Image: Photo by Mike Kline (notkalvin)
About This Quiz
"Give me liberty or give me death!" While this quiz isn't as do or die as Patrick Henry might've thought it to be, it's just as important! Henry's cry for freedom from Great Britain was one of the earliest markers in American history and helped change the way towards the American Revolutionary War. With that war came the establishment of the United States of America as a country. America has nearly 250 years of history. Only Americans with an IQ of 130+ can pass this test. Can you?
While there are thousands and thousands of years of history on this land, American history as we know it, began in 1607 with the Jamestown settlement. Starting with this time, the settlers would go from wards of Great Britain to rebels demanding freedom.
After the establishment of the United States in the late 1700s, the country would go through the Civil War, Great Depression, and World Wars. Presidents would be inaugurated and assassinated. Wars were fought, and peace was found. From the 1600s until the 21st century, how much of it do you know?
Jamestown is considered the first settlement in which state? What was the first state to ratify the Constitution? Which President helped boost America out of the Great Depression? If you know these answers, you just might be ready to ace this quiz. Can you prove that you belong to the elite group of people to beat this test? Let's find out!
The Declaration of Independence was adopted on what date?
December 31st
July 4th
The Declaration of Independence was adopted on July 4, 1776. That's why we celebrate with fireworks on the 4th of July! It wasn't actually signed until August 2 of the same year.
May 18th
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Who purchased the Louisiana Territory?
George Washington
Benjamin Franklin
Thomas Jefferson
President Thomas Jefferson purchased the Louisiana Territory from France in 1803. This is famously called the Louisiana Purchase.
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Where was the Declaration of Independence written?
Independence Hall
Independence Hall in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, is where the Declaration of Independence and Constitution were written. Today, the hall is a landmark of American history.
Washington, D.C.
The Grand Canyon
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The Battle of _____ was the turning point of the Civil War.
Waterloo
Little Big Horn
Gettysburg
The Battle of Gettysburg was the turning point in the Civil War. The Confederate troops never invaded the North again.
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The Civil War started in what year?
1834
1861
The Civil War began in 1861 and lasted to 1865. Abraham Lincoln was the president at the time.
1899
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The U.S. Constitution was written in what year?
1787
The U.S. Constitution was written in 1787. That was 11 years after we declared independence.
1799
1805
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What is a tariff?
A law
A natural right
A tax
A tariff is a tax on goods that are imported. There was a lot of controversy about British tariffs before the American Revolution.
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Those who wanted to end slavery in the U.S. were called what?
Prohibitionists
Abolitionists
An abolitionist was someone that wanted to end slavery in the U.S. The Civil War eventually led to abolition.
Nationalists
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The opening shots of the American Revolution were fired in which state?
Maine
Connecticut
Massachusetts
The opening shots of the American Revolution were fired in Massachusetts. That was at Lexington and Concord in 1775.
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Manifest Destiny was about what?
Land
Manifest Destiny was the belief that the United States should own all the land between the Atlantic and the Pacific. Manifest Destiny became a reality.
Taxes
Art
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Where is Fort Sumter?
Delaware
South Carolina
Fort Sumter is located in South Carolina. The first shots of the Civil War were fired there.
Michigan
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Our government is ______.
An Oligarchy
A Parliamentary Government
A Representative Government
Our government is a representative government. That means that voters elect representatives to make laws for them.
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Robert E. Lee surrendered to Ulysses S. Grant at _____.
Greenwich
Appomattox
Robert E. Lee surrendered to Ulysses S. Grant at Appomattox Court House in Virginia. This officially ended the Civil War.
New Rochelle
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Mercantilism is an economic ______.
Theory
Mercantilism is an economic theory. It states that a country's strength comes from gold, selling more than it buys, and devoting the colonies to the benefit of the Mother Country.
Fallacy
Disaster
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How many branches of government do we have?
1
2
3
In our country, we have 3 branches of government. These are the Legislative, Judicial and Executive branches.
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The Temperance Movement was a campaign against what?
Cigarettes
Alcohol
The Temperance Movement was a campaign against the sale and drinking of alcohol. That didn't last for very long!
Prostitution
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The Gettysburg Address was made by which president?
Ulysses S. Grant
Abraham Lincoln
The Gettysburg Address was made by Abraham Lincoln. It was to dedicate the cemetery to soldiers that died at the Battle of Gettysburg.
George Washington
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Who issued the Emancipation Proclamation?
Robert E. Lee
Benjamin Franklin
Abraham Lincoln
Abraham Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation in 1863. It was the official end of slavery in this country.
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A Republic is a ______.
Nation
A Republic is a kind of nation. It's where voters choose representatives to govern them.
Colony
Branch of the government
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Where was the first permanent English settlement?
Stockbridge
New London
Jamestown
Jamestown was the first permanent English settlement in North America. It was founded in 1607.
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The Second Amendment protects the right to bear ______.
Speech
Arms
The Second Amendment protects the right to bear arms. It also protects the right to organize militias, or armies.
Immigration
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Benjamin Franklin was a/n _____.
Statesman
Diplomat
Inventor
All of the above
Benjamin Franklin wore many hats. He was a statesman, diplomat, signer of the Declaration of Independence and delegate to the Constitutional Convention.
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"Common Sense" was written by whom?
Thomas Paine
"Common Sense" was a pamphlet written by Thomas Paine. It was meant to convince the colonists that it was time to become independent.
Walter Reese
James Monroe
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The Statue of Liberty is associated with NYC, but it’s actually in ______.
Washington
Maryland
New Jersey
The Statue of Liberty is associated with NYC, but it’s actually in New Jersey! It’s in Jersey City, to be exact.
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Sam Adams was a part of the ______.
Sons of Liberty
Sam Adams was a member of the Sons of Liberty. They started the Committee of Correspondence to gain public support for the revolution.
Beer Brewing Guild
Confederate Army
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What is the most visited museum in the U.S.?
Louvre
Metropolitan Museum of Art
Smithsonian
The Smithsonian is the most popular museum in the U.S. To be specific, the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum in D.C. is the most popular.
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Who was the British King that no one was pleased with?
King George III
King George III was not a favorite among colonialists. He taxed the colonies and refused the Olive Branch Petition that led to the final break with the colonies.
King Simon
King Edward VI
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The Battle of _____ was the turning point in the American Revolution.
Hastings
Saratoga
The Battle of Saratoga is considered to be the turning point in the American Revolution. The defeat of the Brits at Yorktown was the end of the Revolution.
The Bulge
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The Declaration of Independence was written by whom?
George Washington
Thomas Jefferson
The Declaration of Independence was written by Thomas Jefferson. He would go on to be our third president.
Alexander Hamilton
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What was the first document that limited the power of the ruler?
Declaration of Independence
Magna Carta
The Magna Carta was the first document that limited the power of the ruler. It was signed in 1215 by King John of England.
Bill of Rights
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The American Bill of Rights is based on the _______ .
Magna Carta
Papers of Aristotle
English Bill of Rights
The American Bill of Rights is based on the English Bill of Rights. Seems fitting that we should have one too.
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The Congress was divided by the _____.
Division Principle
Great Schism
Great Compromise
The Great Compromise divided Congress into two houses. One house was based on population, while the other was based on equal representation to each state.
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Who wanted the U.S. to stay “neutral in its relations with other nations”?
George Washington
George Washington advised us in his Farewell Address to stay “neutral in its relations with other nations.” He also said that we should avoid "entangling alliances."
Ulysses S. Grant
John Adams
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Loyalty to the state instead of the country is known as ______.
Statism
Sectionalism
Loyalty to the state over the country is known as sectionalism. It was very much not what the Founding Fathers intended.
Protectionism
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The First Amendment protects which freedom?
Speech
Religion
Press
All of the above
The First Amendment is a pretty remarkable thing. It protects freedom of speech, religion, press, assembly, and petition.
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You Got:
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