Thanksgiving: History and Traditions

What was notably absent from the first Thanksgiving feast shared by the Pilgrims and the Wampanoag?

• Fruits and vegetables

• Wild fowl

• Seafood

• Mashed potatoes

Who is credited with making Thanksgiving a national holiday in the United States?

• Benjamin Franklin

• George Washington

• Sarah Josepha Hale

• Thomas Jefferson

Why did turkey become a popular choice for Thanksgiving feasts in the early 1800s?

• It was a symbol of peace

• It was easy to hunt and could feed a family

• It was the only bird available

• It was cheaper than other meats

Which president finally declared Thanksgiving a national holiday?

• George Washington

• Thomas Jefferson

• Abraham Lincoln

• Andrew Jackson

What mythology developed around Thanksgiving as it became an organized holiday?

• It was believed to be a celebration of the end of the Civil War

• The Pilgrims' feast with the Wampanoag was seen as the first Thanksgiving

• It was associated with the signing of the Declaration of Independence

• It was thought to be a European tradition