On the fourth in November, in houses around the United States, families get together for a feast, or a large meal. Almost all families eat and cranberry sauce for this meal, and have for dessert. This feast is part of a very special day, the holiday of Thanksgiving.
In 1620, the Pilgrims made a difficult trip across the ocean from England. They landed in what is now . In England the Pilgrims had not been allowed to practice their religion freely. So they went to the New World in search of freedom.
The Pilgrims' first winter was very hard. Historians say that almost half the group died of cold, , and disease. But the Native Americans of Massachusetts taught the Pilgrims to plant , to hunt, and to fish. When the next fall came, the Pilgrims had plenty of food. They were thankful and had a to give thanks. They invited the Native Americans to join them. This was the first .
Thanksgiving became a national holiday many years later because of a woman named . For forty years Sarah Hale wrote to each president and asked for a holiday of Thanksgiving. At last she was successful. In 1863, President declared Thanksgiving a holiday.
