2007-12-29 05:20:06 · 21 answers · asked by Michael A 6 in Entertainment & Music ➔ Polls & Surveys
Yes, Ben did want to make the turkey the National Bird. Those that know of his romantic habits probably already figured out he was a breast man. He'd have had a field day with Butterball Turkeys or Hooters waitresses.
It is said that he wrote:
"He (the eagle) does not get his Living honestly. You may have seen him perched on some dead tree near the river, where, too lazy to fish for himself, he watches the labor of the Fishing Hawk; and when that diligent Bird has at length taken a fish, and is bearing it to his nest for the support of his mate and young ones, the Eagle pursues him and takes it from him."
Sounds like he was talking about the IRS, doesn't it? So maybe the eagle is the right symbol for America.
2007-12-29 06:22:11 · answer #1 · answered by Fyre & Reign RETIRED 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
yes. The wild turkey of Ben Franklin's day was a brightly plumed, cunning bird of flight. It seemed so symbolic, he liked it. Ben thought the eagle was a bird of bad moral character. This is a quote from a letter to his daughter about what he thought of the eagle:
"He (the eagel) does not get his Living honestly. You may have seen him perched on some dead tree near the river, where, too lazy to fish for himself, he watches the labor of the Fishing Hawk; and when that diligent Bird has at length taken a fish, and is bearing it to his nest for the support of his mate and young ones, the Eagle pursues him and takes it from him."
kinda weird.
2007-12-29 05:25:03 · answer #2 · answered by Mikala 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Yes. He claimed the bald eagle was a bird of bad character, and the turkey would make a better national symbol.
2007-12-29 05:22:16 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
Indeed. And in a parallel universe where Franklin's idea took root, families gather at Thanksgiving and Christmas to carve up the holiday eagle.
2007-12-29 05:31:04 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
Most historians denounce this as myth, it is agreed upon that he simply disliked the eagle, more than he wanted the turkey, the turkey was just another bird he thought might have filled the role.
2016-04-02 00:17:50 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
That is correct. He had more respect for the wild turkey(much different bird than the farm raised one) than he had for the bald eagle. He thought of the bald eagle(as did others) as a lowly scavenger and fish stealer.
2007-12-29 05:33:31 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
yep, he said the turkey had done more for this country than the eagle had therefore it deserved to be the National Bird
2007-12-29 05:22:48 · answer #7 · answered by Prada Marfa 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Yes
2007-12-29 05:22:21 · answer #8 · answered by mrjon912 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
i don't know. why would he do that? the turkey is a wimp. they get eaten a lot. you know that? usa is not a wimp, therefore we have a non-wimpy bird, the bald eagle, where you get arrested for picking up it's feather.
2007-12-29 05:22:45 · answer #9 · answered by Kyle Broflovski 4 · 1⤊ 1⤋
Not sure, but it was J.J. Evans that wanted it to be a "Jive turkey"!
2007-12-29 05:23:45 · answer #10 · answered by Daddy 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋