14 Common Misconceptions about American History

4. Benjamin Franklin Wanted The Turkey

There’s a common story circulating that, when the time came to pick a bird to represent the burgeoning nation, the great moderator Benjamin Franklin advocated for the turkey over the bald eagle. The eagle, he argued, was a bird of bad moral character, a loner, and a murderer. The turkey, by comparison, was a flock bird that was known for it’s intelligence. Of course, in real life, Franklin didn’t weigh in on the national bird debate (because he had better stuff to do, like flying kites). He did support the turkey, though, which he revealed to his daughter in a letter.