essays on thanksgiving

Thanksgiving History and Significance Essay

Introduction, significance of thanksgiving, works cited.

Thanksgiving is a day celebrated in the United States every year. The tradition of Thanksgiving celebrations in the United States can be traced back to the year 1863. Important to note is that Thanksgiving Day is a public holiday in the United States which is celebrated every year in November, (usually the fourth week of that month) and ” it is a big deal in America because Americans believe it to be the unique holiday, hardly found in this form anywhere else on earth” (Baker 1). This holiday is celebrated with a lot of merrymaking and communal

Thanksgiving as it is the day celebrated with an aim of showing gratitude for all the great things that life has given to a person, for example, family, friends, positive feelings and emotions. In an argument advanced by Bradford, “children should be enlightened on the importance of Thanksgiving so that it can be easy to preserve and pass the tradition to the present and future generation” (144). Even though Thanksgiving is often referred to as the harvest festival, it is something more than what it seems to suggest at first sight.

Thanksgiving Day was created by people, who were religious people that were running away from persecution in England; they were referred to as pilgrims. Initially, the pilgrims went to settle in the Netherlands, but later, they went to the North America for the purposes of setting up a colony.

Most of the pilgrims arrived in North America in the year 1620 at a time when the autumn season was welcoming the winter season. As Snow says, for them it was “a day of prayer and meditation, not necessry connected with a harvest or a feast. It was a special day of religious observance to acknowledge an act of God’s benevolence” (108). Unfortunately, a big number of the pilgrims died in the North America due to the cold weather they encountered.

The pilgrims began to engage in farming activities during the spring season. During their short stay in the North America, the native Indians assisted the pilgrims by means of guiding them on how to do farming, and also how to cook.

By the end of the summer season, the pilgrims had managed to get a bumper harvest and as such, they were able to store enough food to last out to the winter season . Following the good harvest, the pilgrims decided to organize a festival for the purposes of showing their gratitude to God for the good harvest they got.

Throughout the existence of mankind, the greatest happiness emanates from contentment of the individual. As such, it is always prudent for an individual to show his or her gratitude especially to those who in one way or another enabled this or that person to achieve what they were eager to achieve.

Needless to say, the foregoing principle forms the basis of Thanksgiving celebrations in the United States. During Thanksgiving, people celebrate and honor those who forfeited their own interests for the sake of others. The sacrifice made by the native Indian Americans is, therefore, celebrated and honored during the celebration of Thanksgiving. The United States sacrificed their land and gave up their culture for the greater interest of the nation.

Appreciating people is a simple and yet very powerful way of encouraging people for them to continue making more sacrifices and doing what is best for the sake of others. What is more, appreciating others through Thanksgiving presupposes a clear and loud message that the sacrifice made is recognized by the person it was meant for, and that it was satisfactory. “After all, the phrase thank you is cited as a virtual that is above all other virtues in the universe” (Weaver & Gollust 37).

Unlike in the traditional connotation of Thanksgiving, when people were grateful to God for a good harvest, the festival today, which is now celebrated across different countries all over the world, has a bit different meaning; on this day some families, priests, etc. visit the less fortunate and share with them what they have in plenty.

This gesture assures the less fortunate that there are people of good will who do care about them. Some of the significant features of Thanksgiving include family bonding, sharing and cooking meals, festive traditions as well as family values; it is also the dat symbolyzing the meaning of life, and above all a thanksgiving day.

As has been mentioned above, one of the most important aims of Thanksgiving festival is to create bonding between the members of one family. During the celebrations family members come together and strengthen their relationship as a family. Children are taught the values and traditions of the family as well as they are taught to respect the elders in the family and in the society, in general.

In other words, the concept of unity is emphasized during Thanksgiving. Family members, who do not stay around, travel long distances to reunite with other members of their families in order to enjoy the reunion of the family by means of sharing delicious food, praying together, singing and having other fun activities.

Thanksgiving is also the time when family’s friends and relatives share recipi and cook meals for each other at home, which is unlike during other celebrations when usually the packed food is served. Some of the traditional dishes prepared during Thanksgiving celebrations include sweet potatoes, corns, pie made out of pumpkin, cranberries, carved turkeys, to mention but a few. Generally, Thanksgiving is regarded as a period that spices up the holiday mood before Christmas.

It goes without saying that during Thanksgiving, food stores register the highest sales in comparison with any other period of the year. This holiday also caracterizes American culture. As Wallendorf and Arnould provide, ” Thanksgiving Day is a collective ritual that celebrates material abundance enacted through feasting” (13). This may be attributed to the fact that most people buy food stuff with an aim of giving it to others, namely, whom they care about, to those people they appreciate, or in case they simply want to help the needy.

In addition, Thanksgiving gives an opportunity for people to do charity and participate in religious ceremonies. Families, friends, and colleagues come together to sing songs and make prayers of Thanksgiving to God. “Prayer of Thanksgiving” is one of the songs that are commonly sung during Thanksgiving celebrations” (Bradford 145).

Some Americans make contributions during Thanksgiving which they give to the less fortunate individuals in the society. The poor, homeless, and the less fortunate members of the society are provided with clothes and food by some churches.

In an argument by Weaver & Gollust, “Thanksgiving is also an opportunity to show appreciation which is often done by give the family members and friends some presents” (43). This day is celebrated by most people in the United States in order to show their respect and appreciation to their colleagues at work, friends, elders, as wells as siblings.

“Some of the common presents given out during the Thanksgiving Day include: Jewellery, Thanksgiving flowers, wine, and cookies to mention but a few. It has been contended that the celebrations of Thanksgiving Day in the United States mark the commencement of the Christmas period” (Weaver & Gollust 42).

“In our day to day lives there are many problems and challenges that we encounter and such challenges and problems destructs the lives of people to the extent that there seems to be nothing worthwhile or good in life. Some of these issues may include unemployment, health problems, and many others” (Karter 36).

Thanksgiving is one of the events that reminds such individuals that there is hope, that there is a brighter side of life, such as loved ones, friends, along with other great things that life has to offer. Indeed, there are very few opportunities where an individual gets a chance to have quality time with his or her family. This opportunity is offered by Thanksgiving at least once a year.

Since 1863 the United States has been celebrating Thanksgiving every year. As a national holiday, Thanksgiving emanated from a declaration by President Abraham Lincoln in 1863 that November 4 th of that year would be a thanksgiving day for the whole nation. The celebrations of this day or the inception of Thanksgiving Day by president Abraham Lincoln was intended to celebrate unity in the United States, as the country was undergoing civil war at the time.

Today, however, Thanksgiving is a festival where people celebrate and honor those who forfeited their own interests for the sake of others. The significance of thanksgiving days includes the moment when family members come together and strengthen their relationship as a family; it is also an opportunity for individuals to help and share what they have with the less fortunate in the society, and above all, it is an opportunity to show gratitude to those who sacrificed their interests for the benefit of others.

Baker, James W. Thanksgiving: The Biography of an American Holiday. Lebanon: University of Hampshire Press, 2009. Print.

Bradford, Edward. History of Plymouth Plantation . Harvard: Little, Brown and Company. 1856. Print.

Karter, Diana. Thanksgiving: An American holiday, an American history . Indiana: Indiana University press, 2004. Print.

Snow, Stephen Eddy. Performing the Pilgrims: A Study of Ethnohistorical Role-Playing at Plimoth Plantation. Mississippi: Univ. Press of Mississippi, 2008. Print.

Wallendorf, Melanie and, Eric J. Arnould. “We Gather Together”: Consumption Rituals of Thanksgiving Day”. Journal of Consumer Research . 18.1 (1991): 13-24. Print.

Weaver, Carolyn & Shelly, Gollust. “History & Lore.” The History of Thanksgiving 12.2 (2012): 23-45. Print.

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Thanksgiving 2024

By: History.com Editors

Updated: January 31, 2024 | Original: October 27, 2009

Thanksgiving Day is a national holiday in the United States, and Thanksgiving 2024 occurs on Thursday, November 28. In 1621, the Plymouth colonists from England and the Native American Wampanoag people shared an autumn harvest feast that is acknowledged as one of the first Thanksgiving celebrations in the colonies.

For more than two centuries, days of thanksgiving were celebrated by individual colonies and states. It wasn’t until 1863, in the midst of the  Civil War , that President  Abraham Lincoln   proclaimed  a national Thanksgiving Day to be held each November. But the holiday is not without controversy. Many Americans—including people of Native American ancestry—believe Thanksgiving celebrations mask the true history of oppression and bloodshed that underlies the relationship between European settlers and Native Americans.

Thanksgiving at Plymouth

In September 1620, a small ship called the Mayflower left Plymouth, England, carrying 102 passengers—an assortment of religious separatists seeking a new home where they could freely practice their faith and other individuals lured by the promise of prosperity and land ownership in the "New World." After a treacherous and uncomfortable crossing that lasted 66 days, they dropped anchor near the tip of Cape Cod, far north of their intended destination at the mouth of the Hudson River. One month later, the Mayflower crossed Massachusetts Bay, where the Pilgrims , as they are now commonly known, began the work of establishing a village at Plymouth.

Did you know? Lobster, seal and swans were on the Pilgrims' menu.

Throughout that first brutal winter, most of the colonists remained on board the ship, where they suffered from exposure, scurvy and outbreaks of contagious disease. Only half of the Mayflower’s original passengers and crew lived to see their first New England spring. In March, the remaining settlers moved ashore, where they received an astonishing visit from a member of the Abenaki tribe who greeted them in English. 

Several days later, he returned with another Native American, Squanto, a member of the Pawtuxet tribe who had been kidnapped by an English sea captain and sold into slavery before escaping to London and returning to his homeland on an exploratory expedition. Squanto taught the Pilgrims, weakened by malnutrition and illness, how to cultivate corn, extract sap from maple trees, catch fish in the rivers and avoid poisonous plants. He also helped the settlers forge an alliance with the Wampanoag, a local tribe, which endured for more than 50 years and remains one of the few examples of harmony between European colonists and Native Americans.

When Was the First Thanksgiving?

In November 1621, after the Pilgrims’ first corn harvest proved successful, Governor William Bradford organized a celebratory feast and invited a group of the fledgling colony’s Native American allies, including the Wampanoag chief Massasoit. Now remembered as America’s “first Thanksgiving”—although the Pilgrims themselves may not have used the term at the time—the festival lasted for three days. While no record exists of the first Thanksgiving’s exact menu , much of what we know about what happened at the first Thanksgiving comes from Pilgrim chronicler Edward Winslow, who wrote:

“Our harvest being gotten in, our governor sent four men on fowling, that so we might after a special manner rejoice together, after we had gathered the fruits of our labors; they four in one day killed as much fowl, as with a little help beside, served the Company almost a week, at which time amongst other Recreations, we exercised our Arms, many of the Indians coming amongst us, and amongst the rest their greatest king Massasoit, with some ninety men, whom for three days we entertained and feasted, and they went out and killed five Deer, which they brought to the Plantation and bestowed on our Governor, and upon the Captain and others. And although it be not always so plentiful, as it was at this time with us, yet by the goodness of God, we are so far from want, that we often wish you partakers of our plenty."

Historians have suggested that many of the dishes were likely prepared using traditional Native American spices and cooking methods. Because the Pilgrims had no oven and the Mayflower’s sugar supply had dwindled by the fall of 1621, the meal did not feature pies, cakes or other desserts, which have become a hallmark of contemporary celebrations

Origins of Thanksgiving National Holiday

Pilgrims held their second Thanksgiving celebration in 1623 to mark the end of a long drought that had threatened the year’s harvest and prompted Governor Bradford to call for a religious fast. Days of fasting and thanksgiving on an annual or occasional basis became common practice in other New England settlements as well. 

During the American Revolution , the Continental Congress designated one or more days of thanksgiving a year, and in 1789 George Washington issued the first Thanksgiving proclamation by the national government of the United States; in it, he called upon Americans to express their gratitude for the happy conclusion to the country’s war of independence and the successful ratification of the U.S. Constitution . His successors John Adams and James Madison also designated days of thanks during their presidencies.

In 1817, New York became the first of several states to officially adopt an annual Thanksgiving holiday; each celebrated it on a different day, however, and the American South remained largely unfamiliar with the tradition. 

In 1827, the noted magazine editor and prolific writer Sarah Josepha Hale —author, among countless other things, of the nursery rhyme “Mary Had a Little Lamb”—launched a campaign to establish Thanksgiving as a national holiday. For 36 years, she published numerous editorials and sent scores of letters to governors, senators, presidents and other politicians, earning her the nickname the “Mother of Thanksgiving.”

Abraham Lincoln finally heeded her request in 1863, at the height of the Civil War , in a proclamation entreating all Americans to ask God to “commend to his tender care all those who have become widows, orphans, mourners or sufferers in the lamentable civil strife” and to “heal the wounds of the nation.”

He scheduled Thanksgiving for the final Thursday in November, and it was celebrated on that day every year until 1939 when Franklin D. Roosevelt moved the holiday up a week in an attempt to spur retail sales during the Great Depression . Roosevelt’s plan, known derisively as Franksgiving, was met with passionate opposition, and in 1941 the president reluctantly signed a bill making Thanksgiving the fourth Thursday in November.

Thanksgiving Food

In many American households, the Thanksgiving celebration has lost much of its original religious significance; instead, it now centers on cooking and sharing a bountiful meal with family and friends. Turkey, a Thanksgiving staple so ubiquitous it has become all but synonymous with the holiday, may or may not have been on offer when the Pilgrims hosted the inaugural feast in 1621. 

Today, however, nearly 90 percent of Americans eat the bird—whether roasted, baked or deep-fried—on Thanksgiving, according to the National Turkey Federation. Other traditional foods include stuffing, mashed potatoes, cranberry sauce and pumpkin pie. Volunteering is a common Thanksgiving Day activity, and communities often hold food drives and host free dinners for the less fortunate.

Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade

Parades have also become an integral part of the holiday in cities and towns across the United States. Presented by Macy’s department store since 1924, New York City’s Thanksgiving Day parade is the largest and most famous, attracting some 2 to 3 million spectators along its 2.5-mile route and drawing an enormous television audience. It typically features marching bands, performers, elaborate floats conveying various celebrities and giant balloons shaped like cartoon characters.

Beginning in the mid-20th century and perhaps even earlier, the president of the United States has “pardoned” one or two Thanksgiving turkeys each year, sparing the birds from slaughter and sending them to a farm for retirement. A number of U.S. governors also perform the annual turkey pardoning ritual.

Thanksgiving Controversies

For some scholars, the jury is still out on whether the feast at Plymouth really constituted the first Thanksgiving in the United States. Indeed, historians have recorded other ceremonies of thanks among European settlers in North America that predate the Pilgrims’ celebration.

In 1565, for instance, the Spanish explorer Pedro Menéndez de Avilé invited members of the local Timucua tribe to a dinner in St. Augustine , Florida , after holding a mass to thank God for his crew’s safe arrival. On December 4, 1619, when 38 British settlers reached a site known as Berkeley Hundred on the banks of Virginia’s James River, they read a proclamation designating the date as “a day of thanksgiving to Almighty God.”

Some Native Americans and many others take issue with how the Thanksgiving story is presented to the American public, and especially to schoolchildren. In their view, the traditional narrative paints a deceptively sunny portrait of relations between the Pilgrims and the Wampanoag people, masking the long and bloody history of conflict between Native Americans and European settlers that resulted in the deaths of tens of thousands. Since 1970, protesters have gathered on the day designated as Thanksgiving at the top of Cole’s Hill, which overlooks Plymouth Rock, to commemorate a “ National Day of Mourning .” Similar events are held in other parts of the country.

Thanksgiving's Ancient Origins

Although the American concept of Thanksgiving developed in the colonies of New England, its roots can be traced both to Native Americans, as well as back to the other side of the Atlantic. 

Both the Separatists who came over on the Mayflower and the Puritans who arrived soon after brought with them a tradition of providential holidays—days of fasting during difficult or pivotal moments and days of feasting and celebration to thank God in times of plenty.

As an annual celebration of the harvest and its bounty, moreover, Thanksgiving falls under a category of festivals that spans cultures, continents and millennia. In ancient times, the Egyptians , Greeks and Romans feasted and paid tribute to their gods after the fall harvest. Thanksgiving also bears a resemblance to the ancient Jewish harvest festival of Sukkot. 

Finally, historians have noted that Native Americans had a rich tradition of commemorating the fall harvest with feasting and merrymaking long before Europeans set foot on America's shores.

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Essay on Thanksgiving

Students are often asked to write an essay on Thanksgiving in their schools and colleges. And if you’re also looking for the same, we have created 100-word, 250-word, and 500-word essays on the topic.

Let’s take a look…

100 Words Essay on Thanksgiving

Introduction to thanksgiving.

Thanksgiving is a special holiday celebrated primarily in the United States and Canada. It is a day when people gather with family and friends to express gratitude for their blessings.

History of Thanksgiving

The first Thanksgiving was celebrated by the Pilgrims in 1621 after their first successful harvest in the New World. They invited Native Americans to join them in a feast of thanksgiving.

Modern Thanksgiving

Today, Thanksgiving is celebrated with a festive meal that often includes turkey, stuffing, and pumpkin pie. It’s a day to reflect on our blessings and spend time with loved ones.

Also check:

• 10 Lines on Thanksgiving
• Paragraph on Thanksgiving

250 Words Essay on Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving: a celebration of gratitude.

Thanksgiving, celebrated on the fourth Thursday of November in the United States, is a holiday steeped in rich historical and cultural traditions. The essence of this festivity is to express gratitude for the year’s harvest and blessings.

The Historical Roots

The origins of Thanksgiving trace back to 1621 when Pilgrims and Native Americans shared a harvest feast in Plymouth. This event, often viewed as the “First Thanksgiving,” was a three-day celebration of collaboration and mutual respect, setting the tone for the holiday’s future iterations.

The Evolution of Thanksgiving

Over the centuries, Thanksgiving has evolved significantly. President Abraham Lincoln declared it a national holiday in 1863, during the Civil War, as a means to unite the nation. Today, it serves as a day for family and friends to gather, share a meal, and express gratitude.

Thanksgiving: A Cultural Phenomenon

Thanksgiving is not just a family gathering but also a cultural phenomenon, marked by iconic traditions such as the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade and football games. It also signifies the start of the holiday season, leading up to Christmas and New Year.

Thanksgiving: A Time for Reflection

In the modern context, Thanksgiving is a time for reflection and acknowledgment of the year’s blessings. It encourages us to express gratitude not only for material abundance but also for relationships, health, and personal growth.

To conclude, Thanksgiving is a celebration of gratitude, rooted in history, and evolved into a cultural phenomenon. It is a testament to the enduring power of gratitude and the importance of community in our lives.

500 Words Essay on Thanksgiving

The historical roots of thanksgiving.

Thanksgiving, celebrated on the fourth Thursday of November in the United States, is a national holiday steeped in early American history. It is generally attributed to the 1621 feast shared by the Pilgrims of Plymouth and the Wampanoag tribe, a celebration of successful harvest and survival in the New World. However, Thanksgiving was not officially recognized as a national holiday until 1863, when President Abraham Lincoln, amidst the Civil War, proclaimed a national day of “Thanksgiving and Praise to our beneficent Father who dwelleth in the Heavens.”

Cultural Significance and Traditions

Thanksgiving is a unique blend of secular and sacred elements. It is a time for family gatherings, feasting, parades, and football, but also a time for reflection and gratitude. The traditional Thanksgiving meal typically includes turkey, stuffing, cranberry sauce, and pumpkin pie, echoing the autumnal harvest feast of the first Thanksgiving. The Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade and the NFL Thanksgiving games are modern additions, contributing to the holiday’s festive spirit.

Thanksgiving: A Symbol of Unity?

Thanksgiving is often hailed as a symbol of unity and inclusivity, a time when families and friends of diverse backgrounds come together to share a meal and express gratitude. However, this narrative is not without controversy. Critics argue that the holiday’s origins are rooted in the colonization and subsequent displacement of Native Americans, and therefore, it serves as a reminder of a painful history. As a result, some people observe a National Day of Mourning instead, to acknowledge the suffering of Native Americans.

Thanksgiving in the 21st Century

In the 21st century, Thanksgiving has evolved to reflect contemporary societal values. Many people now use this holiday as an opportunity to give back to their communities, volunteering their time or resources to help those less fortunate. Furthermore, in a world increasingly dominated by consumerism, the concept of gratitude that underpins Thanksgiving has taken on a new significance. It serves as a reminder to appreciate what we have and to resist the lure of constant consumption.

Thanksgiving is a complex holiday with roots in historical events, cultural traditions, and national values. It is a day of celebration, reflection, and, at its core, gratitude. However, it also carries with it a history of loss and suffering for the indigenous people of America. As we move forward, it is crucial to recognize and respect these different perspectives, using the holiday as an opportunity to learn from our past, celebrate our present, and build towards a more inclusive future.

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A Heartwarming Thanksgiving Narrative: Embracing Family and Traditions

Table of contents, anticipation and preparation, the gathering of loved ones, cherished traditions, expressions of gratitude, an atmosphere of love and togetherness, gratitude and reflection.

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Essays on Thanksgiving

Need to write a Thanksgiving essay? Consult our Thanksgiving essay samples for facts and notes about this awesome holiday. Thanksgiving is a harvest festival, celebrated mainly in the United States and Canada. Thanksgiving essays explore the history of this day as well as its many traditions. The main idea of Thanksgiving was “giving thanks” – expressing gratitude and appreciation to God for a bountiful harvest, good health, and other blessings. In the US, Thanksgiving falls on the fourth Thursday of November, while in Canada – on the second Monday of October. Many essays on Thanksgiving boil down the main traditions of Thanksgiving to feasting on roasted turkey and pumpkin pie and giving thanks for the good that the current year brought. We prepared some essay samples below that you can check out if you need some tips for your essays.

1. In my house, one of the most critical ritual meals is the Thanksgiving feast, which must include a stuffed turkey. It is an important feast for thanksgiving and reaffirming ideas and assumptions relevant to American cultural and social solidarity (Williams-Forson, 2008). The family gathered physically and emotionally for the...

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My Ten-Hour Carrier Learning Project at Friendly House After my ten-hour carrier learning project at Friendly House in Worcester, I learned a lot about the community service, food pantry, immigration service, and after school programs. In this paper, I reflect on the matters I achieved during this service learning, as expected...

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Traditions are practices or values that are handed on in a culture because of their symbolic meaning. Throughout the world, diverse cultures adopt and follow a number of rituals that have important significance for them. Specifically, many rituals have been followed for thousands of years without sacrificing their significance. The...

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Writing A Thanksgiving Essay: Pro Tips And Tricks

It doesn’t matter whether you are a college or high school student, escaping a thanksgiving essay paper is like a camel trying to make its way past a needle’s eye. It is because, in every stage of life, there is a milestone you achieve, which requires you to give thanks. That is why you need pro thanksgiving essay ideas to spice up your paper.

What is an Essay on Thanksgiving?

It is a paper that expresses a sense of gratitude that people feel for all the good things in life.

Thanksgiving happens in a variety of forms such as:

• Gifting people
• Feasting with family

Therefore, an essay about Thanksgiving Day will seek to show what led to those events and how they unfolded. Below are ideas for your Thanksgiving Day essay:

Five Paragraph Essay About Thanksgiving

Such a paper will have an appealing introduction, three body paragraphs, and a summative conclusion. Use these prompts for your body paragraphs:

• Showing gratitude for having a country where you can confidently reside
• Giving thanks for prolonged periods of peace and political tranquility
• Appreciating the gift of a home and having a shelter over your roof
• Saying thank you for the friends and relatives you have
• Show your appreciation for being able to attend school and complete successfully

Thanksgiving History Writing Ideas

Here, it would help if you traced the roots of Thanksgiving Day in America with the following pointers in mind:

• American colonies that initiated the Thanksgiving day
• The role of the Pilgrims settling in the state of Massachusetts
• How agriculture contributed to this day
• The friendship between the Iroquois Indians and the pilgrims
• Why did George Washington suggest November 26th as the day of Thanksgiving?

Thanksgiving Essay – What Are You Thankful For?

There are a plethora of reasons to be thankful for every day. For instance, you can appreciate the following:

• The gift of life every morning
• Having parents who care for you
• Being taken to college
• Being spared from the devastating effects of COVID-19
• Having a sense of belonging to a family
• Ability to walk, talk, see, hear, smell or taste
• Being healed from a dreadful disease
• Having a crime-free neighborhood
• Having completed your exams successfully
• Having a laptop where you can study online

Top Writing Prompts for a Thanksgiving Dinner Essay

For a dinner party where you will give a thanksgiving speech, here are possible ideas:

• Honoring your relative (grandpa, aunt, cousin)
• Celebrating a graduation ceremony
• Felicitations for a marriage proposal
• Giving thanks for a family reunion

Mary Moran Thanksgiving Essay

It is an essay touching on how Mary Moran, a Rhode Island schoolgirl, won a state Thanksgiving essay contest. It was in 1973, where she wrote a piece about the absurdity of Thanksgiving. Use these ideas for your inspiration:

• How dissatisfaction is the cause of unhappiness
• How faith can provide one with comfort and strength
• Why people are not thankful because they are not happy

What Thanksgiving Means to Me Essay Prompts

There are different meanings of Thanksgiving, depending on the context. Here are some of the implications:

• A natural impulse to the kindness received
• Reflecting on the deeds done to me and how I responded to them
• A time of feasting and celebrating
• A time of coming together

Now, let’s explore a thanksgiving narrative essay for your inspiration:

Being in a family is one of the most incredible things that ever happened to me. The gift of a mother, father, and two siblings thrills my heart at its thought. Not that it is a perfect family but that even in the imperfections, I give thanks for them. My mother is my most significant pillar. She is one person I can confidently lean on and trust despite any circumstance. I remember a time when I messed up in school, and I went back home. She lovingly spoke to me and took me back to school. There are many instances when she has supported me and held my hand in every step of the way. Having a father is a privilege that many yearn for every day. Whenever I head home from school, I know of someone who will scold me and buy me a present. He is always concerned about my performance in school, wanting to bring the best out of me. He indeed is a rock that firmly holds me from swaying here and there. And then there are these two loves, my little brother and sister. Stubborn and annoying as they may be, these two have been my best friends. In them, I have found real friends, confidants, and support systems. I can freely talk with them and feel renewed. All my sorrows melt away, and I am brave again to fight my battles. Indeed, blood is thicker than water. Belonging to a family is one of the greatest blessings I consider myself to have. I feel secure, healthy, supported, and, most of all, genuinely loved with them. They are like that guardian angel, always by your side.

Thanksgiving Essay – Easier Than It Seems

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The History of Thanksgiving from the Native American Perspective

Nov 6, 2023 | native hope.

There are always two sides to a story. Unfortunately, when it comes to the history of Thanksgiving, generations of Americans have been taught a one-sided history in homes and schools.

The dominant cultural and historical story has been told from the perspective of the European colonialists who landed near Plymouth Rock in Massachusetts in 1620. In this version o]f the Thanksgiving story, the holiday commemorates the peaceful, friendly meeting of English settlers and the Wampanoag tribe for three days of feasting and Thanksgiving in 1621. 

Every year, news outlets and social media are a-buzz with Thanksgiving themes.

The Real History of Thanksgiving

The mainstream version of the Thanksgiving story paints a picture of courageous Christian settlers braving the perils of the New World and, with the help of some friendly Natives, finding a way to make a new life for themselves. In the days around Thanksgiving, many educators focus on this happy story , helping students make American Indian headdresses out of construction paper and holding Thanksgiving reenactments in their classrooms.

Very few teachers realize that construction headdresses and school re-enactments create a generalized stereotype that Native Americans all wear the same regalia. These school activities also encourage young students to think it is okay to wear culture as a costume. This makes it difficult for students to recognize the diversity of Native American tribes and leads students to believe it’s okay to mimic Native American traditional wear without having an understanding of its spiritual significance.

Most children are only taught this brief snapshot in American History, which leaves a frozen memory of peace and generosity. However, in a short time after these Thanksgiving events, circumstances and relationships between the European settlers and the Native American tribes drastically changed. Unfortunately, very few educators have the opportunity to teach students about the massacres of Native tribes like the Pequot which took place in the years that followed. They also do not mention that English settlers robbed Wampanoag graves and stole food from them to survive during their first years on this new continent.

Here’s a look at some reasons why Thanksgiving is a complex holiday that all Americans should approach with greater sensitivity.

Why Thanksgiving Is Also a National Day of Mourning

It’s important to know that for many Native Americans, Thanksgiving is a day of mourning and protest since it commemorates the arrival of settlers in North America and the centuries of oppression and genocide that followed.

Organized by the United American Indians of New England in 1970, the fourth Thursday in November (Thanksgiving) is recognized as the National Day of Mourning for Native Americans and their allies.

Many people gather at Cole's Hill in Plymouth for an organized rally and day of mourning on Thanksgiving. Here’s what they have to say about this choice to mourn:

“Thanksgiving day is a reminder of the genocide of millions of Native people, the theft of Native lands, and the relentless assault on Native culture. Participants in National Day of Mourning honor Native ancestors and the struggles of Native peoples to survive today. It is a day of remembrance and spiritual connection as well as a protest of the racism and oppression which Native Americans continue to experience.”

Some Native Americans mourn publicly and openly, while some choose to refrain from participating in this national holiday.

Thanksgiving is Already a Way of Life for Native Americans

While some Native Americans have chosen to reject the Thanksgiving holiday entirely, many embrace the positive messages of the day and choose to put aside thoughts about its complex history.This is because the idea of giving thanks is central to Native heritage and culture.

In this way, Thanksgiving is simply a chance to appreciate the good things in life, like family, community, and the riches of the land. Long before settlers arrived, Native tribes celebrated the autumn harvest and the gift of Mother Earth’s abundance. Native American spirituality, traditionally and today, emphasizes gratitude for creation, care for the environment, and recognition of the human need for communion with nature and others .

Thanksgiving as a holiday originates from the Native American philosophy of giving without expecting anything in return. In the first celebration of this holiday, the Wampanoag tribe provided not only the food for the feast but also the teachings of agriculture and hunting (corn, beans, wild rice, and turkey are some specific examples of foods introduced by Native Americans).

Now, regardless of the day's ambiguous origin, many Native Americans will gather with friends and family and use the day to eat good food (many of the classic Thanksgiving dishes are inspired by indigenous foods) and give thanks.

Steven Peters, a Wampanoag Tribe spokesman , was asked about his views on Thanksgiving and the fact that most people still gather to eat turkey and give thanks. Here's what he had to say:

"I think it's great. My ancestors had four harvest festivals throughout the year. Gathering with family, enjoying our company, sharing our blessings, and giving thanks for all that we have is a good thing. I say have more thanksgiving events throughout the year. I also ask that you take a moment in that day to remember what happened to my people and the history as it was recorded and not the narrative that we had been given in the history books."

What is the Real Meaning of Thanksgiving?

As we gather this Thanksgiving, we wish the hearts of all people, Native and non-Native, are filled with hope and healing. Together, let's pledge to dismantle the physical, economic, educational, psychological, and spiritual barriers that divide and oppress us.

Thanksgiving and Native American Heritage Day allow us to reflect on our collective history and celebrate the beauty, strength, and resilience of the Native tribes of North America.

• We remember the generosity of the Wampanoag tribe to the European settlers.
• We remember the hundreds of thousands of Native Americans who lost their lives because of the ignorance and greed of colonists and the genocide experienced by whole tribes.
• We remember the vibrant and resilient Native descendants, families, and communities that persist to this day throughout the culture and the country.
• We give thanks to people like Sharice Davids and Interior Secretary Deb Haaland, whose hard work and diligence helped place them in positions where the Native American voice can be heard .

Last but not least, we remember all of the friends and family of Native Hope who have embraced our mission of healing and storytelling. We give thanks to you for your support!

Related posts:

Mounted defenders: the history of the comanche nation, native american veterans serve the nation, recommended for you.

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Thanksgiving Essay Example

Type of paper: Essay

Topic: Thanksgiving , Life , Friendship , Friends , Time , Opportunity , Black Friday , Nation

Words: 1300

Published: 02/01/2020

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Introduction

Traditionally, Thanksgiving is an occasion, mainly celebrated in the US and Canada, to offer special thanks to the almighty in appreciation of the abundance of food and happiness blessing our lives. In celebration of Thanksgiving, people get together with their friends and family over gourmet food and feasting meal comprised of delicacies including roasted turkey, potatoes, stuffing, dainty vegetables and pumpkin pies. A national holiday Thanksgiving falls on the fourth Thursday of November in the US. Thanksgiving is a popular time of the year when people meet their families, travel extensively and indulge in a binge of shopping. Since there are many discounts offered on almost on all the goods sold in shops, it is a favorite season for shopping. Being a national holiday, most of the government offices, schools, colleges, universities, business houses remain closed on Thanksgiving. The entire country wears a festive look and revels in the madness of the celebration on this day. Going forward in this article, I would like to delve deeper into the subject of Thanksgiving by throwing light on its historical background, the purpose of its celebration, misinterpretation of Thanksgiving by the current generation and Thanksgiving viewed from the eyes of a foreigner spending his first Thanksgiving in the states.

History of Thanksgiving

The history of Thanksgiving dates back to the fall of 1621 when pilgrims and native Americans celebrated the joy of their successful harvest in Plymouth, Massachusetts amidst a three day long feast of fresh produce and merrymaking. But the mere celebration of good harvest did not translate into an annual celebration or national holiday overnight. What set the base for celebration in 1621 later on morphed into a sporadic tradition of offering thanks for specific blessings of life including the end of a drought, good harvest or a win in a particular battle. It was only in 1777 in the month of October that 13 colonies came together in celebration of Thanksgiving in unison. Thanksgiving got a national recognition in 1789 with President George Washington announcing Thursday, November 26 to be a day of prayer and thanksgiving in acknowledgement of the opportunity to offer thanks for the formation of a new nation and a viable constitution. Still, Thanksgiving didn't become an annual celebration. It was due to the efforts taken by a lady called Sarah Josepha Hale that the concept of modern day celebration of annual Thanksgiving came into picture. At a time when the civil war was bearing down on the integrity of United States, on her suggestion the then president Abraham Lincoln took the opportunity of bringing the nation together by declaring the last Thursday of November as a day of Thanksgiving, thereby awarding it a status of a national and annual holiday. The successive presidents of Lincoln honoring the tradition set by him proclaimed the last Thursday of November to be a day of Thanksgiving. Only aberration occurred in 1939 during the tenure of President Franklin D. Roosevelt who taking the complaint of retailers into consideration pre-poned the day of Thanksgiving a week earlier, giving rise to a lot of controversy.

Purpose of Thanksgiving

In our busy day to day life, we often forget to be thankful for the simple things that we enjoy but take for granted, such as food, clothing, health, shelter, job, family and friends. Thanksgiving gives us the opportunity to be grateful for what we have and offer our support to people who are going through some rough phases of their lives by inviting them to be a part of a Thanksgiving dinner and lighten them up. The purpose of Thanksgiving not only lies in being thankful for what we have but in giving back the joys we have to people around us who are in suffering. It is a time when getting together with friends and family, we refresh our memories by looking back to some beautiful moments of our life and recreate new memories. It is that time of the year when people forget their differences in opinion and conflict partaking in the celebration of unity and of being thankful.

Misinterpretation of Thanksgiving by the Current Generation

Black Friday is the day that comes right after Thanksgiving, kickstarting a shopping season for Christmas. Now due to the retailers all around the United States giving a whopping discounts on Black Friday, Thanksgiving is losing its purpose as there are many people who try to get over with their Thanksgiving dinner as quickly as possible to line in a queue for hours, shove their way into the retail stores to avail the special discounts offered on Black Friday. In order to manage the rush of frenzied shoppers, many stores open in the wee hours of Thanksgiving and therefore, people who wait the entire year to make use of this moment of opportunity of purchasing goods in an unusually lower price choose shopping on Black Friday over their Thanksgiving dinner. The melee over availing the Black Friday deals is very unnerving. There have been instances of an employee in Wal-Mart having been crushed under the feet of frantic consumers trying to get hold of the items on sale. Such incidents are becoming largely common these days. Therefore, it is time when we should reflect back and think if in the rush of getting good deals, are we not corroding the age-old essence of Thanksgiving along with our morals? Thanksgiving is a day meant to be spent with family and friends in appreciation for the simple things of our life and not in chasing good deals.

Thanksgiving in the Eyes of a Foreigner

I am foreign to US, having come a long way from an Asian country. Last year was the first time I had the opportunity of spending Thanksgiving in the US. I was invited to a dinner thrown by a friend. I was thoroughly impressed by the Thanksgiving tradition of offering thanks for the little pleasures of life we bask in. The food, feasting and the conversation contributed to making my first Thanksgiving dinner a memorable one. I felt truly blessed of being a part of this wonderful custom that Thanksgiving offers.

Thanksgiving is a meaningful occasion, coming on the fourth Thursday of November that gives us an opportunity to spend time with family and friends in reflection of the good things we have in our life. The tradition of Thanksgiving dating back to as early as 1621 did not change into a national holiday and an annual celebration overnight, taking few hundred years for the official Thanksgiving date to be announced. The purpose of Thanksgiving in being thankful and spreading the joys around is, however, losing its substance in the face of a huge craze over Black Friday shopping with stores beginning to open in the wee hours of Thanksgiving night. The current generation of people indulge themselves more in pursuing the deals offered on Black Friday than spending a night of festivity among friends. Personally my tryst with Thanksgiving has been a wonderful one. Having been invited over dinner to a friend's house, I have got the opportunity to indulge in the tradition of feasting and offering thanks for every simple pleasure of life. The very essence and purpose of the entire celebration is so meaningful that one is bound to bask in its glory, whether Christian or not.

- How FDR Changed Thanksgiving, Jennifer Rosenberg, http://history1900s.about.com/od/1930s/a/thanksgiving.html(15th April 2013) - The purpose of Thanksgiving, Kat Ballew, November 2010, http://www.helium.com/items/2012265-what-is-thanksgiving-the-purpose-of-thanksgiving-the-real-meaning-of-thanksgiving (15th April 2013) - Is Black Friday edging out Thanksgiving?, Bob Greene, November 19, 2012, http://www.cnn.com/2012/11/18/opinion/greene-black-friday (15th April 2013)

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Home — Essay Samples — Life — Thanksgiving — Rice for Thanksgiving: Celebrating Diversity in Festive Feasts

Rice for Thanksgiving: Celebrating Diversity in Festive Feasts

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Words: 545 |

Published: Sep 5, 2023

Words: 545 | Page: 1 | 3 min read

Table of contents

Rice as a global staple, celebrating culinary diversity, fostering unity through food, embracing change and growth, conclusion: embracing diversity at the table.

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Guest Essay

I Was Shot in Vermont. What if It Had Been in the West Bank?

By Hisham Awartani

Mr. Awartani is a Palestinian American student at Brown University.

That frigid autumn night in Burlington, Vt., was not the first time I had stared down the barrel of a gun. It was not even the first time I had been fired at. Half a world away, in the West Bank, it had happened before.

On a hot day in May 2021, a classmate and I, both of us 17 at the time, were protesting near a checkpoint in Ramallah. Bullets, both rubber and metal, were flying into the crowd, even though we were unarmed. I was hit with one of the former; my classmate, the latter. Before, we had been students cramming for our chemistry final; then, on the other side of Israeli rifles, we were a mass of terrorists, disqualified from humanity.

So that night in November, when my two friends and I were shot while we were walking on North Prospect Street, I was not particularly surprised to find myself lying on the lawn of a white house and blood splattered across the screen of my phone. Back home in Ramallah, I knew that I was one wrong move away from bleeding out; Israeli soldiers have been known to prevent or hinder paramedics from tending to injured Palestinians. But I had never expected to feel this on a quiet street in Vermont, on a stroll before Thanksgiving dinner.

The shooting of three Palestinian Americans in Burlington has received more sustained coverage than any single act of violence against Palestinians in Gaza and the West Bank since Oct. 7. Why did reporters and news channels interview our mothers and take our portraits when young men my age have been shot at by snipers , detained indefinitely without trial and treated as a statistic?

It’s a question that has eaten away at me these past months. Was it the shock of such a violent crime in peaceful Vermont? Was it that my friends and I went to well-known American colleges? Did the timing of our shooting during a holiday weekend play a role? I’m sure it did, but to me, the determining factor is the reframing of the crime: Instead of settlements, the Oslo Accords or the intifada, the conversation around our shooting involved terms such as “gun violence,” “hate crimes” and “right-wing extremism.” Instead of being maimed in Arab streets, we were shot in small-town America. Instead of being seen as Palestinians, for once, we were seen as people.

Death and dehumanization are status quo for Palestinians. We grow used to being funneled through checkpoints and strip-searched, assault rifles trained on us all the while. The result is a constant existential calculus: If an unarmed autistic man , an 8-year-old boy and a journalist wearing a vest emblazoned “Press” could be perceived to be such a threat that they were shot dead, then I must accept that by existing as a Palestinian, I am a legitimate target.

This dynamic was so ubiquitous to me that I could not quite put it into words until I left the West Bank to attend college in the United States. My classes gave me the vocabulary to understand dehumanization, the portrayal of the colonized as a violent primitive. I realized that the infrastructure of the occupation — the checkpoints, the detentions, the armed settlers encroaching — is built around the violence I am assumed to be capable of, not who I am.

This system of othering — Israeli-only roads, fenced-off settlements, the “security” wall — is an inherent part of the Israeli state psyche. Yet far from ensuring Israelis’ safety, it instead inflicts mass humiliation on Palestinians. Close to half of the Palestinians alive today were born after the violence of the second intifada, and have interacted with Israelis only in the confines of the security apparatus built in its wake. The military apparatus in my home in the West Bank is a judge, jury and executioner. While settlers in the West Bank are subject to Israeli civilian law, Palestinians are subject to military law. It is as if we are all already combatants.

The dehumanization we face is twofold: Beyond the day-to-day aspects of our lives, it permeates the media coverage of what we experience. In the news, our militancy is presumed, our killers unnamed, and our deaths repackaged into statistics. Somehow, we die without being killed. The very veracity of our deaths is called into question . The extent of the civilian death toll in Gaza should not come as a surprise when Israel’s defense minister, Yoav Gallant, can speak unchecked of “ human animals .”

My story is one drop in the ocean of suffering faced by Palestinians, and compared to the immense and indescribable suffering of the people of Gaza, frankly trivial. As I wheeled myself down the smooth corridors of the hospital where I received care after the shooting, I thought of those in wheelchairs in Gaza, struggling to navigate the rubble-strewn streets as they fled their homes. I thought of the reports about a woman being shot dead as she held her grandson’s hand while he clutched a white flag. I thought of a 17-year-old shot in the back by settlers in the West Bank . The pain of knowing their fates is fathomless, and it has yet to cease.

I think back to the circumstances in which I was shot with my two friends, Kinnan Abdalhamid and Tahseen Aliahmad, and imagine them instead in the context of the West Bank. A Hisham, Kinnan and Tahseen shot there could have been left to die. Our names would circulate for a day or two in pro-Palestinian circles, but in the end, we would be commemorated only on a poster in the streets of Ramallah, our faces eventually worn down with time like the countless others I’ve walked past in the streets of my home. If that scenario does not stir the same feelings in you as my shooting, if your first instinct when a Palestinian is shot, maimed or left handicapped is to find excuses, then I do not want your support.

When I was still in the hospital, my family and I were visited by a friend who had just recently made it out of Gaza. He recounted how he saw the beginning of the Israeli bombing from his balcony, and soon after showered and left his house with a prepacked bag. He told me of tents, of hunger, of explosions, but there is one thing that really stood out for me as he recounted his ordeal.

He explained how the only way for him to survive in Gaza was to accept that he had already died. Only after he had come to terms with the realization that his life as he knew it was over could he enjoy a puff of a cigarette and a sip of coffee in the morning. This acceptance is the goal of the Israeli dehumanization complex. To be Palestinian today is to accept this fate.

I have been back on campus since February, and the adjustment has been tough. The man who is accused of shooting me has pleaded not guilty to three counts of attempted second-degree murder. But my mind is elsewhere. Every morning when I wake up, I check for one number . It has exceeded 35,000. It’s difficult for me to come to terms with the reality of so much loss.

In class, between Mesopotamian myths and commutative algebra, a few thoughts play on a loop in my mind: How can we come back from so much grief? How could we let this happen? What are we supposed to make of the world when Palestinian deaths are excused by talking points, repeated again and again on the news? I yearn to return to my home, to my olive trees, my cats and my family.

I realize, though, that when I cross the King Hussein Bridge from Jordan into the West Bank, I will return to my designation as a potential terrorist. I cease to be a junior at Brown University, a student of archaeology and mathematics, a San Francisco Giants fan, a Balkan history nerd. My entire identity will be reduced to my capacity for violence, not as a human being, but as a Palestinian.

Hisham Awartani is a Palestinian American student at Brown University studying mathematics and archaeology. He grew up in Ramallah, West Bank.

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