American History

For any Number of Players

On opposite side of this sheet are sixty slips, which must fist be cut apart at the dotted lines. Then play the game as follows:

Directions for Playing

Choose a director who shall hold this list of questions (on other side) and distribute the slips among the players. Each player shall also hold a number of forfeits (about 6 apiece), matches or Lion Coffee beans being the best. The Director then reads aloud the questions, stopping after each question to await the answer. The player who holds the answer should, of course, be the first to respond, but if another player answers the question first, he receives a forfeit from the person who should have answered. If no one answers it, the Director then reads the answer and claims the forfeit. When the questions are all answered, the person who holds the most forfeits has won the game. It is best for the Director to skip around in asking the questions, and sometimes repeat the same question a short time after first reading it, since this enlivens the game and prevents the players from using the numbers on their slips.

American History Questions

• 1. When and by whom as America first discovered? Christopher Columbus, Oct. 12, 1492.
• 2. What race of people inhabited the country at that time? American Indians.
• 3. By what country was Columbus sent? Spain.
• 4. How many ships had he? What were their names? Three. Santa Maria, Nina, Pinta.
• 5. Who discovered the Pacific Ocean? Balboa, a Spaniard, 1513.
• 6. Where was the first permanent settlement in America? Jamestown, Virginia, 1607.
• 7. What four nations established colonies besides the British? France, Spain, Holland, Sweden.
• 8. First important war with the Indians? King Philip's War.
• 9. By whom as New York settled and where? The Dutch, at New Amsterdam, now New York.
• 10. By whom as Pennsylvania first settled? The Quakers under William Penn.
• 11. By whom was Massachusetts settled and where? Pilgrim Fathers, at Plymouth, 1620.
• 12. By whom as Rhode Island settled and where? Roger Williams and followers, at Providence.
• 13. By whom and why as Georgia founded? James Oglethorpe, as a refuge for prisoners for debt from England.
• 14. Why was Virginia so called? After Elizabeth, the Virgin Queen of England.
• 15. Why was Georgia so called? After George II., of England.
• 16. Why were the Carolinas so called? After Charles II., of France.
• 17. What was the only treaty never sworn to and never broken? Penn's treaty with the Indians, made at Shackamaxon.
• 18. Oldest city in U.S.? St. Augustine, Fla., founded Sept 12, 1565.
• 19. What caused the French and Indian Wars? Enmity between France and England, and conflicting territorial claims.
• 20. Leading generals in the French and Indian war? Washington and Braddock.
• 21. First American newspaper? The Boston News Letter, 1704.
• 22. Name the thirteen original states? New Hampshire, Connecticut, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina and Georgia.
• 23. What was the primal cause of the Revolutionary War? "Taxation without representation."
• 24. First battle of the Revolution? Battle of Lexington.
• 25. When was the Declaration of Independence adopted? July 4, 1776.
• 26. What foreign nations were friendly to the colonies during the Revolution? France and Holland.
• 27. What foreigners helped the colonists during the Revolution? LaFayette, Rochambeau, Count de Grasse, Baron Steuben, Pulaski, Kosciuszko, DeKalb.
• 28. What event virtually closed the Revolutionary War? Surrender of General Cornwallis to General Washington at Yorktown.
• 29. When was the Constitution for the U.S. formally adopted? Nov. 13, 1789.
• 30. Name the three branches of the U.S. government? Legislative, Executive, Judicial.
• 31. For how long is the President elected? What is his salary? Four years. $50,000.
• 32. What is the War of 1812 often called? With what country was it fought? Second War for Independence. Fought with England.
• 33. Principal events of War of 1812? Perry's victory on Lake Erie; Battle of New Orleans: Burning of Washington; "Star Spangled Banner" written.
• 34. What was the cause of the Mexican War? Dispute over the southern boundary line of Texas.
• 35. In whose administration was the Mexican War fought? James Knox Polk's.
• 36. Main cause of the Civil War? Slavery.
• 37. What event marks the beginning of this War? Firing on Fort Sumter, April 12, 1861.
• 38. What peculiar style of war vessel was first used in this war? The iron-clad Monitor.
• 39. What effect had this on the navies of the world? Forced the building of iron-clad vessels.
• 40. What states formed the Southern Confederacy? South Carolina, Georgia, Florida, Louisiana, Mississippi, Texas, Alabama, North Carolina, Virginia, Tennessee, Arkansas.
• 41. What slave states refused to secede? Delaware, Maryland, Kentucky, Missouri.
• 42. When and by whom was the Emancipation Proclamation issued? By President Lincoln as Commander-in-Chief of the Federal Army, January 1, 1863.
• 43. What was the decisive battle of the Civil War? When and where fought? Gettysbur. Fought at Gettysburg. Penn., July 1 to 3, 1863.
• 44. What name is given to the period of history immediately following the Civil War? Reconstruction Period.
• 45. How were the slaves freed throughout the U.S.? By Thirteenth Amendment.
• 46. When was Alaska purchased? From Russia, 1867, for $7,200,000.
• 47. What two great world's fairs have been held in this country? Centennial Exposition at Philadelphia, 1876; Columbian Exposition at Chicago, 1893.
• 48. Where is the U.S. Military Academy? At West Point, on the Hudson River.
• 49. Where is the U.S. Naval Academy? At Annapolis, Maryland.
• 50. During whose administration and from what country was the Louisana Territory purchased? Jefferson's, from France, for $15,000,000.
• 51. During whose administration and from what country was Florida purchased? Monroe's, from Spain, for $5,000,000.
• 52. During whose administration and from what country were the Phillipines purchased? McKinley's, from Spain, for $20,000,000.
• 53. In what year did the first steamer cross the Atlantic? 1819.
• 54. How did Texas and Hawaii become part of the U.S.? By Annexation.
• 55. Between what cities was the first line of telegraph operated? Washington and Baltimore, 1844.
• 56. The two leading political parties of the U.S., and dates of their organization. Democratic Party, 1828-1832; Repulbican Party, 1853-1857.
• 57. What noted foreigner visited the U.S. in 1902? Prince Henry, of Prussia.
• 58. What country gained its freedom through the intercession of the U.S.? Cuba, May 20, 1902.
• 59. What American city was almost entirely destroyed by a tidal wave in 1901? Galveston, Texas.
• 60. When was the American flag, consisting of thirteen stripes and a star for each state, adopted by Congress? 1818.