It was the fall of 1621. English settlers called the Pilgrims were thrilled. They had just had their first successful harvest in what is now Massachusetts. To celebrate, they held a three-day feast. Members of the Wampanoag (WAHM-pahnawg) Nation came too. They had taught the Pilgrims how to farm. The group ate deer, lobster, and even eels! Over time, the feast inspired the way we celebrate Thanksgiving.
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Illustration by Mark Fredrickson; Shutterstock.com (all other images)
Happy Thanksgiving!
Here’s the story behind one of America’s favorite holidays.
A Big Feast
Time to Celebrate
In the 1800s, a woman named Sarah Josepha Hale set out to make Thanksgiving a national holiday. She spent years writing to the country’s leaders. In 1863, her hard work paid off! President Abraham Lincoln made Thanksgiving an official holiday.
Making Macy’s Parade Balloons
Watch a video to explore how these massive balloons are designed and created.
Balloon Bash
Gotham/GC Images/Getty Images
Do you watch the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade? It’s one of the most popular Thanksgiving traditions. The first parade was held in 1924. The goal was to boost Macy’s sales. Today more than 3 million people line the streets of New York City to see the parade.
1. Based on the article, why do you think the Pilgrims included members of the Wampanoag Nation in their harvest celebration?
2. What does the article mean when it says that Sarah Josepha Hale’s “hard work paid off”?
3. Why did Macy’s start having a Thanksgiving Day parade?
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