Show S THE american thanksgiving in kg day ay rolls round again ono one tb thinks inks ot of the significance of that occasion in the early days of our laud I 1 among all people thanksgiving days have bare always been but the american Ano erkan annual celebration Is unique there loom up beside visions of tat fat savory turkeys and tempting mince pies the pictures of harvest gatherings as we have learned to think of them in the days when the pilgrim fathers instituted the holiday as a holy day signifying their appreciation of the blessings which america afforded As early as 1621 when governor bradford sent forth men to procure game that the new england colonists might enjoy a day of thanksgiving in remembrance of the frill fruits is of their labors during the year the annual celebration was wag instituted it did not become an official public hollday holiday until 1631 and even the day of that year st e et apart was not at first intended to be a day of rejoicing and thanksgiving it was a day of fasting and prayer for relief from the famine which seemed imminent just then everything for the white mans necessity was produced on american soil soft and a vessel laden with provisions had been so go long at sea that tte the colonists began to fear vint that they should suffer want before help was near the ship arrived just before the day of fasting and from that the day was changed to one of thanksgiving and rejoicing thanksgiving days day were occasionally observed also in the new netherlands after this but not mot until 1644 was another official proclamation made mada to this end A thanksgiving day was declared in honor of the victory of the colonists over the indians the first national thanksgiving day by proclamation of president washington was set for thursday november 29 1789 in the interior various days in various months were set aside by state governors from time to time other presidents of the united states proclaimed thanksgiving days and for many years past it has bag been the annual practice of the executive official to name the last thursday of november for a us national day of rejoicing and expression of gratefulness to the giver diver of all good and perfect gifts BroOk brooklyn lyD eagle |