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Quiz about Famous Blunders
Quiz about Famous Blunders

Famous Blunders Trivia Quiz


Here's a look at some famous blunders through history.

A multiple-choice quiz by robert362. Estimated time: 5 mins.
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Author
robert362
Time
5 mins
Type
Multiple Choice
Quiz #
192,139
Updated
Dec 03 21
# Qns
10
Difficulty
Tough
Avg Score
5 / 10
Plays
3867
Last 3 plays: Guest 73 (4/10), Guest 109 (8/10), Guest 1 (8/10).
- -
Question 1 of 10
1. President Nixon made a critical mistake by deciding to tape conversations in the Oval Office. Who disclosed the taping system to the public (and to the Watergate Investigators)? Hint


Question 2 of 10
2. "Pickett's Charge" was a legendary event during the American Civil War. In what battle did it occur? Hint


Question 3 of 10
3. The Charge of the Light Brigade was a famous incident during what war? Hint


Question 4 of 10
4. Amelia Earhart apparently blundered by planning to land her plane on a small island in the Pacific. Which island was it? Hint


Question 5 of 10
5. The Missile Crisis of 1962 may have been caused in part by the Soviet Premier's belief that he could "have his way" with President Kennedy. Who was the Premier? Hint


Question 6 of 10
6. George Armstrong Custer is best known for his disastrous defeat at Little Big Horn. His problems may have been caused (at least in part) when he disobeyed the orders of what general? Hint


Question 7 of 10
7. Robert Estell - a name not known to many - was a prosecuting attorney in Chicago. He was planning to run for governor, but his career was derailed when he had his picture taken in a "friendly" pose with a criminal who had recently been apprehended. Who was the criminal? Hint


Question 8 of 10
8. Many people are familiar with the mistaken newspaper headline which announced that Dewey had defeated Truman for the U.S. presidency. More recently, however, a newspaper committed a similar blunder by by announcing that presidential candidate John Kerry had selected Richard Gephardt as his vice-presidential running mate for the 2004 presidential election. What newspaper made this blunder? Hint


Question 9 of 10
9. John Wilkes Booth is infamous for his assassination of Abraham Lincoln. His own death followed shortly thereafter. What "blunder" did Booth make? Hint


Question 10 of 10
10. The "Bay of Pigs" was an embarrassment for the U.S. and for President Kennedy. Which country's government did the U.S. surreptiously try to topple? Hint



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Most Recent Scores
Oct 29 2024 : Guest 73: 4/10
Oct 26 2024 : Guest 109: 8/10
Oct 24 2024 : Guest 1: 8/10
Oct 22 2024 : Guest 65: 5/10
Oct 16 2024 : Guest 70: 4/10
Oct 08 2024 : Guest 107: 8/10
Oct 03 2024 : ramses22: 7/10
Oct 02 2024 : Guest 98: 4/10
Oct 01 2024 : Guest 67: 6/10

Score Distribution

quiz
Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts
1. President Nixon made a critical mistake by deciding to tape conversations in the Oval Office. Who disclosed the taping system to the public (and to the Watergate Investigators)?

Answer: Alexander Butterfield

Butterfield was a "deputy assistant" to Nixon. But for the disclosure of the tapes, the legacy of Watergate might well have been different. (As for Nixon's mistakes - many, many books have been written on the subject.)
2. "Pickett's Charge" was a legendary event during the American Civil War. In what battle did it occur?

Answer: Gettysburg

"Pickett's Charge" took place during the bloody - and decisive - battle of Gettysburg.
3. The Charge of the Light Brigade was a famous incident during what war?

Answer: Crimean War

Forever immortalized in the poem by Tennyson, the charge at Balaklava
resulted in injury or death to about 40% of the soldiers involved. ("Not though the soldiers knew, someone had blundered". The French General Bosquet observed: "it's magnificent, but it isn't war".
4. Amelia Earhart apparently blundered by planning to land her plane on a small island in the Pacific. Which island was it?

Answer: Howland

The most difficult leg of Amelia's around-the-world trip was her plan to land on tiny Howland Island. Some say she went down in the Pacific when she couldn't find the island, some say she landed on nearby Nikamururu, some say that she was taken alive to Saipan by the Japanese.
5. The Missile Crisis of 1962 may have been caused in part by the Soviet Premier's belief that he could "have his way" with President Kennedy. Who was the Premier?

Answer: Khrushchev

Nikita Khrushchev was a "colorful" Soviet leader. His perception of JFK led him to believe that he could get away with his attempt to introduce missiles into Cuba. The miscalculation led to the Cuban Missile Crisis.
6. George Armstrong Custer is best known for his disastrous defeat at Little Big Horn. His problems may have been caused (at least in part) when he disobeyed the orders of what general?

Answer: Terry

Major Reno and Captain Benteen were in command of other soldiers, but it was apparently Custer's disobedience of orders by General Terry that may have led to disaster.
7. Robert Estell - a name not known to many - was a prosecuting attorney in Chicago. He was planning to run for governor, but his career was derailed when he had his picture taken in a "friendly" pose with a criminal who had recently been apprehended. Who was the criminal?

Answer: John Dillinger

After being captured, Dillinger posed for a picture. Estell put his arm around Dillinger for the photo: the public was incensed.
8. Many people are familiar with the mistaken newspaper headline which announced that Dewey had defeated Truman for the U.S. presidency. More recently, however, a newspaper committed a similar blunder by by announcing that presidential candidate John Kerry had selected Richard Gephardt as his vice-presidential running mate for the 2004 presidential election. What newspaper made this blunder?

Answer: New York Post

If anyone wants a lesson in the importance of not taking the press at face value, this is one. It was of course highly also embarrassing - to put it mildly.
9. John Wilkes Booth is infamous for his assassination of Abraham Lincoln. His own death followed shortly thereafter. What "blunder" did Booth make?

Answer: All of these

Booth thought himself a patriot and was surprised at the outcry against him that followed the shooting. "Tell Mother I die for my country" were his dying words.
10. The "Bay of Pigs" was an embarrassment for the U.S. and for President Kennedy. Which country's government did the U.S. surreptiously try to topple?

Answer: Cuba

Kennedy inherited - and "okayed" too quickly - a CIA developed plan to invade Cuba. The belief at the time was that the inhabitants of Cuba would rise up to support the American-led insurrection against Castro. Things didn't work out that way, however. When Kennedy declined to provide air support for the invasion, the debacle was complete.
Source: Author robert362

This quiz was reviewed by FunTrivia editor bloomsby before going online.
Any errors found in FunTrivia content are routinely corrected through our feedback system.
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