Thanksgiving trivia for kids

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• 1. Which ship brought the Pilgrims across the ocean in 1620?
  Show answer

  1. The Pinta
  2. The Titanic
  3. The Mayflower ✓
  4. The Constitution

  The Mayflower carried 102 passengers from England to America in 1620. Source
• 2. How many days did the Mayflower trip across the Atlantic Ocean take?
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  1. 66 days ✓
  2. 6 days
  3. 16 days
  4. 600 days

  The crossing took 66 days, and the ship anchored near Cape Cod. Source
• 3. Which people shared a harvest feast with the Pilgrims in 1621?
  Show answer

  1. The Vikings
  2. The Romans
  3. The Pirates
  4. The Wampanoag ✓

  The Plymouth colonists and the Wampanoag shared a harvest feast in autumn 1621. Source
• 4. What does the name Wampanoag mean?
  Show answer

  1. People of the Big River
  2. People of the First Light ✓
  3. People of the Tall Hills
  4. People of the Red Rock

  A Wampanoag museum educator explains that their name means People of the First Light. Source
• 5. How many days did the 1621 harvest celebration last?
  Show answer

  1. One hour
  2. One day
  3. One month
  4. Three days ✓

  Edward Winslow wrote that the English feasted with their guests for three days. Source
• 6. How many deer did the Wampanoag guests bring to the 1621 feast?
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  1. Five ✓
  2. One
  3. Twenty
  4. One hundred

  Edward Winslow wrote that the guests killed five deer and gave them to the colonists. Source
• 7. Which three crops did the Wampanoag grow together?
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  1. Corn, rice and wheat
  2. Peas, carrots and potatoes
  3. Corn, beans and squash ✓
  4. Apples, pears and plums

  Wampanoag farming included corn, beans and squash. Source
• 8. Who traditionally did the farming in Wampanoag culture?
  Show answer

  1. Only kings
  2. Women ✓
  3. Only boys
  4. Only sailors

  Plimoth Patuxet says that farming is traditionally women's work in Wampanoag culture. Source
• 9. Why was there probably no pumpkin pie at the first harvest feast in 1621?
  Show answer

  1. Pumpkins were not invented
  2. Nobody liked pumpkins
  3. The pie was too big
  4. No oven and very little sugar ✓

  The colonists had no oven and little sugar, so there were no pies or desserts. Source
• 10. Which U.S. president named a national Thanksgiving day in 1863?
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  1. George Washington
  2. Barack Obama
  3. Abraham Lincoln ✓
  4. Theodore Roosevelt

  Lincoln named the last Thursday of November as a day of thanksgiving and praise. Source
• 11. Which nursery rhyme did Sarah Josepha Hale, who helped make Thanksgiving a holiday, also write?
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  1. Humpty Dumpty
  2. Mary Had a Little Lamb ✓
  3. Jack and Jill
  4. Row, Row, Row Your Boat

  The Library of Congress credits Hale with the rhyme first called 'Mary's Lamb.' Source
• 12. On which day of the week is Thanksgiving in the United States?
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  1. Thursday ✓
  2. Monday
  3. Saturday
  4. Sunday

  Congress set Thanksgiving on the fourth Thursday of November. Source
• 13. In which month do Americans celebrate Thanksgiving?
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  1. March
  2. June
  3. August
  4. November ✓

  Americans celebrate Thanksgiving on the fourth Thursday of November. Source
• 14. Canadians celebrate Thanksgiving in which month?
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  1. October ✓
  2. January
  3. April
  4. July

  Canadians celebrate their Thanksgiving in October. Source
• 15. In which city is the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade?
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  1. Seattle
  2. Houston
  3. New York City ✓
  4. Atlanta

  The first Macy's parade was held on November 27, 1924. Source
• 16. Who rides on the last float of the Macy's parade?
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  1. The Easter Bunny
  2. Santa Claus ✓
  3. The Tooth Fairy
  4. A Pilgrim

  Santa remains the finale, and his arrival marks the start of the Christmas season in New York City. Source
• 17. What giant floating characters fly above the Macy's parade?
  Show answer

  1. Kites
  2. Drones
  3. Parachutes
  4. Balloons ✓

  Giant character balloons debuted in the parade in 1927. Source
• 18. Which animals marched in the very first Macy's parade in 1924?
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  1. Penguins from the Arctic
  2. Kangaroos from Australia
  3. Camels, bears and elephants from the zoo ✓
  4. Dolphins from the sea

  Animals on loan from the Central Park Zoo joined the first parade, including bears, elephants, camels and monkeys. Source
• 19. Which cartoon cat was one of the first balloons in the Macy's parade?
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  1. Garfield
  2. Felix the Cat ✓
  3. Tom
  4. Hello Kitty

  Felix the Cat debuted as a balloon in 1927. Source
• 20. Which famous mouse first joined the Macy's parade in 1934?
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  1. Mickey Mouse ✓
  2. Stuart Little
  3. Speedy Gonzales
  4. Jerry

  Mickey Mouse made his first appearance in the Macy's parade in 1934. Source
• 21. Which Wizard of Oz character became a Macy's parade balloon in 1939?
  Show answer

  1. The Wicked Witch
  2. Dorothy
  3. Toto
  4. The Tin Man ✓

  The Tin Man debuted months after The Wizard of Oz was released. Source
• 22. Which sport do many families watch on TV on Thanksgiving?
  Show answer

  1. Football ✓
  2. Golf
  3. Tennis
  4. Swimming

  Football is a Thanksgiving tradition, and the Detroit Lions have played at home on the holiday since 1934. Source
• 23. Which NFL team in Dallas plays at home on Thanksgiving?
  Show answer

  1. The Dolphins
  2. The Cowboys ✓
  3. The Seahawks
  4. The Chargers

  The Cowboys first hosted a Thanksgiving game in 1966. Source
• 24. What does the U.S. president do with a turkey every Thanksgiving?
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  1. Races it
  2. Names it a mayor
  3. Pardons it so it lives on a farm ✓
  4. Trains it to fly

  The president 'pardons' a turkey, which then retires to a farm. Source
• 25. Which U.S. president's family kept a pet raccoon named Rebecca, a Thanksgiving gift in 1926?
  Show answer

  1. Calvin Coolidge ✓
  2. Abraham Lincoln
  3. George Washington
  4. John F. Kennedy

  Coolidge was given a live raccoon for Thanksgiving dinner in 1926, but the family kept her as a pet. Source
• 26. Which crunchy topping goes on green bean casserole?
  Show answer

  1. Gummy bears
  2. Popcorn
  3. Marshmallows
  4. French-fried onions ✓

  Green bean casserole was created at Campbell's in 1955. Source
• 27. What is a male wild turkey called?
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  1. A hen
  2. A tom ✓
  3. A kit
  4. A chick

  Adult male turkeys are called toms or gobblers. Source
• 28. What is a baby turkey called?
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  1. A pup
  2. A cub
  3. A poult ✓
  4. A kit

  Young turkeys are called poults. Source
• 29. What is an adult female turkey called?
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  1. A tom
  2. A hen ✓
  3. A jake
  4. A gobbler

  Adult females are hens. Source
• 30. Which turkeys make the loud gobble sound?
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  1. The females
  2. The babies
  3. The males ✓
  4. Nobody; turkeys are silent

  Males gobble to attract hens. Females never gobble. Source
• 31. Besides gobbling, what other sounds do turkeys make?
  Show answer

  1. Barks and howls
  2. Roars and growls
  3. Moos and baas
  4. Clucks and purrs ✓

  Turkeys cluck and purr as well as gobble. Source
• 32. Where do wild turkeys sleep at night?
  Show answer

  1. Up in trees ✓
  2. Underground
  3. In ponds
  4. In caves

  Turkeys roost in trees at night, which helps them stay safe from predators. Source
• 33. What is a group of wild turkeys called?
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  1. A herd
  2. A rafter ✓
  3. A school
  4. A swarm

  National Geographic says a group of wild turkeys is called a rafter. Source
• 34. What surprising thing can wild turkeys do?
  Show answer

  1. Dig tunnels
  2. Hover like a hummingbird
  3. Climb ladders
  4. Swim ✓

  Wild turkeys can swim by tucking in their wings, spreading their tails and kicking. Source
• 35. Can farm-raised domestic turkeys fly?
  Show answer

  1. No, they cannot fly ✓
  2. Yes, very high
  3. Yes, all the way to Mexico
  4. Only on Thursdays

  Wild turkeys can fly short distances, but domestic turkeys cannot fly. Source
• 36. Which continent is the wild turkey native to?
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  1. Europe
  2. Antarctica
  3. North America ✓
  4. Australia

  Benjamin Franklin called the turkey 'a true original Native of America.' Source
• 37. What do baby turkeys love to eat?
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  1. Ice cream
  2. Pizza
  3. Insects ✓
  4. Seaweed

  Young turkeys eat insects eagerly and begin eating more plants after about four weeks. Source
• 38. Why do male turkeys spread their tails and strut?
  Show answer

  1. To fly away
  2. To show off to hens ✓
  3. To stay dry
  4. To catch bugs

  Toms fan their tails and strut to attract mates and challenge rivals. Source
• 39. What do two people pull on a turkey wishbone to make a wish?
  Show answer

  1. The dried wishbone ✓
  2. The drumstick
  3. The wing
  4. The tail

  After it dries and becomes brittle, two people pull the ends, and whoever gets the bigger piece gets their wish. Source
• 40. Which tart red berry is made into sauce for turkey?
  Show answer

  1. Blueberry
  2. Strawberry
  3. Grape
  4. Cranberry ✓

  Cranberries are native to North America. Source
• 41. What does a fresh, ripe cranberry do when you drop it?
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  1. It splats
  2. It disappears
  3. It sings
  4. It bounces ✓

  A ripe cranberry bounces thanks to air pockets inside. Source
• 42. Why do cranberries float in a flooded bog?
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  1. They are full of helium
  2. They are wrapped in plastic
  3. They have tiny air pockets inside ✓
  4. They are made of wood

  Each cranberry contains four air pockets, so the berries float and can be raked off the water. Source
• 43. Cranberries grow on what kind of plant?
  Show answer

  1. Tall trees
  2. Low vines ✓
  3. Underground bulbs
  4. Cactus plants

  Cranberries grow on vines in sandy bogs and marshes. Source
• 44. What are the silky threads on an ear of corn called?
  Show answer

  1. Silk ✓
  2. Hair
  3. Rope
  4. String cheese

  Each potential kernel on a corn ear has its own silk. Source
• 45. Does an ear of corn have an even or odd number of kernel rows?
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  1. Odd
  2. Even ✓
  3. Exactly one
  4. Exactly a hundred

  Corn ears nearly always have an even number of rows, usually 14 to 18. Source
• 46. What gives pumpkins their orange color?
  Show answer

  1. Orange paint
  2. Carrot juice
  3. A plant pigment called beta-carotene ✓
  4. Sunburn

  The body turns beta-carotene into vitamin A. Source
• 47. Which state grows the most sweet potatoes?
  Show answer

  1. Alaska
  2. Nevada
  3. Vermont
  4. North Carolina ✓

  North Carolina harvests more than half of the sweet potatoes grown in the U.S. Source
• 48. In which season are sweet potatoes harvested?
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  1. Fall ✓
  2. Winter
  3. Spring
  4. Summer

  Sweet potatoes are harvested in the fall. Source
• 49. Sweet potato plants are related to which pretty flower?
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  1. The daisy
  2. The morning glory ✓
  3. The rose
  4. The tulip

  Sweet potatoes belong to the morning glory family. Source
• 50. What gives leaves their green color?
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  1. Paint
  2. Milk
  3. Chlorophyll ✓
  4. Moss

  Chlorophyll helps plants turn sunlight into energy. Source
• 51. Why do leaves change color in fall?
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  1. Trees stop making green chlorophyll ✓
  2. Someone paints them
  3. They get too cold to see
  4. They are tired

  When the green fades, reds, oranges and yellows show. Source
• 52. What causes the seasons on Earth?
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  1. Clouds
  2. The ocean
  3. Wind
  4. Earth's tilted axis ✓

  Earth's tilted axis causes the seasons. Source
• 53. Why is it called the Harvest Moon?
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  1. It looks like a pumpkin
  2. It only rises in the morning
  3. Farmers used its light to harvest late ✓
  4. It is made of corn

  The Harvest Moon is the full Moon closest to the start of autumn. Source
• 54. Which orange butterfly flies all the way to Mexico for the winter?
  Show answer

  1. The monarch ✓
  2. The ladybug
  3. The firefly
  4. The honeybee

  Millions of monarchs fly nearly 2,500 miles from Canada and the U.S. each fall. Source
• 55. What do monarch caterpillars eat?
  Show answer

  1. Pumpkins
  2. Pizza
  3. Pine needles
  4. Milkweed ✓

  Monarch caterpillars eat only milkweed. Source
• 56. What shape do migrating geese often fly in?
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  1. A circle
  2. A V ✓
  3. A heart
  4. A square

  Migrating geese form V-formations on their long trips south. Source
• 57. What do many bears do during winter?
  Show answer

  1. Fly south
  2. Sleep in a den ✓
  3. Build snowmen
  4. Go to school

  Most bears hibernate or den in winter and live on stored energy. Source
• 58. Why do bears eat a lot in fall?
  Show answer

  1. To get ready for winter ✓
  2. They are bored
  3. They hate vegetables
  4. They are on vacation

  Bears eat nearly nonstop in fall to store energy for winter. Source
• 59. Where do mother bears usually have their cubs?
  Show answer

  1. On a mountain peak
  2. In a river
  3. In a tree-top nest
  4. In the winter den ✓

  Pregnant bears usually give birth in the den within the first two months of hibernation. Source
• 60. A town in Texas is named Turkey. What is it named for?
  Show answer

  1. A country
  2. A famous sandwich
  3. Wild turkeys that roosted nearby ✓
  4. A football team

  It was first called Turkey Roost, after wild turkey roosts on nearby Turkey Creek. Source
• 61. Which country makes about three-quarters of the world's maple syrup?
  Show answer

  1. Brazil
  2. Egypt
  3. Canada ✓
  4. Japan

  Canada accounts for approximately 78% of the world's maple syrup, and most of it comes from Quebec. Source