American History Trivia Questions

Who was the first black American to win the Nobel Prize for Peace?
A: American statesman and United Nations official Ralph Bunche, in 1950, for his mediation of the 1948-49 Arab-Israeli War.  Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., whose birth we celebrate today, won the coveted award in 1964.

Which American colony was the first to enact anti-slavery legislation?
A: Massachusetts, in 1641, in its "Body of Liberties."

To what amount did Congress vote to raise the minimum wage on October 26, 1949?
A: They raised it to 75 cents an hour; it had been 40 cents.

Where can you find the best free printable trivia questions about American trivia?
A: Right here at Trivia Country!

Who gave the "in" party for the Black panthers that inspired the phrase "Radical Chic"?
A: Conductor-composer Leonard Bernstein.

What American institution did Napoleon's grandnephew Charles Bonaparte found in 1908?
A: The F.B.I. He was attorney general of the U.S. at the time.

Who was the first U.S. citizen to be canonized as a saint?
A: Mother Frances Xavier Cabrini, in 1946.

Which state was the first to pass a right-to-die law?
A: California , in 1976.

The U.S. bought the Virgin Islands for $25 million in 1917---from what country?
A: Denmark, which had established its first settlement there in 1672.

John Davidson Rockefeller got rich in what industry?
A:  Oil    

What state has the highest divorce rate?
A:  Arkansas

What percentage of MacDonald's profits come from selling Happy Meals?
A:  40%

Who was the first honorary American citizen?
A:  Winston Churchill

What is the largest of America's states?
A: Alaska

What is Delaware's nickname?
A:  The Diamond State

The second largest city in Illinois and a TV detective both have what name?
A:  Rockford

Barry Allen was the alter ego of what super hero?
A:  The Flash

73 What do Buddy Holly, Lyndon Johnston, and Janice Joplin all have in common?
A:  They come from the State of Texas

82 Which states name translates to long river in Indian?
A:  Connecticut

What concession earned $862,000 in just five months at the Chicago World's Fair in 1933?
A: The rest room at five cents a visit.

What was the Mayflower's cargo before it was chartered to carry the pilgrims to America in 1620?
A: Wine. Just prior to its Atlantic crossing, the Mayflower transported 153 tons and 16 hogsheads (39,564 gallons) of wine from Bordeaux to London.

What speed limit was set by Connecticut in 1901 in the first statewide automobile legislation passed in the U.S.?
A: On country highways, 15 mph; on highways within city limits, 12 mph.

Printable trivia questions

More printable trivia questions and answers show below of course.

What state was the first to proclaim Christmas as a holiday?
A: Alabama.

What sentence did Patty Hearst receive in 1976 for the bankrobbery she participated in while she was with the Symbionese Liberation Army?
A: Seven years, but she served only 22 months- president Carter commute her sentence.

What event was precipitated by a book entitled "Civic Biology"?
A: The 1925 "Monkey Trial." "Civic Biology" was the text science teacher John Scopes read to his students in defiance of a Tennessee law banning the teaching of evolution.

With what story did the tiny German-Language newspaper "Philadelphische Staatshote" scoop the world?
A: The adoption of the Declaration of Independence. The Staatshote was the only Philadelphia newspaper published on Fridays--and July 5th fell on a Friday in 1776.

What famous early American once boasted: "I can't say I was ever lost, but I was bewildered once for three days"?
A: Frontiersman Daniel Boone.

How did the town of Showlow, Arizona, get its name?
A: From the card draw held to pick the mayor--giving the town its name. Its main street is called Deuce of Clubs in honor of the winning low card.  The end of this page of printable trivia questions and answers.