US Presidents Trivia: 77 Questions To Prove You're A Pro

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Welcome to our fun-filled trivia article all about U.S. presidents, where US history meets quirky facts!

Ever wondered which president kept a pet alligator in the White House or which commander-in-chief had a pet goat named Nanny? Sounds crazy, but everything you’ll encounter below is the cold, hard truth!

We’ll dive into some of the most amusing aspects of presidential history, from famous speeches like “Ask not what your country can do for you” to notorious scandals like Watergate.

Get ready to test your knowledge and uncover fascinating stories about the leaders of the United States.

Before we get started — we invite you to bookmark or save some of these other history-related trivia quizzes for later!

History Mega Trivia: Questions to Put Your Knowledge to the Test

Table of Contents

U.S. Presidents: General Knowledge

Q: This president was a movie star before becoming president. He became the 40th President of the United States serving from 1981 to 1989. A: Ronald Reagan

Q: Who was the first African American president of the United States? A: Barack Obama

Q: This president is known for his role in the Watergate scandal, leading to his resignation. A: Richard Nixon

Q: Who wrote the Declaration of Independence? A: Thomas Jefferson

Q: Who was the president during the American Civil War and delivered the Emancipation Proclamation? A: Abraham Lincoln

Q: This president’s doctrine aimed to stop European colonization in the Americas in the 1800s. A: James Monroe (Monroe Doctrine)

Q: Who became president after John F. Kennedy was assassinated? A: Lyndon B. Johnson

Q: Who succeeded Ronald Reagan as president? A: George Bush

Q: Which president came before Abraham Lincoln? A: James Buchanan

Q: Who succeeded Franklin D. Roosevelt after his death in 1945? A: Harry S. Truman

Q: Who was president before George W. Bush? A: Bill Clinton

Q: Which president was involved in the Teapot Dome scandal? A: Warren G. Harding

Q: Which president faced impeachment over the Monica Lewinsky scandal? A: Bill Clinton

Q: Which president’s administration was marred by the Iran-Contra affair? A: Ronald Reagan

Q: This president was involved in a duel that resulted in the death of a well-known marksman named Charles Dickinson. A: Andrew Jackson

Q: What famous speech did President Abraham Lincoln deliver during the Civil War, emphasizing the preservation of the Union and the equality of all citizens? A: The Gettysburg Address.

Q: What document issued by President Lincoln on January 1, 1863, declared all slaves in Confederate-held territory to be free? A: The Emancipation Proclamation.

Q: Who assassinated President Abraham Lincoln on April 14, 1865, just days after the end of the Civil War? A: John Wilkes Booth.

Q: Who became President of the United States after the assassination of Abraham Lincoln? A: Andrew Johnson.

Q: Who was the President of the United States during World War I? A: Woodrow Wilson.

Q: Which President became the first to address the nation by radio? A: Warren G. Harding. He addressed the nation at the dedication of the Lincoln Memorial on May 30, 1922, an address that served as the day’s equivalent of the State of the Union address.

Q: Donald Trump is the –first, second, or third– U.S. President to be impeached? A: Third

Q: Who was the vice president under Barack Obama? A: Joe Biden

Q: Who was the vice president for both Thomas Jefferson and James Madison? A: George Clinton

Q: Who served as vice president under George W. Bush? A: Dick Cheney

Q: Who was the president of the United States during most of the Roaring Twenties? A: Warren G. Harding, followed by Calvin Coolidge.

Q: Who was the President of the United States when the Great Depression began? A: Herbert Hoover.

Q: Who was the longest-serving President of the United States, serving from 1933 to 1945, and leading the country through the Great Depression and World War II? A: Franklin D. Roosevelt (FDR).

Q: What were the series of radio broadcasts by President Franklin D. Roosevelt called, which aimed to communicate directly with the American people during the Great Depression and World War II? A: Fireside Chats.

Q: Who was the First Lady of the United States during the Great Depression and a strong advocate for social reform? A: Eleanor Roosevelt.

Q: Who was the U.S. President who took office after Roosevelt’s death and authorized the use of the atomic bomb against Japan? A: Harry S. Truman.

Q: Which US president signed the Civil Rights Act of 1964 into law, prohibiting discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, or national origin? A: Lyndon B. Johnson

Q: Which US president famously declared, “Ask not what your country can do for you—ask what you can do for your country,” during his inaugural address in 1961? A: John F. Kennedy

Q: Which US president implemented the policy of “Vietnamization,” which aimed to gradually withdraw American troops from Vietnam and shift responsibility for combat operations to the South Vietnamese military? A: Richard Nixon.

U.S. Presidents: Lesser Known Fun Facts

Q: Who was the first president to live in the White House? A: John Adams

Q: During his inauguration, this president wore a ring that contained a lock of Abraham Lincoln’s hair, which to this day, is so weird. A: Teddy Roosevelt

Q: In 1872, which president was pulled over and fined $20 for exceeding the Washington speed limit … on a horse? A: Ulysses S. Grant

Q: Before he was president, this would-be president was a hangman. A: Grover Cleveland. As sheriff of Erie County, Cleveland personally carried out two hanging sentences to save his district money.

Q: Who’s favorite snack was cottage cheese with ketchup? A: Richard Nixon

Q: Which US president signed the Medicare and Medicaid programs into law in 1965, providing health care coverage for elderly and low-income Americans, respectively?A: Lyndon B. Johnson

Q: Which president recalled the $5,000 bill to prevent money laundering? A: Richard Nixon

Q: Who was the first president to be born in a hospital? A: Jimmy Carter. He was born October 1, 1924, in Plains, Georgia, at the Wise Sanitarium, where his mother worked as a registered nurse.

Q: Which president served two non-consecutive terms, making him both the 22nd and 24th president? A: Grover Cleveland

Q: Who was the first president to appear on television? A: Franklin D. Roosevelt

Q: Which president is credited with inventing the swivel chair? A: Thomas Jefferson

Q: Who was the only bachelor president of the United States? A: James Buchanan

Q: Which president was a licensed bartender? A: Abraham Lincoln

Q: Who was the first president to travel outside the continental United States while in office? A: Theodore Roosevelt (visited Panama)

Q: Which president had the shortest term, lasting only 31 days? A: William Henry Harrison

Q: Who served as the President of the Confederate States of America during the Civil War? A: Jefferson Davis.

Q: How many words did President Abraham Lincoln use in his famous Gettysburg Address, delivered in November 1863? A: Just 269 words.

Q: Who is featured on the front (obverse) of the $2 bill? A: Thomas Jefferson

Q: Which president was featured on the $5,000 bill? A: James Madison

Presidential Pets: Animals in the White House

Q: Which president had a pet raccoon named Rebecca? A: Calvin Coolidge

Q: Which president and his kids kept a collection of pets including horses, cats, dogs, guinea pigs, a lizard, a badger, a snake named Emily Spinach, and a bear named Jonathan Edwards, among others? A: Theodore Roosevelt

Q: Which president had a pet alligator that lived in the White House bathtub? A: John Quincy Adams. The alligator, given to President John Quincy Adams by the Marquis de Lafayette, resided in a bathroom in the East Room for a time.

Q: Who was the first president to bring a dog to the White House? A: John Adams

Q: Which president had a pet parrot named Polly that could swear? A: Andrew Jackson. Andrew Jackson (1829-1837), apparently had a habit of swearing, and, thus, so did his parrot.

Q: Which president had a pet cow named Pauline Wayne? A: William Howard Taft

Q: Which president had a pet goat named Nanny? A: Benjamin Harrison

Q: Which president’s dog, Laddie Boy, was given a chair at Cabinet meetings? A: Warren G. Harding

Q: Who had two tiger cubs as pets, gifts from the Sultan of Oman? A: Martin Van Buren, the eighth president.

Q: Which president had a pet opossum named Billy Possum? A: William Howard Taft

Q: Which president had a famous Scottish Terrier named Fala? A: Franklin D. Roosevelt

Famous Presidential Speeches and Quotes

Q: “The only thing we have to fear is fear itself” is a quote from which president? A: Franklin D. Roosevelt

Q: Who declared, “Mr. Gorbachev, tear down this wall!”? A: Ronald Reagan

Q: Which president proclaimed, “Speak softly and carry a big stick”? A: Theodore Roosevelt

Q: Who said, “I am not a crook”? A: Richard Nixon

Q: Which president made the famous “Four Freedoms” speech? A: Franklin D. Roosevelt

Q: “Read my lips: no new taxes” was said by which president? A: George H. W. Bush

Q: Who stated, “Government’s first duty is to protect the people, not run their lives”? A: Ronald Reagan

Q: Which president said, “The buck stops here”? A: Harry S. Truman

Q: Who declared, “A house divided against itself cannot stand”? A: Abraham Lincoln

Q: Which president said, “In the end, it’s not the years in your life that count. It’s the life in your years”? A: Abraham Lincoln

Q: Who declared, “To be prepared for war is one of the most effective means of preserving peace”? A: George Washington, in his First Annual Address to Congress on January 8, 1790.

Q: Which president wrote, “Liberty, when it begins to take root, is a plant of rapid growth” in a letter to James Madison on Sunday, March 02, 1788? A: George Washington

Q: Which president said, “Contrary to the rumors you have heard, I was not born in a manger. I was actually born on Krypton and sent here by my father, Jor-El, to save the Planet Earth.” A: Barack Obama