Show V 1 A. A Americas America s 1 I 1 l Thanks p gt g f i ail bays as ci L Since the earliest times and throughout through through- out all the nations of the earth there f has been and still is observed some sort of festival 1 In celebration of the Ingathering of the grains and fruits of the soil soU Moreover religious services I. I of some sort have always had a promInent prominent nent neat part in the festival As In ancient times the peoples offered sacrifices j and gave offerings to some special r in gratitude for tor the time present and andt f t supplication for the future so today f the sacrifice of praise and ing for tor the blessings of the present and solemn prayer for their continuance continuance f ance In the future are offered to God The Old Testament Is filled with exhortations calling the Hebrews to bring their first fruits unto the house of the Lord to adorn the temple temple temple tem tem- with Ith boughs and palm branches and continue the feast and rejoicing for tor seven days The ancient Egyptians offered sacrifices and gave offerings of corn and wine to Neith the mother of the sun The ancient and Scandinavians offered sacrifices to Frey the god of rain and sunshine and the author and protector of all fruits of the soil Although for the most part present-day present celebrations are connected with the final Ingathering of the crops the festive observance Inmany In Inmany inmany many countries Is still made matl with the first fruits Distinctively American But Thanksgiving as commemorated In America Is distinctively an American Ameri Ameri- r can Institution The Time du day duy finds Its birth In that first Thanksgiving observed observed observed ob ob- ob- ob served by the doughty PIl Pilgrims of Plymouth colony In the fall of 1021 1031 who were Justly grateful for the firs bane t In their new home In Massa Massa- Massachusetts Massachusetts Massachusetts and Governor Bradford appointed appointed appointed ap ap- pointed three days of thanksgiving and feasting Chief l and other friendly Indians were bidden to the feast and brought with them fo four r dressed deer The dawn of the first day of ThanksgIvIng Thanksgiving Thanks Thanks- giving was broken by the booming of ofa ofa ofa a great cannon and later a solemn procession filed toward the tile meeting meeting- house Elder Brewster carried the great eat Bible and Governor Bradford followed In the rear After the service servIce service ice the party returned to the central log cabin where all enjoyed such a n aleast feast least as fiS they had not tasted since leaving their home land the year ear be- be eiore e- e fore The ceremonies lasted for three days dars and It Is to be doubted If many similar gatherings since have been een filled with such friendliness and brotherliness brotherliness broth broth- as characterized this first day of thankfulness Although the first year In the new land had been heen a hard one for the colonists nearly half halt of ot their number dying during the first terrible winter yet et they felt that they bad had much to be he grateful for tor The year car IG 1022 1622 was even ven more fraught with misfortune but again the they declared and observed their thanks and continued to do so year ear after year Later the Idea fea of Governor Bradford Bradford-a a period of rejoicing together together together to to- gether after a more special manner was taken up b by other colonies such as Boston Salem and Virginia The state of Connecticut did much to foster foster foster fos fos- ter and encourage the annual celebration celebration celebration tion of Thanksgiving da day and by the first quarter of the following century the fall festival had become well established established es es- es- es throughout the New world The dutch settlers of New Amsterdam had brought with them memories of Thanksgiving days in Holland where Indeed the Pilgrims had also been Initiated Into the Dutch manner of observing observing ob ob- ob- ob serving such festivals The annual Thanksgiving da day In the Netherlands fell early In October when the people went to church to thank God for their deliverance from the Spanish for the Dutch early In the Seventeenth century century century cen cen- tury cast off the yoke of the Spanish Just as our forefathers later threw off oft the yoke oke of Britain because their I rights were Invaded and they were tase taxed without their consent In the New Amsterdam New York the first Thanks Thanksgiving proclamation on record was in 14 10 in gratitude for deliverance deliverance erance from the Indians Thanksgiving In December With the coming of Revolutionary times the custom of Thanksgiving days spread still further In October 1775 a proclamation was Issued for Thanksgiving to be observed December December December Decem Decem- ber 15 signed By order of the Provincial Provincial Provin Provin- cial Congress John dent This proclamation Is noteworthy noteworthy note note- worthy worth since It was the first to appear without the royal arms and the words God Save the King Previous to that date ate the proclamations had read something something something some some- thing after this fashion 1743 Inthe In Inthe Inthe the seventeenth year eur of or the reign of or our Sovereign Lord George the Second Second Second Sec Sec- ond by the Grace of God of ot Great Britain France and Ireland King Defender Defender Defender De De- fender of the Faith etc God Save the King fh The first national proclamation for tor fora tora a Thanksgiving was made by the Con Continental Continental congress designating Decem December Decem ber er 18 1777 The next year ear December 30 was set apart although in May a special day of thanks had been appointed appointed appoInted ap ap- ap- ap pointed upon receipt of tho the news that France had signed a treaty of alliance with the thirteen states of ot the American American Ameri Amen can Union Washington's Proclamation After the signing of peace with Great Britain in Octo October er 1783 congress congress congress con con- gress appointed December 11 as a day of Thanksgiving In January 1705 George Washington Issued a national proclamation for tor February 10 In recognition recognition rec rec- recognition of our exemption from foreign foreign for tor- eign war the prospect of continued exemption and the great degree of internal in in- internal tranquility and directing the people to render thanks to the great Ruler of nations for the manifold and signal mercies which distinguished our lot as a nation Not until April 1815 did ld another national national national na na- na- na Thanksgiving occur proclaimed by President Madison upon the conclusion conclusIon conclusion con con- of the War Var of 1812 During the Civil war President ent Lincoln appointed appointed appointed ap ap- pointed a day of ot Thanksgiving following follow follow- following ing the victory at Gettysburg and It was he who established the custom of ot Presidents Issuing annual Thanksgiving ing proclamations appointing the tho last Thursday of November Today the governors of many of the states Issue proclamations In conjunction with that of the President so that Thanksgiving Is the one holiday of the year ear receivIng receiving official sanction and personal ing support support support sup sup- port on the part of Americans of all political and religious beliefs Jd J |