Historical Figures Trivia Questions
Total Questions: 264
Which craftsman designed the first official seal of the Colonies and the first issue of Continental currency during the American Revolution?
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paul revere
Who was the first First Lady to have a chair and a sewing table named after her?
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martha washington
Which historical figure is the subject of a biography subtitled 'Patriot and Traitor' detailing his turn to the British cause?
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benedict arnold
Who wrote 'These are the times that try men's souls' while encamped with Washington's troops in 1776?
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thomas paine
Which clinic did Dr. Benjamin Spock reportedly work at, despite his wife's disdain for the harsh Minnesota winters?
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mayo clinic
Who was the nemesis of Napoleon, born in Dublin where his father was the Earl of Mornington and a music professor?
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wellington
From 1981 to 1985, Jeane Kirkpatrick served as America's first female ambassador to which organization?
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united nations
In 1988, which PLO leader was barred from entering the U.S. and had to address the U.N. General Assembly in Geneva?
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yasser arafat
Who was the great French actress who bought a Paris theatre in the 1890s and renamed it for herself?
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sarah bernhardt
Who was the 6th ruler of the Amorite dynasty of Babylon, best known for his code of laws?
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hammurabi
Who was the first layman chosen as president of Princeton in 1902?
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woodrow wilson
In November 1988, The New York Times issued a correction for misstating the shoe size of which former Philippine first lady?
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imelda marcos
Who was the nearly 6-foot tall temperance advocate known for her strength and use of a hatchet to smash saloons?
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carrie nation
Who earned a master of arts degree from the University of Erfurt in 1505 and later became a prominent Protestant reformer?
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martin luther
Whose grave in Boston is claimed by some to belong to a famous nursery rhyme storyteller?
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mother goose
Who was the philosopher whose death prompted Aristotle to leave the Academy after 20 years?
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plato
Who is the 19th century citizen from Hannibal, Mo. for whom a memorial bridge is named?
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mark twain
In which Michigan city, known for its cereal production, did Sojourner Truth die in her house on College Street?
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battle creek, michigan
What type of vehicle did Wild Bill Hickok drive on the Santa Fe and Oregon Trails?
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stagecoach
Who is the Scottish-born steel magnate known for the quotation, 'Upon the sacredness of property civilization itself depends'?
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andrew carnegie
Which general's wife, Mary, had Arlington House and its grounds confiscated by the Union in 1864?
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robert e. lee
Who was the Pilgrim whose descendant Ichabod commanded a New York fort and is known for saying 'speak for yourself'?
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john alden
Which famous French writer was imprisoned in the Bastille for speaking too candidly, but later lived in a mansion on Ile St-Louis?
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voltaire
Who was the famous Nebraskan father of Ruth Bryan Owen, who served in the U.S. House from 1929-33?
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william jennings bryan
Who was named Time's Man of the Year in 1995 for his relentless pursuit of conservative ideals?
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newt gingrich
Which 1950s First Lady's hairstyle with iconic bangs became a symbol of her personal style?
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mamie eisenhower
Under which philosopher did Alexander the Great study Greek culture and literature as a youth?
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aristotle
Who was the ancient Egyptian pharaoh whose tomb was discovered in 1922, containing whips, fans, jewelry, and a gold mask?
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tutankhamun
Which 'fiery' Roman emperor reportedly said, 'I have only to sing to have peace once more in Gaul'?
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nero
What is the name of the Pawtuxet Indian who befriended the Pilgrims and was also known as Tisquantum?
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squanto
What Spanish fleet did Cervantes support himself by finding provisions for?
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spanish armada
Which former U.S. president did Margaret Thatcher help celebrate his 82nd birthday in February 1993?
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ronald reagan
Which former First Lady campaigned for her son-in-law Charles Robb during his 1976 bid for Lt. Governor of Virginia?
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lady bird johnson
Which Egyptian queen, who was possibly a cousin of her husband Akhenaton, is known for her iconic bust sculpture?
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nefertiti
What Native American, also called Tisquantum, was a key helper of the Pilgrims and one of the first to visit Europe?
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squanto
What milling product did Samuel Chase try to monopolize using congressional insider information?
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flour
Who was the Frankish king whose son Louis conquered Barcelona in 801?
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charlemagne
Which First Lady arranged for the safe transport of papers and paintings out of the capital during the War of 1812?
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dolley madison
Who received his doctorate in philosophy in 1841 and published 'The Communist Manifesto' in 1848?
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karl marx
Which largest Caribbean island was governed by Hernando De Soto?
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cuba
Who is the nursing pioneer who is said to have stayed in her room for the last 40 years of her life?
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florence nightingale
Whose 73-year-old son announced in London in 1989 that he had ascended to the throne of Ethiopia?
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haile selassie
What pirate has a national historical park named after him, which includes the site of the Battle of New Orleans?
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jean lafitte
Who reportedly said, 'Gas is running low...we are flying at 1,000 feet' in 1937 while piloting an aircraft?
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amelia earhart
Which famous person joined the U.S. Army on March 24, 1958?
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elvis presley
Who was the 20th-century wilderness photographer who previously had a career as a professional musician?
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ansel adams
Who is the Christian Science founder whose memorabilia is displayed at the Longyear Museum in Brookline, Massachusetts?
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mary baker eddy
Which legendary lawman was born in Monmouth, Illinois, and not in Dodge City or Tombstone?
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wyatt earp
Who, in his second inaugural address, stated that slavery was 'somehow, the cause of the war'?
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abraham lincoln
Who is the founder of Methodism known for a rule that begins, 'Do all the good you can by all the means you can'?
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john wesley
Which markswoman, as a young girl, shot wild game to help pay off most of the mortgage on her family farm?
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annie oakley
In 1854, which notable woman left England to serve in a military hospital in Scutari, Turkey?
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florence nightingale
What are the last names of the Springfield, Mass. gunmakers Horace and Daniel, who were well-known in the Old West?
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smith & wesson
Who was the historical figure that died in 1804, a day after engaging in a duel with Aaron Burr?
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alexander hamilton
Which orator met with Lincoln in 1863 to advocate for full equality for black troops?
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frederick douglass
In 1845, the remains of which frontiersman and his wife Rebecca were moved from Missouri to Kentucky?
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daniel boone
Who was the woman involved in a 'marriage' with Mark Antony, despite him already being married to a woman in Rome?
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cleopatra
Which future president was described by Lincoln with the phrase, 'I can't spare this man; he fights'?
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ulysses s. grant
Which U.S. president once appeared in an advertisement stating he was sending Chesterfields to all his friends for Christmas?
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ronald reagan
Which legendary Swiss folk hero is associated with a crossbow used in trademark symbols of Swiss exported products?
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william tell