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Quiz about Assassination Attempt1835 America

Assassination Attempt-1835 America Quiz

On January 30, 1835, Richard Lawrence attempted to assassinate President Andrew Jackson.

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

Author
keithkomodo

Time
5 mins

Type
Multiple Choice

Quiz #
380,634

Updated
Sep 10 23

# Qns
15

Difficulty
Average

Avg Score
10 / 15

Plays
263

One at a Time - Single Page - Timed Game

Question 1 of 15

1. Where was Richard Lawrence born? Hint

Dublin, Ireland

Baltimore, Maryland

Lancashire, England

Richmond, VA

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Question 2 of 15

2. What was Lawrence's profession, which may have contributed to the personality changes that he exhibited when in his thirties? Hint

Boat builder

Soldier

House painter

Chimney sweep

3. In 1832 and 1833, Richard Lawrence told relatives several times that he was returning to England, but after leaving he never got that far before returning to Washington. What did he eventually tell his family he had to do in order to be able to return to England? Hint

Assassinate the president.

Paint the White House red.

Get Congress to approve his trip.

Have enough money to hire his own ship and captain.

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Question 4 of 15

4. Richard Lawrence then quit his job. What reason did he give his relatives for not needing to work? Hint

He was President of the United States.

He could mint his own money.

He was heir to the Vanderbilt fortune.

He was King Richard III and the US owed him money.

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Question 5 of 15

5. What additional bizarre behavior was Richard Lawrence NOT displaying by 1834? Hint

Running naked around the house.

Changing clothes up to four times per day.

Verbal and physical abuse towards others.

Standing in his doorway for hours.

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Question 6 of 15

6. Who did Richard think would pay him if President Andrew Jackson was dead? Hint

The US Congress

Vice President Martin Van Buren

Bank of England

France

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Question 7 of 15

7. The attempt was made at the Capitol Building. Why was President Jackson there on January 30, 1835. Hint

To attend a funeral.

He was making a speech to Congress.

He had nothing else to do.

He had a meeting with senators.

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Question 8 of 15

8. Lawrence took up a position behind a column and waited for Jackson to come out. When Jackson walked by, Lawrence fired one shot at his back, and when Jackson turned and came toward him, fired another shot from a second pistol.
What were the results of those shots? Hint

Both guns misfired.

Both struck bystanders.

Both shots missed.

Both grazed Johnson.

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Question 9 of 15

9. What was Andrew Jackson's response to the attempted shooting? Hint

He ran back in the Capitol building.

He charged Lawrence and thrashed him with his cane.

He dropped to his knees and prayed.

He stood in stunned silence.

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Question 10 of 15

10. Among the crowd that intervened and subdued Richard Lawrence was what legendary American hero? Hint

Pecos Bill

John Henry

Paul Bunyan

Davy Crockett

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Question 11 of 15

11. Who was the prosecutor at Richard Lawrence's trial? He is widely known for something he wrote during the war of 1812. Hint

Francis Scott Key

Thomas Jefferson

Joyce Kilmer

James Madison

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Question 12 of 15

12. What verdict did the jury reach in Lawrence's trial? Hint

Not guilty

Guilty of attempted murder

Not guilty by reason of insanity

Guilty of attempted manslaughter

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Question 13 of 15

13. Did Andrew Jackson believe that Richard Lawrence acted alone?

Yes

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Question 14 of 15

14. Another Senator was suspected of conspiracy. What was Senator George Poindexter's connection to Richard Lawrence?
Hint

They were friends from school.

The resided on the same street.

Lawrence had done some house painting for him.

Poindexter owned a paint company.

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Question 15 of 15

15. What happened to Lawrence after his trial? Hint

Made a complete recovery after four years.

Escaped and was never found.

Lynched by angry Jackson supporters.

Spent rest of his life in hospitals.

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Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts

1. Where was Richard Lawrence born?

Answer: Lancashire, England

Lawrence was born in Lancashire in 1800 or 1801, coming over to America at the age of 12, and living in Washington D.C. A vast portion of the population at that time was foreign born. Ironically, Jackson was the first president born on American soil.

2. What was Lawrence's profession, which may have contributed to the personality changes that he exhibited when in his thirties?

Answer: House painter

Historians think that inhaling fumes from the paint may have caused or contributed to his personality disorders. He had a normal childhood, and was a pleasant young adult.

Answer: Have enough money to hire his own ship and captain.

Richard was having delusions that the government did not approve of his trip. Also, he believed he was reading of this dissaproval in newspapers while he was in Philadelphia.

4. Richard Lawrence then quit his job. What reason did he give his relatives for not needing to work?

Answer: He was King Richard III and the US owed him money.

Richard began to believe he was the King of England. At that time, Cornelius Vanderbilt was building his first financial empire in shipping, before later building a second in railroads.

5. What additional bizarre behavior was Richard Lawrence NOT displaying by 1834?

Answer: Running naked around the house.

Richard had threatened to kill a maid who, he thought, laughed at him. He was also abusive towards his sisters. He was wearing fancy clothes, which he changed often during the day. He did enjoy hearing neighborhood children greet him as King Richard as he stood in his doorway, not realizing they were taunting him.

6. Who did Richard think would pay him if President Andrew Jackson was dead?

Answer: Vice President Martin Van Buren

In his delusions, for reasons known only to him, Richard thought Martin Van Buren would be glad to pay him if he were President of the United States. Van Buren did go on to be the eighth president by election.

7. The attempt was made at the Capitol Building. Why was President Jackson there on January 30, 1835.

Answer: To attend a funeral.

Jackson was attending a funeral service for Representative Warren Davis of South Carolina. Lawrence wanted to shoot him as he was going in, but could not get close enough.

Answer: Both guns misfired.

Both pistols misfired! It was a humid day, and the type of guns used were suppossedly known for having problems in that situation. Incredibly, when the FBI tested both guns in the 1930's, they both fired correctly!

9. What was Andrew Jackson's response to the attempted shooting?

Answer: He charged Lawrence and thrashed him with his cane.

Old Hickory lived up to his name. He beat Lawrence with his cane, showing no fear. More than twenty years after he led troops in the Battle of New Orleans, Andrew Jackson was still a tough man.

10. Among the crowd that intervened and subdued Richard Lawrence was what legendary American hero?

Answer: Davy Crockett

Davy Crockett was there as a member of the House of Representatives from Tennessee. A year later he would die at the Alamo. The other choices are fictional heroes from American myth.

11. Who was the prosecutor at Richard Lawrence's trial? He is widely known for something he wrote during the war of 1812.

Answer: Francis Scott Key

Key is the author of the "Star Spangled Banner", written during the British bombardment at Fort McHenry. Kilmer wrote the poem "Trees", and he was killed by a sniper during WWI. Jefferson is credited with being the primary author of the Declaration of Independence, among his many accomplishments. Monroe was the 5th US President and established the Monroe Doctrine which stated that we would not tolerate foreign nations meddling in the Western Hemisphere.

12. What verdict did the jury reach in Lawrence's trial?

Answer: Not guilty by reason of insanity

It took the jury just five minutes to reach a verdict. Looking at the evidence available from a modern stand point, it was likely the correct verdict.

13. Did Andrew Jackson believe that Richard Lawrence acted alone?

Answer: No

Andrew Jackson, a Democrat, believed that rivals in the opposition party of that time, the Whigs, were part of a conspiracy to assassinate him. There was extreme tension due to his veto of a re-charter of the Second National Bank. Senator John Calhoun declared on the floor of the senate that he had nothing to do with the attempt, but Jackson never believed it. Tensions became so bad that Martin Van Buren started carrying two pistols with him when he went over to Congress. And we think politics are rough in 2016?

14. Another Senator was suspected of conspiracy. What was Senator George Poindexter's connection to Richard Lawrence?

Answer: Lawrence had done some house painting for him.

Lawrence had been hired to paint at Poindexter's home several months prior to the attack. There never has been any evidence that shows Lawrence conspired with Poindexter, Calhoun, or anyone else. Most historians reasonably believe that Lawrence acted on his own, according to his delusional mind.

15. What happened to Lawrence after his trial?

Answer: Spent rest of his life in hospitals.

Richard Lawrence spent the rest of his life in hospitals. He died in 1860. At that time, there was no real treatment or medication that could have possibly cured what ailed him. And since his attempt failed, he his barely known to history, which is as well.

Source: Author keithkomodo

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