Thanksgiving History Word Search

A history puzzle for the week before Thanksgiving. The words come from the story of the 1621 harvest feast and from how the holiday became a national tradition, so it fits a classroom lesson or a family dinner conversation.

How to play Thanksgiving History Word Search

• Every word in the list is hidden in the letter grid in a straight line.
• Drag across a word with your finger or mouse to select it. The selection snaps to the nearest straight line: across, down or diagonal.
• Prefer tapping? Tap the first letter, then tap the last letter to select everything in between.
• Found words stay highlighted on the grid and are crossed off the list. Find them all to finish the puzzle.
• Easy (10×10) hides words left-to-right and top-to-bottom only. Medium (12×12) adds diagonals. Hard (14×14) uses all eight directions, including backwards. Expert (18×18) and Extreme (22×22) pack in more words on a bigger grid for a real challenge.

Controls

• Drag across letters, or tap the first and last letter of a word.
• Hint flashes the first letter of a word you have not found yet.
• New puzzle builds a fresh grid; your current puzzle is saved automatically.
• Print turns the current grid into a clean printable word search sheet with the word list.

Tips

• MAYFLOWER and WAMPANOAG are long and distinctive, so look for them first.
• After you finish, pick three words and look up what they mean in a library book or encyclopedia.

Words in this thanksgiving history word search

Each puzzle picks a random selection from these 31 words: Pilgrims, Mayflower, Plymouth, Wampanoag, Squanto, Massasoit, Harvest, Voyage, Colony, Settlers, Native, Americans, Autumn, Feast, Corn, Maize, Bradford, Winslow, Wigwam, Journal, Treaty, Lincoln, Proclamation, Tradition, Gratitude, Thankful, Parade, Football, November, Thursday, Congress.

Print this thanksgiving history word search

Want paper instead? Open the printable thanksgiving history word search for a one-page sheet with a word list and answer key, or try a bigger grid on hard word search. Browse every topic on word search puzzles.

Holiday word searches

Christmas Word Search · Halloween Word Search · Thanksgiving Word Search · Easter Word Search · Valentine’s Day Word Search · New Year Word Search · Fourth of July Word Search · Mother’s Day Word Search · Father’s Day Word Search · St. Patrick’s Day Word Search · Earth Day Word Search · Hanukkah Word Search · Christmas Carols Word Search · Christmas Food Word Search · Christmas Word Search for Kids · Thanksgiving Food Word Search · Thanksgiving Word Search for Kids · Kwanzaa Word Search · New Year Resolutions Word Search · Reindeer Word Search · Santa’s Workshop Word Search · Christmas Traditions Word Search

FAQ

Is the history accurate?

The list only uses names and terms that appear in standard accounts of the 1621 harvest and the later national holiday, with no claims attached. For lessons, check a primary-source collection such as the National Archives.

Can words overlap?

Yes. Two words can share a letter where they cross, which is a handy clue when you are stuck.

Can I print this word search?

Yes. Press Print (or your browser’s print shortcut) to get a blank, printable copy of the current grid with a word list to tick off. Press New puzzle first for a fresh one.

Is my puzzle saved?

Yes. Your grid, found words and time are saved in this browser, so you can close the page and pick up where you left off.