Thanksgiving's Hidden History

...a detailed history of the American Thanksgiving, emphasizing the complex reality behind the common mythos rooted in specific migratory events and political strategy. It details how the celebratory 1621 feast was the result of the Pilgrim migration colliding with the catastrophic Wampanoag "Great Dying," which had opened the land and left the Native Americans vulnerable to rival tribes. The overview clarifies that the three-day harvest celebration was not initially named Thanksgiving, and that figures like Squanto played a crucial role by using his knowledge and language skills to forge an alliance between the surviving groups. Furthermore, the source tracks the evolution of this regional tradition into a national holiday, highlighting that the persistent campaigning of Sarah Josepha Hale spurred President Abraham Lincoln to formally proclaim Thanksgiving in 1863 as a way to promote national unity during the Civil War.