Difficulty: Moderate2-5mins

Modern American History Quiz

Modern American History Quiz

Introduction

The Modern American History Quiz covers key events and figures that shaped the United States in the 20th century. Test your knowledge with questions about pivotal moments like the Civil Rights Act of 1964, signed by Lyndon B. Johnson, and the landmark Brown v. Board of Education case that ended school segregation. Explore the impact of the Great Depression, triggered by the 1929 stock market crash, and Franklin D. Roosevelt’s New Deal. Learn about milestones such as the Apollo moon missions, Sandra Day O’Connor’s historic Supreme Court appointment, and the Stonewall Riots, which sparked the LGBTQ+ rights movement. From the Vietnam War to the fall of the Berlin Wall, this quiz highlights the political, social, and technological transformations that define modern America. Whether it’s Barack Obama’s presidency or the rise of the internet, each question offers insight into the nation’s evolving story.

Quiz Questions

1. Which U.S. president signed the Civil Rights Act of 1964 into law?

John F. Kennedy
Lyndon B. Johnson
Richard Nixon
Dwight D. Eisenhower

2. What event marked the beginning of the Great Depression in the United States?

The Dust Bowl
The Stock Market Crash of 1929
The New Deal
World War II

3. Which Supreme Court case ruled that racial segregation in public schools was unconstitutional?

Plessy v. Ferguson
Miranda v. Arizona
Brown v. Board of Education
Roe v. Wade

4. What was the name of the U.S. government program that sent astronauts to the moon?

Mercury
Gemini
Apollo
Voyager

5. Who was the first woman to serve on the U.S. Supreme Court?

Ruth Bader Ginsburg
Sandra Day O'Connor
Sonia Sotomayor
Elena Kagan

6. Which U.S. president resigned from office due to the Watergate scandal?

Gerald Ford
Richard Nixon
Jimmy Carter
Ronald Reagan

7. What was the main goal of the Women's Suffrage Movement in the early 20th century?

Ending child labor
Prohibition of alcohol
Securing the right to vote for women
Workplace safety reforms

8. Which conflict is often referred to as the "first televised war"?

World War II
The Korean War
The Vietnam War
The Gulf War

9. What landmark legislation prohibited discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, or national origin in employment?

The Voting Rights Act of 1965
The Civil Rights Act of 1964
The Fair Housing Act of 1968
The Americans with Disabilities Act

10. Who was the first African American to serve as U.S. Secretary of State?

Condoleezza Rice
Colin Powell
Barack Obama
Thurgood Marshall

11. Which event triggered the U.S. entry into World War II?

The sinking of the Lusitania
The attack on Pearl Harbor
The invasion of Poland
The bombing of Hiroshima

12. What was the primary purpose of the Marshall Plan after World War II?

To contain communism
To rebuild European economies
To establish NATO
To fund space exploration

13. Which U.S. president initiated the New Deal to combat the Great Depression?

Herbert Hoover
Franklin D. Roosevelt
Harry S. Truman
Woodrow Wilson

14. What was the significance of the 1969 Stonewall Riots?

They led to the end of the Vietnam War
They marked the beginning of the modern LGBTQ+ rights movement
They were a protest against racial segregation
They resulted in the resignation of a U.S. president

15. Which technological innovation revolutionized communication in the late 20th century?

The telephone
The television
The personal computer
The internet

16. Who was the first African American president of the United States?

Jesse Jackson
Barack Obama
Kamala Harris
Al Sharpton

17. Which event symbolized the end of the Cold War?

The fall of the Berlin Wall
The Cuban Missile Crisis
The signing of the SALT Treaty
The Vietnam War ceasefire

18. What was the main focus of the 1960s counterculture movement?

Supporting the Vietnam War
Promoting traditional values
Advocating for civil rights and peace
Expanding corporate power

19. Which amendment to the U.S. Constitution lowered the voting age from 21 to 18?

The 19th Amendment
The 22nd Amendment
The 26th Amendment
The 15th Amendment

20. What was the name of the U.S. policy to prevent the spread of communism during the Cold War?

The Monroe Doctrine
The Truman Doctrine
Containment
The Marshall Plan