The land of the free and the home of the brave. It’s time for a trivia challenge to check your knowledge of American History, American State names, U S president trivia and more! Try out this United States trivia challenge. How much do you know about the history of the American flag? Or which American president was or were assassinated and how? We’re going to find out.
United States Trivia
Do you have what it takes to conquer a trivia challenge on the The Melting Pot? Try out these test questions for size.
- Which U S president said the quote “Ask not what your country can do for you. Ask what you can do for your country.”? John F Kennedy
- What’s the longest River in the United States? Missouri River
- What years were the American Civil War? 1861 – 1865
- What’s the United States national anthem? The Star-Spangled Banner
- What’s the tallest mountain in the US? Denali in Alaska
United States Trivia Question and Answers
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How many ounces are in a US gallon? | â–¶ 128 |
What was the first department store to open in the United States? | â–¶ Macy’s |
In the United States, what holiday is celebrated every year on the fourth Thursday of November? | â–¶ Thanksgiving |
What is the only U.S. state without a rectangular flag? | â–¶ Ohio |
What U.S. agency’s motto is “Fidelity, Bravery, Integrity”? | â–¶ The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) |
The United States Supreme Court consists of how many judges? | â–¶ Nine |
Which New York City nightclub was originally built in 1927 as the Gallo Opera House? | â–¶ Studio 54 |
According to the U.S. flag code, what is the preferred method for disposing of a worn or faded U.S. flag? | â–¶ Burning |
The Connecticut Leather Company, founded in 1932 by Maurice Greenberg, is better know by what name? | â–¶ Coleco |
In which state was the first oil well drilled in the United States? | â–¶ Pennsylvania |
What was the name of the teacher who died in the tragic Space Shuttle Challenger disaster? | â–¶ Christa McAuliffe |
What 3 countries do not use the metric system? | â–¶ Liberia, Myanmar and The United States |
Who invented the cotton gin in 1793, allowing for much greater cotton production? | â–¶ Eli Whitney |
How many stripes are on the flag of the United States? | â–¶ 13 |
The island of Saipan is a commonwealth of which country? | â–¶ The United States |
What is the US Navy’s equivalent to the US Army’s Basic Training? | â–¶ Boot Camp |
What year was the two dollar bill last printed in the United States? | â–¶ 2014 |
Which US city also goes by the nickname the Big Apple? | â–¶ New York City |
What building is found on the back of a United States 100 dollar bill? | â–¶ Independence Hall |
In what year was the United States Pledge of Allegiance written? | â–¶ 1892 |
Which US state has the nickname the Treasure State? | â–¶ Montana |
What date is Cinco de Mayo celebrated in the United States? | â–¶ May 5th |
Which US city has been hit by the most tornadoes? | â–¶ Oklahoma City |
What was the first capital city of the United States? | â–¶ Philadelphia |
On September 24, 1906 President Theodore Roosevelt established the first US national monument. What was it? | â–¶ Devils Tower in Wyoming |
Who is next in line to succeed the President, after the Vice President? | â–¶ The Speaker of the House |
The highest temperature ever recorded in the United States occurred in which State? | ▶ California (Greenland Ranch, 134°F on July 10, 1913) |
Who is remembered for his large and stylish signature on the United States Declaration of Independence? | â–¶ John Hancock |
What US state has the longest official name? | â–¶ State of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations |
What was the first feature film originally presented with sound? | â–¶ The Jazz Singer, released in 1927. |
In which US city was Walt Disney born? | â–¶ Chicago, Illonois |
In the US, a pint of milk is equal to how many cups of milk? | â–¶ Two |
What was the first governing document of the Plymouth Colony signed aboard ship on November 11, 1620? | â–¶ The Mayflower Compact |
What capital city lies on the Potomac River? | â–¶ Washington D.C. |
Which famous American musician was fatally shot by his father on April 1, 1984? | â–¶ Marvin Gaye |
What animal is the symbol of the United States democratic party? | â–¶ Donkey |
When adjusted for inflation, which is the highest grossing film of all time? | â–¶ Gone with the Wind |
The Lone Star State is the nickname for which U.S. State? | â–¶ Texas |
Who was the first billionaire in the United States? | â–¶ John D. Rockefeller |
What island does the Statue of Liberty stand on? | â–¶ Liberty Island |
Which U.S. president signed Father’s Day into law? | â–¶ Lyndon B. Johnson |
The United States is made up of how many states? | â–¶ Fifty |
In which U.S. state would you find Mount Rushmore? | â–¶ South Dakota |
What did the famous Hollywood sign, located in Los Angeles, originally say? | â–¶ Hollywoodland |
How many feet are in a mile? | â–¶ 5280 |
Who was the oldest person to sign the Declaration of Independence? | â–¶ Benjamin Franklin |
Gumbo is a stew that originated in which state? | â–¶ Louisiana |
Which state of the United States is the smallest? | â–¶ Rhode Island |
What is the oldest city in the United States? | â–¶ Saint Augustine, Florida |
How many states are needed to ratify an amendment for it to become part of the constitution? | â–¶ Three-fourths of the states (38 of 50) |
Malcolm Little was a civil rights activist better known by what name? | â–¶ Malcolm X |
In which US state would you find Stone Mountain Park? | â–¶ Georgia |
Which US president was known as “The Great Communicator”? | â–¶ Ronald Regan |
How many US Supreme Court justices are there? | â–¶ 9 |
Who was the first US President to declare war? | â–¶ James Madison |
Who was the first Roman Catholic to be Vice President of the United States of America? | â–¶ Joe Biden |
In what year was the Declaration of Independence created? | â–¶ 1776 |
Frankenmuth, a U.S. city nicknamed “Little Bavaria”, is located in what state? | â–¶ Michigan |
Lake Tahoe straddles the border between which two U.S. states? | â–¶ California & Nevada |
In which city did Rosa Parks famously refuse to give up her seat on the bus? | â–¶ Montgomery Alabama |
How many U.S. presidents were only children? | â–¶ Four |
How many US states border the Pacific Ocean? | â–¶ Five states: California, Oregon, Washington, Alaska and Hawaii |
What does the “B” stand for in Lyndon B. Johnson? | â–¶ Baines |
Which Patriot leader organized the Boston Tea Party in 1773? | â–¶ Samuel Adams |
The final link of the first transcontinental railroad across the United States was completed in which state? | â–¶ Utah |
Long Island is a part of which US state? | â–¶ New York |
Which city in the United States is known as the “Windy City”? | â–¶ Chicago |
In the United States, where can alligators and crocodiles be found together in the wild? | â–¶ South Florida |
What was the name of the U.S. research and development project to create nuclear weapons in WWII? | â–¶ Manhattan Project |
Who wrote the Pledge of Allegiance of the United States? | â–¶ Francis Bellamy |
Which of the great lakes does not share a border with Canada? | â–¶ Lake Michigan |
What does the Statue of Liberty hold in her right hand? | â–¶ A torch |
What was the name of the U.S. mail service, started in 1860, that used horses and riders? | â–¶ Pony Express |
Who is the oldest person to be elected to the office of President of the United States? | â–¶ Donald Trump |
The Grand Canyon is located in which U.S. state? | â–¶ Arizona |
What U.S. national park, located in the Northwest corner of Montana, has the nickname “Crown of the Continent”? | â–¶ Glacier National Park |
Formerly known as Bedloe’s Island, what is the current name of the island where the Statue of Liberty is located? | â–¶ Liberty Island |
What do the letters “ZIP” stand for in the United States postal code? | â–¶ Zone Improvement Plan |
In 1867 the United States purchased Alaska from what country? | â–¶ Russia |
The United States Constitution replaced what other document on March 4, 1789? | â–¶ The Articles of Confederation |
Which major American airline is named after a Greek letter? | â–¶ Delta |
Jimmy Carter was the first U.S. president born in a what? | â–¶ Hospital |
The Hoover Dam in the United States is built on what river? | â–¶ The Colorado River |
Sequoia National Park is located in which U.S. state? | â–¶ California |
Who developed and patented the electrical telegraph in the United States in 1837? | â–¶ Samuel Morse |
Who was the vice president that served under President Barack Obama? | â–¶ Joe Biden |
Atlantic City is a popular entertainment destination located in what U.S. state? | â–¶ New Jersey |
American mobster Al Capone was sentenced to 11 years in federal prison for what crime? | â–¶ Tax Evasion |
What U.S. state has the nickname “Land of 10,000 Lakes”? | â–¶ Minnesota |
Jackson Pollock was an influential abstract expressionist painter from what country? | â–¶ The United States |
Who won the nomination of the Democratic Party to run for president in 2016? | â–¶ Hillary Clinton |
What is the three letter airport code for the Los Angeles International Airport? | â–¶ LAX |
General Motors was founded in which city? | â–¶ Flint, MI |
The Heisman Memorial Trophy is awarded annually to the most outstanding player in which college sport? | â–¶ Football |
What famous building would you find located at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue? | â–¶ The White House |
Who is credited with the assassination of American outlaw Jesse James? | â–¶ Robert Ford |
The Gettysburg address was a speech given by which U.S. president? | â–¶ President Abraham Lincoln |
How many red stripes are there on the United States flag? | â–¶ Seven |
Who was president of the United States when bombs were dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki? | â–¶ Harry S. Truman |
The Bill of Rights contains how many of the first amendments to the United States Constitution? | â–¶ Ten |
Which US state has the highest number of colleges and universities? | â–¶ California |
The southernmost part of the US is located in which state? | â–¶ Hawaii |
What future U.S. president was stranded on a desert island as a 26-year-old navy lieutenant in 1943? | â–¶ John F. Kennedy |
In the U.S. military, what does the acronym NCO stand for? | â–¶ Non-commissioned officer |
What group of lakes located in upstate New York are named after a part of the human anatomy? | â–¶ The finger lakes |
In which national park would you find the geyser known as “Old Faithful”? | â–¶ Yellowstone National Park |
Which event did US President Franklin D. Roosevelt call, “A day that will live in infamy”? | â–¶ The Attack on Pearl Harbor, December 7, 1941. |
Olympia is the capital city of which U.S. state? | â–¶ Washington |
A poke bowl is a diced raw fish dish that originated in which U.S. state? | â–¶ Hawaii |
Wrangell-St. Elias, the largest national park in the U.S., is located in which state? | â–¶ Alaska |
Who became both a vice president and president of the United States without ever being elected to either office? | â–¶ Gerald Ford |
What inland U.S. state has the longest shoreline? | â–¶ Michigan |
American Gothic, a 1930 portrait depicting a farmer and his daughter posing in front of their house, was painted by which artist? | â–¶ Grant Wood |
Who appeared on the cover of the first issue issue of People Magazine on March 4, 1974? | â–¶ Mia Farrow |
Published in 1906, White Fang is a novel about a wolf-dog written by which American author? | â–¶ Jack London |
Which city served as the capital of the United States from 1785 until 1790? | â–¶ New York |
Pago Pago is the capitol of what U.S. territory? | â–¶ American Samoa |
What is the name of the former immigration inspection station located in New York Harbor? | â–¶ Ellis Island |
In 2009, which company announced a deal to acquire Marvel Entertainment for $4.24 billion? | â–¶ The Walt Disney Company |
In which U.S. National park is the rock formation known as Glacier Point Apron located? | â–¶ Yosemite National Park |
The Barbie doll was launched in 1959 by which American toy company? | â–¶ Mattel, Inc. |
What Canadian province separates Alaska from the continental United States? | â–¶ British Columbia |
From which major U.S. city can a person drive south into Canada? | â–¶ Detroit |
Bordering two different oceans, which U.S. state has the longest coastline? | â–¶ Alaska |
What private research university was founded in New Haven, Connecticut in 1701? | â–¶ Yale University |
The Cannonball Run is an unofficial coast to coast automobile race that starts in which U.S. city? | â–¶ New York City |
Who was the only bachelor to serve as president of the United States? | â–¶ James Buchanan |
Which U.S state located on the eastern seaboard partially falls in the Central Time Zone? | â–¶ Florida |
Located in Lake Huron, Mackinac Island is part of which U.S. state? | â–¶ Michigan |
In 1797, who became the second president of the United States of America? | â–¶ John Adams |
Who served as the first and third president of the Republic of Texas? | â–¶ Sam Houston |
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is headquartered in which U.S. city? | â–¶ Atlanta, Georgia |
Born into a family of Dutch Americans, who was the only US President to speak English as a second language? | â–¶ Martin Van Buren |
Which outspoken former Scientologist was the female lead in the hit sitcom King of Queens? | â–¶ Leah Remini |
Which American architect designed the Guggenheim Museum in New York? | â–¶ Frank Lloyd Wright |
The United States state of Georgia is famous for what fruit? | â–¶ The Peach |
Who was the second president of the United States? | â–¶ John Adams |
What popular beverage once contained cocaine? | â–¶ Coca-Cola |
In what year was the US Constitution written? | â–¶ 1787 |
What is the name of the first pizzeria to open in the United States? | â–¶ Lombardi’s Pizza |
Who was the first Spaniard to set foot in what is now the US state of Florida? | â–¶ Ponce de Leon |
How much money is a US Olympic gold medalist awarded? | â–¶ $25,000 |
How old must a person be to run for President of the United States? | â–¶ 35 |
A young women in the 1920s that behaved and dressed boldly was referred to as what? | â–¶ A Flapper |
New York City was originally known by which Dutch name? | â–¶ Nieuw Amsterdam (New Amsterdam) |
What US city was the first to host the Olympic Games? | â–¶ St. Louis, Missouri in 1904. |
Who was the first person selected as Time Magazine’s Man of the Year? | â–¶ Charles Lindbergh in 1927. |
Who gave the state of Florida it’s name? | â–¶ Juan Ponce de Leon |
Who was awarded the first United States patent for the telephone? | â–¶ Alexander Graham Bell |
In What state was President Barack Obama born? | â–¶ Hawaii |
The US military installation Area 51 is located in which state? | â–¶ Nevada |
What was the name of Robert E. Lee’s most famous horse? | â–¶ Traveller |
Who was the first First Lady to be elected to public office? | â–¶ Hillary Rodham Clinton |
Who assassinated President Abraham Lincoln? | â–¶ John Wilkes Booth |
Who was the mayor of New York City during the September 11 attacks in 2001? | â–¶ Rudy Giuliani |
What is the tallest building in New York? | â–¶ One World Trade Center |
Barack Obama was first elected president of the United States in what year? | â–¶ 2008 |
What are the five boroughs of New York City? | â–¶ Manhattan, the Bronx, Queens, Brooklyn, and Staten Island |
Who was vice president of the United States when Lincoln was assassinated? | â–¶ Andrew Johnson in 1868 |
Which American inventor is generally given credit for the invention of the lightning rod? | â–¶ Benjamin Franklin |
The Mexican city of Tijuana borders what U.S city? | â–¶ San Diego |
Which four U.S. states are on the United States-Mexico border? | â–¶ California, Arizona, New Mexico, and Texas |
Which U.S. president made the first presidential radio broadcast? | â–¶ Calvin Coolidge |
America’s Next Top Model is an American reality television show created by which former model? | â–¶ Tyra Banks |
Who was the first U.S. president that was born a citizen of the United States? | â–¶ Martin Van Buren |
Established in the 1920s, what historic double-digit highway connected Chicago and Los Angeles? | â–¶ Route 66 |
How many teams are in the American National Football league? | â–¶ 32 Teams |
Which U.S. state has the motto “Live Free or Die” on their license plate? | â–¶ New Hampshire |
Which U.S. president issued the Emancipation Proclamation? | â–¶ President Abraham Lincoln |
In 2003, which U.S. state was officially declared the birthplace of aviation? | â–¶ Ohio (Dayton, Ohio was the home of Wilbur and Orville Wright) |
What U.S. State was the last to lift a ban on interracial marriage, not changing the law until 2000? | â–¶ Alabama |
In 1863, which U.S. President declared that the last Thursday in November should be celebrated as Thanksgiving? | â–¶ Abraham Lincoln |
What famous Christmas legend did a Montgomery Ward advertising man create as part of his job? | â–¶ Rudolf the Red-Nosed Reindeer. Adman Robert May first wrote of the now famous reindeer in a pamphlet distributed to children by store Santas in 1939. |
Who was first U.S. president to be impeached? | â–¶ Andrew Johnson in 1868 |
Who was the first man to appear on the cover of Playboy Magazine? | â–¶ Peter Sellers, April 1964 issue |
Which water sport is the official state individual sport of Hawaii? | â–¶ Surfing |
CBGB, the former infamous New York music club, stands for what? | â–¶ Country, Blue Grass and Blues |
Where was Richard Nixon when he delivered his infamous “I am not a crook” speech? | â–¶ Disney World in Orlando, Florida (The Contemporary Resort) |
Awarded posthumously in 2001, who is the only U.S. President to have received the Medal of Honor? | â–¶ Theodore Roosevelt |
What American minister and author wrote the self-help book The Power of Positive Thinking? | â–¶ Norman Vincent Peale |
Soldier Field is an American football stadium that is home to which NFL team? | â–¶ Chicago Bears |
Debuting in September 1966, what Chevrolet pony car was designed to be a competing model to the Ford Mustang? | â–¶ Chevrolet Camaro |
“Oro y Plata” (Spanish for gold and silver) is the motto of which U.S. state? | â–¶ Montana |
What Los Angeles landmark was named after a World War II general and inspired a Donna Summer disco hit? | â–¶ MacArthur Park |
The Hershey Company, commonly known as Hershey, was founded in which U.S. state? | â–¶ Pennsylvania |
What is the call sign of any United States Marine Corps aircraft carrying the president of the United States? | â–¶ Marine One |
The second atomic bomb ever used in war-time was dropped on what city? | â–¶ Nagasaki |
Who was the first president of the United States to live in the White House? | â–¶ President John Adams |
How many Super Bowl Rings did Troy Aikman win? | â–¶ Three with the Dallas Cowboys. |
Which President is on the United States 1,000 dollar bill? | â–¶ Grover Cleveland |
At the time of his assassination, what play was Abraham Lincoln watching? | â–¶ Our American Cousin |
About the Author
Tim majored in Humanities with a bachelor in English and Theatre at New York State University. He lectured on entertainment business studies for three years at Plymouth College.
Tim has been a trivia host in his current hometown of Pittsburgh for the past two years. He enjoys hanging out with people who love trivia just as much as he does.
His friends call him the Question Master.