American History Quiz: 15 Questions From Jamestown to the Moon

15 questions · answers & explanations · updated September 28, 2026

This quiz covers the big turning points of American history, from the first English colonies to the Moon landing. There are 15 questions, each with a short explanation.

The United States marks its 250th anniversary on July 4, 2026, so American history is a frequent theme on the Bing homepage this year.

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Pick A, B or C for each question. The right answer turns green and a short fact explains it.

All 15 questions and answers

Every question with its answer and explanation. Open “Show answer” after you guess.

1. 1 What was the first permanent English settlement in North America, founded in 1607?

   • A Roanoke
   • B Plymouth
   • C Jamestown
   Show answer

   ✓ Answer: C. Jamestown

   Did you know? Jamestown was founded in Virginia. Roanoke, from the 1580s, became the 'Lost Colony'.

2. 2 In which year did the Mayflower land at Plymouth?

   • A 1692
   • B 1620
   • C 1607
   Show answer

   ✓ Answer: B. 1620

   Did you know? The Pilgrims signed the Mayflower Compact before going ashore in Massachusetts.

3. 3 What was the Boston Tea Party in 1773 a protest against?

   • A The price of coffee
   • B Slavery
   • C Taxation without representation
   Show answer

   ✓ Answer: C. Taxation without representation

   Did you know? Colonists dumped 342 chests of British tea into Boston Harbor.

4. 4 Who was the main author of the Declaration of Independence?

   • A Thomas Jefferson
   • B John Adams
   • C Benjamin Franklin
   Show answer

   ✓ Answer: A. Thomas Jefferson

   Did you know? Franklin and Adams were on the drafting committee and edited Jefferson's draft.

5. 5 Where was the U.S. Constitution written in 1787?

   • A Boston
   • B Philadelphia
   • C New York City
   Show answer

   ✓ Answer: B. Philadelphia

   Did you know? The Constitutional Convention met in Independence Hall.

6. 6 Which two explorers led the 1804–1806 expedition to the Pacific Northwest?

   • A Daniel Boone and Davy Crockett
   • B Pike and Frémont
   • C Lewis and Clark
   Show answer

   ✓ Answer: C. Lewis and Clark

   Did you know? They were guided part of the way by Sacagawea, a Lemhi Shoshone woman.

7. 7 The California Gold Rush began in which year?

   • A 1849
   • B 1812
   • C 1869
   Show answer

   ✓ Answer: A. 1849

   Did you know? Gold was found at Sutter's Mill in 1848, and the rush of 'forty-niners' followed in 1849.

8. 8 The Civil War began with an attack on which fort?

   • A Fort Knox
   • B Fort Sumter
   • C Fort McHenry
   Show answer

   ✓ Answer: B. Fort Sumter

   Did you know? Confederate forces fired on Fort Sumter in Charleston Harbor in April 1861.

9. 9 Which amendment abolished slavery in the United States?

   • A 19th
   • B 13th
   • C 15th
   Show answer

   ✓ Answer: B. 13th

   Did you know? The 13th Amendment was ratified in December 1865.

10. 10 Where was the first transcontinental railroad completed in 1869?

    • A Omaha, Nebraska
    • B Promontory Summit, Utah
    • C Sacramento, California
    Show answer

    ✓ Answer: B. Promontory Summit, Utah

    Did you know? A ceremonial golden spike joined the Union Pacific and Central Pacific lines.

11. 11 Which amendment gave women the right to vote nationwide in 1920?

    • A 14th
    • B 21st
    • C 19th
    Show answer

    ✓ Answer: C. 19th

    Did you know? The 21st Amendment, in 1933, ended Prohibition.

12. 12 What event on December 7, 1941, brought the U.S. into World War II?

    • A The sinking of the Lusitania
    • B D-Day
    • C The attack on Pearl Harbor
    Show answer

    ✓ Answer: C. The attack on Pearl Harbor

    Did you know? The Lusitania was sunk in 1915, during World War I.

13. 13 Who gave the 'I Have a Dream' speech in 1963?

    • A Martin Luther King Jr.
    • B Malcolm X
    • C John Lewis
    Show answer

    ✓ Answer: A. Martin Luther King Jr.

    Did you know? King spoke at the Lincoln Memorial during the March on Washington.

14. 14 Which U.S. mission first landed people on the Moon in 1969?

    • A Apollo 8
    • B Apollo 11
    • C Gemini 4
    Show answer

    ✓ Answer: B. Apollo 11

    Did you know? Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin walked on the Moon while Michael Collins orbited above.

15. 15 From which country did the U.S. buy Alaska in 1867?

    • A Britain
    • B Russia
    • C Canada
    Show answer

    ✓ Answer: B. Russia

    Did you know? It cost $7.2 million and was mocked at the time as 'Seward's Folly'.

Key dates in American history

A few dates anchor most quiz questions: 1607 (Jamestown), 1620 (the Mayflower), 1776 (the Declaration of Independence), 1787 (the Constitution), 1861–1865 (the Civil War), 1920 (women win the vote), 1941 (Pearl Harbor) and 1969 (the Moon landing). Place any question between two of these and the right option usually becomes clear.

For source documents such as the Declaration and the Constitution, the National Archives has the originals online.

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