In the 17th century, the first European settlers brought with them to Europe the breeds of turkey bred in Europe and began to interbreed these birds with their wild American ancestors. Today the most popular breed in the US is the white Dutch turkey, which gives the most white meat. However, even after this embarrassment the turkey managed to prove to mankind that it is a real American woman. And it was so …. December 11, 1620 the first English colonists from the ship Mayflower set foot on the granite boulder Plymouth Rock is still unfamiliar to them the American continent. Their first winter was incredibly difficult, and by the beginning of autumn 1621, only 56 of 102 people had survived.
But their first harvest in the new homeland was unexpectedly generous, and their first governor, William Bradford, ordered to celebrate his grandiose feast. All the remaining colonists and 91 Indians took part in the celebration, without whose help the poor fellows would hardly have survived. For the meat product, four hunters were sent, who, with the help of friendly Indians, extracted so many wild turkeys that they were enough for a whole week of feasting.
In fact, historians say, hunters were sent for wild geese and ducks, and there is no exact evidence that it was the wild turkey that was on the menu. However, since the colonists of all the little-known feathered game they called “Indian”, our heroine in the legend still entered. Whatever it was, but the holiday was decided to celebrate annually, giving “thanksgiving” to the hospitable North American land for the warm welcome of the colonists.
Since then, without a turkey, no American family thinks of its Thanksgiving Day holiday table, which is celebrated on the last Thursday of November and is considered one of the main American holidays. As a result, by 1829, the word “Thanksgiving turkey” (Thanksgiving turkey) was consistently included in the everyday life of Americans, and by 1916 the Thanksgiving Day itself was sometimes called Turkey Day.
