On Thursday, November 26, 1789, the newly formed United States of America celebrated the nation’s first Thanksgiving.
About two months earlier, on September 25, 1789, New Jersey Rep. Elias Boudinot introduced a resolution in the House of Representatives requesting the president “recommend to the people of the United States a day of public thanksgiving and prayer to be observed by acknowledging, with grateful hearts, the many signal favors of Almighty God, especially by affording them an opportunity peaceably to establish a Constitution of government for their safety and happiness.”
Shortly after Congress passed the resolution, on October 3, President George Washington issued the Thanksgiving Proclamation of 1789.
Although most Americans are probably much more familiar with Washington’s Farewell Address than his Thanksgiving Proclamation, the latter is a timeless document that provides keen insight into the Founding Fathers’ ideas about Thanksgiving.
“Thursday the 26th day of November” should “be devoted by the People of these States to the service of that great and glorious Being, who is the beneficent Author of all the good that was, that is, or that will be,” Washington declared. For those who claim the Founders sought to erect a secular government with a wall of separation between church and state, it sure seems like Washington and his colleagues believed the creator, from which we derive our natural rights, was integral to the new nation.
Washington implored Americans to “unite in rendering unto him our sincere and humble thanks--for his kind care and protection of the People of this Country previous to their becoming a Nation--for the signal and manifold mercies, and the favorable interpositions of his Providence which we experienced in the course and conclusion of the late war--for the great degree of tranquility, union, and plenty, which we have since enjoyed.”
Obviously, Washington is expressing his gratitude for the role played by God in America’s victory over the British Crown while reminding the people that their peace and prosperity are also a reflection of God’s goodwill. Again, Washington’s gives grace to God, not himself, for the American victory in the War for Independence.
Then, he thanks Almighty God “for the peaceable and rational manner, in which we have been enabled to establish constitutions of government for our safety and happiness, and particularly the national One now lately instituted--for the civil and religious liberty with which we are blessed; and the means we have of acquiring and diffusing useful knowledge; and in general for all the great and various favors which he hath been pleased to confer upon us.”
In this passage, the president alludes to the fallibility of humanity by emphasizing the need for limited government, individual liberty, and decentralized power. He echoes the principles of the Enlightenment, which questioned the morality of absolute monarchy and other forms of despotism.
Next, he offers “our prayers and supplications to the great Lord and Ruler of Nations and beseech him to pardon our national and other transgressions-- to enable us all, whether in public or private stations, to perform our several and relative duties properly and punctually--to render our national government a blessing to all the people, by constantly being a Government of wise, just, and constitutional laws, discreetly and faithfully executed and obeyed.”
Again, Washington is warning that without the moral guidance of God, the United States could deviate from the righteous path that “all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.”
One could even interpret that Washington is saying that without honorable, hard-working, humble people, liberty, prosperity, and equal justice are in jeopardy.
Lastly, he asks God to protect the world “with good government, peace, and concord--To promote the knowledge and practice of true religion and virtue… and generally to grant unto all Mankind such a degree of temporal prosperity as he alone knows to be best.”
Again, Washington stresses that a virtuous population fosters the conditions for harmony, liberty, and prosperity.
In the nearly 240 years since Washington’s Thanksgiving Proclamation, the world has changed significantly. New technologies have transformed how we communicate, connect, travel, and conduct business. While this has made life more convenient, it has also coincided with a steep decline in church attendance.
As Americans have become less religious in recent years, they’ve also become more depressed, anxious, and hopeless. Perhaps this is just correlation, but I can’t help but wonder if there is a degree of causation too.
This Thanksgiving, amidst all the traveling, cooking, feasting, shopping, and football games, I hope Americans take a moment to appreciate and understand what the Founding Fathers, like George Washington, were thankful for.
Chris Talgo (ctalgo@heartland.org) is editorial director at The Heartland Institute.