Americans celebrated their primary official national Thanksgiving vacation on this day in 1789, in accordance with President George Washington’s statement.
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Americans had reason to be appreciative of their new country, the discovery of their hopes and dreams, the privileges they had fought for, and the deaths of their loved ones, after years of war and domestic political upheaval. And our ancestors credited the Creator, the just King America recognizes, with giving us the rights the Founders so dearly valued. They also knew Whom to bless most for their liberties and prosperity.  ,
From a heart overflowing with thanks, Washington wrote,” Now I do suggest and assign the citizens of these States to the services of that great and glorious Being, who is the benign Creator of all the great that was, that is, or will be.”
The second President was asked by Congress to “recommend a moment of common thanksgiving and meditation to be observed by acknowledging with thankful hearts the many benefits of Almighty God, particularly by allowing them the chance to peacefully create a form of government for their safety and happiness.”
Washington was happy to oblige. Washington was aware that love is a key for joy, just like everyone else on North American soil who had celebrated Thanksgiving before him, from Columbus to the Spanish colonists in Florida to the Pilgrims to his brother Rebels during the conflict.
As a devout Christian, Washington held the view that loyalty or a love of liberty were just as important as a foundation for America’s future prosperity and morality. He thanked God for the “peaceable and moral way” by which we were able to establish governments of government for our safety and happiness, and especially the recently instituted national one, for the means we have of acquiring and disseminating useful information, and in public for the numerous and grand favors he has been pleased to grant to us.
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Related:  , Thanksgiving: Washington, Lincoln, the Pilgrims, and the Virtue of Gratitude
This year, we in America have much to be grateful for as a nation. The most prosperous and free country in world history is where we live. Most of us have amenities and comforts that were previously only dreamable about. The anti-Constitution Democrats were resoundingly defeated in the 2024 election, and we can look forward to a return of peace, prosperity, and patriotism under a Trump-Vance administration.
The beginning of a new era is emerging as we begin to win over the culture wars, despite the fact that there is still a lot of work to do. We should take some time this week to thank” that great and glorious Being, who is the beneficent Author of all the good that was,” for the blessings He has extended to us.
Read Washington’s full 1789 Thanksgiving Proclamation below:
by the American president. a Proclamation.
While both Houses of Congress have requested that I “recommend a day of public thanksgiving and prayer be observed by acknowledging with grateful hearts the numerous signal favors of Almighty God especially by allowing them the opportunity to establish a form of government for their safety and happiness is the duty of all Nations to acknowledge the providence of Almighty God, to obey his will, to be grateful for his benefits, and to be respectfully imploring his protection and favor,” and to do so in accordance with that request by their
Therefore, I do advise and designate Thursday, November 26 as a day designated for the benefit of the people of these States to be dedicated to the service of that great and wonderful Being, who is the beneficent Author of all the good that was, is, or will be, so that we may all unite in giving him our sincere and humble thanks for the signal and manifold mercies, and the favorable interpositions of his Providence that we experienced in the course and conclusion of the late war, for the great degree of tranquil
[And ] also so that we can all sing our national anthems and petitions to the great Lord and Ruler of Nations and beg him to pardon our national and other transgressions, to keep our national government a blessing to all the people, by consistently being a Government of wise, just, and constitutional laws, discreetly and faithfully carried out and obeyed, to promote the development of true religion and virtue, and to increase science among them and us, and generally to grant to all Mankind such a
Given to me on the third day of October 1789 at the City of New York.
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