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National Holidays: Then and Now is a free printable Grade 3 to Grade 5 social studies worksheet on how national holidays began and how they are kept today, aligned to C3 Framework indicator D2.His.2.3-5. It prints 8 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.

Set 9 of 25 · the same problems every time you open this link.

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

National Holidays: Then and Now

D2.His.2.3-5

NameDate

Circle the right answer.

1.Who made Thanksgiving a yearly national day of thanks in 1863?
  • A.George Washington
  • B.President Abraham Lincoln
  • C.The Pilgrims
2.What does Columbus Day, the federal holiday, mark?
  • A.The first Thanksgiving
  • B.Christopher Columbus's arrival in the Americas in 1492
  • C.The founding of Jamestown
3.Why do many places observe Indigenous Peoples' Day?
  • A.To celebrate a European king
  • B.To honor Native peoples, who lived in the Americas long before 1492
  • C.To mark the start of winter
4.Juneteenth was celebrated in Black communities for generations. When did it become a federal holiday?
  • A.1865
  • B.1931
  • C.2021
5.In what year did Labor Day become a federal holiday?
  • A.2021
  • B.1894
  • C.1776
6.What does Juneteenth mark?
  • A.The signing of the Declaration of Independence
  • B.The end of World War II
  • C.June 19, 1865, when enslaved people in Galveston, Texas, were told they were free
7.Why was Armistice Day renamed Veterans Day in 1954?
  • A.Because World War I was forgotten
  • B.To honor veterans of all wars, not only World War I
  • C.To move it to the spring
8.How is Memorial Day often observed today?
  • A.With visits to cemeteries, parades and a moment of remembrance
  • B.By exchanging gifts
  • C.By wearing costumes

LessonPrint · D2.His.2.3-5 · Set 9 · free to copy for classroom use

Answer key — National Holidays: Then and Now

Set 9. Prints on its own sheet.

  1. 1.President Abraham Lincoln
  2. 2.Christopher Columbus's arrival in the Americas in 1492
  3. 3.To honor Native peoples, who lived in the Americas long before 1492
  4. 4.2021
  5. 5.1894
  6. 6.June 19, 1865, when enslaved people in Galveston, Texas, were told they were free
  7. 7.To honor veterans of all wars, not only World War I
  8. 8.With visits to cemeteries, parades and a moment of remembrance

Last reviewed 2026-09-05. Aligned to D2.His.2.3-5 of the C3 Framework for Social Studies State Standards.