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Quiz about American History by Decade The 1940s
Quiz about American History by Decade The 1940s

American History by Decade: The 1940s Quiz

It's the 1940s when you might have seen a bobby-soxer writing "Kilroy was here" in her Victory Garden. How much do you know about U.S. History from 1940-49?

A multiple-choice quiz by LIBGOV. Estimated time: 5 mins.
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Author
LIBGOV
Time
5 mins
Type
Multiple Choice
Quiz #
400,440
Updated
Dec 03 21
# Qns
10
Difficulty
Average
Avg Score
6 / 10
Plays
444
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Question 1 of 10
1. Several American icons all make their first films in 1940. What were their names? Hint


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Question 2 of 10
2. In the presidential election of 1940, incumbent Democrat Franklin Roosevelt won an easy victory to become the first man elected president three times. Who was his Republican opponent, a virtually unknown utility company executive from Indiana, who carried ten states in the election? Hint


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Question 3 of 10
3. December 7, 1941. A date which shall live in infamy. The Japanese engaged in a surprise attack on Pearl Harbor sinking four battleships and causing the United States to enter World War II. Why did the Japanese attack Pearl Harbor? Hint


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Question 4 of 10
4. What play opened on Broadway in March 1943 that ran for five years and over 2000 performances and was called "the single most important work in American musical theatre" by critic Thomas Hischak? Hint


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Question 5 of 10
5. Franklin Roosevelt once again won a comfortable victory in the presidential election of 1944 to become the first man elected president four times. His Republican opponent Thomas Dewey, who received a great deal of support in the Midwestern states, was nationally famous at the time of the election for doing what? Hint


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Question 6 of 10
6. In April 1945, Franklin Roosevelt died of a cerebral hemorrhage and Harry Truman becomes the new president. What big city political machine boss was responsible for making Harry Truman's political career? Hint


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Question 7 of 10
7. In August 1945, the U.S. dropped atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki, Japan leading to the end of World War II. What were the code names for the two bombs that were dropped? Hint


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Question 8 of 10
8. The Chicago Stags, Toronto Huskies, and Pittsburgh Ironmen were three of the teams in what new sports league that began play in the fall of 1946? Hint


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Question 9 of 10
9. Dewey Beats Truman! The presidential election of 1948 was among the greatest upsets in American political history as incumbent Democrat Harry Truman (whom the pre-election polls had predicted would lose in a landslide) defeats Republican Thomas Dewey. Henry Wallace of Iowa who had been one of FDR's vice presidents ran as a third party candidate for what short lived left-wing political party? Hint


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Question 10 of 10
10. Harry Truman put forth his domestic policy agenda in his January 1949 State of the Union address. What was the name for Truman's plan which included universal health insurance, increases in the minimum wage, and legislation to guarantee full employment? Hint



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Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts
1. Several American icons all make their first films in 1940. What were their names?

Answer: Bugs Bunny, Woody Woodpecker, and Tom & Jerry

 In a strange coincidence, four extremely popular American cartoon characters made their first shorts in 1940: Bugs Bunny for Warner Brothers, Woody Woodpecker for Universal, and Tom & Jerry for MGM. Mel Blanc provided the original voice for both Bugs Bunny and Woody Woodpecker.
2. In the presidential election of 1940, incumbent Democrat Franklin Roosevelt won an easy victory to become the first man elected president three times. Who was his Republican opponent, a virtually unknown utility company executive from Indiana, who carried ten states in the election?

Answer: Wendell Willkie

 Wendell Willkie was an obscure businessman who first came to public attention for opposing Roosevelt's attempt to break up utility companies. Robert Taft and Thomas Dewey were considered the front runners for the Republican nomination, but after six ballots at the Republican convention in Philadelphia, Willkie emerged as a compromise candidate even though he had never previously run for public office.
3. December 7, 1941. A date which shall live in infamy. The Japanese engaged in a surprise attack on Pearl Harbor sinking four battleships and causing the United States to enter World War II. Why did the Japanese attack Pearl Harbor?

Answer: They were planning invasions in SE Asia they thought would bring the US into the War

 Japan had invaded Manchuria, China, and Indochina in the late 1930s and early 1940s. The U.S. responded with trade restrictions including eventually cutting off oil exports to Japan. Japan was planning an invasion of the Dutch East Indies which had plenty of oil (as well as of British colony Singapore and the U.S. controlled Philippines), and wanted to preemptively destroy the U.S. fleet at Pearl Harbor.
4. What play opened on Broadway in March 1943 that ran for five years and over 2000 performances and was called "the single most important work in American musical theatre" by critic Thomas Hischak?

Answer: Oklahoma!

 "Oklahoma!" was the first musical written by the legendary Rodgers & Hammerstein. "Oklahoma!" is famous for fully integrating the songs and dancing with the story line, having a lengthy ballet scene, and having recurring musical motifs associated with different story elements.
5. Franklin Roosevelt once again won a comfortable victory in the presidential election of 1944 to become the first man elected president four times. His Republican opponent Thomas Dewey, who received a great deal of support in the Midwestern states, was nationally famous at the time of the election for doing what?

Answer: Prosecuting organized criminals in New York

 Thomas Dewey was a prosecutor in New York City during the Prohibition era and became nationally famous for successfully prosecuting bootlegger Waxey Gordon and Mafia boss Lucky Luciano and for pursuing mobster Dutch Schultz. Dewey received more electoral votes and a higher percentage of the popular vote than any of Roosevelt's other opponents.
6. In April 1945, Franklin Roosevelt died of a cerebral hemorrhage and Harry Truman becomes the new president. What big city political machine boss was responsible for making Harry Truman's political career?

Answer: Tom Pendergast of Kansas City

 Tom Pendergast was Chairman of the Jackson County Democratic Party in Kansas City, and ruled the city with an iron fist in the 1920s and 1930s through voter fraud, control of government contracts, and patronage jobs. Truman was friendly with Pendergast's nephew, and after Truman failed as a haberdasher, Pendergast gave him a judgeship and later made him U.S. Senator from Missouri.
7. In August 1945, the U.S. dropped atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki, Japan leading to the end of World War II. What were the code names for the two bombs that were dropped?

Answer: Little Boy and Fat Man

 Little Boy was a uranium filled bomb that was dropped on Hiroshima by the Enola Gay. Fat Man was a plutonium bomb dropped on Nagasaki by the Bockscar. The ethics of the bombings are still debated as they killed at least 100,000 civilians, but may have actually saved lives by ending the War without an invasion of the Japan mainland.
8. The Chicago Stags, Toronto Huskies, and Pittsburgh Ironmen were three of the teams in what new sports league that began play in the fall of 1946?

Answer: The National Basketball Association

 Initially called the Basketball Association of America, it changed its name to the NBA in 1949. Just as it is today, the original 11 teams were divided into Eastern and Western Divisions. The New York Knicks, Boston Celtics, and Philadelphia (now Golden State) Warriors were all original NBA teams.
9. Dewey Beats Truman! The presidential election of 1948 was among the greatest upsets in American political history as incumbent Democrat Harry Truman (whom the pre-election polls had predicted would lose in a landslide) defeats Republican Thomas Dewey. Henry Wallace of Iowa who had been one of FDR's vice presidents ran as a third party candidate for what short lived left-wing political party?

Answer: The Progressive Party

 Wallace was a strong critic of Truman's hard line stance against the Soviet Union and wanted the U.S. to accept Soviet domination of Europe. Aaron Copland, Burl Ives, Arthur Miller, Linus Pauling, and Frank Lloyd Wright all supported Wallace for president, but many people believe to this day that the Progressive Party of 1948 was a Communist front organization.
10. Harry Truman put forth his domestic policy agenda in his January 1949 State of the Union address. What was the name for Truman's plan which included universal health insurance, increases in the minimum wage, and legislation to guarantee full employment?

Answer: The Fair Deal

 The Fair Deal was Truman's attempt to expand the big government policies of FDR's New Deal. Unfortunately for Truman, he was not nearly as successful getting his Fair Deal policies through Congress as FDR had been.
Source: Author LIBGOV

This quiz was reviewed by FunTrivia editor bloomsby before going online.
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Referenced Topics
Sports   History   World   People   Theatre   Government   European Geography   U.S. History   World War II   Asian Geography   USA in the 20th Century   China History   Japan History   Dutch History   New York History   Missouri History   Kansas History   Pearl Harbor   Indiana History   Singapore History  

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