One of the most popular American holidays - Thanksgiving Day - is celebrated not only in the United States. Over time, the tradition spread to many English-speaking countries.

history of the holiday

At first, no one celebrated Thanksgiving in England. It was a holiday of settlers who set foot on the lands called the New World. The colonists arrived on the territory of modern America in 1620. The first winter was too harsh for them, half of the people who arrived died of disease. The settlers did not have time to plant crops, they did not have fresh food.

But by the next spring, they had hope. The Indians showed them how to grow corn and other crops, how to hunt and fish. And already in the fall of 1621, the settlers were able to harvest a chic harvest of pumpkins, beans, corn, and barley. In gratitude, they invited the leader and 90 Indians. The guests brought with them turkeys, deer and other animals. They also taught the settlers how to cook a variety of corn and pumpkin dishes.

The rise of the celebration

In subsequent years, the early colonists continued the tradition of celebrating the harvest day. It's called Thanksgiving. In England, of course, no one at that time knew about such a tradition, but in America it was becoming popular. George Washington originally proposed a date of November 26. But over time, at the request of President Abraham Lincoln, the celebration was moved to the fourth Thursday of the last month of autumn - November. This date was postponed several more times, until in 1941 Congress established the last Thursday of November as the official Thanksgiving Day.

Over time, the holiday began to symbolize gratitude to God, gratitude to all family members, acquaintances for a kind attitude and well-being. Initially, it was religious, but gradually became nationwide. Over time, the American tradition of celebrating Thanksgiving Day in England took root well.

Modern Features

Given that the holiday was originally dedicated to an excellent harvest, it is customary to hold fairs on the last Thursday of the autumn month of November. On them you can find a variety of vegetables, fruits, plant seedlings, honey. To treat the hostesses prepare their best desserts. As a rule, this is how Thanksgiving is celebrated in England. The date of this holiday changes every year. But the British themselves mostly talk about celebrating harvest day.

It is noteworthy that the traditions were preserved mainly in small provincial towns. By the last Thursday of November, they prepare in advance: fairs, festivals, and other folk festivals are organized. By the way, it is at such farm holidays that you can buy organic products. This is often used by the local population.

If in megacities life practically does not change, then in small towns food stalls appear on the streets, many bars extend their opening hours. There is an atmosphere of fun in the air.

Culinary nuances

One of the distinctive symbols of the holiday is the table. Traditionally, the place of honor on it is occupied by a fried turkey. But this is not the only Thanksgiving dish in England. Pictures depicting a family at a festive table give the most complete picture of what else the British eat.

In addition to the baked turkey, a place of honor on the table is given to pumpkin pie. Fruits and vegetables from the harvest are also important on it. current year. The table is decorated with apples, corn cobs, grapes. Prepare the usual mashed potatoes, a variety of salads. Housewives can also make apple pudding.

By the way, there are many recipes for cooking turkey and sauces for it. When cooking, a variety of spices, herbs, sauces are used. The technology by which it is baked is also important. Many consider it mandatory that cranberry sauce is served with poultry meat. He was at the first joint dinner, organized as a gratitude of the settlers to the Indians and God for help, and remains on the table of most people to this day.

Established traditions

Thanksgiving in England, as well as in the USA and Canada, is an exclusively family holiday. During the day, people go to fairs, exhibitions, folk festivals, and in the evening they gather in their homes for a festive dinner. At the table, words of gratitude are pronounced to God, relatives and all the people around.

Also, attention is paid to decorations. In the interior design of houses, orange, brown and yellow tones are often used. They symbolize a rich harvest.

But gifts are not customary to give on Thanksgiving Day in England. On the English language The name of the holiday is Thanksgiving Day. In translation, it sounds like "the day when they say thank you." A festive dinner was being prepared as a thank you, but there was no point in giving some things to each other. Over time, this tradition has not changed, but the day is distinguished by a special solemn atmosphere and homeliness.

After this holiday, preparations for Christmas begin. The Friday following Thanksgiving has already become world famous. This is the so-called Black Friday - the day of global sales.

Thanksgiving is a family holiday

Thanksgiving Day - Public Holiday United States of America, dedicated to the Almighty, to whom thanks are given for the favors that he renders to people. The holiday arose in the early years of the stay of the English colonists in North America, who celebrated their first successes in a new place.

Americans celebrated the first Thanksgiving in October 1621.

Thanksgiving History

In the middle of the 16th century, a religious revolution took place in Europe. The peoples of several countries protested against the Catholic Church, for its reform. They went down in history under the name of Protestants. In England, the so-called Anglican Church was formed - a compromise between Catholicism and extreme manifestations of Protestantism. But the policy of the Anglican Church did not suit everyone. Those who called for a complete cleansing of religious service from any manifestations of diktat by the state or clergy were called. However, the Puritans were not homogeneous. Extreme Puritans, or "separatists", "independents" ("independents"), "dissidents" ("schismatics") F. Engels called peasant-plebeian heretics. They demanded the restoration of early Christian equality in relations between members of the religious community, as well as the recognition of this equality as a norm for civil relations as well. From the "equality of the sons of God" they derived civil equality and even equality of property. Naturally, such views on life were not to the liking of the powerful of this world. Dissidents were so persecuted that many were forced to move to Holland. The emigrant life of the new community, however, was not sweet, and then another all-European war broke out - the Thirty Years' War. All in all. community leaders began looking for a new place to live. Their eyes turned to North America, where at the very beginning of the 17th century two colonies were formed: on the territory approximately from present-day North Carolina to New York (Virginia colony) and on the territory of present-day New England.

• 1620, July 5 - The Mayflower and the Speedwell ships with Puritan pilgrims left Leiden. Their path lay through England, where the Speedwell was left for repairs.
• 1620, September 6 - "Mayflower" with 25 crew sailors and 102 passengers left Plymouth and headed for the mouth of the Hudson River, where the settlers received a gift of land.

  The captain of the ship managed to miss the intended landing site by as much as 200-plus miles to the north, and in November anchored in Cape Cod Bay, at a place called Plymouth

• November 11, 1620 - The Mayflower entered the bay, now called Province Harbor. However, the passengers of the Mayflower failed to land on the ground that day. The bot, brought for the needs of the colony, turned out to be faulty. While it was being repaired, scouts set off to land on a ship's boat
  They wandered for a long time through the dunes and the forest. We didn't meet anyone. They returned after dark, bringing with them brushwood and edible shells.
• 1620, November 12 - was the Sunday dedicated to worship
• 1620, November 13 - the boat transported to the ground, everyone who could move

  The repair of the bot was delayed. It was going to go along the coast in search of a place for a colony. In the meantime, they collected brushwood and shells. Women washed, children frolicked. The sailors hurried with the final disembarkation and unloading of the ship, fearing that the onset of winter would make it difficult for them to return to their homeland. There was only one way out - a foot expedition

• 1620, November 15 - went on a campaign. On the first day of the journey, several Indians with a dog were noticed from a distance, who hid in the thickets. Trying to catch up with them, they got lost. We spent the night in the forest.
• 1620, November 16 - went to a cleared place, which turned out to be an abandoned maize field. Behind him, they found several burials, the remains of destroyed native dwellings, and abandoned utensils. Rummaging, to their joy, they found a copper ship's boiler and several baskets of maize. They took away all the cobs, and filled the cauldron with refined grain - in such a way that two people could carry it on a stick, and in addition, each one filled his pockets with grain. We moved back to the ship. We passed a ruined palisade and the remains of a former fort, probably built sometime by Europeans. Crossed some river, spent the night
• November 17, 1620 - returned to base

  The place where they found maize was called Cornhill (Maize Hill). If they had not met him, they would have died of hunger, since they did not have their own seeds and there was no way to get them anywhere before the new harvest

• 1620, December 6 - went on reconnaissance on a repaired boat, then on foot
• 1620, December 7 - attacked by the Indians, recaptured it
• 1620, December 9 - found that they were on an island (Clark Island), located in a bay that seemed convenient for parking ships
• 1620, December 11 - landed on the land of the mainland. There were several streams with good drinking water, which crossed abandoned, as in Cornhill, maize fields. Beyond were the forests. I liked the place

  The day of the first landing of pilgrims at this place is considered a holiday in the United States and is called "Forefathers' Day", or "Day of the Pilgrim Fathers" (Forefathers Day). Celebrated December 22

• 1620, December 16 - The Mayflower crossed the bay at Cape Cod and entered the neighboring one, the one chosen by the scouts. We started unloading, searching for a site for the construction of the first building - a common housing and at the same time a warehouse. They chose a place on a hill in the southern part of the bay (now Plymouth Rock). The settlement was named New Plymouth.

  Within two or three months, because of the harsh winter, the lack of shelter and other amenities, because of scurvy and other diseases, because of the difficult conditions in which they found themselves, half the people died. In January-February, sometimes two or three people died a day; out of more than 100 people, barely 50 remained (including 5 women, 7 girls and 5 boys), of whom no more than six or seven turned out to be healthy in the most difficult moments, and these people, regardless of their own suffering, whether it was a day or at night, risking their own health and sparing no effort, they chopped wood for others, kindled a fire, prepared food for them, made their beds, washed their disgustingly dirty clothes, dressed and undressed them; in a word, they did all the necessary work. At this time, the Indians rarely showed up, only from a distance. One day they carried away unattended work tools

• 1621, March 16 - An Indian who spoke English came out to the settlers. He said that near New Plymouth there lived an Indian named Scanto (Tiscantum), who spoke the language of the pale-faced much better than he did. The British complained to the guest about the theft committed from them. A few days later, Samoset brought with him a group of Indians who returned the instruments stolen from them to the settlers. This was the beginning of the establishment of good neighborly relations.
• 1621, March 22 - The British were visited by the leader of the Wampanoag tribe, who lived nearby. Scanto acted as a translator, who became their guardian angel
• 1621, April 4 - The Mayflower sailed home
• 1621, May 12 - First wedding in New Plymouth. There was no priest among the settlers. Forced by circumstances, Governor Bradford introduced civil marriage, which established itself as a permanent institution in New Plymouth.

"Indian summer" has come. Gathered the first crop from the common field. Maize, planted under the direction of Skanto, was born well, European crops (wheat, peas) - poorly. However, the rate of flour in the diet has increased. We decided to celebrate Thanksgiving Day, thus celebrating our first successes. Native Indians were also invited to the feast. It happened in October 1621

Further Thanksgiving Adventures

— The first President of the United States, George Washington, decided to celebrate Thanksgiving Day annually on November 26
— On the 16th President of the United States, A. Lincoln in 1864 indicated that Thanksgiving Day should be celebrated on the last Thursday of November each year.
— On the 32nd, US President F. D. Roosevelt in 1939 replaced this date with the penultimate Thursday of November, but his proposal was not binding. as a result, 23 states celebrated Thanksgiving on the penultimate Thursday, and 22 on the last. The rest of the states have declared both days as public holidays.
— In 1941, the US Congress passed a law according to which Thanksgiving Day should be celebrated on the fourth Thursday of November.
— In Canada, Thanksgiving is celebrated every year on the second Monday in October.

Thanksgiving Traditions

— Stuffed turkey is the main Thanksgiving meal.
— Going to church to give thanks to the Lord
— Family gathering for the holiday: all of America gets on cars and planes: children go to visit their parents
— In addition to turkey, dishes of the first settlers are sure to be on the festive table: cranberry syrup, pumpkin pie, young cobs of corn, apples, oranges, chestnuts, nuts and grapes. The tables are decorated autumn leaves
— Parade in New York, which since 1927 hosts the largest department store Macy's
— Throughout the country, theatrical performances and processions in historical costumes, including Indian

Thanksgiving Turkey Recipe

— Turkey- the skin should be of a uniform light color, the carcass should be whole and elastic. Cook on a V-grid frypot, turning gently as it cooks to evenly distribute the heat, cooking time 3-3.5 hours
— Filling- bread, white or corn, flavored with nuts and spices (cooking time 1 hour 45 minutes); cabbage with sausages and fennel; potatoes with pork and offal, mushrooms or vegetables with herbs; oysters. Cook outside, in a separate form
— Marinade- based on water and citrus or apple juice (preparation time 16-24 hours)

Thanksgiving Day is a public holiday in the United States, celebrated on the fourth Thursday of November. In 2018, it falls on November 22. This is one of the most popular holidays in the country.

According to tradition, on this day, Americans praised God for a rich harvest; now the holiday has lost its religious roots and turned into a family celebration.

The idea of ​​celebrating the end of the harvest dates back to ancient times. In North America, this holiday was transformed into thanksgiving prayers for a rich harvest, accompanied by a plentiful meal. According to some reports, the first thanksgiving prayers of European settlers took place in 1607 in Jamestown, as well as in the Maine colony. However, in most cases, the history of the holiday is associated with the settlers who arrived in America from England in the late 1620s. In the fall of 1621, the governor of the Plymouth colony they formed, William Bradford, invited the Indians living in the neighborhood to celebrate with the settlers a three-day holiday in honor of the first crop harvested after a hungry winter in the New World, which the colonists survived largely thanks to the help of the natives.

It was the first Thanksgiving, but the colonists not only didn’t call it that, but didn’t plan to make it a tradition - there was no holiday the following year, it was held again only in 1623, after the settlers, worried about the drought, prayed for rain for a long time - and received it.

For a long time, the holiday was unofficial. European settlers held gathering celebrations autumn harvest at the local level. Each state itself determined the date of the celebration.

The first official Thanksgiving Day was declared in 1777 by the Continental Congress and took place on December 18, 1777.

In 1789, the first President of the United States, George Washington, declared the holiday a national event. Date of Thanksgiving and Community Prayer ( A day of public thanksgiving and prayer) became November 26, Thursday. However, in later years, Thanksgiving continued to be celebrated irregularly. It became a national holiday only in 1863, when President Abraham Lincoln announced that from now on the last Thursday of November will be celebrated as Thanksgiving Day. True, already in 1865 the holiday was celebrated on the first Thursday of November - as US President Andrew Johnson proclaimed. In 1869, President Ulysses Grant chose the third Thursday for Thanksgiving. In other years, Thanksgiving Day was celebrated on the last Thursday of November.

In 1939-1941, to expand the Christmas shopping season, US President Franklin Roosevelt moved the holiday to the penultimate Thursday of November. The transfer caused a split among the states - 16 states refused to change the tradition and continued to celebrate the holiday in the old way. After two years of confusion and complaints, on December 26, 1941, Roosevelt signed a law establishing Thanksgiving Day as the fourth Thursday in November.

Over the years of its existence, the holiday has developed a number of traditions that Americans carefully observe. Thanksgiving is usually celebrated in the house of the elder of the family in the circle of relatives. Relatives and friends come from all over the country to sit at a common table laden with traditional treats.

An obligatory attribute of a feast is a turkey (in various options her cooking), sweet potatoes yams, cranberry sauce, rusk cubes stuffing with spices, sweet potatoes, pumpkin pie - what, according to historians, was on the tables of the colonists in the distant 17th century.

The traditional celebratory drink is apple cider. It is served hot and seasoned with spices.

Another tradition of the holiday is the solemn ceremony of pardoning a turkey, which is held in the White House on the eve of the holiday. In accordance with this tradition, at least one turkey must avoid the fate of being on the festive table.

President Donald Trump pardoned the turkey in 2018. Screenshot video

The tradition of honoring the Thanksgiving turkey, according to the most common version, was started in 1947, when the National Federation of Turkey Meat Producers ( National Turkey Federation) gave the bird to US President Harry Truman for the first time. However, it was not until 1963 that President John F. Kennedy left the bird he received as a gift alive.

The first official turkey pardon ceremony was held by US President George W. Bush in 1989. Every year since then, the turkey and its “understudy” (a backup is chosen in case something suddenly happens to the first bird before the ceremony) get rid of the prospect of being roasted.

Another attribute of the holiday are traditional costumed parades. The first such parade was held in 1924 in Detroit. The most famous parade is held annually in New York. It is organized by the largest network of Macy's department stores ( Macy's). The main attraction of the parade are huge inflatable toys (cartoon characters, fairy tales and TV shows) that are carried from Central Park to the entrance to the department store (between Seventh Avenue and Broadway). Since 1952, the parade has been televised.

After Thanksgiving, all shops in the country open their traditional pre-Christmas sales. Since the 1960s, this day has also been known as Black Friday.

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Not everyone knows what Thanksgiving is. The history of the holiday begins, of course, with America. Despite the fact that many peoples of the world have a tradition to celebrate the end of the harvest and a wide variety of work related to agriculture.

This custom has been around for a long time. In the past, people could not enjoy such an abundance of products, which today is presented in various supermarkets. They had to use only what they had grown on their own. Of course, the harvest was not always rich, because the weather and other circumstances are important factors. People were worried about what it would be like next year. Therefore, they were always happy with a good harvest. thanksgiving was created so that people could say "thank you" to higher powers, so that they could ask for good luck for the next year. People sincerely believed that this would help.

Thanksgiving Day. The history of the holiday goes back far…

This celebration appeared in America as early as 1621. What was the main reason for organizing Thanksgiving? The history of the holiday began with the fact that a ship arrived from England, on which a group of people escaped from religious persecution. Travelers got to America only on November 10th. It was already too late to sow anything at this time. Accordingly, the first winter spent here was too hard and hungry. Fifty people died because of this. The local Indians rushed to help the rest.

With the advent of spring, they began to cultivate the land, sow corn and bread. Already in the summer it was absolutely clear that soon a very rich harvest awaited everyone.

That's what Thanksgiving was for. The history of the holiday says that the celebration lasted three days. It was celebrated by the British along with the Indians. On the tables they had a real feast - and turkey, and fish, and fruit, and corn. Rejoicing and enjoying the abundance of food, they thanked God for a splendid harvest.

A little later, the holiday spread to other states of America - as soon as new settlers arrived here. They liked this idea. As a result, after 150 years, Thanksgiving was celebrated throughout the country. The official holiday was recognized by George Washington in 1789. This event is celebrated on the fourth Thursday of November.

Holiday traditions

What can be said about the features of this event? Many traditions distinguish Thanksgiving from other events. The history of the holiday has a lot of customs. However, as always, something can be missed, and something can be added ... But there is something that you cannot do without!

Firstly, on this day, all relatives gather at the festive table. The owners of the house always serve fried with and pumpkin pie. Secondly, festive services are held in churches on this day. Thirdly, people thank God not only for a generous harvest, but also for prosperity and peace, for family happiness.

Traditional decorations for this holiday are also known. These are garlands and wreaths of branches and flowers, hung on windows and doors, stuffed straw, rag dolls and other homely cozy little things.

Thanksgiving is one of the most beloved holidays in America.

Of course, many festive events are celebrated by people all over the world. Americans, however, are particularly impressed by the history of Thanksgiving, which has become official holiday in the 18th century. It was assigned to him on the fourth Thursday of November thanks to a bill passed by the US Congress in 1941.

Americans take great pleasure in celebrating this holiday with friends or family, enjoying traditional tender roast turkey, sweet potatoes, pumpkin pie and a variety of dishes made from corn.

By the way, the inhabitants of the United States also adore the solemn ceremony of "pardon". For this, two turkeys are selected. The "national" bird chosen on the website of the White House is pardoned. The second - "vice turkey" - is prepared and served at the government's festive dinner.

Popularity well deserved

The history of Thanksgiving is known to every American. This holiday is one of the three most popular. It is celebrated as widely as Easter or Christmas.

Residents of the states look forward to this day every year. All of them honor the memory of those Indians who once responded to the requests of newly arrived neighbors and helped them to improve their life and start housekeeping.

To date…

Harvest Feast… Thanksgiving is one of the most Warm congratulations, hugs of relatives - without all this, this event is impossible to imagine.

Today, a variety of charitable events and actions are also necessarily held. At almost every metro station, for example, you can see tables on which money, food, things for homeless people are put. There are many announcements in the press about how many suffering people can be helped if even one dollar is donated to them on this day. In a word, people are not allowed to remain indifferent to the problems of others.

The most significant symbol

The history of Thanksgiving in America is described in many sources of information. In each of them, of course, the most significant symbol this holiday- traditional turkey. The fact is that it was her distant ancestors who were first presented by the Indians as a gift to their new neighbors. "President" is brought to see, of course, the most well-fed and beautiful representatives of the turkey family.

By the way, this “symbol” was even planned to be placed on the national coat of arms of America. The "holiday bird" could not compete with the proud eagle, but every US citizen associates it with Thanksgiving Day. That is, without turkey given solemn event does not cost.

This holiday is a bright and cheerful event!

Thus, one of the most famous dates in America is Thanksgiving Day. Its history is very interesting and unusual. People honor this holiday and happily support all the ancient traditions associated with it. They take part in folk festivals, enchanting parades, carnivals with great pleasure. Theatrical and circus performances dedicated to the first settlers also delight Americans with their brightness and beauty. Well, more recently, another Thanksgiving tradition has appeared in the United States. Americans play football finals on this holiday.

So, Thanksgiving Day is an event that people in the United States look forward to every year. It is celebrated beautifully and interestingly, and also brings a lot of positive emotions and cheers up!

On the last Thursday of November, the United States celebrates Thanksgiving Day(Thanksgiving Day). This is one of the most popular holidays in the country.

Thanksgiving Day was first celebrated in 1621 by English colonists living in Plymouth Colony. The previous winter was very hard and hungry, the new winter also promised little good for the colonists. Then Governor William Bradford decided to raise the spirits of his subordinates (most of them were members of the Protestant Puritan sect) and organized the first Thanksgiving Day. The holiday was celebrated jointly by the British colonists and their Indian neighbors, thanks to whose help the Plymouth Colony survived the first hungry winter.

The Puritans brought a deep religious meaning to this holiday - they saw it as a way to thank the Almighty for mercy and mark the end of the harvest (such holidays are known in almost all religions of the world). Thanksgiving Day became a national holiday after the corresponding decree of the first president of the country, George Washington (1789).

Thanksgiving Day- one of the most beloved American holidays, celebrated on the fourth Thursday of November. This holiday has its roots in the depths of American history, to the very first settlers from England, who arrived on the shores of America in 1620 on the now famous Mayflower ship. They landed after a rough voyage through a stormy ocean in what is now Massachusetts on a frosty November day.

More than half of the approximately 100 arrivals could not survive the harsh winter and perished from cold, starvation and disease. The survivors established a colony and in the spring, with the help of local Indians who had taught them what crops to grow and how to grow on this inhospitable rocky soil, they began to cultivate the land. An unexpectedly rich harvest was the reward for their efforts. The first governor of the colonists, W. Bradford, offered to spend a day of giving thanks to the Lord.

For a holiday in the fall of 1621, the pilgrims invited the leader and 90 more Indians of the tribe that helped them survive in unfamiliar conditions. This meal, shared with the Indians, was the first Thanksgiving celebration. Subsequently, the colonists celebrated a good harvest with occasional Thanksgiving festivities.

After gaining independence and the emergence of a single state of the United States, the first president of the country, George Washington, proposed to celebrate Thanksgiving Day as a national holiday annually on November 26th. In 1864, at the end of the Civil War, A. Lincoln proclaimed the last Thursday of November each year as Thanksgiving Day. Since then, the date of the celebration has not changed.

Thanksgiving is full of traditions

Several generations of the same family gather in the elders' house for a festive dinner. Everyone says words of thanksgiving for all the good things that happened in his life. On this day, modern Americans eat the same thing that their ancestors ate back in 1621 at the first Thanksgiving dinner. Many dishes have become not only a tradition, but also symbols of the holiday: a stuffed turkey with cranberry jam and a big sweet pumpkin pie.

Bright young pumpkins, ears of "Indian" corn, apples, oranges, chestnuts, nuts, dry leaves and bunches of grapes hanging from the dish as if from a cornucopia, not only serve as a traditional table decoration, but also represent abundance autumn gifts nature. Bouquets of golden, orange and red-brown chrysanthemums, complemented by branches with berries, complete the feeling of abundance and generosity of nature, a real celebration of a rich harvest.

All family members must go to church, and after the service to gather at the festive table. On the eve of Thanksgiving, charity is flourishing: Americans are trying to feed and somehow please their neighbors who are unlucky in life. Even at metro stations, special tables are set up on which everyone can put their donations, including food.

Newspapers publish ads like this: "If you donate $1.90, you can give a hot meal to a homeless or poor compatriot. By donating $19, you will help feed 19 people, etc." On the eve of the holiday, charitable organizations distribute collected gifts to those in need, and organize dinners for the homeless.

Second in importance thanksgiving attribute - turkey. At the first feast, the colonists and Indians roasted and ate together four turkeys shot in the nearby forest. Since then, turkey and Thanksgiving have become synonymous, poultry farmers fatten turkeys especially for this holiday.

At a special ceremony, the President of the United States is shown two of the most worthy representatives of the turkey family: one turkey adorns festive table in the White House, and the second is solemnly pardoned by the President and sent to live out her life on a special farm, where she is no longer in danger of being eaten. The turkey almost became a national symbol of the United States - this issue was discussed by the founding fathers of the country. However, the peaceful turkey lost the competition to the predatory bald eagle.

The third attribute of the holiday: parades (mostly costumed - in the clothes of the 17th century and Indian costumes) and fun. In the 20th century, Thanksgiving received new tradition- American football is played on this day.