US President Joe Biden on Monday pardoned two turkeys, Peach and Blossom, ahead of Thanksgiving.
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The tradition of pardoning the turkeys reportedly began during the Civil War when president Abraham Lincoln's son requested him to spare a turkey.
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Lincoln's 1863 clemency to the turkey was recorded in an 1865 dispatch by White House reporter Noah Brooks.
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The true beginning of what has evolved into the current tradition, dates back to the Truman presidency in 1947 when he received a turkey from the Poultry and Egg National Board.
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While 1947 was the beginning of the official turkey presentation from the poultry industry, the turkey pardon remained a sporadic tradition.
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The official tradition began in 1989 at the White House when then-president George H.W. Bush offered the first official presidential pardon.
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After being granted the reprieve, the fortunate turkeys are sent to farms to live a life full of food and relaxation.
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This year, Peach and Blossom are expected to retreat at Farmamerica, an agricultural interactive centre in Minnesota.
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Despite the White House pardon, turkeys are consumed in nearly every US household during the holiday. Carving the big bird is an essential part of the traditions.