by Estelle Trogan
A Thanksgiving Cornucopia
Credit: Britannica, 21 Nov. 2021.
The History
Many learn about the first Thanksgiving held at Plymouth, Massachusetts, but there was another Thanksgiving held prior to then at the Berkeley Plantation in Virginia. The Thanksgiving held at the plantation was more of a gathering to pray for safe passage rather than a feast, but it is believed there was food after the prayers. In both locations, it is unknown if there even was turkey eaten. In 1863, President Lincoln made Thanksgiving a national holiday to be celebrated on the last Thursday of every November, but Roosevelt later moved it to the third Thursday during the war. We still celebrate it on the fourth, though. Before his passing, President John F. Kennedy said, "over three centuries ago, our forefathers in Virginia and Massachusetts, far from home, in a lonely wilderness set aside a time of Thanksgiving" in order to help settle disputes about where the first Thanksgiving took place. Either way, they were both significant in contributing to the current Thanksgiving.
The Present
Today, Thanksgiving is about spending time with your loved ones and sharing things you are grateful for. Everyone has different foods at their dinner, but almost every Thanksgiving feast includes a stuffed turkey. The tables are filled with mashed potatoes with gravy, green beans, cranberry sauce, casseroles, pies, cornbread, and a plethora of delicious food. Thanksgiving has become a day of gathering, love, warmth, and celebration. Many attend the Macy’s annual Thanksgiving Day Parade in New York City or tune in live from the comfort of their homes.
The Effects
Although that Thanksgiving turkey on your dinner table is delicious, it probably did not live the best life. Over 45 million turkeys are killed each year just for this one day. Turkeys have a lifespan of over ten years, but many don’t get to live longer than 14-18 weeks—around 2% of their potential lifespan. Not only are they slaughtered young, but they are often held in cramped quarters and suffer many injuries. Turkeys are often bred and genetically mutated in order to grow as large as possible. This makes them more likely to develop serious health problems later on.
It is not just the turkeys who suffer. Slaughterhouse workers often perform their job in unsafe conditions and are at risk of mental health issues from killing so many animals daily. Especially during COVID, it is hard to social distance and keep working in a fast paced environment. There are plant based options to consider and cruelty free farms. When you are looking for your Thanksgiving turkey this year, consider purchasing one from a farm that treats them humanely.
Have a great holiday season, and enjoy whatever you plan on having on your dinner table!
Sources:
Boston wild turkeys association (address: roaming around Brookline), Siegel, B., Dziewa,
J., Stephen, & Jennings, S. (2020, November 24). POV: This Thanksgiving, think of the
turkeys. Boston University. Retrieved November 26, 2021, from
https://www.bu.edu/articles/2020/pov-this-thanksgiving-think-of-the-turkeys/.
History.com Editors. (2009, October 27). Thanksgiving 2021. History.com. Retrieved
November 26, 2021, from
https://www.history.com/topics/thanksgiving/history-of-thanksgiving.
Lawler, A. (2021, May 3). The first Thanksgiving happened earlier than you think. Culture.
Retrieved November 26, 2021, from
https://www.nationalgeographic.com/culture/article/first-thanksgiving-berkeley-virgini
a-pilgrim-archaeology.