Holidays in the USA. Part 1.

Major American holidays. Part 1.

Probably everyone who is interested in US culture, heard about the holidays that are celebrated there. But usually this is fragmentary stereotypical knowledge from thematic cartoons or movie fragments — some pilgrims and a Thanksgiving turkey, something there in July, some kind of parade of veterans...

Holidays are the most interesting thing in the culture of peoples. You can immediately see what values the society carries and how it likes to spend time. Even about the tables of Americans bursting with turkey and pies on Thanksgiving Day, too, it turns out, there is a lot to tell.

In the first part, we will reveal the secret why the turkey is so popular on Thanksgiving Day and what does the Indians have to do with it, how the Italians arrange a party hard in honor of Columbus and how they discriminated against doctors and lawyers on Labor Day.

Read the article and find out what it is, the autumn American May Day.

Thanksgiving Day

• Celebrated: the fourth Thursday of November every year (since 1621).
• The bottom line: an expression of gratitude to nature for the harvest and the people around them for their help and support.

Thanksgiving is perhaps the most celebrated holiday after Christmas. But outside the United States and Canada, they know almost nothing about him. In fact, everything is not so difficult. Thanksgiving is a cross between National Unity Day and the fall festival in any other culture. But with its background.

The very first British settlers, who arrived in America in 1620 (to the northeast, the territory of modern Massachusetts), faced enormous difficulties of adaptation. The climate was different, farming did not go, brought cattle died, people became ill with previously unknown diseases.

Realizing that without the help of the local they could not survive, the British turned to the Indian tribes, so that they taught them the cultivation of land and herding in the new conditions. Indians told and showed everything they could. The Squanto Indian was especially distinguished — he had once been in captivity with slave traders, escaped with the help of the British, knew English and helped the colonists with great enthusiasm.

In the first autumn the British got rich harvests. In honor of this, at the end of November, it was decided to hold the feast with gratitude to God for the mercy shown to them (all of them were Puritan Christians), but the Indians' assistants were also called for the festive table. It has become a symbol of unity, mutual respect and help in difficult times. Since then, the celebration on the occasion of the harvest, called Thanksgiving Day and is celebrated in November. Immediately after it begins the preparation for Christmas.

As for the notorious turkey — it's just a tradition, it has no sacral meaning. Since this bird is fairly easy to breed and gives a big weight gain, new Americans used it as the most affordable meat of those times. Thanksgiving turkey is usually stuffed with cranberry sauce. Also from the traditional dishes is popular and very much loved by Americans pumpkin pie.

Columbus Day

• It is noted: the second Monday of October of each year (since 1792).
• The bottom line: a tribute to the discovery of Columbus America.

A public holiday that is an official holiday in most states.

In fact, Christopher Columbus reached the islands of the Bahamas archipelago on October 12, 1492, but subsequently the date of the holiday was changed. This happened because of the divergence of geographers and historians about the achievement of which point exactly should be considered the discovery of the continent. However, this does not prevent the Spanish and Italian diasporas (until now there are disputes, whether Columbus was Spaniard or Italian) to celebrate the event on the 12th.

It should be noted that this day is celebrated magnificently mainly in San Francisco and New York. There are organized parades, celebrations and recreational areas. Be sure to pass educational children's performances and exhibitions. In Nevada or, for example, in Hawaii this is no longer seen.

Labor Day

• It is noted: the first Monday of September of each year (since 1882).
• The bottom line: encouraging all workers for the benefit of America.

The federal holiday, which was organized, do not believe, the Knights of Labor from New York. These, they even had their own order. In fact, it was the name of a large public organization for the protection of workers' rights — such a pretentious American trade union of national scale with an eccentric.

They advocated improving the working conditions of all, except:

1. 01.Doctors — they were considered illiterate people, taking money for what;
2. 02.Producers and sellers of alcohol — their product was harmful to society;
3. 03.Lawyers — they could be associated with power;
4. 04.Bankers — they were over-capitalists.

In 1949, the Knights of Labor ended their existence, but the holiday remained. And the above-mentioned profession, of course, did not leave aside.

The form of conducting is painfully familiar to all residents of the post-Soviet space — mass processions and parades demonstrating the solidarity and power of the working class. Also, this day can be used to draw attention to the problems of the labor industry. At parades and rallies, people openly express their views on the current state of affairs.

However, the Sunday before the holiday is “labor”. On this day, everyone either works as a sign of respect for the country and the economy, or holds special events: lectures, public meetings, fact-finding excursions to factories and offices for children.