In lieu of an abstract, here is a brief excerpt of the content:

  • Historians Meet Thanksgiving: What Would George Do?
  • Sam Wineburg (bio) and Eli Gottlieb (bio)

“George Washington’s Thanksgiving Declaration,” October 3, 1789; as printed inThe Providence Gazette and Country Journal, on October 17, 1789.

By the President of the United States of America. A Proclamation.

WHEREAS it is the duty of all nations to acknowledge the providence of Almighty God, to obey His will, to be grateful for His benefits, and humbly to implore His protection and favor; and whereas both Houses of Congress have, by their joint committee, requested me “to recommend to the people of the United States a day of public thanks giving and prayer, to be observed by acknowledging with grateful hearts the many and signal favors of Almighty God, especially by affording them an opportunity peaceably to establish a form of government for their safety and happiness.”

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 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, and the means we have of acquiring and diffusing useful knowledge; and, in general, for all the great and various favors which He has been pleased to confer upon us.

And also that we may then unite in most humbly offering our prayers and supplications to the great Lord and Ruler of Nations, and beseech Him to pardon our national and other transgressions; to enable us all, whether in public or private stations, to perform our several and relative duties properly and punctually; to render our National Government a blessing to all the people by constantly being a Government of wise, just, and constitutional laws, discreetly and faithfully executed and obeyed; to protect and guide all sovereigns and nations (especially such as have shown kindness to us), and to bless them with good governments, peace, and concord; to promote the knowledge and practice of true religion and virtue, and the increase of science among them and us; and, generally, to grant unto all mankind such a degree of temporal prosperity as He alone knows to be best.

Given under my hand, at the city of New York, the third day of October, in the year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and eighty-nine.


Click for larger view
View full resolution

Henry Brueckner’s 1866 painting The Prayer at Valley Forge, engraved by John C. McRae. Library of Congress, Prints and Photographs Division [reproduction number, LC-DIG-pga-03965].

In a few weeks Amercans of all stripes will lay aside their differences and convene over a Butterball turkey. Our modern holiday can be traced to the earliest days of the republic, even though its best-known symbols—turkeys, Pilgrims, and Indians—didn’t make their appearance until late in the 19th century.1 On September 25, 1789, the day after the House of Representatives agreed on the wording to the Establishment Clause, New Jersey’s Elias Boudinot presented a resolution that would ask the president “to recommend to the people of the United States a day of public thanksgiving and prayer.” Boudinot, along with Roger Sherman and Peter Silvester, presented their resolution to the president on September 28. Five days later Washington read a proclamation setting aside Thursday, November 26 as a national day of thanksgiving.2 More than two centuries later, our fall holiday still offers many Americans a moment to take stock and offer gratitude...

pdf

Share