Who declared Thanksgiving on the fourth Thursday of November?

Answer 1

No. The Continental Congress did proclaim a national day of Thanksgiving each year during the Revolutionary War, but the date varied each year; the first was Thursday December 18, 1777.

In 1863, Lincoln declared that the last Thursday of November would be a day of thanksgiving. Presidents after followed Lincoln in declaring the last Thursday of November as a day of thanksgiving, but this was by Presidential Proclamation, and so while it became tradition it was not a matter of law.

In 1939 Roosevelt pushed Thanksgiving back to the second-to-last Thursday in November, in order to allow more time for Christmas shopping, and thus to stimulate the economy during the depression. Some states followed Roosevelt's proclamation, whereas others followed tradition. Some followed both. Since states were split in their observance, Congress passed a bill requiring Thanksgiving to be observed on the fourth Thursday of November, which could be both the second to last and the last Thursday of the month, depending on the year.

Answer 2

This occurred in 1941 with Roosevelt's support.

Two presidents had Thanksgiving fall on the last Thursday of November. First U.S. President George Washington(1732-1799) proclaimed the national Thanksgiving Day as November 26, 1789. That was the last Thursday of the month.

Then 16th U.S. President Abraham Lincoln (1809-1865) re-instituted the practice of a national Day of Thanksgiving. He made his proclamation on the same day as Washington had almost 75 years earlier, on October 3rd. He likewise asked for the celebrations to be held on the last Thursday of November in 1863 and each succeeding year. This was followed by annual proclamations by other Presidents until 1939.

It was 32nd U.S. President Franklin Delano Roosevelt(1882-1945) who changed the tradition in 1939. He wanted the celebrations to be held predictably on the third Thursday of November. He felt that celebrating Thanksgiving on the fourth and sometimes the fifth Thursday was too close to the Christmas shopping season, and not advantageous for businesses. He tried to carry this policy over to 1940. This was opposed by many, and Congress passed two resolutions, the final one signed by FDR on December 26, 1941, firmly establishing the 4th Thursday date.

So, by law, Thanksgiving is now the fourth Thursday in November in the US.

Answer 3

On October 6, 1941, both houses of Congress passed a resolution that fixed Thanksgiving on the last-Thursday of November. However, in December 1941, the Senate passed an amendment to the resolution which split the difference by requiring Thanksgiving to be on the fourth Thursday of November. President Roosevelt signed the bill into law on December 26, 1941.

Answer 4

John Hanson declared Thanksgiving on the fourth Thursday of November a holiday. He was in office (1781-1782) prior to George Washington.