Why do people eat Turkey for Thanksgiving, why not chicken?

@delphi (26)
India
November 29, 2006 11:39am CST
I have always wondered why Turkey and not some other fowl is eaten for Thanksgiving. Is it because of its size?. That would have made sense in the days when there was a large family get-together but now I suppose its more of a ritual. But why Turkey? Does anyone know?
2 responses
gifana
@gifana (4833)
• Portugal
29 Nov 06
First Thanksgiving - painting of first Thanksgiving day in Plymouth Colony
I believe it is because history says that at the first Thanksgiving feast after the harvest they served turkey, as some historians wrote and ever since it has been a tradition.
delphi
@delphi (26)
• India
29 Nov 06
Thank you Gifana. That's a nice picture too.
emarie
@emarie (5442)
• United States
29 Nov 06
i think it was the bird of choice back then for the pilgrams..there may have been a lot of wild turkeys then...or they had a lot of them.