This is Teacher Jennifer from US Citizenship Podcast.
Happy Thanksgiving!
Today we're going to listen to a US Citizenship quiz about the history of Thanksgiving.
Let's get started.
The "First Thanksgiving" was celebrated by 90 Wampanoag Indians and 53 Englishmen
after the colonists’ first harvest in October 1621.
Question: The House of Representatives has how many voting members?
▪ four hundred thirty-five (435)
Question 2
The First National Proclamation of Thanksgiving
was issued by the Continental Congress in 1777
from its temporary location in York, Pennsylvania,
while the British occupied the national capital at Philadelphia.
Question: What is the capital of the United States now?
▪ Washington, D.C.
Question 3:
The first president proclaimed Nov 26, 1789, as the first Thanksgiving Day.
Question: Who was the first president?
▪ (George) Washington
Question 4:
The second president declared Thanksgivings in 1798 and 1799.
READ: Who was the second president?
WRITE: Adams was the second president.
Question 5:
Because Thomas Jefferson was a skeptic and supported religious freedom,
he did not declare any thanksgiving days during his presidency.
Question: What is freedom of religion?
▪ You can practice any religion, or not practice a religion.
Question 6:
James Madison renewed the Thanksgiving tradition in 1814,
in response to resolutions of Congress, at the close of the War of 1812.
Question: Name (another) war fought by the United States in the 1800s.
▪ War of 1812 ▪ Mexican-American War ▪ Civil War ▪ Spanish-American War
Question 7: Thanksgiving superseded Evacuation Day,
a holiday that was held annually on November 25 prior to the Civil War.
Evacuation Day commemorated the British withdrawal from the US after the American Revolution.
Question: Why did the colonists fight the British?
▪ because of high taxes (taxation without representation) ▪ because the British army stayed in their houses (boarding, quartering) ▪ because they didn’t have self-government
Question 8: During the Civil War,
Abraham Lincoln proclaimed the last Thursday in November to be Thanksgiving Day.
Question: What was one important thing that Abraham Lincoln did?
▪ freed the slaves (Emancipation Proclamation) ▪ saved (or preserved) the Union ▪ led the United States during the Civil War
Question 9:
November 1939 had five Thursdays,
so Roosevelt declared Thanksgiving to be on the fourth Thursday.
Roosevelt thought that an earlier Thanksgiving would give stores more time to sell goods before Christmas
and would help bring the country out of the Great Depression.
Question: What is the economic system in the US?
▪ capitalist economy ▪ market economy
Question 10:
The GOP protested against the 1939 Thanksgiving date change,
calling it an insult to the memory of Lincoln.
They began to call November 30 as the "Republican Thanksgiving"
and November 23 as the "Democratic Thanksgiving" or "Franksgiving" to insult President Franklin Roosevelt.
Question:What is the political party of the President now?
▪ Republican (Party)
Question 11:
“Freedom from Want,” also known as “The Thanksgiving Picture,”
is the third of the Four Freedoms series of four oil paintings by American artist Norman Rockwell.
The works were inspired by Roosevelt's 1941 State of the Union Address,
known as Four Freedoms,
which was based on the rights guaranteed by the First Amendment.
Question: What is one right or freedom from the First Amendment?
▪ speech ▪ religion ▪ assembly ▪ press ▪ petition the government
Question 12:
Rockwell’s painting, “Freedom from Want,”
shows an older white couple serving a large turkey to their family.
This image has been re-interpreted many times,
most recently as part of the ForFreedoms.org project
which celebrates American freedom and diversity.
Question: What are two rights of everyone living in the United States?
▪ freedom of expression ▪ freedom of speech ▪ freedom of assembly ▪ freedom to petition the government ▪ freedom of religion ▪ the right to bear arms
Question 13:
In 1963, John F Kennedy unofficially spared a turkey.
The practice of pardoning turkeys in this manner has become a permanent tradition in 1989.
Question: What is the rule of law?
▪ Everyone must follow the law. ▪ Leaders must obey the law. ▪ Government must obey the law. ▪ No one is above the law.
Question 14:
On Thanksgiving 1969,
members of the Red Power movement occupied Alcatraz Island
to protest against racist governmental policies.
This action is celebrated as Unthanksgiving Day,
which honors native peoples.
Question:
What movement tried to end racial discrimination?
▪ civil rights (movement)
Question 15:
On Thanksgiving Weekend 1960,
journalist Edward R. Murrow released "Harvest of Shame,"
a video which documented the abuse of migrant workers in the United States.
He contrasted the poverty of the workers with the abundance of the Thanksgiving feast.
These are Murrow's closing words:
“The migrants have no lobby.
Only an enlightened, aroused and perhaps angered public opinion can do anything about the migrants.
The people you have seen have the strength to harvest your fruit and vegetables.
They do not have the strength to influence legislation.
Maybe we do.
Good night, and good luck.”
Question: What are two ways that Americans can participate in their democracy?
▪ vote ▪ join a political party ▪ help with a campaign ▪ join a civic group ▪ join a community group ▪ give an elected official your opinion on an issue ▪ call Senators and Representatives ▪ publicly support or oppose an issue or policy ▪ run for office ▪ write to a newspaper
EXTRA CREDIT:
On Thanksgiving morning,
thousands of people gather together to run or walk through the streets of downtown San Jose
in the Silicon Valley Turkey Trot.
This annual event raises hundreds of thousands of dollars
for local charities that serve low-income and homeless people in one of the richest areas in the United States.
We are proud of and grateful for our community.
Question:
How does your community celebrate Thanksgiving?
What are you personally grateful for?
Thanks to the students and staff of Milpitas Adult School.
This quiz was based on a Wikipedia article about Thanksgiving in the United States.
Please visit us on the web at www.uscitizenpod.com
where you will find more Citizenship resources for Thanksgiving and for Native American Heritage Month.
Thanks for listening.
I know you will be a great American citizen!
Happy Thanksgiving!
www.uscitizenpod.com