How did the turkey become the centerpiece of Thanksgiving dinner?

[DGUtley]

How did the turkey become the centerpiece of Thanksgiving dinner?

11889ce9-6062-4e45-ae06-3cbcb20712a4-Signing_3_FT.jpg

In "1776," the musical now being revived at the Roundabout Theatre Company in New York, John Adams, Ben Franklin and Thomas Jefferson get into an argument. The subject? Birds. Which one should be our national symbol? "The eagle," Adams insists. "The dove," Jefferson suggests. "The turkey," Franklin says. The eagle is "a scavenger, a thief, a coward and the symbol of more than 10 centuries of European mischief," Franklin argues.

And the turkey? "A truly noble bird, a native of America, a source of sustenance to our settlers, and an incredibly brave fellow who would not flinch from attacking an entire regiment of British soldiers singlehandedly!" Franklin, in fact, really did say something like this.

He didn't go so far as to propose the turkey as our national bird. But he did, in a letter, call the bald eagle a "Bird of bad moral character," as compared with the turkey. "A much more respectable Bird, and withal a true original native of America." In "1776," Franklin loses the battle. But in a sense, he has won the war. The eagle is our national symbol. It's what's on the quarter. But the turkey is what's in our heart. And on our Thanksgiving table.


192c77365b24f59536d0cd86e5cee3a8.jpg

ghows_gallery_ei-WL-200929376-c6075968.jpg


7f4ae3f8-673b-46e8-8402-4259085774d7-Butterball_1.jpg


c06c5e13-1565-46b1-83be-d0c27ef8ce99-121018-Yuletide-SP214.jpg

[carolina73]

Turkey was not mentioned on the record but William Bradford, sent four men on a “fowling” mission in preparation for the three-day event we call Thanksgiving now.

[stjames1_53]

wild turkey resembles nothing like farm birds



the legs are too tough, and there is hardly any thigh meat and tend to be too tough to eat.
Most of these ol' boys down here just serve up the breast.....that tends to be half the size of farm turkeys.

[carolina73]

wild turkey resembles nothing like farm birds



the legs are too tough, and there is hardly any thigh meat and tend to be too tough to eat.
Most of these ol' boys down here just serve up the breast.....that tends to be half the size of farm turkeys.

Being a city boy, I thought they were buzzards when I first saw them.

[Peter1469]

Being a city boy, I thought they were buzzards when I first saw them.

In the wild you may also see Turkey-Buzzards. Apparently they can mate.

[RMNIXON]

Turkey was not mentioned on the record but William Bradford, sent four men on a “fowling” mission in preparation for the three-day event we call Thanksgiving now.

I always assumed it was about Wild Turkey that are not quite the same as the fat farm birds we have today, but Turkey none the less.