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Holiday Proclamations is a free printable Grade 3 to Grade 5 social studies worksheet on the audience and purpose of a holiday proclamation, aligned to C3 Framework indicator D2.His.11.3-5. It prints 5 questions with an answer key on its own sheet of paper, in 25 versions that each ask different questions, so no two students in the class work from the same page. Print it from the browser or download it as a PDF — no account, no email.

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Set 1 has all 25 in a single PDF. All 25 sets ask different questions.

Holiday Proclamations

D2.His.11.3-5

NameDate

Read the source and answer the questions, then circle the right answers.

1.Look at the source, then answer the questions.

A Proclamation of Thanksgiving

An extract from a proclamation by President Abraham Lincoln, October 3, 1863, issued during the Civil War. I do therefore invite my fellow citizens in every part of the United States, and also those who are at sea and those who are sojourning in foreign lands, to set apart and observe the last Thursday of November next, as a day of Thanksgiving and Praise to our beneficent Father who dwelleth in the Heavens.

  1. 1. Who is the intended audience of the proclamation?
  2. 2. Why does he include those "at sea" and those "sojourning in foreign lands"?
  3. 3. What does the extract not say about how to celebrate?
  4. 4. Which day does the proclamation name?
2.Which branch makes a day a federal holiday by passing a law?
  • A.Each city government
  • B.The Supreme Court
  • C.Congress, the legislative branch
3.Why did General Order No. 3 matter even though the Emancipation Proclamation came in 1863?
  • A.Texas had already ended slavery in 1863
  • B.The Union Army had to arrive to enforce freedom in places such as Texas
  • C.The order was about Thanksgiving
4.General Order No. 3 advised freed people to stay at their present homes. What did many do instead?
  • A.Sailed to Britain to live
  • B.Asked Granger to cancel the order
  • C.Left to search for family members sold away during slavery
5.Lincoln named the last Thursday of November. Which Thursday is Thanksgiving today?
  • A.The fourth Thursday of November
  • B.The first Thursday of November
  • C.The last Thursday of October

LessonPrint · D2.His.11.3-5 · Set 10 · free to copy for classroom use

Answer key — Holiday Proclamations

Set 10. Prints on its own sheet.

  1. 1.1. Fellow citizens in every part of the United States, and those at sea or sojourning in foreign lands. 2. So that every citizen, even those far from home, could join in. 3. It does not say what to eat or do, only to set apart and observe the day. 4. The last Thursday of November.
  2. 2.Congress, the legislative branch
  3. 3.The Union Army had to arrive to enforce freedom in places such as Texas
  4. 4.Left to search for family members sold away during slavery
  5. 5.The fourth Thursday of November

Last reviewed 2026-09-05. Aligned to D2.His.11.3-5 of the C3 Framework for Social Studies State Standards.