America at 250: a quarter millennium quiz

By Andrew Torgan and James Grant

Test your knowledge of US history in 25 questions.

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On July 4, 1776, the Continental Congress adopted the Declaration of Independence at a meeting in which city?

The Continental Congress adopted the Declaration of Independence while meeting in Philadelphia at the Pennsylvania State House — now known as Independence Hall.

Who was sitting on the throne in England when the American colonies declared independence?

Any history buff or fan of the Broadway musical “Hamilton” will know that King George III was on the throne when America declared its independence.

How many terms did George Washington serve as president of the United States?

Washington considered retiring after one term, but associates implored him to serve an additional four years in the face of emerging political divisions that many feared would pull the young country apart.

Who served as George Washington’s vice president?

John Adams served as the first vice president under George Washington and later served one term as the second US president.

In 1803, the United States purchased the Louisiana Territory from which country?

The US purchased nearly 830,000 square miles west of the Mississippi River from France for $15 million — doubling the size of the nation.

Who wrote “The Star-Spangled Banner”?

On September 14, 1814, Francis Scott Key penned a poem after witnessing the Battle of Fort McHenry in Baltimore during the War of 1812 (which lasted until 1815). His poem was later set to music, and in 1931, it became America’s national anthem.

What is the distinguishing feature of the Liberty Bell?

No one knows for certain when or why the Liberty Bell first cracked, but the most likely explanation is that a split developed in the early 1840s after nearly 90 years of use in the tower of the Pennsylvania State House.

Which two US presidents died on July 4 in the same year?

Thomas Jefferson and John Adams died within hours of each other on July 4, 1826 — the 50th anniversary of the adoption of the Declaration of Independence. Jefferson was 83 and Adams was 90. James Monroe, the fifth president of the United States, also died on July 4, 1831

How many US presidents have been born on July 4?

Calvin Coolidge — the 30th president of the US — was born in Plymouth, Vermont, on July 4, 1872.

“E pluribus unum” is the motto that appears on the front of the Great Seal of the United States. What does it mean?

“E pluribus unum” means “Out of many, one,” and was considered the de facto motto of the US until Congress passed an act in 1956 making “In God We Trust” the official motto.

Most people know that the bald eagle is the national bird of the United States, but which of the following is the national mammal?

The American bison was officially named the national mammal of the United States when President Barack Obama signed the National Bison Legacy Act in 2016.

The California Gold Rush sparked a massive migration of easterners to the West. What was the nickname given to these fortune hunters?

The discovery of gold in California in 1848 sparked a massive migration westward in the spring of 1849, resulting in the moniker “Forty-Niners.”

The Civil War formally began when Confederate forces fired on the US garrison at Fort Sumter in which year?

The Confederacy fired on Fort Sumter in South Carolina on April 12, 1861.

President Abraham Lincoln’s famous Gettysburg Address in 1863, during the height of the Civil War, begins, “Four score and seven years ago …” How long is a score?

A score is equal to 20 years, so President Lincoln was referring in his address to a time 87 years ago — or 1776 — when the Declaration of Independence was adopted.

With the completion of America’s first transcontinental railroad in 1869, a trip between the East and West coasts took how long?

The transcontinental railroad made it possible to transport passengers and freight between the East and West coasts in just 7 days.

The Statue of Liberty was a gift to the people of the United States from which country?

The Statue of Liberty was constructed in France from 1875 to 1884, then disassembled and shipped to New York in 1885, where it was reassembled atop its pedestal. It was officially dedicated on October 28, 1886.

Which of the following was not invented by Thomas Edison?

While Edison patented more than 1,000 inventions, swim fins were not among them. Founding Father Benjamin Franklin was just 11 years old when he invented swimming fins for his hands that helped to propel him through the water. He also invented bifocals and the lightning rod.

Which amendment to the US Constitution granted American women the right to vote?

The 19th Amendment states: “The right of citizens of the United States to vote shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any State on account of sex.”

Which event triggered the Great Depression in the US?

The prosperity of the 1920s ended with the stock market crash in October of 1929 and the economic depression that followed.

The United States entered World War II following the bombing of Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941. In which year did the war come to an end?

World War II ended after Germany surrendered on May 8, 1945, and Japan surrendered on September 2, 1945, after the atomic bomb was dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki.

Soviet cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin was the first human in space. Who was the first American?

On May 5, 1961, Alan Shepard was launched by a Redstone rocket on a suborbital flight to an altitude of 116 miles, making him the first American in space.

America’s space program was also marked by tragedy. What was the name of the Space Shuttle that exploded shortly after liftoff in 1986?

On January 28, 1986, the Space Shuttle Challenger exploded 73 seconds after liftoff, killing all seven crew members — including school teacher Christa McAuliffe.

The title of the 1998 romantic comedy “You’ve Got Mail” was inspired by which online service?

Users who logged onto America Online in the 1990s and had an email waiting were greeted by the phrase “You’ve got mail!”

Which president signed the bill making Juneteenth a federal holiday commemorating the end of slavery in the US?

President Joe Biden signed the Juneteenth National Independence Day Act into law on June 17, 2021, establishing the newest federal holiday since Martin Luther King Jr. Day in 1983.