Why We Eat Turkey on Thanksgiving: History and Evolution
Turkey is a modern tradition, not an original element of the 1621 feast, and its symbolic status is due to a combination of historical advocacy and industrial advancement.
The First Thanksgiving: Likely No Turkey
Evidence is Lacking: There is no solid evidence that turkey was served at the 1621 celebration shared by the Plymouth Pilgrims and the Wampanoag people.
Actual Menu: A contemporary account mentions venison, fish, shellfish, corn, and other vegetables. The "fowl" mentioned was likely seasonal waterfowl like duck or geese.
Availability: Wild turkeys were plentiful in the region (over 10 million in North America before European settlement), and Governor William Bradford noted a "great store of Wild Turkies." While Pilgrims likely hunted them due to their ease of hunting and ability to feed many people, they weren't explicitly named on the 1621 menu.
Early Consumption: Americans were eating a considerable amount of turkey by 1789 (when George Washington declared a one-off national thanksgiving day), though it was not yet a staple.
The "Mother of Thanksgiving" Popularizes Turkey
Turkey didn't become widely synonymous with the holiday until the mid-19th century, thanks mainly to Sarah Josepha Hale.
Cultural Advocacy: Hale, known as the "mother of Thanksgiving," used her platform as an editor and writer (notably in her 1827 novel Northwood) to campaign for a national Thanksgiving holiday.
Creating the Myth: She championed an ideal Thanksgiving meal by drawing on, and perhaps expanding, the mythology surrounding the 1621 feast.
Turkey at the Center: Hale placed turkey at the heart of her vision for the Thanksgiving meal, even though the historical text she referenced (Bradford's history) did not specifically link it to the Pilgrims' feast.
Official Holiday: Hale's efforts contributed to President Abraham Lincoln officially declaring the last Thursday in November as a national Thanksgiving holiday in 1863.
Industrialization Solidifies Turkey’s Status
The modern, national prominence of turkey is also a result of 20th-century agricultural and technological innovations.
Industrial Farming: Farmers domesticated turkeys in the 18th and 19th centuries, but the 20th century saw the industrialization of poultry. This led to breeding turkeys, like the Broad-Breasted White, specifically for larger breast size and faster maturity to produce more meat.
Logistical Factor: The ability to raise, process, and ship frozen, large animals across the country made turkey a non-regional, affordable option for Americans nationwide.
Sensible Choice: The turkey was a sensible animal from an ecological and economic perspective—easy to hunt/raise and large enough to feed a crowd.
Today, Americans consume over 46 million turkeys on Thanksgiving Day, making it the defining food of the holiday through a combination of cultural advocacy (Hale's vision), technological innovation, and economic/ecological factors.
