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James Blaine Trivia Quiz

This quiz tests players' knowledge of the longtime U.S. politician James Blaine. Best of luck!

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

Author
Triviaballer

Time
4 mins

Type
Multiple Choice

Quiz #
298,662

Updated
Dec 03 21

# Qns
10

Difficulty
Average

Avg Score
7 / 10

Plays
470

One at a Time - Single Page - Timed Game

Question 1 of 10

1. James Blaine's middle name and his mother's maiden name were exactly the same. What name was this? Hint

Gerhardt

Gillespie

Davis

Anderson

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Question 2 of 10

2. What state did James Blaine represent the third district for in the U.S. House of Representatives? Hint

Pennsylvania

Massachusetts

Maine

New York

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Question 3 of 10

3. How many years did James Blaine serve in the United States Senate? Hint

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Question 4 of 10

4. What did James Blaine's proposed constitutional amendment in 1875 forbid? Hint

Giving public funds to religious schools.

Readmitting a state back to the Union after it has seceded.

Discriminating by race in employment.

Establishing a federal progressive income tax.

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Question 5 of 10

5. The 1876 Republican nomination for president was a very close race. Who beat James Blaine 384 to 351 on the seventh ballot to receive the party's nomination? Hint

Roscoe Conkling

William A. Wheeler

Rutherford B. Hayes

Benjamin H. Bristow

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Question 6 of 10

6. Under what three presidents did James Blaine serve as Secretary of State? Hint

Rutherford Hayes and Chester Arthur

Rutherford Hayes, James Garfield and Chester Arthur

James Garfield, Chester Arthur and Benjamin Harrison

Ulysses Grant, Rutherford Hayes and Grover Cleveland

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Question 7 of 10

7. What was the name of the Protestant clergyman that James Blaine blamed for his loss in the 1884 presidential election? Hint

Jeremiah Wright

Samuel Burchard

John Sherman

Hugh Ewing

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Question 8 of 10

8. What state's 36 electoral votes in the 1884 election were granted to Grover Cleveland after he won the popular vote in that state by a vote of 584,025 to 582,978? Hint

Florida

Pennsylvania

New York

Virginia

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Question 9 of 10

9. What organization did James Blaine serve as the president of in 1890? Hint

Global Communications Congress

World Cities Summit

North American Unity Frontier

Pan-American Congress

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Question 10 of 10

10. What was the name of the historical work written by James Blaine that told the story of his life in politics? Hint

Twenty Years of Congress

James Blaine: A Republican Trailblazer

A Congressional Life

The Blaine Years: 1863-1892

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Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts

1. James Blaine's middle name and his mother's maiden name were exactly the same. What name was this?

Answer: Gillespie

James Blaine was born on January 31, 1830, in West Brownsville, Pennsylvania. James' father was a Scottish Presbyterian while his mother was an Irish Catholic.

2. What state did James Blaine represent the third district for in the U.S. House of Representatives?

Answer: Maine

Blaine represented Maine's third district from 1863 to 1876. Blaine served as Speaker of the House for the 41st, 42nd and 43rd Congresses. Before becoming involved in the U.S. Congress, Blaine was the editor of the Kennebec Journal and the Portland Advertiser.

3. How many years did James Blaine serve in the United States Senate?

Answer: 5

James Blaine served as a senator from Maine from 1876 to 1881. While in Congress Blaine worked toward finding the best means for the former secessionist states to repay the federal government and how many votes they should receive in the Electoral College.

4. What did James Blaine's proposed constitutional amendment in 1875 forbid?

Answer: Giving public funds to religious schools.

Blaine's proposed amendment came up four votes short of passing the U.S. Senate. Most states have adopted laws known as Blaine Amendments which disallow government aid to educational institutions with a religious affiliation.

5. The 1876 Republican nomination for president was a very close race. Who beat James Blaine 384 to 351 on the seventh ballot to receive the party's nomination?

Answer: Rutherford B. Hayes

The presidential election of 1876 was also a very close race with Hayes edging out the Democratic nominee Samuel J. Tilden. William Wheeler was the Republican Vice President nominee in 1876.

6. Under what three presidents did James Blaine serve as Secretary of State?

Answer: James Garfield, Chester Arthur and Benjamin Harrison

In 1889 Blaine became the second person to hold the position of Secretary of State during two non-consecutive terms. Daniel Webster was the first to do this when he was Secretary of State under Harrison, Tyler and Fillmore.

7. What was the name of the Protestant clergyman that James Blaine blamed for his loss in the 1884 presidential election?

Answer: Samuel Burchard

Burchard came up with the line 'Rum, Romanism and Rebellion' to describe Democrats. Many undecided voters believed that Blaine shared this opinion and felt that he disliked Catholics and the southern states.

8. What state's 36 electoral votes in the 1884 election were granted to Grover Cleveland after he won the popular vote in that state by a vote of 584,025 to 582,978?

Answer: New York

The 1,047 vote margin in the state of New York was detrimental in Blaine's bid for the presidency. Cleveland received 219 electoral votes and 48.5% of the popular vote nationally while Blaine received 182 electoral votes and 48.2% of the popular vote.

9. What organization did James Blaine serve as the president of in 1890?

Answer: Pan-American Congress

The First International Congress of American States was held in Washington D.C. in 1889 and 1890. The Pan-American Congress later became the Organization of American States.

10. What was the name of the historical work written by James Blaine that told the story of his life in politics?

Answer: Twenty Years of Congress

James Blaine's career in Washington politics comprised the years 1863 to 1881 and 1889 to 1892. Blaine is died at the age of 62 and is interred at Blaine Memorial Park in Augusta, Maine.

Source: Author Triviaballer

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