How did Thanksgiving star?

Answer 1

Thanksgiving was not an annual celebration at first. Harvest festivals were common in Europe, so the Frobisher Expedition in 1578 celebrated a harvest festival. In 1619, 38 colonists landed in Virginia and gave thanks for their safe passage. In 1621, a harvest festival was celebrated between the Wampanoag and the Pilgrims. There was no celebration the next year because of a drought. Later on, it did become an annual event, but did not occur on any particular day.

Many of the Pilgrims were Freemasons, including George Washington, and they brought their traditions to America. Washington proclaimed a Thanksgiving Day in 1777 to celebrate the victory over the British at Saratoga. The Continental Congress instituted an annual celebration to be held in December from 1777-1783. President Washington continued this tradition from 1789-1795, President Adams did the same from 1798-1799, and President Madison had the holiday twice in 1815.

In 1863, the holiday was set as a yearly celebration by President Lincoln on the last Thursday in November. In 1941, President Roosevelt signed it into law as the fourth Thursday in November. So, from then on, Thanksgiving Day was official.