Topic: Abraham Lincoln

A historical overview of Thanksgiving traces the holiday from the Pilgrims in 1621 to George Washington's 1789 declaration. The segment highlights the 1863 proclamation by Abraham Lincoln, which established the last Thursday of November as a national holiday during the Civil War. The influence of magazine editor Sarah Josepha Hale on Lincoln's decision is also noted.

An analysis of Abraham Lincoln's 1863 Thanksgiving Proclamation reveals heavy linguistic ties to the King James Bible. The hosts map specific phrases from the historical document to verses in Psalm 65, James 1, and 2 Chronicles 7:14. They express surprise at the explicitly religious nature of the founding document compared to modern secular celebrations.