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Why is Thanksgiving always on the fourth Thursday in November?

April 26, 2017fourth good question Mayflower national holiday November PILGRIMS President of the United States Thanksgiving Thursday Turkey

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Why is Thanksgiving always on the fourth Thursday in November?

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Lincoln actually chose the last Thursday in November, likely to recognize the Mayflower’s Nov. 21 landing. In 1939, President Franklin D. Roosevelt moved it up to the third Thursday to extend the holiday shopping season and help businesses. However the nation rebelled and, in 1941, Congress declared the fourth Thursday in November as Thanksgiving Day. The President of the United States still has to officially proclaim Thanksgiving Day because it falls on a different date each year. The President also pardons a turkey in a tradition dating back to Harry Truman. Why is turkey the official bird of Thanksgiving? Most historians say it’s simply because there were and are so many of them around. In fact, turkeys are the only breed of poultry native to the western hemisphere. (© MMIX, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.