Thanksgiving is a uniquely American holiday, a day when we give thanks for the freedoms we enjoy as citizens of this great nation. Celebrated on the fourth Thursday in November, it was first observed in 1789 with a proclamation from President George Washington. Thanksgiving was observed sporadically until 1863, when President Lincoln proclaimed a national day of “Thanksgiving and Praise” to be celebrated on the last Thursday in November. Thanksgiving was not an official holiday, however, until 1942, when Congress passed legislation that required it to be observed on the fourth Thursday in November. When we think about Thanksgiving and...

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