50 Thanksgiving Trivia Questions (With Answers) for the Whole Family

Thanksgiving trivia is the easiest way to get everyone — from the kids' table to Grandpa — playing the same game while the turkey rests. Below are 50 Thanksgiving trivia questions with answers, grouped into five categories and ordered from easy to hard inside each one, so you can pick the right level for your crowd.

Want to skip the printing? Our free Thanksgiving Trivia board puts a quiz show on your TV with these kinds of questions. Everyone can buzz in from their phone, or you can play hands-up with no devices at all.

How to play Thanksgiving trivia with a group

Split into teams. Two to four teams works best. Mix ages so every team has a kid and a grown-up.
Pick a style. Take turns (each team answers in order, others can steal), hands-up (first hand up answers), or phone buzzers (first buzz wins).
Score it. Easy questions are worth less, hard ones more. A wrong answer can cost the points, or not — kinder for little kids.
Save a big one for last. End with a "Bonus Wager" question where the trailing team can bet its points to catch up.

The first Thanksgiving

What ship carried the Pilgrims to America in 1620? Answer: The Mayflower.
In what present-day state did the Pilgrims build Plymouth Colony? Answer: Massachusetts.
In what year did the Pilgrims and the Wampanoag share the harvest feast often called the "First Thanksgiving"? Answer: 1621.
Which Native American nation joined the Pilgrims at that 1621 harvest celebration? Answer: The Wampanoag.
Who was the Wampanoag leader at the 1621 feast? Answer: Massasoit (also known as Ousamequin).
Which Patuxet man, who spoke English, helped the Pilgrims plant corn and fish? Answer: Squanto (Tisquantum).
About how many days did the 1621 harvest celebration last? Answer: About three days, according to colonist Edward Winslow's account.
Which president proclaimed a national day of Thanksgiving in 1863, during the Civil War? Answer: Abraham Lincoln.
Which magazine editor campaigned for years to make Thanksgiving a national holiday — and also wrote "Mary Had a Little Lamb"? Answer: Sarah Josepha Hale.
Which president moved Thanksgiving a week earlier in 1939, earning it the nickname "Franksgiving"? Answer: Franklin D. Roosevelt.
Since a 1941 law, Thanksgiving falls on which Thursday of November? Answer: The fourth Thursday.

Turkey talk

What is a male turkey called? Answer: A tom (or gobbler).
What is a female turkey called? Answer: A hen.
What is a baby turkey called? Answer: A poult.
Which turkeys gobble — males, females or both? Answer: Males. Hens make clucks and yelps instead.
What is the fleshy flap that hangs over a turkey's beak called? Answer: A snood.
Can wild turkeys fly? Answer: Yes — wild turkeys can fly short distances. Most farm-raised turkeys are too heavy to.
Which Founding Father wrote to his daughter that the turkey was "a much more respectable bird" than the bald eagle? Answer: Benjamin Franklin.
What is the real name of the wishbone? Answer: The furcula.
Which U.S. state raises the most turkeys? Answer: Minnesota.
Which president made the White House turkey pardon an official yearly tradition in 1989? Answer: George H. W. Bush.

The feast

Which tart red berry is turned into a Thanksgiving sauce and grows in bogs? Answer: The cranberry.
What orange squash is the star of the most popular Thanksgiving pie? Answer: Pumpkin.
Which company's test kitchen created green bean casserole in 1955? Answer: Campbell's.
Name three spices found in classic pumpkin pie spice. Answer: Any three of cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, cloves and allspice.
What do many Americans call the bread-based side dish cooked inside the turkey — and what is it called when it's baked in a separate pan? Answer: Stuffing; when baked separately it's often called dressing.
What popular Thanksgiving side is made from sweet potatoes and often topped with marshmallows? Answer: Sweet potato casserole.
What thick sauce is made from the turkey's pan drippings? Answer: Gravy.
What colorful corn with red, blue and yellow kernels is used as fall decoration? Answer: Flint corn (often called Indian corn).
In the U.S., what is the busiest day for home-cooking fires, according to the National Fire Protection Association? Answer: Thanksgiving Day.

Parades and football

Which department store hosts New York City's famous Thanksgiving Day Parade? Answer: Macy's.
In what year was the first Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade held? Answer: 1924.
The first Macy's parade had no giant balloons. What did it feature instead? Answer: Live animals borrowed from the Central Park Zoo.
Which cartoon cat was the first character balloon in the Macy's parade, in 1927? Answer: Felix the Cat.
Which famous figure always arrives at the end of the Macy's parade? Answer: Santa Claus.
Which NFL team has hosted a Thanksgiving Day game almost every year since 1934? Answer: The Detroit Lions.
Which other NFL team hosts a Thanksgiving game every year? Answer: The Dallas Cowboys.
What shopping day, the day after Thanksgiving, kicks off the holiday season? Answer: Black Friday.
What online shopping day comes the Monday after Thanksgiving? Answer: Cyber Monday.

Thanksgiving around the world and fun facts

Which country celebrates Thanksgiving on the second Monday in October? Answer: Canada.
What do you call a Thanksgiving-style meal shared with friends instead of family? Answer: Friendsgiving.
In the classic Peanuts special, which character hosts Thanksgiving and serves toast, popcorn and jelly beans? Answer: Charlie Brown (with Snoopy and Woodstock cooking).
What do you do with a wishbone after the meal? Answer: Two people pull it apart — whoever gets the bigger piece makes a wish.
What is a cornucopia? Answer: A horn-shaped basket overflowing with fruit and vegetables — the "horn of plenty."
What plant does the cranberry belong to: a tree, a vine or a bush? Answer: A vine — cranberries grow on low trailing vines.
Which pilgrim hat accessory do kids often draw — but historians say Pilgrims rarely wore? Answer: The buckle on their hats (and shoes).
At many Thanksgiving tables, everyone takes a turn sharing something they are what? Answer: Thankful (or grateful) for.
What month is Thanksgiving in the United States? Answer: November.
What day of the week is U.S. Thanksgiving always on? Answer: Thursday.
What is the most common way people describe the feeling after Thanksgiving dinner? Answer: "Food coma" — accept any groan.

Tip: Questions 46–50 are giggle questions for younger kids. Keep a few on hand so the little ones score too.

Make it a game show on your TV

Reading questions off a phone works, but a real game board on the TV is what makes the night. With Gameshowly you can:

Play the ready-made Thanksgiving Trivia board — history, the feast, the parade and football, turkey talk and fall fun.
Make a game about your own family with Know Your Crew: everyone answers funny questions about themselves before dinner, then the other team guesses who said what.
Build your own board in seconds with Instant Board — type "Thanksgiving for kids ages 6–10" and get 25 questions, easiest to hardest.

Guests join by scanning the QR code on the TV. No apps, no accounts.

Thanksgiving trivia FAQ

How many trivia questions do you need for a Thanksgiving game?

About 25 questions fills a 30–40 minute game for two to four teams. That's five categories of five questions, which is exactly one game board.

What are good Thanksgiving trivia categories?

History of the first Thanksgiving, turkey facts, the feast, parades and football, and a family category about your own relatives are the crowd favorites.

How do you make Thanksgiving trivia fair for kids and adults?

Mix ages on every team, order questions from easy to hard, and give younger players the easy ones. Turning off the wrong-answer penalty keeps it friendly.