History Now. Interactive History

"A Holiday Pop Quiz"

1.	In what year did the pilgrims and Native Americans celebrate the first Thanksgiving?
		1619
		1620
		1621
		1700
2.	What's the difference between Washington's Birthday and Presidents' Day?
		Washington's Birthday is a federal holiday, so states decide if they celebrate Washington's Birthday and Lincoln's Birthday as separate holidays, or together as Presidents' Day.
		Some Americans feel that celebrating Washington's Birthday slights Lincoln, who is said to have preserved the nation during the Civil War, so we celebrate Presidents' Day.
		President Nixon called Washington's Birthday "Presidents' Day" to honor all past presidents and that idea was relatively popular.
		All of the above
3.	All but one of the following events led up to the American colonies declaring independence from Great Britain:
		The Stamp Act
		A tea tax
		The Boston Massacre
		The Tobacco Act
		The Sugar Act
4.	April Fools Day is closely tied to which equinox or solstice?
		Autumnal equinox
		Summer solstice
		Winter solstice
		Vernal equinox
5.	February 14th, Valentine's Day, is a day when flowers, candy, gifts and cards are exchanged between loved ones in the name of Saint Valentine, its patron saint. Which city did Valentine hail from?
		Paris
		Rome
		Venice
		Florence
6.	Halloween began with Celts who lived 2000 years ago on the land that is now Ireland, the UK and northern France. The Celts believed that on October 31st. the night before their new year:
		the lines between the living and the dead were blurred
		wearing costumes would help ensure a shorter winter
		exchanging sweets would bring you good luck
		a full moon offered people protection from evil spirits
7.	In 1492, Christopher Columbus set out on a transatlantic crossing hoping to find the Orient and its riches. He believed he had reached the Indies, but he actually was in the Caribbean on what we now call:
		Puerto Rico
		The Cayman Islands
		Nevis
		The Bahamas
8.	Groundhog Day, observed February 2nd, has its roots in Europe. There is one groundhog that has earned the most notoriety in the states. He is:
		Schenectady Sam
		Tallahassee Tim
		Albuquerque Al
		Punxsutawney Phil
9.	Memorial Day, originally known as Decoration Day, first honored soldiers who had died in which war?
		World War I
		The Civil War
		The Vietnam War
		World War II
10.	Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. worked tirelessly to improve the rights of African Americans. He used nonviolent methods such as marches, boycotts and speeches to get attention for his crucial agenda. When was Martin Luther King Jr. Day declared a national holiday?
		Soon after Bill Clinton was inaugurated in January 1993
		In 1965 when the Voting Rights Act was established and African Americans were given the right to vote
		In 1986 when President Ronald Reagan was in office
		In 1968 the year Dr. King was assassinated

The Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History