The document summarizes the origins of the Thanksgiving holiday. It describes how the Pilgrims celebrated the first Thanksgiving in 1621 after surviving a difficult first winter in Plymouth, Massachusetts with the help of the Wampanoag Native Americans. Today, Americans and Canadians celebrate Thanksgiving in November and October respectively with family meals, football, parades, and reflecting on what they are thankful for.

2. Americans of all religions celebrate Thanksgiving on the fourth Thursday of
November. Children do not go to school and most business close for four days.
http://www.healthtalktoday.net/category/holidays-and-events/thanksgiving

3. People in Canada also celebrate Thanksgiving, but they do it on the second Monday
of October.

4. On 6 September 1620,
102 men, women and
children left Plymouth in
south-west England on
ship called the
Mayflower.
http://www.southernlife.org.uk/mayflower.htm

5. The voyage was difficult. Some of
them died. On 11 December 1620
they landed on the north-east
coast of north America. They
called this area Plymouth.

6. It was almost winter and there wasn’t much food. They built houses, but
it was late to grow crops. The winter was long and cold and half of the
Pilgrims died.
http://www.themeshack.net/wallpapers_archive1/holiday/thanksgiving/003.htm

7. In the spring a native American called Squanto helped the Pilgrims. Soon the
Pilgrims and the Wampanoag native Americans became friends. The Pilgrims
grew crops and the summer harvest was excellent.
http://www.boston.com/news/local/massachusetts/articles/2007/07/08/wampanoag_tribes_powwow_s
http://www.firstthanksgivinggarden.com/article_01.html hows_extra_spirit_this_year/

8. William Bradford was the governor of the Pilgrims’ colony. He decided to
celebrate with a dinner for the Pilgrims and about ninety native Americans. He
wanted to thank god. This was the first Thanksgiving dinner, and it continued for
three days.

9. Today the traditional
Thanksgiving meal is similar
to the first. People eat roast
turkey with cranberry
sauce, potatoes, corn and
pumpkin pie.
http://culturemob.com/thanksgiving-dinners-in-denver
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:New_England_Thanksgiving_Dinner.jpg

10. Many charity organizations prepare a free meal for the poor people in their town or city.
http://www.painetworks.com/previews/je/je0977.html

11. New York City celebrates with Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade. Amcy’s
department store organised the first parade in 1924. this parade is very
famous, and more than two million people go to see it every year.