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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 12 of 12 covers seven completed UTC days.

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Daily round

  1. 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.

  2. 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.

  3. 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.

  4. 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.

  5. In which U.S. region is oyster stuffing, made with fresh oysters and breadcrumbs, a traditional Thanksgiving side dish?

    Answer: New England coastal areas

    Oyster stuffing has been a traditional Thanksgiving dish in New England coastal communities and other Atlantic coastal regions where fresh oysters were readily available during the autumn harvest season.

Daily round

  1. What is the name of the traditional Thanksgiving football game rivalry between high schools in Springfield, Massachusetts, that began in 1894?

    Answer: The Turkey Bowl

    The Turkey Bowl is the long-standing Thanksgiving Day high school football rivalry in Springfield, Massachusetts, dating back more than a century.

  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 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.

  4. In what year did the Canadian Parliament fix Thanksgiving to its current position on the second Monday of October?

    Answer: 1957

    On January 31, 1957, the Canadian Parliament proclaimed that Thanksgiving would be observed annually on the second Monday of October, where it has remained ever since.

  5. 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.

Daily round

  1. What is the traditional base ingredient of cornbread in Southern American cooking?

    Answer: Cornmeal, often with little or no wheat flour

    Traditional Southern cornbread is made primarily from cornmeal—often with buttermilk and little to no wheat flour—resulting in a denser, more intensely corn-flavored bread than Northern-style versions that use more wheat flour.

  2. 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.

  3. 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.

  4. What is a turducken?

    Answer: A turkey stuffed with a duck stuffed with a chicken

    A turducken is a layered dish where a deboned chicken is placed inside a deboned duck, which is then placed inside a deboned turkey and roasted as one piece.

  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.

Daily round

  1. The 1621 harvest gathering at Plymouth Colony is commonly described in historical accounts as lasting how many days?

    Answer: Three days

    Primary sources, including a letter by Edward Winslow, indicate that the 1621 harvest celebration at Plymouth lasted for three days and involved both the colonists and Wampanoag guests.

  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. What is the common name for the red berry traditionally served as a sauce or relish alongside Thanksgiving turkey?

    Answer: Cranberry

    Cranberries are the traditional berry served at Thanksgiving, prepared as a sauce, relish, or jelly to complement the savory flavors of turkey and other holiday dishes.

  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. Which U.S. president first issued a nationwide Thanksgiving proclamation in 1789, calling for a day of gratitude and prayer?

    Answer: George Washington

    George Washington proclaimed November 26, 1789, as a day of national thanksgiving to acknowledge the adoption of the U.S. Constitution and the establishment of the new federal government.

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. In which European country is Erntedankfest, a harvest thanksgiving festival with church services, parades, and harvest displays, traditionally celebrated?

    Answer: Germany

    Erntedankfest is a traditional German harvest thanksgiving festival, typically observed in October with church services, processions, and displays of the season's crops.

  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 method is considered safe for thawing a frozen turkey?

    Answer: Thawing in the refrigerator

    The USDA recommends thawing a frozen turkey in the refrigerator, allowing roughly 24 hours for every 4 to 5 pounds of bird, because it keeps the turkey at a safe temperature throughout.

  5. 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.

Daily round

  1. 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.

  2. Which type of apple is most commonly recommended for baking in Thanksgiving pies due to its ability to hold its shape?

    Answer: Granny Smith

    Granny Smith apples are favored for pies because their firm flesh and tart flavor hold up well during baking, maintaining distinct pieces rather than turning into applesauce, and their acidity balances the sweetness of pie filling.

  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 is the approximate number of pumpkins grown in the United States each year for the autumn harvest season, including those used for Thanksgiving pies and decorations?

    Answer: Around 1 billion

    The United States produces roughly 1 billion pounds of pumpkins annually, with the vast majority harvested in the autumn for use in cooking, decorating, and Thanksgiving celebrations.

  5. 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.

Daily round

  1. 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.

  2. 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.

  3. How long can refrigerated Thanksgiving leftovers typically be safely consumed before they should be discarded?

    Answer: 3 to 4 days

    Food safety guidelines recommend consuming refrigerated leftovers within 3 to 4 days; after that, the risk of bacterial growth increases even under continuous refrigeration.

  4. 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.

  5. Which Canadian city hosts a major annual November parade that is closely associated with the Thanksgiving and holiday season?

    Answer: Toronto

    Toronto hosts the annual Santa Claus Parade in November, closely tied to the Thanksgiving weekend, and it is one of the largest parades in North America.