Over Thanksgiving weekend, the National Constitution Center invites visitors to enjoy a variety of special programs and activities. The interactive “History of Thanksgiving” explores the origins and importance of this national holiday. Visitors will learn about the Wampanoag people who lived in what is now New England and their culture, as well as the historic meal they shared with European settlers in 1621 and the events leading up to the harvest feast that year. The program also touches on the role Presidents Washington and Lincoln played in making Thanksgiving a national holiday and looks at some favorite Thanksgiving traditions, like the annual turkey pardon. At special talk-back discussions led by our education staff, visitors will learn about Native American history beyond the historic meal shared by the Plymouth settlers and the Wampanoag people. The talk will highlight key people and moments in Native American history, from a constitutional perspective.