Get Your Kicks in 1976 Trivia Quiz

Answer: Agatha Christie

Agatha Christie (1890-1976) is one of the best-selling authors in history. Her particular focus was mystery novels such as "Murder on the Orient Express" (1934) and "And Then There Were None" (1939), many of which featured the detectives Hercule Poirot and/or Miss Marple. Several of her novels have been adapted for the big screen. Her 1952 play "The Mousetrap" reached its 25,000th performance on the West End of London in 2012. She also wrote several romance novels under the name Mary Westmacott.

The picture shows an image of a magnifying glass which a detective might use when investigating a crime.

Answer: Innsbruck, Austria

The Olympics lasted from February 04 to 15. Both the 1964 and 1976 Winter Olympics occured in Innsbruck. The 1976 were first awarded to Denver, CO, but were later returned when Colorado voters voted down a 1972 referendum to provide public funding for the Olympics. The Soviet Union led the medal total with 29 medals (including 13 gold) and the host nation won six medals (including two gold).

The picture shows the colors used in the Austrian flag.

Answer: Apple

Ronald Wayne co-founded Apple Computers with Jobs and Wozniak although he soon sold his share back to Jobs. The next year, the company was incorporated as Apple Computers, Inc. Over the years, the company has released various products such as the iPhone, iPad, and Macintosh Computer. The company's first desktop computer, the Apple 1, was market-priced at $666.66 (US).

The picture shows an image of the American flag, referring to the saying "As American as apple pie".

Answer: Frampton Comes Alive!

While all four albums were released in 1976 and were successful, the correct answer is "Frampton Comes Alive!" "Frampton Comes Alive!" was the best-selling album in 1976 in the US with estimated sales of eight million (plus three million more internationally). Three singles came from the album: "Show Me the Way", "Baby, I Love Your Way", and "Do You Feel Like We Do". The album consisted of live recordings from various concerts in California and New York. The album was a double album with a total of 14 songs on its two sides.

The picture shows a crossed-out gravestone which references the idea of "alive".

Answer: Earthquake

The earthquake was responsible for nearly 1,000 deaths, nearly 2,500 injuries and well over 100,000 people being temporarily homeless. The earthquake was 6.5 magnitude and occurred at roughly 8:00 PM local time. The earthquake caused millions of dollars in damage and many residents in the area were still living in temporary housing several months after the event.

The picture shows an image of a seismograph reading.

Answer: The Cod War

The Cod War would not usually be considered a "hot war", with long periods of armed conflict. Instead it is better described as a period of heightened tension between the two nations that lasted from the late 1950s to the 1970s. The dispute centered on which nation would get access to which fishing areas. The Cod War ended with a decision that strongly favored Iceland. The United Kingdom agreed to respect an exclusive fishing zone of 200 miles from the coast or Iceland.

The picture shows an image of an old-fashioned sailing vessel that might have been used to fish (perhaps for cod).

Answer: Mars

Viking 1 was an unmanned mission. The mission of Viking 1 would last until 1982. It would begin transmitting images of Mars while still approaching the planet. Equipment on Viking 1 included two cameras, an infrared spectrometer, and an infrared radiometer. Viking 1 was the second spacecraft that soft-landed on Mars. (The previous vessel--the Soviet Union's Mars 3--only transmitted images for less than one minute.

The picture shows an image of a sword, which could be associated with war. Mars was the Roman god of war.

Answer: Aircraft

The two vehicles involved were a British Airways Trident and a Yugoslav DC-9. All 176 people on board the two vehicles perished. The British plane was en route from London to Istanbul, Turkey. The Yugoslav plane was en route from Split (in the then-Yugoslavia) to Cologne, West Germany. At the time, it was the deadliest air crash in history.

The picture shows an image of clouds suggesting being up in the sky.

Answer: Jimmy Carter

This election was a close one with Jimmy Carter (born 1924) winning 50.1% of the popular vote to 48.0% for incumbent Gerald Ford (1913-2006). The electoral vote was also close with Carter leading Ford 297-240. Carter would serve one term as President (1977-1981), highlighted by the Camp David Accords and the Iran Hostage Crisis.

The picture shows the image of a peanut. Earlier in his career, Carter ran his family's peanut farm.

Answer: Mexico

José López Portillo (1920-2004) served as the President of Mexico from 1976 to 1982. He ran unopposed in the election, the only case of this in the 20th century under the 1917 Constitution. He emphasized economic nationalism as President including investment in the oil industry. Several members of his administration were tried under various corruption charges although Portillo himself was not.

The picture shows an eagle with a snake in its beak sitting on a cactus, which is a symbol of Mexico.