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2006-11-29 12:31:53 · 24 answers · asked by emil 1 in Society & Culture ➔ Holidays ➔ Thanksgiving
B/c turkey was what the pilgrims ate...and we give thanks. but not everyone has turkey, actually a lot of people eat ham instead of turkey.
2006-11-29 12:33:20 · answer #1 · answered by love&&life 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Turkey Lore
Early explorers to the New World quickly acquired a taste for turkey and took birds back to Europe. By the 1500s, turkeys were being raised domestically in Italy, France and England. When the Pilgrims and other settlers arrived in America, they were already familiar with raising and eating turkey and naturally included it as part of their Thanksgiving feast.
Some experts think the first Thanksgiving dinner was served by the Pilgrims in 1621. Others credit the settlers of Virginia's Jamestown with celebrating the first Thanksgiving as their version of England's ancient Harvest Home Festival.
President Abraham Lincoln proclaimed Thanksgiving a national holiday in 1863, supposedly as a response to a campaign organized by magazine editor Sara Joseph Hale. In 1939, President Franklin Roosevelt moved Thanksgiving Day forward one week, as it is presently celebrated.
A Bird of Courage
Benjamin Franklin, who proposed the turkey as the official United States' bird, was dismayed when the bald eagle was chosen over the turkey. Franklin wrote to his daughter, referring to the eagle's "bad moral character," saying, "I wish the bald eagle had not been chosen as the representative of our country! The turkey is a much more respectable bird, and withal a true original native of America."
2006-11-29 12:40:06 · answer #2 · answered by faith2u 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It all depends on the individual but I think the turkey concept came from the first Thanksgiving with the Pilgrims. May God Bless
2006-11-29 12:35:31 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
There are other main courses that are served. Some people have ham.
I think it's because turkey's are birds that ran wild at the time of the first Thanksgiving, and still do.
They would have been sort of easy to catch. No offense to the bird! But I here they are so dumb they sometimes drown when it is raining out, cause they look up and forget to close their mouths!
I mean that bird is for the pickin'.
2006-11-29 12:37:40 · answer #4 · answered by smoothsoullady 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It's just the pilgrims ate turkey at the first thanksgiving and everyone I guess lieks to keep the tradition but if you want to go ahead and serve chicken or ham and make a twist on things
2006-11-29 12:34:03 · answer #5 · answered by Nicole A 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
we eat turkey because its apart of the thanksgiving holiday. it, in some way symbolizes thanksgiving and its meaning. turkey is just something that makes thanksgiving, thanksgiving. i think that maybe without turkey, people might forget what thanksgiving holiday is all about, and all the good memories
2006-11-29 12:37:26 · answer #6 · answered by jack j 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
UHM, when the pilgrims and indians sat down at the table to feast, the turkey was the one thing they all knew about, and killed together. So, yeah... But you don't always have to have turkey.
My family keeps different things going!
Like this previous thanksgiving, we had an italian theme.
Before that, we had a chinese theme! MMMMM :D
2006-11-29 12:35:40 · answer #7 · answered by Haley 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Turkey is the international thanksgiving meat. But not everyone has turkey for T-day. Some people have ham, duck, goose or even pork roast. most people do have turkey but not all.
2006-11-29 12:33:56 · answer #8 · answered by stoneydork21 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Tradition
2006-11-29 12:33:35 · answer #9 · answered by Tommy M 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Because that is what the Pilgrims allegedly had at the first thanksgiving.
2006-11-29 12:33:33 · answer #10 · answered by Chula 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋