Why was thanksgiving moved from the 5th Thursday in November to the fourth?

Answer 1

Simple explanation : Franklin Roosevelt thought having more days between Thanksgiving and Christmas would improve Christmas sales and benefit the economy.

After Lincoln, most presidents were happy to continue the tradition of celebrating Thanksgiving Day on the last Thursday of November. In 1939 however President Roosevelt moved Thanksgiving up a week and briefly caused the nation to have two Thanksgiving Days. Kevin Katz explains in his 2007 article "FDR and Two Thanksgivings" the reasons behind the date change and the controversy it caused.

In 1939 Thanksgiving was due to fall on the last day of the month, November 30th. Research had shown that most consumers did not begin their holiday shopping until after Thanksgiving and many businesses were worried about losing revenue from a shorter shopping season. President Roosevelt was presiding over an America in the midst of The Great Depression, so in a move to help the economy he moved Thanksgiving Day up a week.

Thousands of letters poured into the White House protesting the date change and many states refused to acknowledge it. Calendar manufacturers and universities argued the date change would wreck their business routines. Many felt it was wrong to change a tradition for the sake of business. Some states followed the new date while others did not- creating two Thanksgiving Days in the nation. Public outrage finally convinced Congress to pass a law on December 26, 1941 officially making the fourth Thursday of November Thanksgiving, thereby moving it up only in those years that have five Thursdays.