Today in History: Bald Eagle or Turkey?

On this day (January 26) in 1784, Benjamin Franklin wrote to his daughter to express his disapproval of the choice of the “bald eagle” as the nation’s national bird. He reportedly preferred the turkey, which he found to be a more useful animal. Now I greatly respect Benjamin Franklin but somehow I don’t think row after row of turkeys grown in cages waiting to be eaten is the symbol I want for my nation.