George Washington and his Thanksgiving appeal

George Washington and his Thanksgiving appeal

The first Thanksgiving was a harvest festival that provided common ground for two culturally diverse peoples to celebrate the value of life itself.

SAN JOSE, November 23, 2016 —  On Thanksgiving Day, most American citizens partake in some sort of   a meal, or even a feast to commemorate the holiday. Most likely, many will express personal gratitude for perceived blessings from throughout the year. Yet, the original significance of this harvest festival or celebration of life can easily be lost amidst the turkey, mashed potatoes, and pumpkin pie.

Unfortunately, the history behind the holiday has been romanticized and viewed in almost mythical proportions since the original event. Often, as historical events fade into the shadows of the past, the actual people involved, or original events that occurred, take on mythic proportions. The “First Thanksgiving” event is one such event, yet if people were able to see the event more for what is was than for what it was not, it would provide greater understanding.

Even though it is historically viewed in the United States as the “First Thanksgiving,” in the New World, it actually was neither. Prior “thanksgivings” had been celebrated between European and Indian in the Caribbean, or Tejas, or Virginia. Also, the event could not serve as a traditional Protestant ceremony of Thanksgiving. It was more of a harvest festival that provided common ground for two culturally diverse peoples to celebrate the value of life itself.

Separatists (the true designation of the Pilgrims), would not have considered it a true “thanksgiving.” Such holy days would have been observed more strictly through much more structured or traditional church services. The rigid Pilgrim beliefs viewed a day of thanksgiving to be dedicated to gratitude to God for some incredibly significant event like surviving a plague, or the end of a drought, or a war. The Puritans, who were equally as rigid in their beliefs (or more so) as the Separatists, also held the belief that “thanksgiving” days were serious occasions fulfilled through offering of solemn prayers, pious humiliation, and praise of God’s efforts in their lives.

In light of this, it is perhaps fitting that this particular Thanksgiving become more significant in light of the 2016 election cycle. So many religious people and those of faith felt called to prayer, asking for God’s intercession in this turning point in the history of the United States. Americans who appreciate the values of the Founding Fathers and the principles they set forth in the founding documents could view this election in the way that Ronald Reagan predicted:


The people who love America, and who love freedom, expressed their rights as U. S. citizens on Election Day. Many Christians believe that the people received a reprieve from Heaven because of the incredible stakes involved during this election. Thus, it is perhaps fitting that during this year’s Thanksgiving celebrations,, Americans could hearken back to the original purpose of a thanksgiving. Certainly, the proclamation of George Washington on October 3, 1789, can assist citizens to grasp how important it is to invite God to the Thanksgiving celebrations this year.

Washington’s Thanksgiving Proclamation:





Certainly, the 2016 presidential election has opened a serious divide within the nation, much of this divisiveness needs to end, but it may not simply end due to the extremely polarized nature of the election campaign. At no other time since the prelude to the Civil War has Americans been so bitterly divided, as the election, not only for President of the United States, but for the respective positions and platforms of each of the major political parties. Hopefully, God will hear from Heaven the prayers of repentance and gratitude from His people in this dark time.

May God continue to bless America, and may the government of the people, by the people, and for the people prevail on into the 21st century and beyond!

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