T hanksgiving was first celebrated by president Abraham Lincoln and proclaimed a national day of " Thanksgiving and praise to our beneficent father who dwelled in the heavens ". Thanksgiving has been celebrated as a federal holiday every year since 1863 , when during American civil war Lincoln proclaimed day of thanksgiving . U . S . tradition compares the holiday with a meal held in 1621 by the Wampanoag and the pilgrims who settled at Plymouth plantation . The tradition has been celebrated as a federal holiday every year since 1863 . After 1890 representations of the pilgrims and the Wampanoag began to reflect a shift of interest to the 1621 harvest celebration by beginning of the 20th century . Pilgrims and thanksgiving holiday used to teach children
about American freedom and to be good citizens .
Foods of the season U . S . tradition compares the holiday with a meal held in 1621 by the Wampanoag it is continued in modern times with thanksgiving dinner , featuring turkey , playing the role in celebration of thanksgiving . Since turkey is such an American bird it gained traction as the thanksgiving meal of choice for Americans after Lincoln declared thanksgiving a national holiday in 1863 .
-Joseph Vonmoos
20 | The Growler