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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. What does the extract not say about how to celebrate?
  2. 2. Who issued the proclamation, and when?
  3. 3. Why might Lincoln speak to citizens "in every part of the United States" during the Civil War?
  4. 4. Why does he include those "at sea" and those "sojourning in foreign lands"?
2.Lincoln named the last Thursday of November. Which Thursday is Thanksgiving today?
  • A.The last Thursday of October
  • B.The first Thursday of November
  • C.The fourth Thursday of November
3.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
4.Lincoln's Thanksgiving proclamation of 1863 came in the middle of which war?
  • A.The War of 1812
  • B.The Civil War
  • C.The Revolutionary War
5.Which amendment ended slavery throughout the whole country in 1865?
  • A.The 13th Amendment
  • B.The 19th Amendment
  • C.The 1st Amendment

LessonPrint · D2.His.11.3-5 · Set 8 · free to copy for classroom use

Answer key — Holiday Proclamations

Set 8. Prints on its own sheet.

  1. 1.1. It does not say what to eat or do, only to set apart and observe the day. 2. President Abraham Lincoln, on October 3, 1863. 3. To bring citizens of the divided United States together in one day of Thanksgiving. 4. So that every citizen, even those far from home, could join in.
  2. 2.The fourth Thursday of November
  3. 3.Congress, the legislative branch
  4. 4.The Civil War
  5. 5.The 13th Amendment

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