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Our Nation
Holidays
Ancient Egypt
The American Flag
Christmas
Ancient Greece
Mount Rushmore
Halloween
Ancient Mesopotamia
Our National Holidays
Hanukkah
Ancient Rome
Our National Parks
St. Patrick’s Day
The Presidency
Thanksgiving
Communications
The Statue of Liberty
Valentine’s Day
Radio
The U.S. Congress
Satellites
The U.S. Supreme Court
Telephones
Voting and Elections
Television
The White House
Compass Point Books
Ancient Civilizations
Thanksgiving
Look for all the books in the Let’s See Library::
Rosinsky
The Let’s See Library from Compass Point Books introduces young readers to a range of fascinating subjects. Each book in the Let’s See Library c o n t a i n s f u l l - c o l o r i m a g e s a n d e a s y - t o - r e a d t e x t . A g l o s s a r y , D i d Y ou K no w? and Want to Know More? resources, and an index are included.
by Natalie M. Rosinsky
by Natalie M. Rosinsky
Content Adviser: Dr. Alexa Sandmann, Professor of Literacy, The University of Toledo; Member, National Council for the Social Studies Reading Adviser: Dr. Linda D. Labbo, Department of Reading Education, College of Education, The University of Georgia
Let’s See Library Compass Point Books Minneapolis, Minnesota
Compass Point Books 3109 West 50th Street, #115 Minneapolis, MN 55410
Table of Contents
Visit Compass Point Books on the Internet at www.compasspointbooks.com or e-mail your request to
[email protected]
What Is Thanksgiving?
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Cover: Eastern wild turkey
What Led to the First Thanksgiving?
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Photographs ©: Richard Day/Daybreak Imagery, cover; Photo Network/Michael W. Thomas, 4; Mark E. Gibson/The Image Finders, 6; Bettmann/Corbis, 8; Giraudon/Art Resource, N.Y., 10; Maslowski/Visuals Unlimited, 12; Photo Network/Esbin-Anderson, 14; Michael Philip Manheim/The Image Finders, 16; Unicorn Stock Photos/A. Ramey, 18; AFP/Corbis, 20; John Cross/The Free Press, 24.
What Happened at the First Thanksgiving?
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How Did It Become a National Holiday?
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Why Is the Turkey a Symbol of Thanksgiving?
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What Are Other Thanksgiving Symbols?
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How Has Thanksgiving Changed?
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How Is It Observed in the United States?
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How Is It Observed Around the World?
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Glossary
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Did You Know?
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Want to Know More?
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Index
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Editor: Catherine Neitge Photo Researcher: Svetlana Zhurkina Photo Selector: Catherine Neitge Designer: Melissa Voda Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Rosinsky, Natalie M. (Natalie Myra) Thanksgiving / by Natalie M. Rosinsky; reading adviser, Linda D. Labbo. p. cm.— (Let’s see library) Includes bibliographical references and index. ISBN 0-7565-0391-4 (hardcover) ISBN 0-7565-0957-2 (paperback) 1. Thanksgiving Day—Juvenile literature. [1. Thanksgiving Day. 2. Holidays.] I. Title. II. Series. GT4975 .R67 2002 394.2649—dc21 2002003183
Copyright© 2003 by Compass Point Books All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced without written permission from the publisher. The publisher takes no responsibility for the use of any of the materials or methods described in this book, nor for the products thereof. Printed in the United States of America.
What Is Thanksgiving? Think about a feast, a family gathering, and late November. If you add up these clues, you will know what time it is. It’s time for Thanksgiving! Each year, Americans observe this national holiday. Thanksgiving Day is the fourth Thursday in November. Schools, businesses, and government offices are closed. Many families eat big dinners of special harvest foods. They may thank God for the good things in their lives. Sometimes, people enjoy parades and sports on this day. Thanksgiving celebrates a good harvest. It
also celebrates the very beginning of our country. 4
Turkey is the main dish at a Thanksgiving feast.
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What Led to the First Thanksgiving? Long ago, many people celebrated their good harvests. This custom continued through the centuries. People also thanked their gods after they had lived through hard times. The Pilgrims who came to America in 1620 knew both customs. The Pilgrims had sailed bravely across the ocean in the Mayflower. They wanted their own community. They wanted to pray to God in their own way. Their trip was hard and full of danger. Their new life was hard and full of danger, too. In 1621, they had their first harvest. Half the
Pilgrims had lived. They had reasons to give thanks. 6
A replica of the Mayflower is docked in Plymouth, Massachusetts.
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What Happened at the First Thanksgiving? About fifty English people lived in that new community called Plymouth. That autumn, they were joined by ninety of their Indian neighbors. The Wampanoag people had helped the Pilgrims. They showed them how to grow a kind of corn called maize. There were three days of feasting, races, and games. This kind of celebration was also a Wampanoag custom. People ate turkey, fish, and maize. They may have had cranberries and pumpkin, too. The only pies at that feast were
meat pies! 8
The Wampanoag and Pilgrims celebrated the first Thanksgiving.
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How Did It Become a National Holiday? Thanksgivings for good harvests continued, but the story of the Pilgrims’ celebration was lost until 1820. Then, a book written by one of the Pilgrims was found. Until 1863, states had their own Thanksgivings. Communities celebrated for different reasons and at different times. A famous writer named Sarah Hale wanted a national holiday. She thought this would honor the Pilgrims. She also thought it would strengthen our country. President Abraham Lincoln believed her. In 1863, he made the last Thursday
in November our country’s Thanksgiving Day. 10
This nineteenth century print by Currier & Ives shows the Pilgrims landing at Plymouth Rock.
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Why Is the Turkey a Symbol of Thanksgiving? The turkey is native to North America. The Wampanoag taught the Pilgrims how to hunt this wild bird. It was likely part of their Thanksgiving feast. Turkey was also enjoyed at other times. Turkey was part of the harvest the Pilgrims celebrated. The turkey has become the main symbol of Thanksgiving. It is often eaten then. Pictures of turkeys are also used as Thanksgiving
decorations.
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Wild turkeys walk through the snow.
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What Are Other Thanksgiving Symbols? The Mayflower is one of our country’s most famous ships. It is a symbol of Thanksgiving. The Pilgrims may have landed at Plymouth Rock. This rock is also a symbol. Pictures of how the Pilgrims and Wampanoag looked are other symbols. However, Pilgrims did not usually wear tall, dark hats. Often, they wore bright colors. Harvest foods like pumpkins and corn are Thanksgiving symbols. One very old symbol is part of Thanksgiving. It is a horn of plenty that over-
flows with fruits and vegetables. It is a cornucopia. 14
Harvest foods are symbols of Thanksgiving.
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How Has Thanksgiving Changed? Thanksgiving has been celebrated on different days. In 1939, the president moved it from the last Thursday in November to the third Thursday. He wanted people to shop more between Thanksgiving and Christmas! This change was not popular. In 1941, Congress moved Thanksgiving to the fourth Thursday, where it remains. Another change is how people see the Wampanoag. In 1972, they were honored at our nation’s capital. Still, many Wampanoag feel sad and angry on Thanksgiving. They believe the
Pilgrims and later colonists hurt their way of life. 16
A woman shows how the Wampanoag lived in the past.
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How Is It Observed in the United States? Parades were part of harvest celebrations. Together, people would bring in the last crops. People today may walk in or watch Thanksgiving parades. This usually happens in big cities. Enjoying a feast with family and friends is another custom. Giving food to people in need is a custom, too. After a good harvest, farmers did this. Turkey, pumpkin pie, cranberries, and corn are Thanksgiving favorites. Some families pray together. They give thanks to God. Playing games and watching sports are
other customs. Football is very popular! 18
Huge balloons highlight the annual Macy’s Thanksgiving Day parade in New York City.
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How Is It Observed Around the World? Canada has its own Thanksgiving Day. In this country to the north of the United States, crops are harvested earlier. Canada’s Thanksgiving is the second Monday in October. Family feasts and parades are also Thanksgiving customs here. Germany, Holland, Sweden, and Switzerland have a different Thanksgiving. The people in those countries celebrate on November 11, Saint Martin’s Day. This is when birds and animals have grown big enough to eat. In India, some people honor a harvest
goddess. They celebrate for three days. 20
Geese hurry across the road near Hamburg, Germany. The goose is a symbol of St. Martin and a favorite food on St. Martin’s Day.
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Glossary
Want to Know More?
celebrate—to enjoy and honor something
In the Library
copia is in stories about the gods of ancient Greece.
Adler, David A. The Purple Turkey and Other Thanksgiving Riddles. New York: Holiday House, 1986. Cohen, Barbara. Molly’s Pilgrim. New York: Lothrop, Lee, and Shepard, 1983. McGovern, Ann. If You Sailed on the Mayflower in 1620. New York: Scholastic, 1991. Waters, Kate. Sarah Morton’s Day: A Day in the Life of a Pilgrim Girl. New York: Scholastic, 1989.
custom—thing regularly done by a group of people
On the Web
harvest—gathering in of a crop when it is ripe
For more information on Thanksgiving, use FactHound to track down Web sites related to this book.
cornucopia—a horn that is always full of food. The first cornu-
Pilgrims—the people who traveled to America in the 1620s to start their own community
1. Go to www.facthound.com 2. Type in a search word related to this book or this book ID: 0756503914. 3. Click on the Fetch It button.
symbol—something that represents something else
Your trusty FactHound will fetch the best Web sites for you!
Wampanoag—the name of the group of Indians who were the
Through the Mail
Pilgrims’ neighbors
Did You Know? • Pilgrims used spoons, knives, and hands to eat. They did not use forks. • Sarah Hale wrote many poems. Her most famous poem is “Mary Had a Little Lamb.” • No one is sure how the turkey got its name. It may have been
Destination Plymouth 170 Water Street, Suite 10C Plymouth, MA 02360 800/872-1620 To find out about events in Plymouth, Massachusetts
On the Road Plimoth Plantation 137 Warren Avenue Plymouth, MA 02360 508/746-1622 To visit a living history museum and see how the Pilgrims and the Wampanoag Indians lived in 1627.You can visit a life-size replica of the original Mayflower.
mistaken for a peacock from India.
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Index Canada, 21 corn, 9, 15 cornucopia, 15 decorations, 13 foods, 5, 9, 13, 15, 19 football, 19 Germany, 21 Hale, Sarah, 11 harvest, 5, 7, 11, 13, 15, 19, 21 Holland, 21 India, 21 Lincoln, Abraham, 11
maize, 9 Mayflower (ship), 7, 15 parades, 5, 19 Pilgrims, 7, 11, 13, 15, 17 Plymouth colony, 9 Plymouth Rock, 15 Saint Martin’s Day, 21 sports, 5, 19 Sweden, 21 Switzerland, 21 turkey, 9, 13, 19 Wampanoag people, 9, 13, 15, 17
About the Author Natalie M. Rosinsky writes about history, science, and other fun things. One of her two cats usually sits on her computer as she works in Mankato, Minnesota. Both cats pay close attention as she and her family make and eat special holiday foods. Natalie earned graduate degrees from the University of Wisconsin and has been a high school and college teacher.
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