Most kids these days vaguely know the history of Thanksgiving. They know about the Pilgrims and the Mayflower. They trace their hands and make colorful turkeys in school and maybe have a play. But most kids do not have much depth to their understanding of Thanksgiving or how it came to be an annual holiday. They especially have little understanding of the incredible role that praising, thanking and worshipping God played in the story (it took over 200 years for the holiday to become a national annual tradition).

To prove my point – ask them this: “Do you know who Sarah Josepha Hale is?” Likely, they will look at you with blank stares.

Sarah Josepha Hale was a writer, editor and social reformer. She petitioned numerous presidents over 21 years to have an official national Thanksgiving holiday. Politicians like George Washington and Thomas Jefferson had called for periodic days of thanksgiving and praise to God since the early days of our country. However, there was no annual holiday. This troubled Sarah Josepha Hale. In 1852, she wrote this: “The American people have two peculiar festivals, each connected with their history and therefore of great importance in giving power and distinctness to their nationality. The Fourth of July is the exponent of independence and civil freedom. Thanksgiving Day is the national pledge of Christian faith in God, acknowledging Him as the dispenser of blessings. These two festivals should be joyfully and universally observed throughout our whole country, and thus incorporated in our habits of thought as inseparable from American life.”

Finally, the fruit of her labor came about with a response from President Lincoln. In 1863, Lincoln set the last Thursday in November as the official annual Thanksgiving holiday: “We are prone to forget the Source from which [the blessings of fruitful years and healthful skies] come… No human counsel hath devised nor hath any mortal hand worked out these great things. They are the gracious gifts of the Most High God… I do, therefore invite my fellow-citizens in every part of the United States… to observe the last Thursday of November next as a day of thanksgiving and praise to our beneficent Father. Who dwelleth in the heavens.”

Why do kids know so little about the rich Christian heritage of the United States? When Stephen was a teacher, his principal strongly discouraged (and ultimately banned) him from using primary source historical documents that included any reference to faith. Thanksgiving was no exception. The result? Kids generally get a very revisionist teaching of history. Because of widespread misapplication of the phrase, “Separation of Church and State” (click here for recent blog), a whole generation has grown up with little understanding of the major role that Christianity played in the history of our country.

Please take some time this Thanksgiving to make sure those with whom you are celebrating understand not only the incredible faith and perseverance of the Pilgrims, but also the rest of the history of this uniquely American holiday. Click here to download our quick reference sheet on Thanksgiving. Little-known Christians like Sarah Josepha Hale are an inspiring example that every day people can make a difference in history. Let’s honor the Christians who came before us and give God our praise and thanksgiving this holiday.

We hope this resource sheet helps.