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President Abraham Lincoln proclaimed a national Thanksgiving Day during the Civil War, on October 3, 1863.

He asked that the nation give thanks for the Union on the last Thursday of November. That made the first true national autumn Thanksgiving on Thursday, November 26, 1863, recognizing a long-standing New England tradition of placing the holiday on the fourth Thursday in November.

He did it partially to help soothe the national mood, which was weary of the Civil War. He declared Thanksgiving again for November 23, 1864. In 1865, his successor, Andrew Johnson, declared a Thanksgiving for December 7, 1865, and presidents traditionally declared a Thanksgiving for every autumn since. (Andrew Johnson was the first to give government employees the day off, making it a legal holiday.)

In 1941, Congress passed a bill, and FDR signed it, that fixed the date as the fourth Thursday in November. FDR attempted to move the holiday to the third Thursday in November, but Congress enacted a law to fix the date at the fourth Thursday in November, thus making it an "official" holiday. On November 26, 1941, FDR signed the bill.

See the Related Link for a complete time line of the history of Thanksgiving.

George Washington was the first President to declare a national day of Thanksgiving.

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8y ago

George Washington and Abraham Lincoln both made proclamations to celebrate Thanksgiving. However, it was not a fixed holiday with states celebrating on different days.

President Abraham Lincoln proclaimed a national Thanksgiving Day during the Civil War, on October 3, 1863.

He asked that the nation give thanks for the Union on the last Thursday of November. That made the first true national autumn Thanksgiving on Thursday, November 26, 1863, recognizing a long-standing New England tradition of placing the holiday on the fourth Thursday in November.

He did it partially to help soothe the national mood, which was weary of the Civil War. He declared Thanksgiving again for November 23, 1864. In 1865, his successor, Andrew Johnson, declared a Thanksgiving for December 7, 1865, and presidents traditionally declared a Thanksgiving for every autumn since. (Andrew Johnson was the first to give government employees the day off, making it a legal holiday.)

In 1941, Congress passed a bill, and FDR signed it, that fixed the date as the fourth Thursday in November. FDR attempted to move the holiday to the third Thursday in November, but Congress enacted a law to fix the date at the fourth Thursday in November, thus making it an "official" holiday. On November 26, 1941, FDR signed the bill.

See the Related Link for a complete time line of the history of Thanksgiving.

Abraham Lincoln, the 16th President of the United States, declared Thanksgiving a National Holiday in 1863 with the Thanksgiving Declaration. Thanksgiving was always held on the last Thursday of November that was the day President Lincoln observed the holiday when he declared Thanksgiving a national holiday in 1863; however, in 1939, President Franklin D. Roosevelt, changed the date of Thanksgiving to the second to last Thursday of November. A law was passed by Congress on December 26, 1941, ensuring that all Americans would celebrate a unified Thanksgiving on the fourth Thursday of November every year.

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Armando Hinojosa

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Mohamed Ali according to the National Geografic Safety Enviroment Association And US Private Information.

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Q: What US president made Thanksgiving a national holiday?
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Continue Learning about General History

What president created Thanksgiving?

The president that declared Thanksgiving is George Bush cause his family was Indian and he was Pilgrim so the family together made a holiday named thanksgiving...... Hope that answers your question


Which president first proclaimed that the US have a Thanksgiving Day?

Technically Washington did however it did not become a federal holiday with a set date until Lincoln.


What year was the Thanksgiving made?

The first Thanksgiving was celebrated in 1621. The first Thanksgiving as a national holiday was 1863.


What country celebrates the holiday called Thanksgiving in November?

Thanksgiving is a national holiday in the USA. It is celebrated on the third Thursday of November. During the time US President Lincoln was in office, he was pressured by Protestant religious leaders to make the traditional feast day of Protestants a national holiday. Since the overwhelming population in that time was some form of Protestantism, Lincoln made the day, Thanksgiving, a national holiday.


Who declared Thanksgiving a US holiday?

A holiday is a day on which individuals aren't expected to follow usual or even any work schedules. The day is supposed to honor a particular event or person. So Thanksgiving was made a holiday through the national proclamation of 16th U.S. President Abraham Lincoln [February 12, 1809-April 15, 1865]. The Lincoln Proclamation of Thanksgiving Day was issued on October 3, 1863. Subsequently, under the efforts of 32nd U.S. President Franklin Delano Roosevelt [January 30, 1882-April 12, 1945], Thanksgiving Day became a federal holiday [55 Stat 862] in 1941.

Related questions

Was Truman the first president to make thanksgiving a national holiday?

No. It was President Abraham Lincoln who made it a national holiday in 1863.


Who issue the first proclamation making thanksgiving an annual nation holiday?

Abraham Lincoln, the 16th President, issued the first official proclamation that made Thanksgiving an annual national holiday.


What president created Thanksgiving?

The president that declared Thanksgiving is George Bush cause his family was Indian and he was Pilgrim so the family together made a holiday named thanksgiving...... Hope that answers your question


When did thanksgiving become a consistent national holidayin November?

Since President Abraham Lincoln made it a national holiday in 1863.


When was Thanksgiving invented?

Thanksgiving was made a national holiday by President Lincoln, but it wasn't celebrated until much later in the 1900's. The date of the holiday has also changed off and on.


Which president first proclaimed that the US have a Thanksgiving Day?

Technically Washington did however it did not become a federal holiday with a set date until Lincoln.


When was the first Thanksgiving proclaimed and by who?

President George Washington issued the first official government proclamation of Thanksgiving in 1789. President Abraham Lincoln made it a yearly official national holiday in 1863.


What year was the Thanksgiving made?

The first Thanksgiving was celebrated in 1621. The first Thanksgiving as a national holiday was 1863.


What president officially celebrated Thanksgiving in1864?

President Abraham Lincoln made Thanksgiving a Federal Holiday in 1864.


Was president Washington proclaimed Thanksgiving day to be November 26 true or false?

False. It was President Abraham Lincoln during the USA Civil War Between the States, (in 1863), who made Thanksgiving a national holiday in the USA.


What country celebrates the holiday called Thanksgiving in November?

Thanksgiving is a national holiday in the USA. It is celebrated on the third Thursday of November. During the time US President Lincoln was in office, he was pressured by Protestant religious leaders to make the traditional feast day of Protestants a national holiday. Since the overwhelming population in that time was some form of Protestantism, Lincoln made the day, Thanksgiving, a national holiday.


Which president made the first Thanksgiving day proclamation?

George Washington declared Thanksgiving a national holiday in 1789. However, the Continental Congress (president John Hanson) made the first actual national proclamation on March 16, 1776. The following year, a national day of prayer and thanksgiving was observed on December 16, 1777. The date of Thursday, November 26, 1789 was the date used by Washington, following the precedent of Thursday, November 28, 1782. The annual observance was established by Abraham Lincoln in 1863, and observed each year since then.