Thanksgiving History You Have To Know

Defined as an "expression of gratitude," Thanksgiving is meant to be a day on which we express our appreciation for the many blessings that are in our lives.

The holiday of Thanksgiving is wrapped in myth and legend, and the definite origins of the Thanksgiving meal are blurred.

There is no doubt that Thanksgiving is part of the very fabric of our nation, and there are even Thanksgiving traditions all around the world. But to really get a grasp of what this holiday means, we have to examine our Thanksgiving history. So to help celebrate this holiday knowledgeably, here are a few historical facts about Thanksgiving that you need to know:

●     Sarah Joseph Hale, known as the "godmother of Thanksgiving," could be responsible for the way in which we celebrate it today.

●     The typically accepted first Thanksgiving meal origins involve the Plymouth pilgrims and the Wampanoag Native Americans gathering for a three-day feast, now known as the first Thanksgiving, in 1621.

●     However, there is a marker in Texas that states "Feast of the First Thanksgiving — 1541."

●     On October 3, 1863, President Abraham Lincoln  declared that the last Thursday in November would be recognized as Thanksgiving Day.