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Quiz about American Criminals
Quiz about American Criminals

American Criminals Trivia Quiz


How much (or how little) do you know about crime in the annals of American History?

A multiple-choice quiz by bigox. Estimated time: 5 mins.
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Author
bigox
Time
5 mins
Type
Multiple Choice
Quiz #
9,508
Updated
Dec 03 21
# Qns
10
Difficulty
Difficult
Avg Score
5 / 10
Plays
3648
Last 3 plays: Guest 38 (3/10), Guest 136 (7/10), Guest 73 (0/10).
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Question 1 of 10
1. What was 'Ma' Barker's given name? Hint


Question 2 of 10
2. In what prison did John Gotti serve his sentence? Hint


Question 3 of 10
3. Who murdered eight student nurses in a Chicago townhouse in July, 1966? Hint


Question 4 of 10
4. On August 1, 1966, Charles Whitman opened fire from the clock tower of the University of Texas in Austin. Not counting his wife and mother, whom he had killed earlier in the day, how many people did Whitman shoot and kill? Hint


Question 5 of 10
5. Kenneth Bianchi is better known by what name? Hint


Question 6 of 10
6. Who was the last person to be hanged in the state of California as punishment for a capital crime? Hint


Question 7 of 10
7. What was the original sentence handed down to Charles Manson for the Tate-Labianca murders? Hint


Question 8 of 10
8. Who was convicted and executed for the Lindbergh Kidnapping? Hint


Question 9 of 10
9. Who wrote the book 'Life Plus 99 Years'? Hint


Question 10 of 10
10. Who was the first European settler to be convicted of murder? Hint



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Most Recent Scores
Oct 23 2024 : Guest 38: 3/10
Oct 21 2024 : Guest 136: 7/10
Oct 18 2024 : Guest 73: 0/10
Oct 14 2024 : Johnmcmanners: 10/10
Oct 14 2024 : Guest 173: 5/10
Sep 25 2024 : Guest 166: 6/10
Sep 23 2024 : Guest 68: 5/10
Sep 23 2024 : Guest 165: 4/10
Sep 21 2024 : Guest 98: 5/10

Score Distribution

quiz
Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts
1. What was 'Ma' Barker's given name?

Answer: Arizona

Her full name was Arizona Donnie Clark Barker, but most people called her 'Kate' or 'Ma.'
2. In what prison did John Gotti serve his sentence?

Answer: Marion

Gotti, the 'Teflon Don,' was housed at the maximum security correctional facility in Marion, Illinois. He died in June, 2002 of throat cancer.
3. Who murdered eight student nurses in a Chicago townhouse in July, 1966?

Answer: Richard Speck

Speck viciously stabbed and murdered eight young women that summer day. Originally sentenced to death, his sentence was commuted when the US Supreme Court abolished capital punishment. He was resentenced to a term of over 400 years. He died in prison of a heart attack in 1991.
4. On August 1, 1966, Charles Whitman opened fire from the clock tower of the University of Texas in Austin. Not counting his wife and mother, whom he had killed earlier in the day, how many people did Whitman shoot and kill?

Answer: 14

Whitman shot a total of 46 people from the tower, killing fourteen. He was shot and killed that same day by police officers who stormed the building in an attempt to end the slaughter. An autopsy revealed that a brain tumor may have been responsible for his sudden aggressive behavior.
5. Kenneth Bianchi is better known by what name?

Answer: The Hillside Strangler

Bianchi, along with his cousin Angelo Buono, killed ten women in southern California and Washington State from 1977 to 1979. Bianchi is serving his sentence at the Walla Walla Penitentiary, while Buono served his in California's Folsom Prison. Buono died on September 21, 2002 at age 67.
6. Who was the last person to be hanged in the state of California as punishment for a capital crime?

Answer: Robert James

Soon after James was sentenced to die, the state of California began using the gas chamber as its primary means of execution. James appealed his sentence, stating that he should be executed in the gas chamber instead of being hanged. His appeal was denied and his sentence stood, based on the fact that hanging was still the primary means when sentence was passed.

The other three men mentioned above were executed in San Quentin's gas chamber.
7. What was the original sentence handed down to Charles Manson for the Tate-Labianca murders?

Answer: Death

Manson and members of his 'family' cheated the gas chamber in 1972 when the Supreme Court ruled that capital punishment was unconstitutional. Their sentences were commuted to life. When the Supreme Court reinstated the death penalty, it was not retroactive and the life sentences stood.
8. Who was convicted and executed for the Lindbergh Kidnapping?

Answer: Bruno Richard Hauptmann

Hauptmann professed his innocence until the moment he died. Various theories exist regarding whether or not he did indeed murder the son of America's most famous aviator.
9. Who wrote the book 'Life Plus 99 Years'?

Answer: Nathan Leopold

Leopold was convicted along with Richard Loeb in 1924 for the 'thrill killing' of 14 year-old Bobbie Franks. The two of them, both from extremely wealthy Chicago families, saw themselves as intellectually superior and performed the murderous act simply to see if they could get away with it.

They were arrested for the crime and were spared the death penalty with each received a life sentence for the murder and 99 years for the kidnapping of young Bobbie. Loeb was killed in prison in 1936, while Leopold was paroled in 1958 and lived until 1971.

The Alfred Hitchcock film 'Rope' is loosely based on the story of Loeb and Leopold.
10. Who was the first European settler to be convicted of murder?

Answer: John Billington

Crime in America got off to an early start. Billington arrived on the Mayflower when it landed at Plymouth in 1620. Ten years later, he shot and killed John Newcomen, a fellow settler. Billington was tried, convicted and hanged for his crime.
Source: Author bigox

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