Thanksgiving Trivia Questions — 100+ Q&A

1621. The first Thanksgiving was a three-day harvest feast held in Plymouth, Massachusetts, shared between the Pilgrims and the Wampanoag people. It was not called 'Thanksgiving' at the time.

The Mayflower. The Mayflower departed Plymouth, England on September 16, 1620, carrying 102 passengers across the Atlantic. The voyage took 66 days.

About 50 of the original 102. Disease, particularly scurvy and pneumonia, claimed nearly half the colonists during that brutal first winter.

Abraham Lincoln. On October 3, 1863, during the Civil War, Lincoln proclaimed Thanksgiving a national holiday to be held on the last Thursday of November.

Franklin D. Roosevelt. In 1939, FDR moved Thanksgiving up a week to extend the holiday shopping season. Congress made the fourth Thursday permanent in 1941.

The Wampanoag. Led by Chief Massasoit, approximately 90 Wampanoag men joined the approximately 50 surviving Pilgrims for the three-day feast.

Plymouth. The Plymouth Colony was established in December 1620 at the site of present-day Plymouth, Massachusetts.

William Bradford. Bradford governed Plymouth Colony for over 30 years and wrote 'Of Plymouth Plantation,' a key historical account.

King James I. The Pilgrims were Separatists who disagreed with the Church of England and faced persecution under James I.

There was no formal written treaty. The alliance was verbal, brokered by the Patuxet man Tisquantum (Squanto), who served as interpreter.

Three days. The 1621 feast included games, military exercises, and eating over the course of three full days.

Berkeley Plantation, Virginia (1619). English settlers at Berkeley held a thanksgiving service two years before the Pilgrims arrived, though it was a religious observance without a feast.

To celebrate the harvest. The Pilgrims held the feast after their first successful corn harvest, which ensured they would not starve through the coming winter.

Henry Wadsworth Longfellow. Published in 1858, this narrative poem romanticized Pilgrim history and helped shape popular Thanksgiving mythology.

1879. Canadian Thanksgiving was first celebrated in 1578 by Martin Frobisher but became a national holiday in 1879, originally on November 6.

Approximately 88%. The National Turkey Federation estimates about 46 million turkeys are consumed each Thanksgiving in the United States.

About 15 pounds. While the national average is around 15 pounds, many families cook birds between 18 and 22 pounds for larger gatherings.

Minnesota. Minnesota raises approximately 40-45 million turkeys annually, making it the top turkey-producing state in America.

In the early 1900s. While cranberries were available to the Pilgrims, cranberry sauce as we know it became popular after Marcus Urann began canning cranberries in 1912.

Pumpkin pie. The Pilgrims lacked butter, wheat flour, and an oven for pie crust. They may have eaten boiled pumpkin instead.

Stuffing/dressing. Surveys consistently rank stuffing as the favorite side dish, followed closely by mashed potatoes and cranberry sauce.

Approximately 3 billion pounds. North Carolina is the leading producer, supplying about half of all U.S. sweet potatoes.

Pumpkin pie. Pumpkin pie edges out pecan and apple as the most popular Thanksgiving dessert, with over 50 million pumpkin pies eaten each year.

A chicken stuffed inside a duck, stuffed inside a turkey. This elaborate Cajun dish gained national popularity after football commentator John Madden mentioned it on air in the 1990s.

Abraham Lincoln (unofficially). The formal National Thanksgiving Turkey Presentation began in 1947 under Harry Truman.

The snood. The long, fleshy appendage over a turkey's beak is called a snood; it changes color based on the turkey's mood and health.

Between 3,000 and 4,500 calories. A typical Thanksgiving dinner with appetizers, main course, dessert, and drinks can exceed 4,000 calories.

The wattle. Both male and female turkeys have wattles, though they are larger and more prominent on males (toms).

Tisquantum (Squanto). Squanto taught the Pilgrims to plant corn with fish (likely menhaden) as fertilizer, a technique he had learned in Europe.

Corn (maize). The Wampanoag shared their knowledge of growing corn, beans, and squash together using the 'Three Sisters' companion planting method.

Yes. Wild turkeys can fly short distances at speeds up to 55 mph. They roost in trees at night to avoid predators.

A tom or gobbler. Adult male turkeys are called toms or gobblers, while juvenile males are called jakes.

A hen. Adult female turkeys are called hens, while juvenile females are called jennies.

A poult or chick. Newly hatched turkeys are called poults. They are precocial, meaning they can walk and feed themselves shortly after hatching.

Up to 25 mph. Wild turkeys are surprisingly fast on the ground and prefer running to flying when escaping danger.

3 to 5 years. In the wild, most turkeys live 3-5 years, though some have been known to live up to 10 years. Domestic turkeys live even shorter lives.

Approximately 5,000 to 6,000 feathers. A full-grown turkey has between 5,000 and 6,000 feathers covering its body.

A yelp or cluck. Unlike males who gobble loudly, female turkeys make softer yelps, clucks, and purrs to communicate.

Benjamin Franklin. Franklin praised the turkey as a 'much more respectable bird' than the bald eagle in a letter to his daughter.

About 18-20 weeks. Modern domestic turkeys reach market weight in roughly 4-5 months due to selective breeding.

The snood. The snood is a long, red, fleshy appendage that hangs over the beak and can extend or retract.

Yes, most male turkeys do. The 'beard' is a tuft of coarse, hair-like feathers that protrudes from the chest. About 10-20% of female turkeys also grow beards.

Up to 100 yards. Turkeys have excellent vision with a 270-degree field of view and can detect movement from great distances.

Nuts, seeds, fruits, insects, and small vertebrates. Wild turkeys are omnivores and forage on the ground for acorns, berries, grass, and insects.

49 states. Wild turkeys are found in every U.S. state except Alaska, thanks to successful conservation and reintroduction efforts.

1924. The first Macy's parade featured animals from the Central Park Zoo and was originally called the 'Macy's Christmas Parade.'

The Macy's Christmas Parade. It was renamed in the late 1930s as the event became more closely associated with Thanksgiving.

Approximately 3.5 million. An estimated 3.5 million spectators line the streets of New York City, while 50+ million watch on television.

The Detroit Lions and Dallas Cowboys. The Lions have played every Thanksgiving since 1934 (except WWII), and the Cowboys since 1966.

1934. Owner George A. Richards started the tradition to attract fans and compete with baseball. The Lions lost to the Chicago Bears that first game.

A Thanksgiving celebration among friends rather than family. The term gained popularity in the 2010s and typically involves a potluck-style meal before the actual holiday.

Black Friday. The term originated in Philadelphia in the 1960s to describe heavy traffic and later became associated with retail sales moving into profitability ('in the black').

Approximately 55%. Thanksgiving is the busiest travel period of the year in the United States, with millions driving and flying to be with family.

Kalua turkey. Many Hawaiian families incorporate local flavors like kalua turkey, poke, and haupia (coconut pudding) into their Thanksgiving meals.

California. California leads in total turkey consumption due to its large population, though per-capita consumption is highest in the Midwest.

An informal football game played on Thanksgiving morning. Friends, family, or neighbors gather for a casual football game before the big meal.

1989 under George H.W. Bush. While informal pardons occurred earlier, Bush made it an annual White House tradition.

Food drives and turkey giveaways. Organizations like Meals on Wheels, local food banks, and Salvation Army provide Thanksgiving meals to those in need.

The Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade. Drawing over 50 million viewers annually, it is consistently the most-watched Thanksgiving television broadcast.

Guam. Many Guamanian families serve roasted pig (lechon) alongside or instead of turkey, blending local and American traditions.

Over 100 million. Black Friday remains one of the biggest shopping days, though Cyber Monday has grown in importance for online retailers.

A global day of charitable giving that follows Black Friday and Cyber Monday. Founded in 2012, it encourages people to donate to nonprofits and volunteer in their communities.

Between 2:00 PM and 4:00 PM. Most families eat their Thanksgiving meal in the afternoon, though times vary by region and family tradition.

About $60-$70 for a family of 10. According to the American Farm Bureau Federation, the classic Thanksgiving feast for 10 costs approximately $60-70.

The night before Thanksgiving ('Black Wednesday'). Thanksgiving Eve rivals New Year's Eve and St. Patrick's Day for bar sales as people reunite with hometown friends.

Atlanta, Georgia (The Atlanta Thanksgiving Day Half Marathon & 5K/10K). Thanksgiving races, or 'Turkey Trots,' attract millions of runners nationwide.

Netflix and other streaming platforms. Streaming services often release holiday movies and new seasons during the Thanksgiving weekend.

Approximately 50 million pounds. Mashed potatoes are a staple, with Americans consuming an estimated 50 million pounds on Thanksgiving alone.

A shopping holiday created in 2010 to encourage support for small businesses. It falls on the Saturday after Thanksgiving and was founded by American Express.

About 40%. Campbell's Soup estimates that over 20 million American households serve green bean casserole, a dish invented in 1955.

Dorcas Reilly at Campbell's Soup Company. Reilly created the recipe in 1955 using Campbell's Cream of Mushroom Soup, green beans, and French's fried onions.

The Wednesday before Thanksgiving. The TSA typically screens over 2.5 million passengers on the Wednesday before Thanksgiving.

Approximately 50-60 million. Pumpkin, pecan, and apple pies dominate, with pumpkin being the clear favorite.

The Thanksgiving sandwich (or 'moist maker'). Layers of turkey, stuffing, cranberry sauce, and gravy between bread — popularized by TV shows like 'Friends.'

Approximately 200 million pounds of turkey alone. The NRDC estimates that Americans throw away about 200 million pounds of turkey meat after Thanksgiving.

No, not officially. While some American expats observe it, the UK does not have a Thanksgiving holiday. However, Harvest Festival is celebrated in churches.

Turkey, stuffing, and pumpkin pie. Canadian Thanksgiving menus are very similar to American ones, though timing (October) and some regional dishes differ.

Grenada. Grenada's Thanksgiving commemorates the 1983 U.S.-led military intervention and is unrelated to harvest traditions.

A harvest thanksgiving festival. Celebrated on the first Sunday of October, Erntedankfest involves church services, processions, and sometimes elaborate fruit and grain displays.

China, Vietnam, and several East Asian nations. The Mid-Autumn Festival celebrates the harvest moon and family reunions, with mooncakes as the traditional food.

Kinro Kansha no Hi, celebrated November 23. This national holiday honors workers and production, evolving from ancient harvest rituals (Niinamesai).

Not officially. Some Brazilian churches and American communities hold Thanksgiving-style celebrations, but it is not a national holiday.

The Yam Festival in Ghana and Nigeria. Many West African cultures celebrate yam harvests with ceremonies, dancing, and communal feasting.

South Korea. Chuseok, held in September or October, is a major harvest festival where families gather, eat songpyeon (rice cakes), and honor ancestors.

A grape harvest festival. Celebrated in Mendoza, Vendimia features parades, wine tastings, and the blessing of the harvest.

Hutspot, a dish of mashed carrots, potatoes, and onions. The Dutch city of Leiden commemorates the Pilgrims' time there before their voyage to America.

Not Korea — 'Chuseok' is the proper term. Chuseok means 'autumn eve' and is one of Korea's most important holidays alongside Seollal (Lunar New Year).

Guam and Hawaii. Both territories incorporate Spam into their holiday meals — in Guam, it's often part of a 'fiesta plate' alongside red rice.

Sukkot. Sukkot is a week-long Jewish holiday commemorating the harvest and the Israelites' wandering in the desert. It usually falls in September or October.

No, not widely. Australia does not have a Thanksgiving holiday, though some American expats and businesses hold private celebrations.

Saints or Separatists. They called themselves Saints; others called them Separatists because they separated from the Church of England. 'Pilgrims' came later.

102 passengers and about 30 crew members. The passengers included men, women, children, and servants seeking religious freedom in the New World.

Thursday. Thanksgiving falls on the fourth Thursday of November in the United States, a tradition established by Congress in 1941.

Libby's. Libby's introduced canned pumpkin in the 1920s, revolutionizing how Americans make pumpkin pie.

3,699 pounds. The record was set in 2010 by the New Bremen Giant Pumpkin Growers in Ohio. The pie was 20 feet in diameter.

It's primarily a mating call. Male turkeys gobble to attract hens and assert dominance over other males during breeding season.

Wisconsin. Wisconsin produces over 60% of the nation's cranberries, followed by Massachusetts and New Jersey.

Massasoit. Massasoit (meaning 'Great Sachem') was the leader of the Wampanoag Confederacy and maintained peaceful relations with the Pilgrims for decades.

About $300-$400 total. Including food, travel, decorations, and incidentals, the average household spends $300-400 on Thanksgiving.

'Miracle on 34th Street' (1947). The classic film opens with the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade, featuring Santa Claus.