Early thanksgiving observances
1621: After their first harvest in America, the Pilgrims of 1621 spontaneously celebrated a day to thank our God of divine Providence. With psalms, prayers, sermons, and the party of a feast, they welcomed their helpful friends--nearly 90 Native American neighbors including Massassoit, Squanto, and Samoset. Participant William Bradford wrote:
Thus they found the Lord to be with them in all their ways, and to bless their outgoings and incomings, for which let His holy name have the praise forever, to all posterity. They began now to gather in the small harvest they had, and to fit up their houses and dwellings against winter, being all well recovered in health and strength and had all things in good plenty.
1623: About the Plymouth Thanksgiving of 1623, a year when there was a drought and then a time of rain, we read again from Governor William Bradford:
And afterwards the Lord sent them such seasonable showers, with interchange of fair warm weather as, through His blessing, caused a fruitful and liberal harvest, to their no small comfort and rejoicing. For which mercy, in time convenient, they also set apart a day of thanksgiving… By this time harvest was come, and instead of famine now God gave them plenty … for which they blessed God. And the effect of their particular planting was well seen, for all had … pretty well … so as any general want or famine had not been amongst them since to this day.
1630: The Puritans of the Massachusetts Bay Colony first celebrated Thanksgiving in 1630 under Governor Winthrop.
We go "to improve our lives, to do more service to the Lord. . . . We have entered a covenant with [God] for this work." He continued: "For we must consider that we shall be as a city upon a hill. The eyes of all people are upon us." A Model of Christian Charity
By 1680, it became established as their annual festival.
The first official Thanksgiving was in 1671, Charlestown, Massachusetts, by proclamation of the town's governing council.
Many colonies throughout the 18th century dedicated days of thanksgiving for different occasions each year such as after a bumper crop, a military victory, or other good fortune. In December of 1777, the colonies nationwide held Thanksgiving to commemorate the surrender of General Burgoyne at Saratoga.
1789: During his first year as President, George Washington issued an historic proclamation under the new national government to set aside Thursday, November 26, 1789, as "A Day of Publick Thanksgiving and Prayer." Following is the famous proclamation:
General Thanksgiving
By the PRESIDENT of the United States Of America
WHEREAS it is the duty of all nations to acknowledge the providence of Almighty God, to obey His will, to be grateful for His benefits, and humbly to implore His protection and favour; and Whereas both Houfes of Congress have, by their joint committee, requefted me "to recommend to the people of the United States a DAY OF PUBLICK THANKSGIVING and PRAYER, to be observed by acknowledging with grateful hearts the many and signal favors of Almighty God, especially by affording them an opportunity peaceably to eftablifh a form of government for their safety and happiness:"
NOW THEREFORE, I do recommend and affign THURSDAY, the TWENTY-SIXTH DAY of NOVEMBER next, to be devoted by the people of thefe States to the fervice of that great and glorious Being who is the beneficent author of all the good that was, that is, or that will be; that we may then all unite in rendering unto Him our fincere and humble thanksfor His kind care and protection of the people of this country previous to their becoming a nation; for the fignal and manifold mercies and the favorable interpofitions of His providence in the courfe and conclufion of the late war; for the great degree of tranquility, union, and plenty which we have fince enjoyed;-- for the peaceable and rational manner in which we have been enable to eftablish Conftitutions of government for our fafety and happinefs, and particularly the national one now lately instituted;-- for the civil and religious liberty with which we are bleffed, and the means we have of acquiring and diffufing useful knowledge;-- and, in general, for all the great and various favours which He has been pleafed to confer upon us.
And also, that we may then unite in moft humbly offering our prayers and fupplications to the great Lord and Ruler of Nations and befeech Him to pardon our national and other tranfgreffions;-- to enable us all, whether in publick or private ftations, to perform our feveral and relative duties properly and punctually; to render our National Government a bleffing to all the people by conftantly being a Government of wife, juft, and conftitutional laws, difcreetly and faithfully executed and obeyed; to protect and guide all fovereigns and nations (especially fuch as have shewn kindnefs unto us); and to blefs them with good governments, peace, and concord; to promote the knowledge and practice of true religion and virtue, and the increafe of fcience among them and us; and, generally to grant unto all mankind fuch a degree of temporal profperity as he alone knows to be beft.
GIVEN under my hand, at the city of New-York, the third day of October, in the year of our Lord, one thousand feven hundred and eighty-nine.
(signed) G. Washington
In 1863, President Lincoln proclaimed the last Thursday of November "as a day of Thanksgiving and Praise." An annual day of Thanksgiving was to be "held on the same day, in all the States....to become permanently, an American custom and institution." The following is a segment taken from his order of praise to God for America's blessings:
No human counsel hath devised nor hath any mortal hand worked out these great things. They are the gracious gifts of the Most High God, who, while dealing with us in anger for our sins, hath nevertheless remembered mercy. It has seemed to me fit and proper that they should be solemnly, reverently and gratefully acknowledged as with one heart and one voice by the whole American People.
Amen, God bless, and HAPPY THANKSGIVING!
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