Just in case you don’t know the history behind Thanksgiving Day, here’s a little rundown to read before you dig your spoon into the mashed potatoes.

In 1620, a group of about 100 people set out from Plymouth, England on a small ship called the Mayflower. Many of them wanted to find a place where they could have religious freedom. Others were looking for new opportunities for land and wealth. They had a miserable and long journey, but finally reached land near Cape Cod, Massachusetts. They began to build their establishment, but they suffered a very harsh first winter there. Many of the passengers died and others were too weak or sick to help with anything. When Spring finally arrived, the remaining Pilgrims moved further onto the land, and they met a Native American who spoke English. This man returned with another Native American named Squanto, who taught the Pilgrims how to find food, harvest crops, and interact with the local Native American tribe.

The actual tradition of the Thanksgiving Day feast comes from the celebration of the Pilgrims’ first corn harvest in November of 1621. They gathered together with their Native American allies and celebrated for three days with a huge feast. They may not have had mashed potatoes and pumpkin pie, but they hunted deer and harvested corn and many other fruits and vegetables. Supposedly, lobster, seal, and swans were also present at the meal.

Thanksgiving Day was proclaimed by George Washington in 1789. In addition to remembering Plymouth Plantation, it was a celebration of the end of the Revolutionary War. Despite this, it only started to become an official holiday in 1817 when New York adopted it as an annual holiday. President Roosevelt signed a bill in 1941 to make Thanksgiving the fourth Thursday in November, which still holds today.

There you have it. A quick enlightenment on the history of Thanksgiving. If you didn’t before, now you have something to share at the dinner table while everyone is stuffing their faces with delicious foods. Most importantly, remember to be thankful for the things that have come to represent Thanksgiving including family, friends, freedom, and food.

Historical information from: http://www.history.com/topics/thanksgiving/history...