Ever wonder why turkey is the centerpiece of Thanksgiving dinner? It turns out historians don’t know for sure, but there are a few theories of why this is.

The first and most popular theory is that when studying the first Thanksgiving, a letter from a pilgrim was found that referenced a turkey hunt. Though the letter did not specify that the turkey was in fact eaten on the day of the feast, many believe this is the most telling piece of evidence.

Another theory is that the wild turkey should be the national bird of the United States over the bald eagle because it is native to North America. Even early Americans, like Benjamin Franklin, argued for the wild turkey to be our national bird. Though they lost their argument, we continue to serve the turkey as the main attraction to one of our most historically American holidays.

Happy Thanksgiving!