1970s History Trivia

1. Which world leader involved in the Six-Day War passed away in September 1970?

From Quiz 20th-Century History in the 1970s

Answer: Gamal Abdel Nasser

The popularity of Gamal Abdel Nasser (1918-1970) rose after he nationalized the Suez Canal. After the defeat by Israel during the 1967 Six-Day War, he resigned but was restored shortly due to mass support from the people. He was succeeded by Anwar Sadat after his death.

From Quiz Where Did This Happen?: 1970s Edition

Answer: USA

By the start of the 1970s, the tide had already begun to turn in the Vietnam War, and the United States was slowly reducing the number of its ground troops. By February 1970, U.S. National Security Advisor Henry Kissinger had begun secret peace negotiations with a Hanoi representative in Paris. Although secret bombing of suspected North Vietnamese supply camps in eastern Cambodia had already been going on for months, it was a surprise to many when U.S. President Richard Nixon signed an order on April 28 authorizing U.S. troop to enter Cambodia. In a televised speech to the nation on April 30, Nixon attempted to justify his decision by claiming that the action was necessary to guarantee the success of the U.S. troop withdrawal and the efforts to ready the South Vietnamese for a greater combat role. Several members of his own National Security Council opposed the move, fearing it would intensify domestic protests against the war. They were proved right when a new wave of anti-war demonstrations soon broke out across the country. Between the end of April and the end of June, thirteen major operations were carried out in Cambodia by U.S. and South Vietnamese troops.

From Quiz Just A Kid In 1970s UK

Answer: 240

In so called 'old money', with pounds, shillings and pence, the pound was made up of 240 pence (or 240d). There were 12 pence in a shilling, and 20 shillings (20s) in a pound. I remember having a shilling in my pocket and feeling rich. Those were the days when a pint of beer cost three shillings, just a shame I was ten years away from being old enough to drink!

From Quiz Fun Facts about the Year 1979

Answer: Afghanistan

The USSR sent tanks and other heavy artillery into Kabul to support the pro-Soviet Afghan regime. Fundamentalist Islamic warrior groups called "Mujahideen" were supported by guns and money from many anti-Soviet nations, including the US, France and Britain. The rebels proved to be a difficult opponent and the Soviets were unable to quell the insurrection quickly. Intense fighting led to a long stalemate that was very reminiscent of the US difficulties in Vietnam a decade earlier. After ten years and tens of thousands of dead or wounded on both sides the Soviets withdrew in disgrace. The Soviet failure in Afghanistan hastened the political and economic demise of the USSR and spurred the creation of such Islamic extremist groups as the Taliban and Al-Quaeda.

From Quiz The 1970s: So What Did NOT Happen?

Answer: The first man lands on the Moon.

The first lunar landing was on July 20, 1969. The whole world breathlessly watched as U.S. Astronaut Neil Armstrong set down the first foot ('a small step for a man, but a giant leap for mankind), followed by Buzz Aldrin. Ohio National Guardsmen shot and killed four students at Kent State University protesting U.S. incursion into Cambodia. Ten days later, state troopers killed two and injured twelve students at Jackson State University in Mississippi. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration was created by an act of Congress, while Richard Nixon signed an executive order in 1970 establishing the EPA. Congress then passed the Clean Water Act and and a number of other environmental acts that gave the EPA authority to regulate water quality, waste disposal, etc. One final event of 1970 to mention: the deaths of rock stars Jimi Hendrix, Janis Joplin, and Jim Morrison, all 27 years old.

From Quiz When I Was Your Age ...

Answer: Richard Nixon

President Nixon had just come back from preliminary nuclear arms limitation agreements in Moscow when the Supreme Court ordered Nixon to surrender subpoenaed tapes. Nixon resigned on August 9, 1974.

From Quiz Munich Olympics Massacre, 1972

Answer: Black September

Black September is named after September 1970, when terrorist tried to overthrow King Hussein (of Jordan). In the course of the ensuing fighting, most terrorists in Jordan were expelled from the kingdom.

From Quiz Do You Remember 1979?

Answer: Pennsylvania

The accident happened on March 28, 1979, resulting in the most significant accident in the history of an American nuclear power plant, but no deaths or injuries were reported.

From Quiz A Slice in Time: 1970s World History

Answer: Gamal Abdel Nasser

In 1952 Nasser and Egypt's first president, Muhammad Naguib, led the Egyptian Revolution which brought down King Farouk. Nasser was his country's second president, serving from 1956 until his death in 1970. He is viewed as one of the greatest Arab politicians of the 20th century.

From Quiz The Real 70s (Mainly USA)

Answer: Francis Ford Coppola

Francis Ford Coppola directed the two movies. He would only win the Oscar for directing for the sequel though. The "Godfather" movies were based on the best selling book by Mario Puzo.

From Quiz The Year Is 1970

Answer: Aquarius

All of these were the names of lunar landers used during the Apollo program. Snoopy was used for Apollo 10 (May 1969) for a close-approach dress rehearsal for the first moon landing. Yankee Clipper was used on Apollo 12 (November 1969). Challenger was the last lander used, on Apollo 17 (December 1972). But it was Aquarius that helped save Apollo 13's crew.

From Quiz The Twentieth Century - 1971-1980

Answer: Billie Jean King

From Quiz 20th-Century History in the 1970s

Answer: Uganda

Milton Obote was not in the country when he was toppled by Idi Amin, who shortly declared himself as the president and the chief of the armed forces. He became a dictator and started to carry out genocides against the Lango and Acholi tribe in 1972. In the same year, he ordered 60,000 Asians, mainly Indians and Pakistanis, to leave the country, creating an economic crisis. His downfall was caused by invading Tanzania in 1978, which led to a counter offensive by Tanzania in 1979. He fled the country and lived in exile in Saudi Arabia until his death in August 2003.

From Quiz Where Did This Happen?: 1970s Edition

Answer: Uganda

Soon after the January military coup, Idi Amin self-proclaimed himself president. Nicknamed the "Butcher of Uganda", the eight years of his rule were rife with both ethnic and political purges, including torture, unlawful imprisonments, and mass killings. He was finally overthrown on April 11, 1979 by forces of the Uganda National Liberation Front and Tanzanian troops. Amin fled to Libya and later died in exile in Saudi Arabia in 2003.

From Quiz Just A Kid In 1970s UK

Answer: Tupolev Tu-144

The Tupelov Tu-144 was a Soviet supersonic plane which first flew as a prototype before Concorde as well as going supersonic and exceeding a speed of Mach 2 before Concorde. A Tu-144 crashed at the Paris air show in 1973 though, which delayed development and allowed Concorde to take commercial passengers first. Just six months after the Tu-144 entered passenger service, another crash occurred as one was being delivered, leading to the entire fleet being grounded after just 55 passenger flights.

From Quiz Fun Facts about the Year 1979

Answer: Margaret Thatcher

Mrs. Thatcher was a staunch Conservative who became the first woman to assume the Premiership of the UK. She got on well with the equally conservative American President Ronald Reagan. She served three terms and was PM until 1990. Ms. William was a founding member of the Social Democratic Party and was one of the "Gang of Four" MP's that split the Labour party in 1981. Ms Abbot was the first African MP and Lady Donaldson the first woman Lord Mayor of London.

From Quiz The 1970s: So What Did NOT Happen?

Answer: Charles Manson is executed.

Charles Manson, leader of the murderous Manson family, was sentenced to death in 1971, but the following year all death-row inmates in California had their sentences commuted to life in prison. The ending of gold standard was known as "Nixon shock" and largely caused the Great Inflation of the 1970s. The Libertarian Party positioned itself as a classically liberal alternative to the modern-progressive liberal Democrats and the conservative Republicans. Jimmy Carter was elected Governor of Georgia the same year that Ronald Reagan was elected Governor of California; both men would eventually become President and would run against each other in the 1980 election.

From Quiz When I Was Your Age ...

Answer: 10 cents

In March of 1974, first class stamps went up 2 cents to 10 cents per stamp.

From Quiz Munich Olympics Massacre, 1972

Answer: Nazareth

Jerusalem is the capital of Israel. Tel-Aviv Yafo is the largest city there. Nazareth is of course key town in Christianity.

From Quiz Do You Remember 1979?

Answer: Swamp rabbit

The rabbit incident happened while President Carter was fishing from a canoe; he spotted the rabbit swimming madly toward him. It was never precisely determined what the rabbit's problem was. However, there was speculation that it was fleeing a predator and was stressed.

From Quiz A Slice in Time: 1970s World History

Answer: Lord Louis Mountbatten

Lord Mountbatten was the uncle of Prince Phillip, the Duke of Edinburgh. He was particularly close to his great-nephew, Prince Charles.

From Quiz 1978 - The Disco Year

Answer: Affirmed

Affirned, a product of Harbor View Farms in Marion County, Florida, had to beat rival Alydar in all three of the Triple Crown races (Kentucky Derby, Preakness and Belmont Stakes) to take the crown. Alydar became the first horse to place second in all three races in the same year. Affirmed's jockey was Steve Cauthen, who was just over 19 years old at the time the feat was accomplished. The famed Secretariat took the Triple Crown back in 1973, while Seattle Slew did the same in 1977.

From Quiz It Happened During The 1970s

Answer: Presidents Nixon, Ford, and Carter

Richard Milhous Nixon, the 37th President of the United States, was born on January 9, 1913, in Yorba Linda, California. He held office from 1969 until 1974. Gerald Rudolph Ford, the 38th President of the United States, was born on July 14, 1913, in Omaha, Nebraska. He held the office from 1974 until 1977. And, James Earl ("Jimmi") Carter, the 39th President of the United States, was born on October 1, 1924, in Plains, Georgia. He held the office from 1977 until 1981. President Johnson ended his Presidency in 1969, President Reagan began his Presidency in 1981, and President Clinton began his term as President in 1993.

From Quiz The Real 70s (Mainly USA)

Answer: Bridge Over Troubled Water, by Simon & Garfunkel

Although all the songs mentioned were honored by the Grammy that year, "Bridge Over Troubled Water" was the big winner. It won Grammies for Record of the Year, Album of the Year, Song of the Year, Best Contemporary Song and Best Arrangement.

From Quiz The Year Is 1970

Answer: Kansas City Chiefs

The Chiefs manhandled the Vikings 23-7 to win the last of the four pre-merger Super Bowls. At the merger, the NFL had 26 teams, 13 each in the new American and National conferences.

From Quiz Dateline: 1970

Answer: Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn

This Russian novelist and historian was arrested in 1945 for criticizing Stalin and spent the next eleven years in prison, labor camps, and exile. His 1973 "The Gulag Archipelago", regarded as one of the greatest Russian works, resulted in his being charged with treason and expelled from the USSR. His 1962 novel, "One Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich", is based on his labor camp experiences.

From Quiz The Twentieth Century - 1971-1980

Answer: Maryland

Wallace was shot and permanently paralyzed at a shopping center in Laurel, Maryland.

From Quiz 20th-Century History in the 1970s

Answer: September

On 5th September 1972, eight Palestinian terrorists broke into the Olympic Village killing two Israeli members instantly. The terrorists held the other nine members to negotiate for the release of 200 Palestinian prisoners held in Israel. The German police failed in their operation to save the hostages. Five terrorists and one German police officer were killed in the incident.

This is category 1973
Last Updated Oct 18 2025 5:44 AM

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