Thanksgiving Quiz
Questions: 16 · 10 minutes
1. November begins on a Sunday in a particular year. On what date does U.S. Thanksgiving fall that year?
November 19
November 27
November 26
November 29
2. A timeline notes that President Franklin D. Roosevelt moved Thanksgiving earlier in 1939, creating disagreement among states. What later action established the current federal rule?
The Supreme Court selected the final Thursday in November.
Congress set Thanksgiving on the fourth Thursday in November in 1941.
Every state independently selected the same date in 1945.
A constitutional amendment fixed the holiday after World War II.
3. A student wants the publication containing Edward Winslow’s brief eyewitness account of the 1621 gathering. Which source should the student consult?
The Mayflower Compact
Sarah Josepha Hale’s editorials
Abraham Lincoln’s 1863 Thanksgiving proclamation
Mourt’s Relation
4. The 1621 gathering commonly associated with Thanksgiving took place near Plymouth, in which present-day U.S. state?
Virginia
Rhode Island
Massachusetts
Connecticut
5. A traveler wants to attend Canada’s nationally observed Thanksgiving holiday. Which date should the traveler look for?
The first Monday in September
The fourth Thursday in November
The second Monday in October
The third Monday in October
6. A Thanksgiving proclamation dated 1863 calls for national observance despite conflict and suffering. Which major event forms its immediate historical setting?
The American Civil War
The American Revolution
The War of 1812
World War I
7. Which Indigenous nation joined the English colonists at the well-known 1621 gathering in Plymouth?
Wampanoag
Powhatan
Haudenosaunee
Cherokee
8. In what year did the first Macy’s parade associated with Thanksgiving take place in New York City?
1924
1901
1939
1946
9. While roasting a turkey, a cook checks its internal temperature with a food thermometer. What minimum temperature should the turkey reach according to standard U.S. food-safety guidance?
145°F (63°C)
155°F (68°C)
180°F (82°C)
165°F (74°C)
10. A centerpiece is described as a cornucopia. What does that term traditionally mean?
A woven harvest wreath
A horn of plenty
A bundle of dried corn stalks
A ceremonial serving bowl
11. On which day is Thanksgiving observed as a federal holiday in the United States?
The second Monday in October
The final Thursday in November
The third Thursday in November
The fourth Thursday in November
12. Which writer and editor campaigned for decades to establish a regular national Thanksgiving holiday in the United States?
Harriet Beecher Stowe
Louisa May Alcott
Sarah Josepha Hale
Margaret Fuller
13. Which museum label offers the most historically responsible summary of the 1621 Plymouth gathering?
It involved English colonists and Wampanoag people within a specific alliance, while later colonization brought severe harm to Native communities.
It began a permanent period of equality between Native peoples and European colonists.
It was the first thanksgiving or harvest celebration ever held in North America.
It was an English-only religious ceremony that no Wampanoag people attended.
14. According to Edward Winslow’s account, approximately how long did the 1621 Plymouth gathering last?
One afternoon
Two days
One week
Three days
15. Dinner has ended, and perishable Thanksgiving dishes are still on the table at normal room temperature. When should they generally be refrigerated?
After six hours
Within two hours
Only after they have completely cooled overnight
Before breakfast the next morning
16. A museum wants to display foods directly supported by surviving accounts of the 1621 gathering. Which pairing is the best choice?
Pumpkin pie and mashed potatoes
Venison and wildfowl
Cranberry sauce and sweet potatoes
Apple pie and corn pudding