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It happened in 1960 Trivia Quiz

1960 was the year that I was born, but, apart from that, some other important events also took place that year.

A multiple-choice quiz by Dizart. Estimated time: 4 mins.

Author
Dizart

Time
4 mins

Type
Multiple Choice

Quiz #
329,920

Updated
Dec 03 21

# Qns
10

Difficulty
Average

Avg Score
6 / 10

Plays
2056

Awards
Top 20% Quiz

Last 3 plays: Guest 24 (6/10), Guest 104 (5/10), Fiona112233 (6/10).

One at a Time - Single Page - Timed Game

Question 1 of 10

1. In February, 1960, France tested its first atomic bomb. Where did this event take place? Hint

Bikini Atoll

Algeria

French Guiana

New Mexico

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Question 2 of 10

2. Which South African township was the site of an infamous massacre in March, 1960? Hint

Sharpeville

Mabopane

Soweto

Wattville

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Question 3 of 10

3. Which country elected the world's first female head of government in July, 1960? Hint

Iceland

Ceylon

New Zealand

Pakistan

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Question 4 of 10

4. John F. Kennedy was elected President of the USA in November, 1960. Who was his Republican opponent in the race for the White House? Hint

Dwight Eisenhower

Nelson Rockefeller

Richard Nixon

Barry Goldwater

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Question 5 of 10

5. At the 32nd Academy Awards ceremony in April, 1960, which film won a record 11 oscars? Hint

The 39 Steps

Room At The Top

The FBI Story

Ben-Hur

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Question 6 of 10

6. Which city in Morocco was destroyed by an earthquake in February, 1960? Hint

Rabat

Casablanca

Agadir

Marrakech

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Question 7 of 10

7. Which American pilot was captured by the Soviets after his spy plane was shot down in May, 1960? Hint

Chuck Yeager

Everett Alvarez

Gary Powers

Joe Kernan

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Question 8 of 10

8. 1960 was an Olympic year. Which cities were hosts of the winter and summer games respectively? Hint

Grenoble and Helsinki

Lake Placid and Tokyo

Squaw Valley and Rome

Innsbruck and Melbourne

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Question 9 of 10

9. 1960 saw a large number of African countries gaining independence from their European colonists. Which one of the following did NOT gain independence in that year? Hint

Nigeria

Rhodesia

Gabon

Mauritania

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Question 10 of 10

10. Which Nazi war criminal was abducted by Mossad agents in Buenos Aires in May, 1960? Hint

Wilhelm Frick

Martin Bormann

Adolf Eichmann

Karl Bomelburg

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Most Recent Scores

Nov 15 2024 : Guest 24: 6/10
Nov 13 2024 : Guest 104: 5/10
Nov 08 2024 : Fiona112233: 6/10
Oct 30 2024 : lrjensen: 7/10
Oct 30 2024 : Guest 71: 6/10
Oct 27 2024 : calmdecember: 10/10
Oct 17 2024 : Guest 74: 5/10
Sep 26 2024 : Guest 108: 5/10

Score Distribution

Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts

1. In February, 1960, France tested its first atomic bomb. Where did this event take place?

Answer: Algeria

The first atomic test by the French took place in the Sahara Desert on February 13th, 1960. The vast majority of their nuclear tests thereafter took place in French Polynesia.

2. Which South African township was the site of an infamous massacre in March, 1960?

Answer: Sharpeville

Sixty-nine Black protesters were shot dead by South African police in Sharpeville on March 21st. Around 20,000 people, protesting against the country's pass laws, had congregated outside a police station in the community, near Johannesburg.

3. Which country elected the world's first female head of government in July, 1960?

Answer: Ceylon

Sirimavo Bandaranaike became Prime Minister of Ceylon on July 21st, 1960. She served three terms as Prime Minister, from 1960-65, 1970-77 and 1994-2000.
Ceylon was renamed Sr Lanka in 1972.

4. John F. Kennedy was elected President of the USA in November, 1960. Who was his Republican opponent in the race for the White House?

Answer: Richard Nixon

Kennedy defeated Nixon by 303 electoral votes to 219, although Nixon actually carried more states than his opponent. This was the first presidential election in which voters in Alaska and Hawaii could cast their votes.

5. At the 32nd Academy Awards ceremony in April, 1960, which film won a record 11 oscars?

Answer: Ben-Hur

"Ben-Hur" won a record 11 oscars, including Best Picture. Charlton Heston was voted Best Actor and William Wyler was Best Director. One of the categories in which the film missed out was Best Actress, won by Simone Signoret for "Room at the Top".

6. Which city in Morocco was destroyed by an earthquake in February, 1960?

Answer: Agadir

On February 29th, Agadir was struck by an earthquake measuring 6.7 on the Richter scale. Around 15,000 people lost their lives.

7. Which American pilot was captured by the Soviets after his spy plane was shot down in May, 1960?

Answer: Gary Powers

Gary Power's U-2 plane was shot down over Soviet territory on May 1st. He parachuted safely to the ground where he was captured. He was sentenced to three years' imprisonment, but was exchanged for a Soviet spy in 1962.

8. 1960 was an Olympic year. Which cities were hosts of the winter and summer games respectively?

Answer: Squaw Valley and Rome

Squaw Valley, California, became the second American host of the winter games. after Lake Placid in 1932. Rome became the first Italian city to host the summer games.

9. 1960 saw a large number of African countries gaining independence from their European colonists. Which one of the following did NOT gain independence in that year?

Answer: Rhodesia

Rhodesia, now known as Zimbabwe, didn't achieve independence from the United Kingdom until 1979. Ian Smith's government had declared UDI (Unilateral Declaration of Independence) in 1965, but this move wasn't recognised by the United Nations.
Nigeria achieved independence from the UK in 1960, whilst both Gabon and Mauritania became independent from France.

10. Which Nazi war criminal was abducted by Mossad agents in Buenos Aires in May, 1960?

Answer: Adolf Eichmann

Eichmann, nicknamed the "architect of the Holocaust", fled to Argentina at the end of the Second World War. He lived there under a false identity until Israeli agents apprehended him on May 11th, 1960. He was taken to Israel where he stood trial on charges including crimes against humanity. He was convicted, and was executed in May, 1962.

Source: Author Dizart

This quiz was reviewed by FunTrivia editor bloomsby before going online.
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