THANKSGIVING

Día De Acción De Gracias

What does thanksgiving mean?

Thanksgiving is a time for gatherings with family or
friends, and a time when Americans express their
gratitude for the freedom they enjoy, as well as for food,
homes, and so many other things.

History
The Pilgrims had arrived in the United States in 1620, crossing the Atlantic Ocean to separate from the Church of
England, which was the official church, and to be able to freely practice their particular form of Puritanism. Having
arrived late in the Plymouth Colony to cultivate the land, and lacking fresh food, the Pilgrims suffered a terrible
winter between 1620 and 1621. Half of the colony perished from disease. The following spring, the Wampanoag
Indians taught settlers how to harvest corn and other native crops, and also taught the newcomers how to fish and
hunt. The Wampanoag Indians had an advanced society that had settled in the region for thousands of years,
according to the National Museum of the American Indian.

In the fall of 1621, the pilgrims had much to be thankful for given the bountiful harvest of corn, barley, beans, and
squash. The settlers and their Wampanoag benefactors, who brought deer meat to roast, hosted a banquet to
express their gratitude for the blessings they received from God. Although it is known that the colonists provided
poultry for the celebration, the rest of the menu remains a mystery. The pilgrims possibly brought turkey, ducks and
other game, shellfish, such as mussels, lobster and eels, as well as vegetables, grapes, plums and nuts.

Date
In 1789, when George Washington was
appointed the first president of the United
States, he chose November 26 as the
official day of Thanksgiving, but in 1863
Lincoln established November 23 as the
definitive official date.

Realizado por Dulce Villanueva