The history of Thanksgiving is well-known to most people in the United States. The tradition dates back to the early pilgrims in 1621. The first national day of Thanksgiving was declared by George Washington Nov. 26, 1789.
Then in 1863, President Abraham Lincoln declared Thanksgiving to be the last Thursday in November. This is when the tradition was born. From 1863 until 1939 everything stayed the same, and Thanksgiving was celebrated on the last Thursday in November.
