Thanksgiving and the Civics Test: 7 Questions to Review This Holiday
Thanksgiving is Thursday, November 26, 2026. By federal law it falls on the fourth Thursday in November (5 U.S.C. 6103). If you are preparing for your citizenship interview, the holiday is a good review hook. Seven questions on the 2025 civics test connect to the Thanksgiving story, and two words on the official English vocabulary lists do too.
Use the dinner table, the parade on TV, or a quiet morning off work to go through them.
The 7 questions at a glance
| Question | One short answer to say |
|---|---|
| Q73. The colonists came to America for many reasons. Name one. | Religious freedom (also: freedom, political liberty, economic opportunity, escape persecution) |
| Q74. Who lived in America before the Europeans arrived? | American Indians (or Native Americans) |
| Q117. Name one American Indian tribe in the United States. | Cherokee (or another tribe on the USCIS list, such as Navajo, Sioux or Apache) |
| Q126. Name three national U.S. holidays. ★ | Thanksgiving Day, Independence Day, Christmas Day |
| Q86. George Washington is famous for many things. Name one. ★ | First president of the United States |
| Q94. Abraham Lincoln is famous for many things. Name one. ★ | Saved (preserved) the Union |
| Q105. Who was president during the Great Depression and World War II? | (Franklin) Roosevelt |
★ = one of the 20 starred questions for applicants who qualify for the 65/20 special consideration. Answers are from the official USCIS 2025 civics test list.
1621: the colonists and the Wampanoag (Q73, Q74, Q117)
The story most Americans learn in school goes back to the fall of 1621 in Plymouth Colony, in today’s Massachusetts. After a hard first year, the English colonists we now call the Pilgrims celebrated their harvest. Massasoit, a leader of the Wampanoag people, and about 90 of his men joined them for three days of feasting. The only surviving record is a short letter by the colonist Edward Winslow (Plimoth Patuxet Museums).
That one scene covers three test questions:
- Why did the colonists come? (Q73) The Pilgrims are the classic example of religious freedom. Any one answer from the list is enough: freedom, political liberty, religious freedom, economic opportunity, or escape persecution. More in Why Colonists Came to America.
- Who was already here? (Q74) American Indians, also called Native Americans. The Wampanoag lived in the region long before the colonists arrived.
- Name one tribe. (Q117) The Wampanoag are the tribe in the Thanksgiving story, but they are not one of the 25 tribes printed on the USCIS answer list. The safest choice is to say a tribe that is on the list, such as Cherokee, Navajo, Sioux, Apache or Seminole. Pick one and use it every time. See Native Americans and American Indian Tribes on the 2025 Civics Test for the full list.
Three presidents who shaped the holiday (Q86, Q94, Q105)
The National Archives tells how Thanksgiving became a national holiday (National Archives: Congress Establishes Thanksgiving). Three presidents in that story are also on the civics test:
- George Washington (Q86). In 1789, after a request from the first Congress, Washington proclaimed Thursday, November 26, 1789 a day of public thanksgiving. It was the first one under the new Constitution. (Fun fact: Thanksgiving 2026 falls on the same date, November 26.) For the test, say “first president of the United States.”
- Abraham Lincoln (Q94). Lincoln’s 1863 proclamation, made during the Civil War, started the custom of celebrating Thanksgiving every year on the last Thursday of November. For the test, say “saved (preserved) the Union” or “led the United States during the Civil War.” See Civil War, Abraham Lincoln, and the Emancipation Proclamation.
- Franklin D. Roosevelt (Q105). In 1939 Roosevelt moved Thanksgiving one week earlier to give stores a longer shopping season during the slow recovery from the Great Depression. Some states went along and some did not. In December 1941, Roosevelt signed the law that fixed the holiday on the fourth Thursday of November. For the test, the answer is simply "(Franklin) Roosevelt." More in The Great Depression on the Civics Test.
Name three holidays (Q126)
Thanksgiving Day is one of the 11 accepted answers. An easy trio that is spread across the year: New Year’s Day (January), Independence Day (July) and Thanksgiving Day (November). Holidays that are not on the list, like Halloween or Mother’s Day, won’t count. See National Holidays on the 2025 Civics Test and Civics Questions That Ask You to Name Two, Three or Five.
Two English test words: Thanksgiving and November
Unless you qualify for an exception, you also take the English reading and writing tests. Thanksgiving is on the official USCIS reading vocabulary list, and both Thanksgiving and November are on the writing vocabulary list (USCIS reading vocabulary, USCIS writing vocabulary).
Practice this pair (our example, not an official test item):
- Read out loud: When is Thanksgiving?
- Write from dictation: Thanksgiving is in November.
Watch the capital letters: Thanksgiving and November both start with a capital, because holidays and months always do. And don’t forget the period at the end. More sentences in USCIS English Writing Test: Practice Sentences and on our English test page.
Holiday week: what to know if your case is active
- Federal offices close on Thursday, November 26, because Thanksgiving is a federal holiday (OPM federal holidays). If a paper filing deadline lands on a weekend or federal holiday, read how USCIS counts deadlines that fall on a weekend or holiday (online filings get no extra day).
- Traveling to see family? Short trips are usually fine while your N-400 is pending, but keep your interview and biometrics dates in mind. See Travel Abroad Before and After Filing the N-400.
- Interview right after the holiday? Pack your documents before you leave. Use What to Bring to Your Naturalization Interview.
A 4-day holiday study plan
- Wednesday: say the 7 answers in the table out loud, in full sentences: “George Washington was the first president of the United States.”
- Thursday: ask someone at the table to quiz you on three of them. Teaching a family member the Thanksgiving story is a great way to remember Q73 and Q74.
- Friday: write Thanksgiving is in November. three times from memory, then check your spelling.
- Weekend: take a full 2025 practice test (or the 65/20 version if you qualify), or listen to the questions in Listen while you travel.
Read next
- Famous Americans on the 2025 Civics Test: Who Did What
- The 13 Original States on the Civics Test
- Mock Civics Interview: 20 Questions From the 2025 Test
Sources: USCIS: 2025 Civics Test, 128 Questions and Answers (PDF); USCIS reading vocabulary (PDF) and writing vocabulary (PDF); National Archives: Congress Establishes Thanksgiving; Plimoth Patuxet Museums: Thanksgiving; 5 U.S.C. 6103 (Holidays); OPM: Federal Holidays. Photo: D Sharon Pruitt (Pink Sherbet Photography), via Wikimedia Commons (CC BY 2.0).
This post is general study information, not legal advice. CitizenExams is an independent study site and is not affiliated with USCIS.