"Whereas it is the duty of all nations to acknowledge the providence of Almighty God, to obey His will, to be grateful for His benefits, and humbly to implore His protection and favor. Now, therefore, I do recommend and assign Thursday, the 26th day of November [1789], that we may all unite to render unto Him our sincere and humble thanks for His kind care and protection." – President George Washington

Every year on the fourth Thursday of November, Americans gather with friends and family to celebrate Thanksgiving. While many other countries celebrate a holiday similar in sentiment at various times throughout the year, Thanksgiving in the United States is set apart due to its rich history dating as far back as 1541. Our modern observance, however, is based on the holiday held by the Pilgrims in 1621, when they rejoiced in an abundance of food the first year of their settlement and were filled with gratitude, as historian Benson Lossing recounts.

The “First Thanksgiving” in the year 1621 was actually biblically inspired. It was a three-day harvest celebration in October which included 90 Native Americans and 53 Pilgrims. The celebration was modeled after “The Feast of the Tabernacles” in Scripture. The groups shared vegetables, fish, deer, and possibly some wild turkeys while bonding over a shared interest in guns.

Over a century later, as the United States of America formed with God’s providential hand, President George Washington declared Thursday, November 26, 1789 for “the People of the United States a day of public thanks-giving.”

On October 3, 1863, exactly 74 years after George Washington issued his declaration and in the midst of the Civil War, Abraham Lincoln made a proclamation designating the last Thursday of November “as a day of Thanksgiving and Praise to our beneficent Father who dwelleth in the Heavens.”

Our Thanksgiving heritage is indeed rich! As we gather with friends and loved ones today, we hope you take time to honor God and give thanks to Him for the freedoms we enjoy in America and the blessings He bestows upon us. Happy Thanksgiving from all of us at Wisconsin Family Action and Wisconsin Family Council. May you and your families enjoy God’s blessings!

Learn more about our Thanksgiving heritage by listening to this week's Wisconsin Family Connection.