City Quiz

Thanksgiving quiz (and Friendsgiving)

30 questions in 5 rounds for Thanksgiving, which falls on Thursday 26 November 2026 in the United States (Canada celebrated on Monday 12 October). Made for Americans abroad and the friends hosting a Friendsgiving with them. One question at a time, the explanation and a source link after each answer, and your score at the end. Free, no account. Works offline once loaded.

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  1. Read the question and tap one of four answers.
  2. You see at once whether you were right, with the explanation and a link to the source.
  3. After 30 questions you get your score and a result to copy and share. To host it at the table, read the questions below aloud and open the answers when everyone has decided.

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Hosting Friendsgiving far from home?

Come Alone lists events you can join on your own, and the Meet & Mint app shows events and people near you on one map.

comealone.app · meetmint.app

All 30 questions

  1. 1. Which 19th-century magazine editor, who also wrote the nursery rhyme "Mary Had a Little Lamb", campaigned for Thanksgiving to become a national holiday?

    1. Harriet Beecher Stowe
    2. Louisa May Alcott
    3. Sarah Josepha Hale
    4. Emily Dickinson
    Show answer

    C. Sarah Josepha Hale

    Sarah Josepha Hale, editor of Godey's Lady's Book, campaigned for a national Thanksgiving. Before that the holiday was celebrated mostly in New England, and each state set its own date.

    Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sarah_Josepha_Hale

  2. 2. Which president issued the first Thanksgiving proclamation of the national government, on 3 October 1789?

    1. John Adams
    2. George Washington
    3. Thomas Jefferson
    4. Abraham Lincoln
    Show answer

    B. George Washington

    George Washington's proclamation of 3 October 1789 created the first Thanksgiving Day designated by the national government. It was not yet a fixed annual holiday.

    Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thanksgiving_(United_States)

  3. 3. In 1863, in the middle of the Civil War, which president proclaimed a national day of thanksgiving for the last Thursday of November?

    1. Abraham Lincoln
    2. Ulysses S. Grant
    3. Andrew Johnson
    4. Theodore Roosevelt
    Show answer

    A. Abraham Lincoln

    Abraham Lincoln's proclamation of 3 October 1863 named the last Thursday of November. His successors followed his example year after year.

    Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thanksgiving_(United_States)

  4. 4. According to US federal law (5 U.S.C. § 6103), on which day does Thanksgiving fall?

    1. The last Thursday in November
    2. 25 November every year
    3. The third Thursday in November
    4. The fourth Thursday in November
    Show answer

    D. The fourth Thursday in November

    The statute says "Thanksgiving Day, the fourth Thursday in November", a date that became uniform across the country in 1941. In 2026 it is Thursday 26 November.

    Source: https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/5/6103

  5. 5. The harvest celebration at Plymouth that is popularly called the "first Thanksgiving" took place in which year?

    1. 1607
    2. 1620
    3. 1621
    4. 1630
    Show answer

    C. 1621

    The Pilgrims celebrated a good harvest at Plymouth for three days in the autumn of 1621. Their Wampanoag neighbours are part of that story, and the exact date and menu are not known. For many Native Americans the holiday has a different meaning, and some observe it as a National Day of Mourning.

    Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thanksgiving_(United_States)

  6. 6. Which ship carried the Pilgrims across the Atlantic to what is now Massachusetts in 1620?

    1. Mayflower
    2. Speedwell
    3. Santa María
    4. Golden Hind
    Show answer

    A. Mayflower

    The Mayflower carried a group of English families, known today as the Pilgrims, to the New World in 1620. After about 10 weeks at sea it reached Cape Cod in November.

    Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mayflower

  7. 7. Which pie is usually prepared for Thanksgiving in the United States and Canada?

    1. Key lime pie
    2. Pumpkin pie
    3. Lemon meringue pie
    4. Banoffee pie
    Show answer

    B. Pumpkin pie

    In the United States and Canada pumpkin pie is usually prepared for Thanksgiving. Pumpkin is in season from mid-October through November.

    Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pumpkin_pie

  8. 8. Which of these is NOT normally part of the "pumpkin pie spice" blend?

    1. Cinnamon
    2. Ginger
    3. Cloves
    4. Saffron
    Show answer

    D. Saffron

    Pumpkin pie spice is a blend that includes cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and cloves or allspice. Saffron is not in it.

    Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pumpkin_pie

  9. 9. Green bean casserole, a Thanksgiving side dish, was created in 1955 by Dorcas Reilly. For which company?

    1. Kraft
    2. Heinz
    3. Campbell's
    4. Kellogg's
    Show answer

    C. Campbell's

    Dorcas Reilly created the recipe at Campbell's in 1955, using the company's cream of mushroom soup. It has been described as an iconic Thanksgiving side in the United States.

    Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Green_bean_casserole

  10. 10. Which turkey brand launched a toll-free "Turkey Talk-Line" for nervous cooks in late 1981?

    1. Butterball
    2. Perdue
    3. Jennie-O
    4. Honeysuckle White
    Show answer

    A. Butterball

    Beginning in late 1981, Butterball has run the Turkey Talk-Line to help customers with cooking and preparation questions. About 11,000 people called in 1981.

    Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Butterball

  11. 11. The French word for turkey, "dinde", began as "poule d'Inde". What does that mean?

    1. Hen of Turkey
    2. Chicken of India
    3. Bird of Thanksgiving
    4. Big hen
    Show answer

    B. Chicken of India

    In French the bird was named after India: poule d'inde, "chicken of India", later shortened to dinde. In several Northern European languages it was named after Calicut, India.

    Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Turkey_(bird)

  12. 12. The domestic turkey was originally derived from a wild turkey subspecies from which region?

    1. The Great Lakes
    2. Patagonia
    3. Southern India
    4. Southern Mexico
    Show answer

    D. Southern Mexico

    The wild turkey is native to North America, and the domestic turkey was originally derived from a southern Mexican subspecies of it.

    Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wild_turkey

  13. 13. On which day is Thanksgiving celebrated in Canada?

    1. The first Monday in October
    2. The second Monday in October
    3. The fourth Thursday in November
    4. The last Sunday in October
    Show answer

    B. The second Monday in October

    Canadian Thanksgiving is on the second Monday in October. In 2026 that is Monday 12 October, about six weeks before the American holiday.

    Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thanksgiving_(Canada)

  14. 14. In which year did Canada's Parliament fix Thanksgiving as the second Monday in October?

    1. 1879
    2. 1931
    3. 1957
    4. 1976
    Show answer

    C. 1957

    Thanksgiving has been an annual holiday in Canada since 6 November 1879, but the date varied. In 1957 Parliament fixed it as the second Monday in October.

    Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thanksgiving_(Canada)

  15. 15. In 2026, Canadian Thanksgiving is on 12 October and American Thanksgiving on 26 November. How many days apart are they?

    1. 38 days
    2. 45 days
    3. 52 days
    4. 59 days
    Show answer

    B. 45 days

    From 12 October to 26 November 2026 is 45 days (19 days left in October plus 26 in November), so six weeks and three days. Handy if you have Canadian friends in the room.

    Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thanksgiving

  16. 16. Which West African country, settled in the 19th century by formerly enslaved and free people of colour from the United States, celebrates Thanksgiving on the first Thursday of November?

    1. Ghana
    2. Senegal
    3. Nigeria
    4. Liberia
    Show answer

    D. Liberia

    Liberia celebrates Thanksgiving on the first Thursday of November (5 November in 2026). A statute made it a national holiday in 1883, and the Liberian celebration is quite different from the American one.

    Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thanksgiving

  17. 17. Erntedankfest, a harvest thanksgiving festival, is held in some German municipalities on the first Sunday of which month?

    1. October
    2. September
    3. November
    4. December
    Show answer

    A. October

    Erntedankfest is a Christian harvest thanksgiving festival, popular in some German municipalities on the first Sunday of October. Churches are decorated with autumn crops.

    Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thanksgiving

  18. 18. What is Thanksgiving called in French in Canada?

    1. Jour de la récolte
    2. Fête des moissons
    3. Action de grâce
    4. Merci-Jour
    Show answer

    C. Action de grâce

    In French, Canadian Thanksgiving is "Action de grâce" (also written "Jour de l'Action de grâce").

    Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thanksgiving_(Canada)

  19. 19. What is a "Friendsgiving"?

    1. A Thanksgiving-style meal with friends, on the day or on another day
    2. A parade for pets on Thanksgiving morning
    3. The Canadian name for Thanksgiving weekend
    4. A shopping sale on the day after Thanksgiving
    Show answer

    A. A Thanksgiving-style meal with friends, on the day or on another day

    Starting in the 2010s, a new tradition emerged of celebrating Thanksgiving with a meal with friends, either as a separate event on another day or as an alternative on Thanksgiving Day itself. It is called Friendsgiving.

    Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thanksgiving

  20. 20. At a potluck-style Friendsgiving, who provides the food?

    1. The host cooks everything
    2. Each guest brings a dish to share
    3. A caterer delivers it
    4. Only the guests who live nearby
    Show answer

    B. Each guest brings a dish to share

    Potlucks are events in which attendees each bring a dish of food to be shared. It is the easy way to feed a Friendsgiving table when oven space is small.

    Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Potluck

  21. 21. Before sailing for America in 1620, the Pilgrims lived for years in a European city. Which one?

    1. Amsterdam
    2. Rotterdam
    3. Leiden
    4. Antwerp
    Show answer

    C. Leiden

    The Pilgrims moved to the Netherlands around 1607-08 and lived in Leiden, which gave them permission to settle in 1609. They left Leiden in July 1620 for the voyage to America.

    Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pilgrims_(Plymouth_Colony)

  22. 22. An American recipe asks for 1 cup of flour or milk. Roughly how many millilitres is one US cup?

    1. 125 ml
    2. 180 ml
    3. 350 ml
    4. 240 ml
    Show answer

    D. 240 ml

    A US customary cup is 236.6 ml, and in practice it is rounded to 240 ml (the "legal cup"). Some cooks use 250 ml.

    Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cup_(unit)

  23. 23. An American recipe says to buy a 12 lb turkey. About how heavy is that in kilograms?

    1. About 3.2 kg
    2. About 5.4 kg
    3. About 8.1 kg
    4. About 12 kg
    Show answer

    B. About 5.4 kg

    The international pound is exactly 0.45359237 kg, so 12 lb is about 5.4 kg.

    Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pound_(mass)

  24. 24. An American recipe says to preheat the oven to 350 °F. Which European oven setting is closest?

    1. 175 °C
    2. 150 °C
    3. 200 °C
    4. 225 °C
    Show answer

    A. 175 °C

    Celsius = (Fahrenheit - 32) x 5/9, so 350 °F is about 177 °C. Most ovens are set to 175 or 180 °C.

    Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Conversion_of_units_of_temperature

  25. 25. In which year was the first Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade held in New York?

    1. 1904
    2. 1924
    3. 1946
    4. 1961
    Show answer

    B. 1924

    The first parade was held in 1924 (then called the Macy's Christmas Parade). It was cancelled in 1942-1944, so the 100th parade falls in 2026.

    Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Macy%27s_Thanksgiving_Day_Parade

  26. 26. Which NFL team has traditionally hosted a Thanksgiving Day game since 1934?

    1. Green Bay Packers
    2. New York Giants
    3. Detroit Lions
    4. Chicago Bears
    Show answer

    C. Detroit Lions

    The Detroit Lions have hosted a Thanksgiving game since 1934, and the Dallas Cowboys since 1966. A third game has been played in prime time since 2006.

    Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NFL_on_Thanksgiving_Day

  27. 27. Which president made the White House turkey pardon a permanent part of the National Thanksgiving Turkey Presentation, starting in 1989?

    1. George H. W. Bush
    2. Ronald Reagan
    3. Bill Clinton
    4. Jimmy Carter
    Show answer

    A. George H. W. Bush

    George H. W. Bush instituted the turkey pardon as a permanent part of the presentation beginning in 1989. Reagan had joked about pardoning a turkey in 1987.

    Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Thanksgiving_Turkey_Presentation

  28. 28. Who created the comic strip Peanuts, on which the 1973 TV special "A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving" is based?

    1. Jim Davis
    2. Bill Watterson
    3. Charles M. Schulz
    4. Walt Disney
    Show answer

    C. Charles M. Schulz

    "A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving" is a 1973 American television special based on the comic strip Peanuts by Charles M. Schulz, who also wrote it. It first aired on CBS on 20 November 1973.

    Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A_Charlie_Brown_Thanksgiving

  29. 29. Which 1987 comedy, with Steve Martin and John Candy, is about trying to get home in time for Thanksgiving?

    1. Home Alone
    2. Uncle Buck
    3. Dumb and Dumber
    4. Planes, Trains and Automobiles
    Show answer

    D. Planes, Trains and Automobiles

    In Planes, Trains and Automobiles (1987) Neal Page tries to get home to Chicago in time for Thanksgiving. The film has become closely associated with the holiday in the United States.

    Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Planes,_Trains_and_Automobiles

  30. 30. In a 1784 letter to his daughter, Benjamin Franklin called which bird "a much more respectable bird" than the bald eagle?

    1. The turkey
    2. The goose
    3. The pelican
    4. The cardinal
    Show answer

    A. The turkey

    Franklin wrote that the turkey is "in comparison a much more respectable Bird" and a true native of America. Still, there is no evidence he publicly proposed the turkey as the national bird, so that popular claim is a myth.

    Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wild_turkey

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