Thanksgiving Day, celebrated on the fourth Thursday in the month of November, every year. It is a time characterized with lot of fun and frolic, gifting, family feasting, community praying etc.

   The natives of UK, pleased the God of fertility by offering him the first sheaf of corn. This was done to ensure a good harvest in the coming season. The ritual of offering an animal sacrifice, generally a hare, is accompanied with the cutting of last sheaf of corn. It is said that the last sheaf of corn contains its spirit. "corn dolls" are made to symbolize Goddess of grain. The entire community is invited for a celebratory dinner as part of the festivity.

   Origin of Thanksgiving Day

Journey of Pilgrims
The legendary pilgrims, crossed the Atlantic in the year 1620 in Mayflower-A 17th Century sailing vessel. About 102 people traveled for nearly two months with extreme difficulty. This was so because they were kept in the cargo space of the sailing vessel. No one was allowed to go on the deck due to terrible storms. The pilgrims comforted themselves by singing Psalms- a sacred song.

Arrival in Plymouth
The pilgrims reached Plymouth rock on December 11th 1620, after a sea journey of 66 days. Though the original destination was somewhere in the northern part of Virginia, they could not reach the place owing to winds blowing them off course. Nearly46 pilgrims died due to extreme cold in winter. However, in the spring of 1621, Squanto, a native Indian taught the pilgrims to survive by growing food.

Day of Fasting and Prayer
In the summer of 1621, owing to severe drought, pilgrims called for a day of fasting and prayer to please God and ask for a bountiful harvest in the coming season. God answered their prayers and it rained at the end of the day. It saved the corn crops.

On 5th November every year, children in Britain get excited because it is Bonfire Night (Guy Fawkes' Night). We lit bonfires and enjoy fireworks displays. On top of the fire is a guy (a homemade model of a man, like a scarecrow).
They're remembering when the King of England, James l, and the Houses of Parliament were nearly blown up with gunpowder.

Why did Guy Fawkes want to kill King James 1st and the king’s leaders?


When Queen Elizabeth 1st took the throne of England she made some laws against the Roman Catholics. Guy Fawkes was one of a small group of Catholics who felt that the government was treating Roman Catholics unfairly. They hoped that King James 1st would change the laws, but he didn't.
Catholics had to practise their religion in secret. There were even fines for people who didn't attend the Protestant church on Sunday or on holy days. James lst passed more laws against the Catholics when he became king.


What happened - the Gungpowder Plot


A group of men led by Robert Catesby, plotted to kill King James and blow up the Houses of Parliament, the place where the laws that governed England were made.

The plot was simple - the next time Parliament was opened by King James lst, they would blow up everyone there with gunpowder. The men bought a house next door to the parliament building. The house had a cellar which went under the parliament building. They planned to put gunpowder under the house and blow up parliament and the king.


Guy Fawkes Discovered

Guy Fawkes was given the job to keep watch over the barrels of gunpowder and to light the fuse. On the morning of 5th November, soldiers discovered Guy hidden in the cellar and arrested him. The trail of gunpowder at his feet would never be lit.


Guy Fawkes was taken to the Tower of London


He was tortured and questioned about the other plotters. To start with he didn't tell the soldiers anything about the plot. But, eventually he started to tell the truth.


A Celebration


In celebration of his survival, King James ordered that the people of England should have a great bonfire on the night on 5th November.