History of Thanksgiving

Four hundred years ago, a cheerful English company of people who proudly called themselves the “Pilgrim Fathers” landed from the Mayflower on the shores of America and founded a colony there called Plymouth. Not to be confused with Columbus's team - they were crazy about spices, a new route to India and lived a hundred years earlier.

On a cold November day in 1620, tired from a long journey, the pilgrims, consisting of forty-one men, nineteen women, four dozen children and at least two dogs, got out of the ship and began to look around. The forbidding expanses of modern Massachusetts are filled with barking and suppressed human foul language. “Depressed” because the cold was approaching, and the unknown rocky soil did not spoil the wanderers with food - not bright prospects...

A harsh winter came, which more than half of the pilgrims did not survive - hunger, frost and disease helped - but luck smiled on the lucky ones who thawed in the spring even after. The local Indians turned out to be peace-loving and showed the wanderers how not to die of hunger in the new land. The aborigines taught the goners to grow various crops (including pumpkin, which has a symbolic meaning for the holiday), to fish and hunt game.

With their help, the pilgrims managed to feed themselves and stock up for the winter. On this occasion, Governor Bradford, spontaneously chosen by the “founding fathers,” decided to hold a day of thanksgiving to God and invited about 90 Indians, who at one time came to their rescue. However, it was the Indians who had to thank, not God.

Ironically, subsequent generations of Americans selflessly slaughtered Indian tribes; apparently as a sign of special gratitude. But that was a completely different time. And at the time of the initial settlement, the tradition took root, and from time to time the pilgrims and the heirs of their deeds celebrated Thanksgiving, which had not yet been formed as a holiday, which from a ritual of gratitude gradually turned into a feast for a good harvest, simply due to temporary patterns.

When is Thanksgiving 2020 celebrated in the USA and Canada?

The first person to propose the Thanksgiving holiday was George Washington. From that moment on, every year on November 26, people praised the good (and not so good) harvest. The dates changed several times, and the end of this leapfrog was Roosevelt’s decree, which approved the 4th Thursday of November as Thanksgiving Day, and the holiday itself was transformed from a farm ritual into a day of gratitude to everyone to whom a person, in his own opinion, owes something (which Typically, no one says unambiguously who should be thanked and for what).

By the way, a similar “movie” was filmed in Canada, but there the palm in offering thanks goes not to the farmers, but to the navigator Martin Flobischer, who thanked God for the fact that during his journey from England, getting into terrible storms and skirting huge icebergs, remained alive.

Thanksgiving Traditions

Traditionally, Thanksgiving is celebrated with the family, whose members gather at the home of the oldest member (usually the grandparents), say thanks, and then dive into a large pumpkin pie and a stuffed turkey with cranberry sauce - something like how the 400-year-olds celebrated their salvation pilgrims.

Over time, the holiday moved from a family get-together into a common cauldron, which gave rise to several local carnivals, and the most popular of them is the New York Macy’s parade (the largest hypermarket). The essence of the parade is that huge bright toys with the faces of cartoon (which, in general, is not necessary) characters are inflated with money from the Macy’s board of directors, and a long column passes with all the paraphernalia from Central Park to the entrance to the store. The parade has been organized since 1927 - the founders have not missed a year.

Thanksgiving Day is special for America in that it opens the holiday season, which rushes right off the bat - the very next day another show starts, called Black Friday. This is the day of the big pre-holiday sale with huge discounts and, as a result, huge crowds, gaining more and more popularity every year. It all starts with running around the supermarket and ends with a big fight and broken noses

Thanksgiving Day is celebrated only in two countries - the USA and Canada, but the celebration is known throughout the world. Moreover, Americans have a special attitude towards it: they love this holiday so much that many films and TV series shot in Hollywood at least partially take place on the day when it is customary to thank God and loved ones for everything good.

What date is Thanksgiving?

By the way, Americans and Canadians celebrate this holiday at different times. So, for US citizens it is customary to say “thank you” in November, namely on the fourth Thursday of the last autumn month, and for Canadians it is customary to say “thank you” on the second Monday of October.

Thus, in 2018, the long-awaited holiday will be celebrated in the United States on November 22, and in neighboring Canada on October 8.

History of the holiday

The origin of the holiday is associated with a group of English Protestant Puritans who, fleeing religious persecution in their homeland in September 1620, sailed on the ship Mayflower to the New World. After two months of sailing, their ship landed on the east coast of America (New England).

They landed in what is now the state of Massachusetts, where it was decided to set up the first camp. However, the New World was not merciful to the settlers: difficulties in finding food, the harsh local climate, unknown diseases - all this contributed to the deterioration of living conditions. More than half of the colonists became seriously ill and died on the new continent in the first winter from hunger and want.

The surviving Puritans created Plymouth Colony, the oldest English settlement in America, and little by little established friendly relations with the local aborigines. The American Indians played a decisive role in their survival; they happily responded to the requests of their new neighbors and helped them organize their lives and run their households.

Thanks to the Indians, the settlers learned to cultivate the land, grow pumpkins, sow beans and corn, and hunt wild turkeys. By the way, the strangers received the recipe for the famous maple syrup from the Indians.

An unexpectedly rich harvest in the fall of 1621 became a reward for the colonists' efforts. And since the first settlers were deeply religious Christians, they decided to give thanks to the Lord for his mercies. The Indians of the tribe that helped them stay alive were invited to the celebration.

For a long time, Thanksgiving was an unofficial holiday in New England and was celebrated sporadically.

After the declaration of US independence in 1776, the young country had to quickly acquire its own traditions and holidays. Thanksgiving Day in the United States became a national holiday in 1789 with the help of the first President George Washington. He signed a decree to celebrate Thanksgiving Day on November 26th of each year.

And yet, the holiday gained national recognition and love only in 1864, when on this day Abraham Lincoln called on the troops of the North and South to end hostilities and, sharing a common table and food, come to a peaceful solution to the issue. A year later, the civil war came to an end, and it was decided to celebrate Thanksgiving Day on the last Thursday of every November. In 1941, this date was approved by law.

Thanksgiving Traditions

It is customary for US citizens to spend the holiday with relatives and closest friends. On this day, Americans usually gather for a family holiday dinner, which is held in the home of the oldest members of the family.

At the same time, such dishes as baked turkey in cranberry sauce and pumpkin pie are mandatory on the table; Thanksgiving Day is not complete without sweet potatoes. According to historians, the first settlers ate the same thing when they feasted with the Indians. The celebration also has its own traditional drink - apple cider.

By the way, before starting a meal, all family members, as a rule, thank God and each other for all the good things that have happened to them over the past year.

Another Thanksgiving tradition is the pardoning of the turkey. This ceremony is usually held on the White House lawn the night before the ceremony. As usual, in addition to the President of the United States, there are two more turkeys present: the main hero of the occasion - the “national turkey” and her backup - the “vice turkey” (in case something happens to the first bird). During the ceremony, the American leader traditionally reads out a decree pardoning the country's main turkey (her deputy, as a rule, is also left alive), and then the lucky one is sent to the zoo, where she lives until she dies a natural death.

By the way, “national turkey” and “vice turkey” are chosen by ordinary Americans. To do this, the White House holds a special vote every year, during which those interested are asked to choose the best bird from 30 feathered candidates.

In addition, on the eve of Thanksgiving, it is customary to do good deeds. In particular, the distribution of free lunches is very popular among philanthropists: in this way they try to give a feeling of celebration to those in need. Moreover, sometimes the president himself distributes plates of food to the homeless and poor.

Also traditional on this festive November day are costume parades. Thus, the parade organized by the Macy’s department store in New York is especially popular. This grand procession runs from Central Park to 34th Street (Manhattan), where the famous Macy’s is located, which has long become one of the city’s landmarks. At the same time, parade participants, among whom there are usually many celebrities, carry huge inflatable figures of characters from popular cartoons and comic books. Huge crowds of locals and tourists always gather to watch this action.

In addition, on the fourth Thursday of the last autumn month in the United States, as a rule, a festive football match takes place. That's why many American men spend some part of Thanksgiving in front of the TV, cheering for their favorite team.

It is also worth noting the fact that Thanksgiving usually opens the New Year period, when Americans begin to actively prepare for Christmas and New Year. The fact is that immediately after the holiday in the United States, Black Friday comes and pre-Christmas sales start.

Ecuadorian authorities have denied Julian Assange asylum at the London embassy. The founder of WikiLeaks was detained by British police, and this has already been called the biggest betrayal in the history of Ecuador. Why are they taking revenge on Assange and what awaits him?

Australian programmer and journalist Julian Assange became widely known after the website WikiLeaks, which he founded, published secret documents from the US State Department in 2010, as well as materials related to military operations in Iraq and Afghanistan.

But it was quite difficult to find out who the police, supporting by the arms, were leading out of the building. Assange had grown a beard and looked nothing like the energetic man he had previously appeared in photographs.

According to Ecuadorian President Lenin Moreno, Assange was denied asylum due to his repeated violations of international conventions.

He is expected to remain in custody at a central London police station until he appears at Westminster Magistrates' Court.

Why is the President of Ecuador accused of treason?

Former Ecuadorian President Rafael Correa called the current government's decision the biggest betrayal in the country's history. “What he (Moreno - editor’s note) did is a crime that humanity will never forget,” Correa said.

London, on the contrary, thanked Moreno. The British Foreign Office believes that justice has triumphed. The representative of the Russian diplomatic department, Maria Zakharova, has a different opinion. “The hand of “democracy” is squeezing the throat of freedom,” she noted. The Kremlin expressed hope that the rights of the arrested person will be respected.

Ecuador sheltered Assange because the former president had left-of-center views, criticized U.S. policies and welcomed WikiLeaks' release of secret documents about the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. Even before the Internet activist needed asylum, he managed to personally meet Correa: he interviewed him for the Russia Today channel.

However, in 2017, the government in Ecuador changed, and the country set a course for rapprochement with the United States. The new president called Assange “a stone in his shoe” and immediately made it clear that his stay on the embassy premises would not be prolonged.

According to Correa, the moment of truth came at the end of June last year, when US Vice President Michael Pence arrived in Ecuador for a visit. Then everything was decided. “You have no doubt: Lenin is simply a hypocrite. He has already agreed with the Americans on the fate of Assange. And now he is trying to make us swallow the pill, saying that Ecuador is supposedly continuing the dialogue,” Correa said in an interview with the Russia Today channel.

How Assange made new enemies

The day before his arrest, WikiLeaks editor-in-chief Kristin Hrafnsson said that Assange was under total surveillance. “WikiLeaks uncovered a large-scale espionage operation against Julian Assange at the Ecuadorian embassy,” he noted. According to him, cameras and voice recorders were placed around Assange, and the information received was transferred to the Donald Trump administration.

Hrafnsson clarified that Assange was going to be expelled from the embassy a week earlier. This did not happen only because WikiLeaks released this information. A high-ranking source told the portal about the plans of the Ecuadorian authorities, but the head of the Ecuadorian Foreign Ministry, Jose Valencia, denied the rumors.

Assange's expulsion was preceded by the corruption scandal surrounding Moreno. In February, WikiLeaks published a package of INA Papers, which traced the operations of the offshore company INA Investment, founded by the brother of the Ecuadorian leader. Quito said it was a conspiracy between Assange and Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and former Ecuadorian leader Rafael Correa to overthrow Moreno.

In early April, Moreno complained about Assange's behavior at Ecuador's London mission. “We must protect the life of Mr. Assange, but he has already crossed all boundaries in terms of violating the agreement that we came to with him,” the president said. “This does not mean that he cannot speak freely, but he cannot lie and hack.” ". At the same time, back in February last year it became known that Assange at the embassy was deprived of the opportunity to interact with the outside world, in particular, his Internet access was cut off.

Why Sweden stopped prosecuting Assange

At the end of last year, Western media, citing sources, reported that Assange would be charged in the United States. This was never officially confirmed, but it was because of Washington’s position that Assange had to take refuge in the Ecuadorian embassy six years ago.

In May 2017, Sweden stopped investigating two rape cases in which the portal’s founder was accused. Assange demanded compensation from the country's government for legal costs in the amount of 900 thousand euros.

Earlier, in 2015, Swedish prosecutors also dropped three charges against him due to the expiration of the statute of limitations.

Where did the investigation into the rape case lead?

Assange arrived in Sweden in the summer of 2010, hoping to receive protection from American authorities. But he was investigated for rape. In November 2010, a warrant was issued for his arrest in Stockholm, and Assange was put on the international wanted list. He was detained in London, but was soon released on bail of 240 thousand pounds.

In February 2011, a British court decided to extradite Assange to Sweden, after which a number of successful appeals followed for the WikiLeaks founder.

British authorities placed him under house arrest before deciding whether to extradite him to Sweden. Breaking his promise to the authorities, Assange asked for asylum at the Ecuadorian embassy, ​​which was granted to him. Since then, the UK has had its own claims against the WikiLeaks founder.

What awaits Assange now?

The man was re-arrested on a US extradition request for publishing classified documents, police said. At the same time, Deputy Head of the British Foreign Ministry Alan Duncan said that Assange would not be sent to the United States if he faced the death penalty there.

In the UK, Assange is likely to appear in court on the afternoon of April 11. This is stated on the WikiLeaks Twitter page. British authorities are likely to seek a maximum sentence of 12 months, the man's mother said, citing his lawyer.

At the same time, Swedish prosecutors are considering reopening the rape investigation. Attorney Elizabeth Massey Fritz, who represented the victim, will seek this.

Thanksgiving Day - a national holiday in the USA and Canada, was originally invented to express gratitude to God for the harvest. Now, the motive of the holiday is to express gratitude to your loved ones and friends. Although Thanksgiving is a religious holiday, it is celebrated by many people regardless of their religious and cultural beliefs.

When is Thanksgiving celebrated?

In Canada, Thanksgiving Day is celebrated on the second Monday in October, and in the United States on the last Thursday in November. There are similar holidays all over the world, but they have different names and are held on different days. In the USA, this holiday is very popular, and it is believed that only turkeys do not celebrate it.

The first Thanksgiving in America was held in Plymouth in 1621. The holiday was organized by pilgrims who arrived from Europe, together with invited local Indians, who helped them survive in unfamiliar conditions. Beginning in the 1660s, the holiday became an annual event.

It is believed that Sarah Joseph Hale, the author of the famous American song "Mary Had a Little Lamb", convinced Abraham Lincoln to make Thanksgiving a national holiday. Since 1863, the 16th President has declared the last Thursday in November to be Thanksgiving Day.

Turkey is a traditional dish for Thanksgiving Day. Every year on this day, US residents consume about 280 million turkeys. According to tradition, on the eve of Thanksgiving, the President of the United States pardons one of the turkeys, which guarantees that the bird will spend the rest of its life in peace and will not end up on the holiday table.

The Friday after Thanksgiving is called Black Friday. The famous Christmas sales start on this day.

Celebrated only in the USA and Canada, but known throughout the world. Thanksgiving Day is a public holiday in both countries. It is celebrated on the 2nd Monday of October in Canada and on the 4th Thursday of November in the USA. Initially Thanksgiving Day in America expressed gratitude and gratitude to the family and God for their well-being and good relationships. Now its religious meaning has almost disappeared, becoming generally accepted civil, although its religious traditions have been preserved.

Thanksgiving Day in the USA, America - background of the holiday

The origin of the holiday is associated with a group of English Protestant Puritans. They, fleeing religious persecution in their homeland in September 1620, sailed on the Mayflower to the New World. After two months of sailing, their ship landed on the east coast of America (New England).

They landed in what is now the state of Massachusetts, where it was decided to set up the first camp. However, the New World was not merciful to the settlers: difficulties in finding food, the harsh local climate, unknown diseases - all this contributed to the deterioration of living conditions. More than half of the colonists became seriously ill and died on the new continent in the first winter from hunger and want. The surviving Puritans created Plymouth Colony, the oldest English settlement in America. They struck up friendships with the local Aborigines. American Indians played a decisive role in their survival. They happily responded to the requests of their new neighbors and helped improve their life and household.

The Indians taught them to cultivate the land, grow pumpkins, sow beans and corn, and hunt wild turkeys. By the way, the strangers received the recipe for the famous maple syrup from the Indians. An unexpectedly rich harvest in the fall of 1621 became a reward for the colonists' efforts. And since the first settlers were deeply religious Christians, they decided to give thanks to the Lord for his mercies. The Indians of the tribe that helped them stay alive were invited to the celebration.

Thanksgiving in the USA - history

For a long time Thanksgiving holiday was an unofficial holiday in New England and was celebrated sporadically. After the declaration of US independence in 1776, the young country had to quickly acquire its own traditions and holidays. Thanksgiving Day in the USA became a national holiday in 1789 with the help of George Washington. He signed a decree to celebrate Thanksgiving Day on November 26th of each year.

The holiday gained popular recognition and love in 1864. On this day, Abraham Lincoln called on the troops of the North and South to end hostilities and, sharing a common table and food, come to a peaceful solution to the issue. A year later, the civil war came to an end. It was decided to celebrate Thanksgiving Day on the last Thursday of every November. In 1941, this date was legally approved.

Thanksgiving Day in the USA 2019 - when it is celebrated, traditions

Thanksgiving usually kicks off the New Year's period, when Americans begin to actively prepare for Christmas and the New Year. Immediately after the holiday in the United States, Black Friday comes and pre-Christmas sales start. In the USA, it is customary to spend the holiday with relatives and closest friends.

On Thanksgiving Day, Americans usually gather for a family holiday dinner, which is held in the home of the oldest members of the family. Baked turkey in cranberry sauce and pumpkin pie are a must on the table, and sweet potatoes are a must. According to historians, the first settlers ate the same thing when they feasted with the Indians. The celebration also has its own traditional drink - apple cider. Before starting the meal, all family members thank God and each other for all the good things that have happened to them over the past year.

Thanksgiving Day in the USA - Turkey Pardon

Another Thanksgiving tradition is the pardoning of the turkey. The ceremony is held on the White House lawn on the eve of the celebration. In addition to the President of the United States, there are two more turkeys present. The main hero of the occasion is the “national Indian” and her backup is the “vice Indian” (if something happens to the first). During the ceremony, the American leader traditionally read out a decree pardoning the country's main turkey. Her deputy, as a rule, is also left alive, and then the lucky girl is sent to the zoo, where she lives until she dies a natural death.

By the way, “national turkey” and “vice turkey” are chosen by ordinary Americans. To do this, the White House holds a special vote every year. Those interested are invited to choose the best bird from 30 feathered candidates. On the eve of Thanksgiving, it is customary to do good deeds. In particular, the distribution of free lunches is very popular among philanthropists.
Moreover, sometimes the president himself distributes plates of food to the homeless and poor. Also traditional on this festive November day are costume parades. Thus, the parade organized by the Macy's department store in New York is especially popular. This grand procession runs from Central Park to 34th Street (Manhattan).