Why the Thanksgiving myth persists, according to science
Memory often favors a tidy narrative over the messier reality of history
![A vintage Thanksgiving Day postcard shows a big turkey in the foreground, with three others in the background near a sign that says "Thanksgiving Proclamation" and an ax leaning against a tree stump.](https://i0.wp.com/www.sciencenews.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/111523_sg_thanksgiving_feat.jpg?fit=1030%2C580&ssl=1)
Since the Civil War, U.S. presidents have regularly issued Thanksgiving proclamations, as illustrated in this vintage postcard.
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