What is Thanksgiving Day?

Thanksgiving Day is a holiday in the United States and Canada, originally to thank God for the good harvest. Thanksgiving in the United States begins on 194 1, that is, on the fourth Thursday of 1 1 every June, and there are two days off from this day. Thanksgiving Day in Canada begins on 1879, which falls on the second Monday in June every year.

The origin of the festival:

United States of America

The origin of Thanksgiving can be traced back to the beginning of American history. 1620, the famous "Mayflower" arrived in America with 102 Puritans who could not bear the persecution of English religion. In the winter at the turn of 1620 and 162 1, they encountered unimaginable difficulties and were hungry and cold. After winter, only 50 immigrants survived. Based on the belief and custom of "visitors are guests", Indians sent these immigrants necessities of life and taught them how to survive by hunting, fishing and planting corn and pumpkins. With the help of Indians, new immigrants from Europe gradually got used to the local lifestyle. On the day of celebrating the harvest, new immigrants from Europe invited Indians to thank God together. In the well-known version of Thanksgiving at present, only the friendly relations between the two sides and the happy and festive atmosphere are often emphasized; However, many people point out that it is unfair to Indians to emphasize the happiness and friendliness of Thanksgiving. Because it makes people tend to forget the history of exploitation and slaughter of Indians later.

Many people think that the first Thanksgiving in America is the first time that Indians and new immigrants get together to thank God. However, for many Indians, this is not the first time people have gathered to thank God for their experience. For some Indians in New England, Thanksgiving Day has a long history there. These Indians hold Thanksgiving six times a year, and they hold Thanksgiving ceremonies according to different seasons. The Thanksgiving ceremony held in the autumn harvest season is the fifth Thanksgiving of these Indians in a year. The so-called "origin of Thanksgiving" is actually the first day for European immigrants and Indians to thank God for their gifts, not the so-called "first Thanksgiving in America".

The Thanksgiving Day celebrated by the first European immigrants and Indians lasted for three days, and the two sides also reached a peaceful and friendly agreement: Indians welcomed them to build their own villages on one of the original Indian lands. This moment was originally the beginning of the gradual consolidation of friendship between the two sides, but unfortunately the friendly relationship did not last long. Because they don't need Indian assistance as before, some new immigrants gradually forget their initial difficulties and help; Coupled with the continuous influx of more new immigrants, the distrust between the two sides has gradually increased and there have been more and more frictions; Some new immigrants don't even tolerate the religious beliefs of Indians, trying to teach and convince Indians that their beliefs are incorrect. Many frictions and conflicts led to the later "Philip War".

The fourth Thursday of June 165438+ 10 is a traditional American holiday, and turkey is the traditional main course of Thanksgiving. The White House began to display Thanksgiving turkeys from 1947. It is said that Kennedy informally began to "pardon" turkeys from 1963. The real tradition of pardon ceremony began with former President Bush.

2014165438+10.21day, in the Rose Garden of the White House in Washington, USA, Obama attended the turkey pardon ceremony accompanied by his two daughters, Malia and Sasha.

The annual Thanksgiving turkey pardon ceremony in the United States was held in the White House Rose Garden. A male turkey named Cobler was chosen as this year's Thanksgiving turkey, which was personally "received" by President Obama and pardoned, thus avoiding becoming a Thanksgiving dinner. [ 1]

Canada

Although Britain firmly ruled Canada in the early18th century, Canada's Thanksgiving Day can still be traced back to 1578, when explorer Frobisher searched for the northern channel to the Atlantic Ocean. Frobisher's Thanksgiving Day is not to celebrate a bumper harvest, but to celebrate his survival from the long voyage from England to Canada, during which he was threatened by storms and icebergs. On his third and last voyage north, he held a formal Thanksgiving celebration in baffin island (today's Nu Loewit) in Frobisher Bay to thank God and held a communion ceremony with Reverend robert wall Farr.

Samuel de champlain and Canadian Thanksgiving can sometimes be traced back to French rulers, who came to new France with Samuel de champlain in the17th century to celebrate the harvest. The rulers of new France often hold banquets after the harvest season, and the celebrations often last all winter. Sometimes they even give food to local Indians.

As the rulers of New England arrived in Canada, it became common to celebrate Thanksgiving in late autumn. New immigrants from Ireland, Scotland and Germany also joined their own customs in celebrating the harvest. With the outbreak of the American Revolution, American royalists also came to Canada to introduce American elements of Thanksgiving (such as turkey and a guinea fowl from Madagascar) into Canada.

Today, Thanksgiving Day is a legal holiday in most parts of Canada. But in Prince Edward Island, Newfoundland-Labrador, New Brunswick and Nova Scotia in Atlantic Province, Thanksgiving Day is not a legal holiday.