The First Official National Thanksgiving was Celebrated – This Day in History

On November 26, 1789, the first national Thanksgiving was celebrated. In the early days of the new American Republic, President George Washington issued a proclamation that helped to establish a cherished national tradition. Washington declared that Thursday, November 26 of that year, should be set aside as a “day of public thanksgiving and prayer.”

This proclamation reflected more than a mere calendar decision—it was a statement about the character and aspirations of the young United States. The text points to “the duty of all Nations to acknowledge the providence of Almighty God, to obey his will, to be grateful for his benefits, and humbly to implore his protection and favour.” In addition to personal piety, the proclamation emphasises collective gratitude for the nation’s recent achievements: “the favourable interpositions of his Providence which we experienced in the course and conclusion of the late war,” and “the great degree of tranquillity, union, and plenty, which we have since enjoyed.”

Importantly, Washington also recognised the significance of the constitutional government recently established: “the peaceable and rational manner in which we have been enabled to establish constitutions of government for our safety and happiness, and particularly the national one now lately instituted.” In this light, the proclamation becomes not only an invitation to thanksgiving but a reaffirmation of the democratic experiment underway in the United States. It eloquently links spiritual thanksgiving to civic responsibility.

The proclamation also calls upon the people to “humbly offer our prayers and supplications … to enable us all…to render our national government a blessing to all the people, by constantly being a Government of wise, just and constitutional laws, discreetly and faithfully executed and obeyed.” Thus, the day of Thanksgiving is cast not simply as a festive pause, but as a moment to consider, pray for, and commit to the health of the republic and the well-being of all its citizens.

By inviting Americans to unite in thanksgiving, acknowledge their recent struggles and triumphs, and look ahead with humility and hope, the proclamation laid an important cultural marker. Over time, the concept of a national day of thanksgiving became woven into American life—and this 1789 proclamation stands as a foundational moment of that tradition.

At Mount Vernon, educators provide this primary‐source document, full transcript, and supporting classroom materials so that students and teachers can explore how Washington and the early government envisioned the meaning of gratitude, governance, and national purpose.

In short, the Thanksgiving Proclamation of 1789 is both a spiritual and civic milestone—inviting a young nation to pause, reflect on divine favour and national achievement, and recommit to the ideals upon which it was founded.