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Nostalgia: Past Decades Trivia

Nostalgia: Past Decades Trivia Quizzes

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Do you remember those bygone days? Good things, bad things, just everyday things. Even if your personal memory doesn't go back as far as some of the things mentioned in these quizzes, you might be surprised at how much you know. Try them and see!
210 quizzes and 2,940 trivia questions.
1.
Picture Some Christmas Memories
  Picture Some Christmas Memories    
Photo Match
 10 Qns
Some time ago I wrote a quiz recalling toys, books and events of my childhood and youth, in the 1950s through the early 1970s. We'll revisit some of those memories here, this time with pictures! Lateral thinking is an asset here.
Tough, 10 Qns, spanishliz, Dec 23 23
Tough
spanishliz editor
Dec 23 23
294 plays
2.
Obsolete Obscure or Outdated
  Obsolete, Obscure, or Outdated   best quiz  
Photo Quiz
 10 Qns
This is a photo quiz featuring some technology from days past. While you may know some of these things, or maybe all of them, do not feel bad if you don't. Most of these things have not been used in many years and are a part of days gone by.
Easier, 10 Qns, dcpddc478, Jun 12 22
Easier
dcpddc478
Jun 12 22
7414 plays
3.
What Should We Do The Television is Broken
  What Should We Do? The Television is Broken!   best quiz  
Photo Quiz
 10 Qns
What did people do before television? This quiz discusses ten different things people did for entertainment before the era of the black box dominating the lounge room.
Very Easy, 10 Qns, Creedy, May 30 14
Recommended for grades: 7,8,9
Very Easy
Creedy gold member
5255 plays
4.
The Lazy Days of Summer
  The Lazy Days of Summer   best quiz  
Photo Quiz
 10 Qns
If there is one thing that hasn't changed over the years, it is the lure of the outdoors on a beautiful summer day. Do you remember filling your hours with any of these pastimes?
Very Easy, 10 Qns, reedy, Sep 17 23
Very Easy
reedy gold member
Sep 17 23
4171 plays
5.
I am Trying to Remember Just What That Is
  I am Trying to Remember Just What That Is   best quiz  
Photo Quiz
 10 Qns
Here are ten things that you may or may not recognize. Take a look at the photos and they may help you figure out what the object was used for. Have fun as you take this trip down memory lane.
Easier, 10 Qns, dcpddc478, Aug 26 14
Easier
dcpddc478
5055 plays
6.
What the
  What the...?   great trivia quiz  
Photo Quiz
 10 Qns
A tour through my grandmother's house filled me with wonder. It was full of all kinds of contraptions, machines, and odds and ends. Many of these things I had never seen before. Have you?
Average, 10 Qns, dcpddc478, Dec 24 14
Average
dcpddc478
2422 plays
7.
Junk Drawer Junkie
  Junk Drawer Junkie   great trivia quiz  
Photo Quiz
 10 Qns
Old Grandma Phillips was a hoarder, and it was only when she passed away that I found a lot of hidden treasures in her kitchen junk drawer. Join me on a journey of discovery to find out about each sentimental piece of history she kept.
Average, 10 Qns, Plodd, Jun 07 14
Average
Plodd
2449 plays
8.
Fads Fads Fads
  Fads, Fads, Fads!   great trivia quiz  
Multiple Choice
 15 Qns
This is an easy and fun quiz bringing back the fads of years ago. Try it and see if you can remember them. Good luck and have fun!
Average, 15 Qns, califredrose, Jun 13 23
Average
califredrose
Jun 13 23
17263 plays
9.
When I Was Just A Little Girl
  When I Was Just A Little Girl   popular trivia quiz  
Photo Quiz
 10 Qns
Things were very different when I was growing up. No computers, television was black and white, pizza was unheard of and teenagers hadn't been invented.
Tough, 10 Qns, Christinap, Apr 14 14
Tough
Christinap
2178 plays
10.
  The Museum of Obsolescence   top quiz  
Multiple Choice
 10 Qns
Tour with our guide through the museum of cultural aspects that vanished, or almost have, from American culture. See what you know about things that are going, going, gone.
Average, 10 Qns, oscarguy, Nov 22 13
Average
oscarguy
9983 plays
trivia question Quick Question
What musical artist was given the title "Queen of Pop"?

From Quiz "An American Kid in the 1980s"




11.
Toys By The Decade  1900s
  Toys By The Decade - 1900s    
Photo Quiz
 10 Qns
This quiz will take you through a brief history of the popular toys in the twentieth century. The photos should provide some clues to help. Good luck!
Average, 10 Qns, Trivia_Fan54, Jun 01 20
Average
Trivia_Fan54 gold member
Jun 01 20
772 plays
12.
  Kids' Things of Long Ago   top quiz  
Multiple Choice
 20 Qns
I hope, with this quiz, to take some of you back to a time when you saw the world as your children do now. Enjoy!
Average, 20 Qns, Oddball, Apr 06 12
Average
Oddball
10574 plays
13.
  You Know...The Whatchamacallit.   top quiz  
Multiple Choice
 10 Qns
Many things have a name, but I forget what it is. My memory is so spotty! Some of these doo-dads are still somewhat current, and some obsolete. We'll jump around the timeline, as you help me guess at these whatchamacallits.
Average, 10 Qns, gracious1, Jan 31 14
Average
gracious1 gold member
3377 plays
14.
  Christmas Memories   great trivia quiz  
Multiple Choice
 10 Qns
One of the joys of Christmas, especially as one grows older, is looking back on the Christmases of one's childhood and youth. Here we'll remember holidays from the 1950s, '60s and early '70s.
Average, 10 Qns, spanishliz, Dec 22 14
Average
spanishliz editor
2565 plays
15.
  Don't Be Mad, Join the Fad   great trivia quiz  
Multiple Choice
 10 Qns
Fads and trends come and go. Some involve unusual activities, while others involve clothing or music. Here are some fads from today and yesterday. How many will you remember?
Easier, 10 Qns, dcpddc478, May 09 14
Easier
dcpddc478
2306 plays
16.
  Smart Start: Aussie Childhood Rites of Passage   top quiz  
Multiple Choice
 10 Qns
When you're a kid you don't think too much about your childhood - You just live it. Looking back I realise how fortunate I was to have had an Australian childhood...
Average, 10 Qns, 1nn1, Feb 24 20
Average
1nn1 gold member
Feb 24 20
1458 plays
17.
  Kids' Things From Long Ago (All American): II   best quiz  
Multiple Choice
 15 Qns
Chances are you won't see a lot of these things outside of 'TV Land', 'Boomerang' or a Cracker Barrell restaurant, but here's another quiz on some favorite Baby Boomer possessions and memories.
Tough, 15 Qns, Oddball, Jun 11 08
Tough
Oddball
5367 plays
18.
  Ten Scary Things Baby Boomers Faced   popular trivia quiz  
Multiple Choice
 10 Qns
Contrary to the beliefs of American 'Gen-Xers', growing up in the U.S. during the 1950s and 1960s was not all Davy Crockett coonskin caps, lava lamps and 'flower children'. There were also plenty of things around to scare the the 'baby boomers'.
Average, 10 Qns, rblayer, Aug 21 17
Average
rblayer
Aug 21 17
6277 plays
19.
  Young Americans   popular trivia quiz  
Multiple Choice
 10 Qns
Take a trip through history to find out what the youth of America has been up to in the last century.
Average, 10 Qns, AcrylicInk, Aug 19 22
Average
AcrylicInk gold member
Aug 19 22
1238 plays
20.
  Small Town USA    
Multiple Choice
 10 Qns
Step back in time to a small Midwestern town in the late 1940s and early 1950s. Remember TV had not yet appeared upon the scene. What would life have been like?
Easier, 10 Qns, bananapeel39, Dec 09 17
Easier
bananapeel39 gold member
Dec 09 17
891 plays
21.
  Mostly Gone With the 1950s, 1960s, and 1970s (US)   popular trivia quiz  
Multiple Choice
 10 Qns
The 1950s, 1960s and 1970s had their own iconic memories of commonplace activities, people, and era-specific media memories. Let's have some fun reminiscing, and answering these questions about a different era gone with the wind.
Average, 10 Qns, missnlindsey, Sep 25 16
Average
missnlindsey
1504 plays
22.
  Getting Hungry on "History Street"    
Multiple Choice
 10 Qns
You seem to be lost and on the most interesting road. This area seems to be a blend of all that is American history in the 20th Century! But you're hungry for a quick lunch. Let's drive around for a little fast food! Have fun!
Average, 10 Qns, gatsby722, Jun 09 23
Average
gatsby722 gold member
Jun 09 23
3031 plays
23.
  As Time Goes By    
Multiple Choice
 10 Qns
Please join the Wandering Quizzers as we fondly remember special events that happened the same year as some of our birth years.
Average, 10 Qns, Blindlady-27, Nov 25 17
Average
Blindlady-27
Nov 25 17
618 plays
24.
  Whatever Happened to Mood Rings?   popular trivia quiz  
Multiple Choice
 10 Qns
Take a stroll down memory lane with these products from decades past. Some are still in use, albeit in a newly marketed way. How many can you remember?
Average, 10 Qns, nmerr, May 14 12
Average
nmerr gold member
1570 plays
25.
  1920s-70s: Having Fun Yet?    
Multiple Choice
 10 Qns
I just got done playing with my Silly Putty and next thing I know I'm writing this quiz. See if you know about what once was fun or a fad.
Tough, 10 Qns, sunshine7, Apr 28 11
Tough
sunshine7
4291 plays
26.
  Don't You Remember?    
Multiple Choice
 10 Qns
Use the clues from the question to pinpoint the year in which the events took place. Good luck?
Tough, 10 Qns, George95, Jul 16 21
Tough
George95 gold member
Jul 16 21
1320 plays
27.
  On the Street Where I Lived    
Multiple Choice
 10 Qns
Here are some memories of people and activities that occurred on my street circa 1940-1955. I have written the questions in a personalized style and hope you enjoy a description of this era.
Tough, 10 Qns, Irishrosy, Jun 23 13
Tough
Irishrosy
705 plays
28.
  Mixed Nostalgia    
Multiple Choice
 10 Qns
A smattering of things I know the answer to! Includes some entertainment, history, authors and more.
Difficult, 10 Qns, finlady, Jan 03 13
Difficult
finlady
5799 plays
29.
  A Bit of Nostalgia - The Letter People !    
Multiple Choice
 25 Qns
A bit of nostalgia, it's THE LETTER PEOPLE ! Mr. M and Miss A - remember your kindergarten and grade school days when these interesting characters taught us the alphabet and helped us create words.
Tough, 25 Qns, molarman2276, Jan 03 13
Tough
molarman2276
1611 plays
30.
  Which Year Was it?    
Multiple Choice
 10 Qns
How good are you with dates? Here's a little quiz to test your retro knowledge. Good Luck!
Difficult, 10 Qns, amtrakman, Jul 12 09
Difficult
amtrakman
3228 plays
31.
  When Did It Happen?    
Multiple Choice
 10 Qns
To do this quiz you need to choose the year in which the events happened. It's simple.
Difficult, 10 Qns, ilovepuppies, Sep 26 12
Difficult
ilovepuppies
1913 plays

Nostalgia: Past Decades Trivia Questions

1. When it was established in the 1920s, where in New York City could fashionable young Americans go for an illicit alcoholic drink?

From Quiz
Young Americans

Answer: 21 Club

The club went through a few different names since cousins Jack Kreindler and Charlie Berns opened the bar in 1922. It became 'Jack and Charlie's 21' in 1929. As a speakeasy during the prohibition era, a lever system was used to empty the alcohol into the sewers when police raided the building. There was also a secret door in a brick wall which led to a hidden wine cellar.

2. This era had its own form of a Rewards Program where the consumer collected something for redemption later. What were they?

From Quiz Mostly Gone With the 1950s, 1960s, and 1970s (US)

Answer: Trading Stamps

Most of us baby boomers remember saving books of S&H green stamps, Top Value stamps, Plaid stamps, Gold Bond stamps, Eagle stamps, and Blue Star stamps. We would pour over the redemption catalogs to see how many books of stamps were needed to acquire our favorite reward. The stamps were given out initially in department stores, and later spreading to grocers and service stations. They were eventually phased out in the 1970s.

3. What truck, playing music, would entice us children to ask our mothers for a dime? We would say, "Mom, it does not cost as much as going to the Amusement Park."

From Quiz On the Street Where I Lived

Answer: the Merry-Go-Round truck

It was music to our ears as we dashed to our homes to get a dime for the Merry-Go-Round truck! With its six stationery wooden horses enclosed by a strong red wire cage ,children used the short ladder attached to it to climb into the cage. We kids ran as fast as we could to be the first ones on one of the wooden horses that went up and down. Little did we children know that we lived in the city of the second largest manufacturer of merry-go-rounds. The Philadelphia Toboggan and Coaster Company employed some of the most renowned wood carvers for the animals on merry-go-rounds. Included among their employees were the famous wood carvers Leo Zeller, brothers, Daniel and Fred Mueller, and Frank Coretta. There was not enough room for a two-seater gondola on this small replica merry-go-round and we children would not have sat on it if we knew the popular nickname for the gondola was "the lover's seat".

4. Maybelline introduced a lip gloss in the 1980s that teen girls eagerly slathered on their lips. It came in little glass bottles with flavors such as mint, strawberry, and orange. What was this lip gloss called?

From Quiz Whatever Happened to Mood Rings?

Answer: Kissing Potion

What made this product different was that it was a roll-on gloss. If you look at old ads for Kissing Potion you'll see actress Kim Basinger, a former model, rolling Kissing Potion on her lips.

5. Don't you remember the year ... when the US declared war on Germany in World War I, when the National Hockey League was formed, and when the Pulitzer Prizes were handed out for the first time. What year was it?

From Quiz Don't You Remember?

Answer: 1917

The United States entered World War I on April 6, 1917 (a war that the Americans had wanted to stay out of) when Germany resumed unrestricted submarine warfare in the Atlantic. The National Hockey League formed in November, consisting of the Montreal Canadiens, Toronto Maple Leafs, Ottawa Senators, and Montreal Wanderers. The Pulitzer Prizes were handed out for the first time, with four categories: Editorial Writing, Reporting, Biography, and History.

6. What soft drink was known as 'The Un-Cola'?

From Quiz Kids' Things From Long Ago (All American): II

Answer: 7-Up

This ad campaign made the drink very popular as an alternative to Coke and Pepsi.

7. In which year did England win the World Cup?

From Quiz When Did It Happen?

Answer: 1966

The final score was a controversial 4-2 against West Germany with Geoff Hurst scoring the first World Cup Final hatrick.

8. What was the characteristic about Mister M ?

From Quiz A Bit of Nostalgia - The Letter People !

Answer: Munchy Mouth

The first letter person introduced, Mr. M was the one that had the Munchy Mouth. His song started out with "I'm Mister M, with the munchy mouth -- my mouth goes munch, munch, munch...."

9. This game was very popular during the Depression (1930s). It was played primarily by women in a church hall. What game is this?

From Quiz 1920s-70s: Having Fun Yet?

Answer: Bingo

Begun by Edwin Lowe as a "Christian fundraiser", it became a Roman Catholic pastime by the mid 1930s. Bingo supported many cash-desperate parishes during difficult times. My mom once won for me a stuffed pink poodle playing this game. I still carry it with me wherever I go.

10. What was the 'Ferdinand Magellan'?

From Quiz Mixed Nostalgia

Answer: FDR's private railroad car

11. In 1957 Frederick Morrison invented this plastic toy and called it the 'Pluto Platter'. He sold it and in 1959 it became this fad that is still used today. What is it?

From Quiz Fads, Fads, Fads!

Answer: Frisbee

The Frisbee is a fad that still is used a lot today with adults, children and even dogs! Note that a metal had already been invented in the 1920s by Yale students.

12. What year was heiress Patricia Hearst kidnapped by the SLA?

From Quiz Which Year Was it?

Answer: 1974

She later joined the Symbionese Liberation Army, with which she committed robbery.

13. TimTamMan was born in 1941 in Timmins, a Northern Ontario gold mining town. During the previous year (1940) many excellent movies were produced. Which film won the 1941 Best Oscar for Film of the Year?

From Quiz As Time Goes By

Answer: Rebecca

"Rebecca" (1940) was based on the popular Daphne du Maurier novel and starred Joan Fontaine (a childlike bride), Laurence Olivier (her weird widower husband) and a mad housekeeper, who played by Judith Anderson. This was the 13th Academy Awards and honoured the films that were seen during the year 1940. It is interesting to note that this was the first year that envelopes were used and the phrase "May I have the envelope, please" entered the Academy Awards lexicon. As well, this was the first year that the company of Price Waterhouse was charged with counting the ballots. A new beginning for the movie industry and for me, a newborn babe.

14. 'Romance' star Greta Garbo sparked the return of this fashionable hat among young women in the early 1930s. What kind of hat was it?

From Quiz Young Americans

Answer: Eugenie hat

The Eugenie hat was fashionable in the mid-nineteenth century, but became popular again when Greta Garbo wore one in the film 'Romance'. The hat is usually made of felt or velvet, and is tilted downwards. A capotain is the black hat usually associated with Puritans in the 16th and 17th centuries. While the fedora was popular for most of the twentieth century, Greta Garbo was not the one who made them famous. The bowler hat is associated with 19th and 20th century businessmen.

15. When I was four years old... I could demonstrate I could ride a two wheeled bicycle unassisted. Again my father saw this as a portent of gross motor skills. What did he then teach me?

From Quiz Smart Start: Aussie Childhood Rites of Passage

Answer: How to surf

My father considered learning to surf was an essential part of any childhood. Like most Australian kids we lived near the beach, the only trouble was we lived in Cairns which is protected by the Great Barrier Reef which runs the length of the Queensland coastline south to Gladstone. So when I was four the whole family shipped off to my uncle's place at Christmas time to the Sunshine Coast where the surf was high, 1200 miles south of Cairns, for my uncle and my dad to teach me how to surf. Every year for his birthday, even though he is eighty now, I send my uncle an Hawaiian shirt or some Surf Music. I reckon I am one of the few kids introduced into music via artists such as Dick Dale, The Ventures and The Atlantics.

16. On no! It's the dog-catcher's truck! From what organization must I save my dog?

From Quiz On the Street Where I Lived

Answer: P.S.P.C.A.

With fear in my heart, as I see the P.S.P.C.A truck approaching, I run screaming for my dog! My Mom comes out on our porch to tell me my dog is in the house. Owning dogs in those years (1940-1955), when most dogs and cats were let outside without a leash, could be terrifying. If it was not the fear of the dog-catcher it was the frightening experience of watching a dog-fight on your street. Thank goodness most dogs are walked on leashes in these more modern times. It would have been to our benefit to know that Colonel M. Richard Mucklé of Pennsylvania established the second government sanctioned law enforcement society for the prevention of cruelty to animals and was not our enemy but our hero. Colonel Mucklé advanced this humane cause by first addressing the cruelty to horses. The Pennsylvania Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, (P.S.P.C.A.) was founded by Colonel Mucklé and chartered in April of 1868. Today the Society functions as a compassionate agency with its emphasis on the adoption, light veterinarian care, and the spaying and neutering of animals.

17. From 1977 through 1985 a catchy commercial jingle popularized the soft drink Dr Pepper. Think back to those advertisements. I was one, you were one and everybody was one. We were all a what?

From Quiz Whatever Happened to Mood Rings?

Answer: Pepper

Who can forget actor David Naughton, dressed in a white shirt and vest, suddenly breaking out in song and leading a queue of people down the street singing "I'm a Pepper, he's a Pepper, she's a Pepper, we're a Pepper. Wouldn't you like to be a Pepper, too?"

18. Don't you remember the year ... when US president Warren Harding died in office, Walt Disney founded his now famous company, and the New York Yankees beat their city rivals (Giants) to win the World Series. What year was it?

From Quiz Don't You Remember?

Answer: 1923

Warren Harding became the sixth US president to die in office when he passed away in August of 1923. The Walt Disney Company was founded on October 16th of the year by Walt and his brother Roy. The New York Yankees met with the Giants for the third consecutive year in the World Series, with the Yankees coming away with their only win of the three matchups.

19. This item of clothing, named for a world leader, was popular with some 1960s teens.

From Quiz Kids' Things From Long Ago (All American): II

Answer: Nehru jackets

Jawaharlal Nehru was India's first Prime Minister after the country declared independence from Great Britain in 1947, and was the father of another Indian leader, Indira Gandhi.

20. In which year was Englandneworder Number 1 in the UK with "World In Motion"?

From Quiz When Did It Happen?

Answer: 1990

Englandneworder was number 1 when I was born 1990.

21. Which letter person was the vain one and carried a mirror wherever it went ?

From Quiz A Bit of Nostalgia - The Letter People !

Answer: Miss O

Miss O, the obsinate one -- she carried a mirror everywhere because she thought she was so beautiful.

22. This fad began in 1927. It was thought that those who enjoyed this pastime were average Americans trying to enjoy life by imitating the rich. What is this pastime?

From Quiz 1920s-70s: Having Fun Yet?

Answer: Miniature Golf

Garnet Carter, the proprietor of Carter's Lookout Mountain Hotel in Tennessee is believed to be the creator of miniature golf. He set one up as a diversion for his guests. It quickly spread to hotels across the country.

23. What cartoon character was the spokesman for Super Sugar Crisps?

From Quiz Kids' Things of Long Ago

Answer: Sugar Bear

Remember the bear who sang 'Can't get enough of Super Sugar Crisps'...)? Incidentally, the cereal changed over to 'Super Golden Crisps' as parents became concerned over the overstimulation of their children. Dig'em the Frog sold Sugar Smacks (now called Honey Smacks). Linus was on the front of Crispy Critters Cereal and Harry Hippo sold Quaker Oats Punch Crunch.

24. What was the name of Annie Rooney's dog?

From Quiz Mixed Nostalgia

Answer: Zero

25. This fad was invented in 1988 by 2 college students, Matt Burton and Scott Stillinger. Rosie O'Donnell shoots them out to her audience members on her show. What are these?

From Quiz Fads, Fads, Fads!

Answer: Koosh Balls

The Koosh Ball comes in regular or animal shapes. They are shot with a rubber band.

26. What year was Barbie introduced to the toy world?

From Quiz Which Year Was it?

Answer: 1959

She was created by Ruth and Elliot Handler, who founded Mattel in 1945.

27. Sometimes, just to be ornery, Gus would stand on the Court House steps and bellow out, "Keep off the grass, you young whippersnappers! Can't you read the signs?" What exactly are whippersnappers?

From Quiz Small Town USA

Answer: Young Inexperienced Persons

A whippersnapper is a young inexperienced person who is considered to be presumptuous. Cocky. Rude. Sassy.

28. The 1940s are known for being the time of the Second World War. Which European island did young American soldiers invade in July 1943?

From Quiz Young Americans

Answer: Sicily

Operation Husky began on 9th July and involved Allied troops from the United Kingdom, the United States, Free France and Canada. The invasion was a success and brought an end to facism in Italy. Despite its success, over 6,000 American soldiers were injured. 2,811 were killed in action, and 686 were missing in action.

29. Schoolchildren from this era will remember the fragrance that made test taking memorable and a bit pleasant. What scent was common in test-taking locations back then?

From Quiz Mostly Gone With the 1950s, 1960s, and 1970s (US)

Answer: Ditto Machine Solvent

Ditto machines, also known as spirit duplicators, because they used a solvent instead of ink, were introduced in the 1920s. The solvent would dissolve some of the wax pigment (usually purple) from a stencil wrapped around a drum, and deposit it on sheets of paper. The solvent had a unique and appealing smell.

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Last Updated Mar 23 2024 5:44 AM
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