Simone Lawson
In 1789, the first Congress asked President George Washington to declare a day of Thanksgiving. This was the first presidential proclamation of Thanksgiving in the United States, and it was also the first law passed by Congress. Washington's Thanksgiving Proclamation was addressed to individuals and governments, including a plea for the National Government to be a blessing to all the people by constantly being a Government of wise, just, and constitutional laws. While Washington's proclamation was controversial, it was guided by his belief in the value of a Thanksgiving day, which he had demonstrated during the Revolutionary War by ordering special thanksgiving services for his troops after successful battles.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Date of Thanksgiving Proclamation | 3 October 1789 |
| Date of Thanksgiving | 26 November 1789 |
| First presidential proclamation | Yes |
| First official Thanksgiving | No |
| First Thanksgiving | No |
| Constitutional government | Yes |
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What You'll Learn
George Washington's Thanksgiving Proclamation of 1789
In 1789, the year the United States government was established, George Washington—the country's first president—issued a proclamation recognising a Thanksgiving holiday to be celebrated on Thursday, November 26, 1789.
Washington's proclamation was the first presidential proclamation of Thanksgiving in the United States. It was also the first proclamation issued by Washington during his presidency. The proclamation was made on October 3, 1789, and sent to the states' governors with instructions to post and publish it for all to see.
The proclamation was made at the request of Congress, specifically five members of the First Congress, who approached Washington with the idea of a national proclamation to "recommend to the people of the United States a day of public thanksgiving and prayer". The request was made sometime before September 28, 1789, and the resulting proclamation was printed in newspapers, including the October 9, 1789, issue of the Pennsylvania Packet and Daily Advertiser.
Washington's Thanksgiving Proclamation addressed individuals and governments, including a plea to:
> "render our National Government a blessing to all the people by constantly being a Government of wise, just, and constitutional laws."
The proclamation also referenced the Constitution, noting that the people had been afforded the opportunity:
> " [...] peaceably to establish constitutions of government for their safety and happiness, and particularly the national One now lately instituted [...]."
While it is unclear if the proclamation was an executive order in the modern sense, Washington believed he had the power to issue such orders based on the implied powers reserved for the President in Article II of the Constitution.
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The Continental Congress and Thanksgiving
The Continental Congress proclaimed a Day of Thanksgiving in November 1777, after the American victory at Saratoga during the American Revolution. This was the first official Thanksgiving. However, the concept of Thanksgiving was not new to the citizens of the United States. Colonists often established one-time thanksgiving days to mark certain occasions, such as military victories or alliances. These events usually emphasized prayer and spiritual reflection and were more solemn than the Thanksgiving celebrated today.
In 1789, the first Congress asked President George Washington to declare a national Thanksgiving Day. This request was controversial, with some Southern politicians opposing the idea due to concerns about the mixing of politics and religion. Despite this, Washington issued a proclamation recognizing a Thanksgiving holiday to be celebrated in late November 1789. In his proclamation, Washington included a plea to "render our National Government a blessing to all the people by constantly being a Government of wise, just, and constitutional laws".
Washington's Thanksgiving Proclamation was the first presidential proclamation of Thanksgiving in the United States. It was published on October 3, 1789, and sent to the states' governors with the request to make sure it was posted and published for all to see. The proclamation designated Thursday, November 26, 1789, as a day of public thanksgiving and prayer.
While Washington's proclamation was not explicitly mentioned in the Constitution, it set a precedent for future presidential directives and helped establish the tradition of Thanksgiving as a national holiday. Abraham Lincoln's 1863 Thanksgiving Proclamation, for example, followed Washington's original proclamation closely, designating the same date as Thanksgiving Day.
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The first official Thanksgiving
The National Thanksgiving Proclamation was the first presidential proclamation of Thanksgiving in the United States. On October 3, 1789, President George Washington declared Thursday, November 26, 1789, as a day of public thanksgiving and prayer.
The proclamation was made at the request of Congress. It was the first time a day of thanksgiving was proclaimed by the constitutional government. Washington's proclamation was guided by the belief that the president had the power to issue executive orders based on the implied powers reserved for him in Article II of the Constitution.
The proclamation was not without controversy. Some Southern politicians opposed an official Thanksgiving due to concerns about the mixing of politics and religion. Elias Boudinot, however, felt that all citizens of the United States should have the opportunity to give thanks to God for the blessings bestowed upon them.
The concept of Thanksgiving was not new to the citizens of the United States. Colonists often established one-time thanksgiving days to mark certain occasions, such as military victories and alliances. These events usually emphasised prayer and spiritual reflection and were more solemn than the Thanksgiving celebrated today.
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The role of Congress in establishing Thanksgiving
The National Thanksgiving Proclamation was the first presidential proclamation of Thanksgiving in the United States. Congress played a key role in establishing Thanksgiving by requesting that President George Washington declare a day of public thanksgiving and prayer. In September 1789, five members of the First Congress approached President Washington with this idea. Congress's request was not without controversy, with some Southern politicians opposing an official Thanksgiving due to concerns about the mixing of politics and religion.
On October 3, 1789, President Washington issued a proclamation declaring Thursday, November 26, 1789, as a day of public thanksgiving and prayer. This proclamation was addressed to both individuals and governments, including a plea for wise, just, and constitutional laws. It was printed in newspapers and sent to the states' governors with instructions to post and publish it for all to see.
While President Washington's proclamation is considered the first presidential proclamation of Thanksgiving, the concept of Thanksgiving was not new to the citizens of the United States. Colonists often established "thank days" to mark certain occasions, and these one-time events could occur at any time of the year. Additionally, in 1777, during the American Revolution, the Continental Congress proclaimed a Day of Thanksgiving after the American victory at Saratoga.
Thanksgiving was not made a legal holiday until 1941 when Congress named the fourth Thursday in November as the national day of thanks. This action by Congress was in response to public outcry over President Roosevelt's attempt to prolong the Christmas holiday.
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The constitutionality of a national Thanksgiving
The National Thanksgiving Proclamation was the first presidential proclamation of Thanksgiving in the United States. It was issued by President George Washington on October 3, 1789, and declared November 26, 1789, as a day of public thanksgiving and prayer.
The proclamation was made at the request of Congress, specifically by five members of the First Congress, who approached President Washington with the idea of a national proclamation. This request was controversial, with some Southern politicians opposing an official Thanksgiving due to concerns about the mixing of politics and religion.
The Constitution, as written and ratified, did not explicitly mention executive orders or proclamations, and there is no specific provision directing the President to issue such orders. However, Washington believed he had the power to issue executive orders based on the implied powers reserved for the President in Article II.
The concept of Thanksgiving was not new to the citizens of the United States, as colonists often established days of thanksgiving to mark certain occasions, such as military victories or alliances. These one-off events predated the European settlement of North America and were usually more solemn than the Thanksgiving celebrated today.
In conclusion, while the National Thanksgiving Proclamation by President Washington may not have been explicitly based on the Constitution, it was likely within the scope of the President's implied powers. The proclamation was made in response to a request from Congress and followed a tradition of establishing days of thanksgiving that predated the United States' formation.
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Frequently asked questions
Yes, President George Washington created the first Thanksgiving in 1789.
George Washington created Thanksgiving at the request of Congress. Elias Boudinot introduced a resolution to ask Washington to declare a day of public thanksgiving and prayer.
It is debated whether George Washington's Thanksgiving Proclamation was an executive order. The Constitution does not mention executive orders by name, and there is no specific provision or clause that directs the President to issue executive orders.
