What Do You Remember About The 1960s and 1970s?
Written by Ben Jenkins
Last updated · 20 min play time
Think you know history? Challenge your '60s and '70s knowledge with this decades quiz!
Sex, drugs, rock & roll, war and protests, and movie madness – it's the 1960s and 1970s! Young Americans were drafted into the Vietnam War as tensions grew between the United States and the Soviet Union as part of their global Cold War. Rock and R&B hit the charts, and protestors marched in the streets, fighting for their civil rights. A new conservative Right emerged in response to the counter-culture of the 1960s, while the fight to protect the environment began. The '70s were a continuation of the 1960s, where we saw marginalized groups continue to fight for their equal rights.
Think you know history? Challenge your '60s and '70s knowledge with this decades quiz!
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Ben Jenkins60s-70s-history-quiz-50 Quiz Questions
49 Questions · 103.6K Plays · 45 Comments
Question 1
Who were the first two astronauts to walk on the moon?
-
AEugene Cernan and Pete Conrad
-
BNeil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin
-
CSally Ride and Michael Collins
-
DJim Lovell and Fred Haise
Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin
During the Apollo 11 mission, Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin became the first two men to walk on the surface of the moon.
Question 2
Disco emerged as a popular genre of dance music in the late 1970s following the success of what film that starred actor John Travolta?
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ASaturday Night Fever
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BDirty Dancing
-
CCan't Stop the Music
-
DXanadu
Saturday Night Fever
Disco was a reaction to Rock and the counter-culture of the 1960s and 1970s. It was embraced by people of color, men and women, as well as the gay community in major cities. Disco was danced to at discotheques. Like other music genres, disco is often associated with promiscuous dancing and drug use.
Question 3
She received the Nobel Peace Prize in 1979, was canonized as a saint in 2016, and spent her life helping the poor. What is the name of this Catholic nun who passed away in 1997?
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AMother Angelica
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BMother Elizabeth
-
CMother Teresa
-
DMother Katherine
Mother Teresa
Mother Teresa was championed for her charitable work but was also criticized by some for her stance on certain issues.
Question 4
Rock music changed mainstream sounds and gained popularity among American youths. What British rock band performed for American audiences for the first time in 1964 on the Ed Sullivan Show?
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ALed Zeppelin
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BThe Rolling Stones
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CThe Beatles
-
DThe Who
The Beatles
Rock emerged in the 1950s in the US, but gained popularity in the 1960s. Consumer culture/television helped its growth. The Beatles brought quick, simple, yet "risky" music into the homes of young American consumers. During their Ed Sullivan show performance, they started out with "All My Loving" and ended with "I Want to Hold Your Hand".
Question 5
Which famous American comedian rose to fame on the popular 70s show Mork & Mindy?
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ARobin Williams
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BAisha Tyler
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CChris Rock
-
DRodney Dangerfield
Robin Williams
Robin Williams later became one of the most acclaimed comedians of all time, but initially found fame starring as Mork in the sitcom "Mork and Mindy".
Question 6
Before he changed it to Muhammad Ali, by what name was the World Heavyweight Boxing champion known?
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ACassius Clay
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BSugar Ray Leonard
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CJoe Louis
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DSugar Ray Robinson
Cassius Clay
Ali was a talented and famous boxer. He refused to go to the war in Vietnam due to his religious beliefs and his opposition to the war in general. He was stripped of his titles and arrested for draft evasion, but he successfully appealed this decision in 1971 to the Supreme Court. He was a cultural and sports icon.
Question 7
What iconic music and pop culture magazine was founded in San Francisco in 1967?
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ARolling Stone
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BThe Atlantic
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CThe New Yorker
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DEntertainment Weekly
Rolling Stone
The magazine was used in the 1960s through the 1970s to cover not only music, but politics at the time. Its name is said to have been inspired by a Bob Dylan song.
Question 8
President John F. Kennedy was assassinated in 1963 by Lee Harvey Oswald while traveling in the presidential motorcade in what state?
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AAlabama
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BOklahoma
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CArkansas
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DTexas
Texas
The Kennedys were accompanied by the Texas governor and his wife. JFK and the governor were both shot, Kennedy fatally. JFK was declared dead thirty minutes later. Shortly after, Lyndon Johnson was sworn in as president of the United States.
Question 9
The 1960 election between John F. Kennedy and Richard Nixon was one of the closest in American history, with Kennedy taking the victory. JFK's religious affiliations caused many voters to be wary of his loyalty to American citizens during the election. What religion did JFK practice?
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ACatholicism
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BBuddhism
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CIslam
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DProtestantism
Catholicism
Some voters (and politicians) feared that Kennedy's loyalty would be to the Pope first before his constituents, but he was voted in nonetheless.
Question 10
This classic car from the 60s/70s was a regular in Hollywood films about Los Angeles.
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A1973 De Tomaso Pantera
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B1974 Plymouth Hemi’Cuda
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C1976 Lincoln Mark IV
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D1964 Pontiac GTO
1976 Lincoln Mark IV
The Lincoln Continental Mark IV might be one of the longest 2 door cars ever produced at a massive 228 inches!
Question 11
One of the most iconic cars of the '60s, this personal luxury model was seen everywhere from John F. Kennedy's inaugural parade to the Indianapolis 500 Pace Car.
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AAMC Marlin
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BMercury Cougar
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CChevy Corvette 427
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DFord Thunderbird
Ford Thunderbird
Shown here is the third-gen Ford Thunderbird, produced from 1961 - 63.
Question 12
This late-70s muscle model didn't have the horsepower or prestige of the late-60s versions, but that doesn't mean it deserved abandonment.
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AMercury Cougar
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BChevy Camaro Z/28
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CAMC Rebel
-
DFord Thunderbird
Chevy Camaro Z/28
This is a second-gen 1979 Chevy Camaro Z/28 with the sexy striped logo on the door.
Question 13
What "Iron Lady" became the first female Prime Minister of Britain in 1979, worked closely with President Ronald Reagan, and was the leader of the Conservative Party?
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AIndira Gandhi
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BMargaret Thatcher
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CMary Robinson
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DGolda Meir
Margaret Thatcher
Thatcher believed in laissez-faire economics, self-determination, hard work, and was strongly opposed to unions. Thatcher and Ronald Reagan would later work together during the 1980s, encouraging conservatism in their respective governments.
Question 14
What popular comedic sketch show began in 1975 and introduced such famous cast members as Chevy Chase, Eddie Murphy, and Gilda Radner?
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AThe Kids in the Hall
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BSaturday Night Live
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CMADtv
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DIn Living Color
Saturday Night Live
'SNL' pokes fun at current political and cultural issues. It is filmed in New York City and is the starting place for many popular comedy movie stars.
Question 15
John Paul II became Pope in 1978. He was the first non-Italian Pope in over 400 years. In what country was he born?
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AGermany
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BPoland
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CLithuania
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DHungary
Poland
"JPII" was the second longest serving Pope in history. He was also well-traveled, having visited 129 countries. His canonization was held in 2014 after his resignation in 2005.
Question 16
What president signed into law the Civil Rights Act of 1964, an act that banned discrimination based on race, sex, religion, or national origin?
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AHarry Truman
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BJohn F. Kennedy
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CLyndon Johnson
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DWoodrow Wilson
Lyndon Johnson
LBJ was more involved with the civil rights movement than his predecessor, Kennedy. He worked with Martin Luther King, Jr. and other civil rights activists on developing the Civil Rights Act and later the Voting Rights Act. (Of course, like all presidents, LBJ was flawed, but he did use his presidency to expand the rights of people of color, women, and others during the 1960s).
Question 17
In the 1960s, Humans finally achieved an age-old dream of landing on the Moon. Who was the first person to set foot on the Moon and in what year did this happen?
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AMichael Collins, 1968
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BNeil Armstrong, 1969
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CBuzz Aldrin, 1966
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DBuzz Aldrin, 1967
Neil Armstrong, 1969
Question 18
"And so tonight to you, the great ________ of my fellow Americans - I ask for your support," stated president Richard Nixon in his famous 1969 speech. The group he was referring to were those who did not protest the Vietnam war or participate in the counterculture of the 1960s and 1970s. What term did Nixon use to describe them?
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ASilent Majority
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BStrong Willed
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CSun Belt Voters
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DQuiet Supporters
Silent Majority
The Silent Majority was a group of Americans who had previously kept their opinions about the Vietnam War and other cultural changes during that time to themselves. Nixon thought this group was being overshadowed while minority groups marched for their civil rights against the war, out loud, in public, and in the news. (The vocal minority challenged Nixon and mainstream concepts of equality and normalcy).
Question 19
In 1925, a teacher was convicted and fined for teaching evolution at a school in Tennessee. What is the name given to this highly publicized case that showcased the differences between fundamentalist and modern views of American values?
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AThe State of Tennessee v. John Thomas Scopes
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BTexas v. Johnson
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CGideon v. Wainwright
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DMcCulloch v. Maryland
The State of Tennessee v. John Thomas Scopes
Not until the 1960s was evolution put into school books following this trial. This trial also drew prominent Christian and former presidential nominee, William Jennings Bryan, to the case as prosecutor.
Question 20
1975's blockbuster thriller 'Jaws' is considered one of the best movies ever made. Who directed this hugely successful film?
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ARidley Scott
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BSteven Spielberg
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CJames Cameron
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DGeorge Lucas
Steven Spielberg
The movie helped make summer a season for major movie openers. It also won three Academy Awards. Reduced beach attendance was attributed to the movie. 'Jaws' made Spielberg a household name.
Question 21
In the 1970s what caused U.S. customers to become interested in companies like Toyota, Honda and Datsun (Nissan)?
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AThe end of the Vietnam War
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BThe 1973 oil crisis
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CThe Ford Pinto
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DThe distrust of Richard M. Nixon
The 1973 oil crisis
Question 22
This 1970s muscle car was Toyota's answer to the Ford Mustang. In later generations, this model developed its own identity as a nimble sports car and it was produced until 2005.
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APaseo
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BCrown
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CCelica
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DSpyder
Celica
Shown here is the first generation Celica, sold in the U.S. from 1971 - 1977.
Question 23
This 1960s sitcom ran from 1966 to 1971 and starred Marlo Thomas, Bernie Kopell and Rosemary DeCamp.
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ALassie
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BDobie Gillis
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CThe Mary Tyler Moore Show
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DThat Girl
That Girl
Question 24
For most of the 70s, Canada’s Prime Minister was:
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APierre Trudeau
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BStephen Harper
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CJustin Trudeau
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DTony Behn
Pierre Trudeau
Pierre Trudeau was Prime Minister of Canada from 1968 - 1979, and again from 1980 - 1984. He is the third-longest serving PM in Canada's history.
Question 25
Who became Premier of the Soviet Union after the death of Joseph Stalin? He was known for the "Thaw" that occurred during the 1950s and early 1960s when the Soviet government temporarily reduced censorship and suppression of the Russian people.
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ALeonid Brezhnev
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BYuri Andropov
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CMikhail Gorbachev
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DNikita Khrushchev
Nikita Khrushchev
Unlike Stalin, who was known for purges, eliminating political opponents, deporting millions of people to Siberia, controlling the media, and using heavy propaganda throughout the country, Khrushchev encouraged de-Stalinization. He released prisoners from the Gulags, opened up the media, and limited censorship.
Question 26
This mom became famous on television playing the part of Jackie Burkhart on "That '70s Show." Her co-star in that show, Ashton Kutcher, would later become the father to their two children, Wyatt and Dimitri.
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AMila Kunis
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BKelli Stevens
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CKristen Bell
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DKirsten Dunst
Mila Kunis
Mila Kunis has two children with her former "70s Show" co-star, Ashton Kutcher. The two didn't form a relationship until many years after the show's run had ended.
Question 27
What type of art, often featuring movie stars or consumer products, was popularized throughout the 1960s by artists including Andy Warhol, Roy Lichtenstein, and James Rosenquist?
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AImpressionism
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BArt Deco
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CAbstract Expressionism
-
DPop Art
Pop Art
Warhol's Campbell's Soup Cans and images of Marilyn Monroe in bright colors are two memorable examples of Pop Art in the 1960s.
Question 28
In 1960s The Alamo, John Wayne played this famous frontiersman.
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AColonel William Travis
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BColonel Jim Bowe
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CColonel Davy Crockett
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DGeneral Sam Houston
Colonel Davy Crockett
Question 29
Who sang 1970s top ten hit, Baby, Im a Want You?
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ABlondie
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BHumble Pie
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CThe Faces
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DBread
Bread
Question 30
This musician was an iconic part of '70s punk band the Sex Pistols. Unfortunately, in a drug-fueled state, he stabbed his girlfriend to death and was convicted of murder. Remember this rocker's name?
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AJoey Ramone
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BSid Vicious
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CIggy Pop
-
DJohnny Rotten
Sid Vicious
The punk rocker who committed murder and died young was Sid Vicious. He played bass for the Sex Pistols, but ended up dying just seven weeks after his conviction.
Question 31
70s activist Linda McCartney is famous for promoting:
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ACommunism
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BLibertarianism
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CIslam
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DVegetarianism
Vegetarianism
As mentioned in her eulogy by the BBC, Linda introduced vegetarianism to her famous husband and former Beatle, Paul McCartney. She published several vegetarian cookbooks.
Question 32
The Central Intelligence Agency staged a coup in 1954 in what Latin American country following the extensive lobbying efforts of an American corporation, the United Fruit Company?
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ABolivia
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BPeru
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CGuatemala
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DMexico
Guatemala
The United Fruit Company, an American Corporation, was given rights from authoritarian leaders to lands in Guatemala for its fruit trade. A Pro-democracy movement ousted the authoritarian regime (Ubico). Jacobo Arbenz was then democratically elected in 1951, but the US government engineered a coup against Arbenz, arguing that he was a communist. (Containment, the foreign policy designed by Kennan, stressed the necessity to stop the spread of communism). Arbenz was removed and the US propped up a military regime. As a result, Guatemala fought a civil war from 1960-1996. The US backed the regime during this conflict.
Question 33
Hockey player Bobby Orr helped what NHL team win the 1970 Stanley Cup after scoring an overtime goal in Game 4?
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ABoston Bruins
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BMontreal Canadians
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CNew York Rangers
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DDetroit Redwings
Boston Bruins
The photograph taken of Orr as he flies through the air after scoring the goal is considered one of the most famous photos in hockey history. Orr went on to be considered one of the greatest professional hockey players of all time.
Question 34
All of these TV shows were produced during the 70s except:
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AThe Jeffersons
-
BMASH
-
CStar Trek
-
DColumbo
Star Trek
The original Star Trek television series was produced from 1966 - 1969. A sequel TV series, "The Next Generation", did not debut until 1987.
Question 35
Civil Rights groups worked to ensure the rights of all citizens. Some Americans, however, were not longing for change and opposed these movements. Which of the following African American Civil Rights leaders was NOT assassinated during the 1960s?
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AMartin Luther King, Jr.
-
BMedgar Evers
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CMalcom X
-
DJames Baldwin
James Baldwin
Baldwin traveled the world as a writer, poet, and activist, and wrote about his experience as a black man in the US. He was born in Harlem in the 1920s and was the grandson of a former slave.
Question 36
This '70s punk rocker was arrested and charged with the murder of his girlfriend in 1979. He was dead just seven weeks later.
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AJohnny Rotten
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BJoey Ramone
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CSid Vicious
-
DIggy Pop
Sid Vicious
It's Sid Vicious. This bassist was a member of the Sex Pistols in the '70s, but once the band had broken up, he stabbed his girlfriend to death in a drug-fueled state.
Question 37
Which 1960s American folk rock band sang a song containing the line: We hold but a moment, sunlight fading into gray.?
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AThe Jackson Five
-
BThe Platters
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CThe Four Seasons
-
DYoungbloods
Youngbloods
Question 38
In the 1970s Knock Three Times song by Tony Orlando and Dawn, how many times means the answer is no?
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AThree
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BFour
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CTwice
-
DOnce
Twice
Question 39
Can you name this famous gospel and soul singer from the 1960s and early '70s?
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AAretha Franklin
-
BAmy Winehouse
-
CWhitney Houston
-
DLinda Jones
Linda Jones
It is Linda Jones. Unfortunately, she passed away from diabetes when she was 27, making her another member of the 27 Club.
Question 40
In the 1970s this professional soccer team played their home games at Yankee Stadium.
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AThe Cosmos
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BMilan A.C.
-
CThe Nets
-
DThe Kicks
The Cosmos
Question 41
By the late 1960s, rock music started to get adventurous. Even the Monkees were releasing psychedelic music, and The Beatles made the LP into an art form with Revolver and Sgt. Pepper. Which psychedelic pioneer released the influential album, Piper at the Gates of Dawn, in 1967?
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ADonovan
-
BThe Velvet Underground
-
CPink Floyd
-
DThe Doors
Pink Floyd
Question 42
This might be the only plate to feature song lyrics from a '70s anthem.
-
AWest Virginia
-
BAlabama
-
CKentucky
-
DOklahoma
Alabama
"Sweet Home Alabama" has become the unofficial anthem of Alabama and was immortalized on the license plate in 2009.
Question 43
Jimmy Swaggart was a famous 70s televangelist from:
-
ACalifornia
-
BLouisiana
-
CMississippi
-
DVirginia
Louisiana
Jimmy Lee Swaggart was born on March 15, 1935, in Ferriday, Louisiana. Swaggart, according to his autobiography, lived in poverty during the 1950s as he preached throughout rural Louisiana, struggling to survive on US$30 a week.
Question 44
After the 1960s success of BMW's "New Class", this executive car series debuted in 1977. Currently in its seventh generation of production, this is BMW's second-best-selling class.
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A5 Series
-
B1 Series
-
C3 Series
-
DM Series
5 Series
Over 7 million BMW 5 Series have been sold since 1977.
Question 45
The 70s marked a period of warmer relations between the US and the Soviet Union known as:
-
APerestroika
-
BDétente
-
CGlasnost
-
DThe Cultural Revolution
Détente
Detente is used in reference to a period of general easing of the tensions between the United States and the Soviet Union. Beginning in 1969 roughly in the middle of the Cold War, it was a foreign policy of U.S. presidents Richard Nixon and Gerald Ford done in efforts to avoid the collision of nuclear risks.
Question 46
'One Hundred Years of Solitude', a magic realism novel published in 1967, received popular recognition worldwide and helped earn what author the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1982?
-
AGabriel Garcia Marquez
-
BTruman Capote
-
CMaurice Sendak
-
DJoseph Heller
Gabriel Garcia Marquez
Marquez was part of the Latin American boom of poetry and literature during the 1960s and 1970s.
Question 47
In the late 1960s, the US Air Force released a report that concluded there was no such thing as extraterrestrial UFOs. What was the name of this report?
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AThe Warren Commission Report
-
BThe Green Files
-
CProject Blue Book
-
DThe Inventory of Evidence
Project Blue Book
In the wake of events such as those in Roswell, New Mexico, public curiosity about the existence of UFOs prompted government comment. The comment was obviously to deny their existence, which is exactly what a government harboring Martians would say...
Question 48
In 1960s TV-series, The Avengers, the main characters boss is known by what name?
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AGrandpa
-
BAuntie
-
CUncle
-
DMother
Mother
Question 49
This popular 1960s band from Birmingham, England would evolve into The Electric Light Orchestra.
-
AThe Move
-
BGerry and the Pacemakers
-
CThe Knack
-
DThe Dave Clark Five
The Move
Comments (45)
We want to hear your feedback! Share your scores and discuss the quiz, but keep it civil.
Stupid questions about the cars, should be eliminated, what does that demonstrate about your knowledge of 60s and 70s????
Great quiz
Really liked it.
Loved it! Missed 8
Awesome I love multable choice
Nice variety of questions.
Had to be aware of current events!
good mix of questions
too long
A little hard in some parts
Fun way to past the time, and work your mind in a good way! Enjoyed the challenge.
@lopesmarkie
OMG I CAN'T DO THIS AND I AM ONLY ON 100% 20 coins and 2 streaks
I forgot to add below, I missed 6 questions. Woo Hoo. Not bad for 65 years old. Have a great night.
I am 65 years old. My memory is slacking a bit but this quiz I found was challenging from the years past. It was fun. I scored better than 94 % of the people taking it, it says. Thanks.
questions were sometimes really weird
@no_body cares Is that because you scored so low on this fun quiz? Get over it and try again.
thanks for the quiz, makes the brain wk better
good mix of topics
What do you say my level of Education is?