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The Historic Keystone State Trivia Quiz

A few historical questions about my home state, Pennsylvania. Let's see what you know about the Keystone State!

A multiple-choice quiz by markr_1. Estimated time: 6 mins.

Author
markr_1

Time
6 mins

Type
Multiple Choice

Quiz #
24,080

Updated
Dec 03 21

# Qns
20

Difficulty
Tough

Avg Score
11 / 20

Plays
1623

Awards
Top 35% Quiz

Last 3 plays: Guest 170 (13/20), Guest 174 (12/20), Guest 66 (12/20).

One at a Time - Single Page - Timed Game

Question 1 of 20

1. Who was the only Pennsylvanian to be elected President? Hint

Dwight Eisenhower

James Buchanan

James Garfield

William McKinley

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Question 2 of 20

2. Jim Thorpe, voted the greatest athlete of the first half of the 20th century, attended what college? Hint

Penn State University

Carlisle Indian School

University of Pennsylvania

Dickinson College

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Question 3 of 20

3. At the Battle of Gettysburg, this Union officer noticed that Little Round Top was not defended and took it upon himself to deploy troops there, just in the nick of time. Who was it? Hint

Colonel Strong Vincent

General Daniel Sickles

Colonel Joshua Chamberlin

Geneal George Meade

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Question 4 of 20

4. In the US the oil industry got its start in this western Pennsylvania community. Which? Hint

Tionesta

Oil City

Titusville

Pit Hole

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Question 5 of 20

5. In the Battle of Lake Erie, this ship served as Oliver Hazard Perry's flagship by the close of the battle. Which of these was it? Hint

The Constitution

The Lawrence

The Niagara

The Bonhomme Richard

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Question 6 of 20

6. 1905 saw the first factory of one of these companies open, and the incorporation of a second. Which are the two companies? Hint

U.S. Steel and Bethlehem Steel

Hershey Foods and the H.J. Heinz Company

U.S. Steel and Carnegie Steel

Standard Oil and The Alcoa Corporation

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Question 7 of 20

7. A long standing urban legend states that Adolf Hitler modeled the German Autobahn after this highway. Which? Hint

The Pennsylvania Turnpike

Route 66

The Lincoln Highway

The Lancaster Pike

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Question 8 of 20

8. The first all motion picture theater opened in this city in 1905. Which? Hint

Pittsburgh

Erie

Philadelphia

Johnstown

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Question 9 of 20

9. Penn State football coach Joe Paterno attended this Ivy League university. Which? Hint

Yale

Brown

Harvard

Dartmouth

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Question 10 of 20

10. Confederate troops under the command of General John McCausland burned this town on July 20, 1864. Which was it? Hint

Carlisle

Uniontown

Chambersburg

Gettysburg

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Question 11 of 20

11. This muckraker from Erie wrote for 'McClure's Magazine' and gained fame for her expose, 'History of the Standard Oil Company'. Who was it? Hint

Ida Tarbell

Carrie Nation

Lucretia Mott

Ann Morrow Lindbergh

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Question 12 of 20

12. In 1901, Andrew Carnegie sold his Carnegie Steel Company to J.P. Morgan. Which giant corporation did he own? Hint

U.S. Steel

Bethlehem Steel

Alcoa Corporation

Kaiser Aluminum

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Question 13 of 20

13. This Pennsylvanian helped to negotiate the alliance between the Continental Congress and France. Who was it? Hint

John Dickinson

Albert Gallitin

Gouverneur Morris

Benjamin Franklin

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Question 14 of 20

14. What is the oldest college, west of the Allegheny Mountains, in continuous operation? Hint

University of Pittsburgh

Washington and Jefferson College

Westminster College

Carnegie Mellon University

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Question 15 of 20

15. Until the middle of the 1970 season, the Pittsburgh Pirates called what stadium home? Hint

Carnegie Field

Pitt Stadium

Forbes Field

Mellon Park

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Question 16 of 20

16. This Pennsylvania Governor headed the national commission on Marijuana and Drug Abuse. Who was it? Hint

Milton Shapp

Richard Thornburgh

William Scranton

Raymond Shafer

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Question 17 of 20

17. At the commemoration fo the Gettysburg National Cemetary, this speaker preceded Abraham Lincoln. Who was it? Hint

William Jennings Bryant

Edward Everett

Stephen Douglas

Frederick Douglas

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Question 18 of 20

18. This US President's brother once served as President of Penn State University. Whose brother was it? Hint

John Kennedy

James Buchanan

Dwight Eisenhower

Jimmy Carter

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Question 19 of 20

19. Punxsutawney Phil, the 4-legged weather prognosticator, makes his annual appearance at what spot? Hint

Shadow Point

Gobbler's Knob

Turkey Top

Groundhog Summit

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Question 20 of 20

20. Actor Jimmy Stewart hails from this town. Which? Hint

Reading

Washington

Indiana

York

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Most Recent Scores

Oct 24 2024 : Guest 170: 13/20
Oct 09 2024 : Guest 174: 12/20
Sep 25 2024 : Guest 66: 12/20
Sep 21 2024 : Guest 108: 7/20
Sep 06 2024 : Guest 98: 15/20
Sep 06 2024 : Guest 71: 8/20

Score Distribution

Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts

1. Who was the only Pennsylvanian to be elected President?

Answer: James Buchanan

Both Garfield and McKinley were from Ohio. Eisenhower, was born in Texas, but kept a home in Gettysburg.

2. Jim Thorpe, voted the greatest athlete of the first half of the 20th century, attended what college?

Answer: Carlisle Indian School

At Carlisle, Thorpe starred in football, baseball and track and field.

3. At the Battle of Gettysburg, this Union officer noticed that Little Round Top was not defended and took it upon himself to deploy troops there, just in the nick of time. Who was it?

Answer: Colonel Strong Vincent

He placed Chamberlin's 20th Maine at the end of the Union line. Vincent died from wounds received in the defense of Little Round Top.

4. In the US the oil industry got its start in this western Pennsylvania community. Which?

Answer: Titusville

Edwin Drake discovered oil in Titusville in 1859.

5. In the Battle of Lake Erie, this ship served as Oliver Hazard Perry's flagship by the close of the battle. Which of these was it?

Answer: The Niagara

Due to the damage inflicted upon the Lawrence, Perry had to be ferried to the Niagara during the middle of the battle.

6. 1905 saw the first factory of one of these companies open, and the incorporation of a second. Which are the two companies?

Answer: Hershey Foods and the H.J. Heinz Company

Food processing grew into a major industry.

7. A long standing urban legend states that Adolf Hitler modeled the German Autobahn after this highway. Which?

Answer: The Pennsylvania Turnpike

However, the German Autobahn network was older ... "When the Pennsylvania Turnpike opened in 1940, it was the first long-distance rural highway in the United States". Source:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pennsylvania_Turnpike#History

The first German autobahn opened to the public in August 1932 and provided the model for the later German network.

8. The first all motion picture theater opened in this city in 1905. Which?

Answer: Pittsburgh

The theater was opened in 1905. The term 'nickelodeon' was coined there.

9. Penn State football coach Joe Paterno attended this Ivy League university. Which?

Answer: Brown

Although it may seem like Joepa has been at Penn State since the dawn of time, he matriculated at Brown. There, he quarterbacked the football team under the watchful eye of future Penn State coach Rip Engle.

10. Confederate troops under the command of General John McCausland burned this town on July 20, 1864. Which was it?

Answer: Chambersburg

McCausland acted in retaliation for Union raids in Virginia.

11. This muckraker from Erie wrote for 'McClure's Magazine' and gained fame for her expose, 'History of the Standard Oil Company'. Who was it?

Answer: Ida Tarbell

Mott was instrumental in the suffragette movement. Nation was a leader in the Temperance drive. Lindbergh was married to the famous aviator, and was an accomplished author.

12. In 1901, Andrew Carnegie sold his Carnegie Steel Company to J.P. Morgan. Which giant corporation did he own?

Answer: U.S. Steel

Carnegie spent the rest of his life managing his enormous charitable foundation.

13. This Pennsylvanian helped to negotiate the alliance between the Continental Congress and France. Who was it?

Answer: Benjamin Franklin

Dickinson opposed the new Pennsylvania Constitution. Morris was a member of the Pennsylvania delegation to the National Constitutional Convention. Gallitin helped organize the national war finances during the war of 1812.

14. What is the oldest college, west of the Allegheny Mountains, in continuous operation?

Answer: Washington and Jefferson College

Washington and Jeferson College is located south of Pittsburgh in Washington, PA.

15. Until the middle of the 1970 season, the Pittsburgh Pirates called what stadium home?

Answer: Forbes Field

Forbes Field was replaced by Three Rivers Stadium, which in turn was replaced by PNC Park.

16. This Pennsylvania Governor headed the national commission on Marijuana and Drug Abuse. Who was it?

Answer: Raymond Shafer

Shafer, a native of Meadville, later served as President of his alma- mater, Allegheny College.

17. At the commemoration fo the Gettysburg National Cemetary, this speaker preceded Abraham Lincoln. Who was it?

Answer: Edward Everett

The day after the dedication, Everett wrote in a note to Lincoln 'I wish that I could flatter myself that I had come as near to the central idea of the occasion in two hours as you did in two minutes'.

18. This US President's brother once served as President of Penn State University. Whose brother was it?

Answer: Dwight Eisenhower

Carter's brother was known for drinking beer and embarrassing his brother. While Kennedy's brothers were dedicated to public service, I don't believe that any of them made it to University Park.

19. Punxsutawney Phil, the 4-legged weather prognosticator, makes his annual appearance at what spot?

Answer: Gobbler's Knob

Every February 2nd, Phil is taken from his warm den at the municipal building to a floodlit stage on Gobbler's Knob.

20. Actor Jimmy Stewart hails from this town. Which?

Answer: Indiana

Stewart kept his Oscar for the Philadelphia Story at his father's hardware store in Indiana.

Source: Author markr_1

This quiz was reviewed by FunTrivia editor trammgr before going online.
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