Thanksgiving in the U.S. brought together families from near and far to celebrate a day of turkey, football, parades and possibly, this year, shopping. It's one of the major American holidays laden with traditions and sometimes misconceptions about its origins.

The holiday is mythologized as beginning in 1621 when the Pilgrims invited the native Wampanoag Indians to their colony to celebrate the first harvest with turkey and pumpkin pie.

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Close, but no cigar, according to historians who say they have no evidence of such a feast although one historical description says a dinner was shared of venison with no pumpkin pie or sweet potatoes in sight.

As for the Pilgrims coming to America to preserve religious freedom, again, not really. The Pilgrims fled England for Holland earlier where they enjoyed religious freedom. They went to America for economic reasons and to reserve their english heritage, historians say.

While the Pilgrims definitely held a 1623 feast, it was earlier in the year. Later, many American colonies held similar celebrations, but on various days. George Washington declared Thursday, Nov. 26, 1789 as a Thanksgiving day, but it was for that year only and had nothing to do with the Pilgrims.

Sarah Josepha Hale, an influential women's magazine editor from 1837 to 1877 read about the Pilgrims 1621 celebration and started publishing turkey, stuffing and pumpkin pie recipes. She started lobbying for a national holiday every year after 1846 and lobbied President Abraham Lincoln to turn the day into a national holiday.

Lincoln set Thanksgiving as national holiday in 1863, setting aside the fourth Thursday in November for the celebration. President Franklin Roosevelt moved the holiday to the third Thursday in November to help the economy by providing an additional week of Christmas shopping.

Today, Americans will do the turkey trot and enjoy a day of, perhaps, rest with families and friends or wherever the good times roll.

TagsThanksgiving, Lincoln, pilgrims, trueky, indians, feast, parades, food