- There's been so much written about the origins of the traditional American Thanksgiving that it's easy to get confused when studying about its history. Most school kids in the U.S. are taught the holiday originated when the Pilgrims near Plymouth Rock celebrated in the fall season in 1621 by preparing a feast of Thanksgiving in gratitude and praise for their successful journey and relocation to the New World. Others claim an older celebration was staged in Florida when explorers landed after a serious storm at sea, celebrating their survival and good fortune. Yet another credible story has it that the First Thanksgiving in the Americas was celebrated in Texas. According to the tale, in 1541 the Spanish explorer Coronado paused for thanksgiving on Ascension Thursday, surrounded by friendly Teya Indians. The Spanish expedition celebrated a Eucharistic Thanksgiving at daybreak in spectacular Palo Duro Canyon in West Texas. In fact, if you search around the Internet long enough you'll find a number of "First" Thanksgiving tales, each solidly sold on the idea that their version of the story is the real version of the story, superseding all other origin stories about how the holiday got started in the Americas. The truth is (at the risk of sounding like every other yarn spinner of Thanksgiving tales), Europeans were certainly not the first to set aside a special time of Thanksgiving in the Americas. You might have guessed, America's Native peoples have long recorded histories of special celebrations and observances related to Thanksgiving that far predate European exploration of the New World. In fact, depending on who you want to believe, it may have been the Native Americans that introduced the old tradition to the new comers from Europe, embracing their new "friends" and sharing with them a native tradition older than the hills. In modern times, most every Native American tribe can point to one or more annual celebrations of Thanksgiving, most often a "Feast Day" celebration, which is often held more than once during the calendar year. Oh, the argument could be made, of course, that these Indian observances don't qualify as even being related to the Christian celebration of Thanksgiving because the Native Americans were 'pagan', a term most of Indian heritage resent. There are far too many native culture beliefs among the many tribes of America to come up with a single "religion" or faith, but spiritual beliefs among most Native American cultures center around a supreme authority that brings order and meaning to the Universe. Like the Christian, Jewish and even Islamic religions, there is a central head of creation, and like the Christian faith, most Native American cultures believe in a spiritual manifestation of the Supreme Father, In the Christian religion there is the Holy Spirit. In the Native Faith there is the Great Spirit. The first Americans saturated the land with a spirit of thanksgiving. In the words of Sister Joseph Hobday, Texan and Native American spiritual leader, "20,000 to 30,000 years of prayer and thanksgiving have come down to Americans in the soil of Texas and breathing through the trees." And while we're speaking of Texas, the origin and propagation of a National Day of Thanksgiving owes a lot to the history that unfolded in the Lone Star State. In 1842, Sam Houston, president of the Texas Republic, faced threats of war, financial problems and political turmoil. Nevertheless, he proclaimed his thanksgiving "to render evidence of national blessings ... and a profound belief in an Almighty God." Houston noted that "the Texan people have been the objects of the peculiar care ... of a Divine Providence" so they could "occupy a place among the independent governments of the earth." He established March 2 as Texas Independence Day and called for religious worship on that day. As a result, Texas may be the only state to have two thanksgiving - one in spring for its independence, and the customary national Thanksgiving in autumn. In 1848, soon after Texas became a state, Governor Wood established the first Texas State Thanksgiving. As such, Texas was the first state in the South to call for a day of Thanksgiving. Concerning our traditional American Thanksgiving and how it all came about, according to the new-life.net Web site, President George Washington proclaimed a National Day of Thanksgiving for November 26, 1789 to honor the formation of the United States government. His proclamation called for a day of prayer and giving thanks to God. It was to be celebrated by all religious denominations, but discord among the colonies prevented it from being practiced by all the states. Washington wrote in his November 26th diary entry: "Being the day appointed for a thanksgiving I went to St. Paul's Chapel though it was most inclement and stormy - but few people at Church." President Washington later provided money, food, and beer to debtors spending the holiday in a New York City jail. Thanksgiving failed to become an annual tradition at this time. Only Presidents Washington, Adams, and Madison declared national days of thanks in their terms. Thomas Jefferson and John Quincy Adams considered the practice to infringe upon the separation of church and state. During the War of 1812, President Madison proclaimed three days of fasting and prayer in response to Congressional requests (August 20, 1812, September 9, 1813, and January 12, 1815). He was the last president to call for a national thanksgiving until Abraham Lincoln in 1863. Governors, on the other hand - particularly in the New England states, regularly issued proclamations of thanksgiving. The bottom line seems to (and should) come down to this: What difference does it make, actually, where the American tradition began? The real focus should be on our modern time of gathering as a family unit, as a Nation, to celebrate the abundance of our lives; to take the time to remember and honor the gifts, the blessings and the good health that we have and share. Whether your ancestors were Pilgrims at Plymouth or Spaniards in Texas or Cherokee in the Carolinas, Thanksgiving is an annual celebration of that should be honored with an open mind and grateful heart. Be glad in your blessings, and remember those less fortunate. This, after all, is the real spirit of Thanksgiving.