Thanksgiving Essay Example For Students

Thanksgiving Essay Thanksgiving Essay Day In todays meeting, the President of the United States of America, George W. Bush, officially announced he is having a Thanksgiving party at his ranch in Crawford, Texas this weekend. Throughout the day, invitations were sent out all over the White House. My body grew tremendously excited at the possibility that maybe this year I would be invited. My partner Bill walked in with his invitation in his hand, wagged it around as though it were merely nothing to him and then threw it aimlessly towards the trash can but missed. We will write a custom essay on Thanksgiving specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now My eyes grew large as I was extremely angered by the offense he had just committed in front of me. To my surprise, he caught my severe look and politely asked, Would you rather go instead of me? I could simply change the name without anyone knowing. The tension on my face began to ease as I looked up at him from my seat and to my amusement my lips formed a strong smile in answer to his question. The process took only a short moment but in that time I carefully observed the paper in Bills hand and couldnt help but notice its beauty. The thickness of the card clearly showed its expense and the soft colors of the shade blue played along the edges of the card, showing its artistic side for the affair. And now I was a member. Once I got to my apartment I called my family back home to tell them about the exciting news. Father wasnt home but the message was reassured to get through to him, making sure plans were still set. I packed everything I thought I would need and headed off to sleep. My legs trembled as they always did at times like these and before I knew it the sunlight crept into my bedroom, slowly covering it completely. Now, it was time to go. I arrived at the ranch on time with everybody else so that I would blend in. There stood President Bush, his lovely wife Laura and the adorable twins Barbara and Jenna. It was the twins 23rd birthday as well, so the celebration was going to be a big hit. On the left side of the President stood everybody else from his team like Vice President Richard B.Cheney, Defense Secretary Rumsfeld, Secretary of State Powell, and National Security Advisor Rice. The Vice President seemed happy and eager to eat as he kept rubbing his pot belly. Rice continued throughout the time keeping her firm, strict face as though she didnt quite understand the concept of what a vacation meant which was to relax. And finally the Presidents speech about the meaning and importance of Thanksgiving came along. This included special guests the King and Queen of Spain who would be attending the ball. Extra people I didnt know about but thrilled to know I would be in the presence of such royalty. Afternoon activities included horse back riding, swimming and other outdoor sports. The lunch was amazing. The menu consisted of free-range fresh turkey with giblet gravy, prairie chapel bass, mashed sweet potatoes with maple syrup and chipotle peppers, pan-roasted root vegetables, walnuts and apples, cornbread stuffing, pecan pie, pumpkin pie, and ice cream of all favors for desert. The President, his family and guests all ate inside for security reasons, so I was stuck sitting at the table with people from work. At the end after the food I knew what I needed, a nice cigarette so I went in search for a spot in which I would smoke. But before lighting up I realized I was at the far end of the villa in which I could clearly see into the Presidents office. There he was having a discussion with his advisor about some issue concerning the lack of security. He seemed very worried; by the way he was pacing rapidly back and forth with his hands folded. Before I could get caught I got myself out of there. .uc9612146caef83bb971ac0425dd04c20 , .uc9612146caef83bb971ac0425dd04c20 .postImageUrl , .uc9612146caef83bb971ac0425dd04c20 .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .uc9612146caef83bb971ac0425dd04c20 , .uc9612146caef83bb971ac0425dd04c20:hover , .uc9612146caef83bb971ac0425dd04c20:visited , .uc9612146caef83bb971ac0425dd04c20:active { border:0!important; } .uc9612146caef83bb971ac0425dd04c20 .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .uc9612146caef83bb971ac0425dd04c20 { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .uc9612146caef83bb971ac0425dd04c20:active , .uc9612146caef83bb971ac0425dd04c20:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .uc9612146caef83bb971ac0425dd04c20 .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .uc9612146caef83bb971ac0425dd04c20 .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .uc9612146caef83bb971ac0425dd04c20 .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .uc9612146caef83bb971ac0425dd04c20 .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .uc9612146caef83bb971ac0425dd04c20:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .uc9612146caef83bb971ac0425dd04c20 .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .uc9612146caef83bb971ac0425dd04c20 .uc9612146caef83bb971ac0425dd04c20-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .uc9612146caef83bb971ac0425dd04c20:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: Microsoft Windows Essay Time flew until it was time for the ballroom party. I wore my violet, long, stain dress and left my hair down. Simple, but I knew I looked good. Confident I walked in with . Thanksgiving Essay Example For Students Thanksgiving Essay Thanksgiving Essay The truth behind the tradition is surprising. Thanksgiving and the Pilgrims seem to go together, but the truth is, the Pilgrims never held an autumnal Thanksgiving feast. However the Pilgrims did have a feast in 1621, after their first harvest, and it is this feast, which people often refer to as The First Thanksgiving. This feast was never repeated, though, so it cant be called the beginning of a tradition, nor was it termed by the colonists or Pilgrims a Thanksgiving Feast. In fact, a day of thanksgiving was a day of prayer and fasting, and would have been held any time that they felt an extra day of thanks was called for. We will write a custom essay on Thanksgiving specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now Nevertheless, the 1621 feast has become a model that we think of for our own Thanksgiving. The Pilgrims were not the first people to have a celebration of this kind. Many other civilizations held festivals to celebrate the harvest. The ancient Greeks and Romans prayed to the gods and goddesses of the harvest, and also originated the idea of the cornucopiathe horn of plenty. The Jews celebrate the holiday Sukkot, which honors the awards of the harvest, and the Chinese enjoy the celebration of the Harvest Moon. Even native New Yorkers commemorate the harvest long before Thanksgiving arrives. Pumpkins, apples and corn are abundant in the open-air markets of the city beginning in late September. The autumn of 1621 yielded a plentiful harvest and the Pilgrims, gathered together with the Massasoit Indians to reap the awards of hard work. Celebrating Thanksgiving is like celebrating an even that includes the dead of over 11,000 Wampanoag Indians died due to illnesses that they contracted from white settlers. The truth of the matter is, when the Pilgrims arrived, they found an abandoned Wampanoag village and moved right in. In 1618, a massive epidemic of an unknown disease left by English explorers swept across Wampanoag country and decimated many of the villages. This epidemic caused the death of ten to thirty percent of the total population and all but a few of the 2,000 people of the village of Patuxet. When the Pilgrims arrived in 1620, they landed at Patuxet with no idea of what had occurred. At this point, there were only about 2,000 members left in the Wampanoag tribe, down from 12,000 in 1600. Despite the incredible losses to his people, Wampanoag leader Massasoit and 90 of his men sat down for a harvest celebration offered by the white men. For three days the Wampanoag and Pilgrims feasted on deer, wild turkey, fish, beans, squash, corn and other foods native to North America. Although the celebration was good-natured, this event truly signifies the beginning of a drastic decline of native culture and Thanksgiving would be more fittingly observed as a day of mourning rather than a celebration. In the years that followed, skirmishes occurred and more Native Americans were killed. In 1637, English soldiers massacred 700 Pequot men, women and children as an example of the English way of war, yet we still celebrate Thanksgiving as a joyful event. So, as we sit down for our Thanksgiving dinner, let us consider the words of Frank James in his 1970 speech: Today is a time of celebrating for you but it is not a time of celebrating for me. It is with a heavy heart that I look back upon what happened to my people. When the Pilgrims arrived, we, the Wampanoags, welcomed them with open arms, little knowing that it was the beginning of the end. . Thanksgiving Essay Example For Students Thanksgiving Essay Thanksgiving Essay Day, national holiday in the U.S. commemorating the harvest reaped by the Plymouth Colony in 1621. The first national Thanksgiving Day was proclaimed by Pres. Washington for Nov. 26, 1789. Pres. Lincoln revived the custom in 1863. In 1941 Congress decreed that Thanksgiving should fall on the fourth Thursday of November. The customary turkey dinner is a reminder of the four wild turkeys served at the PILGRIMS first thanksgiving feast. national holiday in the United States commemorating the harvest reaped by the Plymouth Colony in 1621, after a winter of great starvation and privation. In that year Gov. William Bradford proclaimed a day of thanksgiving, and the feast was shared by all the colonists and the neighboring Native Americans. Although similar observances were held locally, they were sporadic and at no set time. After the American Revolution the first national Thanksgiving Day, proclaimed by George Washington, was Nov. 26, 1789. Abraham Lincoln, urged by Sarah J. We will write a custom essay on Thanksgiving specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now Hale, revived the custom in 1863, appointing as the date the last Thursday of November. In 1939, 1940, and 1941 Franklin D. Roosevelt proclaimed Thanksgiving the third Thursday in November. When a contradiction arose between Roosevelts proclamation and some of those of state governors, Congress passed a joint resolution in 1941 decreeing that Thanksgiving should fall on the fourth Thursday of November. The day is observed by church services and family reunions; the customary turkey dinner is a reminder of the four wild turkeys served at the Pilgrims first thanksgiving feast. Bibliography: Student Referance Library . Thanksgiving Essay Example For Students Thanksgiving Essay Thanksgiving Essay Day, national holiday in the U.S. commemorating the harvest reaped by the Plymouth Colony in 1621. The first national Thanksgiving Day was proclaimed by Pres. Washington for Nov. 26, 1789. Pres. Lincoln revived the custom in 1863. In 1941 Congress decreed that Thanksgiving should fall on the fourth Thursday of November. The customary turkey dinner is a reminder of the four wild turkeys served at the PILGRIMS first thanksgiving feast. national holiday in the United States commemorating the harvest reaped by the Plymouth Colony in 1621, after a winter of great starvation and privation. In that year Gov. William Bradford proclaimed a day of thanksgiving, and the feast was shared by all the colonists and the neighboring Native Americans. Although similar observances were held locally, they were sporadic and at no set time. After the American Revolution the first national Thanksgiving Day, proclaimed by George Washington, was Nov. 26, 1789. Abraham Lincoln, urged by Sarah J. We will write a custom essay on Thanksgiving specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now Hale, revived the custom in 1863, appointing as the date the last Thursday of November. In 1939, 1940, and 1941 Franklin D. Roosevelt proclaimed Thanksgiving the third Thursday in November. When a contradiction arose between Roosevelts proclamation and some of those of state governors, Congress passed a joint resolution in 1941 decreeing that Thanksgiving should fall on the fourth Thursday of November. The day is observed by church services and family reunions; the customary turkey dinner is a reminder of the four wild turkeys served at the Pilgrims first thanksgiving feast. Bibliography Student Referance Library History Reports . Thanksgiving Essay Example For Students Thanksgiving Essay When the Mayflower landed at Plymouth Rock almost four centuries ago, settlers laid the foundations for a republic. Thanksgiving Essay is a traditional American holiday celebrated on the third Thursday in November. The roots of the holiday date back to the early 17th century when a group of settlers made a difficult voyage from Europe to start a colony. Their first winter in what is now Massachusetts was devastating, and more than half of them died. The harvest later that year was minimal. In thanks for Gods many miracles that enabled them to survive and prosper. Later, an Indian named Squanto found the hungry and ill Americans, then he ran to his tribe and told them that there were some sick people on the shore so the Indian tribe brought food from there farms and helped the settlers survive. They celebrated with a feast of thanksgiving, which Americans commemorate today. Bibliography: . 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Normans - Medieval Viking Rulers in France and England

Normans - Medieval Viking Rulers in France and England The Normans (from the Latin Normanni and Old Norse for north men) were ethnic Scandinavian Vikings who settled in northwest France in the early 9th century AD. They controlled the region known as Normandy until the mid 13th century. In 1066, the most famous of the Normans, William the Conqueror, invaded England and conquered the resident Anglo-Saxons; after William, several kings of England including Henry I and II and Richard the Lionheart were Normans and ruled both regions. Dukes of Normandy Rollo the Walker 860-932, ruled Normandy 911-928, married Gisla (daughter of Charles the Simple)William Longsword  ruled 928-942Richard I (the Fearless), born 933, ruled 942-996 married Hugh the Greats daughter Emma, then GunnorRichard II (The Good) ruled 996-1026 married JudithRichard III ruled 1026-1027Robert I (The Magnificent, or The Devil) ruled 1027-1035 (Richard IIIs brother) William the Conquerer, 1027-1087, ruled 1035-1087, also King of England after 1066, married Matilda of Flanders Robert II (Curthose), ruled Normandy 1087-1106 Henry I (Beauclerc) b. 1068, King of England 1100-1135 Henry II b. 1133, ruled England 1154-1189 Richard the Lionheart also King of England 1189-1216John Lackland Vikings in France By the 830s, the Vikings arrived from Denmark and began raiding in what is today France, finding the standing Carolingian government in the midst of an ongoing civil war. The Vikings were only one of several groups who found the weakness of the Carolingian empire an attractive target. The Vikings used the same tactics in France as they did in England: plundering the monasteries, markets and towns; imposing tribute or Danegeld on the people they conquered; and killing the bishops, disrupting ecclesiastical life and causing a sharp decline in literacy. The Vikings became permanent settlers with the express collusion of Frances rulers, although many of the grants were simply a recognition of de facto Viking control of the region. Temporary settlements were first established along the Mediterranean coast from a series of royal grants from Frisia to the Danish Vikings: the first was in 826, when Louis the Pious granted Harald Klak the county of Rustringen to use as a retreat. Subsequent rulers did the same, usually with the aim of putting one Viking in place to defend the Frisian coast against others. A Viking army first wintered on the Seine river in 851, and there joined forces with the kings enemies, the Bretons, and Pippin II. Founding Normandy: Rollo the Walker The duchy of Normandy was founded by Rollo (Hrolfr) the Walker, a Viking leader in the early 10th century. In 911, the Carolingian king Charles the Bald ceded land including the lower Seine valley to Rollo, in the Treaty of St Clair sur Epte. That land was extended to include what is today all of Normandy by AD 933 when the French King Ralph granted the land of the Bretons to Rollos son William Longsword. The Viking court based at Rouen was always a little shaky, but Rollo and his son William Longsword did their best to shore up the duchy by marrying into the Frankish elite. There were crises in the duchy in the 940s and 960s, particularly when William Longsword died in 942 when his son Richard I was only 9 or 10. There were fights among the Normans, particularly between pagan and Christian groups. Rouen continued as a subordinate to the Frankish kings until the Norman War of 960-966, when Richard I fought against Theobald the Trickster. Richard defeated Theobald, and newly arrived Vikings pillaged his lands. That was the moment when Normans and Normandy became a formidable political force in Europe. William the Conquerer The 7th Duke of Normandy was William, the son Robert I, succeeding to the ducal throne in 1035. William married a cousin, Matilda of Flanders, and to appease the church for doing that, he built two abbeys and a castle in Caen. By 1060, he was using that to build a new power base in Lower Normandy, and that is where he began amassing for the Norman Conquest of England. You can find lots more about William the Conquerer and the Battle of Hastings elsewhere. Ethnicity and the Normans Archaeological evidence for the Viking presence in France is notoriously slim. Their villages were basically fortified settlements, consisting of earthwork-protected sites called motte (en-ditched mound) and bailey (courtyard) castles, not that different from other such villages in France and England at that time. The reason for the lack of evidence for explicit Viking presence may be that the earliest Normans tried to fit into the existing Frankish powerbase. But that didnt work well, and it was not until 960 when Rollos grandson Richard I galvanized the notion of Norman ethnicity, in part to appeal to the new allies arriving from Scandinavia. But that ethnicity was largely limited to kinship structures and place names, not material culture, and by the end of the 10th century, the Vikings had largely assimilated into the larger European medieval culture. Historic Sources Most of what we know of the early Dukes of Normandy is from Dudo of St Quentin, a historian whose patrons were Richard I and II. He painted an apocalyptic picture of Normandy in his best-known work De moribus et actis primorum normanniae ducum, written between 994-1015. Dudos text was the basis for future Norman historians including William of Jumià ¨ges (Gesta Normannorum Ducum), William of Poitiers (Gesta Willelmi), Robert of Torigni and Orderic Vitalis. Other surviving texts include the Carmen de Hastingae Proelio and the  Anglo-Saxon Chronicle. Sources This article is part of the About.com guide to Vikings, and part of the Dictionary of Archaeology Cross KC. 2014. Enemy and Ancestor: Viking Identities and Ethnic Boundaries in England and Normandy, c.950 – c.1015. London: University College London. Harris I. 1994. Stephen of Rouens Draco Normannicus: A Norman Epic. Sydney Studies in Society and Culture 11:112-124. Hewitt CM. 2010. The Geographic Origins of the Norman Conquerors of England. Historical Geography 38(130-144). Jervis B. 2013. Objects and social change: A case study from Saxo-Norman Southampton. In: Alberti B, Jones AM, and Pollard J, editors. Archaeology After Interpretation: Returning Materials to Archaeological Theory. Walnut Creek, California: Left Coast Press. McNair F. 2015. The politics of being Norman in the reign of Richard the Fearless, Duke of Normandy (r. 942–996). Early Medieval Europe 23(3):308-328. Peltzer J. 2004. Henry II and the Norman Bishops. The English Historical Review 119(484):1202-1229. Petts D. 2015. Churches and lordship in Western Normandy AD 800-1200. In: Shepland M, and Pardo JCS, editors. Churches and Social Power in Early Medieval Europe. Brepols: Turnhout.