Transcript Thanksgiving - NW LINCS

Thanksgiving
The day America sets aside for
family, for remembrance.
First Thanksgiving
The first Thanksgiving
celebration held in
America occurred in
1619. On December
fourth of that year,
thirty-eight English
settlers arrived at the
Berkeley Plantation in
Virginia. Part of their
original charter stated
that they would set
aside.
New World
The next recorded celebration is also
most famous. Plymouth,
Massachusetts, 1621. The first
winter the Pilgrims had in the
‘New World’ was a brutal one.
The following harvest season was so
bountiful in fact that the
Pilgrims decided to hold a feast
for celebration and thanksgiving.
This’ festival’, which lasted three
days, included the participation
of nearly 100 Native Americans.
Governor William Bradford
Had invited the natives to show them
appreciation, for helping his
colony survive through the harsh
weather conditions.
Next Time
The next celebration didn’t occur
until 1623. In the hope of bringing
much needed rain, they gathered
together in a prayer service. As
other settlers came to the country,
they held their own thanksgiving
celebrations, but each celebration
was independent of the next.
In 1668 the Plymouth general court
tried to bring some order to the
celebration by declaring November
25th to be Thanksgiving. It was a
proclamation that only lasted
within the colony for five years.
Why Thursday?
How it came to be held on a
Thursday is not widely know.
The first thanksgivings were held
on Thursday (and in some cases
Wednesday) so as to not interfere
with the Sabbath. During these
times, the Sabbath was an
extremely important day;
Saturday was a day of preparation
and Monday was out to give the
Sabbath it’s proper respect so
with these ‘restrictions’ Thursday
becomes an easy choice.
The first national celebration of
Thanksgiving occurred in 1777.
This one-time only event occurred
at this time as a way to celebrate
the America defeat of the British
at Saratoga.
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Sara Josepha Hale
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1789 George Washington made the
first Presidential proclamation
declaring Thanksgiving a national
event. November 26 of that year. The
pattern was set.
Second President John Adams
moved it to Wednesday. Finding it
brought more resistance than he felt
it was worth. He relented and
changed the day back.
Thomas Jefferson’s turn as
President, he decided against the idea
of Thanksgiving. It went for nearly
60 years until Sarah Josepha Hale (a
magazine editor) came to bat. She
was concerned with her belief that the
country needed to set aside a day to
give thanks ’unto him who all
blessing flow’. 1863 , she saw her
dream as Abraham Lincoln declared
the last Thursday of November as a
national day of Thanksgiving.
for whom? for what?
1930, Roosevelt tried to move the date to
slide it forward by a week to extend the
Christmas shopping season.
1941, Congress declared the fourth
Thursday in November to be the legal
Holiday know as Thanksgiving.
It should noted while Thanksgiving has
become a holiday deeply associated
with America, there have been
numerous
‘ harvest’ , autumn, and ‘Thanksgiving’
festivals throughout history including
Grecian, Roman and Egyptian
celebrations.
Thanksgiving Dinner recipe
Herb-roasted Turkey
Ingredients
• 1/2 cup olive oil, divided
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper
• 1 turkey (14 to 16 pounds)
• 8 fresh sage leaves plus 4 fresh
sage sprigs, divided
• 6 fresh thyme sprigs, divided
• 4 medium onions
• 5 celery ribs 5 medium carrots
3medium parsnips
•
•
•
In a small bowl, combine 1/4 cup oil, garlic,
salt and pepper. With fingers, carefully loosen
skin from the turkey breast; rub mixture under
the skin. Place sage leaves and two thyme
sprigs under the skin. Secure skin to underside
of breast with toothpicks.
Cut onions into wedges and the celery, carrots
and parsnips into 2-in. lengths. Place about a
fifth of the onions, celery and carrots in the
turkey cavity; add sprigs and remaining thyme.
Place remaining vegetables in a roasting pan.
Place turkey, breast side up, over vegetables.
Brush with remaining oil.
Bake at 325° for 3-1/4 to 3-3/4 hours or until a
meat thermometer reads 180°, basting
occasionally with pan drippings. Cover loosely
with foil if turkey browns too quickly. Cover
and let stand for 20 minutes before carving
turkey. Discard vegetables; use drippings to
make gravy. Yield: 14 servings.
Writer Yayoi Spurgeon
11/18/2010