Can You Match the President To Their Legacy?

By: Annette
Image: YouTube

About This Quiz

How well do you know your US history? Do you remember studying each of the American presidents in school? Take this quiz to find out how well you know your US presidents.

A president takes great pride in his legacy. Most of them work hard to ensure that their signature legislation or pet issue has been sufficiently promoted throughout their term in office. Additionally, many First Ladies either support their husband's legacy or find one of their own to support.

Unfortunately for some presidents, the legacy they work to leave is not always the one they are actually remembered for. For instance, George W. Bush worked to promote education reform. His wife, Laura Bush, was a librarian, and she worked to support him in that endeavor. However, George W. Bush will forever be remembered as the president who was in the White House on September 11, 2001, his response to the attacks, and his management of the aftermath, including the ensuing war.

So, if you know that George Washington will always be remembered as the father of our country, that Barack Obama proposed health care for everyone, and that Richard M. Nixon was nicknamed "tricky Dick,"  you'll probably do well on this quiz.

Let's get started.

Which president founded a nation?

George Washington, of course, is a great place to begin. He founded our nation - along with some other founding fathers - and is one of our most famous presidents.

Which president formed the Democratic party?

Andrew Jackson is responsible for forming the Democratic party. He did so in order to defeat his longtime rival, J.Q. Adams.

Which president freed the slaves?

Abraham Lincoln is famously responsible for freeing the slaves. He is considered one of the greatest presidents in U.S. history.

Who was president during the end of the Cold War?

Ronald Reagan is most known for his service during the Cold War. He’s also known for Reaganomics, his conservative approach to the country’s economic plan.

Which president ended the War in Vietnam?

Gerald Ford was famous for ending the war in Vietnam. He took office after Nixon resigned. He was the only president to never be elected into office.

Which president was known as “Tricky Dick”?

Although not quite a legacy, "Tricky Dick" was the name for Richard Nixon. He was most famous for the Watergate scandal in the White House.

Who said, “There must be no second-class citizens in this country”?

Dwight D. Eisenhower is famous for ending segregation in schools and in the military. He also began the interstate highway system.

Which president led us out of the Great Depression?

Franklin D. Roosevelt led us out of the Great Depression. He also brought us into World War II.

Which president is associated with prosperity after WWII?

Harry S. Truman is famous for bringing us peace and prosperity after WWII. He then started to take us into the Korean War and the Cold War.

Who said, “Here lies _______, who took upon himself the responsibility of the peace with France in the year 1800”?

“Here lies John Adams, who took upon himself the responsibility of the peace with France in the year 1800.” This is what the second president asked that his tombstone should read.

Who is the first president to win the Pulitzer Prize?

JFK was the first president to win the Pulitzer Prize. He’s also associated with the Vietnam War, the Bay of Pigs, the Cuban Missile Crisis and the Civil Rights Movement.

Which president is associated with the Teapot Dome?

Warren G. Harding is associated with the Teapot Dome Scandal, involving oil reserves. More importantly, he was the first president to be elected after women were given the vote.

Which president brought charisma back to the White House?

Theodore Roosevelt is famous for bringing charisma back to the White House, when the office was seeming sleepy and ineffectual. He was also the youngest president elected, at the time.

Who was the first (and so far only) president married at the White House?

Grover Cleveland was the only president to be married at the White House. He was also the first president to be filmed.

Who was a Union Army hero?

Ulysses S. Grant was the ultimate Union Army hero. He gave African American men the right to vote and worked to prosecute Ku Klux Klan leaders.

Which president authorized the Louisiana Purchase?

Thomas Jefferson was famous for many things, but one of them was the Louisiana Purchase. It literally doubled the size of the United States.

Which president is associated with the War of 1812?

James Madison was famous for presiding over the War of 1812. He was the first president to declare war. This helped to establish the U.S. as an independent rising world power.

Who is known for the Monroe Doctrine?

The Monroe Doctrine is associated with James Monroe, of course. He declared that we would intervene with any European power that tried to colonize land in the Americas.

Who improved infrastructure, creating canals and roads that helped connect a growing nation?

John Quincy, son of John Adams, is famous for the internal work that he did in the U.S. He focused on infrastructure, creating canals and roads that helped connect a growing nation.

Who opened the U.S. Naval Academy and the Smithsonian?

The U.S. Naval Academy and the Smithsonian Institution were both opened during the presidency of James Polk. The first postage stamps were also issued during his presidency.

Who was the first president to be impeached?

Andrew Jackson has the shady legacy of being the first president to be impeached. He was charged with violation of the Tenure of Office Act.

Which president was quickly assassinated?

James A. Garfield is sadly remembered for being a president that was quickly assassinated. However, his death was associated with the invention of the air conditioning system.

Which president served as Chief Justice of the Supreme Court?

William Howard Taft was the only president to serve as Chief Justice of the Supreme Court. He was appointed nine years after his presidential term ended.

Who brought the U.S. into WWI?

Woodrow Wilson is famous for bringing the U.S. into WWI. Prohibition began at the end of Wilson’s presidency.

Who is the only president born on the 4th of July?

Calvin Coolidge is the only president to be born on the 4th of July. Coolidge signed the Indian Citizenship Act, giving full citizenship to all Native Americans.

Who was president during the Wall Street Crash?

Herbert Hoover is famous for being president when Wall Street crashed, leading to the Great Depression. Things didn’t get much better after that.

Who signed the Civil Rights Act of 1964?

Lyndon B. Johnson signed the Civil Rights Act of 1964. The Voting Rights Act also ended the discrimination in voting in the U.S.

Who proposed Health Care for all?

One of Barack Obama’s great legacies was Obamacare. Still an issue of controversy, there was nothing else like it ever seen in the U.S.

Which president acquired Hawaii, Puerto Rico, Guam and the Philippines?

William McKinley is famous for adding new territories to the U.S. During his presidency, Hawaii, Puerto Rico, Guam and the Philippines were added.

Which president had a melting pot sensibility?

Martin Van Buren is most famous for his melting pot sensibility in terms of the U.S. populace. He was also the first president born a U.S. citizen, not British or Irish.

Who was the first president to hire a bodyguard?

Franklin Pierce was the first president to hire a bodyguard. If you got that one right, you’re a genius.

Who was president during the September 11th attack?

George W. Bush is famous for many things, but his handling of 9-11 is just one of them. The president showed admirable leadership during that time.

Who was president when the Sherman Antitrust Act was passed by Congress?

Benjamin Harrison is famous for passing the Sherman Antitrust Act into law. This was designed to protect consumers from the negative effects of cartels and monopolies.

Who brought California into the United States?

Zachary Taylor was famous for bringing California into the U.S. It was a free state when it entered the Union.

Which president faced the first sexual scandal?

Okay, there were a lot of other things that Bill Clinton will be remembered for. But, it was one of the first presidential sexual scandals to make headlines.

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