'Thankfulness' was not historically accurate

Thank you, Daily Bee staff, for your historically accurate coverage of the celebration of Veterans Day. Your articles did a good job of giving thanks and honor to those who gave of themselves to guard and defend America’s freedom.

Your coverage of Thanksgiving, however, was historically inaccurate. Your articles were not about Thanksgiving, but was instead about people being thankful — there is a difference. According to Webster’s American Dictionary of the English Language, “Thanksgiving” is the “… public celebration of divine goodness …” which expresses gratitude and acknowledges the giver of gifts, while “thankfulness” is “… acknowledgement of a favor,” which only expresses gratitude for the gift. 

As author and historian Stephen McDowell noted: “The most important thing … about the Thanksgiving story is the most obvious: We call it Thanksgiving for a reason. Our Pilgrim forefathers, who are reflective of most of the founders of America, were firmly devoted to Almighty God and His Son Jesus Christ. In recognition of His gracious hand upon them, they set aside regular public days to give thanks and glorify Him. This was not done merely once or twice but regularly throughout their entire lifetime. They set an example that was followed by those who came after them, even up until today. Throughout most of our history, Americans understood thanksgiving days were to thank God. The Pilgrims’ love and devotion to God, and their reliance upon Him in abundance and lack, are evidenced not only by their private lives but also by their public days of thanksgiving.”

STEVE SMITH

Sagle