100 U.S. History Trivia Questions (3)

[A] The Northeastern Woodlands | The Powhatan confederacy controlled much of coastal Virginia when English settlers arrived.

[A] Barack Obama | Elected in 2008, Obama inspired millions with his message of hope and became the 44th president.

[C] Benjamin Franklin | Among Franklin’s many inventions were spectacles with dual lenses, perfect for reading and viewing distant objects without swapping glasses.

[D] Between September 20 and October 30, 1697 | The Treaty of Ryswick concluded the Nine Years’ War, restoring colonial possessions to their pre‑war owners.

[C] 1637 | On May 26, 1637, English colonists and Native allies attacked a Pequot village near the Mystic River, killing hundreds.

[D] The Treaty of Paris | The 1763 Treaty of Paris redrew the map of North America, ceding Canada and Florida to Britain while returning Louisiana to Spain.

[A] Vermont | Ethan Allen’s militia defended settlers’ land claims in the region that became Vermont, later aiding the Continental Army.

[D] Jimmy Wales and Larry Sanger | Wales and Sanger harnessed the power of crowdsourcing to build a free, user-edited knowledge base.

[A] The Iron Act | The 1750 Iron Act encouraged colonial pig‑iron production but restricted finished iron goods, benefiting British manufacturers.

[B] 1890 | On December 29, 1890, U.S. troops killed hundreds of Lakota men, women and children, marking the end of the Indian Wars.

[A] A three‑masted Pilgrim ship | The Mayflower carried the Pilgrims across the Atlantic in 1620; its cramped quarters housed 102 passengers for 66 days.

[C] The Seven Years’ War | In 1758, British officials brokered peace with Native nations at Easton to secure alliances during the French and Indian War, part of the Seven Years’ War.

[A] 1789 | North Carolina became the 12th state on November 21, 1789, after initially refusing to ratify the Constitution.

[A] Michael Jackson | The “King of Pop” passed away unexpectedly in 2009, sparking global mourning and renewed interest in his music.

[B] Louisburg | The fall of Louisburg opened the St. Lawrence River to British invasion during the Seven Years’ War.

[D] The New World | To Europeans, the continents across the Atlantic represented a “New World,” ripe for exploration and exploitation.

[B] 1722 | Also called Father Rale’s War, the 1722 conflict pitted New England colonists against Wabanaki peoples over Maine and Acadia.

[D] Spain and Portugal | Spanish and Portuguese explorers carved out early colonies in the Caribbean and South America long before the English arrived in Jamestown.

[C] Jamestown | Founded in 1607, Jamestown survived starvation and conflict to become the foothold of English America.

[A] A Song of Ice and Fire | Martin’s sprawling saga of politics and dragons captivated readers long before its TV adaptation shocked audiences.

[B] Virginia | Virginia ratified the Constitution on June 25, 1788, following heated debates led by figures like Patrick Henry and James Madison.

[D] Million Dollar Baby | Clint Eastwood’s boxing drama delivered a knockout at the Academy Awards, edging out fantasy epics and Martin Scorsese’s biopic.

[B] King James I of England | King James I chartered the Virginia Company in 1606, authorizing the settlement that became Jamestown.

[D] The Bill of Rights | Ratified in 1791, the Bill of Rights safeguards liberties like free speech, due process and the right to a fair trial.

[A] The Road | McCarthy’s bleak post-apocalyptic tale explores the bond between father and son amid a devastated landscape.

[A] Zero | No one died in the Boston Tea Party; you’re thinking of the 1770 Boston Massacre, which left five dead.

[D] Edward Teach | The bearded menace terrorized the Caribbean in the early 18th century; his fearsome image often frightened victims into surrendering.

[C] Leif Erikson | Around the year 1000, the Norse explorer Leif Erikson established a short‑lived settlement at Vinland, likely in modern Canada.

[B] 1636 | Harvard, established in 1636, is the oldest institution of higher education in the United States.

[A] More than 70 years | The Beaver Wars (c. 1628–1701) saw the Iroquois fight for control of the fur trade and reshaped the Northeast.

[D] 2005 | Founded by former PayPal employees, YouTube began as a platform for sharing amateur videos and became the world’s video library.

[B] Peter Minuit | After helping found New Netherland, Minuit led Swedish colonists up the Delaware River to establish New Sweden.

[C] Governor William Phips | Governor Phips dissolved the special court and forbade further arrests, bringing the panic to an end.

[C] Facebook | Mark Zuckerberg’s Harvard dorm‑room project revolutionized online socializing and spawned a multibillion‑dollar empire.

[B] Act Concerning Religion | Maryland’s Act Concerning Religion was one of the first laws codifying religious tolerance in the English colonies.

[C] Al Gore | Al Gore shared the 2007 Nobel Peace Prize for his climate-change advocacy, years after serving as vice president under Bill Clinton.

[C] Hillary Clinton | Before her presidential run, Clinton headed the State Department during President Obama’s first term, emphasizing “smart power.”

[B] 2012 | The so-called “superstorm” devastated New York and New Jersey in October 2012, causing billions in damage.

[B] Salem | Salem’s hysteria resulted in the execution of 20 people and became a cautionary tale about fear and injustice.

[C] The Writ of Assistance | Writs of assistance enraged colonists by permitting broad searches—one grievance that led to the American Revolution.