When and Who Declared Thanksgiving a National Holiday?
Many children’s cartoons and school plays share the story of the first Thanksgiving, but did you know when it was legally established in the United States?
President Abraham Lincoln declared Thanksgiving a national holiday in 1863, centuries after the Plymouth colonists and Wampanoag Indians had a feast together.
Modern day meals include turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes and more, but the history channel found that, “many of the dishes were likely prepared using traditional Native American spices and cooking methods. Because the Pilgrims had no oven and the Mayflower’s sugar supply had dwindled by the fall of 1621, the meal did not feature pies, cakes or other desserts, which have become a hallmark of contemporary celebrations.”