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They’venbeen celebrating this memorial day for more than 260 years—thenlongest continually-celebrated Thanksgiving in the country—and yetnmany of us have never heard of it.
They’venbeen celebrating this memorial day for more than 260 years—thenlongest continually-celebrated Thanksgiving in the country—and yetnmany of us have never heard of it.n
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nInguess that’s because the “they,” in this case, is not very manynpeople. It is estimated that Schwenkfeldernchurches have a combined membership of fewer than 3,000 people. Mynhigh school was larger. n
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nButnit started a whole lot smaller. When the Schwenkfelder Society firstncame to North America and settled in the Pennsylvania-Dutch region, there were fewer than 200 people.
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nHownis Schwenkfelder Thanksgiving celebrated? With a huge feast? Roastnturkey? Pies and cakes?
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nNo,nit is celebrated with a simple meal of water, bread, butter, andnapple butter. This celebration first happened on this date in 1734, just two days after thenpeople had arrived in North America, so they didn’t have crops to harvest.nThe people were giving thanks that they had escaped the religious persecution they’d faced in Europe: being driven from their homes, imprisoned inndungeons, even sold into slavery.
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nDidnyou know…?
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ThenPennsylvania Dutch aren’t Dutch, but instead come from Germannancestry. In the past, Pennsylvania Dutch people commonly spokenGerman, but nowadays most speak English; yet many German customsnstill flourish today!
ThenPennsylvania Dutch aren’t Dutch, but instead come from Germannancestry. In the past, Pennsylvania Dutch people commonly spokenGerman, but nowadays most speak English; yet many German customsnstill flourish today!n
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nOnenthing my kids loved about Pennsylvania Dutch country were all thencolorful hex signs on barns and other structures. You can get tipsnfor making a personal hex sign at Kinder Art.
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nAnothernthing we all loved was the delicious food available in PennsylvanianDutch country. (What’s not to love?) Teri’s Kitchen has a tonnof recipes so you can enjoy Pennsylvania Dutch cooking, too!
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nIfnyou like paper dolls, Heritage Paper Dolls website has anPennsylvania Dutch dress to be printed and colored. (Notice the PDFnfile to download and print.)
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nAlsonon this date:
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Chief Justice John Marshall’s birthday
Chief Justice John Marshall’s birthday n
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nAnniversary of the establishment of the Supreme Court of the United States
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nNational Punctuation Day
