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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 7 of 12 covers seven completed UTC days.

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Daily round

  1. The wild turkey, native to North America, is one of two species of turkey in the world. What is the other species?

    Answer: Ocellated turkey

    The Ocellated turkey is the second species of turkey, found primarily in the Yucatán Peninsula region of Mexico and parts of Central America, known for its eye-catching iridescent feathers.

  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 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.

  4. The tradition of writing gratitude lists or keeping gratitude journals around Thanksgiving has been linked in psychological research to improvements in which area of well-being?

    Answer: Subjective happiness and life satisfaction

    Multiple psychology studies, including those by Robert Emmons, have found that regularly practicing gratitude, such as writing gratitude lists, is associated with increased subjective happiness and life satisfaction.

  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 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.

  2. 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.

  3. 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.

  4. Which fat is most commonly used in traditional flaky American pie crusts for Thanksgiving desserts?

    Answer: Butter or vegetable shortening

    American pie crusts rely on butter, vegetable shortening, or a combination of the two; the solid fat creates steam pockets during baking that separate the flour layers into a flaky texture.

  5. 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.

Daily round

  1. 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.

  2. 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.

  3. 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.

  4. What type of fat is most traditionally used to baste a roasting turkey?

    Answer: Melted butter spooned over the skin periodically

    Melted butter is the classic basting fat for roasting turkey, as its milk solids promote browning and its fat content helps the skin crisp while adding a rich flavor that complements the poultry.

  5. 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.

Daily round

  1. Why is it recommended to let a roasted turkey rest for 20 to 30 minutes before carving?

    Answer: To let the juices redistribute evenly throughout the meat fibers

    Resting gives the meat fibers time to relax and reabsorb the internal juices that were driven toward the center during cooking, resulting in moister slices when carved.

  2. 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.

  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. Which country celebrates Thanksgiving on the third Thursday of November and traces the holiday to a 1969 decision by the late president to rename the National Day?

    Answer: Liberia

    Liberia celebrates Thanksgiving on the third Thursday of November, a tradition originating from the country's founding by freed American slaves who adapted the American holiday.

  5. 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.

Daily round

  1. Homaro Cantu, a Chicago-based chef, gained attention for making a Thanksgiving turkey dish from what unconventional source?

    Answer: Insects

    Chef Homaro Cantu experimented with creating turkey-flavored dishes from insects like grasshoppers as part of his innovative approach to sustainable and alternative protein sources.

  2. Which type of potato is generally preferred for making fluffy mashed potatoes?

    Answer: Russet potatoes

    Russet (also called baking) potatoes have high starch content and low moisture, which allows them to break down into a light, fluffy texture when mashed, unlike waxy potatoes that hold their shape.

  3. 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.

  4. Canadian Thanksgiving was officially established as an annual national observance by Parliament in which year?

    Answer: 1879

    The Canadian Parliament proclaimed a national day of thanksgiving on November 6, 1879, though the specific date would change multiple times before being fixed in 1957.

  5. What is the traditional name for the horn-shaped basket filled with fruits, vegetables, and grains that is a common symbol of the Thanksgiving harvest?

    Answer: Cornucopia

    The cornucopia, also called the horn of plenty, is a classical symbol of abundance and nourishment traditionally depicted overflowing with the season's produce.

Daily round

  1. 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.

  2. Which compound in turkey is often incorrectly blamed for causing post-meal drowsiness?

    Answer: Tryptophan

    Although turkey contains tryptophan—an amino acid the body uses to produce serotonin and then melatonin—the drowsiness after a large Thanksgiving meal is more likely caused by the general caloric load, carbohydrates, and alcohol than by tryptophan alone, as many other foods contain comparable or higher amounts.

  3. Cranberries are one of the few major commercial fruits native to which continent?

    Answer: North America

    The American cranberry (Vaccinium macrocarpon) is native to North America and was used by Indigenous peoples long before European settlers incorporated it into harvest feasts.

  4. 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.

  5. 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.

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. 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.

  3. What is a common food-safety reason to avoid washing a raw whole turkey before cooking?

    Answer: It can splash bacteria-laden water across kitchen surfaces

    Rinsing a raw turkey under the tap can cause bacteria on the surface to aerosolize and spread via splashing up to three feet around the sink, contaminating countertops, utensils, and other foods.

  4. During the 1939 Thanksgiving date controversy, approximately how many U.S. states chose to follow Roosevelt's revised earlier date?

    Answer: 23

    Only 23 of the 48 states adopted Roosevelt's earlier Thanksgiving date in 1939, while 23 kept the traditional last Thursday, creating a split that lasted through 1940.

  5. 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.