The article "Thanksgiving: Fact or Fiction" lists different beliefs about Thanksgiving and states whether they are fact or fiction.
Here is the list:
1. Thanksgiving is held on the final Thursday of every year.
- Fiction. Initially this was the case, but it was changed to be the fourth Thursday in November to make the shopping season longer.
2. One of America's founding fathers thought the turkey should be the national bird of the United States.
- Fact. Benjamin Franklin suggested this.
3. In 1863, Abraham Lincoln became the first American president to proclaim a national day of thanksgiving.
- Fiction. Three presidents before him proclaimed a national day of thanksgiving.
4. Macy's was the first American department store to sponsor a parade in celebration of Thanksgiving.
- Fiction. Gimbel's store had the first Thanksgiving Day parade in 1920. However, four years later Macy's had theirs and that became the tradition.
5. Turkeys are slow moving birds that lack the ability to fly.
- Fiction (kind of). Domestic turkeys, which are eaten at Thanksgiving cannot fly, but wild ones can fly for a short time.
6. Native Americans used cranberries, now a staple of many Thanksgiving dinners, for cooking as well as medicinal purposes.
- Fact. They were used for food, medicine, and dye.
7. The movement of the turkey inspired a ballroom dance.
- Fact. It's called the turkey trot.
8. On Thanksgiving Day in 2007, two turkeys earned a trip to Disney World.
- Fact. George W. Bush issued a pardon to two turkeys named May and Flower.
9. Turkey contains an amino acid that makes you sleepy.
- Fact. However, most people likely feel sleepy from the fat and carbohydrates, or simply eating too much food.
10. The tradition of playing or watching football on Thanksgiving started with the first National Football League game on the day in 1934.
- Fiction. The American Intercollegiate Football Association held a game in 1876.
