100 US History Trivia Questions (and Answers) to Test Your Knowledge!

Trivia questions serve as an entertaining yet educational tool to explore the rich tapestry of U.S. history. It's one of the best ways to engage students and educators alike.

U.S. history is not just a timeline of events. It reflects the struggles, triumphs, and changes that have shaped the nation. We have included questions from the signing of the declaration to key moments in history like the Civil Rights Movement and more.

Whether used in a classroom setting, during history clubs, or at trivia nights, these questions encourage participants to think critically about their nation's past while having fun.

But before jumping into those questions, care to test your knowledge of US history?

Evaluate Your Knowledge of US History

How much do you know about your history? Did you know that American history dates back to 15,000 BC? And, Delaware became the first US state in 1978 when the Constitution was ratified. 

Let’s test your knowledge! 

Here’s a fun American history trivia quiz template. You can easily engage your students or have a fun quiz at the office! (and test yourself, first!)

It’s fully customizable and free! Add any of the questions to it. 

Can you ace this quiz? Find out now!

US History Quiz Template

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Let’s get started! The following are 100+ US history trivia questions and their answers.

100+ US History Trivia Questions

These are divided into different time periods and further into easy, medium, and hard, to make it a bit more fun!

• General US Trivia Questions
• 1600s: The Beginning of Colonial Rule
• 1700s: The Road to Independence
• 1800s: Age of Expansion and Conflict
• 1900s: Period of Modernization and Global Conflict
• 2000s: Globalization

Let’s get started!

General Questions to Ask

1. Which is the smallest American state by land? 
   Rhode Island
2. When did Georgia become a state? 
   1788
3. Where is the Grand Canyon located? 
   Arizona
4. In which city will you find Jackson Square? 
   New Orleans
5. How many independent states are there in the USA? 
   50
6. Which is the mountain valley on the Arizona-Utah border, near the Navajo Nation Reservation? 
   Monument Valley
7. Which mountain was previously known as Mount McKinley? 
   Denali
8. The biggest US state by area is _______. 
   Alaska
9. Which is the last state to be part of the United States? 
   Hawaii
10. What is the Capital of Nevada?
    Carson City
11. Which is the oldest state in the USA? 
    St Augustine
12. Who was the first president of the USA (1789-97)?
    George Washington
13. Which do you think is the longest river in the USA? 
    Missouri
14. When is the US Independence Day?
    July 4
15. What is that interesting invention by George Smith in 1908, that became extremely popular among children and adults alike? 
    Lollipop
16. Which state is called the Sunshine State?
    Florida
17. Who was the second president of the US? 
    John Adams
18. In which state is Mount Rushmore located? 
    South Dakota
19. Which state is known as the “Empire State”?
    New York
20. Give me the number of presidents who have been assassinated...
    4

US History Trivia Questions: 1600 to 1700

The 1600s saw the rise of the colonial rule in America. 

21. Who is the first European to land in America? 
    Leif Erikson
22. Which among these Massachusetts towns is famous for witchcraft (and wizardry)? 
    Salem
23. Which is the first established British colony in America? 
    Jamestown (1607)
24. Which year did the Mystic Massacre take place?
    May 26, 1637
25. What exactly was the Mayflower?
    A three-masted, Pilgrim's Ship
26. When was Harvard College founded?
     1636
27. What was the United States called in the 1600s?
    The New World
28. What's another name for Maryland Toleration Act?
    Act Concerning Religion
29. Who first colonized America?
    Spain and Portugal
30. Who founded the American colony in 1606?
    King James I of England
31. Who led the first expedition of the New Sweden Company in 1638?
    Peter Minuit
32. Who ended the Salem Withc Trials in October 1692?
    Governor William Phips
33. When was the Peace Treaty of Ryswick signed?
    Between 20 September and 30 October 1697
34. The Powhatan Tribe is native to _____.
    Northeastern Woodlands
35. How long did the Beaver Wars last? 
    More than 70 Years (July 1609 – August 4, 1701)

Read More: Top 15 Quiz Makers to Consider in 2024 

US History Trivia Questions: 1700-1800

This was the period of the American Revolution, the road to independence. 

36. Which is the most important fort in French Canada that was captured by Lord Jeffrey Amherst in 1758? 
    French fortress of Louisburg (now in Nova Scotia, Canada)
37. Which year did the Dummer's War start? 
    1722
38. Which of these gave customs officers the right to inspect a ship's cargo without prior notice or reason? 
    Writ of Assistance
39. How many people were killed in the Boston Tea Party? 
    Five
40. From which state were the Green Mountain Boys? 
    Vermont
41. On the onset of which war the Treaty of Easton was signed?
    Seven Years War
42. Which is the first capital city of the US?
    New York
43. Which act eliminated the taxes that Britain paid on imported iron by the American colonies.
    The Iron Act
44. Which treaty ended the Seven Years' War?
    The Treaty of Paris
45. In which year did North Carolina enter the union?
    1789
46. Who is credited for inventing bifocals? 
    Benjamin Franklin
47. What are the first 10 amendments of the Constitution called? 
    The Bill of Rights
48. Which is the 10th state that joined the union in 1788? 
    Virginia
49. In which year did the Wounded Knee Massacre, also called the Battle of Wounded Knee, take place?
    1890
50. Do you know the real name of Blackbeard, the English Pirate?
    Edward Teach

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US History Trivia Questions: 1800-1900

In the 1800s, the US saw rapid expansion and growth. 

51. Where was the Liberty Bell originally placed?
    Steeple of Pennsylvania State House
52. The Erie Canal runs between which two water bodies? 
    Hudson River and Lake Erie
53. When was the last time the Liberty Bell rang?
    1846 ( in E-flat)
54. Battle of Bull Run was part of which American war? 
    American Civil War
55. Who's portrait was on the first dollar printed in 1862? 
    Salmon P. Chase
56. What is the forced migration of American Indian tribes from the South and Southeast called? 
    Trail of Tears
57. How long did the Civil War last?
    4 Years (1861 to 1865)
58. What is the alternate name of Bloody Lake Massacre?
    Clear Lake Massacre
59. Name the Boston weekly newspaper published by William Lloyd Garrison and later by Isaac Knapp.
    The Liberator
60. In which year was Uncle Tom's Cabin by Harriet Beecher Stowe published?
    1852
61. Who declared the end of the Philippine-American War on 4 July 1804?
    President Theodore Roosevelt
62. When was President Abraham Lincoln assassinated? 
    April 14, 1865
63. Who was the shortest-serving president of the United States who lost his life 31 days after being elected?
    William Henry Harrison
64. What was the former name of Baker Island? 
    New Nantucket
65. Which president was impeached in 1868?
    President Andrew Johnson

US History Trivia Questions: 1900-2000

This was particularly the period of modernization and global conflict...

66. Who was the 26th President of America who got elected in 1901?
    Theodore Roosevelt
67. How long did the Great Depression last? 
    1929 to 1941
68. When was the Hay–Bunau-Varilla Treaty (Panama Canal Zone) signed?
    Nov. 18, 1903
69. On which nation did the US declare war in 1917?
     German Reich
70. Who wrote "Idaho Falls" about America's first nuclear war?
    William McKeown
71. When is the Veteran's Day celebrated? 
    Nov 11
72. Who ignited the national civil rights protests? 
    Rosa Parks
73. What was  President Harry Truman's Secret Service code name?
    General
74. What was the name of President Bill Clinton's pet dog? 
    Buddy
75. What was the code name for the United States Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) program in Afghanistan from 1979 to 1992?
    Operation Cyclone
76. Which year was Jeanette Rankin, the first woman member, elected to the U.S. Congress?
    1916
77. On 17 December 1903, who made the first powered flight? 
    The Wright Brothers
78. Who was the third American President to be assassinated? 
    William McKinley
79. Who wrote the Love Canal in 1982?
     Lois Marie Gibbs
80. In which year was Bill Clinton elected as president?
    1992

Is all that history taking a toll on you? Take some time off and try this interesting twist on the Central American map! 

Central America Map Quiz Template

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Was that fun? Let's get back to business now!

US History Trivia Questions: 2000s

The 2000s in American history is the age of Globalization. 

81. What was the name of the hurricane that hit New Orleans in 2005?
    Hurricane Katrina
82. What was the significant computer-related issue as the year 2000 approached?
    Y2K
83. Where did the mass shooting of  December 14, 2012, take place?
    Sandy Hook Elementary School
84. Who was the first woman to run for Vice President on a major party ticket in 1984? 
    Geraldine Ferraro (1984)
85. What was the major carbon-emissions-reducing law introduced while Obama was president?
    Clean Power Plan
86. Who served as U.S. Secretary of State from 2009 through 2013?
    Hilary Clinton
87. What social networking giant was established in 2004?
    Facebook
88. What was the main sports event in 2002 in the U.S. with the theme Salt Lake City? 
    Winter Olympics
89. Which film won the Oscar for Best Picture in the year 2004?
    Million Dollar Baby
90. In which year did Netflix transition from DVD rentals to streaming services?
91. Who launched Wikipedia in January 2001?
    Jimmy Wales and Larry Sanger
92. Who is the only US Vice President to win the Nobel Peace Prize? 
    Al Gore in 2007
93. In which year did Hurricane Sandy hit the East Coast of the United States?
    2012
94. Which year was YouTube launched?
    2005
95. Name the iconic musician who passed away on June 25, 2009.
    Michael Jackson
96. Who was the first African American President of the United States?
    Barack Obama
97. For which bestselling novel did Cormac McCarthy win the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction in 2007?
    The Road
98. Which fantasy book series by George R.R. Martin began with "A Game of Thrones" in 1996 but gained popularity through the HBO adaptation, which started in 2011?
    A Song of Ice and Fire
99. Who is the author of "We Should All Be Feminists," published in 2006 and originally a TED talk?
    Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
100. Who won the Nobel Peace Prize in 2009 just after becoming President of the United States?
     Barack Obama

Don't you cheat! Now is the time to brush up on your American history knowledge! 

Oh, and don't forget to test your friends, family, and colleagues with this quiz. This is your time to shine! 

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