In 1620, 102 Pilgrims traveled from England to North America on the Mayflower and arrived in present-day Massachusetts in the winter. Half of the Pilgrims did not survive the first winter due to lack of food and shelter. The following year, in 1621, the surviving Pilgrims had their first successful corn harvest, which they celebrated for three days with the local Wampanoag tribe, who had taught the Pilgrims how to survive. This celebration is now regarded as the first Thanksgiving. It took over 100 more years for Thanksgiving to become an official national holiday, with Abraham Lincoln declaring the last Thursday in November as a national day of Thanksgiving in 1863.

1. The story of
Thanksgiving

2. The first Thanksgiving
 In 1620, 102 Pilgrims sailed to the
“New World” by boat called the
Mayflower
 Pilgrims were English people who
wanted to separate from the
church of England
 They traveled for 66 days on the
Mayflower
 They arrived in what is now
“Massachusetts”

3. The first Thanksgiving
 They arrived in the Winter
 Half of the Pilgrims did not
survive
 Bad nutrition
 Disease
 By the next spring (1621)
those who had survive had
to find a proper place to
settle

4. The first Thanksgiving
 Pilgrims were helped by Indians
who knew English
 Some of those Indians had been
captured by English explorers in
previous years (that’s how they
knew English)
 They taught the Pilgrims how to
survive

5. The first Thanksgiving
 The first successful Harvest
was in November 1621
 Corn
 The Pilgrims leader called for
a celebration
 Deer were hunted and cooked
to eat
 The Indians were invited
 They celebrated for 3 days

6. When did Thanksgiving
become official?
 For more than 100 years after the
first Thanksgiving, no celebrations
 In 1789, George Washington (the
first president of the U.S.)
declared it was a holiday
 He said: Thursday the 26th of
November 1789 must be a day of
“public thanksgiving and prayer”
to God
 People started celebrating it in
different states and different time
 But this did not make Thanksgiving
official yet

7. When did Thanksgiving
become official?
 Abraham Lincoln was the
first president to order a day
off (no work) on Nov. 28 for
Thanksgiving
 In October 1863, during the
civil war, Lincoln said
“Everyone has to celebrate
Thanksgiving on the last
Thursday in November”

8. Thanksgiving is the most
important U.S. holiday
 Very important for family to be
together on this day
 Even more important than Christmas
 It’s a big tradition to watch the
Macy’s thanksgiving day parade
 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v
=2FuoOWJvg8U
 Also, to watch the Football game
 http://www.nfl.com/gamecenter/20
13112802/2013/REG13/steelers@rave
ns#menu=gameinfo%7CcontentId%3
A0ap2000000289787&tab=recap
 And to eat a large meal

9. What to eat on Thanksgiving?
 Main dishes
 Stuffed Turkey
 Corn
 Mashed potatoes
 Green Beans

10. What to eat on Thanksgiving?
 Side dishes
 Cranberry sauce
 Cornbread
 Macaroni and Cheese

11. What to eat on Thanksgiving?
 Desserts
 Pumpkin pie
 Apple pie
 Pecan pie

12. Other thanksgiving traditions
The president saves a turkey on
Thanksgiving
Charlie Brown Thanksgiving
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L
Q961y0VKEk

13. Other thanksgiving traditions
Black Friday
http://www.nbcnews.com/video/nightl
y-news/53696345#53696345