Q: Is it specifically an American holiday or is it religious like christmas?
A: The pilgrims were Christians who left England because of religious persecution and came to America for religious freedom. It's specifically an American holiday because it is a remembrance of the thankfulness the pilgrims had for receiving the harvest, after enduring difficult times in a new and untamed land. They wanted to set aside a day to celebrate and praise God for all the blessings they had received. Other countries have harvest festivals which may or may not be tied into their religious beliefs. George Washington was the first to designate Thanksgiving as a national holiday and included the U.S. Constitution with the blessings Americans should give thanks. Franklin Roosevelt was set the date for the first Thanksgiving in 1939 to be the fourth Thursday in November.