Thanksgiving is one of the most commonly celebrated holidays in America. On that day, most people gather around with family and friends to enjoy a feast together and celebrate in harmony. Many Americans use this holiday to reconnect with family and take a break away from work and school. This event was started almost four centuries ago and is continued to be celebrated to this day. Although over the years clothes, traditions, and food has changed, Thanksgiving continues to be one of the most popular holidays of the year in the United States, and all across the world.
In 1621, Pilgrims and Native Americans gathered in Plymouth Colony, which is now Massachusetts, to enjoy a large shared meal (History para 3). In modern times, most people devote this day to being thankful for the good that happened to them in the past year. The first Thanksgiving was not celebrated for the same reasons, though. The first people used this now holiday to celebrate the successfulness of their harvest season (Plimoth Plantation para 3). It is a common misconception that the first people used this event to be thankful for their life, when in actuality they were celebrated their successfully harvested food.
The Wampanoag tribe was a group of Native Americans who lived near Plymouth colony (Plimoth Plantation para 3). They had their traditions of holding religious ceremonies in celebration of successful harvest years and used that time to pray for good fortune in the coming months (para 3). Their primary reason for indulging in these celebrations was to thank their God for the many blessings they have received in their daily life (para 3).
Thanksgiving was celebrated differently between the Puritans and the Pilgrims. The Puritans believed that the honest way to celebrate Thanksgiving was to focus on the degradation and have a long full day of prayer, while celebrating their God (Plimoth Plantation para 10). Positive events would provoke the beginning of a Thanksgiving (para 10). Thanksgiving also wasn’t always a set-in stone event, it was only declared an annual celebration in the middle of the 17th century (para 10).
The colonists, along with the Pilgrims both together dedicated celebrating Thanksgiving with ultimate prayer (Scholastic para 1). The Wampanoag and the Pilgrims decided that they would celebrate Thanksgiving in honor of the very first victorious harvest season (para 2).
Though there are many misconceptions on how Thanksgiving was truly celebrated in the holidays beginning days, there are letters that have been written giving a description on how Thanksgiving was first celebrated. In a passage, a writing is quoted by the author Edward Winslow, “our harvest being gotten in our governor sent four men on fowling, that so we might after a special manner rejoice together, after we had gathered the fruits of our labors; they four in one day killed as much fowl, as with a little help beside, served the company almost a week, at which time amongst other recreations, we exercised our arms, many of the Indians coming amongst us, and amongst the rest their greatest king Massasoyt, with some ninety men, whom for three days we entertained and feasted, and they went out and killed five deer, which they brought to the plantation and bestowed on our governor, and upon the captains and others. And though it not always be so plentiful, as it was at this time with us, yet by the goodness of God, we are so far from want, that we often wish you partakers in our plenty.” Edward Winslow wrote this letter, then later had it published in Mourt’s Relation (Winslow para 1).
There are actually five other countries that celebrate Thanksgiving, including: Canada, Liberia, Netherlands (Leiden), Grenada, and Norfolk Island (Australia) (Beauchamp page 1). Canada celebrates because a modern day American Thanksgiving because of a man named Arthur Frobisher who was said to have barely made it alive and well to Canadian shores (page 1).
A west African nation in Liberia celebrates thanksgiving in honor that they were once a part of the country that would soon be the United States of America (Beauchamp page 1). They were built up by a group of previous slaves (page 1).
Leiden, a city in the Netherlands, celebrates Thanksgiving on the very same day that we as Americans do (Beauchamp page 1). Pilgrims found voyage through the town and stayed there on their way through (page 1). They were very grateful for the town of Leiden and gave much thanks and appreciation in return for their hospitality (page 1).
America, along with other allies, overthrew the Prime Minister in Grenada (Beauchamp page 1). The deputy Prime Minister had halted and stopped the Prime Minister, so they joined forces to help Grenada (page 1). Today, Grenada celebrates thanksgiving on October 25th (page 1). It is in appreciation for the help with the Grenadian government (page 1).
American Whalers brought in the tradition of Thanksgiving in the Australian owned area called Norfolk Island (Beauchamp page 1). Soon they began feasts eating such foods as pumpkin pie, turkey, cornbread, etc.
Thanksgiving is a powerful celebration, in which the country of the United States was brought together in peace and harmony for a meal for those who were once enemies, who now are allies. This holiday has spread across the world to different countries who want to give thanks for different reasons and celebrate in their own ways with different traditions. Thanksgiving is performed in many different settings, countries, and has continued to be a widely celebrated tradition throughout the centuries.