Our National Birds: The American Eagle and The Thanksgiving Turkey. “May one give us peace in all our states. The other a piece for all our plates.” Lets talk Turkey…and Bald Eagle! Did Benjamin Franklin really want the Wild Turkey to be the national symbol of the United States?
The bald eagle has long served as a recognizable symbol of the United States, adorning official seals, coins, and more However, a myth has persisted that one of America’s Founding Fathers actually wanted the turkey, not the bald eagle, to represent the young nation This myth centers around Benjamin Franklin and a letter he wrote to his daughter in 1784. But does the historical evidence really support the notion that Franklin advocated for the turkey as the national bird? Let’s take a deeper look at the origins of this belief and what Franklin actually said.
The Myth’s Origins: Franklin’s Letter About the Eagle and Turkey
The myth can be traced back to a letter Franklin wrote to his daughter Sarah Bache on January 26, 1784. In it, he criticized the newly formed Society of the Cincinnati for choosing the bald eagle as its symbol, writing
For my own part I wish the bald eagle had not been chosen as the representative of our country. He is a bird of bad moral character. He does not get his living honestly…the turkey is in comparison a much more respectable bird, and withal a true original native of America…[the turkey] is besides, though a little vain and silly, a bird of courage, and would not hesitate to attack a grenadier of the British Guards who should presume to invade his farm yard with a red coat on.
This letter is the basis for the belief that Franklin preferred the turkey as a national symbol. But looking closely, we see Franklin was specifically criticizing the Society of the Cincinnati’s use of the eagle, not the Great Seal of the United States. He never actually stated the turkey should be the national bird.
Still, quotes from this letter are frequently used to bolster the myth of Franklin’s support for the turkey. For example, many sources highlight his words that the turkey is “a much more respectable bird” than the bald eagle. But looking at the full context shows he was speaking symbolically, not making a serious proposal.
Franklin’s Role in Designing the Great Seal
To fully unpack this myth, it’s important to understand Franklin’s role in designing the national symbols. He was on the first committee tasked with creating the Great Seal in 1776 after the Declaration of Independence was adopted.
The early committees, including Franklin, proposed images like Moses parting the Red Sea, not turkeys or eagles. Birds don’t seem to have been considered. So when Franklin later criticized the look of the Cincinnati’s eagle emblem, he wasn’t criticizing a bird he himself had rejected for the Great Seal years earlier.
In fact, the first committees failed to produce a successful design. It wasn’t until 6 years later, in 1782, that the final design featuring the bald eagle was approved by Congress. By then, Franklin was no longer directly involved in the process.
Why This Myth Persists
Despite the lack of direct historical evidence, this myth continues to be repeated even today. Some reasons it has such staying power:
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Franklin’s colorful descriptions make for entertaining reading, making the quote memorable.
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The bald eagle seems like an odd choice given Franklin’s criticisms, so the turkey seems like it could plausibly have been his alternative.
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The myth supports the popular image of Franklin as witty and mischievous regarding state symbols.
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The false belief connects two classic American symbols – the turkey and the Founding Father – in an amusing way.
Turkey vs. Eagle as Symbols
Even though Franklin never explicitly supported it as the national bird, the turkey does work symbolically for America in some of the ways Franklin highlighted:
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It is uniquely native to North America unlike the more widespread eagle.
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It can represent ideas like courage, stubbornness, and resourcefulness.
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It was associated with early Thanksgiving traditions and abundance.
So while Franklin was speaking playfully about virtues of the turkey as a symbol, he wasn’t factually advocating for its placement on official national symbols. Still, the turkey’s “American-ness” makes it resonate as an apt symbol.
Franklin’s Role in American Memory
The persistence of the myth also stems from Franklin’s place in American memory. As one of the best known Founding Fathers, stories get attached to him, true or not. His wit and irreverence make him a fitting character for tales of playing with political symbolism.
The legend of Franklin’s turkey preference brings together two icons of early American identity – Franklin and the turkey – in a way that feels characteristic of Franklin’s humor and patriotism even if the historical facts don’t quite align. So this myth endures as a popular, if inaccurate, element of America’s national lore.
##Conclusion
While Franklin preferred neither eagle or turkey, and likely would have objected to the debate distracting from matters of independence and governance, his legendary status and way with words laid the foundation for this persistent myth. In the end, the bald eagle’s association with courage and freedom made it a fitting symbol for the new republic. But the turkey undeniably holds its own place in American tradition and meals. So next Thanksgiving when you see these two classic American birds, remember that both hold symbolic power, even if turkey never had a real chance to displace the eagle as the emblem of the United States.
Is Franklin right about the moral character of Bald Eagles?
Well, sort of. Since Bald Eagles arent humans, we are slow to assign them “characters” in the way we might describe a person, but what we can say about our nations symbol is that they tend to be opportunistic when it comes to acquiring their food.
Bald Eagles are known for regally catching fish in their bright yellow feet, held firm by sharp talons, from glistening blue lakes in front of the back drop of purple mountains majesty, but theyre also not quick to shy away from an easy meal…such as carrion, or dead animals. In fact, Bald Eagles are often seen feeding on dead fish, mammals, and other birds that wash ashore. They can also often be seen hanging out in garbage dumps looking for a delicacy to snack upon. One can imagine that Benjamin Franklin would not have been pleased to see our national bird perched high atop a trash heap.
Franklin wasnt exactly wrong to liken Bald Eagles to robbers either. It is true that Bald Eagles are known for stealing fish from Osprey (Franklin calls them “Fishing hawks”) or even other, particularly juvenile, Bald Eagles (photo below). He also wasnt wrong to note that the national symbol will also respond to smaller birds chasing them by retreating. Smaller birds see Bald Eagles, and other birds of prey, as potential threats and will practice a behavior called “mobbing” to scare them away from an area. Many raptors are quick to skedaddle when smaller birds begin diving at their heads.
How did the Bald Eagle become the national bird of the United States?
In 1782, several years after declaring independence from Great Britain, the United States adopted a seal for the young country. Benjamin Franklin, along with Thomas Jefferson and John Adams, was a part of the committee to design the seal. Franklins proposal for a seal design had no birds located on the emblem at all, but Charles Thomson, an Irish-born Patriot leader from Philadelphia and secretary of Congress, submitted the winning artwork that was immediately approved by the Continental Congress.
Thomsons work contained the of a Bald Eagle holding an olive branch in its right talons and thirteen arrows in its left talons. It supports a shield upon its breast and and clutches a scroll in its beak with the words, “E pluribus unum,” meaning “Out of many, one.” With the adoption of this design as the Great Seal of the United States, the Bald Eagle became the national bird.
Turkey: The Other National Bird | Benjamin Franklin’s Strange Proposal
FAQ
Who declared the bald eagle the national bird?
An act of Congress, signed by President Biden on Tuesday, declared the bald eagle, whose genus and species is Haliaeetus leucocephalus, “the national bird.”
Who made the turkey a national symbol?
The story that Franklin proposed the turkey as the national symbol began to circulate in American newspapers around the time of the country’s centennial and …Nov 21, 2016
What bird did Thomas Jefferson want?
Apparently TJ wanted an eagle on the seal, and Franklin wanted a turkey – TJ obviously having prevailed. And some articles have added the intriguing tidbit that Franklin, in a fit of pique after his beloved turkey was not chosen for the seal, began calling turkeys “Tom.” Where do people come up with this stuff?
What symbols represent Benjamin Franklin?
Rattlesnakes remained a favorite symbol for Franklin, even after decades of political strife and changing enemies.
Why did Benjamin Franklin want the national bird to be a Turkey?
The story about Benjamin Franklin wanting the National Bird to be a turkey is just a myth. This false story began due to a letter Franklin wrote to his daughter criticizing the original eagle design for the Great Seal, saying that it looked more like a turkey. In the letter, Franklin wrote that the “Bald Eagleis a Bird of bad moral Character.
Did Benjamin Franklin want a turkey instead of a bald eagle?
A common myth associated with the creation of America’s Great Seal, which features a bald eagle, is that Benjamin Franklin wanted the seal to have a turkey instead. According to the Franklin Institute, this is false. The claim stems from a letter Franklin wrote to his daughter, Sarah Bache, on Jan. 26, 1784.
What did Franklin consider a Turkey?
In contrast, Franklin called the turkey “a much more respectable bird” and “a true original native of America.” While he considered the eagle “a rank coward,” Franklin believed the turkey to be “a bird of courage” that “would not hesitate to attack a grenadier of the British Guards who should presume to invade his farm yard with a red coat on.”
Did Franklin really want a Turkey on the Great Seal?
People often interpret this story to mean that Franklin wanted to replace the eagle on the Great Seal of the United States with a turkey. In a November 1962 cover of ” The New Yorker “, cartoonist Anatol Kovarsky did as much. But some historians suggest that Franklin wasn’t actually serious. “Yeah, he was joking,” comments Best Life magazine.
Did Franklin propose a turkey or an eagle?
Franklin proposed not a turkey, not an eagle, but this: A scene from Exodus — “Moses standing on the Shore, and extending his Hand over the Sea, thereby causing the same to overwhelm Pharoah … ” Franklin wrote in his proposal.
What did Benjamin Franklin say about the Turkey?
Franklin goes on to call the turkey courageous and respectable, “tho’ a little vain and silly”, perhaps continuing his connection between the characters of the turkey and the nation. Did Benjamin Franklin want the turkey on the Great Seal of the United States?