Critically Thinking About Our 250th Anniversary — “My American Trivia Quiz”

I thought that I would recognize this special week by posting a few articles relating to our 250th Anniversary. The first one is from the inimitable Sharyl Attkisson. She called it “My American Trivia Quiz”. Today I’ll just have the questions, but tomorrow I’ll post the answers as well.

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Test your red, white, and blue knowledge with this fun mix of easy, medium-challenge, and patriotic questions. Take it to the barbecue!

QUESTIONS:

1. How many stars are on the current American flag?
2. What is the national bird of the United States?
3. Which city was the Declaration of Independence signed in?
4. How many original colonies were there?
5. What does the motto “E pluribus unum” mean?
6. Who was the first President of the United States?
7. What is the smallest state by land area?
8. Which state is known as the “Land of 10,000 Lakes”?
9. What year was the Declaration of Independence adopted?
10. Who wrote most of the Declaration of Independence?
11. In which state would you find Mount Rushmore?
12. What are the colors of the U.S. flag officially called?
13. Who gifted the Statue of Liberty to the U.S.?
14. What is the capital of the United States?
15. Which president appears on the $5 bill?
16. What is the longest river in the United States?
17. Which amendment abolished slavery?
18. What is the nickname of New York City?
19. Who was the only U.S. president to serve more than two terms?
20. In what year did the U.S. purchase Alaska from Russia?
21. What sport is known as America’s pastime?
22. Which state was the first to ratify the Constitution?
23. What is the tallest mountain in the contiguous U.S.?
24. Which president is on Mount Rushmore along with Washington, Jefferson, and Lincoln?
25. What famous document was signed on July 4, 1776?
26. Which U.S. state is the only one that can be typed with one row of a QWERTY keyboard?
27. What is the national anthem of the United States?
28. Which city is home to the Liberty Bell?
29. Who was the first woman to fly solo across the Atlantic (an American icon)?
30. What American battle do most historians consider to be among the top five (5) most important battles in the history of the World?
31. Which fast food item is often called America’s national dish?
32. In which state is the Grand Canyon located?
33. Who invented the light bulb (U.S. inventor)?
34. What is the largest park in the continental U.S.?
35. Which state has produced the most U.S. presidents?
36. What year did the first Moon landing occur with American astronauts?
37. Which amendment guarantees freedom of speech?
38. What is the largest state by land area?
39. Who was the first African American president?
40. What famous bridge connects San Francisco to Marin County?
41. Which holiday is celebrated on the fourth Thursday of November?
42. What is the name of the U.S. space agency?
43. Which baseball team is famously associated with Babe Ruth?
44. What is the official flower of the United States?
45. Which president delivered the Gettysburg Address?
46. What US battle do most historians categorize as being one of the top five most important battles in the history of the world?
47. Which singer is known as the “King of Rock ‘n’ Roll”?
48. What is the name of the famous Philadelphia sandwich with thinly sliced beef and cheese?
49. Which national park was the first established in the U.S.?
50. What does the bald eagle hold in its talons on the Great Seal of the United States?

The Answers

1. How many stars are on the current American flag?
Answer: 50 – One for each state.

2. What is the national bird of the United States?
Answer: The bald eagle.

3. Which city was the Declaration of Independence signed in?
Answer: Philadelphia.

4. How many original colonies were there?
Answer: 13.

5. What does the motto “E pluribus unum” mean?
Answer: Out of many, one.

6. Who was the first President of the United States?
Answer: George Washington.

7. What is the smallest state by land area?
Answer: Rhode Island.

8. Which state is known as the “Land of 10,000 Lakes”?
Answer: Minnesota.

9. What year was the Declaration of Independence adopted?
Answer: 1776.

10. Who wrote most of the Declaration of Independence?
Answer: Thomas Jefferson.

11. In which state would you find Mount Rushmore?
Answer: South Dakota.

12. What are the colors of the U.S. flag officially called?
Answer: Old Glory Red, White, and Blue (or simply red, white, and blue).

13. Who gifted the Statue of Liberty to the U.S.?
Answer: France.

14. What is the capital of the United States?
Answer: Washington, D.C.

15. Which president appears on the $5 bill?
Answer: Abraham Lincoln.

16. What is the longest river in the United States?
Answer: The Missouri River (it edges out the Mississippi when measured end-to-end).

17. Which amendment abolished slavery?
Answer: The 13th Amendment.

18. What is the nickname of New York City?
Answer: The Big Apple.

19. Who was the only U.S. president to serve more than two terms?
Answer: Franklin D. Roosevelt.

20. In what year did the U.S. purchase Alaska from Russia?
Answer: 1867.

21. What sport is known as America’s pastime?
Answer: Baseball.

22. Which state was the first to ratify the Constitution?
Answer: Delaware.

23. What is the tallest mountain in the contiguous U.S.?
Answer: Mount Whitney (in California).

24. Which president is on Mount Rushmore along with Washington, Jefferson, and Lincoln?
Answer: Theodore Roosevelt.

25. What famous document was signed on July 4, 1776?
Answer: The Declaration of Independence.

26. Which U.S. state is the only one that can be typed with one row of a QWERTY keyboard?
Answer: Alaska.

27. What is the national anthem of the United States?
Answer: The Star-Spangled Banner.

28. Which city is home to the Liberty Bell?
Answer: Philadelphia.

29. Who was the first woman to fly solo across the Atlantic (an American icon)?
Answer: Amelia Earhart.

30. What is the name of the ocean liner that famously sank after hitting an iceberg in 1912?
Answer: The Titanic.

31. Which fast food item is often called America’s national dish?
Answer: The hamburger.

32. In which state is the Grand Canyon located?
Answer: Arizona.

33. Who invented the light bulb (U.S. inventor)?
Answer: Thomas Edison.

34. What are the four presidents carved on Mount Rushmore?
Answer: George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Theodore Roosevelt, and Abraham Lincoln.

35. Which state has produced the most U.S. presidents?
Answer: Virginia (home to eight presidents).

36. What year did the first Moon landing occur with American astronauts?
Answer: 1969 (Apollo 11).

37. Which amendment guarantees freedom of speech?
Answer: The First Amendment.

38. What is the largest state by land area?
Answer: Alaska.

39. Who was the first African American president?
Answer: Barack Obama.

40. What famous bridge connects San Francisco to Marin County?
Answer: The Golden Gate Bridge.

41. Which holiday is celebrated on the fourth Thursday of November?
Answer: Thanksgiving.

42. What is the name of the U.S. space agency?
Answer: NASA.

43. Which baseball team is famously associated with Babe Ruth?
Answer: New York Yankees.

44. What is the official flower of the United States?
Answer: The rose.

45. Which president delivered the Gettysburg Address?
Answer: Abraham Lincoln.

46. What U.S. city hosted the first Super Bowl?
Answer: Los Angeles (1967).

47. Which singer is known as the “King of Rock ‘n’ Roll”?
Answer: Elvis Presley.

48. What is the name of the famous Philadelphia sandwich with thinly sliced beef and cheese?
Answer: The cheesesteak (Philly cheesesteak).

49. Which national park was the first established in the U.S.?
Answer: Yellowstone National Park.

50. What does the bald eagle hold in its talons on the Great Seal of the United States?
Answer: An olive branch (peace) and arrows (war).

©2026 John Droz, Jr. All rights reserved.

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