50 general knowledge questions and answers for Americans
Q1: St. Patrick’s Day celebrates what cultural heritage?
A: Irish
Q2: What makes up 50-70 percent of a whale’s weight?
A: Blubber
Q3: Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin were the first two men in the entire world to do what?
A: Walk on the moon
Q4: The first Thanksgiving was celebrated by Native Americans and what other group of people?
A: Pilgrims
Q5: In U.S. currency, a quarter equals 25 pennies. In time measurements, how many minutes are in a quarter of an hour?
A: 15
Q6: Who was George H. W. Bush’s Vice President?
A: Dan Quayle
Q7: What type of feather, beginning with letter Q, did people write with during the Middle Ages?
A: Quill
Q8: How many nouns are in the following sentence? “The rabbit ran into the cafeteria and ate a big salad.”
A: Three
Q9: Which Soviet dictator’s 1953 death set off a major struggle for national control?
A: Josef Stalin
Q10: What unit of measurement is abbreviated “oz”?
A: Ounces
Q11: What American, chocolate-flavored, chewy candy has been around for over 100 years?
A: Tootsie Roll
Q12: With which fellow painter did Salvador Dali become friends while in Paris?
A: Pablo Picasso
Q13: What makes up most of the dust particles found inside a house?
A: Dead skin
Q14: From which country did Mexico gain its independence in the 19th century?
A: Spain
Q15: Which of the following is a member of the woodwind family: violin, saxophone, OR trumpet?
A: Saxophone
Q16: If Marcos is measuring a table with a ruler, which of the following will he not be able to measure: table’s length, the table’s height, or the table’s weight?
A: The table’s weight
Q17: In the Old Testament of the Bible, on what day did God rest from His work?
A: Seventh
Q18: What is the splitting of atomic nuclei called?
A: Nuclear Fission
Q19: Who invented the light bulb in 1879
A: Thomas Edison
Q20: The University of Haiti is located in what capital city?
A: Port Au Prince
Q21: What cookie company makes “Chips Ahoy!” cookies?
A: Nabisco
Q22: The ancient Egyptian writing system was called what?
A: Hieroglyphics
Q23: Which language is the most widely spoken in South America?
A: Spanish
Q24: What nation does the island of Okinawa belong to?
A: Japan
Q25: What organ does a deer lack that nearly all other mammals have?
A: Gallbladder
Q26: What are the three branches of the United States government?
A: Legislative, judicial, and executive
Q27: Raul Castro is currently serving as the First Secretary of what Cuban political party?
A: The Communist Party of Cuba
Q28: Which war was fought between the north and south regions in the United States?
A: The Civil War
Q29: What chemical found in plants uses photosynthesis to turn sunlight into energy?
A: Chlorophyll
Q30: Italy, Japan, and Germany’s alliance was called what during WWII?
A: The Axis of Evil
Q31: To what British politician was Princess Diana directly related?
A: Winston Churchill
Q32: Which continent is the least populated?
A: Antarctica
Q33: What does the zygote form once it starts mitosis?
A: An embryo
Q34: What city was the first to be attacked by an atomic bomb?
A: Hiroshima
Q35: Chartreuse is a color between what one primary color and what one secondary color?
A: Yellow and green
Q36: Life-size terracotta warriors of the Qin Dynasty were discovered in what country?
A: China
Q37: What are the first ten amendments to the Constitution called?
A: The Bill of Rights
Q38: What is the largest animal in the world?
A: Blue whale
Q39: What color is Sesame Street’s Elmo?
A: Red
Q40: Who is currently the richest person in the world (as of 2020)?
A: Jeff Bezos
Q41: Algeria gained independence in 1962 from which European country?
A: France
Q42: The Battle of Gettysburg was fought in which war?
A: The Civil War
Q43: Which word contains a long vowel sound in the following sentence? “Dogs like tennis balls.”
A: Like
Q44: A common type of radio wave is referred to as VHF. What do the letters VHF stand for?
A: Very high frequency
Q45: Julius Caesar was the emperor of what empire?
A: The Roman Empire
Q46: Which one of these is a mammal: a seahorse, a sea lion, or a sea urchin?
A: Sea lion
Q47: What is Rosa Parks most famous for?
A: Refusing to give her seat up in the front of the bus.
Q48: The first fireworks were invented in the 7th century in what country?
A: China
Q49: How many teaspoons are in five tablespoons?
A: 15
Q50: Name the American president on the half dollar coin who was assassinated in 1963.
A: John F. Kennedy