Can You Ace This Mixed General Knowledge Quiz If We Give You Hints?

Estimated Completion Time
3 min
Can You Ace This Mixed General Knowledge Quiz If We Give You Hints?
Image: Wiki Commons via Wiki Commons

About This Quiz

Plenty of people are one-hit-wonders when it comes to knowing everything about a topic. They dive into something about which they are passionate, whether it's sports, TV, history or science, and pride themselves on an encyclopedic knowledge of the subject. While such passion is admirable, the trivia master of all trades is much less common.

This quiz is for the knowledge buffs, those who love the act of learning so much that it transcends subject matter. If you know as much about the greatest moments in entertainment history as you do about WWI, then this just might be the quiz for you.

Of course, acing a quiz like this won't come easy; you'll have to think way back to the stuff you learned in school, recall classics of American literature, add in a few global brand icons and some mindless television trivia, and top it all with a touch of current events to earn a score worth bragging about to your friends.

Think you've got what it takes to breeze through these questions and show off the breadth of your knowledge? Take our quiz to prove it!

Alaska and Hawaii state
scibak/E+/Getty Images
In what year did the U.S. get its 50th state?
1859
1919
1959
1979
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The U.S. gained not only its 50th​ but also its 49th state in 1959 with the addition of Alaska and Hawaii. Alaska came first, in January, followed by Hawaii in August.

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Betty White (The Golden Girls)
NBC via youtube
Everyone loves Betty White, but do you remember which show made her famous?
"M*A*S*H*"
"The Golden Girls"
"The Brady Bunch"
"Father Knows Best"
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Betty White starred as Rose Nylund on "The Golden Girls," which ran from 1985 to 1992. The series featured White, Bea Arthur, Rue McClanahan and Esetelle Getty enjoying their golden years as a makeshift family.

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Albert Einstein
Doris Ulmann (1882 - 1934) via Wiki Commons
Who came up with this famous formula E=MC squared?
Albert Einstein
Louis Pasteur
Marie Curie
Alexander Graham Bell
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

It was Einstein who developed this famous formula, known as the mass-energy equilibrium. He also developed the theory of relativity, earning him the Nobel Prize in Physics in 1921.

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Neil Armstrong on Moon
NASA via Wiki Commons
In what year did Neil Armstrong take one giant leap?
1939
1969
1989
2009
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Armstrong walked on the moon in July 1969. He was part of the Apollo 11 mission, with fellow astronauts Buzz Aldrin and Michael Collins.

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Nelson Simpson
Fox via youtube
Which of these is not one of Marge and Homer Simpson's children?
Bart
Lisa
Maggie
Nelson
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

"The Simpsons" premiered in 1989 and launched its 30th season in 2018. This beloved series focuses on Marge and Homer Simpson, who are parents to three children named Bart, Lisa, ​and Maggie.

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Johannes Gutenberg
Jean-Antoine Laurent via Wiki Commons
Which of these is Johannes Gutenberg famous for inventing?
Telephone
Television
Printing press
Telescope
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

In the 1400s, German Johannes Gutenberg developed movable type, leading to a successful printing press. His invention made widespread literacy possible, and helped spur everything from the Renaissance to the Scientific Revolution.

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Confederacy in Civil War
Internet Archive Book Images via Wiki Commons
What name did the southern states take during the Civil War?
Colonists
Confederacy
Union
Apache
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The south became known as the Confederacy as they took on the northern Union states during the American Civil War. The bloody event ended in 1865 when Lee surrendered to Grant at Appomattox Court House in Virginia.

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Barrack Obama inauguration
White House/Pete Souza via Wiki Commons
In what year did the U.S. inaugurate its first black President?
1999
2004
2009
2014
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Barrack Obama became the 44th President -- and the first African-American to hold the office on January 20, 2009. Before becoming president, he was a lawyer and a s​enator representing Illinois.

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Jean Finch - Scout.
Universal Pictures via youtube
Which great American novel featured a narrator named Scout?
"The Great Gatsby"
"The Grapes of Wrath"
"To Kill a Mockingbird"
"Moby Dick"
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

"To Kill a Mockingbird" earned Harper Lee a Pulitzer Prize after it was published in 1960. Her novel of racial tensions in the 1930s south featured a narrator named Jean Finch -- also known as Scout.

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periodic table
Daniel Hurst Photography/Moment/Getty Images
What is the symbol for gold on the periodic table?
Gu
Gd
Au
Tn
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Gold, which has atomic number 79, is represented by the symbol Au. Its shimmery metal cousin, silver, has a similar symbol -- Ag.

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Pearl Harbor attack
National Museum of the U.S. Navy via Wiki Commons
The Pearl Harbor attack took place during this war.
Vietnam
Korea
WWI
WWII
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

World War II endured from 1939 to 1945. While many countries were involved, the U.S. remained largely unaffected until a disastrous bombing of a U.S. military base at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, in 1941.

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Ford Mustang 1965
nakhon100 via Wiki Commons
In what year did Ford introduce​ the first Mustang?
1945
1965
1985
2005
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The iconic American muscle car, the Ford Mustang, came out in mid-1965. Purists call the earliest models the "64-1/2" because it came out earlier than the typical auto release for the year.

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measuring cup
Stratol/E+/Getty Images
How many ounces are in a cup?
4
6
8
12
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

A cup consists of 8 liquid ounces. There are 2 cups in a pint, and 8 pints per gallon. Knowing these quick measurement swaps is useful for everything from baking to counting calories.

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Kristin shoot J.R. Ewing in show Dallas
CBS via youtube
So, who shot J.R. on the classic show, "Dallas"?
His mom
Kristin
Dusty
Vaughn
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

A major cliffhanger in season three of the show, "Dallas," left fans wondering who shot J.R. Ewing, played by Larry Hagman. After an unbearable off-season, fans learned it was J.R.'s own sister-in-law who pulled the trigger.

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assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand
Austro-Hungarian Official Photographer via Wiki Commons
The assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand set off this war.
WWI
WWII
War of 1812
Civil War
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The assasination of Austria's Archduke Franz Ferdinand in 1914 was a key event that helped to set off WWI. The war pitted the Allies, which included France, England, Russia, the U.S. and Japan, against the Axis powers of Germany, Austria and the Ottoman Empire.

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Liverpool (The Beatles)
Loz Pycock via Wiki Commons
From which city did the Beatles originate?
London
Manchester
Liverpool
Oxford
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The Fab Four hailed from Liverpool, a working-class city in northern England. Fans can still visit Liverpool today and see places like Strawberry Fields or Penny Lane.

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9_11 attack
Wiki Commons
September 11 is a somber date in U.S. history due to a terrorist attack during this year.
1991
2001
2008
2014
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

September 11, 2001, is a day that will forever be remembered in the U.S. On that day, a terrorist attack by al-Qaeda claimed almost 3,000 lives.

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Michael Jackson's Thriller album
Epic/CBS via youtube
Which of these songs didn't appear on Michael Jackson's "Thriller" album?
"Black or White"
"Thriller"
"Beat It"
"Billie Jean"
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Michael Jackson's "Thriller" album was the best-selling album of 1983, and one of the best-selling albums of all time. In addition to the title track, it featured hits like "Beat it" and "Billie Jean" -- but "Black or White" appeared on a different album.

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centimeters in an inch
Adam Gault/OJO Images/Getty Images
How many centimeters are there in an inch?
1.0
2.54
4.25
7.11
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Metric or imperial? It doesn't matter if you know some basic rules of switching from one to another. For instance, an inch is equal to 2.54 centimeters, and there are 30.48 centimeters in one foot.

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Charlotte Bronte
Painted by Evert A. Duyckinck, based on a drawing by George Richmond via Wiki Commons
Which writer penned the classic, "Jane Eyre"?
Harper Lee
Jane Austen
Mark Twain
Charlotte Bronte
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

English writer Charlotte Bronte created the masterful classic, "Jane Eyre." Her sister Emily is famous for writing another classic novel, "Wuthering Heights."

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19th amendment
Carl Deeg via Wiki Commons
Which amendment gave women the right to vote in the U.S.?
12th
19th
21st
26th
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Just 100 years ago, women didn't have the right to elect their leaders. That all changed with the 19th amendment, which gave women in the U.S. the right to vote.

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Canberra
Posnov/Moment/Getty Images
This city is the capital of Australia.
Sydney
Melbourne
Canberra
Perth
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The capital of Australia is probably not a city you're all that familiar with. The city of Canberra, home to 410,000 people, is located about 170 miles south of Sydney and is home to the nation's administrative headquarters.

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human sceleton
Image Source/Image Source/Getty Images
How many bones are in the human body?
106
156
206
306
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Humans are born with 270 bones, which fuses to 206 by adulthood. About half of these bones are located in the hands and feet.

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Emancipation Proclamation
Francis Bicknell Carpenter/reproduction by Keystone View Company via Wiki Commons
What did the Emancipation Proclamation do?
Free the slaves
End the Civil War
Make Lincoln the president
Declare Christianity as the official U.S. religion
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

In January 1863, President Abraham Lincoln issued his iconic Emancipation Proclamation. This order freed the slaves, granting more than 3.5 million people a whole new life.

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Eiffel Tower
Photo by Benjawan Sittidech/Moment/Getty Images
In what city is the Eiffel Tower located?
New York
Paris
London
Tokyo
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

At 1,063 feet tall, the Eiffel Tower soars high above the city of Paris, France. Made from iron, it was erected in 1889 to serve as the entrance to the World's Fair.

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Sumerian writing
俞磊 via Wiki Commons
The Sumerian people, who lived in this modern-day country, developed the first written language.
Iraq
Egypt
Russia
Mexico
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The Sumerian people developed the first written language, known as cuneiform, around 2600 BC. They lived in Mesopotamia, which is now known as Iraq.

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George Washington
WikiCommons
In what year did George Washington become president?
1689
1739
1789
1889
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

George Washington served as a General in the American Revolutionary War. He was elected the first President of the U.S. in 1789, a title he held until 1797.

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Kingdoms of life
FuseSchool - Global Education via youtube
Which of these is NOT one of the five Kingdoms of life?
Mammalia
Plantae
Fungi
Animalia
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Biologists divide all living things into five Kingdoms. These include Prokaryotae, Protoctista, Fungi, Plantae and Animalia.

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Pennsylvania state
chokkicx/DigitalVision Vectors/Getty Images
Four planes were hijacked on 9/11/01. They crashed in New York, Washington, D.C., and this state.
Florida
Pennsylvania
Montana
New Jersey
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Four planes were hijacked during the terrorist attack of September 11, 2001. Two were flown into the World Trade Center, one flew into the Pentagon, and the fourth crashed into a field in Pennsylvania.

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Atlanta
Scott Moore 2012/Moment/Getty Images
Which city is the birthplace of Coca-Cola?
Atlanta
Boston
Charlotte
Dallas
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

John Pemberton invented Coca-Cola in his Atlanta pharmacy in 1886. Rival Pepsi began in New Bern, North Carolina, in 1893.

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Mt. Rushmore
Jacobs Stock Photography Ltd/DigitalVision /Getty Images
Which president is not seen on Mt. Rushmore?
Washington
Lincoln
Taft
Jefferson
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Completed in 1941, Mt. Rushmore National Monument is carved into the Black Hills of South Dakota. It's adorned with the faces of four Presidents: Washington, Lincoln, Jefferson and Roosevelt.

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Judy Garland (The Wizard of Oz)
Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer via youtube
Which actress starred in the 1939 classic, "The Wizard of Oz"?
Elizabeth Taylor
Vivian Leigh
Shirley Temple
Judy Garland
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

A young Judy Garland starred as Dorothy in the 1939 film, "The Wizard of Oz." The film, based on the classic L. Frank Baum novel, has been remade many times since on film and stage.

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Jonas Salk
SAS Scandinavian Airlines via Wiki Commons
What is Jonas Salk famous for inventing?
Computer
Polio vaccine
Pasteurization
Pagers
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

In 1954, Jonas Salk put his polio vaccine to the test, injecting it into millions. It was a huge success, and saved thousands of children from the horrific paralysis and death associated with the disease.

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Rosetta Stone
Wiki Commons via Wiki Commons
The discovery of the Rosetta Stone allowed for the translation of this language for the first time.
Ancient Greek
Latin
Cuneiform
Hieroglyphics
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The Rosetta Stone was a seemingly banal document discovered in 1799. Because it contained the same information carved in three separate languages, it allowed archaeologists to decipher Egyptian hieroglyphics for the first time.

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Cleopatra
Wilhelm Kotarbiński via Wiki Commons
Cleopatra died during this year.
2,600 BC
1,300 BC
30 BC
600 AD
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Though she's seen as an ancient figure, Cleopatra lived from 69 to 30 BC. That means she lived closer to your own life than she did to the time that the Great Pyramid was constructed.

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Ottawa
shutterstock
Which of these cities is the capital of Canada?
Ottawa
Montreal
Vancouver
Toronto
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Though it's much smaller than Toronto, Ottawa in southern Ontario serves as Canada's capital city. Founded as Bytown in the 1820s, it was established as the capital in 1826.

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The Brady Bunch
ABC via youtube
Which of these was not a Brady kid?
Greg
Marsha
Ginger
Peter
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

"The Brady Bunch" was a happy-go-lucky family series that aired in the '70s. It told the story of a man named Brady, his lovely wife, Carol, and their six children: Greg, Marsha, Jan, Peter, Bobby and Cindy.

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F. Scott Fitzgerald
The World's Work via Wiki Commons
Who penned "The Great Gatsby"?
F. Scott Fitzgerald
Herman Melville
Mark Twain
John Steinbeck
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

F. Scott Fitzgerald released "The Great Gatsby" in 1925. This decadent tale of the '20s tells the story of a man named Jay Gatsby and the girl he will never win.

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American Revolution
Archibald Willard via Wiki Commons
Who were the colonists fighting during the American Revolution?
France
England
Russia
Mexico
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The American Revolution was a war between British colonists in the New World and the soldiers of Great Britain. It lasted from 1765 to 1783, when the colonists won their independence.

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adult teeth
Tara Moore/DigitalVision/Getty Images
How many teeth does the average adult have?
20
26
32
46
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Kids are born with 20 teeth, while a typical adult has 32. This includes the wisdom teeth, or third molars, which many people have removed these days.

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You Got:
/40
Wiki Commons via Wiki Commons