Agree to Disagree (Turkey Style)
Not everyone believes the first Thanksgiving took place in Massachusetts in 1621. Many historians believe that journalism is responsible for that story, not the actual events of the Pilgrims and Indians.
Some believe the first Thanksgiving was in modern day Texas when Spanish Explorer Francisco Vasquez Coronado led 1,500 of his men in a “Celebration of Thanks”. They were traveling North from Mexico City in search of gold.
Other theories vary on whether Thanksgiving was a religious thank you to God, for helping the Pilgrims through a harsh winter or if it was a harvest celebration common in their culture.
Sarah Hale, editor of Godey’s Lady Book and Magizine, was credited for finally convincing President Lincoln to declare Thanksgiving a national holiday by promoting it in her publications. She even had her readers petition the president with a direct letter campaign. President Lincoln set the stage for Thanksgiving as a national holiday, although it wasn’t approved by Congress until 1941.
A copy of the petition dated Sat 8,1865 can be viewed at the Library of Congress website www.memory.loc.gov
