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Quiz about American Tragedies
Quiz about American Tragedies

American Tragedies Trivia Quiz


America has had its share of human tragedies over the years. This quiz is about some of those famous tragic events. See how many you remember. Good luck!

A multiple-choice quiz by RAgamer51. Estimated time: 5 mins.
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Author
RAgamer51
Time
5 mins
Type
Multiple Choice
Quiz #
266,055
Updated
Dec 03 21
# Qns
10
Difficulty
Average
Avg Score
7 / 10
Plays
19849
Awards
Top 5% quiz!
Last 3 plays: Guest 104 (8/10), Guest 24 (7/10), Guest 67 (8/10).
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Question 1 of 10
1. On January 2th7, 1967 the NASA space program suffered its first major tragedy. During a routine test, a fire broke out inside the Apollo I space capsule and all three astronauts were killed. Which of the following were NOT members of that crew? Hint


Question 2 of 10
2. The most famous tragedy in US history was the bombing of Pearl Harbor on December 7th, 1941. In the attack, the battleship USS Arizona was sunk and more than 1,100 sailors died in the tragedy. Three other battleships were sunk during the attack. Which of the following was NOT one of them (it was beached)? Hint


Question 3 of 10
3. On May 4th, 1970, National Guard troops opened fire on college students protesting President Nixon's invasion of Cambodia. On what college campus did this shooting take place? Hint


Question 4 of 10
4. On November 18th, 1978, a religious cult known as "The People's Temple" which was led by controversial preacher Jim Jones took part in what would become one of the largest mass suicides in history. A US Congressman by the name of Leo Ryan was murdered at an airport near the temple site while attempting to free some cult members who claimed they were brainwashed and being held against their will. In what South American country did the tragedy take place? Hint


Question 5 of 10
5. The date was January 28th, 1986 and the Space Shuttle Challenger was launched on its mission to outer space. It never made it. About 73 seconds into the launch, the shuttle exploded over the Atlantic Ocean, killing all seven crew members. Among the crew members was a woman destined to become the first teacher in space. Who was this famous lady? Hint


Question 6 of 10
6. In another college campus tragedy, Charles Whitman killed 13 people in a sniper attack while at the top of a 27 story observation tower on August 1st, 1966. At what university did this shooting take place? Hint


Question 7 of 10
7. On April 17th, 1995, a man by the name of Timothy McVeigh reportedly picked up a Ryder truck at a body shop. On April 19th he parked the truck outside the Murrah building and at approximately 9:02 am, the truck exploded blowing out the front of the federal building killing 168 people and wounding 800. In what US city did this bombing take place? Hint


Question 8 of 10
8. On April 20th, 1999, tragedy struck Columbine High School when two students, Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold, wearing trench coats entered the school and began to open fire on the students and faculty. When the shooting stopped, 12 students and a teacher were dead and 24 others were wounded. In what state was this high school? Hint


Question 9 of 10
9. In the most shocking and deadliest terrorist attacks on American soil, members of the terrorist group known as al-Qaeda hijacked four commercial passenger jet liners on September 11th, 2001. They crashed two of them into the Twin Towers of the World Trade Center and a third into the Pentagon. What was the airline and flight number of the fourth plane which crashed in a field in Pennsylvania? Hint


Question 10 of 10
10. On April 16th, 2007 on the campus of Virginia Tech University in Blacksburg, Virginia, a student went on a shooting rampage which became, at the time, the deadliest shooting in US history. Including the perpetrator, how many people were killed? Hint



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Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts
1. On January 2th7, 1967 the NASA space program suffered its first major tragedy. During a routine test, a fire broke out inside the Apollo I space capsule and all three astronauts were killed. Which of the following were NOT members of that crew?

Answer: James McDivitt

James McDivitt was the command pilot for the backup crew in the event the original crew being unable to make the trip. The fire was believed to have been caused by bad wiring in the capsule. With the pure oxygen that was present inside the capsule, the fire quickly got out of control. The three astronauts couldn't get the hatch open to escape and therefore perished within minutes.
2. The most famous tragedy in US history was the bombing of Pearl Harbor on December 7th, 1941. In the attack, the battleship USS Arizona was sunk and more than 1,100 sailors died in the tragedy. Three other battleships were sunk during the attack. Which of the following was NOT one of them (it was beached)?

Answer: USS Nevada

The Nevada was making an attempt to leave the harbor but when it was hit it beached in order to prevent it from blocking the harbor entrance. The Arizona became a memorial to the attack and still stands today as a reminder of those who died. The USA declared war on Japan the next day.
3. On May 4th, 1970, National Guard troops opened fire on college students protesting President Nixon's invasion of Cambodia. On what college campus did this shooting take place?

Answer: Kent State

Four students died and nine others were wounded in this - one of several college campus shootings involving National Guard or police riot squads. The shooting at Kent State triggered a massive war protest at nearly 200 college campuses. Ten days later on the campus of Jackson State, two students were killed by police during a similar protest. On February 8th, 1968, South Carolina State was the site of a police shooting spree that was triggered by racial tension. That shooting left three students dead and 27 others wounded.
4. On November 18th, 1978, a religious cult known as "The People's Temple" which was led by controversial preacher Jim Jones took part in what would become one of the largest mass suicides in history. A US Congressman by the name of Leo Ryan was murdered at an airport near the temple site while attempting to free some cult members who claimed they were brainwashed and being held against their will. In what South American country did the tragedy take place?

Answer: Guyana

Congressman Ryan, who had came to Guyana on a fact finding mission successfully left the cult temple with several cult members but Jim Jones' armed guards were waiting at the airport for them. They opened fire on the group in the truck killing Ryan and four others. Back at the temple, Jones realized the police would be there soon, so either voluntarily or by force, the remaining 912 cult members drank a concoction of Kool-Aid and cyanide and Jones shot himself in the head.
5. The date was January 28th, 1986 and the Space Shuttle Challenger was launched on its mission to outer space. It never made it. About 73 seconds into the launch, the shuttle exploded over the Atlantic Ocean, killing all seven crew members. Among the crew members was a woman destined to become the first teacher in space. Who was this famous lady?

Answer: Christa McAuliffe

Christa McAuliffe was chosen from 11,000 applicants to be the first teacher and civilian in outer space. She was a teacher at a school in Concord, New Hampshire and sadly her students who were so proud of her, had to view the tragedy while at school. Judith Resnik was one of the regular astronauts who were part of the Challenger crew. Sally Ride became the first American woman in space in 1984. Eileen Collins became the first woman to pilot a space shuttle in 1995.
6. In another college campus tragedy, Charles Whitman killed 13 people in a sniper attack while at the top of a 27 story observation tower on August 1st, 1966. At what university did this shooting take place?

Answer: Texas

Besides killing the 13, Whitman also wounded 31 others before he was shot and killed by police. It was also reported that prior to the shooting, Whitman had killed his mother and wife. An autopsy revealed that he had a brain tumor which affected his emotion and motivational skills.

The tragedy became the subject of a made for TV movie called "The Deadly Tower" (1975) which starred Kurt Russell as Charles Whitman.
7. On April 17th, 1995, a man by the name of Timothy McVeigh reportedly picked up a Ryder truck at a body shop. On April 19th he parked the truck outside the Murrah building and at approximately 9:02 am, the truck exploded blowing out the front of the federal building killing 168 people and wounding 800. In what US city did this bombing take place?

Answer: Oklahoma City

McVeigh and his partner Terry Nichols committed an extremely serious act of terrorism. They were part of an anti-government militia group which operated in the US. The attack was said to be revenge for the government's handling of the Waco Texas siege.

In an ironic twist to the attack, McVeigh who was sentenced to death, was executed on June 11th, 2001 which was exactly three months prior to the 9/11 terrorist attack.
8. On April 20th, 1999, tragedy struck Columbine High School when two students, Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold, wearing trench coats entered the school and began to open fire on the students and faculty. When the shooting stopped, 12 students and a teacher were dead and 24 others were wounded. In what state was this high school?

Answer: Colorado

Columbine High School is located in Jefferson County not far from Denver. It still remains the third deadliest school shooting tragedy behind the Virginia Tech massacre (2007) and the Texas Tower killings (1966). In regards to the trench coats they wore it was believed that they were part of a social club on school known as "The Trench coat Mafia".

But the fact is they only knew a person who was in this group. The club was investigated but nobody who was a member was linked to the shooting. It was just a coincidence that they wore trench coats.
9. In the most shocking and deadliest terrorist attacks on American soil, members of the terrorist group known as al-Qaeda hijacked four commercial passenger jet liners on September 11th, 2001. They crashed two of them into the Twin Towers of the World Trade Center and a third into the Pentagon. What was the airline and flight number of the fourth plane which crashed in a field in Pennsylvania?

Answer: United Flight 93

The passengers of United Flight 93 joined together in an attempt to take control of the plane and by doing so prevented that plane from reaching its probable target, The White House or the Capitol Building. Nearly 3,000 people died in the attack including the terrorists as well as fireman and police who attempted to rescue victims from the World Trade Center.
10. On April 16th, 2007 on the campus of Virginia Tech University in Blacksburg, Virginia, a student went on a shooting rampage which became, at the time, the deadliest shooting in US history. Including the perpetrator, how many people were killed?

Answer: 33

The shooter was a South Korean named Seung Hui Cho who came to the USA with his parents when he was 8 years old. He supposedly killed two people in a dormitory early that morning and then two hours later entered the Norris Hall building armed with two hand guns and about 200 rounds of ammunition.

He went from room to room firing at the students. After the shooting stopped, he took his own life. In a bizarre twist to the case, prior to the shooting he mailed several pre-recorded video tapes and several bizarre photos of himself to MSNBC.

The tapes were played revealing his mental state for which he was at one time institutionalized. In spite of that he was still able to purchase the weapons he used.
Source: Author RAgamer51

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