AG AIGAMELIB 59 playable now, 61 experiments Play a case
Menu

Seven days of questions and answers

Thanksgiving Trivia Answers Archive

Review earlier daily rounds, reveal the correct answer, and use the short explanation to learn the fact behind each question. Page 1 of 12 covers seven completed UTC days.

Play today's quiz

Daily round

  1. Which sport became widely associated with Thanksgiving Day in the United States beginning in the 1920s?

    Answer: College football

    College football games on Thanksgiving Day became a widespread American tradition by the 1920s, well before the NFL began its own annual Thanksgiving matchups in 1934.

  2. In the United States, the tradition of a presidential proclamation setting a specific date for Thanksgiving was established by which president?

    Answer: Abraham Lincoln

    Abraham Lincoln issued a proclamation in 1863, during the Civil War, establishing the last Thursday of November as a national day of Thanksgiving, partly influenced by Sarah Josepha Hale's decades of advocacy.

  3. Which of the following best describes the original purpose of the 1621 Plymouth gathering as recorded by the colonists themselves?

    Answer: A harvest celebration

    Edward Winslow's 1621 letter describes the gathering as a harvest celebration following a successful growing season, rather than a formal religious service or political event.

  4. The modern tradition of a U.S. president formally granting an annual turkey pardon became an established White House custom during which presidency?

    Answer: George H. W. Bush

    While earlier presidents occasionally spared turkeys, George H. W. Bush became the first to formally grant an official annual presidential turkey pardon in 1989.

  5. Which New England state produces the majority of cranberries harvested in the United States for Thanksgiving consumption?

    Answer: Massachusetts

    Massachusetts is the leading cranberry-producing state and home to the Cape Cod region where cranberry bogs have been harvested for generations, supplying much of the fruit used at Thanksgiving.

Daily round

  1. In many Southern U.S. traditions, what distinguishes "dressing" from "stuffing"?

    Answer: Dressing is baked in a separate dish rather than inside the bird

    While the terms are often used interchangeably, many Southern cooks reserve "dressing" for the version baked in its own casserole dish, distinguishing it from "stuffing" that is cooked inside the turkey cavity.

  2. Which vegetable is in peak season during the North American autumn and is often served roasted or shredded at Thanksgiving?

    Answer: Brussels sprouts

    Brussels sprouts are a cool-weather crop that reaches peak flavor after the first autumn frost, making them a natural seasonal choice for Thanksgiving side dishes, especially when roasted or sautéed.

  3. Which of the following U.S. presidents issued Thanksgiving proclamations while the nation was engaged in a major war?

    Answer: James Madison

    James Madison issued Thanksgiving proclamations during the War of 1812, calling for national days of prayer and thanksgiving in both 1812 and 1815.

  4. Which of the following best describes the shared civic purpose of Thanksgiving proclamations in both the United States and Canada?

    Answer: Declaring a day of national gratitude and reflection

    Thanksgiving proclamations in both nations have historically served to set aside a day for collective gratitude and reflection, inviting citizens to give thanks for blessings and prosperity.

  5. Which of the following spices is NOT a standard component of commercially prepared pumpkin pie spice?

    Answer: Cardamom

    Pumpkin pie spice blends typically contain cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and allspice or cloves, but cardamom is not a standard inclusion in the classic American blend.

Daily round

  1. What is the best practice for safely cooling a large pot of hot turkey stock or gravy before refrigerating it?

    Answer: Divide into shallow containers so it cools quickly to below 40°F

    Dividing hot liquids into shallow containers increases their surface area, allowing them to cool to a safe temperature (below 40°F) within the recommended two-hour window before being transferred to the refrigerator.

  2. What is the largest float by dimension that has appeared in the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade, introduced in the 2000s?

    Answer: Pikachu

    The Pikachu balloon, introduced to the Macy's parade, has been among the largest character balloons, reflecting the parade's tradition of featuring pop culture icons alongside classic figures.

  3. Which department store chain sponsors the oldest annual Thanksgiving Day parade in the United States, first held in 1920?

    Answer: Gimbel's

    Gimbel's department store launched the first Thanksgiving Day parade in Philadelphia in 1920, predating Macy's famous New York City parade by six years.

  4. According to primary source accounts, approximately how many Wampanoag guests attended the 1621 Plymouth harvest gathering?

    Answer: About 90

    Edward Winslow's firsthand account describes approximately 90 Wampanoag men, including their leader Massasoit, joining the colonists for the multi-day feast.

  5. Which of these vegetables belongs to the same botanical family as pumpkins and butternut squash?

    Answer: Zucchini

    Pumpkins, butternut squash, and zucchini are all members of the Cucurbitaceae family (the gourd family), while sweet potatoes, turnips, and parsnips belong to entirely different plant families.

Daily round

  1. Who campaigned for decades through editorials and letters to make Thanksgiving a U.S. national holiday before Lincoln's 1863 proclamation?

    Answer: Sarah Josepha Hale

    Sarah Josepha Hale, editor of Godey's Lady's Book, wrote editorials and lobbied presidents and governors for 36 years to establish Thanksgiving as a unified national holiday.

  2. Which crop is typically associated with harvest festivals in the American South, where Thanksgiving celebrations may include dishes like pecan pie and sweet potato casserole?

    Answer: Pecans

    Pecans are a signature crop of the American South and a key ingredient in many Southern Thanksgiving dishes, including the classic pecan pie made with the region's abundant harvest.

  3. Which U.S. state was the first to adopt an annual Thanksgiving holiday by state legislation?

    Answer: New York

    New York State adopted an annual Thanksgiving holiday by law in 1817, making it one of the earliest states to formally establish the observance on a recurring basis.

  4. What is the most commonly served side dish at American Thanksgiving dinner tables, according to multiple consumer surveys?

    Answer: Mashed potatoes

    Mashed potatoes consistently rank as the most popular Thanksgiving side dish across numerous consumer surveys, appearing on the vast majority of American Thanksgiving tables.

  5. What safety concern is most commonly associated with outdoor turkey fryers?

    Answer: The high volume of hot oil can overflow and ignite if the turkey is wet

    When a partially frozen or wet turkey is lowered into hot oil, the water rapidly vaporizes and expands, causing the oil to boil over and potentially ignite, leading to severe burns and structure fires.

Daily round

  1. Before Lincoln's 1863 proclamation, how were national days of thanksgiving typically established in the United States?

    Answer: By individual presidential proclamations for specific occasions

    Prior to 1863, presidents issued ad hoc Thanksgiving proclamations for particular events such as military victories or abundant harvests, rather than establishing a recurring annual observance.

  2. What is the function of a roasting rack when cooking a turkey in the oven?

    Answer: It elevates the turkey so hot air circulates underneath and the bottom does not boil in drippings

    A roasting rack lifts the turkey above the bottom of the pan, allowing ambient oven heat to reach the entire bird and preventing the underside from sitting in and steaming in its own juices, which promotes more even browning.

  3. Which group of early settlers is credited with bringing American-style Thanksgiving harvest customs to Canada?

    Answer: United Empire Loyalists

    United Empire Loyalists who emigrated from the United States during and after the American Revolution carried Thanksgiving customs, including harvest festival traditions, into Canada.

  4. Which U.S. president declined to issue Thanksgiving proclamations, citing concerns about the federal government encroaching on religious matters?

    Answer: Thomas Jefferson

    Thomas Jefferson, a strong advocate for the separation of church and state, chose not to issue Thanksgiving proclamations during his presidency, believing such proclamations exceeded constitutional authority.

  5. Squash varieties commonly used in Thanksgiving dishes such as pumpkin pie and butternut squash soup belong to which plant genus?

    Answer: Cucurbita

    Pumpkins, butternut squash, acorn squash, and other common Thanksgiving squashes belong to the genus Cucurbita, a group of vine-growing plants in the gourd family.

Daily round

  1. What is the main nutritional characteristic that distinguishes dark meat from white meat in turkey?

    Answer: Dark meat has a higher myoglobin content from active muscles, giving it more iron and a darker color

    Turkeys use their legs and thighs more actively than their breast, resulting in higher concentrations of myoglobin—an oxygen-storing protein—in those muscles, which gives dark meat its color, richer flavor, and slightly higher iron content.

  2. What is the primary role of the "bloom" (gelatin) found in canned jellied cranberry sauce?

    Answer: It helps the sauce hold its molded cylinder shape after opening

    Jellied cranberry sauce contains pectin (naturally occurring in cranberries) that gels the sauce into its characteristic solid cylinder shape, allowing it to be sliced and served in rounds that retain their form on the plate.

  3. English explorer Martin Frobisher is associated with early Canadian thanksgiving observances in which century?

    Answer: Sixteenth century

    In 1578, Martin Frobisher held a formal thanksgiving ceremony in what is now Nunavut after surviving a difficult Arctic voyage, making it one of the earliest recorded thanksgiving observances in North America.

  4. What proportion of wild turkeys in North America were estimated to remain by the early 20th century before conservation efforts restored their populations?

    Answer: Around 30%

    Wild turkey populations had declined to roughly 30,000 birds, about 30% of their original estimated range, by the early 1900s before habitat restoration and regulated hunting brought them back to millions.

  5. What is the main purpose of brining a turkey before roasting?

    Answer: To increase moisture retention and enhance seasoning penetration

    A wet or dry brine dissolves some of the turkey's muscle proteins, allowing the meat to retain more moisture during cooking while also carrying salt and aromatics deeper into the flesh.

Daily round

  1. Which of the following is a traditional component of a Southern-style relish tray at Thanksgiving?

    Answer: Olives, pickles, and raw vegetables such as celery sticks

    A classic relish tray typically offers an assortment of olives, various pickles, and crisp raw vegetables like celery, carrot sticks, and radishes, serving as a light appetizer before the main meal.

  2. Which U.S. president moved Thanksgiving up by one week in 1939, a decision that divided the nation?

    Answer: Franklin D. Roosevelt

    Franklin D. Roosevelt moved Thanksgiving from the last Thursday to the third Thursday of November 1939 to extend the holiday shopping period and help retailers during the Great Depression.

  3. Before 1957, Canadian Thanksgiving was not held on a fixed date but was instead proclaimed on varying dates for which of the following reasons?

    Answer: Variable dates linked to specific events or occasions

    Prior to 1957, Canadian Thanksgiving was proclaimed on various dates to mark specific occasions such as the end of wars, royal events, or recovery from illness, rather than following a fixed calendar rule.

  4. In which New England state is the town of Plymouth, a common historical reference point in American Thanksgiving narratives, located?

    Answer: Massachusetts

    Plymouth, Massachusetts, was the site of the 1620 Pilgrim settlement and is referenced in many American Thanksgiving traditions, including Plymouth Rock as a symbolic landing spot.

  5. How much whole turkey per person is commonly recommended when planning a Thanksgiving meal?

    Answer: One and a half pounds per person

    The general guideline is to plan for one to one and a half pounds of whole turkey per person, which accounts for bone weight and provides reasonable portions plus leftovers.