Free Thanksgiving Trivia Questions and Answers

What was the name of the ship that carried the Pilgrims across the ocean to Plymouth? Kids

Answer: Mayflower. The Mayflower was the only ship to reach Plymouth before the 1621 harvest celebration. The next ship, the Fortune, arrived in November 1621.

Which Native nation shared the 1621 harvest celebration with the Plymouth colonists? Kids

Answer: Wampanoag. The Wampanoag leader Ousamequin, known by the title Massasoit, came with about 90 men. Together with the English colonists, at least 140 people took part.

On which day of the week is Thanksgiving celebrated in the United States? Kids

Answer: Thursday. Since a 1941 law, Thanksgiving has been the fourth Thursday of November. Lincoln's 1863 proclamation had picked the last Thursday.

Which president proclaimed the first national Thanksgiving under the new U.S. Constitution, in 1789? Kids

Answer: George Washington. Congress asked Washington to recommend a day of thanksgiving, and he chose Thursday, November 26, 1789.

According to Edward Winslow, what did the Wampanoag men bring to the 1621 celebration? Family

Answer: Five deer. Winslow wrote that the Wampanoag went out and killed five deer, which they gave to the English governor and captain. Historians see the gift as an important part of the diplomacy between the two peoples.

According to Edward Winslow's letter, about how long did the 1621 harvest celebration last? Family

Answer: Three days. Winslow wrote that the colonists entertained and feasted their Wampanoag guests for three days. His letter is one of only two primary sources describing that autumn.

Winslow wrote that Massasoit came to the 1621 celebration with about how many men? Family

Answer: About 90. With about 90 Wampanoag men and the surviving English colonists, at least 140 people took part, so the Wampanoag guests outnumbered their hosts.

Tisquantum (Squanto) came from which Wampanoag village, on the land where Plymouth was later built? Family

Answer: Patuxet. When Tisquantum returned home in 1619, he found that an epidemic had killed nearly everyone in his village. He then served as a guide and interpreter between the Wampanoag and the colonists.

Sarah Josepha Hale, the 'Mother of Thanksgiving', is also credited with writing which nursery rhyme? Family

Answer: Mary Had a Little Lamb. Hale edited Godey's Lady's Book and pushed for a national Thanksgiving for decades. On September 28, 1863, she wrote directly to President Lincoln.

In what year did Abraham Lincoln proclaim a national day of Thanksgiving in late November? Family

Answer: 1863. Lincoln's proclamation, issued October 3, 1863, during the Civil War, asked Americans to observe the last Thursday of November as a day of Thanksgiving.

Which president signed the 1941 law that fixed Thanksgiving on the fourth Thursday of November? Family

Answer: Franklin D. Roosevelt. Roosevelt signed the joint resolution on December 26, 1941. The Senate changed 'last Thursday' to 'fourth Thursday' so the date would work in Novembers with five Thursdays.

Why did President Roosevelt move Thanksgiving one week earlier in 1939? Family

Answer: To lengthen holiday shopping. In 1939 the last Thursday fell on November 30. Roosevelt moved the holiday up a week to give stores a longer Christmas shopping season, and for two years states disagreed on the date.

Since 1970, many Native people gather in Plymouth on Thanksgiving for which observance? Family

Answer: National Day of Mourning. It began when Wamsutta Frank James, an Aquinnah Wampanoag, delivered a speech on Cole's Hill after being told it was too inflammatory for an official event. A statue of Massasoit stands nearby.

Massasoit was a title. What was the personal name of the Wampanoag leader at the 1621 harvest? Hard

Answer: Ousamequin. His name Ousamequin means 'yellow feather'. The English used his title, Massasoit, so often that many people still think it was his name.

In 1614 Tisquantum was kidnapped by an English captain and taken to be sold as a slave in which country? Hard

Answer: Spain. Captain Thomas Hunt tricked a group of Wampanoag men and boys and sold them in Spain. Tisquantum later reached England, where he learned English.

About how many English colonists, the Mayflower survivors, took part in the 1621 harvest celebration? Hard

Answer: 53. The 53 were the Mayflower passengers who had survived the first hard winter, as listed by William Bradford.

Who wrote 'Of Plymouth Plantation', one of only two primary sources on autumn 1621 at Plymouth? Hard

Answer: William Bradford. Bradford, the colony's governor, mentioned a 'great store of wild turkeys' that fall. The other primary source is Edward Winslow's letter, which describes the celebration itself.

Lincoln issued the 1863 Thanksgiving proclamation, but who actually wrote it? Hard

Answer: William Seward. Secretary of State William Seward drafted the text. As the National Park Service puts it, Lincoln issued the proclamation but did not author it.

Cranberries grow on low vines in which kind of wet, spongy place? Kids

Answer: A bog. At harvest time many growers flood the bogs with water, and the loosened berries float to the top where they can be gathered.

Pumpkins belong to the same plant family as which of these? Kids

Answer: Squash. Pumpkins are actually a kind of squash. Pumpkins, squash and gourds are all close plant cousins in the Cucurbita group.

Which turkey bone do two people pull apart to see who gets to make a wish? Kids

Answer: The wishbone. Each person holds one end and pulls. Whoever ends up with the bigger piece is said to get their wish.

Turkey legs are called dark meat. What is the meat from the turkey's breast called? Kids

Answer: White meat. Leg muscles work hard all day for standing and walking, so they store more oxygen and look darker. Breast muscles are used much less, so they stay light.

A turducken has a chicken inside a duck. Which bird is on the outside? Kids

Answer: Turkey. The name mixes TURkey, DUCK and chicKEN. It is closely linked with Louisiana cooking, and its exact inventor is still debated. Thanksgiving football broadcasts made it famous.

Historians say the 1621 harvest guests mostly drank what? Kids

Answer: Water. Water was the main drink. The English may also have had small beer or ale.

Why do cranberries float when growers flood a bog at harvest? Family

Answer: They have air pockets inside. Each cranberry has four small air pockets. Machines nicknamed 'egg-beaters' knock the berries loose, and they bob to the surface.

Which Thanksgiving side dish was created in 1955 in a Campbell's test kitchen? Family

Answer: Green bean casserole. Dorcas Reilly, a Campbell's kitchen supervisor, created it using green beans, cream of mushroom soup and crispy fried onions. Her original recipe card was donated to the National Inventors Hall of Fame in 2002.

Which food was almost certainly NOT at the 1621 harvest, because it was not yet known in New England? Family

Answer: Potatoes. Pumpkin pie and apple pie were also unlikely, since there were no apple trees at Plymouth yet and pie crust ingredients were scarce.

Winslow wrote that four colonists went hunting before the 1621 feast. What did they bring back? Family

Answer: Wildfowl. Winslow wrote that the four men went 'fowling' and brought back enough birds to feed the colony for almost a week. Ducks and geese are likely; turkey is possible but not named.

Food safety experts say a cooked turkey should reach what internal temperature? Family

Answer: 165°F. Color is not a reliable test, since properly cooked turkey can still look pink. A food thermometer is the only sure check.

A bird's wishbone forms when two bones fuse together. Which bones are they? Family

Answer: Collarbones. It is a forked bone found in birds, formed where the two collarbones join in the middle.

Which wild berry, now a classic Thanksgiving sauce, was probably NOT served as a sauce in 1621? Family

Answer: Cranberry. Cranberries grew wild near Plymouth, but cranberry sauce needs a lot of sugar. The first known recipes for it appear about 50 years after 1621.

Nasaump, a dish Wampanoag cooks may have made in 1621, is a porridge made mainly from what? Hard

Answer: Corn. Flint corn was a staple for both the Wampanoag and the colonists. It was used in porridges, puddings and flatbreads.

In which city does the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade take place? Kids

Answer: New York City. The parade winds through Manhattan and ends on 34th Street, outside Macy's flagship store.

Who arrives at the very end of the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade? Kids

Answer: Santa Claus. Santa's arrival kicks off the holiday season. The parade was started to bring shoppers to Macy's for Christmas.

Before giant balloons, which animals marched in the early Macy's parades? Kids

Answer: Animals from the zoo. The first parades borrowed animals from the Central Park Zoo. Giant balloons took their place by 1927, and one historian says the animals scared some children.

Which gas makes the giant parade balloons float? Kids

Answer: Helium. The very first balloons were filled with air and held up on sticks. Helium came later and let them float high above the street.

Which NFL team has played at home on Thanksgiving almost every year since 1934? Kids

Answer: Detroit Lions. The tradition paused only during World War II. The 1934 game was broadcast nationwide on NBC radio.

In what year was the first Macy's Thanksgiving parade held? Family

Answer: 1924. It was first called the Christmas Parade, and it marched down through Manhattan to Macy's on 34th Street with animals borrowed from the Central Park Zoo.

What was the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade originally called? Family

Answer: The Christmas Parade. It was designed to launch the holiday shopping season, which is why it still ends with Santa Claus.

Which cartoon cat flew as one of the very first giant Macy's parade balloons in 1927? Family

Answer: Felix the Cat. Puppeteer Tony Sarg designed the early balloons with the Goodyear rubber company. In 1927 Felix was held aloft by sticks.

Which NFL team has hosted a Thanksgiving game nearly every year since 1966? Family

Answer: Dallas Cowboys. Dallas beat Cleveland 26 to 14 in its first Thanksgiving game. The only years it did not host were 1975 and 1977.

Which team did the Detroit Lions face in their first Thanksgiving game in 1934? Family

Answer: Chicago Bears. The unbeaten Bears won 19 to 16 in front of about 26,000 fans.

Which TV football broadcaster made the turducken famous on Thanksgiving? Family

Answer: John Madden. Madden served turducken during Thanksgiving broadcasts, helping turn a Louisiana specialty into a national curiosity.

Why was the Macy's parade canceled from 1942 to 1944? Hard

Answer: Rubber and helium went to the war. During World War II, helium was needed for military blimps and rubber was scarce. Macy's even donated balloon rubber to the war effort.

Before moving to Detroit in 1934, the Lions were which Ohio team? Hard

Answer: Portsmouth Spartans. Radio executive George A. Richards bought the team and moved it to Detroit, then set up the Thanksgiving game to win fans.

Thanksgiving football dates back to at least 1876. Which two colleges played on Thanksgiving that year? Hard

Answer: Yale and Princeton. Yale won 2 to 0 in Hoboken, New Jersey. College games on Thanksgiving were popular long before the NFL existed.

What is a baby turkey called? Kids

Answer: A poult. Poults can begin to fly when they are only 8 to 10 days old.

What is an adult male turkey commonly called? Kids

Answer: A tom. Females are called hens. Adult males are also called gobblers, after their famous call.

Where do wild turkeys sleep at night? Kids

Answer: Up in trees. Wild turkeys spend the day on the ground looking for food, then fly up into trees to roost safely at night.

What famous call do male turkeys make, mostly in spring? Kids

Answer: A gobble. A gobble can be heard up to a mile away. It helps attract hens and warns rival males.

What is a young male turkey called? Family

Answer: A jake. Young males stay with their mother until fall. Young females stay with her until spring.

Wild turkeys can fly in short bursts. About how fast? Family

Answer: Up to 55 mph. They can also run up to about 25 mph.

What is the fleshy flap that hangs down over a turkey's beak called? Family

Answer: The snood. Both males and females have one, but it is much bigger on males. The flap of skin under the chin is called the wattle.

Wild turkeys now live in every U.S. state except one. Which one? Family

Answer: Alaska. Wild turkeys had vanished from much of the country by the early 1900s. Restoration work brought them back to every state except Alaska.

Benjamin Franklin praised the turkey as 'a Bird of Courage' in a letter to whom? Hard

Answer: His daughter. Franklin compared the turkey favorably with the bald eagle, but he never formally proposed it as a national symbol.

About how many feathers does an adult wild turkey have? Hard

Answer: 5,000 to 6,000. A male's tail fan is made of 18 large quill feathers, which he spreads wide when strutting.

In which month do people in Canada celebrate Thanksgiving? Kids

Answer: October. Canada's Thanksgiving comes several weeks before the U.S. holiday. Since 1957 it has been set on the second Monday of October.

On which day of the week is Canadian Thanksgiving held? Kids

Answer: Monday. It falls on the second Monday in October, which gives many Canadians a long weekend.

Round pastries called mooncakes are a favorite treat at which festival? Kids

Answer: Mid-Autumn Festival. The festival is celebrated in China and other parts of Asia on the night of a bright full moon in early autumn.

Japan's Labor Thanksgiving Day, a national holiday, is held on which date? Family

Answer: November 23. Before 1948 the day was Niinamesai, an ancient rite in which the emperor offers newly harvested grain. Today it honors work and workers.

Which Korean autumn holiday is famous for half-moon rice cakes called songpyeon? Family

Answer: Chuseok. Songpyeon are moon-shaped rice cakes with a sweet filling. Chuseok follows the lunar calendar, so its date changes every year.

In what year did Canada's Parliament set Thanksgiving on the second Monday in October? Hard

Answer: 1957. In 1879 Parliament declared November 6 a national day of Thanksgiving. The 1957 proclamation fixed it on the second Monday in October.

Explorer Martin Frobisher's crew held a thanksgiving in 1578 in what is now which part of Canada? Hard

Answer: Nunavut. At Frobisher Bay, the crew gave thanks for surviving a dangerous voyage, not for a harvest.

Which African country has a national Thanksgiving Day on the first Thursday of November? Hard

Answer: Liberia. Liberia's legislature set the holiday by law in 1883, and each year the president issues a proclamation for it.

Black Friday, a huge shopping day, comes the day after which holiday? Kids

Answer: Thanksgiving. Many stores open early with big sales, and many people treat it as the start of holiday shopping.

In 'A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving', which dog helps serve a feast of toast and popcorn? Kids

Answer: Snoopy. The special first aired on CBS in 1973. Peppermint Patty is not impressed by the menu of toast, popcorn, pretzels and jelly beans.

Police in which city are credited with nicknaming the day after Thanksgiving 'Black Friday'? Family

Answer: Philadelphia. Officers used the name for the awful traffic jams downtown, as holiday shoppers and visitors for the Army-Navy football game poured into the city.

Which president made the White House turkey pardon a formal tradition in 1989? Family

Answer: George H.W. Bush. Bush announced in the Rose Garden that the bird would not end up on anyone's dinner table. Earlier presidents sometimes spared turkeys, but without a formal pardon.

What is the Monday after Thanksgiving, known for online deals, called? Family

Answer: Cyber Monday. The name caught on in 2005, when the online retail group Shop.org used it to describe a jump in online shopping on that Monday.

In Lydia Maria Child's original 'Over the River and Through the Wood', whose house is the family going to? Hard

Answer: Grandfather's. Many people sing 'grandmother's house', but the poem, first published in the 1840s as a boy's Thanksgiving song, says grandfather's.