About This Quiz
Sandwiched between the Traditionalists and Generation X, baby boomers were born between 1946 and 1954. Whether it was events that defined the era or the superstars who were born back then, your generation made a big impact on the world. Can you think back and remember all the names and important events that took place when you were young?Â
As someone born during the time, you probably remember the thrill of heading the drive-in and the satisfaction you got from licking S&H stamps. Although the world has changed and many beloved baby boomer items are now obsolete, the things that made your generation famous will always be remembered. Throughout this quiz, you'll get to tell us just how well-versed in the period and those who came from it that you are. Do you know enough to make your celebrity baby boomer proud?Â
Take a stroll back to the past, and answer each question with the answer you think is correct. Once you make it through all 35 questions, we'll tally up your score using our electric calculators, and we'll call you on the rotary phone with your results. OK ... we won't do that, but we tell you how many baby boomer IQ points you've earned! Are you ready to find out?
Most boomers will immediately recognize the show just by hearing the names Hoss and Little Joe. Airing from 1959 - 1973, "Bonanza" chronicled the adventures around the Ponderosa ranch, and it captured the imagination of millions!
Hugh "Lumpy" Brannum was more than just Mr. Green Jeans. He was also a singer, a musician and a composer! Although he was not a baby boomer, he helped entertain millions of them on "Captain Kangaroo" and his local TV show, "Uncle Lumpy's Cabin."
In 1955, Rosa Parks refused to give up her seat on a Montgomery, Alabama bus. Although she was arrested, her actions sparked the Montgomery Bus Boycott and launched the Civil Rights Movement. In 1999, she was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom.
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Before becoming the grandfather of glam rock, Alice Cooper was born Vincent Damon Furnier. Throughout his 50-year career, he's made his hometown of Detroit proud by selling over 50 million copies.
The baby boomer generation was once the largest in history — until Millennials came along! 77 million were born into the baby boomer time period, but Millennials tied the number, making them both the biggest generations the world has ever seen.
Published only two years before the start of the generation, "Charlotte's Web" was a favorite bedtime story for parents. In 2006, a concerned group in Kansas tried to have the book banned because talking animals were considered blasphemous. Fortunately, enough boomers loved the book to save it!
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Since 1982, Pat Sajak has been helping spinners figure out phrases on the big board. His baby boomer counterpart, Vanna White, has been right by his side revealing letters since. Recently, she took the reigns for the first time in history and filled in for Sajak after an unexpected surgery.
9-1-1 wasn't officially recognized as an emergency number until 1968. Until then, those in need of emergency services could either call the fire department directly or dial zero to reach an operator. The operator would then connect the two parties.
When the U.S.S.R. began to build missile sites in Cuba, tensions with the U.S. escalated in 1962. Called the Cuban Missile Crisis, the near nuclear war was eventually resolved when the U.S.S.R. agreed to stop building there as long as the U.S. returned Cuba back to its status as a sovereign nation.
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Heiress to the Heart Publishing fortune, Patty Hearst, was kidnapped for ransom in 1974. By the time police found her a year and a half later, she had joined forces with her captors and robbed a bank. Though she claimed brainwashing during her trial, she was still sent to prison.
The pogo stick was originally invented in 1919 by a man traveling through Nepal. When released as a commercial toy in the late '50s, they quickly found a slot on boomer Christmas lists. They are still sold today, but the originals were far less fancy and rarely contained rubber embellishments.
If you made it through a baby boomer's childhood without having a TV dinner, you are a rarity! Introduced by C.A. Swanson and Sons in 1954, the four-course frozen meal cost less than a dollar back then. They made dinner easier than ever before!
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When baby boomers and their families wanted to watch a movie, they loaded up in the car and headed to the drive-in. Across the country, there were once over 2,500 of them; now, there are fewer than 400. The cost of converting digital films is said to have led to the decline.
After Theodore Roosevelt, John Fitzgerald Kennedy is the second youngest president ever elected. Sworn into office in 1961, he served during the height of the generation. When he was assassinated in 1963, it shocked the world.
Stereotypically speaking, the baby boomer generation is said to possess a sense of self-importance. They believe in working hard so they can pamper themselves and considered less charitable than the surrounding generations. The traits have earned them the alternate title of The Me Generation.
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More commonly known as Sir Elton Hercules John, The Rocket Man was born in 1947. With 300 million record sales and 58 Billboard hits under his belt, he made himself a household name during the '70s.
Born in 1946, Dolly Parton sits at the very beginning of the baby boomer generation. Only 13 years old when her first hit "Puppy Love" was released, she rocketed to stardom in 1959. Her Imagination Library has been providing free books to children in need since 1990.
With modern technology, we are not burdened with phone books or the need to dial. When baby boomers were growing up, making a call wasn't so easy! Stationary phones were called rotary phones because each number needed to be pulled around a circular gear to complete a call.
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During the 1960s, Al Fritz unleashed a lot of different bicycle creations in the state of Illinois. Although many of them didn't stick and go down in history as strange creations, the banana seat became popular. Its longer size made riding more comfortable.
Anyone born in the baby boomer generation is old enough to remember the controversy that "The Mary Tyler Moore Show" caused. In addition to portraying women as career-oriented persons, it pushed boundaries by allowing them to wear pants.
Born in 1961, Billy Ray Cyrus became one of country music's newest sensations when he released "Achy Breaky Heart" in 1992. Daughter Miley followed in his footsteps by playing "Hannah Montana" before embarking on her own musical career.
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When "I Love Lucy" aired in 1951, Lucille Ball rose to stardom and stayed there throughout the '60s. Ever the shrewd businesswoman, she practically stopped the "Star Trek" series from going under. Her investment brought the show back to life after it had been canceled.
From the 1930s until the early '80s, customers shopping at certain stores or supermarkets received green stamps with their purchase. The S&H stamps were collected and traded for items from a catalog. It may have been the very first version of rewards programs.
It was nothing short of pandemonium when the Beatles landed in Washington! As part of the first wave of a movement called the British Invasion, the Beatles performed in both D.C. and New York before returning to England to tell the tale of their crazed American fans.
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During his lifetime, author Stephen King has sold over 350 million copies of his books. Now in his 70s, he spends most of his time admiring the beauty of the New England state of Maine. He shows no sign of slowing down, though. In 2019, he released a new book named "The Institute."
Some of your more interesting baby boomer relatives might use tinfoil to avoid having their minds read by aliens. Your more sensible ones would have put it on the TV antennae, though. The practice did actually help improve reception.
Between 1957 and 1975, the United States landed on the moon and accomplished several out-of-this-world missions. Not to be left out, the Russians were also launching rockets and missiles into space. The time period was known as "The Space Race."
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Those born in the latter part of the baby boomer generation might not remember hearing much about Woodstock and all its controversy. Those born early enough to reach double digits by 1969 probably remember it clearly. Over 400,000 people attended the festival.
Arsenio Hall, Jay Leno and Conan O'Brien were all born during the baby boomer generation, but Leno takes most of the heat. Due to his expensive auto collection and his lavish lifestyle, he's often used to define the traits of The Me Generation.
Courtney Michelle Love was born at the very end of the baby boomer generation in 1964. Known for having a strong personality and talent of her own, she is the mother to the couple's child, Frances Bean Cobain.
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Hollywood wouldn't be the same without the influx of baby boomers who have created legendary films. Directors like Steven Spielberg have left their mark on the world with their groundbreaking efforts.
If you pick up any vintage cookbook, you're bound to find at least one recipe for an interesting Jell-o concoction. Back then, it was commonplace to serve everything from salmon to fruit in the gelatinous substance.
Stevie Nicks helped to found Fleetwood Mac in London during 1967. Now with over 120 million copies of their records sold, they are one of the most-loved bands to come directly from the baby boomer generation.
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As the baby boomer generation progressed, women began to find greater freedoms and began to call for equality. Still in existence today, the National Organization of Women still promotes change and an end to discrimination.
Let's just say that Roseanne is one of the more boisterous baby boomers and leave it at that. Though known for being outlandish and pushing boundaries, she went too far and producers were quick to remove her from the network. The reunion version of her show went on without her under the name of "The Conners."