Famous People, Famous Quotes Trivia Quiz

Answer: Eleanor Roosevelt

Eleanor's father was the younger brother of U.S. President Theodore Roosevelt. Her quote was part of a speech in which she advocated that facing our fears head-on is character building. From 1935 to 1962, Eleanor wrote a newspaper column titled "My Day", which highlighted various topics of the day such as the New Deal program instituted by her husband President Franklin Roosevelt, women's rights, and the Civil Rights movement.

President Truman, FDR's successor, suggested she run for the office of U.S. Vice-President, which she declined. She did serve as both a member of the first U.S. delegation to the United Nations and as chairman of the Human Rights commission.

Answer: Lou Gehrig

The "Iron Horse" and "Pride of the Yankees" delivered those poignant words at home plate at Yankee Stadium on July 4, 1939. Those powerful words came from a man who was to die two years later from the neurodegenerative disorder known as amyotrophic lateral sclerosis(ALS) or Lou Gehrig's Disease. He died shortly before his 37th birthday.

A member of the Baseball Hall of Fame, Gehrig won two MVPs, a Triple Crown, and seven World Series titles in his short career. Despite the pain from his disease, he managed to average 147 RBIs per year. Known for his strength and speed, Gehrig played all-time great defense at first base.

Answer: Abraham Lincoln

This quote came from a speech Lincoln gave on a stopover in Philadelphia during the time he traveled as President-Elect in 1961. It was the site where the Declaration of Independence was signed. Lincoln served one term in Congress from 1847 to 1849 in pursuit of higher political aspirations.

As the sixteenth President of the U.S., Lincoln led the country through the Civil War. The Emancipation Proclamation, based on the President's legal right to seize the property of those in rebellion against the State, served to free slaves in the Southern states. The Revenue Act of 1862 established the United States' first income tax which was meant to pay off the costs of the war.

Answer: Helen Keller

Helen Keller suffered from an illness that left her deaf and blind when she was an infant. Despite this, she learned to read, speak, and write. The quote comes from a book she published in 1902 titled "The Open Door". Not only did she learn to communicate, but she graduated college, wrote best-selling books, and advocated for social justice. She even met with President John F. Kennedy in 1961.

Her first teacher and life-long friend was Anne Sullivan, who helped Helen to acquire the reading and writing skills that were to serve her well in adulthood. Keller's book, "The Story of My Life", focused on her education and friendship with Sullivan. Learning to read was a struggle at first, but she caught on to Sullivan's methods through hand gestures. She attended Horace Mann School for the Deaf, The Cambridge School for Young Ladies and Radcliffe College which was later incorporated in Harvard University.

Wearing many hats, Helen Keller was a pacifist and supporter of the NAACP. In fact, she helped found the American Civil Liberties Union in 1920.

Answer: Steve Jobs

Jobs became a successful entrepreneur and savvy businessman, best known for co-founding the tech company Apple. The quote came from an interview with journalist Gary Wolf in February 1996. Along with his friend and engineer, Steve Wozniak, Jobs started the Apple Company in 1975 when he was only twenty years old.

Always planning ahead, when companies Jobs created didn't take off he moved to other projects. He bought PixarAnimation Studios from George Lucas in 1986. Working with Walt Disney, he created the first computer-generated feature film, "Toy Story", which became so popular it broke box office records. He died in 2011 after battling pancreatic cancer.

Answer: Oscar Wilde

Oscar Wilde was an Irish poet, dramatist, and humorist. This quote is taken from the play, "The Importance of Being Earnest".

"The Picture of Dorian Gray", published in 1891, was his only novel. Many of Wilde's works reflect human frailties and some target upper society. His other works include "An Ideal Husband", "Lady Windermere's Fan", and "The Canterville Ghost." Although he married and had three children, he began an affair with Lord Alfred Douglas. When details of their relationship were revealed, Wilde was arrested for gross indecency and sent to prison for two years. Both his health and reputation suffered after he was released. He later published "The Ballad of Reading Gaol."

Answer: Abigail Van Buren

These wise words came from Abigail Van Buren, born Pauline Phillips, known for her popular advice columns which she published under the name Dear Abby. Her twin sister, Esther Friedman, was also a columnist and published advice columns under the name Ann Landers.

Born to Russian immigrants in Sioux City, Iowa in 1918, the twins shared a close bond. They even married on the same day. However, they maintained a separate public identity. McNaught Syndicate ran "Dear Abby" columns from 1956-1966. The Chicago Tribune picked up her column and continued to publish it for years. The advice given by both columnists was practical and sensible. When Abigail became ill, her daughter co-wrote the articles with her. Pauline Phillips died in 2013. She had been suffering from Alzheimer's disease.

Answer: Anne Frank

Anne kept a journal while she was in hiding from the Nazi party in an attic in Amsterdam during World War II. This journal entry was made less than a month before she and her family were discovered in their hiding place and sent to concentration camps. Her optimism was profound for a teen awaiting an unknown future, in fear of being found by those who would do her family harm.

Anne Frank was born in Frankfurt, Germany, and her family later relocated to Amsterdam. Being Jewish at a time when the persecution of the Jews was in full force, her family went into hiding. After two years they were discovered by the Gestapo, and brought to a concentration camp where she died several months later. Her short life was preserved by her diary, found by family friend Miep Gies, who discovered the diary in the family's hiding place. She gave the diary to Anne's father, Otto Frank, who had managed to survive the concentration camp. Miep later wrote and published the book "Anne Frank Remembered."

Answer: Dr. Seuss

Theodor Geisel, better known by his pen name Dr. Seuss, was born in Massachusetts in 1904. This quote comes from his children's book, "Oh the Places You'll Go!". His first attempts at writing children's books were rejected by publishers. He didn't give up. "And to Think That I Saw It on Mulberry Street" was released in 1937 due to his connection with a friend who was an editor of the magazine "Vanity Fair".

Most children and adults are familiar with his classic children's books, "How the Grinch Stole Christmas", "Green Eggs and Ham", "The Cat in the Hat", and "Horton Hears a Who!" In 1984 Geisel won a Pulitzer Prize for a "Lifetime of Contribution to Children's Literature".

Answer: Sir Isaac Newton

Regarded as one of history's most influential scientists, Newton did much more than discover the effects of gravity. This quote came from a letter Newton wrote to fellow scientist, Robert Hooke.

In 1687 he published "Philosophiae Naturalis Principia Mathematica", more commonly known as "Principia." It contains three volumes about his laws of motion and universal gravitation. Newton attended Cambridge University with a focus on Aristotlean rhetoric, logic, ethics, and physics. His research in optics resulted in his constructing the first reflecting telescope in 1669.