Why Turkey Became the Standard Model for Thanksgiving

Every engineer knows that behind every successful system lies a series of smart design choices, and Thanksgiving dinner is no exception. The tradition of a golden, roasted turkey at the center of the holiday table didn’t happen by accident; it evolved through history, practicality, and a bit of optimization.

The Original Prototype

The first Thanksgiving in 1621 was essentially a proof of concept. The Pilgrims and the Wampanoag people in Plymouth, Massachusetts, shared a harvest meal that included various forms of “wild fowl.” The records don’t specify turkey, duck and goose were likely on the menu, but wild turkeys were native to the area and abundant. They were large, local, and easy to source, an early example of efficient resource utilization.

Scaled for Family-Sized Output

By the 1800s, turkey had become the most logical choice for large gatherings. From a systems perspective, the bird offered the optimal balance of size, availability, and cost. Chickens were too small for a crowd (and valuable for egg production), and cattle or pigs represented higher resource investment. A turkey provided a large yield with minimal waste — the ideal ratio of input to output for a feast-scale event.

Standardization Through Advocacy

In the mid-1800s, writer and magazine editor Sarah Josepha Hale, best known for penning “Mary Had a Little Lamb”, began campaigning to make Thanksgiving a national holiday. Through her publications, she featured recipes centered on roasted turkey, effectively setting the “specifications” for the modern Thanksgiving meal. When President Abraham Lincoln proclaimed Thanksgiving a holiday in 1863, turkey was already the established centerpiece.

A System Built on Gratitude

Over time, turkey became more than just a component of the meal, it became a symbol of abundance, collaboration, and gratitude. Much like engineering projects, Thanksgiving dinner brings together many moving parts, from planning and timing to coordination and teamwork.

So, when you’re troubleshooting the oven temperature or optimizing the carving process this Thanksgiving, remember: the turkey isn’t just tradition, it’s the product of centuries of good design thinking.

From all of us at Designatronics and its brands SDP/SI, QTC Metric Gears, QBC and Wybur Tools, happy Thanksgiving, and may your power transmission systems (and your stuffing) run smoothly!