Every year on the fourth Thursday in November, Americans celebrate Thanksgiving. In the USA, this is a national holiday, established in 1941 to honor the first English settlers. Also known as Puritans or Pilgrims, the first English settlers reached the coast of today’s Massachusetts in 1620. Grateful for a good harvest after a harsh winter, they organized a feast in 1621. In history, this feast is known as the first Thanksgiving.
Along with the settlers, a tribe of Wampanoag Indians were present at the feast. They were invited because they helped the settlers tame the land and grow crops. However, later in history the two groups became enemies and often fought for territory. That is why many Native Americans do not regard Thanksgiving as a happy holiday. For them, it is a reminder of war and the betrayal their ancestors experienced.
Nevertheless, the holiday persists. Nowadays, modern families celebrating it gather and spend the whole day together. They cook, talk, and play football. The day ends with a Thanksgiving dinner. The original menu consisted of corn, shellfish and venison. Today, however, you can find the following on most tables: roast turkey, sweet potatoes, cranberry sauce and apple pie. Before eating, it is customary that every family member says what he/she is thankful for.
The holiday is observed not only in USA, but also in Canada, Liberia and in some Caribbean islands.
