Can You Successfully Name These American Historical Figures?

By: Olivia C
Estimated Completion Time
3 min
Can You Successfully Name These American Historical Figures?
Image: American Press Association via Wiki Commons

About This Quiz

How's your knowledge of American history? If you're a full-grown adult reading this, then this should be a simple challenge for ya! Do you think you can beat a fifth grader if we ask you to identify these famous people in American history? 

Promise, this is not such a humdrum quiz! We don't do that here! We're after fun, and history should really be fun -- especially for those who like to travel around, see the country, experience historical events via historical monuments and landmarks and relive some of these interesting historical times. Ever dressed up in a cosplay situation with a historical figure attire? It's a hoot, trust us! Or you can try that for Halloween, why not?

History is not just about politics or government facts. It's also about facts and details on innovations in many fields. Whatever happened in the sciences, in the arts and in the entertainment world, they're also considered as history. 

So gear up and try to answer as many historical questions in this quiz as possible. Let's see how far you'll go. You can do this. Game!

Abraham Lincoln Everyone knows him! Who’s he?
Woodrow Wilson
Abraham Lincoln
James Madison
Andrew Jackson
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Abraham Lincoln is probably one of the most recognizable US presidents. Yes, then and now! And ever!

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Franklin Roosevelt How about this one?
Dwight Eisenhower
Franklin Delano Roosevelt
Harry Truman
Herbert Hoover
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Franklin Roosevelt is the unfortunate US president who had to usher in the country to join World War II. That was due to the Pearl Harbor attack.

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John F. Kennedy Who is this famous president?
Bill Clinton
Ronald Reagan
Jimmy Carter
John F. Kennedy
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

John F. Kennedy's assassination still remains a huge mystery today. His legacy also lives on.

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George Washington How about this president?
Patrick Henry
Samuel Adams
George Washington
Mark Lewis
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

George Washington is an unforgettable US president. That's because he was the first!

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Who is this astronaut? Who is this astronaut?
Neil Armstrong
Yuri Gagarin
Alan Shepard
Jim Lovell
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

One of the most famous footprints in history was made by Neil Armstrong. He left his on the moon!

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Thomas Jefferson Who is this important man?
John Adams
John Hancock
Thomas Jefferson
John Jay
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Thomas Jefferson is an important Founding Father. The Declaration of Independence is one of his greatest contributions in US history.

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Albert Einstein Who is this brilliant man?
Jonas Salk
Stephen Hawking
Albert Einstein
Isaac Singer
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Albert Einstein was actually born in Germany. He held a lot of citizenships in his lifetime, but spent his last decades as an American citizen.

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Mark Twain Who is this eloquent man?
Jack Kerouac
Mark Twain
Allan Ginsberg
F. Scott Fitzgerald
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Mark Twain is a novelist whose works remain controversial today. He authored "The Adventures of Tom Sawyer" and "The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn," two important American novels.

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Henry Ford Who is this great inventor?
Hiram Maxim
Nikola Tesla
Philo Farnsworth
Henry Ford
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Henry Ford helped propel the US towards a leading manufacturer of cars. His name and legacy lives on today in the auto brand that carries his name.

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martin-luther-king-jr- Who is this inspirational leader?
Billy Graham
Fred Phelps
Martin Luther King, Jr.
Pat Robertson
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Martin Luther King, Jr. is an important figure of the Civil Rights Movement. His work and legacy live on up to this day.

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Thomas Edison Who is this innovative man?
Thomas Edison
Lonnie Johnson
Otis Boykin
Henry Blair
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Thomas Edison was one of the most prolific inventors in the US. He was also one of the most eager to apply for patents for his inventions and ideas.

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Benjamin Franklin Who is this genius?
Benedict Arnold
W.E.B. Du Bois
Benjamin Franklin
John Wesley Powell
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Did you know that Benjamin Franklin was a freemason? He was also such a very talented, artistic and skillful man outside politics.

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Jackie Robinson Who is this great sportsman?
Lake Spurs
Tim McGraw
Mark Ruffalo
Jackie Robinson
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The Brooklyn Dodgers respected baseball legend Jackie Robinson enough to get him to play professionally. This signaled his important contribution in ending racial segregation in professional sports.

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Buzz Aldrin
Edward Stiles
Clark Kent
John Glenn
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

John Glenn holds the distinction of being the very first American astronaut to orbit around the planet. He also became a senator later in life.

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Sitting Bull Can you identify this person?
Flying Hawk
Inkpaduta
Sitting Bull
Black Elk
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Sitting Bull is an important figure to know from the Native American Indian population. He upheld the rights of his people and tribe until his assassination.

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Bob Dylan Who is this musician?
James Taylor
Mark Knopfler
Bob Dylan
Bruce Springsteen
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Bob Dylan is a musician. But he was awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature in 2016, which garnered some controversy.

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Ulysses S. Grant Can you name this historical figure?
Ulysses S. Grant
Robert E. Lee
Thomas Paine
John Brown
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Ulysses S. Grant was the 18th US president. Before that, he was a prominent and skillful general during the Civil War.

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Sojourner Truth How about this historical figure?
Bette Midler
Sojourner Truth
Beloved Garner
Alice Walker
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Sojourner Truth is an important name in women's history. She was a former slave who advocated for the abolition of slavery, and put forth women's rights as well.

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Andy Warhol Can you name this artist?
IM Pei
Andy Warhol
Keith Haring
Basquiat
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Andy Warhol's fusion of pop culture icons and high art produced a different kind of art form altogether. His works are a sight to behold in the Museum of Modern Art in New York City.

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Malcolm X Who is this important historical figure?
Harvey Milk
Malcolm X
Macli-ing Dulag
Jonathan Livingston
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Malcolm X was the outspoken leader assassinated in the '60s. He was a known human rights activist.

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Orville and Wilbur Wright Can you name these great inventors?
Alexander Graham Bell
Samuel Morse
Orville and Wilbur Wright
Eli Whitney
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Orville and Wilbur Wright made history when they were able to make an airplane fly. They were the very first ones to do so.

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muhammad ali Who is this great sports icon?
Muhammad Ali
Sugar Ray Leonard
Oscar Dela Hoya
Rocky Balboa
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Muhammad Ali made a name for himself in the world of boxing. But he also made a name for himself by being outspoken about many social issues, especially connected to the Vietnam War.

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Eleanor Roosevelt Who is this very important woman?
Julie Blanchard
Eleanor Roosevelt
Marilyn Manson
Geena Davis
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Eleanor Roosevelt was FDR's wife. But she was more than that, as she was the very first first lady to really be outspoken about political and social justice issues.

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John D. Rockefeller Can you name him?
John D. Rockefeller
Cornelius Vanderbilt
JP Morgan
Alexander Graham Bell
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

John D. Rockefeller was an oil industry giant. But he also focused on philanthropy, and now has a foundation named after him.

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General William Tecumseh Sherman Can you guess who this is?
Maravolo
Tecumseh
Scatagewan
Moriones
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Tecumseh is a folk hero to many Native American tribes. His name translates to a heavenly body passing through the sky.

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Richard Nixon How about this controversial figure?
Donald Trump
Lyndon Johnson
Richard Nixon
George W. Bush
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Richard Nixon and the Watergate scandal go hand in hand when discussing history. That was really such a controversial time.

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Babe Ruth Can you identify this person?
Babe Ruth
Tiger Woods
James Clayton
Burt Lancaster
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The New York Yankees are proud to have Babe Ruth in their roster of legends. He is also known as The Bambino.

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Georgia O’Keeffe Who is this important artist in American history?
Shaniah Twain
Vivica Fox
Georgia O’Keeffe
Veronica Guerin
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

It's easy to spot a Georgia O’Keeffe painting. She liked to paint huge flowers in her modernist style.

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Elvis Presley 3 Who’s this guy?
Tom Petty
Eddie Van Halen
Elvis Presley
Jerry Lee Lewis
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Elvis Presley is the undeniable King of Rock and Roll. You should visit Graceland if you're a fan!

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Martha Washington Can you name this person correctly?
Shirley Bassey
Martha Washington
Joanna Woodward
Jamie Wilson
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Martha Washington is the wife of George Washington. But she was married to someone else before their marriage.

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Frank Lloyd Wright This innovative person is named…?
Frank Lloyd Wright
IM Pei
Lee Kuan Yew
Marion Bald
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Frank Lloyd Wright is an important name in architecture. He pioneered many designs and schools of thought on designing, which are still being used today.

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Louis Armstrong Who is this influential musician?
Louis Armstrong
BB King
Chuck Berry
Vernon Reid
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Louis Armstrong is an important name in the development of American Jazz. He hails from New Orleans, which also explains lots of things, music-wise.

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Andrew Carnegie Can you name this important person?
Andrew Carnegie
Diego Rivera
Joseph Mankiewicz
Summer Sparks
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Yep, Carnegie Hall in New York City is named after Andrew Carnegie. He is also known as one of the richest businesspersons in American history.

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George Eastman How about this important man?
Louis Lumiere
Eadward Muybridge
Louis Daguerre
George Eastman
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

George Eastman's Kodak company contributed a lot to the development of world cinema. but it was first pivotal in the development and advancement of photography.

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Lewis and Clark Name these trailblazers!
John Smith
Meriwether Lewis and William Clark
Amerigo Vespucci
Christopher Columbus
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Meriwether Lewis was a military man ordered by US President Thomas Jefferson to map out an expedition of the US lands. His friend William Clark went along as well.

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Steve Jobs Who is this important figure in recent history?
Mark Zuckerberg
Steve Jobs
Anne Wojcicki
Dag Kittlaus
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Steve Jobs was a controversial figure in the digital era. While he made great innovations, he also had some intriguing setbacks.

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Susan B. Anthony Who is this great pioneer?
Emma Banks
Shirley Jackson
Sally Ride
Susan B. Anthony
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Susan B. Anthony is a name every woman should remember. She helped make voting for women happen!

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Bill Gates How about this recent figure?
Steve Wozniak
Jeff Bezos
Bill Gates
Jack Ma
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Bill Gates is an important figure who helped propel the world into the digital age. He has a foundation that helps all over the world, too.

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Alexander Hamilton Can you name this very important and relevant historical figure?
Alexander Hamilton
Woodrow Wilson
James Madison
Andrew Jackson
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Alexander Hamilton is one interesting historical figure. No wonder the Broadway musical about him is highly successful.

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Walt Disney Who is this innovator of fun?
Michael Jackson
Charlie Chaplin
Walt Disney
Oprah Winfrey
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Walt Disney had to endure hardships as a cartoonist before hitting it big. Theme parks wouldn't be the same if not for his contributions.

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