Presidential Honor Society Trivia Quiz

Answer: Theodore Roosevelt

Recognized for his mediating skills, Theodore Roosevelt, in 1906 was awarded The Nobel Peace Prize for his efforts to resolve the Russo-Japanese War. The conflict between these two nations representing the Far East and the Western World arose over possession of Manchuria and Korea. President Roosevelt invited representatives of Japan and Russia to Portsmouth, New Hampshire where an agreement between the two countries was reached. Because of the Portsmouth Treaty, President Theodore Roosevelt was the first American President to win the Nobel Peace Prize.

Other American Presidents who have been recipients of this award are Woodrow Wilson, Jimmy Carter, and Barack Obama.

Answer: Harry S Truman

In December of 1945, President Harry S Truman's photograph was featured on the cover of Time Magazine as their selection for "Man of the Year". Truman was noted for the ending of World War II. Franklin D. Roosevelt is the only President who has been on Time Magazine's cover as "Man of the Year" three times, (1932-34-41).

Answer: Lyndon B. Johnson

In 1980 Lady Byrd Johnson, the wife of former President Lyndon B. Johnson, accepted the posthumous award of the Presidential Medal of Freedom for her husband from then President Jimmy Carter. In his presentation of the medal, President Carter cited the works of President Johnson's "Great Society". Those works included the establishment of "Head Start", and the "War on Poverty". Lyndon Johnson died January 22, 1973.

The only other President to be awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom posthumously was John F. Kennedy.

Answer: Herbert Hoover

President Herbert Hoover has been noted for receiving many awards. President Hoover has been recognized for receiving seventy-eight medals and awards, eighty-four honorary degrees and many "Keys to the City" presentations. The Presidential Hoover Library lists the extensive medals and awards he has received.

Some examples of these awards are: a Bronze Medal, from the US Mint, (1931), an Honorary LL.D. from Georgetown University, (1926) and the "Keys to the City" of Trenton, New Jersey, (1929).

Although nominated five times for the Nobel Peace Prize in the years 1921, 1933, 1941, 1946, and 1964, President Hoover did not receive that award.

Answer: John F. Kennedy

In 1957, President John F. Kennedy, one of our youngest candidates to be elected president, was awarded the Pulitzer Prize in the biography category for his book, "Profiles in Courage". While convalescing from his wounds incurred while a naval commander of his PT boat during World War II, John F. Kennedy wrote the story of eight United States senators who showed great courage under heavy political pressure. Previously, John F. Kennedy's Harvard thesis, "Why England Slept" was published as a book in 1940.

Answer: Woodrow Wilson

In 1886, (Thomas) Woodrow Wilson earned a Ph.D in history and political science from Johns Hopkins University. President Wilson is the only President who was elected with a doctorate degree. Although the Nobel Peace Prize committee announced that President Wilson was the recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize in 1919, the Norwegian and Swedish Nobel Committee decided that no one had met the standards of Alfred Nobel for this award and so reserved the right to name a recipient the next year. President Woodrow Wilson then received his Nobel Peace Prize in 1920.

Answer: Jimmy Carter

In 2007 President Jimmy Carter won a Grammy award in the spoken word category for his book "Our Endangered Values: America's Moral Crisis". Previously in 1987 President Carter was awarded the Albert Schweitzer Humanitarian Award. Both awards emphasize his dedication to his country. Former President Carter's program "Habitat for Humanity" reflects his values toward those in need.

At the age of ninety, Jimmy Carter remained a "hands on" director of this home building program.

Answer: Gerald Ford

In 1965, Gerald Ford (then Republican Speaker of the House) was nominated by President Nixon to replace Spiro Agnew as vice-president of the United States after Agnew resigned. Then in 1973, Ford replaced Nixon after his own resignation as president of the United States. Thus Ford was never actually elected either president or vice-president.

Gerald Ford came to public notice as a three year college football letter winner, and was a starting player on the Michigan Wolverines 1932 and 1933 national winning teams. Despite a poor record in 1934 when the Wolverines won just one game, he received the Most Valuable Player Award. Other US Presidents who enjoyed playing sports but who did not receive awards were Dwight D. Eisenhower (golf), John F. Kennedy (touch football, sailing), Barack Obama (basketball).

Answer: George W. Bush

In 2014 at an executive meeting of the Anti-Defamation League, former President George W. Bush was singled out for the group's "America's Democratic Legacy Award". This award was based on Bush's leadership during the September 11 attacks and his foreign policy commitment to Israeli-Palestinian peace.

Other former Presidents who have received this honor are Harry S. Truman, Dwight D. Eisenhower, John F. Kennedy, Lyndon Johnson and Ronald Reagan.

Answer: Bill Clinton

In 1968, a young Bill Clinton was selected as a Rhodes Scholar, and began a two-year course in government at Oxford University. In the event, he failed to complete the course, and returned to America for reasons which remain subject of controversy.

Each year thirty-two young Americans are selected for this scholarship honor. Cecil Rhodes, the founder of the Rhodes Scholarship, established this award for outstanding students, and the characteristics of good character and potential for leadership in whatever their chosen profession. In retrospect, whether Clinton meets BOTH of these criteria is a moot point.