Autumnal Ruminations: Gettysburg
Indian feast? I am sure they had them on occasion, but one in particular that Inspired a national holiday? Not quite. Did you know that it was an American woman, Sarah Josepha Hale, who took it upon herself to petition everybody (and finally the president), to create a national day of thanksgiving? Her ultimate goal was most likely the creation of a national holiday, but perhaps that question is moot.. It is true, that in the fall of 1863, Abraham Lincoln created a national day of thanksgiving, thus establishing a pattern followed by other president s . However, Thanksgiving Day wouldn't become a national holiday until the late1940s. Why did Lincoln do it smack dab in the middle of a civil war? Well, that's the 64,000 dollar question, Dear Reader. Gettysburg also gave us our most famous political speech; Yeah, I know you have already heard or read this, but wasn’t that cool to watch? And, yes, I am going to include this clip at the end of ...