Is Your Brain Sharp Enough for This Tricky Trivia Quiz?

By: Ruby Scalera
Estimated Completion Time
3 min
Is Your Brain Sharp Enough for This Tricky Trivia Quiz?
Image: Witthaya Prasongsin/ Moment/ Getty Images

About This Quiz

Are you the champion of your weekly bar trivia team? If you're always absorbing random information, reading books, or watching videos about the history of deep-sea diving or the seven wonders of the world, then this tricky trivia quiz is perfect for you. There's nothing quite like the thrill of learning something new and exciting and we're here to deliver on fun facts and trivia tidbits from around the world. 

When we test our knowledge, read new stories and travel to exciting new places, we make our brains and reasoning skills sharper and more focused. That means we're more capable of having informed and effective debates, we can engage with people from all walks of life, and we can enjoy experiences from other times, other places, and other worlds. Trivia seeking is also known to inspire creativity, improve problem-solving abilities, step up productivity and performance and even improve personal and business moral! And those are just a few reasons to boost your brain muscles! 

This general knowledge quiz knows you might be an expert at one thing, but how good are you at just a little of everything? Buckle up, hunker down, and see if you have what it takes to beat this tricky trivia quiz. 

Question 10 - Louisiana Purchase
Wikicommons by William Morris
Who did the United States purchase the Louisiana territory from in a deal known as the Louisiana Purchase in 1803?
France
Germany
Italy
Spain
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

In 1803, the United States "bought" Louisiana from France for about $15 million dollars, or $18 per square mile. The French didn't actually own much of that territory, as Native Americans were still living there, but that didn't stop the purchase. In fact, it led directly to westward expansion.

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Question 1 - Sea of Tranquility
Wikicommons by National Archives and Records Administration
Where is the Sea of Tranquility located?
Earth
Mars
The moon
Pluto
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

If you wanted to swim in the Sea of Tranquility, you'd have a long trip ahead of you. It's located in the Tranquillitatis Basin on the moon and the basin likely dates back more than 4.5 billion years.

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Question 26 - Bly
Wikicommons by H. J. Myers, photographer
What was Nellie Bly most famous for?
Her oratory skills
Her innovative painting technique
Her automotive inventions
Her investigative journalism
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Nellie Bly was one of the first investigative journalists in the modern sense. She earned her reputation after getting herself committed to a mental institution to report from the inside and once took a 72-day trip around the world based on the Jules Verne novel.

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Question 22 - poker
Sean Molin - www.seanmolin.com/ Moment/ Getty Images
Which of these hands will win you the poker game?
Royal Flush
Straight Flush
Four of a Kind
Full House
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The others are also really good hands and will help to win you the game if no one at the table has a Royal Flush. The Royal Flush is 10, Jack, Queen, King, and Ace of the same suit.

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Question 5 - 400 Club
American Press Association
To whom did the "400 Club" refer?
American titans of industry
The first printers after the invention of the printing press
Wealthy explorers during the Golden Age of Piracy
A select group of early astronomers
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The 400 club was a term often used to describe some of the weather American industrialists living in New York City at the end of the 18th century and beginning of the 19th, including Rockefeller, Vanderbilt, and Carnegie.

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Question 21 - Scrabble
Paul Viant/ Photographer's Choice RF/ Getty Images
What is the value of the letter "J" in the game of Scrabble?
1 point
3 points
8 points
10 points
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

J is one of the highest-scoring letters in the game of Scrabble and there is only one J tile in the game. X is also worth eight points. Only the letters Q and Z are more valuable, at 10 points each.

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Question 12 - Bismuth
davidf/ E+/ Getty Images
Which chemical element has the symbol Bi?
Boron
Beryllium
Bohrium
Bismuth
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Bismuth is the chemical element for which the symbol Bi stands on the periodic table. It occurs naturally but can also be created synthetically. It has a long half-life and its radioactivity level is very low.

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Question 7 - Snow White the Seven Dwarves
Walt Disney Productions/ RKO Radio Pictures
What animated film was the first to win an Oscar?
"Kubo and the Two Strings"
"Fantasia"
"The Little Mermaid"
"Snow White the Seven Dwarves"
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

When "Snow White and the Seven Dwarves" first won the honorary Academy Award in 1938, animation was still so new that there was not yet a category for the full-length film.

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Question 29 - Cole Porter
Wikicommons by Opencooper
What famous playwright wrote "Anything Goes" and "Kiss Me, Kate"?
Frank Loesser
Lin-Manuel Miranda
Cole Porter
Stephen Sondheim
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Cole Porter lived the high life and put it into the plays and songs he wrote. He threw lavish parties, married beautiful, rich women, and wrote shows that defied convention but were incredibly successful, and continue to be today.

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Question 35 - Tulip
Wikicommons by Jan Brueghel the Younger
Tulip mania in the 1600s was one of the first recorded examples of:
A speculative bubble
A welfare system
A great depression
An economic recession
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Tulip mania, during the Golden Age, was one of the first recorded examples of an economic bubble. The wealthy became so obsessed with the newly introduced tulip that they drove up the prices exorbitantly, and when the market could no longer sustain that, they were left with flowers.

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Question 30 - Beatrix Potter
Wikicommons by Beatrix Potter
Beatrix Potter is best known for her Peter Rabbit books, but she was also an incredibly skilled:
Sculptor
Life science illustrator
Archer
Dualist
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

In a time when women were strictly denied access to places of science and higher learning, Beatrix Potter was fascinated with the flora and fauna of the world, specifically mushrooms. Arguably, those illustrations are her best work, but the times dictated that she was not allowed to pursue such an interest.

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Question 24 - Stanford
Wikicommons by King of Hearts
Which of these colleges is not considered an "Ivy League" school?
Dartmouth
Cornell
Brown
Stanford
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Stanford, along with several other schools that don't make the cut, like Duke and MIT, is considered to be of Ivy League caliber, but the term 'Ivy League' is as much a reference to the northeast location and its longstanding pedigree as the academic performance of the school.

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Question 13 - Phoenix
Photo by Jim Hankey/ Moment/ Getty Images
What capital city in the United States is the most populous?
Sacramento
Austin
Albany
Phoenix
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

While all of the above cities are busy capitals, Phoenix, Arizona takes the cakes as the most populous of the lot. There are nearly five million residents living in the metropolitan and surrounding areas.

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Question 28 - dinosaurs
Hillary Kladke/ Moment/ Getty Images
Which of these dinosaurs lived first?
Plateosaurus
Allosaurus
Apatosaurus
Diplodocus
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

It's hard to fathom just how old dinosaurs are because human beings barely register on the timeline of earth's existence, but Plateosaurus is believed to have lived 214 million years ago.

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Question 2 - Crimean War
Wikicommons by Simpson, William, 1823-1899, artist., Paul & Dominic Colnaghi & Co., publishers
Which war came first?
Crimean War
Mexican Revolution
Franco-Mexican War
Russo-Japanese War
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Ultimately, the Crimean War (1853 to 1856) would lead to the downfall of the Ottoman Empire. In this war, the alliance of the Ottoman Empire, Sardinia, France and Britain claimed a victory over the Russian Empire.

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Question 18 - mirepoix
Enrique Díaz / 7cero/ Moment/ Getty Images
What three vegetables make up a mirepoix?
Peppers, lettuce, tomatoes
Corn, beans, potatoes
Zucchini, squash, cucumber
Onions, celery, carrots
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

While each type of cuisine has various versions of the mirepoix, the classic combination is celery, carrots and onions, as they serve as a flavor base for many dishes in western cooking.

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Question 11 - prosopagnosia
Oliver Rossi/ DigitalVision/ Getty Images
If you have prosopagnosia, you:
Only sleep during the day
Can remember every detail of every day of your life
Have difficulty recognizing faces
Have short-term memory loss
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

If you have prosopagnosia then you struggle to recognize faces, even those of people whom you have known for your entire lives. It can be challenging to manage but scientists are determined to find out why it happens and how to help.

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Question 3 - Katherine Switzer
Wikicommons by Recuerdos de Pandora
Who was the first woman to run in the Boston Marathon?
Katherine Switzer
Joan Benoit
Maureen Wilton
Bobbi Gibb
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Katherine Switzer was the first woman to run in the Boston Marathon in 1967, but she did not complete it. She had entered under her initials and when officials discovered she was a woman, they tried to remove her from the course and she was disqualified. Bobbi Gibb was the first woman to finish.

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Question 31 - Wonders
Harald Nachtmann/ Moment/ Getty Images
Which of the following is not one of the original Seven Wonders of the World?
The Great Wall of China
Temple of Artemis
Colossus of Rhodes
Lighthouse of Alexandria
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Of the original seven Wonders of the World, only the Great Pyramid of Giza still remains. The other original wonders were the Hanging Gardens of Babylon, the Statue of Zeus at Olympia and the Mausoleum of Halicarnassus. Recently, the Great Wall of China was voted one of the modern-day wonders, however.

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Question 25 - scientific classification
Monty Rakusen/ Cultura/ Getty Images
In the scientific classification system, what comes between "class" and "family"?
Genus
Phylum
Order
Species
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The scientific classification system, the Linnaeus Method, is used to help understand evolution in plants and animals and properly classify them during research. The order is kingdom, phylum, class, order, family, genus, species.

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Question 27 - American School For the Deaf
Wikicommons by Ragesoss
When was the American School for the Deaf founded?
1775
1805
1817
1879
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The American School of the Deaf was the very first permanent school for the deaf in the United States. It was founded in Connecticut by Thomas Hopkins Gallaudet, Dr. Mason Cogswell and Laurent Clerck.

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Question 33 - FC Barcelona
Wikicommons by Warrenfish
What sport is played by the teams Chelsea, AC Milan and FC Barcelona?
Rugby
Polo
Soccer
Badminton
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Soccer is one of the largest and most played sports in the world and you can find teams at club and national levels in places like the United Kingdom, Spain, and Italy, as with Chelsea, AC Milan and FC Barcelona.

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Question 14 - Comics
Wikicommons by © Vulphere / Wikimedia Commons
What comic book superhero made his debut in the anthology comic book "Amazing Fantasy" in 1962?
Superman
Doctor Strange
Spiderman
Aquaman
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Spiderman's comics are a lot older than most people think. The New York-based arachnid superhero has been fighting crime since the summer of 1962 and has been in countless movies, television shows, books and comics since.

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Question 9 - Hermes
Grafissimo/ DigitalVision Vectors/ Getty Images
In Greek mythology, what is Hermes the god of?
War
Communication
Memory
Sea voyages
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Hermes, or in Roman mythology, Mercury, is the god of communication. He is often referred to as the "Messenger of the Gods" and was also the god of merchants, land travelers, thieves and more.

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Question 17 - Constitution
AleksandarNakic/ E+/ Getty Images
The 16th Amendment of the Constitution of the United States of America states:
Congress may collect taxes on income.
The right to vote shall not be denied on account of sex.
No person shall be elected to the office of president more than twice.
In the case of the removal of the President from office, the Vice President shall become the President.
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The Constitution of the United States of America is the set of rules upon which we base our country's very foundation. The other listed statements are amendments 19, 22, and 25 respectively.

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Question 16 - Tbilisi
Pixelchrome Inc/ DigitalVision/ Getty Images
In which country would you find the capital city of Tbilisi?
Estonia
Latvia
Lithuania
Georgia
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Not to be confused with the American state of Georgia, the country of Georgia, located between western Asia and eastern Europe, is home to the city of Tbilisi. It is also the country's largest city.

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Question 8 - Plato
Wikicommons by Raphael
Who taught Aristotle?
Alexander the Great
Socrates
Plato
Seneca the Younger
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Philosophy has long been passed down from one great mind to the next. Socrates taught Plato, Plato, in turn, taught Aristotle and Aristotle would go on to teach Alexander the Great, sharing many ideas we still discuss today.

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Question 6 - Scotland
Puripat Lertpunyaroj/ Moment/ Getty Images
What is the national animal of Scotland?
The Scottish wildcat
Highland cattle
European pine martin
Unicorn
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Scotland has a long and exciting history of knights, chivalry and the fantastical. That's why it should come as no surprise that their national animal is the unicorn, an animal associated with both purity and innocence and power and masculinity.

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Question 23 - Theodore Roosevelt
Wikicommons by Shirimasen~commonswiki
Who was the youngest American President to take office?
John F. Kennedy
Theodore Roosevelt
Franklin Pierce
Ulysses S. Grant
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Theodore Roosevelt was just 42 years and 322 days old on the first day of his presidency, making him the youngest president in history. Although Roosevelt was the youngest person to become president (having taken over after the death of William McKinley), J.F.K. was the youngest president to be elected, at 43 years old. Grant was 46 and Pierce 48.

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Question 34 - animals
IronHeart/ Moment/ Getty Images
Which of these animals jumps the highest in relation to their own size?
Red kangaroo
Grasshopper
Froghopper
Tree frog
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Though it be but little, it is fierce. The tree frog is one of the best jumping animals in the natural kingdom and can jump up to 150 times the length of its own body. The froghopper, grasshopper, and red kangaroo aren't far behind.

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Question 20 - National Park
Ryan Pastorino/ Moment/ Getty Images
How many designated National Parks are in the United States?
41
61
81
101
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Technically, there are 419 National Park sites across the United States and its territories, but if you're looking for the parks that have the phrase "National Park" in the name, that would be 61, including Yellowstone, Yosemite, and the Grand Canyon.

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Question 15 - field of flowers
fhm/ Moment/ Getty Images
When did flowers first appear on earth?
Less than 100 million years ago
125-150 million years ago
175-200 million years ago
500 million years ago
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

It may seem difficult to believe, but flowers haven't been around that long. In fact, they've only existed for about 130 million years. Before that, land plants were mostly ferns and cone-bearing plants.

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Question 4 - Americano
Ben Monk/ DigitalVision/ Getty Images
What kind of drink is made by mixing espresso and hot water?
A latte
A cappuccino
A macchiato
An Americano
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

An Americano is designed to provide the taste and feel of a regular cup of coffee and supposedly dates back as far as World War Two, when American soldiers in Italy needed a taste of home.

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Question 32 -  Leonardo Da Vinci
Photo by Victor Ovies Arenas/ Moment/ Getty Images
The famous artist Leonardo Da Vinci was once an apprentice for:
Raphael
Michelangelo
Verrocchio
Botticelli
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

It's hard to believe that Leonardo Da Vinci was ever green enough to be an apprentice, but when he was a young teenager, he began studying under Verrocchio in Florence. Botticelli was another frequenter of the workshop.

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Question 19 - England
Ian.CuiYi/ Moment/ Getty Images
After duke, what is the highest-ranked title in the British peerage?
Marquess
Earl
Viscount
Baron
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The British peerage has five unique titles to denote rank. After duke, the highest title is that of marquess. The title is derived from the word "march," which was land that bordered another country, as opposed to counts, who ruled over interior regions called counties.

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Witthaya Prasongsin/ Moment/ Getty Images