From the settlers of Plymouth to modern time, the tradition of Thanksgiving has been honored as a time to focus on God and His blessings. This tradition of thanking God for His goodness and mercy was observed by the Founding Fathers. In fact, WallBuilders has a collection of Thanksgiving proclamations from the colonies and prominent Founding Fathers that show their firm reliance on God.
See the overt gratitude to God displayed in Thanksgiving Proclamations from some of the more notable Founding Fathers (below):
As it hath pleased Almighty God to continue to the
people of this Commonwealth great and unmerited
Favors in the course of the year past; it is highly
becoming, that after the example of our pious and
renowned ancestors, a day should be set apart, at this
season of the year, for the special purpose of rendering
to the Father of all mercies the just tribute of gratitude and praise.
Samuel Adams (1794)
This Thanksgiving, let us remember the Christian foundation upon which this nation was built and those men and women who put themselves in harm’s way to defend that liberty. Take time to pray for our troops and to thank God for all of the blessings which He has bestowed upon you and our nation throughout the year.
David Barton is the Founder of WallBuilders, a national pro-family organization that presents America's forgotten history and heroes, with an emphasis on our moral, religious and constitutional heritage. WallBuilders is a name taken from the Old Testament writings of Nehemiah, who led a grassroots movement to rebuild the walls of Jerusalem and restore its strength and honor. In the same way, WallBuilders seeks to energize the grassroots today to become involved in strengthening their communities, states, and nation.
David is the author of numerous best-selling books, with the subjects being drawn largely from his massive library of tens of thousands of original writings from the Founding Era. He is a sought-after speaker, bringing the truth of America's history to churches, civic and military groups, schools and universities, and community events.
David is also a frequent guest on a number of national media programs and is a host of a daily radio show, WallBuilders Live. His exhaustive research has rendered him an expert in historical and constitutional issues and he serves as a consultant to state and federal legislators, has participated in several cases at the US Supreme Court, was involved in the development of the History/Social Studies standards for states such as Texas and California, and has helped produce history textbooks now used in schools across the nation.
David and his wife Cheryl reside in Aledo, Texas, they have three grown, married children (Damaris, Timothy, and Stephen), and five grandchildren.