Posted on Nov 24, 2015
Thanksgiving: Fact or Fiction - Thanksgiving - HISTORY.com
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Did you know that Venison was eaten for Thanksgiving and not Turkey when Thanksgiving was first being celebrated in America?
And here I thought Turkey was the tradtional meat for Thanksgiving till I read these facts.
I also thought Abraham Lincoln signed a proclamation to start the traditional Thanksgiving holiday, but apparently I was wrong about that too.
It seems I was wrong about everything I ever knew about Thanksgiving....and I figured most of you probably are not aware of the Thanksgiving beginnings so I've decided to share it with you since it's right around the corner.
Thanksgiving is just two days away! But before you sit down and eat your Thanksgiving meal, let's find out how well you know your Thanksgiving history...
1. FACT OR FICTION: IN 1863, ABRAHAM LINCOLN BECAME THE FIRST AMERICAN PRESIDENT TO PROCLAIM A NATIONAL DAY OF THANKSGIVING.
2. FACT OR FICTION: NATIVE AMERICANS USED CRANBERRIES, NOW A STAPLE OF MANY THANKSGIVING DINNERS, FOR COOKING AS WELL AS FOR MEDICINAL PURPOSES.
3. FACT OR FICTION: ONE OF AMERICA’S FOUNDING FATHERS THOUGHT THE TURKEY SHOULD BE THE NATIONAL BIRD OF THE UNITED STATES.
4. FACT OR FICTION: THE TRADITION OF PLAYING OR WATCHING FOOTBALL ON THANKSGIVING STARTED WITH THE FIRST NATIONAL FOOTBALL LEAGUE GAME ON THE HOLIDAY IN 1934.
Ready to check your answers?
1. Fiction - George Washington, John Adams and James Madison all issued proclamations urging Americans to observe days of thanksgiving, both for general good fortune and for particularly momentous events (the adoption of the U.S. Constitution, in Washington’s case; and the end of the War of 1812, in Madison’s).
2. Fact - According to the Cape Cod Cranberry Growers’ Assoc., Native Americans used cranberries in a variety of foods, including “pemmican”. They also used it as a medicine to treat arrow punctures and other wounds and as a dye for fabric. The Pilgrims adopted these uses for the fruit and gave it a name "craneberry” because its drooping pink blossoms in the spring reminded them of a crane.
3. Fact - In a letter to his daughter sent in 1784, Benjamin Franklin suggested that the wild turkey would be a more appropriate national symbol for the newly independent United States than the bald eagle (which had earlier been chosen by the Continental Congress).
4. Fiction - The American tradition of college football on Thanksgiving is pretty much as old as the sport itself. The newly formed American Intercollegiate Football Association held its first championship game on Thanksgiving Day in 1876.
For more information click on the link provided to see the video and other facts.
And here I thought Turkey was the tradtional meat for Thanksgiving till I read these facts.
I also thought Abraham Lincoln signed a proclamation to start the traditional Thanksgiving holiday, but apparently I was wrong about that too.
It seems I was wrong about everything I ever knew about Thanksgiving....and I figured most of you probably are not aware of the Thanksgiving beginnings so I've decided to share it with you since it's right around the corner.
Thanksgiving is just two days away! But before you sit down and eat your Thanksgiving meal, let's find out how well you know your Thanksgiving history...
1. FACT OR FICTION: IN 1863, ABRAHAM LINCOLN BECAME THE FIRST AMERICAN PRESIDENT TO PROCLAIM A NATIONAL DAY OF THANKSGIVING.
2. FACT OR FICTION: NATIVE AMERICANS USED CRANBERRIES, NOW A STAPLE OF MANY THANKSGIVING DINNERS, FOR COOKING AS WELL AS FOR MEDICINAL PURPOSES.
3. FACT OR FICTION: ONE OF AMERICA’S FOUNDING FATHERS THOUGHT THE TURKEY SHOULD BE THE NATIONAL BIRD OF THE UNITED STATES.
4. FACT OR FICTION: THE TRADITION OF PLAYING OR WATCHING FOOTBALL ON THANKSGIVING STARTED WITH THE FIRST NATIONAL FOOTBALL LEAGUE GAME ON THE HOLIDAY IN 1934.
Ready to check your answers?
1. Fiction - George Washington, John Adams and James Madison all issued proclamations urging Americans to observe days of thanksgiving, both for general good fortune and for particularly momentous events (the adoption of the U.S. Constitution, in Washington’s case; and the end of the War of 1812, in Madison’s).
2. Fact - According to the Cape Cod Cranberry Growers’ Assoc., Native Americans used cranberries in a variety of foods, including “pemmican”. They also used it as a medicine to treat arrow punctures and other wounds and as a dye for fabric. The Pilgrims adopted these uses for the fruit and gave it a name "craneberry” because its drooping pink blossoms in the spring reminded them of a crane.
3. Fact - In a letter to his daughter sent in 1784, Benjamin Franklin suggested that the wild turkey would be a more appropriate national symbol for the newly independent United States than the bald eagle (which had earlier been chosen by the Continental Congress).
4. Fiction - The American tradition of college football on Thanksgiving is pretty much as old as the sport itself. The newly formed American Intercollegiate Football Association held its first championship game on Thanksgiving Day in 1876.
For more information click on the link provided to see the video and other facts.
Thanksgiving: Fact or Fiction - Thanksgiving - HISTORY.com
Posted from history.comPosted in these groups: 
Thanksgiving
Food/Chow
Thanksgiving Food/Chow
Posted 9 y ago
Responses: 8
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That makes a lot of sense since wild turkeys are pretty scrawny Sgt Kelli Mays
Plump deer were and are much more plentiful than plump wild turkeys. :-)
Plump deer were and are much more plentiful than plump wild turkeys. :-)
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Sgt Kelli Mays
LTC Stephen F. yep, and that the Indian's are the one's who killed the deer and offered up the venison to the pilgrims. I had no idea.
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SSgt Alex Robinson
LTC Stephen F. you haven't seen the wild turkeys that frequent my yard. They are huge. Of course we live in the country and are surrounded by corn and soybean fields
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CPO Andy Carrillo, MS
CPT L S - I suppose you could, but I made venison jerky in my oven and it was sweet and tasty without seasoning. Makes me want to go bowhunting again!
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