Thanksgiving story

Thanksgiving Day is the fourth Thursday in November. It is a federal holiday, so schools, banks, post offices, and government offices are closed. Thanksgiving was the first holiday celebrated in America. It was first celebrated in the autumn of 1621 when the Wampanoag Indians and the pilgrims got together for a three-day feast and festival of fun. Today, families celebrate Thanksgiving by eating turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes and gravy, yams, corn, cranberry sauce, and pumpkin pie. Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade and an NFL football game are special Thanksgiving Day events. In 2014, Thanksgiving will be on Thursday, November 27. (3 pages)

What is Thanksgiving? It is a federal holiday that is celebrated on the fourth Thursday in November. The first Thanksgiving was in 1621 when the pilgrims invited the Indians to a three-day feast to celebrate the autumn harvest.

Who were the pilgrims? The pilgrims were a small group of people who sailed to North America in order to start a new life. They sailed on the Mayflower ship and landed on Plymouth Rock. They wanted religious freedom.