| Show Origins of Thanksgiving Go Back To Ancient World Though Th Thanksgiving is is' regarded regarded regarded re- re as an American American- custom cus cus- torn toni its origin origins go ba back k not nott only t the old world but the ancient ancie t- t world The Old Testament contains many references references' t to harvest festivals Long before the peo people peG peo- pie of the Nile learned to measure a year they gave annual annual an an- nual thanks for the grain crops that would carry them through the hard months months' ahead the National Geography Geographic ic Society says So important were such ceremonies during the supremacy supremacy o of of- ancient Greece that if states were at war war they called a tru truce e. e The United States has put its special imprint on Thanksgiving Thanksgiving Thanks Thanks- giving as a day for worship feasting and family reunions However it took Americans along along a along long time to set the present date the fourth Thursday in November ROVING THANKSGIVING Until Abraham L Lincoln i n c 0 I n tethered the nations nation's roving roving- Thanksgiving to November in 1863 it had showed up in eight different months For some reason Thursday Y was chosen more often than any other day The record of the Pilgrims Pilgrims' first harvest celebration in the fall fail of 1621 does not specify dates Since the feasting lasted last lasted ed three days there is fair chance that one of the i days was Thursday While some other oilier colonies adopted adapted the Pilgrim custom Thanksgiving remained a oa local local local lo lo- lo- lo cal and on-and off and off affair until the time of the Revolution The Continental Congress designated ted special days of thanks for victories throughout the war In 1789 Elias Boudinot a member from New Jersey rose in the new Congress and proposed th that t the President recommend a day of Thanksgiving Thanksgiving Thanksgiving Thanks Thanks- giving for far the successful establishment establishment establishment es es- es- es of the United States Constitution In setting aside the last Thursday in November 1789 George Washington Wash Wash- Washington ington became the first President President dent to proclaim a nationwide Thanksgiving Six years years elapsed before he another February February Feb Feb- proclaimed on 19 1795 President John Adams called for an observance observance ance in iIi May 1798 and another in April 1799 President Jefferson Jefferson Jef ferson disdained such a monarchial monarchial mon practice p But ent Madison renewed ances ces in August 1812 Sept Sep- Sep t ember 1813 January 1814 and April 1815 SARAH HALES BALES DAY Over the next next 47 ye years rs Thanksgiving w was S left tp the There might never have been a national holiday If it hadn't been for Sarah Hale A Aph philanthropic widow mother of five and author u n of Mary Had a Little Lamb Mrs Hale also was the forceful editor of Ladys Lady's Book BOk the most widely widel wid IY circulated maga aga zine zinc o ol of the day For Fm somo som some 20 20 years she crusaded f for r a ana na national national na- na Thanksgiving on the thelast last Thursday of November Finally President Lincoln by proclamation tion established Americas America's annual Thanksgiving ing observance in 1863 President President President dent Andrew Johnson postponed postponed post post- Thanksgiving in 1865 until December President Grant sh shifted ted the date in the first year of his Presidency to November 18 Therea Thereafter ter every President followed the Lincoln tradition until 1939 when Franklin D. D Roosevelt upset it again His Thursday third Thanksgivings lasted only three years how how- however ever In December 1941 Congress Con Cone Congress gress pegged the nations nation's Thanksgiving once again to the fourth Thursday of No No- vember Nev Nevertheless the day must still be proclaimed from the White House every year As Ogden Nash puts it iti it Thanksgiving Thanksgiving Thanksgiving Thanks giving like ambassadors ambassador cabi cabinet n nt net t t. officers and others others' depends for its existence on Presidential appointment |
