“Making America Great Again” means remembering what has made it great in the past and applying it to a hopeful future. With this most recent election, our wide and varied nation has declared it wants to remember what made us great and has selected leaders, most prominently President Trump, who will turn our nation back to the heritage that made it great in the first place. Whether times are bleak or full of promise, there is cause for gratitude, and this year in particular, we can see much cause for great hope. A key value that has run throughout our nation's history, even to its earliest roots, is setting aside time to bond and celebrate with thanksgiving for all the many blessings we have.
Our nation has annually recognized a Day of Thanksgiving since 1863. President Abraham Lincoln declared this national celebration “In the midst of a civil war of unequalled magnitude and severity”, and indeed it would end up costing over 600,000 lives. Nevertheless, he noted how, despite the costly war, our nation still had much to be thankful for in its people, its industry, and much more. He declared,
“I do, therefore, invite my fellow-citizens in every part of the United States, and also those who are at sea and those who are sojourning in foreign lands, to set apart and observe the last Thursday of November next as a Day of Thanksgiving and Praise to our beneficent Father who dwelleth in the heavens.” (https://www.battlefields.org/learn/primary-sources/abraham-lincolns-proclamation-thanksgiving)
President Lincoln was following in the footsteps of a rich tradition celebrated by multiple presidents, including the very first. In the first year of his presidency, 1789, President George Washington declared a Day of Thanksgiving in gratitude for the nation successfully achieving independence and establishing a constitution.
“Now therefore I do recommend and assign Thursday the 26th day of November next to be devoted by the People of these States to the service of that great and glorious Being, who is the beneficent Author of all the good that was, that is, or that will be-- That we may then all unite in rendering unto him our sincere and humble thanks--for his kind care and protection of the People of this Country previous to their becoming a Nation--for the signal and manifold mercies, and the favorable interpositions of his Providence which we experienced in the course and conclusion of the late war--for the great degree of tranquility, union, and plenty, which we have since enjoyed--for the peaceable and rational manner, in which we have been enabled to establish constitutions of government for our safety and happiness, and particularly the national One now lately instituted--for the civil and religious liberty with which we are blessed…” (https://www.mountvernon.org/education/primary-source-collections/primary-source-collections/article/thanksgiving-proclamation-of-1789)
Even at its earliest roots, the people who formed our nation came together in celebration and gratitude. Over 150 years prior to President Washington’s proclamation, in the year 1621, there was an unlikely gathering. Religious Separatists, families seeking economic freedom and prosperity, and Wampanoag people celebrated a successful harvest and hope for the future.
The year prior, these Separatists and freedom seekers had arrived on the shore of Massachusetts in the Mayflower. Of the 102 passengers, over half did not survive that first winter in their settlement of Plymouth. However, the next year, Squanto and the Wampanoag people came together with the surviving residents of Plymouth to grow a substantial harvest, bringing cause to celebrate. This celebration is today commonly called the first Thanksgiving. This marked the start of approximately 40 years of peace between the settlers and the Wampanoag, held together by the unlikely friendships of Squanto and Governor William Bradford, as well as Edward Winslow and Chief Massasoit. Edward Winslow recorded in a letter,
“...our harvest being gotten in, our governor sent four men on fowling, that so we might after a more special manner rejoice together, after we had gathered the fruit of our labors; they four in one day killed as much fowl, as with a little help beside, served the company almost a week, at which time amongst other recreations, we exercised our arms, many of the Indians coming amongst us, and among the rest their greatest King Massasoit, with some ninety men, whom for three days we entertained and feasted, and they went out and killed five deer, which they brought to the plantation and bestowed on our governor, and upon the captain, and others. And although it be not always so plentiful, as it was at this time with us, yet by the goodness of God, we are so far from want, that we often wish you partakers of our plenty.” (http://mayflowerhistory.com/letter-winslow-1621)
Looking back at the 400+ years of heritage our nation is built upon, it behooves us to remember, as they did, to take time to gather together, celebrate, and be thankful. Courageous and industrious men and women from all walks of life built the great nation of our heritage. Now, we work together with hope and gratitude to rebuild our nation and “Make America Great Again”! Happy Thanksgiving!
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