What Did You Do In the 1970s? Trivia Quiz

Answer: The Right Stuff

Tom Wolfe published "The Right Stuff" in 1979; it depicts space programs and exploration. Wolfe, born in Virginia, has written nonfiction, novels, art critiques, and essays. He has earned a wide variety of awards, including National Book Award for Nonfiction, the John Dos Passos Award, and the National Book Foundation Medal for Distinguished Contribution to American Letters.

Answer: The Thorn Birds

"The Thorn Birds," the Australian-set romance of the handsome priest and his young mentor hit the best-seller lists almost immediately. McCullough was born and raised in Australia, though she lived in the U.K. and was a research associate at Yale's Department of Neurology while she also wrote.

Her success allowed her to retire and move permanently with her husband to the beautiful Norfolk Island, a lush Australian territory with a mild climate.

Answer: Jaws

"Jaws" hit theaters in 1975 and was a critical and commercial success. Audiences seemed to love the thrilling storyline of a killer great white, and critics praised Spielberg's craft and vision. It won three Academy Awards: Best Film Editing, Best Original Dramatic Score, and Best Sound.

Answer: Rocky

"Rocky" was a huge hit when it appeared in theaters in 1976; the rise of the underdog was a beloved story arc for audiences, and the soundtrack was exhilarating. It was nominated for many awards, and won three Oscars: Best Picture, Best Director, and Best Film Editing.

Answer: Weebles

"Weebles wobble, but they don't fall down" was the commercial tagline for these egg-shaped people. You would buy them in sets, such as the Weeble village, Treehouse, Camper, and Playground. Each egg depicted a person with a face and clothes.

Answer: Skateboarding

When and where skateboarding first appeared isn't entirely clear, but it is generally agreed upon that the skateboard hit mainstream popularity in the 1970s. A main driver of the trend was how much more maneuverable the boards became after Nasworthy developed polyurethane wheels. By the mid-'70s, skateparks could be found in Florida as well as California.

Answer: Eight-track

Before the MP3, before the CD, before the cassette tape was the eight-track tape. Before this, consumers who wanted to listen to recorded music had to either use vinyl records or reel-to-reel tape. The eight track was a way to make the reel-to-reel sound manageable for laypeople, eliminating the need for manual threading. You could have an 8-track player at home or even in your car.

They were eventually replaced by the smaller, more compact cassette which was about 1/3 of the size.

Answer: Disco

Disco songs are distinguished by a number of musical elements, though it's easier to point out common disco singers and songs than it is to describe what tempos, beats, and bass lines make a song disco. Well-known disco musicians include Donna Summer, the Bee Gees, Gloria Gaynor, KC and the Sunshine Band, and the Village People. Disco emerged in clubs in the 1970s; by the early 1980s, disco had morphed into other styles and had largely disappeared in its own right.

Answer: Dakota

Smoking tobacco goes way back in North America, and in the '70s, it had not abated much. Pall Mall, Virginia Slims, Kool, Marlboro, Kent, Salem, and many other brands were on the market. But Dakota, from the R. J. Reynolds Tobacco Company, wasn't introduced until 1990.

It was designed to appeal to young working women without college educations, a female counterproductive to the Salem brand popular with men of a similar demographic.

Answer: Macrame

Macrame is the craft of knotting items using rope, twine, jute, or other textiles. Although its use has been documented as early as the 13th century, it spiked in popularity in the Victorian era and then again in the 1970s, when people created macrame wall hangings, tablecloths, and hanging plant holders.