The Thanksgiving Legacy of Our Forefathers

A little over 400 years ago, a small group of Pilgrims made the hazardous journey across the Atlantic. After a difficult first year, in the fall of 1621, the survivors and the indigenous people shared three days of feasting, games, and exercises. After the first year, what was left was a small group of 50 people: 22 men, four married women, and 25 children and teenagers. Soon their celebration became an annual tradition for Americans. In 1863, Abraham Lincoln officially named the last Thursday of November as a Thanksgiving national holiday. Believe it or not, this history has some important economic lessons for today.