Summary
Thanksgiving in the United States is a holiday in November that originated with early settlers, known as Pilgrims, and has become a day for family gatherings and giving thanks. The holiday also carries a complex history for Indigenous Americans, whose communities faced significant challenges due to European settlement. Thanksgiving became a national holiday in 1863 through a proclamation by President Abraham Lincoln during the Civil War.
Key Facts
- Thanksgiving is celebrated in the United States every November.
- The holiday's roots trace back to the early 1600s with English settlers known as Pilgrims.
- Thanksgiving became a national holiday in 1863, proclaimed by President Abraham Lincoln.
- The Civil War, during which Lincoln made the proclamation, occurred from 1861 to 1865.
- The first English settlement in America was the Jamestown colony in present-day Virginia, established in 1607.
- The first Thanksgiving is linked to a 1621 event in Plymouth, Massachusetts, involving Pilgrims and the Wampanoag people.
- Indigenous Americans view Thanksgiving as a reminder of the displacement and challenges they faced due to European colonization.
- The tradition of Thanksgiving was common in early New England communities before it became a national holiday.
