Why do Americans celebrate Thanksgiving, and we Brits don't?

They have a meal to give thanks to the Indians who taught them how to survive on maize. That was just before they killed them all ;-)

The early settlers of Plymouth Colony in Massachusetts were particularly thankful for Squanto, the Native American who taught them how to catch eel, grow corn and who served as an interpreter for them (Squanto had learned English as a slave in Europe). Without Squanto's help the settlers might not have survived in the new world. These settlers (who later came to be called the "Pilgrims") set apart a day to celebrate at Plymouth immediately after their first harvest, in 1621. After their first harvest, the colonists of the Plymouth held a celebration of food, feasting, and praising God in the fall of 1621. Indian chiefs Massassoit, Squanto and Samoset joined in the celebration with ninety of their men in the three-day event.

It is a celebration of the time the 'pilgrim fathers' - a group of religious extremists who moved to America because they were not allowed to persecute unbelievers in England, gave thanks for surviving their first year of cutting down the forests and slaughtering the natives!

For the same reson the yanks dont celebrate the 5th of November. Its their holiday from their history so it doesnt apply to us, shame really, as I think we could all do with another bank holiday!

My understanding is that it was a celebration that the Pilgrims had, to celebrate and be thankful for the fact that they'd survived the year, after having come from England with no farming implements, survival skills, etc. It's still a time to give thanks and get together with the family. It's a very DEPRESSING holiday if you're not able to be with anyone, though.

well its to give thanks and peace between the American Indians and the white settlers. some of us see it as a " lets celebrate the killings and land stealing but now that's we have won lets eat kinda thing. but we all gather and celebrate with family and no ever thinks about the real story behind it.

Thanksgiving is when they thank God for providing them with a new country. they also thank Him for the indians who helped them during this time. we don't celebrate it because we Brits weren't the ones being helped, the Americans were helped and so they celebrate it! they also have a turkey for thanksgiving because it is one of the new foods that came from that country, I also thibk the indians gave them turkeys to eat!

I dont know. Isnt it a American holiday only? It is recognised in this country, although i think it would be nice for it to be introduced over here.

We should have thanksgiving day in UK to celebrate. If the Americans didn't have thanksgiving then they would all still be here