Should we all mark thanksgiving day? Yesterday, Americans took a day off to eat turkey and pumpkin pie together. For many this simple holiday is better than Christmas.
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Revealed! Giving thanks can make us happier
Should we all mark thanksgiving day? Yesterday, Americans took a day off to eat turkey and pumpkin pie together. For many this simple holiday is better than Christmas.
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What's happening?
Yesterday, the whole of the USA was on holiday. About 276 million people spent the afternoon eating dinner with their families.
Why? Because it was Thanksgiving Day.
Find out more
Thanksgiving has been a national holiday in the USA since 1863.
But the traditionA custom or event that has been taking place for many years, often passed down from generation to generation. of Thanksgiving is much older. The meal is based on one that took place in 1621. Members of the native WampanoagA loose confederation of tribes. Their relationship with the settlers is not quite as the story of Thanksgiving tells it. The settlers brought across smallpox which turned into a deadly epidemic. Hundreds of Wampanoag died. The colonists took their land and sold survivors into slavery. tribe showed English settlersPeople who came from another country to create a new town - or settlement. Lots of Christian pilgrims sailed across from England in the 1600s. how to cook and eat local food.
Now, Thanksgiving is still a huge holiday. Yesterday, people ate 40 million turkeys. They cooked $96m worth of stuffing. And 50 million pumpkin pies were baked.
Some experts say Thanksgiving is not just a big party. It can be good for us, too. Studies show that being thankful makes us feel happier.
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Should we all mark thanksgiving day?
Some say
Yes. It is good to spend some time thinking about what we are grateful for. Plus, the feast is an extra treat!
Others think
No. America is a rich country where most people can afford a nice meal to have with their family. Not everyone is so lucky!
Keywords
Tradition - A custom or event that has been taking place for many years, often passed down from generation to generation.
Wampanoag - A loose confederation of tribes. Their relationship with the settlers is not quite as the story of Thanksgiving tells it. The settlers brought across smallpox which turned into a deadly epidemic. Hundreds of Wampanoag died. The colonists took their land and sold survivors into slavery.
Settlers - People who came from another country to create a new town - or settlement. Lots of Christian pilgrims sailed across from England in the 1600s.
Revealed! Giving thanks can make us happier
Glossary
Tradition - A custom or event that has been taking place for many years, often passed down from generation to generation.
Wampanoag - A loose confederation of tribes. Their relationship with the settlers is not quite as the story of Thanksgiving tells it. The settlers brought across smallpox which turned into a deadly epidemic. Hundreds of Wampanoag died. The colonists took their land and sold survivors into slavery.
Settlers - People who came from another country to create a new town – or settlement. Lots of Christian pilgrims sailed across from England in the 1600s.