"The concept of a Thanksgiving Feast is not uniquely American. The Spanish Colonies also had thanksgiving ceremonies and meals as well. The colonists in the New World, be they English, Dutch, French, Spanish, or of any other European origin, were a deeply religious people, and felt it necessary to give thanks to God for their survival, and prosperity, in their new land. The Pilgrims had plenty to be thankful for, and so theirs is the story that has been most publicized (perhaps with a little help from the 1861 push for a Thanksgiving Holiday). However, Turkey was not the dominant item on the menu, nor was many of our other traditional favorites..."
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