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Quizzes > History

1959 Quiz: How Well Do You Remember the Year?

Quick, free 1959 history quiz to test your knowledge. Instant results.

Editorial: Review CompletedCreated By: Yunha ChoiUpdated Aug 26, 2025
Difficulty: Moderate
2-5mins
Learning OutcomesCheat Sheet
Paper art illustration with quiz cards and 1959 trivia icons on golden yellow background

This quiz helps you revisit the people, events, music, and headlines that defined 1959. Answer quick questions across history, culture, sports, and daily life, then see your score. Keep exploring with 1950s trivia, try a decade overview in a 1960s trivia quiz, or focus on a single year with 1964 trivia questions and answers.

Which country successfully launched the Luna 2 spacecraft, becoming the first human-made object to reach the Moon?
France
United States
Soviet Union
United Kingdom
Luna 2 was launched by the Soviet Union on September 12, 1959, and impacted the Moon on September 14, marking the first time a human-made object reached the lunar surface. It was part of the Soviet Luna program targeting lunar exploration. The mission demonstrated significant advances in space navigation and communication. .
Which artist released the hit single "What'd I Say" in 1959, blending gospel, jazz, and R&B?
Ray Charles
Fats Domino
Sam Cooke
James Brown
Ray Charles recorded and released "What'd I Say" in 1959, which became one of his signature hits and combined gospel, jazz, and R&B influences. The song topped the R&B charts and crossed over to mainstream audiences. It showcased Charles's innovative call-and-response vocal style. .
Which iconic Disneyland attraction, the first tubular steel roller coaster, opened in California in 1959?
Space Mountain
Big Thunder Mountain Railroad
Matterhorn Bobsleds
Pirates of the Caribbean
The Matterhorn Bobsleds opened at Disneyland in June 1959 and was the first roller coaster to use a tubular steel track. Its design was inspired by the Matterhorn mountain in the Swiss Alps. This ride set a new standard for roller coaster construction worldwide. .
Which epic historical drama won the Academy Award for Best Picture for the year 1959's films?
Breakfast at Tiffany's
Some Like It Hot
Ben-Hur
North by Northwest
"Ben-Hur" won the Best Picture Oscar at the 32nd Academy Awards for films released in 1959. Directed by William Wyler and starring Charlton Heston, it was celebrated for its scale and the chariot race sequence. The film won a record 11 Oscars that year. .
Which full-size Ford model, named after a galaxy, debuted in 1959?
Ford Thunderbird
Ford Galaxie
Ford Fairlane
Ford Falcon
The Ford Galaxie made its debut as Ford's full-size model line for 1959, positioned above the Fairlane. Its name capitalized on the era's fascination with space and science fiction. The Galaxie became known for its powerful V8 engines and chrome styling. .
Which comic strip character, known as a mischievous boy, made his first appearance in newspapers in 1959?
Archie
Dennis the Menace
Calvin
Peanuts
Dennis the Menace, created by Hank Ketcham, debuted on March 12, 1951, but the UK version debuted in 1951 as well; however, the American daily strip gained peak popularity in the late 1950s, leading to the first TV adaptation in 1959. His antics inspired a sitcom that year starring Jay North. The character's trademark overalls and black-and-white hair made him instantly recognizable. .
Who won the United Kingdom general election in 1959, remaining Prime Minister?
Winston Churchill
Alec Douglas-Home
Harold Macmillan
Anthony Eden
The Conservative Party, led by Harold Macmillan, won the 1959 UK general election, earning Macmillan a second term as Prime Minister. He campaigned on a platform of economic prosperity, famously saying people had 'never had it so good.' The Labour Party remained in opposition under Hugh Gaitskell. .
Who was awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1959 for his poetic achievements?
Salvatore Quasimodo
Samuel Beckett
Boris Pasternak
William Faulkner
Italian poet Salvatore Quasimodo received the 1959 Nobel Prize in Literature for his lyrical poetry that expressed 'the tragic experience of life in our own times.' His works often reflect existential themes and post-war sentiments. Quasimodo was part of the Hermetic movement in Italian poetry. .
Which long-running western television series premiered on NBC in 1959?
Rawhide
Gunsmoke
The Rifleman
Bonanza
Bonanza premiered on NBC in September 1959 and went on to become one of the longest-running western series in U.S. television history. Set in Nevada, it followed the Cartwright family on the Ponderosa Ranch. Its blend of family drama and action appealed to wide audiences. .
Which Soviet spacecraft took the first photographs of the Moon's far side in 1959?
Explorer 6
Luna 3
Vostok 1
Sputnik 2
Luna 3, launched by the Soviet Union on October 4, 1959, carried a photographic system that imaged the Moon's far side for the first time. The images revealed previously unseen terrain and were broadcast to Earth soon after. This mission marked a milestone in lunar exploration. .
What international agreement, signed in 1959, governs territorial claims and research on the continent of Antarctica?
Treaty of Rome
Antarctic Conservation Act
Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo
Antarctic Treaty
The Antarctic Treaty was signed on December 1, 1959, by 12 countries active in Antarctica. It set aside the continent for peaceful scientific research, suspended territorial sovereignty claims, and prohibited military activity. The treaty remains the foundation for international cooperation in Antarctica. .
Which Disney live-action comedy film featuring a boy who accidentally turns into a shaggy dog was released in 1959?
Darby O'Gill and the Little People
Old Yeller
The Shaggy Dog
Swiss Family Robinson
The Shaggy Dog premiered in March 1959 as Walt Disney's first live-action comedy feature. It told the story of a teenage boy who transforms into a sheepdog after being bitten by a radioactive dog. The film's blend of slapstick and family humor made it a box office success. .
Which NBA player won the league's Most Valuable Player award for the 1958 - 59 season?
Bob Cousy
Bill Russell
Elgin Baylor
Bob Pettit
St. Louis Hawks forward Bob Pettit earned the NBA MVP award for the 1958 - 59 season after leading the league in scoring with 29.2 points per game. Pettit was known for his versatile inside scoring and rebounding prowess. He remains one of the league's early superstars. .
Which U.S. state was admitted to the Union as the 50th state in August 1959?
New Mexico
Arizona
Hawaii
Alaska
Hawaii became the 50th state on August 21, 1959, following a statehood referendum and an act of Congress. Its admission completed the geographic expansion of the United States. Alaska had been admitted earlier that year in January. .
Which Soviet leader initiated the 'Virgin Lands Campaign' to boost agricultural production in 1959?
Mikhail Gorbachev
Joseph Stalin
Leonid Brezhnev
Nikita Khrushchev
In 1959, Soviet Premier Nikita Khrushchev launched the Virgin Lands Campaign to cultivate previously unused lands in Kazakhstan and Siberia. The initiative aimed to increase grain production and alleviate food shortages. Although initially successful, it faced long-term sustainability issues. .
Who became the Prime Minister of Cuba following the success of the Cuban Revolution in 1959?
Fulgencio Batista
Raúl Castro
Che Guevara
Fidel Castro
After the Cuban Revolution overthrew Fulgencio Batista in January 1959, Fidel Castro assumed the title of Prime Minister on February 16, 1959. Castro led Cuba's government and implemented sweeping reforms in the following years. His leadership marked the start of communist rule on the island. .
Which Broadway musical, starring Ethel Merman, opened in 1959 and featured songs like 'Everything's Coming Up Roses'?
My Fair Lady
The Sound of Music
West Side Story
Gypsy
"Gypsy: A Musical Fable" opened on Broadway in May 1959 with Ethel Merman in the starring role of Mama Rose. The show was based on the 1957 memoirs of striptease artist Gypsy Rose Lee. Its song 'Everything's Coming Up Roses' became a musical theater classic. .
Which NASA facility, instrumental in the Saturn V rocket development, was officially dedicated in 1959?
Goddard Space Flight Center
Johnson Space Center
Kennedy Space Center
Marshall Space Flight Center
The Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama, was dedicated on July 1, 1959. It became the primary facility for rocket development and played a central role in creating the Saturn V launch vehicle for Apollo missions. Under Wernher von Braun's leadership, it drove major advances in rocketry. .
Who is credited with the co-invention of the planar integrated circuit in 1959?
Robert Noyce
William Shockley
Jack Kilby
Gordon Moore
Robert Noyce at Fairchild Semiconductor co-invented the planar integrated circuit in 1959 using silicon oxide passivation. His work, nearly simultaneous with Jack Kilby's, paved the way for mass-produced microchips and modern electronics. Noyce later co-founded Intel. .
Which seminal jazz album, featuring tracks like 'So What', was recorded by Miles Davis in 1959?
Sketches of Spain
Birth of the Cool
Kind of Blue
Round About Midnight
Miles Davis recorded "Kind of Blue" in March and April 1959 with a sextet including John Coltrane and Bill Evans. The album's modal jazz approach revolutionized jazz improvisation and became the best-selling jazz album of all time. It remains critically acclaimed for its innovation. .
What was the name of the pioneering COBOL predecessor developed by Grace Hopper in 1959?
MATH-MATIC
FLOW-MATIC
B-0
FLOW-MAP
FLOW-MATIC, created by Grace Hopper and her team in 1959, was one of the first English-like data processing languages and directly influenced the development of COBOL. It allowed programmers to use English statements instead of machine code. FLOW-MATIC's syntax innovations made programming more accessible. .
Which film won the Palme d'Or at the 1959 Cannes Film Festival?
Black Orpheus
The 400 Blows
Room at the Top
Kapò
"Black Orpheus," directed by Marcel Camus, received the Palme d'Or at Cannes in 1959. It is a retelling of the Orpheus myth set in a Rio de Janeiro favela during Carnival. The film's vibrant portrayal of Brazilian culture and music earned international acclaim. .
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Study Outcomes

  1. Recall Key 1959 Trivia Highlights -

    Memorize major events, milestones, and personalities from 1959 trivia to confidently recount what made that year unique.

  2. Identify Surprising Fun Facts About 1959 -

    Spotlight lesser-known anecdotes and quirky details about 1959 that add depth and color to your historical knowledge.

  3. Analyze Significant 1959 Events -

    Examine how pivotal happenings in 1959 shaped cultural, political, and technological trends in the years that followed.

  4. Apply 1959 Trivia Knowledge Socially -

    Utilize your newfound fun facts about 1959 to engage friends, spark conversations, and win at trivia nights.

  5. Evaluate Mastery with 1959 Trivia Questions and Answers -

    Test your understanding through our scored quiz and pinpoint areas for further exploration or review.

Cheat Sheet

  1. Alaska's Statehood Celebration -

    On January 3, 1959, Alaska became the 49th U.S. state (Smithsonian Institution). Remember "Alaska, Star 49" to recall its admission year. This milestone expanded U.S. territory and marked a key moment in American political geography.

  2. Launch of Luna 1 -

    The Soviet Union's Luna 1 mission, launched January 2, 1959, became the first spacecraft to reach lunar orbit (NASA Archives). A helpful mnemonic: "Luna leads the way on Day 1." This achievement paved the way for future lunar exploration.

  3. Debut of the Barbie Doll -

    Mattel introduced Barbie at the New York Toy Fair on March 9, 1959 (Library of Congress). Use the rhyme "Barbie's fair in '59" to lock in the date. This iconic toy revolutionized the doll industry and pop culture.

  4. Invention of the Integrated Circuit -

    In 1959, Jack Kilby (TI) and Robert Noyce (Fairchild) independently developed the integrated circuit (IEEE Journals). Think "IC = 1Cty" to remember 1 chip in 1 year (1959). This breakthrough launched the modern electronics era.

  5. WHO Smallpox Eradication Program -

    The World Health Organization initiated its global smallpox eradication campaign in 1959 (WHO Official Records). Recall "Smallpox Stops in '59" as a memory aid. This program culminated in the disease's eradication and set a precedent for global health initiatives.

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