America is about to experience an exciting holiday called Thanksgiving. In the minds of many people, this day is associated with golden roast turkeys lying on the dining table. So what do you know about this holiday?
What is Thanksgiving?
Thanksgiving is an official annual holiday celebrated mainly in the United States, Canada, some islands in the Caribbean… The original meaning of this holiday is to celebrate bountiful harvests and give thanks to God for life. live a full and healthy life.
In the US, Thanksgiving is celebrated on Thursday - the fourth week of November, but some people mistakenly believe this holiday takes place on the last Thursday of November.
November this year has up to 5 Thursdays (1, 8, 15, 22, 29). However, Thanksgiving falls on November 22. Right after Thanksgiving is Black Friday (Black Friday) - shopping day with a series of huge discounts.
When did the first Thanksgiving take place?
According to BBC History Magazine, the first traditional American Thanksgiving was celebrated in 1621 in the Massachusetts colony of Plymouth when English pilgrims shared a meal with native Indians, in gratitude for with the Indians and celebrate the first harvest in the new land.
However, American historian Michael Gannon argues that the first Thanksgiving in North America actually dates back to half a century earlier in the state of Florida.
He said that on September 8, 1565, following a religious ceremony, the Spaniards shared a common meal with the local tribe.
It is an official statutory holiday in the United States
According to the National Archives of the United States, on September 28, 1789, the first federal Congress passed a decision requiring the president of the United States to designate Thanksgiving as a national holiday.
A few days later, U.S. President George Washington proclaimed Thursday, November 26, 1789 as "Public Thanksgiving Day" and the first national Thanksgiving in the United States. This is the first time Thanksgiving has been celebrated under the new Constitution.
Thanksgiving day continues to be different with subsequent US presidents. However, the fixed date was given after the Declaration of 1863 by former US President Abraham Lincoln, amid the ongoing Civil War. Accordingly, he chose the last Thursday of November every year.
However, due to some controversy, the US Congress eventually amended the bill to say that Thanksgiving is the "fourth" Thursday of November. President Roosevelt signed it into law on December 26, 1941.
What to eat on Thanksgiving?
Americans usually get a four-day weekend off during Thanksgiving.
Usually, Thanksgiving is celebrated with a dinner party with family and friends, in which the main dish is roasted turkey (sometimes stuffed with three types of poultry, such as a chicken stuffed into a duck and then stuffed with chicken). stuffed in a turkey).
To this day, the origin of turkey is still controversial with many theories. There is a theory that the turkey in Thanksgiving is related to the Queen of England.
During the 16th century, a fleet of Spanish warships sank on their way to attack England. While having dinner, Queen Elizabeth received the news. She was so happy that she asked for an extra roast goose.
Some historians suggest that the first settlers in America were inspired by this event and turned a turkey in place of a goose. Another theory for selecting turkeys for Thanksgiving is that at that time, there were quite a few wild turkeys in North America.
According to the History page, it is an interesting fact that during the first Thanksgiving in 1961, the Indians killed 5 deer as gifts for the new settlers. Therefore, venison was most likely eaten during the holiday at that time.
Read more: Interesting facts about Thanksgiving Day
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