Restart
12 of 15
12. Who was the first president to make Thanksgiving a national holiday?
-
A.Truman
-
B.Lincoln
-
C.Jefferson
-
D.Roosevelt
That's Correct!
It's Wrong!
Correct Answer
B. Lincoln
Explanation
Abraham Lincoln was the first president to make Thanksgiving a national holiday. In 1863, during the midst of the Civil War, Lincoln proclaimed a national day of Thanksgiving and Praise to our beneficent Father who dwelleth in the Heavens. This proclamation established the annual observance of Thanksgiving on the last Thursday in November. Lincoln's decision to make Thanksgiving a national holiday was influenced by a letter from Sarah Josepha Hale, a prominent writer and editor, who had been advocating for a national day of Thanksgiving for many years.
