THANKSGIVING

How is Thanksgiving celebrated in America?

In 1620, one

hundred people

sailed across the

Atlantic Ocean to

land at Plymouth,

Massachusetts, in

America. However,

their first winter was

very bad and their

crops failed. Many

of them died.

The people who

survived were saved

by Indians (also

called Native

Americans) of the

Iroquois tribe taught

them how to grow

corn (maize) and

other crops.

In the next autumn,

1621, they harvested

crops of corn, barley,

beans and pumpkins.

The settlers had much

to be thankful for, so a

feast was planned.

They invited the

Iroquois chief and his

tribe for this feast.

The Indians brought

turkeys and other wild

game for the settlers.

The feast consisted of

cranberries, corn,

turkey and deer, along

with dishes taught by

the Indians.

The official date has been

changed a number of

times but it is now on the

fourth Thursday of

November.

Americans have a meal

with their family, and

talk about things they

are thankful for. More

people go home and see

their family for

Thanksgiving than they

do for Christmas.

Americans often

decorate the dinner

table with a nice

centrepiece.

The meal includes the

foods that the first

settlers ate such as

Turkey, cranberries,

corn, sweet potatoes,

and string beans.

Because Thanksgiving

is held in the American

autumn (which they call

Fall), the decorations

have an autumn theme.

REFERENCES

http://www.pitara.com/discover/5wh/online.asp?story=93

http://wiki.answers.com/Q/How_do_Americans_celebrate_Thanksgiving

http://voices.yahoo.com/top-10-thanksgiving-day-music-lists-best-thanksgiving-7121842.ht

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My Grandma

Celebrate! USA by Robyn Hardman (Ashburton Library)

The Complete Idiots Guide to American History by Alan

Axelrod (Ashburton Library)

Google Images