TeacherVision - Lesson Plans, Printables and MoreFree Trial  Member Benefits  Sign In    
Click Here
Search:   
  • Home
  • Grades
  • Subjects
  • Printables
  • Lesson Plans
  • Themes
  • Classroom Management
  • Professional Development
1f2n3n

FREE Reference - 1st of 3 Free Items

View 2 more resources at no cost, and then subscribe for full access.

Thanksgiving Fact Sheet

Thanksgiving Day, a national holiday in the United States commemorating the harvest reaped by the Plymouth Colony in 1621, after a winter of great starvation and privation. In that year Gov. William Bradford proclaimed a day of thanksgiving, and the feast was shared by all the colonists and the neighboring Native Americans. Although similar observances were held locally, they were sporadic and at no set time. After the American Revolution the first national Thanksgiving Day, proclaimed by George Washington, was Nov. 26, 1789. Abraham Lincoln, urged by Sarah J. Hale, revived the custom in 1863, appointing as the date the last Thursday of November. In 1939, 1940, and 1941 Franklin D. Roosevelt proclaimed Thanksgiving the third Thursday in November. When a contradiction arose between Roosevelt's proclamation and some of those of state governors, Congress passed a joint resolution in 1941 decreeing that Thanksgiving should fall on the fourth Thursday of November. The day is observed by church services and family reunions; the customary turkey dinner is a reminder of the four wild turkeys served at the Pilgrims' first thanksgiving feast.

Infoplease

Provided by Infoplease.com.

Join TeacherVision
for $39.95 a year and start receiving benefits today!
Free 7-Day Trial

Highlights

2008 Presidential Election Resources

Get your students involved in the presidential-election process by focusing on the 2008 race. We have plenty of resources about voting, elections, and the current candidates to help you structure your classroom discussion and lesson plans.

2009 Educators' Calendar

There's something worth celebrating every day! Find fun and educationally relevant holidays, events, and celebrations for each day of the year.

Green Classroom Practices

Go green in your classroom with environmentally friendly tips that will save you and your school district money! Plus, educate students about ways they can go green with these activities focused on saving the environment.

Daily Printables

Add a TeacherVision widget to your blog, personalized homepage (such as iGoogle or Pageflakes), or social networking sites (such as Facebook). Our widgets feature a different fifth-grade language arts printable or fourth-grade math printable for each day of the year.

October Events

Find educational resources for every day in October. Fill your October lessons with activities for Hispanic Heritage Month (Sept. 15–Oct. 15), Columbus Day (Oct. 13), National Chemistry Week (Oct. 19–25), School Bus Safety Week (Oct. 20–24), and Halloween (Oct. 31).

Online Courses for Busy Teachers

Earn graduate credit with no commute. Finish in as few as 4 weeks. Facilitated online courses from Drake University and Pearson.

Money Saving Advice & Tips for Teachers

Read our money-saving tips to save money on classroom supplies, field trips, and professional development.
About TeacherVision® | Site Map | Advertise | Link to Us | Press Releases | Help | Contact Us
Privacy | Terms of Use | Cancellation Policy

TeacherVision® | MyGradeBook | Quiz Lab | FamilyEducation | FunBrain | InfoPlease | FactMonster
© 2000-2008 Pearson Education, Inc. All Rights Reserved.