50 November Trivia Questions to Warm Up Your Brain on Chilly Fall Days

The leaves are red and gold, the air is chilly, and holiday lights are already starting to replace Halloween decorations in some places. November is officially upon us, and if you’re looking to check your memory, learn something new, or brush up on some history, pop culture, and general trivia related to this month, you’ve come to the right place. The following trivia questions explore some of the most famous historical events that occurred in November, as well as major films released during this month, events occurring in the natural world at this time, and much more. Whether you’re a history buff, pop culture aficionado, or aspiring ecologist, these questions will give you plenty to mull over on the brisk morning walks and cold nights indoors that define this liminal month just before the Northern Hemisphere fully descends into winter.November in HistoryNovember in Pop CultureNovember Science and NatureNovember General KnowledgeNovember in HistoryAbraham Lincoln | Hulton Archive/GettyImages1. On what date is Veterans Day observed annually in the United States?Answer: November 11.2. Which U.S. president proclaimed a national Thanksgiving observance in 1863?Answer: Abraham Lincoln.3. Which Indigenous people shared a harvest feast with English colonists at Plymouth in 1621?Answer: The Wampanoag.4. What monarch was crowned King of England at the age of eight on November 6, 1429?Answer: Henry VI.5. What British holiday commemorates the foiled Gunpowder Plot of 1605?Answer: Guy Fawkes Night, also known as Bonfire Night.6. Which European country celebrates Independence Day on November 11, commemorating its restoration of independence in 1918?Answer: Poland.7. Which U.S. state is home to Plymouth, the settlement associated with the famous 1621 harvest feast?Answer: Massachusetts.8. In what year did New York become the first U.S. state to adopt Thanksgiving as an annual holiday?Answer: 1817.9. Which famous New York City skyscraper opened on November 3, 2014 and became the tallest building in the United States?Answer: One World Trade Center.10. What holiday is observed in the United States on the fourth Thursday of November?Answer: Thanksgiving.11. On November 9, 1989, which famous barrier in Germany began opening its border crossings?Answer: The Berlin Wall.12. Which U.S. president delivered the Gettysburg Address on November 19, 1863?Answer: Abraham Lincoln.13. Which U.S. president was assassinated in Dallas, Texas, on November 22, 1963?Answer: John F. Kennedy.14. Which British ocean liner sank on November 21, 1916, after striking a mine during World War I?Answer: HMHS Britannic.15. Which naturalist published On the Origin of Species on November 24, 1859?Answer: Charles Darwin.16. Which U.S. president, the 11th to hold the office, was born on November 2, 1795?Answer: James K. Polk.17. Who became the first Black person elected president of the United States on November 4, 2008?Answer: Barack Obama.18. Which journalist famously met Scottish missionary David Livingstone in Africa in 1871?Answer: Henry Morton Stanley.19. Which NASA mission launched on November 14, 1969, and became the second crewed mission to land on the Moon?Answer: Apollo 12.20. On November 9, 1938, what antisemitic pogrom against Jewish people took place across Nazi Germany and Austria?Answer: Kristallnacht, also known as the Night of Broken Glass.November in Pop CultureJohn Lennon, Paul McCartney at Apple Corps Announcement | Michael Ochs Archives/GettyImages21. What Best Picture-winning film had its world premiere on November 1, 1997 at the Tokyo International Film Festival? Answer: Titanic.22. Which Michael Jackson album was released on November 30, 1982?Answer: Thriller.23. Which Beatles album was released in the United Kingdom on November 22, 1968, and is commonly known as the White Album?Answer: The Beatles.24. Which Disney animated film featuring the song “Let It Go” was released in the United States on November 27, 2013?Answer: Frozen.25. Which film adaptation of Suzanne Collins's dystopian novel opened in U.S. theaters on November 22, 2013?Answer: The Hunger Games: Catching Fire.26. Which iconic rock guitarist and singer, known for his extraordinary guitar skills, was born November 27, 1942?Answer: Jimi Hendrix.27. Which film launched the Harry Potter movie franchise in U.S. theaters on November 16, 2001?Answer: Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone.28. Which 1990 Christmas comedy starring Macaulay Culkin was released in U.S. theaters on November 16, 1990?Answer: Home Alone.29. Which Peanuts character traditionally serves popcorn, toast, and jelly beans at a Thanksgiving feast in the 1973 special A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving?Answer: Snoopy.30. Which British science-fiction television series premiered on November 23, 1963?Answer: Doctor Who.November Science and NatureShower of meteors observed over Greenwich, London, 1866 (1884). | Print Collector/GettyImages31. What annual meteor shower, caused by debris from Comet Tempel–Tuttle, typically peaks in November?Answer: The Leonids.32. What astronomical event occurs when Earth passes directly between the Sun and the Moon, casting its shadow on the Moon?Answer: A lunar eclipse.33. What is the traditional name of the full moon that occurs in November?Answer: The Beaver Moon.34. What is the term for the seasonal movement of animals from one region to another?Answer: Migration.35. Which type of tree produces acorns?Answer: An oak tree.36. What astronomical event marks the shortest day and longest night of the year in the Northern Hemisphere?Answer: The winter solstice.37. What is the term for birds traveling seasonally between breeding and wintering grounds?Answer: Migration.38. Which large North American mammal can enter a winter den and significantly reduce its activity during the colder months?Answer: The black bear.39. What is the name of the pigment that trees break down so they can absorb nutrients and sugars back into their trunks in preparation for winter, which then causes the colors of the leaves to change?Answer: Chlorophyll. 40. What do astronomers call a small piece of space debris that produces a streak of light as it burns up in Earth's atmosphere?Answer: A meteor.November General KnowledgeAutumn colours in London | Matthew Chattle/GettyImages41. Which yellow gemstone is traditionally associated with November birthdays?Answer: Topaz.42. Which zodiac sign begins around November 22 and continues into December?Answer: Sagittarius.43. What annual New York City parade is famous for its giant character balloons and takes place on Thanksgiving morning?Answer: The Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade.44. What major shopping day takes place on the Friday after Thanksgiving in the United States?Answer: Black Friday.45. What online shopping event takes place on the Monday after Thanksgiving weekend?Answer: Cyber Monday.46. How many days are there in November?Answer: 30.47. Which Scottish national celebration takes place annually on November 30?Answer: St. Andrew's Day.48. What is the name of the constellation associated with the zodiac sign Scorpio?Answer: Scorpius.49. Which Mexican holiday honoring deceased loved ones is celebrated on November 1 and 2?Answer: Día de los Muertos (Day of the Dead).50. What Latin word does November get its name from, and what does that word mean?Answer: November’s name comes from the Latin word novem, which means “nine.”