THANKSGIVING – ANTIQUITY UNLEASHED

Thanksgiving is a holiday celebrated in North America and is generally observed
as an expression of gratitude, usually to God. The most common view of its
origin is that it was to give thanks to God for the bounty of the autumn
harvest. Thanksgiving marks the start of the American holiday season.

It all started of when in August 1620, the Mayflower, a 180-ton ship, set sail
from Southampton, England. Her 103 passengers were to become the creators of
one of the nation’s most popular holidays. After weeks of plowing through the
tumultuous Atlantic waters, the pilgrims spotted Cape Cod, off the coast of
Massachusetts. Their intended location was off the Virginia coast, where other
pilgrims had begun colonies. The next few months would prove to be difficult and
trying. Of the original 103 pilgrims, only 56 survived the first, long, bleak
New England winter.

But, with the approaching of spring came new hope. The survivors built homes,
planted crops, made friendships with local Indian tribes, and traded with them.
The passing of winter allowed the pilgrims to labor and produce, causing the
colony to flourish. After reaping their first harvest in the fall of 1621, the
pilgrims dedicated a day for thanking God for the bounty He had blessed them
with. They had endured the many hardships that came with pioneering a new land.
They were especially grateful for their harvest. In 1817, the state of New York
adopted Thanksgiving Day as an annual holiday. In 1863, President Lincoln
appointed it as a national holiday, and gave a Thanksgiving proclamation.

Thanksgiving Day is nowadays celebrated as a time to gather with family and
friends to give thanks for the many blessings enjoyed by this nation and its
citizens. It is a day for huge meals, dinner parties, get-togethers or
reunions.

For More information you can visit the following sites:

1. http://www.101thanksgiving.com/history.html
   
2. http://wilstar.com/holidays/thankstr.htm
   
3. http://www.thanksgiving-ecards.com/
   
4. http://www.twilightbridge.com/hobbies/festivals/thanksgiving/history.htm