Origin and history of Thanksgiving

江西贛州中學 朱韻燕

To understand the origin and history of this day，we would need to go back almost 400 years to the year 1620.In that year，more than a hundred people who had begun to question the beliefs of the Church of England，sailed across the Atlantic Ocean，in order to settle in the New World （now known as Massachusetts）.These Pilgrims（清教徒）found it very difficult to live in this world，as they had arrived too late，and were unable to grow many crops to ensure their survival.Disaster struck，and half the colony（聚居人群）died from disease.It was only in the following spring，that the Indians taught them how to grow corn，fishing，and hunting.

Time went by，and the autumn of 1621 turned out to be a good harvest with plenty of crops of corn，beans，and pumpkins（南瓜）.The colonists now had plenty to be thankful for，and therefore，a feast was planned for which 90 Indians and the local chief were invited.The invitees bought deer， turkeys， and other wild game for roasting.The menu also covered several kinds of corn and popcorn.

This celebration continued in the following years.After the United States became an independent country，the Congress recommended that one yearly day should be celebrated as Thanksgiving Day by the entire nation.It was George Washington who suggested 26th November as the specific date for this celebration.When the bloody civil war finally ended in 1863，Abraham Lincoln asked all Americans to set aside the last Thursday in the month of November to celebrate Thanksgiving.

Facts

In the United States，Thanksgiving Day is celebrated on the 4th Thursday in November.

In Canada，it is celebrated on the 2nd Monday in October.

Mayflower was the name of the Puritan ship that the Pilgrims sailed on，and large caskets of beer were carried on it for serving as a drink during the voyage time.

The first Thanksgiving feast was carried on for three days.

The first national Thanksgiving Day proclamation（公告）was issued by President George Washington in 1789，and was again issued in 1795.

On 3rd October，1863，Abraham Lincoln issued a Thanksgiving Proclamation，which stated that the last Thursday of November was officially set aside for this tradition.

In 1827，Sarah Josepha Hale was an editor with a magazine，and she began a Thanksgiving campaign.Due to her efforts，the celebrations and prayers have been spread all across the nation，and even beyond.

譯文助讀

為了了解這感恩節的起源和歷史，我們需要追溯到近四百年前的1620年。那一年，一百多人開始質疑英國國教會的信仰，他們橫渡大西洋，在新大陸（現在的馬薩諸塞州）定居。這些清教徒發現他們很難在這片大陸上生活，因為他們來得太晚，無法種植許多作物來確保他們的生存。災難降臨，一半的殖民者死于疾病。直到第二年春天，印第安人才開始教他們如何種植玉米、捕魚和狩獵。

隨著時間的流逝，1621年的秋天，殖民者收獲了大量的玉米、豆類和南瓜。殖民者現在有很多要感謝的，因此，計劃了一場盛宴，邀請了90名印第安人和當地酋長參加。受邀的人買了鹿、火雞和其他野味來烤。菜單上還包括了幾種玉米和爆米花。

在隨后的幾年里，這一慶祝活動繼續進行。美國成為一個獨立國家后，國會建議全國每年都慶祝感恩節。正是喬治·華盛頓提出把11月26日作為這次慶祝的具體日期。當血腥的內戰終于在1863年結束時，亞伯拉罕·林肯要求所有的美國人留出11月的最后一個星期四來慶祝感恩節。

關于感恩節的事實

在美國，感恩節是在十一月的第四個星期四慶祝的。

在加拿大，十月的第二個星期一是慶祝日期。

“五月花號”是清教徒乘坐的清教徒船的名字，在航行期間，人們在船上裝載了一箱箱啤酒作為飲料。

第一次感恩節盛宴持續了三天。

美國總統喬治·華盛頓于1789年發布了第一份全國感恩節公告，并于1795年再次發布。

1863年10月3日，亞伯拉罕·林肯發布了一份感恩節公告，聲明11月的最后一個星期四被正式預留給這一傳統。

1827年，薩拉·約瑟法·黑爾（Sarah Josep Hale）是一家雜志的編輯，她開始了一場感恩節運動。由于她的努力，慶祝和祈禱已經傳遍全國各地，甚至更遠。

Reading check

What is the essence of Thanksgiving Day in your eyes？