感恩节的由来(The Story of American Thanksgiving)

感恩节的由来(thestoryofamericanthanksgiving)

thanksgivingdayisanamericanholidayandnotcelebratedincontinentaleurope.onthefourththursdayofeachnovember,familiesandfriendsgathertogetherfortheoccasiontocelebratewithatraditionalturkeydinner,usuallyinthemid-afternoon.thanksgivingoriginatedasacelebrationoftheyearsharvestandissimilartothemid-autumnfestivalinchina.www•

theoriginofthethanksgivingday

thisamericantraditionstartedin1621beforetheunitedstatesofamericawasestablished.itwasahugecelebrationforahard-earnedharvestthefirstyearafterarrivinginthenewworld.

onseptember6,1620,themayflowershipsetsailfromplymouth,devon,england,takingalltheenglishpilgrims（清教徒）tothenewworld.theenglishpilgrimsnumberedaboutahundredpeople,andleftenglandtoescapereligiouspersecution.theirvoyagetothenewworldwasfinancedbymerchantadventurers,anenglishinvestorgroup.

thepilgrimssailedsixty-sixdays,arrivedinthenewworldinnovemberofthesameyear.theyfirstsettledinacornfieldabandonedbynativeindiansandnameditplymouthplantation.

theyworkedonthelandwithmuchdifficultyandwerebesetbyadevastatingplagueinwhichhalfofthepilgrimdiedinthelongwinterof1620.inthespringof1621,anindianbravenamedsquantoandherwampanoag（瓦帕浓人，北美印第安人阿尔琴族一部落）tribecametotheirhelp.thetribetaughtthepilgrimshowtoworktheearthandplantcorn,beans,pumpkins,squashandothercrops.

thethanksgivingfeastin1621

inlateseptember1621,thepilgrimswerepleasedwiththeirgreatharvest.tocelebratetheirfirstharvest,thepilgrimswantedtothankgodandthenativeindian.theyinvitedsquantoandtheentirewampanoagtribethatcelebratetogetherinasharedfeast.

itwassaidaboutninetywampanoagturnedup,muchtothesurpriseofthepilgrims,whosepopulationhadshrunktonomorethan50.thechiefofthetribehadhismenhuntfivedeertobringtothefeast.thefirstthanksgivingdinnerhadanelaboratemenuwithvenison,wildturkey,goose,duck,crane,swan,andotherwaterfowl;theyalsohaslocalseafood:clams,lobsters,mussels,salmon,cod,bass,herring,shad,bluefish,lotsofeelandoysters.theyalsocookedplentyofvegetables,amongthemsquash,pumpkinsandbeanswerethemostpopular.

theyateraspberries,strawberries,grapes,plums,cherries,blueberries,walnuts,chestnuts,acorns,hickoryandgroundnuts,wheatflour,indiancornandcornmealandtheymadebeeroutofbarley.thepumpkinpuddingwaslaterdevelopedintothetraditionalpumpkinpie.

thefirstthanksgivingdinnerissaidtohavelastedfromthreedaystooneweekwithmuchfood,beerandliquor.thepilgrimsandthenativeindiansattogetherontheground,sharedfoodwithfingersorusedroughplatesmadeofwoodorstalebread.theyranraces,playedoldenglishgamesandstagedparadesduringthefestive,withmarches,drumsandfiringoftheirmuskets.

"thanksgiving"relatedtothebible

thephrase"thanksgiving"initiallycomesfromthebible.thepilgrimsofplymouth,however,weremainlypuritansandstrictcalvinistprotestants.theyonlyobservedthreereligiousholidaysfromthenewtestament:sundaysabbath,daysoffastingandhumiliationandthanksgiving.thanksgivingmarkedfavourable("mercies")incommunitylife.

thefirstthanksgivingfestivalwasindeedatimeofhappiness,fellowshipandrejoicingforthepilgrims.theyarrangedafriendlytreatywiththenativeamericanindians,builthousesinthewilderness,andraisedsufficientcropstofeedthemselvesfortheupcominglongwinter.thepilgrimshadbecomethefirstgenerationofsettlersinthisnewlandholdingsomuchpromise.

fromthenon,thanksgivingbecameaholidayforcelebratingtheharvestinthenewworld,datesvariedfromoctobertonovembereachyearoverthenext150years.

thanksgiving,thenationalholiday

thefirstnationalthanksgivingwasdeclaredbythecontinentalcongressin1777.onoctober3,1789,presidentgeorgewashingtondeclaredthatthepeopleoftheunitedstatesshouldobserve"adayofpublicthanksgivingandprayer"onthursday,26november.

manysaythecreditfortheestablishmentofanannualthanksgivingholidayshouldbegiventosarahjosephahale.beingtheeditorofladiesmagazineandgodeysladysbook,shelobbiedtothegovernors,senators,andpresidentsforanationalholidayandpublishedstoriesandrecipesforthatdayinhermagazine.after36yearsofcrusading,shewonherbattle.in1863,buoyedbytheunionvictoryatgettysburg,presidentlincolnproclaimedthatnovember26,wouldbeanationalthanksgivingday,tobeobservedeveryyearonthefourththursdayofnovember.

in1941,acongressionaljointresolutionsetthefourththursdayofnovemberasanationalholidayforthanksgiving.

thereyouare-thebriefhistoryofthanksgiving-adayinamericaforfamiliesandfriendstogathertogether.thefestivalisalsocelebratedbyamericanslivingabroad.thankstothenativeamericansandthepilgrimswhocreatedthisideaofadayofthanksgivingallthoseliveinthenewworldcanbethankfulforallwehaveandsharethejoywithourfamilymembersandfriends