George Washington may have created a national thaksgivving day, but the first THANKSGIVING came from The Pilgrims, and they gave thanks to God!
Not nitpicking, either, it is from the Pilgrims we get thanksgiving, it is from George Washington that we get the date to celebrate it.
Quite a distinction between the two.
Yes, I should have said first National holiday. That's what qustion 3 addresses, and my remarks were directed just to that question, not the first thanksgiving ever.