How Congress Forged Thanksgiving | The Daily Caller
The history of Thanksgiving in the United States goes far beyond the Pilgrims and Turkey: its origins as a national holiday are rooted in congressional action.
Just a year after the colonies declared their independence, during the Revolutionary War, American forces suffered a series of defeats — including the fall of New York and Washington’s retreat through New Jersey — forcing Congress to flee Philadelphia, according to a report from 1777.org. (RELATED: Thanksgiving Is Dying, One Turkey-Free Dinner at a Time)
The Second Continental Congress, meeting in York, Pennsylvania, after the British captured Philadelphia on November 1, 1777, proclaimed a national day of thanksgiving and praise to celebrate the American victory at Saratoga.
May your vacation be filled with family, friends, nature and happiness. From all of us at Interior, have a wonderful and safe Thanksgiving! 🦃
Photo by Christophe Johnson pic.twitter.com/kCAKUYjFM1
– U.S. Department of the Interior (@Interior) November 26, 2025
Although English settlers in Plymouth held a harvest celebration in the fall of 1621 with members of the Wampanoag Native American tribe — an event often recognized as one of the earliest Thanksgiving celebrations and the precursor to the modern holiday, according to History.com — the tradition as a national holiday developed much later.
General George Washington, commander in chief of all Continental forces, who would later become the first president of the United States, issued general orders designating December 18, 1777 – a day observed by all 13 states – “for solemn thanksgiving and praise.”
The day was originally designated to encourage military leaders and their forces, asking them for the wisdom and strength needed to help realize the new nation’s greatest hopes: independence and peace.
After the Revolutionary War ended on September 28, 1789, the First Federal Congress asked President George Washington to proclaim November 26 as a national day of thanksgiving, marking the first such observance under the U.S. Constitution, according to the National Archives Center for Legislative Archives.
Washington followed up two months later, declaring Thursday, November 26, a national day of thanksgiving – the first official Thanksgiving under the new administration. While subsequent presidents have issued similar proclamations, the timing has varied for decades.
It was not until Republican President Abraham Lincoln’s proclamation in 1863 that Thanksgiving became a consistent annual celebration, set for the last Thursday in November, according to the U.S. House of Representatives Historical Highlights of History, Art and Archives.
Abraham Lincoln (1809-1865), 16th President of the United States of America. (Photo by Alexander Gardner/Getty Images)
A few years later, in 1870, Congress officially made Thanksgiving a national holiday, along with Christmas, New Years, and Independence Day. However, unlike other holidays, the law allowed the president to choose the exact date.
Nearly all presidents followed Lincoln’s tradition of proclaiming Thanksgiving on the last Thursday in November – a practice that continued with few exceptions until the arrival of President Franklin D. Roosevelt.
In 1939, Thanksgiving fell on the last Thursday in November, which that year was also the last day of the month. Fearing that a shorter shopping period would hurt a struggling economy, Roosevelt moved the holiday to the penultimate Thursday, according to the National Archives.
A controversial presidential executive order has divided Americans over Thanksgiving. President Roosevelt ordered the U.S. holiday to be brought forward to this week, in an attempt to prolong Christmas shopping and help the economy. Opponents mock “Franksgiving” and will celebrate it next week. pic.twitter.com/BgAs2gp8IN
— WWII Tweets from 1941 (@RealTimeWWII) November 22, 2025
Despite public backlash from those who favored the traditional late November date, the president moved Thanksgiving earlier again in 1940, sparking what became known as the “Franksgiving” chaos. (RELATED: Mr. RIGHT’s Opinion: How to Politely Neutralize Liberals at Your Thanksgiving Dinner)
The decision divided the country, with 32 states adopting the new date and 16 sticking with the original, leading to two competing Thanksgiving holidays for two years. To end the confusion, Congress decided to standardize Thanksgiving in 1941. The House initially supported the last Thursday in November, but the Senate changed it to the fourth Thursday to accommodate the longer months, according to historical highlights.
The final measure passed both chambers after the House approved Michigan Republican Rep. Earl Michener’s bill on October 6. President Roosevelt signed it on December 26, officially establishing the fourth Thursday in November as a legal holiday, beginning in 1942.
