Thanksgiving History

Have you ever wondered about the history of Thanksgiving? Here at Squadron, we’re all about history – as shown by model airplanes, military vehicles and ships with accurate details from World War II and other major historical periods. If you’re interested in the history of Thanksgiving, here’s some background on how Turkey day came to be:

Thanksgiving is primarily holiday that is celebrated in the United States and Canada as a day of giving thanks and blessings of the harvest and of the upcoming year. Thanksgiving is traditionally rooted in the English culture which dates back to the Protestant Reformation. The English tradition was important during the English Reformation in the reign of Henry VIII as special thanksgiving religious service in response to an increased number of religious Catholic holidays. In the United States, the modern Thanksgiving holiday is roughly traced back to document dated in 1621 outlining a feast and celebration of a good harvest celebration at Plymouth (modern-day Massachusetts).

As Pilgrims and Puritans began moving from England to the United States in the 1620’s and 1630’s, so too did the tradition of the English Thanksgiving. Upon leaving Plymouth Rock, the Mayflower Compact was signed by Pilgrims as a way to introduce self-government.  Pilgrims then left Plymouth, England in 1620 sailing to a new world with promises of civil and religious freedom. They sailed on the Mayflower ship (which, we should mention, we have awesome model ship kits featuring the Mayflower and other sailboats from the 1600s).

When they landed in America, starvation and sickness quickly struck them and almost half of the population died. With the help of Native Americans, the Pilgrims were able to reap a rich harvest of corn and barley the following summer and thus the tradition of the English Harvest, Thanksgiving, was soon celebrated.

In the beginning, several days of Thanksgiving were held in early New England and identified as the “First Thanksgiving”. In later years, civil leaders such as Governor Bradford declared Thanksgiving religious services and fast in 1623. Much as in Canada, Thanksgiving has been celebrated on various dates throughout history and has differed among each state. Like it began by King Henry VIII to serve a greater purpose, Lincoln proclaimed the date to be the final Thursday in November in order to foster a sense of American unity between Northern and Southern states. 

In the modern day, we not only celebrate Thanksgiving for a good harvest, rather Americans give thanks for time spent with their family, good health, wealth and happiness. Traditional foods are still prepared such as turkey, corn, mash potatoes, and dessert. More recently, there have been vegetarian options such as tofu turkey and various spice cakes added to the feast. And since 1966, the Dallas Cowboys have played on Thanksgiving day, making football as big a part of Thanksgiving as stuffing and gravy.

From everyone here at Squadron, we’d like to wish you and your family a happy Thanksgiving. What are your plans for Turkey Day?