6. Thanksgiving Was Always Celebrated in November
It’s easy to assume that Thanksgiving has always fallen in late November, but that wasn’t the case for much of American history. Early celebrations took place on a variety of dates, depending on the region and community. It wasn’t until 1863, during the Civil War, that Abraham Lincoln proclaimed the last Thursday in November as a national holiday. This move helped create the annual tradition we now know, but before then, Thanksgiving’s timing was far from standardized across the country.
