Part of film tracing history of Thanksgiving Day in America. Opening scene shows forests in late summer, and then winds blowing and some leaves beginning to fall. A traditional single family home is seen and a family inside preparing their table for a Thanksgiving dinner. The six members of the family include a Mother, a Father, an older son, a teenage daughter, a young son, and an older woman (Grandmother, or Aunt). View of roasted Thanksgiving Turkey. The father leads the family in saying grace. A painting of the First Thanksgiving (1915), by American artist Jean Louis Gerome Ferris, is shown. Views of fields of corn and grain. Scene shifts to a 17th Century ship carrying the same 6-member family (dressed as Pilgrims) to America from Europe. Members of the family are seen planting seed for crops. The date 1621 appears superimposed upon scenes of crops ready for harvesting. Inside their log home, the father and youngest son engage in extended discussions, after which, the father gives the boy permission to go somewhere. The painting of the First Thanksgiving is shown again. Then the pioneer settlers, both men and women, fell and carry trees to build a church. View of a remarkably well built church and then of the family praying inside along with other pioneer settlers.
Reenactment of early American settlers in British Colonial America, seen working in agriculture. Women sow seed, and men plowing behind teams of horses View of a drummer playing a drum roll call to arms. The farmers stop what they are doing, grab their muskets and head off to a gathering of militia as part of Revolutionary War effort. The year 1775 appears over the gathering of armed farmers. A British General is seen at his headquarters in Massachusetts. He holds a dispatch of some sort and discusses it with one of his staff officers. He then summons two members of the local militia, and questions them about rising tensions between colonists and the Crown. After they leave, he dictates a communication to his superiors. Film closes showing the General in church, along with many colonial militia members.
Film opens showing a letter addressed to Miss Betsey Smith,Lynn, Commonwealth of Massachusetts. The Date: 1779 appears superimposed over the image. A young woman in 18th Century garb is seen reading the letter, alone, by candle light, in her kitchen. The letter describes a Thanksgiving celebration by members of her family who are then seen preparing a Thanksgiving dinner. A man carves a turkey, and his wife prepares plates of food for two elderly women seated at a table. They call attention to another table where young men and women are gathered together, eating their Thanksgiving dinner. Brief view of the young woman reading the letter. The scene shifts back again to a turkey being carved, homemade pies being placed on a table and plates of food being served up at the Thanksgiving gathering. A young boy expresses distaste for a large stalk of something, like celery. Later the boy warms his hands at a fire in the hearth, where all the Thanksgiving guests gather together. The young children break open nuts and eat them. One man smokes a clay pipe. The young woman reading her letter recalls fondly her hometown church, which is then seen in several views.
Image of Thomas Jefferson overlaid briefly atop a view of Monticello near Charlottesville, Virginia. The date 1802 appears as camera zooms in on the front of the building and then inside, where actors in 18th century costumes play roles of Jefferson and a delegation of three contemporaries, visiting to discuss some matter with the President. They stroll and converse, with President Jefferson dominating the conversation, for the most part. Afterwards, the three visitors take their leave. (Note: In 1802 Jefferson wrote a letter to a Baptist congregation in Danbury Connecticut that included the following: "I contemplate with sovereign reverence that act of the whole American people which declared that their legislature should ‘make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof,’ thus building a wall of separation between Church & State.” This matter might have been a subject of his discussion with the delegation at Monticello.)
Film reenacts events in lives of American pioneers migrating West via wagon trains in the early 19th Century. They are seen traveling in the day, and then resting for the night by a fire, where a family bows their heads as the father speaks a prayer of thanks for their progress. He ends the prayer with an “Amen.” Next, the wagon train sets out again, during the daylight. A series of illustrations shows scenes of a small town in the winter with snow on the ground. People are shown going about their ordinary activities, using horses and sleighs. Some are seen ice skating on a pond. Others are shown visiting relatives.
Historic reenactment of American’s celebration of Thanksgiving in history. Date 1863 is highlighted atop an image of Sarah Josepha Hale, a 74-year-old magazine editor, writing a letter to Lincoln on September 28, 1863, urging him to have the "day of our annual Thanksgiving made a National and fixed Union Festival." A copy of Codey’s Lady’s Book sits on her desk. Next, she is seen, meeting with Abraham Lincoln, to discuss the matter. Lincoln looks at her writings on this in Codey’s Lady’s Book, and they discuss the matter at some length. Scene shifts to a copy of a Presidential Proclamation of Thanksgiving, dated October 3, 1863, that sets apart the last Thursday of November "as a day of Thanksgiving and Praise." Film continues with scenes of farm crops ready for harvest, and view of people in church, giving prayers of thanksgiving. A 33-star American flag is hung on the church wall.
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