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Quiz about John C Breckinridge
Quiz about John C Breckinridge

John C. Breckinridge Trivia Quiz


A quiz on the former vice-president of the United States and Confederate General, John C. Breckinridge.

A multiple-choice quiz by AdmiralShark. Estimated time: 5 mins.
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Author
AdmiralShark
Time
5 mins
Type
Multiple Choice
Quiz #
190,771
Updated
Dec 03 21
# Qns
20
Difficulty
Tough
Avg Score
12 / 20
Plays
312
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Question 1 of 20
1. What was Breckinridge's middle name? Hint


Question 2 of 20
2. In what Kentucky city was Breckinridge born? Hint


Question 3 of 20
3. By the marriage of his parents, Breckinridge was connected to what famous American? Hint


Question 4 of 20
4. Upon the death of his father, Breckinridge, his mother and sisters went to live with his grandmother. By what nickname was she known? Hint


Question 5 of 20
5. Breckinridge's grandfather served in whose presidential administration as Attorney General? Hint


Question 6 of 20
6. Breckinridge studied law at Princeton and at what Kentucky university? Hint


Question 7 of 20
7. Breckinridge and his cousin left Kentucky to practice law in what state? Hint


Question 8 of 20
8. Breckinridge, in 1846, joined the army with the commission of major to fight in the Mexican War. What volunteer division was he assigned to? Hint


Question 9 of 20
9. In what year was Breckinridge first elected to the US Congress? Hint


Question 10 of 20
10. Breckinridge was offered, but declined, the post as Minister to what country? Hint


Question 11 of 20
11. Whom did Breckinridge originally support at the 1856 Democratic National Convention in Cincinnati (the convention where Breckinridge was eventually nominated for vice-president)? Hint


Question 12 of 20
12. Breckinridge was what vice-president of the United States? Hint


Question 13 of 20
13. During the Buchanan administration, Breckinridge and the president worked closely together on the major issues of the day.


Question 14 of 20
14. How long did Breckinridge serve in the United States Senate representing his home state of Kentucky? Hint


Question 15 of 20
15. Breckinridge was the nominee of the National Democrats for president in 1860. Who was selected as his vice-presidential running mate? Hint


Question 16 of 20
16. How many electoral votes did Breckinridge receive in the 1860 presidential election? Hint


Question 17 of 20
17. The Kentucky state legislature requested which Union General arrest Breckinridge for his perceived southern support? Hint


Question 18 of 20
18. The Confederate Army made Breckinridge a brigadier general late in 1861. What city in the western theater did the troops under his command attempt to capture, and fail? Hint


Question 19 of 20
19. How much time did Breckinridge spend in Union prisons following the end of the Civil War? Hint


Question 20 of 20
20. Breckinridge is buried in the same cemetery as what other famous Kentuckian? Hint



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Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts
1. What was Breckinridge's middle name?

Answer: Cabell

Breckinridge's parents were Joseph Cabell Breckinridge and Mary Clay Smith.
2. In what Kentucky city was Breckinridge born?

Answer: Lexington

Breckinridge was born on January 16, 1821 in Lexington. His father died when he was only two years old.
3. By the marriage of his parents, Breckinridge was connected to what famous American?

Answer: John Witherspoon

Breckinridge's mother was the daughter of Princeton University president Samuel Smith, whose father-in-law was Witherspoon, a signer of the Declaration of Independence.
4. Upon the death of his father, Breckinridge, his mother and sisters went to live with his grandmother. By what nickname was she known?

Answer: Grandma Blackcap

She gained the nickname "Gramdma Blackcap" because of the type of headwear she always wore.
5. Breckinridge's grandfather served in whose presidential administration as Attorney General?

Answer: Thomas Jefferson

John Breckinridge (born 1760) served during Jefferson's second term, from 1805 till his death in 1806.
6. Breckinridge studied law at Princeton and at what Kentucky university?

Answer: Transylvania

Breckinridge was admitted to the bar in 1841.
7. Breckinridge and his cousin left Kentucky to practice law in what state?

Answer: Iowa

Breckinridge and his cousin founded a law office in Burlington, Iowa in 1841. Burlington was just getting started as a town. After two years, he returned home for a visit where he met and eventually married Mary Cyrene Burch.
8. Breckinridge, in 1846, joined the army with the commission of major to fight in the Mexican War. What volunteer division was he assigned to?

Answer: 3rd Kentucky

Not a single shot was fired at the 3rd Kentucky during Breckinridge's time with the unit. The 3rd Kentucky was sent home eight and a half months later after the peace treaty was signed.
9. In what year was Breckinridge first elected to the US Congress?

Answer: 1851

Breckinridge defeat Whig candidate and war hero, Leslie Combs to win election to Washington.
10. Breckinridge was offered, but declined, the post as Minister to what country?

Answer: Spain

Breckingridge served two terms as a congressman but did not run for re-election when the Kentucky legislature redrew his district in such a way that there was no way he could win. President Franklin Pierce offered to appoint him Minister to Spain but he declined, choosing to stay in the U.S.
11. Whom did Breckinridge originally support at the 1856 Democratic National Convention in Cincinnati (the convention where Breckinridge was eventually nominated for vice-president)?

Answer: Franklin Pierce

Breckinridge originally supported the renomination of Franklin Pierce for a second term as president but switched to Douglas on the 15th ballet, when it became evident that Pierce had no chance of winning the nomination. After 16 ballots, Douglas withdrew his name from consideration and supported the eventual nomineee, James Buchanan.
12. Breckinridge was what vice-president of the United States?

Answer: 14th

Breckinridge served as the 14th vice-president of the United States from 1857 to 1861. He was only 36 years old when he became vice-president.
13. During the Buchanan administration, Breckinridge and the president worked closely together on the major issues of the day.

Answer: False

Due to Breckinridge's support of Pierce at the Democratic National Convention, Buchanan routinely ignored Breckinridge on all matters of state.
14. How long did Breckinridge serve in the United States Senate representing his home state of Kentucky?

Answer: 9 months

Breckinridge was elected to the U.S. Senate by the state legislature of Kentucky in 1859, even though the office would not open up till 1861. Breckinridge took his seat on March 4, 1861 and served until December 4, 1861 when he was expelled by his fellow Senators for his support of the Confederacy.
15. Breckinridge was the nominee of the National Democrats for president in 1860. Who was selected as his vice-presidential running mate?

Answer: Joseph Lane

The first Democratic convention of 1860, held in Charleston, deadlocked and adjourned without picking a nominee. They agreed to meet one month later in Baltimore. In Baltimore, the southern Democrats bolted the convention because of the seating of new delegates.

They reconvened elsewhere in Baltimore and nominated Breckinridge for president and Lane, an Oregon senator, for vice-president.
16. How many electoral votes did Breckinridge receive in the 1860 presidential election?

Answer: 72

Breckinridge would win the electoral votes of 11 states in the general election. He would win all the states that would soon be part of the Confederate States with the exception of Virginia and Tennessee. Breckinridge also won the border states of Delaware and Maryland. However, he would lose his home state of Kentucky to Constitutional Union party candidate John Bell.
17. The Kentucky state legislature requested which Union General arrest Breckinridge for his perceived southern support?

Answer: George Thomas

Kentucky was originally neutral when it came to the Civil War and that was generally Breckinridge's view also. However, pro-Union forces eventually took control of the Kentucky legislature and got Union forces to arrest those who they felt supported the Confederacy.
Thomas was commander of Union forces in Kentucky at this time. Thomas issued the arrest warrant but Breckinridge fled south. Later, Ulysses Grant was quoted as saying of Breckinridge, "He was among the last to go over to the south, and was rather dragged into that position."
18. The Confederate Army made Breckinridge a brigadier general late in 1861. What city in the western theater did the troops under his command attempt to capture, and fail?

Answer: Baton Rouge

The attempt to seize Baton Rouge failed because the Confederate forces lacked the troops to successfully do the job.
19. How much time did Breckinridge spend in Union prisons following the end of the Civil War?

Answer: none

After the Confederacy surrendered, Breckinridge fled through Florida to Cuba. Over the next three years, he would travel from Canada to England to the Holy Land. He returned to the United States in 1869, after President Andrew Johnson's proclamation of amnesty.
20. Breckinridge is buried in the same cemetery as what other famous Kentuckian?

Answer: Henry Clay

Breckinridge died on May 17, 1875 due to lung and kidney troubles. He was only 54 at the time of his death. He is buried in Lexington Cemetery where Henry Clay had been buried some 23 years earlier.
Source: Author AdmiralShark

This quiz was reviewed by FunTrivia editor fringe before going online.
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