What was the first official national holiday in the United States of America?
Question #130928. Asked by gracious1.
Last updated Jun 04 2021.
Originally posted May 10 2013 5:14 PM.
blantonrk
Answer has 7 votes
Currently Best Answer
blantonrk 16 year member
107 replies
Answer has 7 votes.
Currently voted the best answer.
On June 28, 1870, the Congress of the United States established New Year's Day, Independence Day, Thanksgiving Day, and Christmas Day as federal holidays within the District of Columbia. They later added George Washington's Birthday and expanded the scope to all federal employees.
Response last updated by gtho4 on Jun 04 2021.
May 10 2013, 5:36 PM
elburcher
Answer has 6 votes
elburcher 24 year member
1550 replies
Answer has 6 votes.
On September 28, 1789, just before leaving for recess, the first Federal Congress passed a resolution asking that the President of the United States recommend to the nation a day of thanksgiving. A few days later, President George Washington issued a proclamation naming Thursday, November 26, 1789 as a "Day of Publick Thanksgivin" - the first time Thanksgiving was celebrated under the new Constitution. Subsequent presidents issued Thanksgiving Proclamations, but the dates and even months of the celebrations varied. It wasn't until President Abraham Lincoln's 1863 Proclamation that Thanksgiving was regularly commemorated each year on the last Thursday of November.