Every autumn, families across the United States gather to share a bountiful meal, express gratitude, watch parades, and cheer on their favorite football teams. But how did Thanksgiving evolve from a 17th-century harvest gathering into the beloved national holiday we celebrate today?
Understanding the history behind the holiday helps us appreciate its central themes: community, gratitude, and coming together. Here is a look at the historical roots of Thanksgiving and how you can bring the joy of the holiday into your classroom using printables and activities from LessonPlanSource.
From Harvest Feast to National Holiday
According to historical research shared by Plimoth Patuxet Museums (formerly Plimoth Plantation), the event often referred to as the "First Thanksgiving" took place in the autumn of 1621. After surviving a devastating first winter in the New World, the English colonists (Pilgrims) at Plymouth harvested their first successful crop of corn, barley, and peas.
To celebrate the harvest, the colonists organized a three-day event. Ousamequin (the Massasoit) and approximately 90 Wampanoag men joined the 52 surviving English settlers. Together, they feasted on wild fowl (likely duck, goose, or turkey) and deer brought by the Wampanoag, played games, and built diplomatic ties.
While harvest festivals were common in both European and Native American traditions, this 1621 gathering was not called a "Thanksgiving" at the time—to the Pilgrims, a true day of thanksgiving was a religious day of prayer and fasting.
It wasn't until centuries later that Thanksgiving became an official national holiday:
1789: President George Washington issued a proclamation designating Thursday, November 26, as a national day of public thanksgiving.
1863: In the midst of the Civil War, President Abraham Lincoln—encouraged by author Sarah Josepha Hale—proclaimed Thanksgiving a national holiday to be celebrated on the last Thursday of November, aiming to foster unity during a divided era.
1941: Congress officially fixed the date as the fourth Thursday in November.
Over the decades, Thanksgiving grew to encompass modern traditions: gathering with family and friends, sharing good food, watching parades, and taking in some American football.
Bringing the Joy of Thanksgiving to the Classroom
Teaching Thanksgiving provides a wonderful opportunity to focus on social-emotional themes like gratitude and togetherness, while engaging young learners with seasonal literacy and math skills.
Using our educational tools, teachers can seamlessly weave holiday symbols into daily learning. Here are great ways to bring festive energy to your lesson plans:
1. Build Early Literacy & Vocabulary
Emergent Readers: Introduce young learners to high-frequency words and holiday vocabulary with the Thanksgiving Word Book for Emergent Readers.
Word Walls & Lists: Use the Thanksgiving Word List to scaffold writing prompts and support vocabulary acquisition.
Independent Practice: Reinforce spelling and visual discrimination with Thanksgiving Word Searches, Thanksgiving Crossword Puzzles, and Thanksgiving Alphabetical Order worksheets.
2. Encourage Daily Reflection & Creativity
Gratitude Journals: Incorporate Thanksgiving Daily Writing Activities to prompt students to write about what they are thankful for, their favorite family traditions, or their ideal holiday feast.
Visual Arts: Build fine motor skills and creativity using Thanksgiving Finish the Picture pages and festive Thanksgiving Coloring Pages.
3. Hands-On Crafts & Morning Work
Art Projects: Highlight one of the core symbols of the historic harvest with the Thanksgiving Giant Ear of Corn Craft—a great display piece for fall bulletin boards!
Table & Desk Fun: Keep students engaged during transition times, party days, or morning work with printable Thanksgiving Coloring Sheets and these fun Thanksgiving Activity Mats packed with puzzles and games.
As we gather around our dinner tables each November, we are participating in a tradition that bridges centuries of history. By grounding our celebrations in the true historical context of the Plymouth harvest and pairing it with engaging, thoughtful classroom activities, we can help the next generation appreciate both the legacy of the holiday and the timeless value of gratitude.
