Thanksgiving Quiz.
Test your knowledge of Thanksgiving traditions, history, and fun facts. Get ready to challenge yourself and discover something new about this festive holiday!
Thanksgiving Day Quiz
About Thanksgiving Day Quiz
A Thanksgiving quiz is a wonderful, interactive activity for all ages, fostering engagement and sharing knowledge about this significant American holiday.
Quizzes generally cover the historical 1621 harvest feast shared by the Pilgrims and the Wampanoag people, as well as modern traditions.
Questions range from identifying traditional foods like venison (not turkey) served at the first feast to naming the U.S.
President who made it an annual national holiday (Abraham Lincoln). It is a fun way to test knowledge on topics such as the Macy’s parade or the origin of the wishbone tradition, making family gatherings more educational and entertaining.
Examples
In a Thanksgiving Day quiz, you can expect questions about the holiday’s history, traditions, and symbols, along with fun facts about foods and celebrations; for example, you might be asked which Indigenous crops were served at the first feast, why turkey became traditional, or how the Macy’s Parade became a major holiday event.
How it works
Expect 10 questions, and if you score 80%, it means you are familiar with the topic. This quiz is simply a fun way to test your knowledge. You can also invite others to play with you, compare scores, and learn together.
Time Limit
You have 150 seconds to complete the 10 questions, which means you have 15 seconds for each question.
Thanksgiving Day: History, Traditions, and Celebrations in the U.S. and Canada
Thanksgiving Day is a national holiday celebrated primarily in the United States and Canada to give thanks for the year’s blessings, especially the harvest.
In the U.S., it falls on the fourth Thursday of November and traces back to a 1621 harvest feast between Pilgrims and the Wampanoag people. Abraham Lincoln proclaimed it a national holiday in 1863, and Congress fixed the date in 1941.
Traditions include family gatherings, large meals with turkey, stuffing, and pumpkin pie, watching football and the Macy’s Parade, and volunteering or donating food. In Canada, Thanksgiving is on the second Monday of October, with similar meals and family celebrations but quieter origins. Common themes are gratitude, family, food, and festivities.
Common Thanksgiving activities
- Feasting: Gathering for a large meal, often centered around a roasted turkey with various side dishes like stuffing, mashed potatoes, gravy, and cranberry sauce.
- Parades: Watching the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade in New York City, which features floats, marching bands, and large helium balloons.
- Football: Many families watch or play American football games, as it is a popular tradition on the holiday.
- Giving thanks: Expressing gratitude for the year’s blessings through prayer, reflection, or simply by sharing what they are thankful for with loved ones.
- Shopping: Some people participate in early-opening stores for Black Friday sales, which often begin on Thanksgiving night.
Thanksgiving Day Frequently Asked Questions.
What Is Thanksgiving Day and How Did It Begin?
Thanksgiving Day is celebrated annually in the United States on the fourth Thursday of November. It originated from a 1621 harvest feast shared between the Pilgrims and the Wampanoag tribe in Plymouth, Massachusetts. Made a national holiday by President Abraham Lincoln in 1863 during the Civil War, it is a time to give thanks for the year’s blessings, enjoy family gatherings, watch football, attend parades like Macy’s, and share a traditional meal featuring turkey, stuffing, cranberry sauce, and pumpkin pie.
What is the real story behind Thanksgiving Day?
Thanksgiving traces its roots to autumn 1621, when about 90 Wampanoag men and 53 surviving Pilgrims held a three-day harvest feast in Plymouth after the colonists’ first successful corn crop.
The Wampanoag, led by Massasoit, had helped the newcomers survive by teaching them local agriculture.
The event was not called “Thanksgiving” and was not repeated annually.
Later New England colonies held occasional thanksgiving days, but the modern national holiday was created by Abraham Lincoln in 1863 to foster unity during the Civil War.
Much of the familiar story was shaped by 19th-century writers and artists.
Why did Thomas Jefferson refuse to celebrate Thanksgiving?
Thomas Jefferson refused to issue Thanksgiving proclamations as president because he believed they violated the separation of church and state. He viewed official days of thanksgiving or prayer as religious exercises that the federal government had no authority to prescribe, calling them inappropriate for a nation that guaranteed freedom of religion. Earlier presidents like Washington and Adams had issued them, but Jefferson consistently declined.
What’s the rule for Thanksgiving Day?
Thanksgiving Day is a federal holiday in the United States and is fixed by law to be celebrated on the fourth Thursday in November. This rule was established by Congress in 1941 when President Franklin D. Roosevelt signed a joint resolution making the date permanent (after temporarily moving it earlier to lengthen the Christmas shopping season during the Depression).
What Are Examples of Thanksgiving Day Quizzes?
Thanksgiving quizzes test knowledge on a variety of topics, from historical facts to traditional foods and modern customs. Here are some examples of quiz questions:
- History: “In what year was the first Thanksgiving celebrated by the Pilgrims and the Wampanoag tribe?” (Answer: 1621)
- Food: “What meat did Native Americans bring to the first Thanksgiving, which was likely eaten instead of turkey?” (Answer: Venison or deer meat)
- Traditions: “Which two NFL teams traditionally host games every Thanksgiving Day?” (Answer: The Detroit Lions and the Dallas Cowboys)
- Fun Facts: “What is the wobbly red piece of flesh on top of a turkey’s beak called?” (Answer: A snood)
- Pop Culture: “Which city hosts the famous Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade?” (Answer: New York City)
What’s a good Thanksgiving trivia quiz question?
The top six things usually discussed about American Thanksgiving are that it is held on the fourth Thursday of November by law (set in 1941), it originated from a 1621 harvest feast between Pilgrims and Wampanoag (not a repeated “Thanksgiving”), the first feast probably had no turkey or pumpkin pie, Abraham Lincoln made it a national holiday in 1863 for Civil War unity, Thomas Jefferson refused to proclaim it because of church-state separation, and roughly 46 million turkeys are eaten every year, making it the nation’s biggest food holiday.
Which Other Countries Celebrate Thanksgiving or Similar Holidays?
Besides the United States, several other countries observe Thanksgiving or similar harvest festivals. Canada, Liberia, Saint Lucia, and Norfolk Island have their own Thanksgiving traditions. Additionally, countries like Germany and Japan celebrate gratitude-focused holidays, such as Germany’s Erntedankfest (harvest festival) and Japan’s Kinro Kansha no Hi (Labor Thanksgiving Day).
What Are the Top 6 Things Everyone Should Know About American Thanksgiving?
Here are the key facts everyone should know about this important American holiday:
- Date and Status: Observed on the fourth Thursday of November, Thanksgiving is a U.S. federal holiday and marks the unofficial start of the holiday season.
- Origin: It traces back to a 1621 harvest feast between Pilgrims and the Wampanoag people, symbolizing cooperation, though it is also a day of mourning for many Native Americans.
- Gratitude and Family: The holiday is primarily for gathering with loved ones, sharing a meal, and reflecting on blessings; it is one of the busiest travel days of the year.
- The Feast: A central roasted turkey is served with traditional sides like mashed potatoes, stuffing, cranberry sauce, sweet potatoes, and pumpkin pie.
- Traditions and Entertainment: Common traditions include parades (like Macy’s), NFL football, Turkey Trots, and the presidential turkey pardon.
- Formalization: Declared a national holiday by Abraham Lincoln in 1863 and officially set as the fourth Thursday in November by Congress in 1941.