Turkey readily comes to mind when the word “Thanksgiving” is mentioned. But have you ever wondered why this is so? According to research, Turkey was eaten during Thanksgivings because wild Turkey, rather than Goose, was in abundance and readily available for the colonists that changed harvest celebrations into the holiday.
Conventionally, Goose was the meat for harvest feast in England. But then, Turkey was symbolic of productivity and abundance to the American aboriginals of the location where the pilgrims resided, as such, this symbol is ideal either it is for the Pilgrim’s Thanksgiving or otherwise.
Thanksgiving Turkey and Queen of England
Another account linked turkey eating on Thanksgiving to the Queen’s celebration of an enemy’s defeat, where an England-bound Spanish warship capsized in the 16th century. History has it that the news came to Queen Elizabeth while she was having her dinner, and she was so overwhelmed with joy that she asked for another round of dinner.
The courtiers on hearing this, and seeing her actions, prepared Turkey in place of a Goose. Undomesticated Turkey is a bird whose origin was in North America, and some people, therefore, feel it’s more appropriate to be used as a national symbol rather than the Eagle.
Sarah Hale and Thanksgiving Turkey
Yet another account was that reported by Sarah Hale, the “Goddess of Thanksgiving” who submitted that at the start of New England Thanksgivings, a roast turkey was made, and over time, it became a culture accepted for Thanksgiving celebrations following its declaration as a national holiday by President Lincoln in the 19th century.
Some claimed that Turkey’s current symbol as a Thanksgiving bird in English celebration could be attributed to the big size that made it suitable for such an occasion. There are people who believed that it was because of all other birds in America, Turkey was the most-feathered. For instance, Benjamin Franklin considered it a more “noble bird” than the Eagle, and this was what made it a better choice for the American holiday’s celebration.