Travel Through The Decades With This 1930s-1980s Quiz!

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1930s-1980s Quiz Questions

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Question 1

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 2

This sitcom was a popular television comedy in the 1950s. The lead character was a woman who used physical comedy and later became the first woman to run a major television studio.

  • A
    Amos 'n' Andy
  • B
    I Love Lucy
  • C
    Dennis the Menace
  • D
    The Twilight Zone

Question 3

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 4

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 5

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 6

This piece of infrastructure separated East and West Berlin and remains a powerful symbol of the division that existed during the Cold War.

  • A
    Silver Line
  • B
    38th Parallel
  • C
    Berlin Wall
  • D
    Port Mann Bridge

Question 7

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 8

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 9

Luke, Leia, Han, and Chewy are part the cast of what popular franchise, created by George Lucas in 1977?

  • A
    Star Wars
  • B
    Alien
  • C
    Indiana Jones
  • D
    Star Trek

Question 10

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 11

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 12

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 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

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?

  • A
    Catholicism
  • B
    Buddhism
  • C
    Islam
  • D
    Protestantism

Question 15

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 16

"Waka-waka" is the sound this popular yellow arcade game character makes. This game gained world-wide popularity after its creation in 1980.

  • A
    Donkey Kong
  • B
    Tetris
  • C
    Pac-Man
  • D
    Frogger

Question 17

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 18

What is the name of the 38th president who took office following Watergate, a political scandal where the Democratic National Committee was broken into under the order of the Nixon administration?

  • A
    Gerald Ford
  • B
    Spiro Agnew
  • C
    George Bush
  • D
    Jimmy Carter

Question 19

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 20

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?

  • A
    Indira Gandhi
  • B
    Margaret Thatcher
  • C
    Mary Robinson
  • D
    Golda Meir

Question 21

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 22

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 23

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 24

President Ronald Reagan's "supply-side" economic plan favored smaller government, limited industrial regulation, and tax cuts. What is the name given to "supply-side" economics during this era?

  • A
    Redistributive Economics
  • B
    Reagonomics
  • C
    Communism
  • D
    Keynesian Economics

Question 25

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 26

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 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

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 29

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 30

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 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

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 33

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 34

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 35

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 36

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 37

A film was created by the United States Civil Defense Administration and shown in schools as a public awareness campaign concerning safety precautions during a nuclear attack. The film follows a cartoon turtle and also has a catchy jingle. What is the name of that film?

  • A
    One Week in October
  • B
    The Waking Point
  • C
    Duck and Cover
  • D
    Town of the Times

Question 38

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 39

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 40

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

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

Question 41

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

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

Question 42

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 43

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

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

Question 44

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 45

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 46

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 47

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 48

British soldiers fired upon protesters who were marching against British rule in Northern Ireland, killing thirteen in 1972. The Irish Republican Army rapidly grew as a result of the shootings. What name is given to the day of this massacre?

  • A
    Bolton Massacre
  • B
    May Day Protests
  • C
    September Massacre
  • D
    Bloody Sunday

Question 49

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 50

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 51

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 52

A hostage crisis took place for 444 days during Jimmy Carter's presidency. It wasn't until Ronald Reagan's election that the hostages were released. In what country did this hostage crisis occur?

  • A
    Boliva
  • B
    Iraq
  • C
    Germany
  • D
    Iran

Question 53

What is the name of the group of riots that took place in Los Angeles, California in 1965 following the arrest of a black motorist, that resulted in over forty million dollars worth of property damage?

  • A
    Zoot Suit Riots
  • B
    Black Sunday Riots
  • C
    Accra Riots
  • D
    Watts Riots

Question 54

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 55

What conservative Supreme Court Justice, who subscribed to originalism, was nominated to the bench in 1986 by President Ronald Reagan?

  • A
    Antonin Scalia
  • B
    William O. Douglas
  • C
    Harry Blackmun
  • D
    Ruth Bader Ginsburg

Question 56

Which of these countries officially declared their independence in 1948?

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

Question 57

The Environmental Protection Agency is a government agency which was established to protect human health and the environment. Under what president was the EPA created?

  • A
    Ronald Reagan
  • B
    Richard Nixon
  • C
    Jimmy Carter
  • D
    Lyndon Johnson

Question 58

This champion racehourse became a symbol of hope for many Americans in the 1930s

  • A
    Seabiscuit
  • B
    Secretariat
  • C
    Sea Bird
  • D
    American Pharoah

Question 59

The fall of what city to the North Vietnamese marked the end of the Vietnam War?

  • A
    Saigon
  • B
    Hanoi
  • C
    Danang
  • D
    Haiphong

Question 60

Sam Walton, the creator of Walmart, opened his first store in 1962 in what state?

  • A
    Tennessee
  • B
    South Carolina
  • C
    Arkansas
  • D
    Georgia

Question 61

What was the name of the surprise attack directed by Viet Cong forces on South Vietnamese cities and American troops in 1968 that further increased American disapproval of the Vietnam War?

  • A
    The Tet Offensive
  • B
    Easter Offensive
  • C
    The Gulf of Tonkin Resolution
  • D
    Battle of Pleiku

Question 62

What Apollo mission planned to land on the moon, but instead returned to Earth after an oxygen tank exploded, putting its three NASA astronauts in danger?

  • A
    Apollo 11
  • B
    Apollo 10
  • C
    Apollo 13
  • D
    Apollo 17

Question 63

Known for arguing cases such as Brown v. Board of Education and Miranda v. Arizona, who became the first African American Supreme Court Justice in 1967?

  • A
    Sonya Sotomayor
  • B
    Thurgood Marshall
  • C
    Benjamin N. Cardozo
  • D
    Clarence Thomas

Question 64

What is the name of the 13-day confrontation between the US and the USSR concerning American missiles located in Italy and Turkey, and Soviet missiles in Cuba?

  • A
    Bay of Pigs Invasion
  • B
    Cuban Missile Crisis
  • C
    Battle of Santa Clara
  • D
    26 of July Movement

Question 65

What president threatened to pack the Supreme Court after the Court struck down a piece of the National Recovery Administration?

  • A
    Calvin Coolidge
  • B
    Franklin Delano Roosevelt
  • C
    Herbert Hoover
  • D
    Harry Truman

Question 66

States around the world gained autonomy during the 1950s following the Second World War in what was called the decolonization movement. In 1956, what country nationalized the Suez Canal, which was previously co-owned and controlled by the French and British since its construction in the mid-1800s?

  • A
    Jordan
  • B
    Egypt
  • C
    Israel
  • D
    India

Question 67

Vietnam was considered a colonial territory of what European nation from 1887 to 1954?

  • A
    Belgium
  • B
    Germany
  • C
    Great Britain
  • D
    France

Question 68

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?

  • A
    Impressionism
  • B
    Art Deco
  • C
    Abstract Expressionism
  • D
    Pop Art

Question 69

Originally called "Criss-Crosswords", what popular board game was first manufactured in 1948?

  • A
    Checkers
  • B
    Connect Four
  • C
    Monopoly
  • D
    Scrabble

Question 70

Name the portable gaming device that was launched by Nintendo in 1989 that sold 118 million units worldwide.

  • A
    Game Boy
  • B
    Sega Game Gear
  • C
    Atari Lynx
  • D
    Playstation

Question 71

What famous man led a nonviolent march in 1930 against British control of salt production in India.

  • A
    Henry David Thoreau
  • B
    Indira Gandhi
  • C
    Mohandas Gandhi
  • D
    Martti Ahtisaari

Question 72

Whites and blacks could finally legally marry in the United States in 1967 as a result of what landmark Supreme Court case?

  • A
    Mapp v. Ohio
  • B
    Miranda v. Arizona
  • C
    Sweatt v. Painter
  • D
    Loving v. Virginia

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