How George Washington Angered Lawmakers over Thanksgiving

In September 1789, the government of the United States was only a few months old.

1789年9月，美國政府才成立幾個月。

George Washington was president – the nation's first.

喬治·華盛頓是總統——這個國家的第一任總統。

Congress was new, too.

國會也是新成立的。

Some of the early lawmakers came to the president with a question: Would he call for a national Thanksgiving?

一些早期的議員帶著一個問題來找總統：他會號召設立全國性的感恩節嗎？

One aim was to help unify the young country, which was made of the 13 former colonies.

目的之一是幫助團結這個由13個前殖民地組成的年輕國家。

Calling a national Thanksgiving would be a way to bring Americans together.

號召全國性的感恩節，可以成為凝聚美國人的一種方式。

But other lawmakers strongly objected to the idea.

但其他議員強烈反對這個主意。

Critics had two main concerns.

批評者主要有兩點擔憂。

First, some saw Thanksgiving as a religious holiday.

首先，有些人把感恩節看作宗教節日。

They noted the president could not use the power of the federal government to urge Americans to follow -- or not follow -- a religious tradition.

他們指出，總統不能利用聯邦政府的權力敦促美國人遵從——或不遵從——某種宗教傳統。

Second, opponents of the measure believed the president did not have the right to call a national Thanksgiving.

其次，反對這項措施的人認為，總統無權號召全國性的感恩節。

That power belonged to the leader of each state, they said.

他們說，這項權力屬於各州的領導人。

In the end, Washington did formally call for a national Thanksgiving.

最終，華盛頓正式號召了全國性的感恩節。

It was the country's first presidential proclamation.

這是美國歷史上第一份總統公告。

In it, he called for a national “day of public thanksgiving and prayer.”

在公告中，他號召全國設立一個「公共感恩與祈禱日」。

He also tried to satisfy opponents of the idea.

他也設法讓反對這個主意的人滿意。

Melanie Kirkpatrick is the writer of “Thanksgiving: The Holiday at the Heart of the American Experience.”

梅蘭妮·柯克派翠克是《感恩節：美國經驗核心的節日》一書的作者。

She explains that Washington sent copies of his proclamation to the leader of each of the 13 states.

她解釋說，華盛頓把公告的副本寄給了13個州的每一位領導人。

He asked them to call a national Thanksgiving on the day he had chosen.

他請他們在他選定的那一天號召全國性的感恩節。

The president was very well respected, Kirkpatrick notes.

柯克派翠克指出，總統當時非常受人尊敬。

And so the state leaders all agreed.

因此，各州領導人都同意了。

In the years that followed, some presidents issued their own proclamations for a day of thanksgiving; many others did not.

此後幾年，有些總統發布了自己的感恩日公告，許多總統則沒有。

Finally, in 1941, lawmakers in Congress made the fourth Thursday in November a legal holiday.

最終，在1941年，國會議員將11月的第四個星期四定為法定假日。

This Thanksgiving, millions of Americans will gather to eat a meal and express their thanks.

今年感恩節，數百萬美國人將團聚在一起吃飯，表達感謝。

Their gatherings may echo George Washington's first Thanksgiving proclamation.

他們的聚會或許會讓人想起喬治·華盛頓的第一份感恩節公告。

In it, the first president made a point of declaring that people of all religions should celebrate Thanksgiving.

在公告中，這位首任總統特意宣布，所有宗教信仰的人都應該慶祝感恩節。

That idea is still important.

這個理念至今仍很重要。

Almost everyone in the country, including immigrants, observes the holiday in some way.

全國幾乎每個人，包括移民在內，都會以某種方式過這個節日。

Kirkpatrick says that for new Americans, the day can be a rite of passage.

柯克派翠克說，對新美國人來說，這一天可以說是一種通過儀式。