How Thanksgiving became what it is today

The Real Story of Thanksgiving

Who doesn’t like Turkey and a day off? Thanksgiving is often depicted as a harmonious feast between the Pilgrims and Native Americans, symbolizing unity and gratitude. While this narrative has shaped the holiday’s modern image, the real story of Thanksgiving is more complex and grounded in a mix of myth, historical events, and cultural evolution.

The Origins of Thanksgiving

As children, we’re taught the commonly told Thanksgiving story that begins in 1621, a year after the Pilgrims landed in Plymouth. According to tradition, the Pilgrims, who had endured a harsh winter and severe food shortages, shared a feast with the Wampanoag people to celebrate their first successful harvest. While there is some truth to this story, the real story of Thanksgiving reveals much more.

In the fall of 1621, the Pilgrims did indeed hold a feast to celebrate their survival and the harvest. However, they were not Thanksgiving in the spiritual sense. For the Pilgrims, a day of Thanksgiving meant prayer and fasting, not feasting. The Wampanoag, led by Chief Massasoit, joined the meal, likely out of diplomacy rather than festive collaboration.

Historical records indicate that the Wampanoag brought food and contributed to the feast, but the meal was a result of complex social dynamics. The Wampanoag were navigating a tense alliance with the Pilgrims, forged partly out of necessity after their population had been ravaged by disease brought by earlier European explorers.

The real story of Thanksgiving also involves a broader history of colonialism, cultural clashes, and shifting power dynamics. While the 1621 feast is often romanticized, relations between the Pilgrims and Native Americans were fraught with mistrust and conflict.

By the late 17th century, tensions between European settlers and Native American tribes had escalated into violent confrontations, such as King Philip’s War, which devastated Native communities in New England. These events, often overlooked in the Thanksgiving narrative, reveal the darker realities of colonization that followed the early moments of cooperation.

The Evolution of Thanksgiving as a Holiday

It all started in 1782 when the federal congress asked George Washington to select a day of thanks. Thanksgiving as we know it today was not established as a holiday until much later. For over two centuries, Thanksgiving celebrations were sporadic and localized, often centered around religious gratitude for specific blessings or events.

The real story of Thanksgiving’s rise to prominence begins in the 19th century, thanks largely to the efforts of Sarah Josepha Hale, a magazine editor and author. Hale campaigned tirelessly to make Thanksgiving a holiday to add content to her publication, writing letters to five U.S. presidents over 17 years. She envisioned the holiday as a unifying tradition during a time of growing division in the country.

In 1863, during the Civil War, President Abraham Lincoln declared Thanksgiving an unpaid holiday in the District of Columbia, setting it on the last Thursday of November. Lincoln framed the holiday as a time for national unity and gratitude, emphasizing its potential to unite Americans during a profound strife. In 1938 Rosevelt was pressured by the retail establishment to move Thanksgiving back one week, providing more time to promote Christmas. For the years 1938, 39, and 40 you could celebrate it on either Thursday you chose, and the state of Texas recognized both Thursdays as Thanksgiving, celebrating it twice each year. In 1941 Congress made it official, declaring the last Thursday of November as Thanksgiving by passing a paid Federal Workers Day. Thanksgiving would not be made official in most states for many years as it made its way through each state’s approval process. 

Modern Interpretations of Thanksgiving

Today, Thanksgiving has evolved into a celebration centered around family, food, and gratitude. The holiday’s iconic symbols—turkey, pumpkin pie, and parades—are far removed from the realities of the 1621 feast.

The real story of Thanksgiving continues to spark conversations about the narratives we tell and the histories we overlook. For many Native Americans, Thanksgiving is a day of mourning, reflecting on the loss of land, culture, and lives that followed the arrival of European settlers.

Efforts to tell a more inclusive and accurate story of Thanksgiving have gained momentum in recent years. Educators, historians, and activists are working to shed light on the complexities of the holiday’s origins and the experiences of Native peoples.

While the real story of Thanksgiving may challenge the simplified version many of us learned as children, the holiday still offers an opportunity for reflection and gratitude. By understanding its true origins, we can approach Thanksgiving with a deeper awareness of history and a commitment to honoring diverse perspectives.

As we gather with loved ones this Thanksgiving, let’s remember not only the blessings in our lives but also the resilience and stories of those who came before us. Exploring the real story of Thanksgiving allows us to celebrate with a more profound sense of connection to our shared past and a renewed appreciation for the complexities of our history.

Whether you’re drawn to the history, the traditions, or the meaning of gratitude, Thanksgiving provides a rich tapestry of stories to explore. The real story of Thanksgiving reminds us that history is never one-dimensional, and understanding its layers helps us appreciate the holiday in a more meaningful way.