US History
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America's founding ideals are democracy, rights, liberty, opportunity and equality, according to The Founding Ideals of America website. While many of the finer points of American ideals are debated, it is generally agreed that the importance of these five ideals cannot be understated in terms of importance to American society.
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Q: How tall was Abraham Lincoln's hat?
A: The traditional stovepipe hat Abraham Lincoln favored was 7 to 8 inches tall. Lincoln wore his instantly recognizable hat in both casual and formal situations. -
Q: How large are the faces on Mount Rushmore?
A: The four faces carved into the side of Mount Rushmore are each about 60 feet tall, which is the equivalent of a six-story building. Each eye's width is about 11 feet, and the mouths are up to 18 feet wide. The noses are around 20 feet long, with George Washington having the longest nose, measuring 21 feet. -
Q: What were Thomas Jefferson's major accomplishments?
A: Thomas Jefferson's major accomplishments include his authorship of the Declaration of Independence and his position as the third president of the United States. Jefferson is also known for his participation in the Continental Congress and his role as the governor of Virginia during the American Revolutionary War. -
Q: What did Betsy Ross do in the Revolutionary War?
A: Betsy Ross sewed flags during the Revolutionary War. Although it is rumored that she sewed the first American flag at the request of George Washington during that time, there is no historical evidence to substantiate the claim. -
Q: Why was Richard Nixon called "Tricky Dick"?
A: According to About.com's Steve Smith, the nickname "Tricky Dick" for Richard Nixon, the 37th President of the United States, was a response to smear campaign he ran against Helen Douglas when both were competing for a Senate seat in 1950. He was first referred to as "Tricky Dick" in a 1950 newspaper campaign funded by a Democratic committee urging citizens to “Look at Tricky Dick Nixon’s Republican Record.” -
Q: How many kids did Thomas Jefferson have?
A: President Thomas Jefferson had six children with his wife, Martha. The eldest, Martha, and the fourth born, Mary, were the only two Jefferson children that survived to adulthood. -
Q: How did Thomas Jefferson become famous?
A: Thomas Jefferson's rise to fame began in 1774 when he wrote the "Summary View of the Rights of British America." This document made him a well-known voice in the argument for American independence from England. -
Q: How cold was the water the night the Titanic sank?
A: On the night the Titanic sank, the recorded water temperature in the North Atlantic was registered at 28 degrees Fahrenheit. Water temperatures between 32 and 40 degrees Fahrenheit cause hypothermia, reducing body temperature below 95 degrees Fahrenheit. Hypothermia results in death within 30 to 90 minutes. -
Q: Which country did Albert Einstein decline to be president of?
A: Albert Einstein declined an offer to become the president of Israel. The first president of Israel, Chaim Weizmann, made the offer in 1952. Einstein stated that the offer was deeply moving to him but stated that he lacked the necessary experience and skills. -
Q: What happened to Edgar Allen Poe and his first love?
A: Edgar Allen Poe was engaged to Sarah Elmira Royster at age 18, but her father did not approve of their relationship and broke it off before the two could be married. Elmira married another man, but once she became a widow, she and Poe became engaged once more. Unfortunately, Poe died 10 days before their wedding. -
Q: What caused the Whiskey Rebellion?
A: The Whiskey Rebellion of 1791 was caused by a special tax on whiskey designed by then Secretary of the Treasury, Alexander Hamilton. Hamilton wanted to empower the federal government, as well as levy its power over the states. The taxes were incredibly unpopular in several states. -
Q: What did Martin Luther King, Jr. fight for?
A: Martin Luther King, Jr. was a humanitarian and social reformer who fought for African-American civil rights during the 1950s and 60s. He was assassinated in 1968. -
Q: Who was the first left-handed president?
A: The first left-handed U.S. president was James Garfield, who served as the 20th president of the United States and is said to have been ambidextrous (capable of using both the left and the right hand). Herbert Hoover, who began his term in 1929, was likely the first fully left-handed president. Since then, a number of left-handed presidents have served, including Barack Obama, whose term began in 2008. -
Q: Who is believed to John F. Kennedy's killer?
A: Lee Harvey Oswald, former U.S Marine and Soviet Union defector, is believed to be the sole person responsible for the assassination of President John F. Kennedy. Oswald is believed to have shot three times at the president from a building near the parade route J.F.K took on Nov. 22, 1963. -
Q: How tall is Barack Obama?
A: Barack Obama is 6 feet 1 inch tall. This ties him with Andrew Jackson, Chester Arthur and Ronald Reagan as the eighth-tallest U.S. president. Malia Obama, his daughter, is the same height as of 2014. -
Q: How many soldiers died during the Battle of Bunker Hill?
A: The Battle of Bunker Hill claimed the lives of 383 soldiers. Of this total number, 115 were American soldiers and 268 were British. -
Q: What were the main events that occurred during Abraham Lincoln's presidency?
A: Abraham Lincoln oversaw many important events in American history following his election in 1861, such as the American Civil war, which began approximately a month after he was elected, and the creation of the Emancipation Proclamation. He died in 1865 shortly after beginning his second term as president. -
Q: What hardships did American pioneers face?
A: In America's early days, pioneers headed west to make new homes or become gold prospectors, and on their journeys, which were often thousands of miles, they encountered disease, treacherous roads and enemies. Traveling rough roads in covered wagons often resulted in death from failed river crossings, accidents or Indian attacks. -
Q: Which president served the longest time in office?
A: Franklin Delano Roosevelt served as president of the United States for 4,422 days, making him the longest serving president. Roosevelt died on the 83rd day of his fourth term on April 12, 1945. -
Q: How did Neil Armstrong change the world?
A: Neil Armstrong changed the world by becoming the first man in history to successfully pilot a spacecraft to land safely on the lunar surface and then walk on the moon. This not only was a high point in space exploration but also put the United States ahead of the Soviet Union in the space race during the Cold War. -
Q: What was the basic belief of the Declaration of Independence?
A: The underlying belief of the Declaration of Independence is that men have God-given natural rights and that government exists to protect those rights. The premise of this doctrine came from John Locke, who believed that if the government no longer serves to protect the needs of its citizens, then those citizens have the right to alter or abolish the government.
