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Quiz about American History by Decade The 1920s

American History by Decade: The 1920s Quiz

It's the Jazz Age where you might see Al Capone doing the Charleston on top of a flag pole while playing mahjong. How much do you know about the 1920s?

A multiple-choice quiz by LIBGOV. Estimated time: 5 mins.

Author
LIBGOV

Time
5 mins

Type
Multiple Choice

Quiz #
400,395

Updated
Dec 03 21

# Qns
10

Difficulty
Average

Avg Score
7 / 10

Plays
475

Last 3 plays: Guest 107 (9/10), shorthumbz (10/10), obiwan04 (8/10).

One at a Time - Single Page - Timed Game

Question 1 of 10

1. In the 1920 presidential election, Republican Senator Warren Harding of Ohio delivered a landslide victory over Democratic Governor James Cox (also from Ohio!). What was unique about the election of 1920? Hint

The first time presidential candidates debated on the radio

The first presidential election in which women could vote

The first presidential election in which all 48 contiguous states could vote

Harding and Cox had played on the same little league team

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Question 2 of 10

2. Which annual event, started as a publicity stunt to bring tourists to the Atlantic City boardwalk, begins in September 1920? Hint

Nathan's Famous Hot Dog Eating Contest

Miss Hooters International

The Academy Awards (Oscars)

The Miss America Pageant

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Question 3 of 10

3. The Teapot Dome scandal was to discredit the Harding Presidency in the eyes of historians. What was Teapot Dome? Hint

A Washington, D.C. boarding house for Congressmen

A sham company that sold goods at inflated costs to the railroads

An oil field in Wyoming

A hotel where Republican operatives had infiltrated Democratic headquarters

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Question 4 of 10

4. In August 1923, President Harding died of a heart attack in San Francisco, and his vice president, Calvin Coolidge took over. Who are the other U.S. Presidents who died of natural causes while in office? Hint

Millard Fillmore, James Polk, and John Tyler

Zachary Taylor, Franklin Roosevelt, and William Henry Harrison

James Garfield, William McKinley, and John F. Kennedy

Robert Kennedy, Martin Luther King, and George Wallace

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Question 5 of 10

5. In 1924, what frighteningly powerful super bureaucrat was appointed to the head of the organization he is to lead for the next 47 years? Hint

J. Edgar Hoover

Allen Dulles

A. Mitchell Palmer

Jimmy Hoffa

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Question 6 of 10

6. In the presidential election of 1924, incumbent Republican Calvin Coolidge handily defeated Democrat John Davis. Who was the candidate of the Progressive Party, nicknamed "Fighting Bob", who only won his home state of Wisconsin in the election? Hint

Robert T. Hope

Robert W. Barker

Robert M. La Follette

Robert A. Dylan

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Question 7 of 10

7. In July 1925 the Scopes Monkey Trial begins in Dayton, Tennessee when high school teacher John Scopes is tried for illegally teaching evolution in a public school. What was the outcome of the case? Hint

Scopes was found not guilty

Scopes's life was spared when he threw himself on the mercy of the court

Scopes was found guilty and sentenced to community service

Scopes was found guilty and fined $100

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Question 8 of 10

8. It's the jazz age! Which musician, generally regarded as the central figure of Jazz music, records several masterpieces in November 1925 at the Okeh studios in Chicago with his band, the Hot Five? Hint

Charlie Parker

Chuck Mangione

Duke Ellington

Louis Armstrong

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Question 9 of 10

9. Incumbent Republican Calvin Coolidge decided not to run for re-election in 1928. Instead, the Republicans nominated Secretary of Commerce Herbert Hoover who defeated Democrat Al Smith, Governor of New York in another Republican landslide. What was special about Al Smith? Hint

He was famously fanatically in favor Prohibition

He was the first Catholic to be nominated for president by a major party

At the time of the election, he was the youngest ever graduate of Harvard

He had once served as Executive Director of Coney Island

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Question 10 of 10

10. On October 28, 1929, the New York Stock exchange experiences its largest single day loss up to that time. What is the nickname for this day that ushered in the Great Depression? Hint

Black Friday

Black Thursday

Small Business Saturday

Black Monday

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Most Recent Scores

Nov 17 2024 : Guest 107: 9/10
Nov 16 2024 : shorthumbz: 10/10
Oct 06 2024 : obiwan04: 8/10
Sep 26 2024 : Guest 96: 5/10

Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts

Answer: The first presidential election in which women could vote

The 19th Amendment allowing women the right to vote had passed Congress in 1919. Harding won popular vote 60% to 34% which is the largest margin in U.S. Presidential election history.

2. Which annual event, started as a publicity stunt to bring tourists to the Atlantic City boardwalk, begins in September 1920?

Answer: The Miss America Pageant

The Pageant was scheduled for the weekend after Labor Day in order to encourage summer tourists to stay in Atlantic City an extra week. In the original Miss America, eight East Coast cities sent a contestant, and Miss Washington, D.C. won the $100 first prize.

3. The Teapot Dome scandal was to discredit the Harding Presidency in the eyes of historians. What was Teapot Dome?

Answer: An oil field in Wyoming

Albert Fall, Harding's Secretary of the Interior, had taken bribes from two oil companies in order to grant them the lease to the Teapot Dome oil field without going through competitive bidding. Fall was convicted of conspiracy and bribery, and was the first sitting U.S. Cabinet member to be sent to jail.

Answer: Zachary Taylor, Franklin Roosevelt, and William Henry Harrison

William Henry Harrison died of pneumonia in 1841, Zachary Taylor died of indigestion in 1850, and Franklin Roosevelt died of a cerebral hemorrhage in 1945. Harding's wife Florence refused to allow an autopsy after his death leading to accusations in the 1930s that she had poisoned him.

5. In 1924, what frighteningly powerful super bureaucrat was appointed to the head of the organization he is to lead for the next 47 years?

Answer: J. Edgar Hoover

J. Edgar Hoover was appointed the director of what was to become the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) when he was only 29. Hoover and his "G-men" fought the bank robbers in the 1930s and the Reds in the 1950s. Hoover is infamous for using his power to illegally amass secret files on prominent Americans.

Answer: Robert M. La Follette

The 1924 election marked the high tide of conservatism in the United States with both the Republican and Democratic candidates favoring low tax, pro-business policies. Left-wing "Fighting Bob" La Follette had served as both Governor and U.S. Senator from Wisconsin as a progressive Republican.

A 1982 survey of historians named La Follette (tied with Henry Clay) as the greatest senators in U.S. History.

Answer: Scopes was found guilty and fined $100

In March 1925, the ACLU had offered to defend anyone accused of teaching evolution in violation of Tennessee law. Legal heavyweights William Jennings Bryan (prosecution) and Clarence Darrow (defense) were the attorneys in the famous case. The verdict was eventually thrown out on a legal technicality (the amount of the fine had been set by the judge rather than the jury).

Answer: Louis Armstrong

Louis Armstrong's career lasted from the 1920s to the 1970s. The Hot Five versions of "Heebie Jeebies" "Potato Head Blues" and particularly "West End Blues" are considered to be among the greatest jazz recordings of all time.

Answer: He was the first Catholic to be nominated for president by a major party

Smith's Catholicism, thick New York accent, and urban theme song ("Sidewalks of New York") were big turn-offs to rural voters. Although Smith's candidacy was a failure, it was the first time that urban blue collar workers and Catholics (who became the backbone of FDR's coalition) voted majority Democratic.

10. On October 28, 1929, the New York Stock exchange experiences its largest single day loss up to that time. What is the nickname for this day that ushered in the Great Depression?

Answer: Black Monday

Rampant buying of stocks on credit led to a bubble that eventually exploded. The crash caused passage of the Glass-Steagall Act the next year which separated commercial banks from investment banks.

Source: Author LIBGOV

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