Do You Know Your History?

1. Who was the first President of the United States?
   1. George Washington
   2. Benjamin Franklin
   3. Abraham Lincoln
2. Whose famous quote is, "We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal"?
   1. Abraham Lincoln
   2. Martin Luther King Jr.
   3. Thomas Jefferson
3. Where was the first national capitol located?
   1. Pennsylvania
   2. Washington D.C.
   3. New York
4. Who was commissioned to make the first United States flag?
   1. Betty Crocker
   2. Betsy Ross
   3. Martha Washington
5. How did the Liberty Bell get it's crack?
   1. During testing outside the State House
   2. It was dropped while it was being installed
   3. From a dealer on the street
6. In what year was the Declaration of Independence signed?
   1. 1746
   2. 1776
   3. 1756
7. How many stars were on the first United States flag?
   1. Seven
   2. Thirteen
   3. Fifty
8. Who shot Abraham Lincoln?
   1. John W. Hinckley Jr.
   2. John Wilkes Booth
   3. Lee Harvey Oswald
9. Who was the first person to sign the Declaration of Independence?
   1. John Hancock
   2. Thomas Jefferson
   3. George Washington
10. Who wrote the ‘Star Spangled Banner'?
    1. Jean Lafitte
    2. Francis Scott Key
    3. Sir Walter Raliegh

Answers:

1. George Washington
   • Known as the 'Father of Our Country' , he served as president from 1789-1797
2. Thomas Jefferson
   • Jefferson was chosen to draft the Declaration of Independence in 1776 which has been regarded ever since as a charter of American liberties.
3. Pennsylvania
   • Philadelphia was chosen as a temporary capital for ten years (1790-1800) until the nation's capital in Washington, D.C. would be ready.
4. Betsy Ross
   • Although some evidence points to Francis Hopkinson as being responsible for the design of the first American Flag, the oral history testimony of Betsy Ross's daughter and other family members recount Betsy's story, and historically the dates and circumstances remain un-refuted. Evaluating the circumstantial evidence also supports her story, including the paper star found in a safe in the 20th century.
5. During testing outside the State House
   • It cracked when first rung. When ordered in 1751, it cost £100, and weighed 2,080 lbs; it is twelve feet in the lip circumference, and three feet from the lip to the top. The following March, the bell was hung from temporary scaffolding in the square outside the State House. To the dismay of onlookers, the bell cracked during testing.
6. 1776
   • The Declaration of Independence is at once the nation's most cherished symbol of liberty and Jefferson's most enduring monument. Jefferson drafted it between June 11 and June 28, 1776. It has 56 signatures.
7. Thirteen
   • This 13-star flag became the Official United States Flag on June 14th, 1777 and is the result of the congressional action that took place on that date. Each star and stripe represented the 13 original colonies. The only President to serve under this flag was George Washington (1789-1797). This Flag was to last for a period of 18 years
8. John Wilkes Booth
   • Originally, John Wilkes Booth, a well-known actor and a Confederate spy from Maryland, had formulated a plan to kidnap Lincoln in exchange for the release of Confederate prisoners. After attending an April 11 speech in which Lincoln promoted voting rights for blacks, an incensed Booth changed his plans and determined to assassinate the president.
9. John Hancock
   • His was the first and the largest signature. Reportedly, he wanted to make sure King George could read it.
10. Francis Scott Key
    • Key helplessly witnessed the bombardment by British units of the American forces at Fort McHenry during the Battle of Baltimore on the night of September 13-September 14, 1814. When the smoke cleared, Key was able to see an American flag still waving and reported this to the prisoners below deck. On the way back to Baltimore, he was inspired to write a poem describing his experience, "The Star Spangled Banner". Under this name, the song was adopted as the American national anthem, first by an Executive Order from President Woodrow Wilson in 1916 (which had little effect beyond requiring military bands to play it) and then by a Congressional resolution in 1931, signed by President Herbert Hoover.
      
      In the fourth stanza Key urged the adoption of "In God is our Trust" as the national motto. The United States adopted the motto "In God We Trust" by law in 1956.