感恩节英语介绍

TheStoryofAmericanThanksgiving

(ContributedbyBingWei,GrannyBetty'sStoryTime

)每逢11月第四个星期四，美国人迎来了自己最重要的传统节日感恩节。感恩节，原是清教徒为感谢上天赐与的好收成，同时，也表达了新英格兰“移民”对印第安土著居民最初的谢意。如今，这一传统节日更多意味着合家团聚。下文以历史为脉络，探究了感恩节的渊源，并把目光锁定在1621年翔实的感恩“盛宴”上。阅读完文字，别忘点击附带的小测试。

ThanksgivingDayisanAmericanholidayandnotcelebratedincontinentalEurope.OnthefourthThursdayofeachNovember,familiesandfriendsgathertogetherfortheoccasiontocelebratewithatraditionalturkeydinner,usuallyinthemid-afternoon.Thanksgivingoriginatedasacelebrationoftheyear'sharvestandissimilartotheMid-AutumnFestivalinChina.

TheoriginoftheThanksgivingDay

ThisAmericantraditionstartedin1621beforetheUnitedStatesofAmericawasestablished.Itwasahugecelebrationforahard-earnedharvestthefirstyearafterarrivingintheNewWorld.OnSeptember6,1620,theMayflowershipsetsailfromPlymouth,Devon,England,takingalltheEnglishPilgrims（清教徒）totheNewWorld.TheEnglishPilgrimsnumberedaboutahundredpeople,andleftEnglandtoescapereligiouspersecution.TheirvoyagetotheNewWorldwasfinancedbyMerchantAdventurers,anEnglishinvestorgroup.ThePilgrimssailedsixty-sixdays,arrivedintheNewWorldinNovemberofthesameyear.TheyfirstsettledinacornfieldabandonedbyNativeIndiansandnameditPlymouthPlantation.TheyworkedonthelandwithmuchdifficultyandwerebesetbyadevastatingplagueinwhichhalfofthePilgrimdiedinthelongwinterof1620.Inthespringof1621,anIndianbravenamedSquantoandherWampanoag（瓦帕浓人，北美印第安人阿尔琴族一部落）tribecametotheirhelp.ThetribetaughtthePilgrimshowtoworktheearthandplantcorn,beans,pumpkins,squashandothercrops.

TheThanksgivingfeastin1621

InlateSeptember1621,thePilgrimswerepleasedwiththeirgreatharvest.Tocelebratetheirfirstharvest,thePilgrimswantedtothankGodandtheNativeIndian.TheyinvitedSquantoandtheentireWampanoagtribethatcelebratetogetherinasharedfeast.

ItwassaidaboutninetyWampanoagturnedup,muchtothesurpriseofthePilgrims,whosepopulationhadshrunktonomorethan50.Thechiefofthetribehadhismenhuntfivedeertobringtothefeast.ThefirstThanksgivingdinnerhadanelaboratemenuwithvenison,wildturkey,goose,duck,crane,swan,andotherwaterfowl;theyalsohaslocalseafood:clams,lobsters,mussels,salmon,cod,bass,herring,shad,bluefish,lotsofeelandoysters.Theyalsocookedplentyofvegetables,amongthemsquash,pumpkinsandbeanswerethemostpopular.

Theyateraspberries,strawberries,grapes,plums,cherries,blueberries,walnuts,chestnuts,acorns,hickoryandgroundnuts,wheatflour,Indiancornandcornmealandtheymadebeeroutofbarley.Thepumpkinpuddingwaslaterdevelopedintothetraditionalpumpkinpie.

ThefirstThanksgivingdinnerissaidtohavelastedfromthreedaystooneweekwithmuchfood,beerandliquor.ThePilgrimsandtheNativeIndiansattogetherontheground,sharedfoodwithfingersorusedroughplatesmadeofwoodorstalebread.Theyranraces,playedoldEnglishgamesandstagedparadesduringthefestive,withmarches,drumsandfiringoftheirmuskets.

"Thanksgiving"relatedtotheBible

Thephrase"thanksgiving"initiallycomesfromtheBible.ThePilgrimsofPlymouth,however,weremainlyPuritansandstrictCalvinistProtestants.TheyonlyobservedthreereligiousholidaysfromtheNewTestament:SundaySabbath,DaysofFastingandhumiliationandThanksgiving.Thanksgivingmarkedfavourable("mercies")incommunitylife.ThefirstThanksgivingfestivalwasindeedatimeofhappiness,fellowshipandrejoicingforthePilgrims.TheyarrangedafriendlytreatywiththeNativeAmericanIndians,builthousesinthewilderness,andraisedsufficientcropstofeedthemselvesfortheupcominglongwinter.ThePilgrimshadbecomethefirstgenerationofsettlersinthisnewlandholdingsomuchpromise.Fromthenon,ThanksgivingbecameaholidayforcelebratingtheharvestintheNewWorld,datesvariedfromOctobertoNovembereachyearoverthenext150years.

Thanksgiving,theNationalholiday

ThefirstNationalThanksgivingwasdeclaredbytheContinentalCongressin1777.OnOctober3,1789,PresidentGeorgeWashingtondeclaredthatthepeopleoftheUnitedStatesshouldobserve"adayofpublicthanksgivingandprayer"onThursday,26November.

ManysaythecreditfortheestablishmentofanannualThanksgivingholidayshouldbegiventoSarahJosephaHale.BeingtheeditorofLadiesMagazineandGodey'sLady'sBook,shelobbiedtothegovernors,senators,andpresidentsforanationalholidayandpublishedstoriesandrecipesforthatdayinhermagazine.After36yearsofcrusading,shewonherbattle.In1863,buoyedbytheUnionvictoryatGettysburg,PresidentLincolnproclaimedthatNovember26,wouldbeanationalThanksgivingDay,tobeobservedeveryyearonthefourthThursdayofNovember.

In1941,aCongressionalJointResolutionsetthefourthThursdayofNovemberasanationalholidayforThanksgiving.

Thereyouare-thebriefhistoryofThanksgiving-adayinAmericaforfamiliesandfriendstogathertoget