| 1. When did Thanksgiving start? The first Thanksgiving | | | | Many think of turkey as something only for special |
| in the land that later became the U.S. was in 1621. It | | | | occasions. For example, many families have turkey for |
| became a national holiday in 1863, during the Civil War. | | | | Christmas. Others try to eat it more often - for |
| The first Thanksgiving in what became Canada was in | | | | example, in sandwiches. |
| 1578. Thanksgiving became a national holiday in 1879. | | | | 7. What is the horn full of fruit that you see in |
| 2. Whose idea was it? In the U.S., settlers called the | | | | decorations? It's a cornucopia (horn of plenty) that's a |
| Pilgrims decided to thank God for their first harvest. In | | | | symbol of the harvest. |
| Canada, Martin Frobisher, an English explorer, gave | | | | 8. Why do we celebrate the harvest when most of us |
| thanks for a safe voyage. | | | | aren't farmers? We remember the times when most |
| 3. Who were the Pilgrims? A pilgrim is someone who | | | | people in North America grew their own food. And we |
| makes a trip for religious reasons. The Pilgrims who | | | | think of the good things in our lives for the past year. |
| held the first Thanksgiving were strict Protestants, who | | | | 9. Why does the President of the U.S. "pardon" a |
| came to North America because they felt they could | | | | turkey every Thanksgiving? This is something that's |
| not live holy lives in Europe. | | | | done to make people feel good on the holiday. Nobody |
| 4. Why is turkey part of the dinner? Turkey is native to | | | | knows how or when it began. The turkeys are sent to |
| the Americas, like many of the other foods eaten at | | | | live on farms. |
| Thanksgiving. It became a Thanksgiving tradition in the | | | | 10. What is "Black Friday"? The day after U.S. |
| early 19th century. | | | | Thanksgiving, when lots of people begin their |
| 5. What's stuffing? It's a mixture of dry breadcrumbs | | | | Christmas shopping. No one knows why it's called |
| and spices, put in the inside of the turkey before it's | | | | "black". It may be because the malls are so crowded, |
| cooked. It can also contain vegetables, nuts, and even | | | | it's unpleasant to be there. It may be because, on that |
| meat or fish. You can buy instant stuffing at the | | | | day, stores can be sure they're "in the black" - not |
| supermarket. | | | | losing money. |
| 6. Do North Americans eat turkey at any other times? | | | | |