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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 6 of 12 covers seven completed UTC days.

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Daily round

  1. Which grain was a staple crop cultivated by Indigenous peoples of the Northeast that became central to the Thanksgiving harvest narrative?

    Answer: Maize (corn)

    Maize, or corn, was one of the "Three Sisters" (along with beans and squash) cultivated by many Indigenous nations of eastern North America and occupies a central place in the agricultural history surrounding Thanksgiving.

  2. Which president signed the 1941 joint congressional resolution that ended the uncertainty over Thanksgiving's date in the United States?

    Answer: Franklin D. Roosevelt

    Franklin D. Roosevelt signed the joint congressional resolution in December 1941, permanently fixing Thanksgiving on the fourth Thursday of November and resolving the confusion of the previous two years.

  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. Abraham Lincoln's 1863 Thanksgiving proclamation designated the holiday for which specific Thursday of November?

    Answer: The last Thursday

    Lincoln's proclamation designated the last Thursday of November as the day of national thanksgiving, which at the time could fall on either the fourth or fifth Thursday depending on the calendar.

  5. What was the primary economic rationale Franklin D. Roosevelt gave for moving Thanksgiving earlier in 1939?

    Answer: To extend the holiday shopping season

    Roosevelt moved Thanksgiving to the third Thursday of November to give retailers a longer holiday shopping period, hoping to stimulate the economy during the Great Depression.

Daily round

  1. Which governor general of Canada issued the 1879 proclamation that began the tradition of annual national Thanksgiving observances?

    Answer: The Marquess of Lorne

    The Marquess of Lorne, Governor General of Canada from 1878 to 1883, issued the 1879 proclamation designating a national day of thanksgiving on November 6 of that year.

  2. 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.

  3. The wattle is a distinctive fleshy appendage found on which part of a turkey?

    Answer: The head and neck

    A turkey's wattle is the fleshy, wrinkled skin that hangs from the head and neck area, and along with the snood, is one of its most recognizable features.

  4. George Washington's 1789 Thanksgiving proclamation was explicitly issued in response to which national development?

    Answer: The ratification of the U.S. Constitution

    Washington's proclamation called for a day of thanksgiving specifically to acknowledge the successful ratification of the U.S. Constitution and the newly formed federal government.

  5. Thanksgiving in Canada is celebrated on which date each year?

    Answer: The second Monday of October

    Canadian Thanksgiving is observed annually on the second Monday of October, earlier than the American date, partly because the northern harvest season concludes sooner.

Daily round

  1. Which grain was a staple crop cultivated by Indigenous peoples of the Northeast that became central to the Thanksgiving harvest narrative?

    Answer: Maize (corn)

    Maize, or corn, was one of the "Three Sisters" (along with beans and squash) cultivated by many Indigenous nations of eastern North America and occupies a central place in the agricultural history surrounding Thanksgiving.

  2. The English harvest festival tradition that influenced North American Thanksgiving customs is most closely tied to which seasonal activity?

    Answer: Autumn crop gathering

    The English Harvest Home festival, celebrated at the conclusion of the autumn harvest, contributed many customs and themes that shaped Thanksgiving traditions in both the United States and Canada.

  3. In what year did the U.S. Congress permanently fix Thanksgiving to the fourth Thursday of November?

    Answer: 1941

    Congress passed a joint resolution in December 1941, shortly after the attack on Pearl Harbor, officially designating the fourth Thursday of November as Thanksgiving Day.

  4. What type of harvest method is traditionally used for commercial cranberries?

    Answer: Wet harvesting by flooding bogs and floating the berries

    Most commercial cranberries are harvested by flooding the bogs, where air pockets inside the berries cause them to float, allowing them to be corralled and collected from the water surface.

  5. Which U.S. president first formally pardoned a Thanksgiving turkey by officially sparing it from the dinner table?

    Answer: George H. W. Bush

    Although Abraham Lincoln is said to have informally spared a turkey, George H. W. Bush was the first president to issue an official formal pardon of a Thanksgiving turkey in 1989.

Daily round

  1. George Washington's 1789 Thanksgiving proclamation was explicitly issued in response to which national development?

    Answer: The ratification of the U.S. Constitution

    Washington's proclamation called for a day of thanksgiving specifically to acknowledge the successful ratification of the U.S. Constitution and the newly formed federal government.

  2. What does it mean to "truss" a turkey before roasting?

    Answer: To tie the legs and wings close to the body with kitchen twine

    Trussing involves using kitchen twine to secure the legs against the body and tuck the wing tips under, which promotes more even cooking and a neater presentation of the finished bird.

  3. What is the approximate weight range of a commercially raised Broad Breasted White turkey commonly served at American Thanksgiving dinners?

    Answer: 15 to 25 pounds

    Most commercially raised Broad Breasted White turkeys sold for Thanksgiving dinners weigh between 15 and 25 pounds, providing enough meat for a typical family gathering.

  4. In which country did the celebration known as Chuseok, a major harvest thanksgiving festival typically observed in autumn, originate?

    Answer: Korea

    Chuseok is a major Korean harvest festival, also known as Hangawi, celebrated on the fifteenth day of the eighth lunar month with ancestral rites and traditional foods like songpyeon.

  5. Which explorer's 1578 thanksgiving ceremony in the Canadian Arctic is considered one of the earliest recorded North American thanksgiving observances?

    Answer: Martin Frobisher

    Martin Frobisher held a thanksgiving ceremony on Baffin Island in 1578 after enduring a perilous search for the Northwest Passage, predating many other North American thanksgiving events.

Daily round

  1. From 1921 to 1931, the Canadian holiday Armistice Day shared its observance with Thanksgiving before being separated into which two distinct holidays?

    Answer: Thanksgiving and Remembrance Day

    Armistice Day and Thanksgiving were observed together on November 11 from 1921 until 1931, when they were separated into Remembrance Day and Thanksgiving on different dates.

  2. The tradition of presenting a live turkey to the U.S. president each Thanksgiving began during which administration?

    Answer: Harry S. Truman

    The National Turkey Federation began presenting a Thanksgiving turkey to the White House in 1947 during the Truman administration, though Truman is believed to have eaten the turkey he received.

  3. Which Native American tribe historically cultivated the Three Sisters planting method of corn, beans, and squash together, a technique central to New England harvest traditions?

    Answer: Iroquois

    The Iroquois and other Haudenosaunee peoples developed the Three Sisters companion planting method, in which corn, beans, and squash support one another's growth in a single mound.

  4. 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.

  5. What minimum internal temperature should a whole turkey reach to be considered safely cooked?

    Answer: 165°F (74°C)

    The USDA advises that poultry must reach an internal temperature of 165°F (74°C) as measured with a food thermometer in the thickest part of the thigh, wing, and breast.

Daily round

  1. The Dallas Cowboys began their annual tradition of hosting a Thanksgiving Day NFL game in which year?

    Answer: 1966

    The Dallas Cowboys played their first Thanksgiving Day game in 1966 at the Cotton Bowl, and except for a brief gap in the 1970s, have hosted one nearly every year since.

  2. The 1621 Plymouth harvest feast is believed to have occurred during which part of the calendar year?

    Answer: Early autumn

    The harvest celebration at Plymouth in 1621 most likely took place in September or early October, aligning with the completion of the New England harvest season.

  3. Which ingredient gives traditional candied yams their characteristic toasted, golden topping?

    Answer: Miniature marshmallows browned under a broiler or in the oven

    The marshmallow-topped candied yam casserole—featuring a layer of miniature marshmallows browned under a broiler or in the oven—became a widely popular Thanksgiving dish in the United States during the twentieth century.

  4. Which autumn phenomenon causes the green pigment in leaves to break down and reveal the yellow, orange, and red pigments beneath?

    Answer: Decreasing day length and cooler temperatures

    Shorter days and cooler autumn temperatures trigger the breakdown of chlorophyll in leaves, allowing underlying carotenoid and anthocyanin pigments to become visible.

  5. How does the Canadian Thanksgiving tradition differ most distinctly from the American tradition in terms of its historical framing?

    Answer: Canadian Thanksgiving focuses less on a single founding narrative

    Unlike the American tradition, which is closely tied to the 1621 Plymouth narrative, Canadian Thanksgiving draws from multiple historical observances without centering on a single founding event.

Daily round

  1. Which governor general of Canada issued the 1879 proclamation that began the tradition of annual national Thanksgiving observances?

    Answer: The Marquess of Lorne

    The Marquess of Lorne, Governor General of Canada from 1878 to 1883, issued the 1879 proclamation designating a national day of thanksgiving on November 6 of that year.

  2. Which Caribbean nation observes a Thanksgiving-style holiday on October 25 to commemorate the anniversary of a significant political event in 1983?

    Answer: Grenada

    Grenada celebrates Thanksgiving Day on October 25, marking the anniversary of the 1983 U.S.-led intervention that restored political order to the island nation.

  3. What is the difference between stock and broth when making Thanksgiving gravy?

    Answer: Stock is simmered with bones for a longer time and has a richer mouthfeel, while broth is made with meat and is lighter

    Stock is made by simmering bones (often roasted) for several hours, extracting collagen that gives it a fuller body when cooled, while broth is made with meat and has a lighter, more directly seasoned flavor.

  4. At the first NFL Thanksgiving game in 1934, which team defeated the Chicago Bears in a matchup hosted by the Detroit Lions?

    Answer: Detroit Lions

    The Detroit Lions won their first Thanksgiving Day football game on November 22, 1934, defeating the Chicago Bears 19-16 before a sold-out crowd at the University of Detroit Stadium.

  5. The Mid-Autumn Festival, a traditional harvest celebration of gratitude and reunion, is most prominently observed in which cultural tradition?

    Answer: Chinese

    The Mid-Autumn Festival, or Moon Festival, is a major Chinese cultural holiday celebrating the harvest and family reunion, featuring mooncakes and lantern displays on the fifteenth day of the eighth lunar month.