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Quizzes > History

Basic US History Quiz: Test What You Know

Quick quiz on US history questions. Instant results.

Editorial: Review CompletedCreated By: Justine Isaiah UmaliUpdated Aug 24, 2025
Difficulty: Moderate
2-5mins
Learning OutcomesCheat Sheet
Paper art collage of US landmarks and icons like Statue of Liberty Washington Lincoln US flag on dark blue background

This basic US history quiz helps you check your grasp of major events, people, and turning points. For more practice, try an American history quiz, review early topics with a US history unit 1 test, or move ahead with a us history unit 2 test.

In what year was the United States Declaration of Independence signed?
1774
1781
1776
1783
The Declaration of Independence was officially adopted on July 4, 1776. This document announced the thirteen American colonies' separation from Great Britain. It was primarily drafted by Thomas Jefferson.
Who was the first President of the United States?
John Adams
Thomas Jefferson
George Washington
James Madison
George Washington was unanimously elected as the first President of the United States in 1789. He set many precedents for the office, including the two-term limit. He is often called the "Father of His Country."
Which document is considered the supreme law of the land in the United States?
The Articles of Confederation
The Constitution
The Declaration of Independence
The Bill of Rights
The U.S. Constitution, ratified in 1788, established the national government and fundamental laws, and guaranteed certain basic rights. It replaced the Articles of Confederation. It remains the foundational legal document of the country.
Which land acquisition in 1803 doubled the size of the United States?
Louisiana Purchase
Alaska Purchase
Gadsden Purchase
Oregon Treaty
The Louisiana Purchase of 1803 involved the U.S. buying roughly 828,000 square miles from France, doubling the country's size. President Thomas Jefferson negotiated the deal. This acquisition opened the West for exploration and settlement.
Who wrote the lyrics to "The Star-Spangled Banner," which later became the national anthem?
Francis Scott Key
Francis Drake
John Hancock
Samuel Adams
Francis Scott Key penned the lyrics in 1814 after witnessing the British bombardment of Fort McHenry during the War of 1812. His poem, titled "Defence of Fort M'Henry," later was set to music. It became the national anthem in 1931.
Which conflict ended with the Treaty of Ghent in 1814?
The Spanish-American War
The War of 1812
The Revolutionary War
The Civil War
The War of 1812, fought between the United States and Great Britain, concluded with the Treaty of Ghent in December 1814. The treaty essentially restored prewar boundaries. It was ratified by the U.S. Senate in February 1815.
In what year did the American Civil War begin?
1812
1776
1861
1865
The American Civil War began on April 12, 1861, when Confederate forces fired on Fort Sumter in South Carolina. The conflict lasted until 1865 and determined the fate of slavery in the United States. It remains the deadliest war in American history.
The Emancipation Proclamation, issued in 1863, declared freedom for slaves in which areas?
Rebel Confederate states
Union states only
All U.S. states
Border slave states
President Abraham Lincoln's Emancipation Proclamation of January 1, 1863, declared enslaved people in the rebelling Confederate states to be free. It did not apply to slave-holding border states loyal to the Union. It changed the character of the war and made abolition a Union goal.
Which president initiated the New Deal to combat the Great Depression?
Calvin Coolidge
Franklin D. Roosevelt
Harry S. Truman
Herbert Hoover
Franklin D. Roosevelt took office in 1933 and launched the New Deal - a series of programs, public work projects, and financial reforms - to address the Great Depression. The New Deal reshaped the role of the federal government. It included agencies like the CCC and the WPA.
What did the 19th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution accomplish?
Lowered the voting age to 18
Prohibited alcohol
Abolished slavery
Granted women the right to vote
Ratified in 1920, the 19th Amendment guaranteed women the right to vote by prohibiting any United States citizen from being denied the right on the basis of sex. This was the culmination of the women's suffrage movement. It expanded democratic participation in American elections.
What was the primary purpose of the Monroe Doctrine issued in 1823?
To end the slave trade
To oppose European colonialism in the Americas
To establish European trade rights
To annex Canada into the U.S.
The Monroe Doctrine declared that any further efforts by European nations to colonize land or interfere with states in the Americas would be viewed as acts of aggression. Issued by President James Monroe in 1823, it asserted U.S. influence in the Western Hemisphere. It became a cornerstone of American foreign policy.
Which Supreme Court case established the principle of judicial review?
Marbury v. Madison (1803)
McCulloch v. Maryland (1819)
Gibbons v. Ogden (1824)
Dred Scott v. Sandford (1857)
Marbury v. Madison (1803) was the landmark case in which Chief Justice John Marshall established the principle of judicial review - the power of federal courts to void acts of Congress in conflict with the Constitution. This decision cemented the judiciary as an equal branch of government.
Which diplomatic communication helped prompt the U.S. entry into World War I?
Treaty of Brest-Litovsk
Lusitania Passenger List
Sykes-Picot Agreement
Zimmermann Telegram
The Zimmermann Telegram was a secret 1917 communication from Germany proposing a military alliance with Mexico against the U.S. When British intelligence revealed it, American public opinion turned against Germany and contributed to the U.S. declaring war in April 1917.
What did the Homestead Act of 1862 provide to American citizens?
Subsidies for railroad construction
Land grants for universities
Free land for settlers willing to farm it
Free coal for industry
The Homestead Act of 1862 allowed any American, including freed slaves, to claim up to 160 acres of public land if they improved it by building a dwelling and cultivating the land for at least five years. It encouraged westward expansion.
Which legislation established the Social Security program in the United States?
Social Security Act of 1935
Wagner Act of 1935
Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938
Revenue Act of 1935
The Social Security Act was signed into law by President Franklin D. Roosevelt on August 14, 1935. It created a federal insurance program based on contributions from workers and employers to provide retirement, disability, and survivors benefits. It remains a key component of the U.S. safety net.
Which U.S. president served the shortest term in office?
Warren G. Harding
Zachary Taylor
James A. Garfield
William Henry Harrison
William Henry Harrison served only 31 days in 1841 before dying of pneumonia, making his the shortest presidential term in U.S. history. His brief tenure led to clarification of presidential succession.
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Study Outcomes

  1. Recall Major US History Milestones -

    Engage with questions spanning from the early colonies to modern times to accurately recall and sequence pivotal events in US history.

  2. Identify Key American Historical Figures -

    Recognize and match influential figures to their achievements, reinforcing your understanding of their impact on American history.

  3. Analyze Cause-and-Effect in US History -

    Assess how specific events influenced subsequent developments to deepen your analytical skills within a historical context.

  4. Evaluate Knowledge with US History Questions -

    Use varied question formats to test your US history knowledge and pinpoint areas for improvement.

  5. Engage with American History Trivia -

    Solve entertaining trivia prompts that challenge your quick recall and spark curiosity about lesser-known facts.

  6. Track Your US History Quiz Progress -

    Monitor your results and improvements to celebrate growth and identify topics for further study.

Cheat Sheet

  1. Early Colonial Foundations -

    Jamestown (1607) and Plymouth (1620) set the stage for English settlements with Jamestown's tobacco economy and Plymouth's Mayflower Compact as the first self-government charter. Remember the "MAP" mnemonic - Mayflower, Agriculture, Plymouth - to recall key colonial features. These foundations influenced later political structures in colonial America (source: Library of Congress).

  2. Road to Independence -

    The Stamp Act (1765), Boston Tea Party (1773), and Intolerable Acts fueled colonial unrest leading to the Declaration of Independence in 1776. Use the "S.T.A.R." trick - Stamp, Tea, Acts, Revolution - to map the progression to war. This sequence highlights how economic protests morphed into a formal break with Britain (source: National Archives).

  3. Civil War Causes and Key Battles -

    Economic differences, states' rights, and slavery tensions ignited the Civil War (1861 - 1865), with Gettysburg (1863) marking a turning point. Think "E.S.G." - Economy, Slavery, Gettysburg - to anchor causes and a pivotal battle. The Emancipation Proclamation that followed reshaped the war's moral and political stakes (source: Smithsonian National Museum of American History).

  4. Reconstruction Amendments -

    The 13th (1865), 14th (1868), and 15th (1870) Amendments abolished slavery, guaranteed citizenship, and protected voting rights. A handy phrase is "Free Citizens Vote" to recall the sequence. These amendments laid the constitutional groundwork for civil rights in post-war America (source: National Constitution Center).

  5. Civil Rights Movement Milestones -

    Brown v. Board of Education (1954), Civil Rights Act (1964), and Voting Rights Act (1965) dismantled segregation and secured federal voting protections. Use the "B.C.V." mnemonic - Brown, Civil Rights, Voting - to track legislation. Together they marked a seismic shift toward legal equality (source: National Civil Rights Museum).

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