7 Highlights

• Thanksgiving can help mend political divides through open dialogue.
• Holidays are shorter in families with diverse political views, a study finds.
• • Thanksgiving began during the Civil War to unite America, says historian.
  • Lincoln's proclamation made Thanksgiving a symbol of national unity.
  • Thanksgiving evokes nostalgia and fosters a sense of community.
  • Despite societal division, Americans hope psychology can bridge gaps.
  • PBS explores psychological roots of U.S. political polarization.