General Thanksgiving
By the PRESIDENT of the United States Of America
A PROCLAMATION
WHEREAS it is the duty of all nations to acknowledge the providence of
Almighty God, to obey His will, to be grateful for His benefits, and
humbly to implore His protection and favour; and Whereas both Houfes of
Congress have, by their joint committee, requefted me "to recommend to
the people of the United States a DAY OF PUBLICK THANSGIVING and
PRAYER, to be observed by acknowledging with grateful hearts the many
and signal favors of Almighty God, especially by affording them an
opportunity peaceably to eftablifh a form of government for their
safety and happiness:"
NOW THEREFORE, I do recommend and affign THURSDAY, the TWENTY-SIXTH
DAY of NOVEMBER next, to be devoted by the people of thefe States to
the fervice of that great and glorious Being who is the beneficent
author of all the good that was, that is, or that will be; that we may
then all unite in rendering unto Him our fincere and humble thanksfor
His kind care and protection of the people of this country previous to
their becoming a nation; for the fignal and manifold mercies and the
favorable interpofitions of His providence in the courfe and conclufion
of the late war; for the great degree of tranquility, union, and plenty
which we have fince enjoyed;-- for the peaceable and rational manner in
which we have been enable to eftablish Conftitutions of government for
our fafety and happinefs, and particularly the national one now lately
instituted;-- for the civil and religious liberty with which we are
bleffed, and the means we have of acquiring and diffufing useful
knowledge;-- and, in general, for all the great and various favours
which He has been pleafed to confer upon us.
And also, that we may then unite in moft humbly offering our prayers
and fupplications to the great Lord and Ruler of Nations and befeech
Him to pardon our national and other tranfgreffions;-- to enable us
all, whether in publick or private ftations, to perform our feveral and
relative duties properly and punctually; to render our National
Government a bleffing to all the people by conftantly being a
Government of wife, juft, and conftitutional laws, difcreetly and
faithfully executed and obeyed; to protect and guide all fovereigns and
nations (especially fuch as have shewn kindnefs unto us); and to blefs
them with good governments, peace, and concord; to promote the
knowledge and practice of true religion and virtue, and the increafe of
fcience among them and us; and, generally to grant unto all mankind
fuch a degree of temporal profperity as he alone knows to be beft.
GIVEN under my hand, at the city of New-York, the third day of
October, in the year of our Lord, one thousand feven hundred and
eighty-nine.
(signed) G. Washington
Source: The Massachusetts Centinel, Wednesday, October 14, 1789
This historic proclamation was issued by George Washington during his
first year as President. It sets aside Thursday, November 26 as "A Day
of Publick Thanksgiving and Prayer."
Signed by Washington on October 3, 1789 and entitled "General
Thanksgiving," the decree appointed the day "to be observed by
acknowledging with grateful hearts the many and signal favors of
Almighty God."
While there were Thanksgiving observances in America both before and
after Washington's proclamation, this represents the first to be so
designated by the new national government.
After their first harvest, the colonists of the Plymouth Plantation
held a celebration of food and feasting in the fall of 1621. Indian
chiefs Massassoit, Squanto and Samoset joined in the celebration with
ninety of their men in the three-day event.
The first recorded Thanksgiving observance was held on June 29, 1671
at Charlestown, Massachusetts by proclamation of the town's governing
council.
During the 1700s, it was common practice for individual colonies to
observe days of thanksgiving throughout each year. A Thanksgiving Day
two hundred years ago was a day set aside for prayer and fasting, not a
day marked by plentiful food and drink as is today's custom. Later in
the 18th century each of the states periodically would designate a day
of thanksgiving in honor of a military victory, an adoption of a state
constitution or an exceptionally bountiful crop.
Such a Thanksgiving Day celebration celebration was held in December
of 1777 by the colonies nationwide, commemorating the surrender of
British General Burgoyne at Saratoga.
Later, on October 3, 1863, President Abraham Lincoln issued a
proclamation calling for the observance of the fourth Tuesday of
November as a national holiday.
In 1939, President Franklin D. Roosevelt moved the holiday to the
third Thursday of November (to extend the Christmas shopping season and
boost the economy). After a storm of protest, Roosevelt changed the
holiday again in 1941 to the fourth Thursday in November, where it
stands today.
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"Prayer at Valley Forge"
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