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The Conservative Tradition Trivia Quiz

The American and British Conservatives differ in interesting ways while sharing a common heritage. This quiz tests your knowledge of both British and American Conservative history.

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

Author
adrianlove

Time
5 mins

Type
Multiple Choice

Quiz #
348,020

Updated
Dec 03 21

# Qns
15

Difficulty
Average

Avg Score
10 / 15

Plays
391

One at a Time - Single Page - Timed Game

Question 1 of 15

1. What Tory of the late 18th century was the youngest Prime Minister in British History, holding the office for 18 uninterrupted years? Hint

Sir Robert Peel

Arthur Wellesley, Duke of Wellington

William Gladstone

William Pitt the Younger

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Question 2 of 15

2. What resulted in establishing the principle that the English (and from 1707, British) monarchy from then on would be exclusively Protestant? Hint

The Wars of Religion

The Glorious Revolution

The Spanish Armada

The English Civil War

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Question 3 of 15

3. Edmund Burke was the author of what conservative classic? Hint

Rights of Man

Reflections on the Revolution in France

Conservativism and the Conservative Party

The American Tory

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Question 4 of 15

4. "The Federalist" is an anthology of writings supporting the Constitution. Who were the authors? Hint

James Madison, Alexander Hamilton and John Jay

Alexander Hamilton, Thomas Jefferson and John C Calhoun

Benjamin Franklin, Thomas Jefferson and George Washington

Daniel Webster, Thomas Jefferson and James Madison

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Question 5 of 15

5. What was the Bank War of 1830-1832? Hint

The attempt of the Southern States to establish their own currency

Andrew Jackson vetoed legislation renewing the charter of the Second Bank of the United States

The argument in American newspapers against creating a national bank

A citizen's revolt demanding repayment of loans they made to the government during the American Revolution

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Question 6 of 15

6. What did the Corn Laws, passed in 1815 in Britain, legislate? Hint

High tariffs on grain imported into Britain

The payment to potato farmers in Ireland to grow corn instead

Higher taxes on corn, to encourage the growing of diverse grain

Made it illegal to export corn abroad, as long as it was needed to feed the hungry in Britain

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Question 7 of 15

7. How was Adam Smith, author of the conservative classic, "An Inquiry into the Wealth of Nations" (1776) regarded in his own time? Hint

A member of the landed gentry.

The Father of Modern Capitalism

A radical

A leader in the Conservative Party

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Question 8 of 15

8. Benjamin Disraeli was a Conservative Prime Minister in 19th century Britain. Who was his long-time Liberal rival? Hint

William Gladstone

Edmund Burke

Robert Peel

Herbert Asquith

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Question 9 of 15

9. What was John C. Calhoun famous for? Hint

A Southern abolitionist

A preacher during the Second Great Awakening, advocating family values

An advocate for States rights in the period before the Civil War

An economist who wrote newspaper columns warning of the dangers of deregulation

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Question 10 of 15

10. Prime Minister during World War II, Winston Churchill lost to which Labour Party Leader just before the end of the war? Hint

Harold Wilson

Clement Attlee

Sir Anthony Eden

Harold Macmillan

11. Ayn Rand (1905-1982) was a Russian emmigrant philosopher and author of bestsellers "Atlas Shrugged" and "The Fountainhead". She was an inspiration to Alan Greenspan, conservative Chairman of the Federal Reserve from 1987-2006. What was the name of her philosophical movement? Hint

Objectivism

Pragmatism

Structuralism

Utilitarianism

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Question 12 of 15

12. Which of the following statements is NOT a reason for which Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher was criticized, leading to her losing the election for leadership of the Conservative Party in 1990? Hint

She nationalized public health

She was willing to accept high unemployment as a necessary step to revitalizing the economy

She initiated the Falklands War

She refused to make concessions to a powerful coal miner's union

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Question 13 of 15

13. Alan Bloom authored what conservative classic that warned Americans of the harm of rock music, pornography and cultural ignorance? Hint

Cultural Literacy

The Closing of the American Mind

Tenured Radicals

The Conservative Mind

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Question 14 of 15

14. Conservative leader William F. Buckley was the publisher of what conservative publication? Hint

New Republic

National Review

American Scholar

Christian Science Monitor

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Question 15 of 15

15. What Conservative ran against Lyndon B. Johnson in the 1964 US Presidential election? Hint

Barry Goldwater

Nelson Rockefeller

Richard Nixon

William F Buckley, Jr

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Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts

1. What Tory of the late 18th century was the youngest Prime Minister in British History, holding the office for 18 uninterrupted years?

Answer: William Pitt the Younger

William Pitt the Younger (PM from 1783-1801 and 1804-1806) was only 24 when he first became Prime Minister of Britain. During his term, he became gradually more conservative, especially in response to the French Revolution, which he felt could possibly spread to Britain.

2. What resulted in establishing the principle that the English (and from 1707, British) monarchy from then on would be exclusively Protestant?

Answer: The Glorious Revolution

In 1688, King James II fled England to France. England then invited William III and Mary II (the Protestant daughter of James II) to become the new monarchs. The Catholic heirs of James II continued to claim legitimacy to the throne, but members of Parliament agreed that British monarchs could not be Roman Catholic, due to the fact that they were the Head of the Church of England.

At the time Roman Catholicism was closely associated with monarchic absolutism.

3. Edmund Burke was the author of what conservative classic?

Answer: Reflections on the Revolution in France

Burke wrote this conservative classic in 1791. Conservatives in Britain at that time were anxious about the violent repercussions of the French Revolution, and feared that it would is would spread across the Channel.

4. "The Federalist" is an anthology of writings supporting the Constitution. Who were the authors?

Answer: James Madison, Alexander Hamilton and John Jay

The Federalist Papers were published in newspapers under the pseudonym of Publius, and they argued in favor of ratifying the new constitution. The Anti-Federalists often published in the same newspapers. They were in favor of keeping the Articles of Federation.

5. What was the Bank War of 1830-1832?

Answer: Andrew Jackson vetoed legislation renewing the charter of the Second Bank of the United States

To the Conservatives, the veto was seen as an assertion of tyrannical power and pandering to citizens' class resentments.

6. What did the Corn Laws, passed in 1815 in Britain, legislate?

Answer: High tariffs on grain imported into Britain

From the early 19th century on Britain had great difficulty growing all the cereals needed to feed the population, and some grain imports were usually essential. The Corn Laws were enacted to help the landowners by making imported grain more expensive and keeping home produced grain very profitable.

7. How was Adam Smith, author of the conservative classic, "An Inquiry into the Wealth of Nations" (1776) regarded in his own time?

Answer: A radical

Prior to Smith, the dominant school of economics was mercantilism, which promoted the use of imperialism and protective trade barriers. In contrast, Smith promoted free trade aimed and promoting economic equality.

8. Benjamin Disraeli was a Conservative Prime Minister in 19th century Britain. Who was his long-time Liberal rival?

Answer: William Gladstone

Benjamin Disraeli served as Prime Minister in 1868 & then from 1874-1880. William Gladstone was Prime Minister from 1868-1874, 1880-1885, 1886 & then 1892-1894. Disraeli was said to have been Queen Victoria's favorite prime minister.

9. What was John C. Calhoun famous for?

Answer: An advocate for States rights in the period before the Civil War

John C. Calhoun (1782-1850) was the Vice President under Andrew Jackson and a US Senator from South Carolina. When the slave states seceded, setting off events leading to the Civil War, they used many of Calhoun's arguments.

10. Prime Minister during World War II, Winston Churchill lost to which Labour Party Leader just before the end of the war?

Answer: Clement Attlee

Winston Churchill was considered by most Britons as the best man to be Prime Minister during World War II. As the war ended, they looked toward a peacetime future. Many considered him old fashioned, elitist and imperialistic. Attlee, by contrast, nationalized major areas of the British economy and began to dissolve the empire (at least in Asia). Churchill led the Conservative Party back to power in 1951.

Answer: Objectivism

Ayn Rand has also been an inspiration to the Tea Party movement. However, she has been controversial as far as her place in American Conservativism is concerned. She promoted reason, individualism, and personal happiness. By contrast, American Conservatives are more likely to promote faith, tradition and duty.

Answer: She nationalized public health

Margaret Thatcher, Prime Minister of Britain from 1979-1990, was the nation's first female PM and one of the most influential Prime Ministers of the 20th century.

13. Alan Bloom authored what conservative classic that warned Americans of the harm of rock music, pornography and cultural ignorance?

Answer: The Closing of the American Mind

Bloom recommended a return to classical education. His critics accused him of elitism, sexism and racism.

14. Conservative leader William F. Buckley was the publisher of what conservative publication?

Answer: National Review

William F. Buckley started "National Review" in 1955. He recruited Conservative contributors such as Russell Kirk, Whittaker Chambers, and Joan Didion.

15. What Conservative ran against Lyndon B. Johnson in the 1964 US Presidential election?

Answer: Barry Goldwater

Barry Goldwater was a Senator of Arizona when he ran for President opposing sitting president Lyndon Baines Johnson in 1964. His opponents accused him of being too eager to use nuclear power in dealing with international conflicts.

Source: Author adrianlove

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