Thanksgiving is a major national holiday in the U.S. commemorated with heavy feasts. On this day, families gather together and feast on some traditional meals such as sweet potatoes, stuffing, cranberry sauce and pies. However, the most important part of the meal is the roasting of a turkey.
Thanksgiving traditionally originated with the evidence of a meal shared between Pilgrims at Plymouth Colony and Wampanoag people in 1621. But how did Turkey become the centerpiece of the feast? Let’s find out.
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Why Is Eating Turkey On Thanksgiving A Tradition?
The “first Thanksgiving” happened between the Pilgrims of previously, Massachusetts, and the Wampanoag, or the former north American Indians. It is said that in the first Thanksgiving, these two groups of people shared meat with each other which are believed to be deer and geese. This geese was believed to be turkey.
So by the 19th century, Turkey had become a central part of the Thanksgiving meal tradition. There are a few theories which support why turkey was chosen. First of all, as found by experts, there was an abundance of turkeys in America at that time, and it was almost always available in people’s farms. It’s purpose was solely for its meat, and was also enough to feed an entire family.
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Another Reason For Turkey Being A Central Thanksgiving Tradition
As mentioned in CNBC News, Ashley Rose, a young historian told the media outlet that Alexander Hamilton was a great proponent of turkey. He once proclaimed, “No citizen of the U.S. shall refrain from turkey on Thanksgiving Day.” His proclamation became reality, and currently about 45 million people eat turkey on Thanksgiving Day.
Ashley said in an interview, “This was all part of a larger idea of bringing a national sensibility to the United States through consuming the same kinds of foods.” Turkey was an abundant find in America and could be called a native to North America. Moreover, it also set the table apart from British Thanksgiving tables.
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