National Holidays

Posts Tagged ‘us thanksgiving holiday 2009’

Which U.S. President Made Thanksgiving a National Holiday & When did Thanksgiving become a National Holiday?

President George Washington

In 1789 George Washington, the first president of the United States, made Thanksgiving a day for all Americans. On Thanksgiving day, people everywhere gave thanks for winning their freedom from England in the American Revolution. However, Thanksgiving did not occur every year for Americans. Thanksgiving did not become an annual holiday until 1863.

President Abraham Lincoln

President Abraham Lincoln was the U.S. president who made Thanksgiving a national holiday. Thanksgiving day was called by President Abraham Lincoln and on November 26, 1863, he announced that the last Thursday in November would be Thanksgiving Day. By then, America was divided by the Civil War. The North and the South fought each other over slavery. President Abraham Lincoln then made the last Thursday of November Thanksgiving day, a national holiday. President Abraham Lincoln had hoped that by declaring a national holiday, the spirit of unity will be brought about.

In 1941, Thanksgiving became a celebrated national holiday on the fourth Thursday of November.