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Random Chicago History Trivia Quiz

Historical Chicago: some random facts.

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

Author
DNL

Time
5 mins

Type
Multiple Choice

Quiz #
68,642

Updated
Dec 03 21

# Qns
15

Difficulty
Tough

Avg Score
8 / 15

Plays
1492

One at a Time - Single Page - Timed Game

Question 1 of 15

1. The First American scientist to win a Nobel Prize taught at the University of Chicago. Name him: Hint

A. A. Michelson

Albert Einstein

Enrico Fermi

Albion Small

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Question 2 of 15

2. Who was Chicago's mayor when the Volstead Act was (mildly) enforced? Hint

Richard J Daley

William 'Big Bill' Thompson

Richard M Daley

'Bathhouse John' Coughlin

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Question 3 of 15

3. He arrived as an orphaned infant in 1930. Name Lincoln Park Zoo's most famous resident. Hint

Lester the Fisher Cat

Ziggy the Elephant

Bushman the Gorilla

Samson the Gorilla

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Question 4 of 15

4. What high school was closest to Riverview amusement park? Hint

Lane Tech

Maine East

York

St Mary's

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Question 5 of 15

5. Chicago was the ______ leading war supplier during the Civil War? Hint

Chicago was not a civil war supplier

1st

2nd

3rd

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Question 6 of 15

6. Who said, 'The dark girders of the El were the city's rusty heart'? Hint

Jack Kerouac

Carl Sandburg

Nelson Algren

Stuart Dybek

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Question 7 of 15

7. Which of these is one of the only two surviving buildings from the 1893 World's Columbian Exposition? Hint

The Palace of Fine Arts

Soldier Field

The Art Institute

The Shedd Aquarium

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Question 8 of 15

8. The Eisenhower Expressway passes under what building? Hint

The Post Office

The Department of Corrections

River City

The Harold Washington Library

9. During the King riots of April 1968, Mayor Daley actually ordered police to 'shoot to kill any arsonist or anyone with a Molotov Cocktail in his hand' and to 'shoot to maim or cripple anyone looting any stores in our city'.

True

False

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Question 10 of 15

10. What date did the lights come on at Wrigley Field? Hint

June 6th, 1966

August 8th, 1988

September 9th, 1999

May 5th, 1955

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Question 11 of 15

11. Who said, 'Give the lady what she wants'? Hint

Marshall Field

Montgomery Ward

J. C. Penney

Potter Palmer

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Question 12 of 15

12. Which Chicagoan was the first American woman to win the Nobel Peace Prize? Hint

Ellen Gates

Jane Addams

Mother Theresa

Ada Everleigh

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Question 13 of 15

13. Why did the World's Columbian Exposition of 1893 end on a sad note? Hint

Ida B Wells objected to 'Colored People's Day'.

They realized it had gone off a year late.

Mayor Carter Harrison was assassinated two days before.

Sally Rand had a tragic accident.

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Question 14 of 15

14. Which of these cartoon characters was not created by Sidney Smith? Hint

Mary Gold

Andy Gump

Barney Google

Uncle Bim

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Question 15 of 15

15. Who called The Water Tower a 'castellated monstrosity with pepper boxes stuck all over it'?

Answer: (One Word: last name only)

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Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts

1. The First American scientist to win a Nobel Prize taught at the University of Chicago. Name him:

Answer: A. A. Michelson

67 Nobel Prize winners have been either students or faculty at the University of Chicago, more than any other university.

2. Who was Chicago's mayor when the Volstead Act was (mildly) enforced?

Answer: William 'Big Bill' Thompson

The Volstead Act (establishing prohibition) went into effect January 17th, 1920.

3. He arrived as an orphaned infant in 1930. Name Lincoln Park Zoo's most famous resident.

Answer: Bushman the Gorilla

Ziggy lived at Brookfield Zoo, Samson: Milwaukee. Dr. Lester Fisher was Lincoln Park Zoo's most famous human celebrity.

4. What high school was closest to Riverview amusement park?

Answer: Lane Tech

York was in Elmhurst, Maine East: Park Ridge, I made up St Mary's.

5. Chicago was the ______ leading war supplier during the Civil War?

Answer: 2nd

New York was number one.

6. Who said, 'The dark girders of the El were the city's rusty heart'?

Answer: Nelson Algren

All wrote about Chicago, but only Algren spoke so (romantically?) about the elevated trains.

7. Which of these is one of the only two surviving buildings from the 1893 World's Columbian Exposition?

Answer: The Palace of Fine Arts

Designed by Charles B. Atwood, it now houses the Museum of Science and Industry. The Chicago Field Museum is also still standing.

8. The Eisenhower Expressway passes under what building?

Answer: The Post Office

You'll pass River City on your right before you go under the Post Office, then the Department of Corrections is on your left, Harold Washington Library is on your right.

Answer: True

Though no official death toll was reported by police, published accounts say nine to eleven people died. Police were unable to determine whether the deaths were caused by rioting or other crimes.

10. What date did the lights come on at Wrigley Field?

Answer: August 8th, 1988

The game was later called off on account of rain. The first official night game took place August 9th.

11. Who said, 'Give the lady what she wants'?

Answer: Marshall Field

The story goes that Field encountered a manager arguing with a customer the day he uttered the immortal line.

12. Which Chicagoan was the first American woman to win the Nobel Peace Prize?

Answer: Jane Addams

Jane Addams, who established Hull House, said, 'If it is natural to feed the hungry and care for the sick, it is certainly natural to give pleasure to the young, comfort to the aged, and to minister to the deep-seated craving for social intercourse that all men feel.'

13. Why did the World's Columbian Exposition of 1893 end on a sad note?

Answer: Mayor Carter Harrison was assassinated two days before.

Sally Rand survived the fair unscathed, but it really was a year late and Ida B Wells (among scores of others) did protest its racist undertones. Unfortunately, the only reason fairgoers were sad those last few days was because Carter Harrison was dead.

14. Which of these cartoon characters was not created by Sidney Smith?

Answer: Barney Google

Except for Barney Google, they were all part of the comic 'The Gumps' which debuted in the Tribune in 1917.

15. Who called The Water Tower a 'castellated monstrosity with pepper boxes stuck all over it'?

Answer: Wilde

That was in 1882 ...

Source: Author DNL

This quiz was reviewed by FunTrivia editor gtho4 before going online.
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