Thanksgiving is a beloved American holiday centered around food, family, and giving thanks. The most iconic symbol of Thanksgiving is the turkey. But why is this large, domesticated bird the centerpiece of the Thanksgiving meal? There are several reasons behind the turkey’s connection to this autumnal holiday.
The Turkey Was Abundant in Early America
One of the main reasons the turkey became the symbolic centerpiece of Thanksgiving is because it was plentiful in early America. Turkeys are indigenous to North America and were a valuable source of food for Native Americans long before the arrival of the Pilgrims. There were tens of millions of wild turkeys inhabiting the forests and grasslands of the eastern United States when the Puritans arrived in the 1600s.
The newly arrived English colonists learned about the abundance of the turkey from the native Wampanoag people. The Wampanoag taught the struggling colonists agricultural skills, including how to hunt wild turkeys effectively. Turkeys were easier for the colonists to find and catch than deer or other game. They made for a hearty meal with plenty of meat to feed large groups of people.
Availability of Turkeys in Plymouth Colony Area
The Plymouth Colony was located in present-day southeastern Massachusetts. This area was rich in resources, including large numbers of wild turkeys. In his book “Mayflower,” historian Nathaniel Philbrick estimates that the lower Cape Cod region where the Pilgrims landed in 1620 had around 5,000 wild turkeys at the time.
The colonists could find flocks of turkeys along the wooded areas near the shore. Turkeys were so common that they would sometimes wander into the village. Governor William Bradford wrote a letter in 1621 mentioning how the Pilgrims caught wild turkeys around their settlement.
Easy Domestication of Wild Turkeys
Another appealing aspect of turkeys for the colonists was that they were relatively easy to domesticate. The native people had already domesticated wild turkeys centuries before the Pilgrims arrived. Domestic turkeys were prized for their sweet, tender meat and laid a steady supply of eggs.
The Pilgrims learned turkey-keeping skills from their Native American neighbors. They built turkey coops and pens and began raising domestic turkey flocks of their own for a reliable food source. Having a ready stock of turkeys gave the colonists a source of protein to supplement crops and other wild game.
Turkey Was on the Menu at Early Thanksgiving Feasts
The abundance of wild turkeys in the area and their domestication by the colonists made them a natural choice to be eaten at early Thanksgiving observances. One of the first documented Thanksgiving feasts between the Pilgrims and Wampanoag in 1621 included wild fowl, which likely referred to turkey along with ducks, geese, and swans.
English settler Edward Winslow wrote a first-hand account of the historic 1621 harvest celebration. He noted that the Wampanoag leader Massasoit contributed five deer to the feast, which took place over three days. Winslow wrote, “Our governor sent four men on fowling so that we might after a special manner rejoice together.”
The Pilgrims did not observe an annual Thanksgiving holiday after this first feast. But Governor William Bradford later declared a Thanksgiving celebration in July 1623 to give thanks for rain that ended a drought and saved the corn crop. Accounts indicate this feast also included turkey and other wild game.
Key Details from Early Thanksgiving Meals
Here are some noteworthy points about turkeys at historic Thanksgiving meals:
| Year | Details |
|---|---|
| 1621 | First Thanksgiving included wild fowl, likely turkeys, ducks, geese |
| July 1623 | Turkey mentioned as food at thanksgiving feast during drought |
| 1630s onward | Govenor Winthrop routinely sent turkeys to be served at thanksgiving feasts |
Turkey Became a Traditional Holiday Meal
As the colonists established Thanksgiving as an annual custom in New England in the mid-1600s, turkey came to be traditionally associated with the holiday. Massachusetts colony governor John Winthrop routinely sent turkeys to be served at thanksgiving feasts in various settlements. Turkey continued to be a central feature of thanksgiving meals as the tradition spread south and westward as new states joined the union.
By the 1800s, roast turkey was synonymous with Thanksgiving as the holiday gained nationwide popularity. Alexander Hamilton proclaimed in 1789 that no Thanksgiving dinner would be complete without a cooked turkey. As Americans began celebrating Thanksgiving on a larger scale in the late 1800s, the Turkey resonated as a symbol of bounty, community and gratitude.
Reasons Turkey Was an Ideal Holiday Meat
Here are some explanations for why turkey fit so well as the main protein on Thanksgiving menus:
- Large enough to feed gatherings of family and friends
- More affordable than beef, pork or lamb
- Festive presentation when roasted whole
- Unique to North America so had patriotic appeal
Turkey Farming Expanded with Holiday Demand
As Thanksgiving turned into a widepsread national holiday during the 19th century, turkey farming grew into a major commercial industry to meet the surge in demand. Advances in poultry science, feeding and housing made large-scale turkey production efficient and economical.
The National Turkey Federation estimates that 45 million turkeys are now eaten at Thanksgiving annually. Turkey producers breed special broad-breasted white turkeys that grow especially big and meaty to satisfy holiday demand. These turkeys can tip the scales at over twice the weight of wild turkeys.
Annual U.S. Turkey Production
Here are some statistics showing how turkey farming increased over the decades as Thanksgiving became ingrained in American culture:
| Year | Turkeys Produced |
|---|---|
| 1920 | 6 million |
| 1930 | 13 million |
| 1940 | 19 million |
| 1950 | 43 million |
| 1960 | 103 million |
| 1970 | 119 million |
| 1980 | 180 million |
| 1990 | 244 million |
| 2000 | 272 million |
| 2010 | 247 million |
| 2020 | 223 million |
Turkey Pardoning Became Annual Presidential Tradition
The tradition of the President of the United States pardoning a live turkey before Thanksgiving began in 1947 during the administration of President Harry Truman. Truman was gifted turkeys by the Poultry and Egg National Board, which he donated to be served at a local D.C. charity.
In 1963, President John F. Kennedy decided to send his gift turkey back to the farm rather than condemn it to the dinner table. The act of “pardoning” a turkey seemed fitting with Thanksgiving’s spirit of compassion. Later presidents followed Kennedy’s example, and turkey pardoning became an annual photo op and public ceremony at the White House.
While the pardoned turkeys don’t actually get released into the wild, they’re sent to spend the rest of their lives in comfort at petting zoos or university veterinary facilities. The Presidential Turkey Pardon is now a beloved modern media tradition that further cements the turkey’s symbolism with Thanksgiving.
Number of Turkeys Pardoned by Recent Presidents
| President | Years in Office | Turkeys Pardoned |
|---|---|---|
| Barack Obama | 2009 – 2017 | 8 |
| Donald Trump | 2017 – 2021 | 4 |
| Joe Biden | 2021 – present | 2 so far |
Wild Turkeys Have Made a Comeback
Interestingly, after decades of decline, wild turkeys are now thriving again across North America as conservation efforts have helped restore their habitats. It’s estimated there are over 7 million wild turkeys spread across 49 U.S. states today. Six subspecies of wild turkey inhabit areas from Alaska and Canada down to Mexico.
This turkey resurgence means if the Pilgrims did visit America today, they would still find plenty of wild turkeys to eat at a Thanksgiving feast! The return of wild turkeys to much of their original range shows that even extensively hunted species can recover when science-based management protects breeding populations.
Current Populations of Wild Turkey Subspecies
| Subspecies | Population |
|---|---|
| Eastern wild turkey | 4.2 million |
| Rio Grande wild turkey | 1 million |
| Merriam’s wild turkey | 850,000 |
| Florida wild turkey | 100,000 |
| Gould’s wild turkey | 300,000 |
| South Mexican wild turkey | 100,000 |
Conclusion
In summary, the turkey became our quintessential Thanksgiving symbol because wild turkeys were abundant and easy to hunt in the New England area where the Pilgrims settled. Turkeys were welcomed fare at some of the earliest Thanksgiving feasts between European colonists and Native Americans. As the holiday gained wider appeal, turkey farming expanded to meet national demand. And modern presidential turkey pardons have further cemented the tradition.
While commercial turkeys have been selectively bred to be plumper than their wild ancestors, both share a historic connection to Thanksgiving. For rural Pilgrims and modern Americans alike, the turkey represents bounty, togetherness, and the richness of nature’s gifts.