Editor's Note: George Washington was the first president to proclaim Thanksgiving Day in 1789. It wasn't until 1863 that Abraham Lincoln proclaimed the last Thursday of the month as a national holiday.
There is no doubt the Union soldiers heartily enjoyed the extra rations received on that day, while the Confederate troops were quite hungry. It is interesting to note the Confederate troops halted their fire on that one day so the Union troops could enjoy their national day of Thanksgiving.
(SPM Wire) In addition to stuffing your guests' stomachs this Thanksgiving, here are some fun Turkey Day facts to fill their minds:
* Thanksgiving wasn't a national holiday until 1863, when President Abraham Lincoln proclaimed the last day in November a national day of thanksgiving.
* President Franklin Roosevelt amended the holiday to fall on the fourth Thursday of November (avoiding the occasional fifth Thursday), in order to allocate more weeks to holiday shopping.
* More than 232 million turkeys were raised in the United States this year alone, with the majority in Minnesota.
* There are five places and townships in the country named Cranberry or some variation thereof.
* An estimated 117 million households will celebrate Thanksgiving this year, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.
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