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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 4 of 12 covers seven completed UTC days.

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Daily round

  1. 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.

  2. 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.

  3. 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.

  4. 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.

  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. 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.

  2. What does the term "self-basting" mean when printed on a store-bought turkey label?

    Answer: The turkey has been pre-injected or pre-treated with a seasoned broth or fat solution

    A self-basting turkey has been pre-injected with a solution of broth, water, butter, or other seasonings intended to keep the meat moist during cooking, meaning additional basting is not necessary.

  3. What is the primary role of the "bloom" (gelatin) found in canned jellied cranberry sauce?

    Answer: It helps the sauce hold its molded cylinder shape after opening

    Jellied cranberry sauce contains pectin (naturally occurring in cranberries) that gels the sauce into its characteristic solid cylinder shape, allowing it to be sliced and served in rounds that retain their form on the plate.

  4. In many Southern U.S. traditions, what distinguishes "dressing" from "stuffing"?

    Answer: Dressing is baked in a separate dish rather than inside the bird

    While the terms are often used interchangeably, many Southern cooks reserve "dressing" for the version baked in its own casserole dish, distinguishing it from "stuffing" that is cooked inside the turkey cavity.

  5. 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.

Daily round

  1. 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.

  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. English explorer Martin Frobisher is associated with early Canadian thanksgiving observances in which century?

    Answer: Sixteenth century

    In 1578, Martin Frobisher held a formal thanksgiving ceremony in what is now Nunavut after surviving a difficult Arctic voyage, making it one of the earliest recorded thanksgiving observances in North America.

  4. Which European nation's settlers in what is now the continental United States held a recorded thanksgiving observance that predates the 1621 Plymouth event?

    Answer: Spain

    Spanish settlers in St. Augustine, Florida, held a thanksgiving Mass and communal meal in September 1565, more than 50 years before the Plymouth harvest gathering.

  5. Which president's 1863 proclamation is widely credited with establishing Thanksgiving as a regular annual U.S. holiday?

    Answer: Abraham Lincoln

    Abraham Lincoln issued a Thanksgiving proclamation in October 1863, during the Civil War, designating the last Thursday of November as a national day of gratitude.

Daily round

  1. Which U.S. president moved Thanksgiving up by one week in 1939, a decision that divided the nation?

    Answer: Franklin D. Roosevelt

    Franklin D. Roosevelt moved Thanksgiving from the last Thursday to the third Thursday of November 1939 to extend the holiday shopping period and help retailers during the Great Depression.

  2. 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.

  3. 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.

  4. 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.

  5. The giant balloon characters in the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade were first introduced in which year?

    Answer: 1927

    The first giant balloons appeared in the Macy's parade in 1927, replacing live animals from the Central Park Zoo that had been part of earlier processions.

Daily round

  1. Which of the following best describes the shared civic purpose of Thanksgiving proclamations in both the United States and Canada?

    Answer: Declaring a day of national gratitude and reflection

    Thanksgiving proclamations in both nations have historically served to set aside a day for collective gratitude and reflection, inviting citizens to give thanks for blessings and prosperity.

  2. 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.

  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 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.

  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. 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.

  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. Green bean casserole, a common Thanksgiving side dish, was invented by which company's test kitchen in 1955?

    Answer: Campbell Soup Company

    Campbell Soup Company home economist Dorcas Reilly created the green bean casserole using cream of mushroom soup, green beans, and crispy fried onions as a simple dish that used ingredients most home cooks already had.

  4. 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.

  5. In which year did the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade first take place in New York City?

    Answer: 1924

    The first Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade was held on November 27, 1924, and was originally called the Macy's Christmas Parade, featuring floats, bands, and live animals from the Central Park Zoo.

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. 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.

  3. Which herb is most traditionally paired with roasted turkey in American Thanksgiving cooking?

    Answer: Sage

    Sage has a long association with poultry stuffing and turkey in American cooking, its earthy, slightly peppery flavor complementing the mildness of turkey meat in a way that became standard over centuries of tradition.

  4. Which of the following best describes the original purpose of the 1621 Plymouth gathering as recorded by the colonists themselves?

    Answer: A harvest celebration

    Edward Winslow's 1621 letter describes the gathering as a harvest celebration following a successful growing season, rather than a formal religious service or political event.

  5. 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.