Check Your Knowledge Of The Recent Past And Take This Quiz That's All About 20th Century History!

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20th Century History Quiz Questions

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Question 1

This popular movie, based on a novel, starred Judy Garland, used Technicolor, and was nominated for six Academy Awards.

  • A
    The Wizard of Oz
  • B
    It Happened One Night
  • C
    Gone with the Wind
  • D
    King Kong

Question 2

The Cleaver family became a household name in the late 1950s as part of what popular television show that presented an idealized version of American life in the 1950s?

  • A
    Bonanza
  • B
    Leave it to Beaver
  • C
    The Honeymooners
  • D
    Dragnet

Question 3

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?

  • A
    Led Zeppelin
  • B
    The Rolling Stones
  • C
    The Beatles
  • D
    The Who

Question 4

Who were the first two astronauts to walk on the moon?

  • A
    Eugene Cernan and Pete Conrad
  • B
    Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin
  • C
    Sally Ride and Michael Collins
  • D
    Jim Lovell and Fred Haise

Question 5

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?

  • A
    Mother Angelica
  • B
    Mother Elizabeth
  • C
    Mother Teresa
  • D
    Mother Katherine

Question 6

Ron, Harry, and Hermoine study witchcraft and wizardry at Hogwarts in these famous books. What is the name of the series that was first published in 1997?

  • A
    The Chronicles of Narnia
  • B
    Harry Potter
  • C
    Madeline
  • D
    A Series of Unfortunate Events

Question 7

In 1963, who became the first black person to win an Academy Award for Best Actor for his role in the film 'Lilies of the Field'?

  • A
    Louis Gossett, Jr.
  • B
    Sidney Poitier
  • C
    Charles Dutton
  • D
    Billy Dee Williams

Question 8

Popular musicians, comedians, and entertainers like Frank Sinatra performed regularly on entertainment and news programs that millions of Americans "tuned" into using what device?

  • A
    Radio
  • B
    Walkie Talkie
  • C
    VCR
  • D
    Walkman

Question 9

The Cuban Revolution was a revolt against the authoritarian regime of Fulgencio Batista led by what political leader?

  • A
    Romulo Gallegos
  • B
    Daniel Ortega
  • C
    Fidel Castro
  • D
    Salvador Allende

Question 10

What iconic music and pop culture magazine was founded in San Francisco in 1967?

  • A
    Rolling Stone
  • B
    The Atlantic
  • C
    The New Yorker
  • D
    Entertainment Weekly

Question 11

The US government, as allowed by Executive Order 9066, removed what particular group of Americans and immigrants from their homes, neighborhoods, and work, forcing them to relocate to internment camps until after World War II ended?

  • A
    Japanese Americans
  • B
    Russian Americans
  • C
    African Americans
  • D
    Native Americans

Question 12

Before he changed it to Muhammad Ali, by what name was the World Heavyweight Boxing champion known?

  • A
    Cassius Clay
  • B
    Sugar Ray Leonard
  • C
    Joe Louis
  • D
    Sugar Ray Robinson

Question 13

What popular fashion doll was created in 1959 by Mattel, Inc.?

  • A
    Polly Pocket
  • B
    Cabbage Patch
  • C
    Barbie
  • D
    American Girl

Question 14

President John F. Kennedy was assassinated in 1963 by Lee Harvey Oswald while traveling in the presidential motorcade in what state?

  • A
    Alabama
  • B
    Oklahoma
  • C
    Arkansas
  • D
    Texas

Question 15

Nancy Kerrigan won the silver medal at the 1994 Winter Olympics in Lillehammer after being attacked by her rival skater ________, who hired someone to hurt her with a police baton.

  • A
    Tara Lipinski
  • B
    Michelle Kwan
  • C
    Tonya Harding
  • D
    Sarah Hughes

Question 16

Humphrey Bogart and Ingrid Bergman starred in what famous 1942 romantic film?

  • A
    It's a Wonderful Life
  • B
    Casablanca
  • C
    Citizen Kane
  • D
    Gone With the Wind

Question 17

Disco emerged as a popular genre of dance music in the late 1970s following the success of what film that starred actor John Travolta?

  • A
    Saturday Night Fever
  • B
    Dirty Dancing
  • C
    Can't Stop the Music
  • D
    Xanadu

Question 18

What popular comedic sketch show began in 1975 and introduced such famous cast members as Chevy Chase, Eddie Murphy, and Gilda Radner?

  • A
    The Kids in the Hall
  • B
    Saturday Night Live
  • C
    MADtv
  • D
    In Living Color

Question 19

Actor Tom Hanks won an Academy Award for Best Actor in this 1994 comedy-drama that follows the life of a southern American boy through many important moments during the twentieth century.

  • A
    Pulp Fiction
  • B
    Sleepless in Seattle
  • C
    Forrest Gump
  • D
    The Sandlot

Question 20

After years of working to find a cure, scientists developed the first successful vaccination for what disease in 1952?

  • A
    Diphtheria
  • B
    Polio
  • C
    Chickenpox
  • D
    Tetanus

Question 21

What law provided benefits like low-cost mortgages and tuition assistance to American soldiers returning home after World War II? Many historians argue that this law, though helpful to most, excluded many black veterans.

  • A
    The Lend-Lease Act
  • B
    Manpower Development and Training Act
  • C
    The G.I. Bill
  • D
    Family Support Act

Question 22

Michael Jackson, also known as the King of Pop, produced hit song after hit song. What is the name of his creepy 1984 tune that included sounds of creaking doors, howling dogs, and lines like "It's close to midnight and something evil's lurking in the dark"?

  • A
    "Bad"
  • B
    "The Way You Make me Feel"
  • C
    "Beat It"
  • D
    "Thriller"

Question 23

Riots erupted in downtown Los Angeles after the acquittal of LA police officers who were videotaped beating ______ following a high-speed chase. The events opened a discussion about race and police brutality in America in the 1990s.

  • A
    Michael Brown
  • B
    Eric Garner
  • C
    Martin Luther King
  • D
    Rodney King

Question 24

What water resistant adhesive was invented and used during World War II as a useful way to repair weapons and other devices?

  • A
    Gorilla Glue
  • B
    Duct Tape
  • C
    Sticky Tack
  • D
    Scotch Tape

Question 25

This medical contraption was first used for clinical purposes in 1928 on patients suffering from polio:

  • A
    Iron Lung
  • B
    Nebulizer
  • C
    Back Brace
  • D
    Leg Crutches

Question 26

This parade is the largest parade in the world and first started in the fall of 1924.

  • A
    St. Patrick's Day Parade, Dublin
  • B
    The Philadelphia Mummers Parade, Pennsylvania
  • C
    Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade, NYC
  • D
    Dia De Los Muertos Parade, Mexico

Question 27

What famous sky scraper was completed in 1931?

  • A
    John Hancock Tower
  • B
    Shanghai Tower
  • C
    Chrysler Building
  • D
    Empire State Building

Question 28

John Paul II became Pope in 1978. He was the first non-Italian Pope in over 400 years. In what country was he born?

  • A
    Germany
  • B
    Poland
  • C
    Lithuania
  • D
    Hungary

Question 29

Despite a Congressional ban, President Ronald Reagan's administration sold arms to Iran in exchange for hostages while feeding money to the anti-communist militant group, the ______, who opposed the socialist coalition government developed by the Sandinistas in Nicaragua.

  • A
    Contras
  • B
    Allendes
  • C
    Pinochet
  • D
    Somozas

Question 30

American writer, F. Scott Fitzgerald, wrote this work, which was published in 1925. The book became popular following Fitzgerald's death during the WWII era.

  • A
    The Great Gatsby
  • B
    The Sound and the Fury
  • C
    Ulysses
  • D
    The Stranger

Question 31

What company was essential to the American air force as it created both the B-17 and B-29 bombers? To avoid potential attacks, this company disguised its manufacturing plants with farmland.

  • A
    General Motors
  • B
    General Electric
  • C
    Boeing
  • D
    DuPont

Question 32

This device became a popular source for news and entertainment for Americans following World War One:

  • A
    Video
  • B
    Newspaper
  • C
    Television
  • D
    Radio

Question 33

The Soviet Union launched the satellite Sputnik into space in 1957. The US government feared trailing the Russians in what was called the Space Race. As a result, the US government formed what agency in 1958?

  • A
    National Security Agency (NSA)
  • B
    Central Intelligence Agency (CIA)
  • C
    Department of Homeland Security (DHS)
  • D
    National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)

Question 34

The Japanese bombed the American naval base at Pearl Harbor in 1941, causing the US to officially enter World War II. In an address to the nation, President Franklin Delano Roosevelt stated that this was a "date which will live in infamy". What was that date?

  • A
    July 7th
  • B
    June 13th
  • C
    December 7th
  • D
    November 7th

Question 35

Organized crime spread during the era of Prohibition. What is the name of the infamous struggle between an Irish and Italian gang in Chicago that resulted in the deaths of seven by gangster Al Capone and the South Side Italian gang?

  • A
    Rosewood Massacre
  • B
    Ludlow Massacre
  • C
    Saturday Night Massacre
  • D
    St. Valentine's Day Massacre

Question 36

What president signed into law the Civil Rights Act of 1964, an act that banned discrimination based on race, sex, religion, or national origin?

  • A
    Harry Truman
  • B
    John F. Kennedy
  • C
    Lyndon Johnson
  • D
    Woodrow Wilson

Question 37

This pop star became famous in the late 1990s for her hits including "Baby One More Time" and "Oops I Did It Again."

  • A
    Christina Aguilera
  • B
    Mandy Moore
  • C
    Brandy
  • D
    Britney Spears

Question 38

What was the name given to the top secret US atomic weapons development program?

  • A
    The Manhattan Project
  • B
    The Brooklyn Project
  • C
    The Chicago Project
  • D
    The Oppenheimer Project

Question 39

Named after a senator from Wisconsin, what is the name of the practice of making false accusations, spreading the fear of communism, and intensifying public censorship?

  • A
    Conservatism
  • B
    Transcendentalism
  • C
    McCarthyism
  • D
    Anarchism

Question 40

Actor Marlon Brando won the Oscar for Best Actor in 1973 for what movie, based on a novel written by Mario Puzo?

  • A
    Goodfellas
  • B
    Casino
  • C
    Scarface
  • D
    The Godfather

Question 41

What is the name of the cultural icon most closely associated with women factory and naval yard workers during World War II?

  • A
    Mother Goose
  • B
    Wonder Woman
  • C
    Lady Liberty
  • D
    Rosie the Riveter

Question 42

The original ______ comic was sold in the United States in 1938. This particular issue sold for $3.2 million in 2014.

  • A
    Batman
  • B
    Hulk
  • C
    X-Men
  • D
    Superman

Question 43

This waterway connects the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans and is essential to maritime trade. In 1904 under President Theodore Roosevelt, the United States took control over the waterway's development. It was officially finished in 1914. What is the name of this waterway?

  • A
    Welland
  • B
    Suez
  • C
    Erie Canal
  • D
    Panama Canal

Question 44

What soulful tune, originally recorded by musician Big Mama Thornton, was released in 1956 by Elvis Presley? It became his best-selling song and helped him earn the title of "King of Rock and Roll".

  • A
    Great Balls of Fire
  • B
    Johnny B. Goode
  • C
    Peggy Sue
  • D
    Hound Dog

Question 45

What government declared martial law in Tiananmen Square against protesters in favor of freedom of press, speech, and democracy?

  • A
    Government of China
  • B
    Government of India
  • C
    Government of Singapore
  • D
    Government of Japan

Question 46

What is the name of the table-top role playing game that drew opposition from religious fundamentalist groups who argued that the game used witchcraft, demonology, sadism, and more?

  • A
    Final Fantasy
  • B
    Zelda
  • C
    Dungeons and Dragons
  • D
    World of Warcraft

Question 47

What shuttle orbiter exploded on take-off on January 28, 1986?

  • A
    Apollo
  • B
    Challenger
  • C
    Columbia
  • D
    Atlantis

Question 48

Four college students were killed and nine others wounded by the Ohio National Guard while protesting the Vietnam War in 1970. At what school did the protests occur?

  • A
    Ohio State University
  • B
    Kent State University
  • C
    Cleveland State University
  • D
    Miami University of Ohio

Question 49

Which famous Belfast made ship sank between April 14 and 15, 1912?

  • A
    Titanic
  • B
    Britannic
  • C
    Lusitania
  • D
    Carpathia

Question 50

What popular amusement park opened its doors in Anaheim, California in 1955?

  • A
    Disneyland
  • B
    Disneyworld
  • C
    Six Flags
  • D
    Hersheypark

Question 51

What piece of fiction, published in 1939, won author John Steinbeck the National Book Award, a Pulitzer Prize, and later a Nobel Prize:

  • A
    Nineteen Eighty-Four
  • B
    A Tree Grows in Brooklyn
  • C
    The Grapes of Wrath
  • D
    The Catcher in the Rye

Question 52

Two atomic bombs named Little Boy and Fat Man were dropped in Japan, killing thousands of people instantly, and leaving many with radiation poisoning. This act by the US government led to the end of World War II. What two cities were devastated by the dropping of these two weapons?

  • A
    Kyoto and Tokyo
  • B
    Nagasaki and Tokyo
  • C
    Hiroshima and Tokyo
  • D
    Hiroshima and Nagasaki

Question 53

This synthetic polymer has been used to create ropes, tires, carpets, clothing, food packaging and much more. It was created by the DuPont industrial company in the 1930s, and was showcased at the World Fair in New York in 1939.

  • A
    Aramid
  • B
    Nylon
  • C
    Spandex
  • D
    Rayon

Question 54

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?

  • A
    The State of Tennessee v. John Thomas Scopes
  • B
    Texas v. Johnson
  • C
    Gideon v. Wainwright
  • D
    McCulloch v. Maryland

Question 55

Which of these popular comic book characters first appeared in 1941?

  • A
    Superman
  • B
    Captain America
  • C
    Batman
  • D
    Iron Man

Question 56

1975's blockbuster thriller 'Jaws' is considered one of the best movies ever made. Who directed this hugely successful film?

  • A
    Ridley Scott
  • B
    Steven Spielberg
  • C
    James Cameron
  • D
    George Lucas

Question 57

This talented athlete was known for his ability to dunk from the free-throw line.

  • A
    Michael Jordan
  • B
    Lebron James
  • C
    Larry Bird
  • D
    Magic Johnson

Question 58

Which US president gave the orders to drop the atomic bombs in 1945?

  • A
    Harry Truman
  • B
    Dwight D. Eisenhower
  • C
    Franklin Delano Roosevelt
  • D
    Douglas MacArthur

Question 59

This peace treaty was signed in June of 1919, ending World War I.

  • A
    Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo
  • B
    Treaty of Versailles
  • C
    Treaty of Paris
  • D
    Treaty of Ghent

Question 60

What boxer lost part of his ear while fighting Mike Tyson in a heavyweight title fight at the MGM Grand in 1997?

  • A
    Floyd Mayweather
  • B
    Oscar De La Hoya
  • C
    Manny Pacquiao
  • D
    Evander Holyfield

Question 61

What country was divided at the 38th parallel with opposing ideologies emerging on either side of the demarcation, causing one of the first major "hot wars" fought during the Cold War?

  • A
    Vietnam War
  • B
    Afghanistan War
  • C
    Japanese War
  • D
    Korean War

Question 62

The first Super Bowl was held in January of 1967. What team won the first ever Super Bowl?

  • A
    Green Bay Packers
  • B
    New England Patriots
  • C
    Clevland Browns
  • D
    Minnesota Vikings

Question 63

France and the United Kingdom declared war on Germany in 1939 after Nazi Germany invaded what country, starting the Second World War?

  • A
    France
  • B
    Finland
  • C
    Poland
  • D
    Romania

Question 64

Which of these countries officially declared their independence in 1948?

  • A
    Iran
  • B
    Ireland
  • C
    Israel
  • D
    Italy

Comments (3)

We want to hear your feedback! Share your scores and discuss the quiz, but keep it civil.

Anything more than 50 questions is too MANY!!!

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Too easy

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Sorry, your quizzes are too easy for me. You're gonna need something a little more tougher to really defeat me! Better luck next time.

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