Chapter 6: American Holidays and Traditions

Chapter 6: American Holidays and Traditions

Thanksgiving

The first Thanksgiving was in 1621. The pilgrims invited the Native Americans to a big meal to celebrate their first successful harvest. They ate duck and deer meat, corn and squash. However, the feast didn’t become a tradition until much later.

From 1846 to 1863, magazine writer Sarah Hale wrote letters to five presidents asking them to make Thanksgiving a national holiday. Finally, President Lincoln made it a national holiday in 1863.

Today, most Americans want to spend Thanksgiving with their families. They celebrate with a special meal. They usually have turkey, yams, mashed potatoes, pumpkin pie and cranberry sauce.

Many families watch the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade in New York on TV. The parade includes giant balloons of famous television and cartoon characters. The parade usually includes Father Christmas - a sign that Christmas is coming.

Independence Day

“The 4th of July” is the birthday of the United States of America because the leaders of the new nation published the Declaration of Independence on this date, in 1776.

Many people hang the American flag outside their homes on this day. It is a national holiday, so most people don’t work and there are events all over the country. People celebrate with picnics and barbecues.

Traditionally, they have hamburgers, hot dogs, corn, watermelon and ice cream. As it gets dark, there are concerts and firework displays to end this special day.