Test Your Knowledge of Thanksgiving

With all the controversy about the origins of Thanksgiving (was it the Pilgrims or Squanto that celebrated it first?) I thought I would steer clear in this post and focus instead on some fun facts surrounding the holiday. And, of course, what better way to do that than with a test? Have fun with the following questions and then, most of all, have a happy Thanksgiving, everybody.

1. Approximately how many pounds of turkey will Americans feast upon on Thanksgiving Day? (a) 200 million pounds; (b) 500 million pounds; (c) 900 million pounds; (d) 1 billion pounds.

2. On Thanksgiving day the average person will consume how many calories of food? (a) 3,400; (b) 6,000; (c) 3,500; (d) 4,500.

3. The original date to celebrate Thanksgiving Day was established by which American President? (a) George Washington; (b) Thomas Jefferson; (c) Abraham Lincoln; (d) Franklin Roosevelt.

4. The number of places in the United States named after the Thanksgiving holiday's traditional main course (ie. Turkey, Texas - pop. 489; Turkey Creek, Louisiana - pop. 363; Turkey, North Carolina - pop. 270) equals: (a) 5 towns & 9 townships; (b) 4 towns and 9 townships; (c) 3 towns & 9 townships; (d) 2 towns & 9 townships.

5. The following part(s) of a turkey is/are not edible: (a) gizzard; (b) gobble; (c) giblet; (d) wattle.

6. Turkeys are unusual creatures. Can you name something unusual about the turkey? (a) they have heart attacks; (b) they can drown if they look up when its raining; (c) they fly to Australia in the summer; (d) they stick their heads in the sand.

7. Which food item(s) was/were missing from the original Thanksgiving feast? (a) pumpkin pie; (b) milk; (c) bread & butter; (d) cheese.

Answers: 1. (b) 2. (d) 3. (c) 4. (c) 5. (b) & (d) 6. (a) & (b) 7. (a), (b), (c) & (d).

(This test was developed and based on information from the following websites: Thanksgiving Gifts - Fun Facts about Thanksgiving, Thanksgiving by the Numbers, Turkey FAQ, and Turkey Facts & Thanksgiving Fun.)