Why Do We Eat Turkey on Thanksgiving? The Real History
The Story Behind the Thanksgiving Turkey: How It Became the Centerpiece of the Feast
Ever wondered why turkey is the undisputed star of the Thanksgiving table, or if the Pilgrims even ate it in 1621? Uncover the surprising history, myths, and pop culture that turned a wild North American bird into America's ultimate holiday centerpiece.
Table of Contents
The "First Thanksgiving" (1621): Busting the Myths
The classic story we all learned in grade school points back to the autumn of 1621, when English settlers (the Pilgrims) at Plymouth, Massachusetts, shared a three-day harvest meal with the Wampanoag tribe. But if you take a look at the actual historical records, the menu was a bit different from what’s on your table today.
Primary accounts from Governor William Bradford (Of Plymouth Plantation) and Edward Winslow mention that the governor sent four men out "fowling" to hunt wild birds for the celebration. While wild turkeys (Meleagris gallopavo) were certainly roaming the New England woods, historians agree that the main spread actually featured:
- Wild ducks and geese.
- Venison (brought by the Wampanoag).
- Local seafood like cod, lobsters, and mussels.
- Native flint corn and squash.
So while turkey might have made an appearance, it certainly wasn't the star of the show back then.
The Practical Side: Why Turkey Won Out
As the American colonies grew throughout the 17th and 18th centuries, local Thanksgiving harvest celebrations became a regular autumn tradition. When it came to choosing a go-to centerpiece bird for a big family feast, turkey won hands down for a few very practical reasons:
- They were everywhere: Before European settlement, an estimated 10 million wild turkeys roamed North America. They were plentiful and easy to hunt.
- Farm-smart economics: Unlike cows or chickens (which kept providing milk and eggs) or oxen (used for heavy lifting), turkeys were raised almost exclusively for their meat. Harvesting a turkey for a big holiday meal didn't hurt the farm's daily output.
- Made for feeding a crowd: A single turkey offered a lot of bang for your buck. Weighing anywhere from 10 to 20 pounds, one bird could easily feed an extended family without breaking the bank.
Sarah Josepha Hale: The Real "Mother of Thanksgiving"
The turkey didn't become the official star of Thanksgiving by accident. We actually owe a huge debt to one woman: Sarah Josepha Hale. (Fun fact: she’s also the author of the famous nursery rhyme "Mary Had a Little Lamb" and was the editor of Godey’s Lady’s Book, the most popular women's magazine of her era).
In the mid-1800s, Thanksgiving wasn't a national holiday yet—it was celebrated on different dates depending on which state you lived in. Hale spent over 36 years campaigning to turn Thanksgiving into a unified national holiday, tirelessly writing letters to governors and presidents.
In her 1827 novel Northwood: A Tale of New England, she dedicated an entire chapter to describing an ideal New England Thanksgiving dinner with a roasted turkey right at the head of the table. Through her magazine editorials, she published recipes, carving instructions, and stuffing guides that forever burned the image of a holiday turkey dinner into the American mind.
Lincoln Makes It Official (1863)
Hale’s persistence finally paid off right in the middle of the Civil War. In October 1863, President Abraham Lincoln issued a presidential proclamation establishing the last Thursday of November as a national day of "Thanksgiving and Praise."
Lincoln wanted to bring a fractured country together during a painful war. From that moment on, the Victorian image of the Thanksgiving meal championed by Hale—with turkey front and center—became an official American tradition.
Fun Facts About the Thanksgiving Turkey
Ben Franklin Was Team Turkey
In a famous 1784 letter to his daughter, Benjamin Franklin famously criticized the choice of the Bald Eagle as America's national symbol, calling it a bird of "bad moral character." Instead, he praised the wild turkey as a "much more respectable bird," a true original native of America, and a bird of courage.
The Official Presidential Pardon
While presidents receiving gifted turkeys dates back decades, the modern tradition of the President officially "pardoning" a turkey at the White House was formally established by President George H. W. Bush in 1989. Every year since, a lucky turkey gets spared from the dinner table and lives out its days on a farm!
Wrapping It Up
At the end of the day, the Thanksgiving turkey is a unique blend of American history, practical frontier farming, and 19th-century pop culture. More than just the main course, it stands as the ultimate symbol of gathering together, giving thanks, and sharing a great meal with the people who matter most.