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Thanksgiving By The Numbers Infographic

Thanksgiving by the Numbers Infographic

What was the menu for the first Thanksgiving? How many turkeys are consumed each year at Thanksgiving? What is the average amount spent per person on Black Friday? Get the facts and stats about Thanksgiving traditions in the Thanksgiving by the Numbers infographic.

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Interactives (1)

Videos (16)

  • Bet You Didn't Know: Thanksgiving
    Bet You Didn't Know: Thanksgiving

    Video Clip (2:38)

    Find out which traditional recipes weren't served at the first Thanksgiving celebration.

    Video Clip (2:38)
  • History of Thanksgiving
    History of Thanksgiving

    Video Clip (3:15)

    Although Thanksgiving celebrations dated back to the first European settlements in America, it was not until the 1860s that Abraham Lincoln declared the last Thursday of November to be a national holiday.

    Video Clip (3:15)
  • Thanksgiving Becomes a Holiday
    Thanksgiving Becomes a Holiday

    Video Clip (2:01)

    Early Puritans observed Thanksgiving days of prayer, but Sarah Josepha Hale's crusade for a national day of thanks is what ultimately gave us Thanksgiving.

    Video Clip (2:01)
  • Deconstructing History: Mayflower
    Deconstructing History: Mayflower

    Video Clip (2:35)

    How many people were on the Mayflower? And how long did it take for them to get to Plymouth? Get the facts.

    Video Clip (2:35)
  • The Mayflower
    The Mayflower

    Video Clip (2:18)

    From the Pilgrims' reasons for leaving Europe to the treacherous journey across the Atlantic, musician and artist Jeffrey Lewis puts to song the story of the Mayflower.

    Video Clip (2:18)
  • History of the Thanksgiving Day Parade
    History of the Thanksgiving Day Parade

    Video Clip (2:51)

    The Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade has been marching since 1924.

    Video Clip (2:51)
  • Thanksgiving Day Parade
    Thanksgiving Day Parade

    Video Clip (2:35)

    The Thanksgiving Day Parade is a 48-hour whirlwind of activity.

    Video Clip (2:35)
  • Thanksgiving Day Parade Tech
    Thanksgiving Day Parade Tech

    Video Clip (3:15)

    At the Macy's Studio in Hoboken, NJ, technicians work year round to construct floats and balloons for the Thanksgiving Day Parade.

    Video Clip (3:15)
  • First Football Broadcast
    First Football Broadcast

    Video Clip (1:53)

    The University of Detroit Stadium hosted the first broadcasted Thanksgiving Day football game in 1934, pitting the Detroit Lions against the Chicago Bears and sparking a new tradition.

    Video Clip (1:53)
  • Pumpkin Pie
    Pumpkin Pie

    Video Clip (3:18)

    The Little Pie company in New York City bakes over 5,000 pumpkin pies every Thanksgiving.

    Video Clip (3:18)
  • Thanksgiving Turkey
    Thanksgiving Turkey

    Video Clip (3:31)

    Deep frying turkeys is a southern trend that is now spreading across the United States.

    Video Clip (3:31)
  • Here Come the Cowboys
    Here Come the Cowboys

    Video Clip (2:00)

    The Detroit Lions have been playing football on Thanksgiving Day since 1934. But what about the Cowboys? NFL Films researcher Chris Willis and football commentator Sal Paolantonio explain how the Dallas Cowboys joined in the Detroit Lions' tradition.

    Video Clip (2:00)
  • Pilgrims in America
    Pilgrims in America

    Video Clip (2:37)

    The first Pilgrims in America were nearly defeated by the harsh conditions they faced when they arrived in New England.

    Video Clip (2:37)
  • Turkey Tech
    Turkey Tech

    Video Clip (1:14)

    At the Jennie-O turkey store, getting hens from the farm to your table is a highly specialized process.

    Video Clip (1:14)
  • Turducken
    Turducken

    Video Clip (1:24)

    Hebert's Meats in Lousiana claims to have been the first to create this 18-pound combination of duck, chicken and turkey.

    Video Clip (1:24)
  • Jennie-O Turkey
    Jennie-O Turkey

    Video Clip (1:30)

    Find out how the Jennie-O turkey store prepares for the Thanksgiving rush.

    Video Clip (1:30)

Photo Galleries (1)

  • Massachusetts
    Massachusetts

    9 Photos

    History.com's state gallery for Massachusetts. Learn more about the state symbols and famous landmarks.

    (9 Photos)

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Read More about Thanksgiving

In 1621, Plymouth colonists and Wampanoag Indians shared a harvest feast, acknowledged as one of the first Thanksgiving celebrations.

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