Autumn Facts
What astronomical event marks the first day of fall?
The autumnal equinox.
Which state is especially famous for growing cranberries: Wisconsin or Florida?
Wisconsin
What do you call an animal that sleeps through much of the winter to conserve energy?
A hibernating animal.
In what year did President Abraham Lincoln proclaim a national Thanksgiving holiday?
1863
What fruit grows on a tree and is often used to make cider, pies, and applesauce?
An Apple
What fall month will you see a full corn moon?
September
What is the name of the process used to turn apples into a long-lasting dried snack?
Dehydration or drying.
Monarch butterflies migrate south in the fall to spend the winter in which country?
Mexico
Which president signed the law making Thanksgiving the fourth Thursday in November?
Franklin D. Roosevelt, in 1941.
What do farmers call the gathering of mature crops from their fields?
The harvest
What is another name for the autumn season?
Fall
Which spice is commonly used in pumpkin pie along with cinnamon and ginger?
Nutmeg (cloves are also common).
What is the name for the seasonal movement of birds to warmer regions?
Migration
What Native American people are associated with the 1621 harvest gathering at Plymouth?
The Wampanoag.
What colorful natural display occurs when trees change color in the fall?
Fall foliage or autumn foliage.
What bug flies south to Mexico for the winter during the fall months?
What yellow grain is traditionally harvested in autumn and often served on the cob?What sport do people gather together to watch every weekend in the fall months?
Corn
Which woodland animal is known for gathering acorns for the colder months?
A squirrel
What is the name of the ship that brought the Pilgrims to Plymouth in 1620?
Mayflower
What is the name for a large body of warm air that can bring unusually warm weather in autumn?
An Indian summer is the traditional term for a spell of unseasonably warm weather in fall.
Daylight Saving Time ends each November. Do we gain an hour or lose an hour?
We gain an hour because we set our clocks back.
What is the name of the sweet syrup made from the sap of maple trees?
Maple Syrup
What gas do trees absorb from the atmosphere that is used in photosynthesis?
Carbon dioxide.
What bird is traditionally pardoned by the U.S. president before Thanksgiving?
Turkey
What is the name of the full moon that traditionally occurs closest to the autumnal equinox?
Harvest Moon