Exploring the Origins and Evolution of Thanksgiving in the U.S.

From the Pilgrims' 1621 harvest feast to its current November date, Thanksgiving has a complex history shaped by tradition and change.

The first Thanksgiving feast in 1621 was a three-day harvest celebration shared by Pilgrims and the Wampanoag tribe, though it was not initially called 'Thanksgiving.'
The Pilgrims' religious practices included frequent expressions of gratitude, with their first formal 'thanksgiving' held in 1623 after a rainfall saved their crops.
Abraham Lincoln officially established Thanksgiving as a national holiday in 1863, designating the last Thursday of November for national unity during the Civil War.
In 1941, Congress standardized Thanksgiving as the fourth Thursday of November after earlier attempts by Franklin D. Roosevelt to move it for economic reasons caused controversy.
Some argue for moving Thanksgiving to October, citing benefits such as better travel conditions, alignment with harvest timing, and reduced holiday season stress.