Question: Which President moved Thanksgiving up one week to help stimulate the Christmas Shopping economy? (1304 hits)
Question: Which President moved Thanksgiving up one week to help stimulate the Christmas Shopping economy?
A. Franklin D. Roosevelt
B. Harry S. Truman
C. None of the above. It was never changed.
D. Dwight Eisenhower
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Answer: In 1939, Franklin Roosevelt moved Thanksgiving up a week to help stir up the economy during the Depression so that the Christmas shopping season could last longer. Many governors did not agree with FDR's decision to change the date and refused to follow him. The country became split on which Thanksgiving they should observe. Twenty-three states followed FDR's change and declared Thanksgiving to be November 23. Twenty-three other states disagreed with FDR and kept the traditional date for Thanksgiving, November 30. Two states, Colorado and Texas, decided to honor both dates. Though the confusion caused many frustrations across the country, the question remained as to whether the extended holiday shopping season caused people to spend more, thus helping the economy. The answer was no. Businesses reported that the spending was approximately the same. In 1941 Congress ruled that Thanksgiving always be the 4th Thursday in November www.triviatoday.com