From the Pilgrims landing at Plymouth Rock to the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade, from classic turkey facts to hard history deep dives — this is the most comprehensive free Thanksgiving trivia resource on the internet. Click any question to reveal the answer.
Thanksgiving History & Origins
1In what year did the Pilgrims arrive at Plymouth Rock?
1620. The Mayflower reached Plymouth Harbor in November 1620.
2What ship carried the Pilgrims from England to the New World?
The Mayflower. The voyage took about 66 days.
3The 1621 harvest feast was shared between the Pilgrims and which Native American tribe?
The Wampanoag. Chief Massasoit and around 90 Wampanoag attended alongside roughly 53 Pilgrims.
4How many days did the first Thanksgiving feast reportedly last?
Three days. Edward Winslow documented the celebration in a 1621 letter.
5Which U.S. president officially proclaimed Thanksgiving a national holiday in 1863?
Abraham Lincoln. He declared the last Thursday of November as a national day of Thanksgiving.
6Who campaigned for 17 years to make Thanksgiving a national holiday?
Sarah Josepha Hale, editor of Godey's Lady's Book — and also the author of 'Mary Had a Little Lamb.'
7What year did Congress officially fix Thanksgiving as the fourth Thursday of November?
1941. FDR had controversially moved it to the third Thursday in 1939, and Congress made it permanent two years later.
8Who was the Wampanoag leader who attended the 1621 feast?
Massasoit (also called Ousamequin). He and his people were vital allies to the struggling Plymouth Colony.
9What document did the Pilgrims sign aboard the Mayflower before landing?
The Mayflower Compact — the first governing document of Plymouth Colony, signed November 11, 1620.
10What was the name of the second ship that started the voyage with the Mayflower but turned back?
The Speedwell. It was deemed unseaworthy, forcing all passengers onto the already crowded Mayflower.
11How many Pilgrims survived the first brutal winter at Plymouth?
About 53, roughly half of the 102 who had arrived.
12What crop did the Wampanoag teach the Pilgrims to cultivate?
Corn (maize). They also taught fertilizing techniques using fish.
13Sarah Josepha Hale was also famous as the author of which classic nursery rhyme?
'Mary Had a Little Lamb,' published in 1830.
14Which president moved Thanksgiving to the third Thursday of November, sparking controversy?
Franklin D. Roosevelt, in 1939, to extend the holiday shopping season. Critics called it 'Franksgiving.'
15In Canada, when is Thanksgiving celebrated?
The second Monday of October.
Thanksgiving Food & the Feast
16What is a male turkey called?
A tom (or gobbler).
17What is a female turkey called?
A hen.
18What is a baby turkey called?
A poult.
19What sound do only male turkeys make?
Gobbling. Female turkeys make a clucking or yelping sound.
20The turkey's fleshy red protuberance hanging from its forehead is called what?
The snood.
21What is the red fleshy skin dangling from a turkey's neck or chin called?
The wattle.
22What state produces the most turkeys in the United States?
Minnesota, followed by North Carolina and Arkansas.
23Approximately how many turkeys are consumed in the United States on Thanksgiving?
About 46 million turkeys — roughly one out of every six turkeys raised in the U.S. that year.
24What was definitively NOT served at the 1621 Thanksgiving feast?
Cranberry sauce, potatoes, and pumpkin pie. The feast likely featured venison, seafood, corn, and wildfowl.
25What year did Ocean Spray first sell canned cranberry sauce?
1912.
26What percentage of annual U.S. cranberry production is consumed at Thanksgiving?
About 20%.
27The 'wishbone' tradition of making a wish when breaking a turkey's bone dates back to which ancient civilization?
The Etruscans (later adopted by the Romans), over 2,400 years ago.
28Green bean casserole was invented in 1955 by which company?
Campbell Soup Company — created by home economist Dorcas Reilly.
29Sweet potato vs. yam: which is more commonly eaten at Thanksgiving in the U.S.?
Sweet potato. True yams are rare in North America — most 'yams' sold are actually orange-fleshed sweet potatoes.
30What is the estimated caloric intake of the average American on Thanksgiving Day?
Around 3,000–4,500 calories in a single meal.
The Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade
31In what year did the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade begin?
1924. Macy's employees marched from 145th Street to Herald Square.
32What did the original 1924 Macy's parade feature instead of giant balloons?
Live animals from the Central Park Zoo, including lions, tigers, elephants, and camels.
33In what year did giant character balloons first appear in the Macy's parade?
1927. The first balloon was Felix the Cat.
34How long is the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade route?
About 2.5 miles, running through Midtown Manhattan.
35What famous fictional address does the parade end near, according to the 1947 film 'Miracle on 34th Street'?
Macy's at 34th Street in Herald Square.
36Which beloved holiday TV special features the Macy's parade prominently?
'A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving' (1973) begins with the parade.
37How many people line the streets to watch the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade each year?
About 3.5 million spectators, with 50+ million watching on TV.
38What year was the parade cancelled or significantly reduced due to WWII?
1942–1944. Rubber and helium were needed for the war effort.
Thanksgiving on TV & in Movies
39What classic 1987 comedy film features Steve Martin and John Candy trying to get home for Thanksgiving?
'Planes, Trains and Automobiles.'
40A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving first aired on TV in what year?
1973. It's based on Charles M. Schulz's Peanuts characters.
41What does Charlie Brown serve at his Thanksgiving feast in the 1973 special?
Popcorn, pretzel sticks, jelly beans, and toast.
42Which NFL team has played on Thanksgiving every single year since 1934?
The Detroit Lions.
43Which NFL team has hosted a Thanksgiving game every year since 1966?
The Dallas Cowboys.
44In 'Friends,' which season features the first Thanksgiving episode, 'The One Where Underdog Gets Away'?
Season 1 (1994).
45How many Thanksgiving episodes does 'Friends' have in total?
Ten — one for every season.
46What 1995 film adaptation of Louisa May Alcott's novel features a Thanksgiving scene and stars Winona Ryder?
'Little Women' (1994).
Pilgrim Life & History Deep Dive
47What was the Pilgrims' original intended destination in North America?
Virginia Colony. They were blown off course and landed in what is now Massachusetts.
48How long was the Mayflower's voyage across the Atlantic Ocean?
About 66 days (September 6 to November 11, 1620).
49How many people were aboard the Mayflower when it departed?
102 passengers plus a crew of about 30.
50What was the name of the first baby born to the Pilgrims in the New World?
Peregrine White, born aboard the Mayflower while anchored in Provincetown Harbor.
51Which Wampanoag man, who spoke English, served as a key interpreter between the Pilgrims and Wampanoag?
Squanto (Tisquantum). He had previously been captured and taken to England, which is how he learned English.
52What treaty did the Pilgrims sign with Massasoit in 1621?
A mutual defense treaty pledging that neither party would harm the other.
53What was Plymouth Colony's first governing document?
The Mayflower Compact — the first written framework for self-governance in North America.
Thanksgiving Fun Facts & Oddities
54The tradition of presidential turkey pardons became an official annual tradition under which president?
George H.W. Bush, in 1989. Earlier presidents occasionally spared turkeys but it wasn't a formal tradition.
55What city holds the Guinness World Record for the largest pumpkin pie ever baked?
New Bremen, Ohio baked a 2,020-pound pumpkin pie in 2010.
56A TV dinner was first developed and sold in 1953 after a massive surplus of what Thanksgiving food?
Turkey. Swanson had 260 tons of leftover frozen turkey and needed a creative solution.
57What does the word 'Thanksgiving' most directly mean?
An expression of gratitude — giving thanks to God for blessings received.
58On average, how many calories are in a slice of pumpkin pie?
About 316 calories for a typical slice with crust.
59What is the name of the cartilage structure in a turkey's throat that acts as a resonator to amplify gobbling?
The trachea and esophageal sac — technically the fleshy pouch on the neck is called the 'crop,' and the hollow resonating sac amplifies gobbles.
60How many Americans travel during the Thanksgiving holiday?
Roughly 55 million Americans travel 50+ miles during the Thanksgiving holiday period.
Thanksgiving Trivia for Kids
61What holiday are we celebrating on Thanksgiving?
We give thanks for everything we're grateful for — family, friends, food, and good things in our lives!
62What is the name of the famous parade held every Thanksgiving morning in New York City?
The Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade!
63What food are most families famous for cooking on Thanksgiving?
Turkey!
64What do you call the sound a turkey makes?
Gobbling!
65What shape do kids often trace with their hand to draw a turkey?
Their hand — the thumb is the turkey's head and the fingers are the tail feathers.
66What season of the year does Thanksgiving fall in?
Fall (Autumn).
67What are two classic Thanksgiving side dishes?
Stuffing (or dressing) and mashed potatoes.
68What do you call the bone you find in a turkey that two people can pull apart to make a wish?
The wishbone!
69What are the colors most associated with Thanksgiving?
Orange, brown, and gold — the colors of autumn leaves and harvest.
70What kind of pie is most traditionally eaten at Thanksgiving?
Pumpkin pie!
Hard Thanksgiving Bonus Round
71On what exact date did Lincoln issue his Thanksgiving Proclamation?
October 3, 1863.
72What is the scientific name of the wild turkey?
Meleagris gallopavo.
73The Wampanoag people called their territory by what name?
Patuxent or Wampanoag territory — their homeland stretched from present-day southeastern Massachusetts through Rhode Island.
74Which U.S. state does NOT observe a state holiday for Thanksgiving?
All 50 states observe Thanksgiving as a public holiday.
75What was the original name of Plymouth Colony before the Pilgrims arrived?
Patuxent (named by Captain John Smith). The Pilgrims renamed it Plymouth after Plymouth, England.
76Which Founding Father specifically promoted the idea of Thanksgiving as a national tradition?
George Washington, who issued a Thanksgiving proclamation in 1789 — the first by a U.S. president.
77The 'Three Sisters' are three crops the Wampanoag and other Northeastern tribes cultivated together. Name them.
Corn, beans, and squash. They were planted together as a companion planting system.
78How many calories does the average American consume specifically from Thanksgiving turkey?
About 500–700 calories from turkey alone (a typical 6–8 oz serving, skin included).