About This Quiz
Think you know all about Baby Boomers? Prove it!
"Baby Boomers" is the name given to the generation that was born at the end of World War II. As soldiers came home from the war, they settled down, bought houses and started families. Baby boomers are those born between 1946 and 1964 (although some sources list the first Boomer year as 1943). Currently, Baby Boomers are rivaled in number by millennials, with both generations in the United States boasting current numbers of at least 70 million.
Not to be left out, other regions cataloged their own Baby Boom. Australia, Canada, Europe and Asia recorded births in record numbers. This generation experienced benefits that previous generations didn't.
Baby Boomers were the richest, healthiest and highest educated generation to date. More Boomers in the United States graduated high school than previous generations, and many went to college on the G.I. Bill. G.I. benefits also enabled boomers to realize the American dream of home ownership in record numbers. And rising incomes enabled them to experience what some describe as the first economic excess as a generation.
How much do you remember about that time? And do you know enough to earn the title of a baby boomer? Take this quiz to find out!
"Eat what's in front of you, or don't eat at all." Baby Boomers heard this constantly.
"The Howdy Doody Show" was watched by many Baby Boomers. He was a beloved puppet, and the series aired until 1960.
Women would still dress up to go shopping. They'd wear skirts, heels and nylons.
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Banana seats were named for their long, round shape. They were quite comfy, but they went out of style when mountain bikes and stunt bikes came on the scene.
Baby Boomers remember the drive-in! You could walk to the snack bar, and there was usually necking in the back seat.
Baby Boomers remember being able to speak to the operator on the phone. The operator would help direct their call.
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At 1 a.m. or so, when television programming was done for the day, the national anthem was aired. Not sure how many people were awake to see that!
Baby Boomers still remember the old rotary phones. It took considerably longer to dial.
S&H Green Stamps were reward stamps that could be exchanged for desirable items like home goods, kitchen wares and other merchandise. They were popular in the '30s through the '80s.
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Baby Boomers remember getting their milk from a milk man. It was delivered on the doorstep in glass bottles.
Baby Boomers still know how to use a percolator. The percolator could brew coffee on the stove.
The oldest Baby Boomers remember school drills. Sometimes they were for tornadoes (which still happen today), but sometimes they were for nuclear attack.
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Baby Boomers know all about the assassination of JFK. (There was no assassination of LBJ.)
Some female Baby Boomers recall not being able to wear pants to school! It was often expected that a girl should wear a skirt or dress.
Only Baby Boomers remember the mimeograph machine. It was used as a duplication machine that employed ink and stencils.
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Davy Crockett was another popular TV figure. Davy Crockett coonskin caps with tails were not uncommon.
Baby Boomers remember phones that were attached to a wall. There was usually only one household phone.
The fridge used to be known as the ice box. The old ice box (which held large blocks of ice) looked very different from the modern fridge.
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Baby Boomers remember drinking water from a faucet. It would have seemed silly to pay for it.
Baby Boomers recall watching rocket launches. Programs included Mercury, Gemini and Apollo.
There were once odd and even days, matching the last digit on a person's license plate, restricting their ability to get gasoline. This was during the OPEC oil embargo.
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There was a time when there was no swearing on TV. Everything had to be really clean. This is no longer the case!
Baby Boomers would find numbers in a phone book! There was often a large phone book delivered to homes and available in phone booths.
Baby Boomers actually claim that customer service used to be better. These days, customer service is hit or miss.
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Transistor radios could either be plugged in or powered by batteries. Some were AM/FM, while others only received AM signals.
For Baby Boomers, color TV was a luxury. They would often go to a lucky neighbor's house to watch it.
Baby Boomers recall when nurses could only wear white dresses and shoes. They also had to wear white stockings.
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Baby Boomers remember being disciplined by their parents. Today, the trend is for a parent to befriend their child.
Phone numbers used to start with letters, which were abbreviations for words. Think "BUtterfield 8." The word indicated where someone was located.
Baby Boomers recall typing on a typewriter! It was considerably more difficult than a computer.
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Live television was a huge treat for Baby Boomers. Everyone was watching "The Ed Sullivan Show."
Baby Boomers know all about life without calculators and computers. People can't even fathom this today.
As of 2016, there were about 74 million Boomers in America. Millennials were at 71 million.
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As of 2016, Baby Boomers have 70% of the disposable income in the country. Maybe that means they know how to value a dollar!