How Thanksgiving Became a National Holiday
Many Americans view Thanksgiving as a tradition passed down unchanged since the seventeenth century, but the establishment of the holiday as a permanent, standardized national observance was a gradual process that unfolded over more than 150 years. Rather than emerging from a single historical moment, the modern holiday resulted from a sequence of presidential proclamations, grassroots civic advocacy, wartime politics, and economic legislation.
In the early years of the United States, thanksgiving observances were irregular and decentralized. In October 1789, President George Washington issued the nation's first presidential Thanksgiving proclamation at the request of Congress. Washington designated Thursday, November 26, 1789, as a day for citizens to express gratitude for the successful conclusion of the Revolutionary War and the ratification of the United States Constitution. However, this was an ad hoc gesture rather than an annual mandate. Subsequent presidents treated the concept differently; John Adams issued proclamations during his term, while Thomas Jefferson declined to do so entirely, arguing that declaring religious days of prayer and thanksgiving exceeded the constitutional authority of the federal government.
- standardized:
- Brought into conformity with an established rule, model, or schedule.
- proclamation:
- An official public announcement or declaration made by a leader.
- ratification:
- The formal approval or legal validation of a proposed agreement or document.
- fragmented:
- Broken into separate, disconnected parts or lacking unity.
- sectional:
- Relating to the distinct, competing interests of specific geographic regions.
- resolution:
- A formal legislative measure agreed upon by a governing body.
- statute:
- A formal written law enacted by a legislature.
- codified:
- Systematically arranged and officially recorded into formal law.
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About this report passage for 7th Grade
“How Thanksgiving Became a National Holiday” is a report reading passage about History of Thanksgiving as a Federal Holiday, written for 7th Grade. It takes about 4 minutes to read (637 words) and comes with an interactive quiz and a printable worksheet with comprehension questions and an answer key.