AHC/WI: Golden Eagle Chosen as America's National Bird

Delta Force

Banned
What if the golden eagle had been chosen as the national bird of the United States instead of the bald eagle? The golden eagle was prominent within the Roman Empire, but would its later reputation as an imperial and royal bird be too controversial for it to become the national bird?
 
The Bald Eagle is quite distinctive and cool looking, the Golden Eagle can look like the colour of poo.
 
I do know Ben Franklin wanted the "noble bird" the turkey. And I believe they chose the bald eagle for precisely that reason (it wasn't the golden eagle - associated with Russia, Prussia and the HREGN) and because it was American.
 
And I believe they chose the bald eagle for precisely that reason (it wasn't the golden eagle - associated with Russia, Prussia and the HREGN) and because it was American.

Eagles are symbols of power. The Bald Eagle is specifically American. Great fit for what the founders wanted.

The fact it eats fish and carrion and robs other birds is ... well, only Ben worried about the reality of the symbol. :p;)
 
Of course in reality, Franklin only ever suggested the Turkey in a jesting fashion, mainly to lambast the Society of the Cincinnati, which promently used the bald eagle as a symbol. Franklin felt the Society was far too much like European-style military orders, and wanted to mock it. (He really felt that overt militarism and symbolism that encouraged it were a bad idea, but he never seriously suggested using the turkey instead of the eagle.)

That said: the fact that the bald eagle drew such criticism allows us to easily imagine what a vehement reaction the use the 'imperial' eagle would inspire. Using it as the USA's symbol? I don't think it's going to fly, if you'll excuse my pun.
 
I do know Ben Franklin wanted the "noble bird" the turkey. And I believe they chose the bald eagle for precisely that reason (it wasn't the golden eagle - associated with Russia, Prussia and the HREGN) and because it was American.

No, he didn't. That was in a joking essay he wrote to mock the Order of Cincinnatus. Franklin felt the national heraldic animal should be the rattlesnake.
 
That (the rattlesnake) would've been an interesting animal, the US could get the unofficial motto of "don't tread on me", in the same way as "a Lannister always pays his debts" perhaps?

*I know this is on one of the state seals, or occurs in one of the now unused seals for a state (can't remember which, and don't have the book on hand to check).
 
Off topic maybe, but I think the black bear would be decent fit. It's uniquely American (though not as much as the rattlesnake) and it wouldn't be easily confused with the Russian bear.
 

Delta Force

Banned
Mostly I was asking because it would be the eagle the Romans had as their symbol, and the Founders often looked to them for inspiration. The golden eagle also lives in the United States.
 
Mostly I was asking because it would be the eagle the Romans had as their symbol, and the Founders often looked to them for inspiration. The golden eagle also lives in the United States.

Yabut. At the TIME it was more famously used by the Imperial Russians and the HRE, neither of which were inspirations for the founding fathets - unless as a negative one.
 
I think the wolf could of been a powerful symbol. Power of the pack under strong leadership, although the Rattlesnake would be cool. :cool:
 
Mostly I was asking because it would be the eagle the Romans had as their symbol, and the Founders often looked to them for inspiration. The golden eagle also lives in the United States.

True, but it also lives in Europe and Asia. The Bald Eagle lives exclusively in North America, making it the perfect animal for the USA. The Timber Rattler, which lives exclusively in the Eastern USA, would have been a good choice for the same reason.

I think the wolf could of been a powerful symbol. Power of the pack under strong leadership, although the Rattlesnake would be cool. :cool:

The wolf could have been an awesome choice, but I'm pretty sure most people's experiences with wolves back then involved shooting them on sight.
 
The wolf could have been an awesome choice, but I'm pretty sure most people's experiences with wolves back then involved shooting them on sight.

Plus, wolves were pretty well entrenched into the European cultural memory, and the Founding Fathers wouldn't want to be associated with them.
 
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