the Cleveland
Browns. |
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1973 |
Cartoon |
"A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving" has become a Thankgiving classic
shown on many TV Stations across America each Thanksgiving Day. |
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© Copyright 2010
Roger W Hancock www.PoetPatriot.com |
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Other Information/Traditions
of Thanksgiving
Turkey was only mentioned by William Bradford as one of the foul
served at the first Thangsgiving feast. Bradford wrote, "besides
waterfowl, there was great store of wild turkeys, of which they
took many," There were 256 million turkeys raised in 2005 in the
U.S. In 2003 the average American ate 13.7 pounds of turkey
during the year.
The diminishing supply of flour probably prevented the Pilgrims
serving of bread. A fried bread was made from the corn crop.
The Pilgrims had boiled pumpkin but had no pumpkin pie.
It is believed that Thursday was chosen for Thanksgiving so as
to not interfere with the sabbath on Saturday or Sunday.
Black Friday, the day after Thanksgiving ranks only fifth and is
not the busiest shopping day of the year. The busiest shopping
day is typically the Saturday before Christmas when many do
their last minute Christmas-shopping.
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Proclamation of
President George Washington, 1789
Now, therefore I do recommend and assign Thursday, the 26th of
November next, to be devoted by the people of these States to
the service of that great and glorious Being, who is the
Beneficent Author of all the good that was, that is, or that
will be; and that we may then all unite in rendering unto Him
our sincere and humble thanks for His kind care and protection
of the people of this country, previous to becoming a nation;
for the signal manifold mercies, and the favorable
interpositions of His providence, in the course and conclusion
of the late war; for the great degree of tranquillity, union and
plenty which we have enjoyed; for the peaceable and rational
manner in which we have been enabled to establish Constitutions
of Government for our safety and happiness, and particularly the
national one now lately instituted; for the civil and religious
liberty with which we are blessed, and the means we have of
acquiring and diffusing useful knowledge; and, in general, for
all the great and various favors, which He has been pleased to
confer upon us.
-- Proclamation of
President
Abraham
Lincoln, 3 October 1863.
The year that is drawing towards its
close, has been filled with the blessings of fruitful fields and
healthful skies. To these bounties, which are so constantly
enjoyed that we are prone to forget the source from which they
come, others have been added, which are of so extraordinary a
nature, that they cannot fail to penetrate and soften even the
heart which is habitually insensible to the ever watchful
providence of Almighty God. In the midst of a civil war of
unequalled magnitude and severity, which has sometimes seemed to
foreign States to invite and to provoke their aggression, peace
has been preserved with all nations, order has been maintained,
the laws have been respected and obeyed, and harmony has
prevailed everywhere except in the theatre of military conflict;
while that theatre has been greatly contracted by the advancing
armies and navies of the Union. Needful diversions of wealth and
of strength from the fields of peaceful industry to the national
defence, have not arrested the plough, the shuttle, or the ship;
the axe had enlarged the borders of our settlements, and the
mines, as well of iron and coal as of the precious metals, have
yielded even more abundantly than heretofore. Population has
steadily increased, notwithstanding the waste that has been made
in the camp, the siege and the battle-field; and the country,
rejoicing in the consciousness of augmented strength and vigor,
is permitted to expect continuance of years, with large increase
of freedom.
No human counsel hath devised nor hath any mortal hand worked
out these great things. They are the gracious gifts of the Most
High God, who, while dealing with us in anger for our sins, hath
nevertheless remembered mercy.
It has seemed to me
fit and proper that they should be solemnly, reverently and
gratefully acknowledged as with one heart and voice by the whole
American people. I do therefore invite my fellow citizens in
every part of the United States, and also those who are at sea
and those who are sojourning in foreign lands, to set apart and
observe the last Thursday of November next, as a day of
Thanksgiving and Praise to our beneficent Father who dwelleth in
the Heavens. And I recommend to them that while offering up the
ascriptions justly due to Him for such singular deliverances and
blessings, they do also, with humble penitence for our national
perverseness and disobedience, commend to his tender care all
those who have become widows, orphans, mourners or sufferers in
the lamentable civil strife in which we are unavoidably engaged,
and fervently implore the interposition of the Almighty Hand to
heal the wounds of the nation and to restore it as soon as may
be consistent with the Divine purposes to the full enjoyment of
peace, harmony, tranquillity and Union.
In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand, and
caused the seal of the United States to be affixed.
Done at the city of Washington, this third day of October, in
the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and sixty-three,
and of the independence of the United States the eighty-eighth.
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Other
Links for Thanksgiving:
Thanksgiving Poetry by the PoetPatriot
Thanksgiving Sayings for Church signs
The Provindences of the Mayflower voyage. |
Sources for the TimeLine of Thanksgiving:
http://www.jesus-is-savior.com/origin_of_thanksgiving.htm -
http://www.essortment.com/all/thanksgivinghis_redw.htm
http://www.rumela.com/events/events_november_thanksgiving.htm
-
http://www.greatseal.com/symbols/turkey.html
http://www.answers.com/topic/thanksgiving-day -
http://www.snopes.com/holidays/thanksgiving/cybermonday.asp
http://www.appleseeds.org/thankgiv.htm -
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thanksgiving_(United_States)
http://www.orenoque.com/thanksgiving/ -
http://www.thepaytons.org/essays/origins.html
http://holidays.christiansunite.com/thanksgiving_origin.shtml
-
http://www.history.com/topics/thanksgiving
http://christiananswers.net/q-wall/wal-g007.html -
http://www.thanksgivingnovember.com/thanksgiving-origin.html
www.thanksgivingworld.com/thanksgiving-history.html -
http://www.thanksgiving-day.org/origin-thanksgiving-day.html
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Thanksgiving Day -
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Observed the Fourth
Thursday of November
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