Thanksgiving Dinner
Statistically what is America's favorite Thanksgiving side dish?
Stuffing/dressing
What foods were served at that first Thanksgiving?
Deer/venison, corn, fish, some fowl
Who thought the noble turkey to be the most respectable national bird?
Benjamin Franklin
Name the ship that brought the Pilgrims to America
Mayflower
How long was the Mayflower's voyage?
66 days
How many turkeys are eaten on Thanksgiving in the U.S.?
46 million
Who was the first president to proclaim a day of Thanksgiving?
George Washington
What president urged, "All states to celebrate a day of Thanksgiving, in the midst of this great suffering to remember the widows, orphans...and heal the nation and restore peace?"
Abraham Lincoln
Were all the people on that famous boat, Pilgrims?
Only half of the people on the boat were Pilgrims
How many of the first settlers survived the first harsh winter?
Less than half
Do Americans prefer Apple Pie or Pumpkin Pie?
Apple Pie
How was a pumpkin used at that first Thanksgiving celebration?
For sport, like a puck or a ball
Why did the Mayor of Atlantic City call this holiday, "Franksgiving" in 1939?
As a reference to Franklin Delano Roosevelt who changed the date to allow more shopping days for Xmas
Do all turkeys gobble?
Why or why not?
Not all turkeys gobble, only male turkeys gobble
That first spring, surviving settlers were taught life saving skills of cultivating corn, extracting sap from maple trees, and identifying poisonous plants. Who taught them?
Squanto
What is the most popular alternative to turkey on Thanksgiving?
Ham
What was the first year Thanksgiving was held on the last Thursday in November?
1863
What role did Sarah Hale, an American editor, play in Thanksgiving?
She wrote every president to encourage them to create an official day of Thanksgiving, Only Lincoln responded
What year did Congress declare the fourth Thursday in November to be the official holiday?
1941
Where did the English spend their first winter in America?
On the Mayflower
How is the creation of the TV frozen dinner and Thanksgiving linked?
In 1953 there was a huge oversupply of turkeys left over after Thanksgiving and it was suggested slicing the turkeys and freezing the slices in single portions
What was the first year that Macy's Thanksgiving Parade had balloons?
1928
What famous song did Sarah Hale, the woman who campaigned for Thanksgiving to be a national holiday, write?
"Mary had a Little Lamb"
What four places in the U.S. are named Turkey?
Turkey Creek, Arizona; Turkey Creek, Louisiana; Turkey, Texas; Turkey, North Carolina
The first spring, settlers were greeted by an Abenaki native. What surprising talent did he have that greatly helped the settlers assimilate?
He spoke English