VOA慢速英语2019 华盛顿总统将感恩节定为全国性节日（在线收听）

In September 1789, the government of the United States was only a few months old. George Washington was president – the nation's first. Congress was new, too. Some of the early lawmakers came to the president with a question: Would he call for a national Thanksgiving?

1789年9月，美国政府才成立几个月。乔治·华盛顿是美国第一任总统。国会也新成立不久。有些早期的议员给总统提出了一个问题：你会主张一个全国性的感恩节吗？

One aim was to help unify the young country, which was made of the 13 former colonies. Calling a national Thanksgiving would be a way to bring Americans together.

其目标之一是帮助团结这个由13个前殖民地组成的年轻国家。主张全国性的感恩节是将美国人团结起来的一种方式。

But other lawmakers strongly objected to the idea. Critics had two main concerns.

但是其他议员强烈反对这种想法。批评者有两个主要问题。

First, some saw Thanksgiving as a religious holiday. They noted the president could not use the power of the federal government to urge Americans to follow -- or not follow -- a religious tradition.

首先，有人将感恩节视为宗教节日。他们指出，总统不能利用联邦政府权力督促美国人遵守或是不遵守某种宗教传统。

Second, opponents of the measure believed the president did not have the right to call a national Thanksgiving. That power belonged to the leader of each state, they said.

其次，反对该措施的人士认为，总统无权主张一个全国性的感恩节。他们称这种权力属于各州的州长。

In the end, Washington did formally call for a national Thanksgiving. It was the country's first presidential proclamation. In it, he called for a national "day of public thanksgiving and prayer."

华盛顿最终确实正式主张了一个全国性的感恩节。这是美国第一份总统公告。华盛顿在这份总统公告中主张全国过“公众感恩节和祈祷日。”

He also tried to satisfy opponents of the idea.

他也试图让反对者满意。

Melanie Kirkpatrick is the writer of "Thanksgiving: The Holiday at the Heart of the American Experience." She explains that Washington sent copies of his proclamation to the leader of each of the 13 states. He asked them to call a national Thanksgiving on the day he had chosen.

梅兰妮·柯克帕特里克是《感恩节：位于美国人经历核心的节日》这本书的作者。她解释说，华盛顿向13个州的州长发送了他的公告副本。华盛顿要求各个州长在他选择的这天主张一个全国性的感恩节。

The president was very well respected, Kirkpatrick notes. And so the state leaders all agreed.

柯克帕特里克指出，华盛顿总统非常受人尊敬。因此州长们全都答应了。

In the years that followed, some presidents issued their own proclamations for a day of thanksgiving; many others did not.

在接下来的岁月里，有些总统发表了他们的感恩节公告，其他很多总统都没有这样做。

Finally, in 1941, lawmakers in Congress made the fourth Thursday in November a legal holiday.

最终在1941年，国会议员将11月的第4个周四定为法定假日。

This Thanksgiving, millions of Americans will gather to eat a meal and express their thanks. Their gatherings may echo George Washington's first Thanksgiving proclamation. In it, the first president made a point of declaring that people of all religions should celebrate Thanksgiving.

这次感恩节，数百万美国人将会聚餐并表达他们的感谢。他们的聚会可能呼应了华盛顿总统的第一份感恩节公告。华盛顿总统在讲话中指出，所有宗教的人们都应该庆祝感恩节。

That idea is still important. Almost everyone in the country, including immigrants, observes the holiday in some way.

这个想法仍然很重要。美国包括移民在内的几乎所有人都以某种形式度过这个节日。

Kirkpatrick says that for new Americans, the day can be a rite of passage. In her words, "The idea is that once you celebrate Thanksgiving, you know you are truly participating in a national festival that cements your position as an American."

柯克帕特里克表示，对于新美国人来说，这天可能是成为美国人的某种仪式。用她的话来说：“意思就是一旦你开始庆祝感恩节，你会知道你在真正融入这个巩固你作为美国人地位的全国性节日。”