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The American Socialist Party Trivia Quiz

This will test your knowledge of the history of the American Socialist Party, one of the most successful "third" parties in American History.

A multiple-choice quiz by sku. Estimated time: 4 mins.

Author
sku

Time
4 mins

Type
Multiple Choice

Quiz #
153,284

Updated
Dec 03 21

# Qns
10

Difficulty
Difficult

Avg Score
5 / 10

Plays
434

One at a Time - Single Page - Timed Game

Question 1 of 10

1. How many times did Eugene Debs run for president as the nominee of the American Socialist Party? Hint

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Question 2 of 10

2. When was the American Socialist Party founded? Hint

1888

1901

1921

1930

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Question 3 of 10

3. In 1912, the Socialist Party had its best presidential election year. In which of the following states did it receive the highest percentage of the vote? Hint

Oklahoma

California

Wisconsin

New York

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Question 4 of 10

4. Which of the following cities never had a Socialist Party mayor? Hint

Milwaukee, Wisconsin

Oklahoma City, Oklahoma

Bridgeport, Connecticut

Cambridge, Massachusetts

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Question 5 of 10

5. How many Socialist Party members have served in the United State Congress? Hint

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Question 6 of 10

6. Which Socialist Party presidential candidate holds the national record for the most runs for president in a general election? Hint

Norman Thomas

Darlington Hoopes

Eugene Debs

Allan Benson

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Question 7 of 10

7. How many times did Socialist candidate Norman Thomas run for president of the United States? Hint

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Question 8 of 10

8. In 1932, the Socialist Party nominated an African-American, James Ford, for vice-president, the first African-American nominated on a national ticket in the twentieth century.

True

False

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Question 9 of 10

9. What was the last year the American Socialist Party ran a candidate for president? Hint

1972

2000

1980

1956

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Question 10 of 10

10. Which of the following organizations claims to be the modern heir of the American Socialist Party? Hint

Socialist Party USA

Democratic Socialists of America

All of these

Social Democrats, USA

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Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts

1. How many times did Eugene Debs run for president as the nominee of the American Socialist Party?

Answer: 4

Debs ran with the Socialists in 1904, 1908, 1912 and 1920. He also ran for president in 1900 as the nominee of the Social Democrats. The founder of the American Railway Union, Debs was a well known speaker and activist for union causes and against war.

In 1920, he ran for president from prison, where he was serving a sentence for opposing the United States' involvement in World War I. One of the slogans for that campaign was, "Vote for Prisoner Number 9653."

2. When was the American Socialist Party founded?

Answer: 1901

It was founded in 1901 as a merger between factions of Daniel De Leon's Socialist Labor Party and Eugene Debs' Social Democrats.

3. In 1912, the Socialist Party had its best presidential election year. In which of the following states did it receive the highest percentage of the vote?

Answer: Oklahoma

In 1912, the Socialist Party received 6% of the national vote. Oklahoma was one of its strongest states, voting 16% Socialist (Nevada also voted 16% Socialist). Wisconsin voted 8% Socialist, California 11.6% and New York 4%. In the early twentieth century, the Party was strongest, and most radical, in the West. Along with Oklahoma, Nevada and California, Debs got over 10% of the vote in Montana, Arizona, Washington and Idaho.

The Party's pro-union anti-corporate message appealed to the poor farmers, miners, railroad workers and other industrial workers in the west at that time.

4. Which of the following cities never had a Socialist Party mayor?

Answer: Cambridge, Massachusetts

Milwaukee had three Socialist mayors, off and on, from 1910-1960, Bridgeport had Mayor Jasper McLevy from 1933-1957 and aside from having the Oklahoma City mayor, Oklahoma elected six Socialists to its state legislature.

5. How many Socialist Party members have served in the United State Congress?

Answer: 2

Victor Berger from Wisconsin and Meyer London from New York.

6. Which Socialist Party presidential candidate holds the national record for the most runs for president in a general election?

Answer: Norman Thomas

Thomas ran in 1928, 1932, 1936, 1940, 1944 and 1948.

7. How many times did Socialist candidate Norman Thomas run for president of the United States?

Answer: 6

Thomas ran in 1928, 1932, 1936, 1940, 1944 and 1948. His best showing was in 1932 with 2% of the vote.

8. In 1932, the Socialist Party nominated an African-American, James Ford, for vice-president, the first African-American nominated on a national ticket in the twentieth century.

Answer: False

Ford was nominated by the Communist Party in 1932, along with presidential candidate William Z. Foster. The Socialists never put an African-American on the ticket.

9. What was the last year the American Socialist Party ran a candidate for president?

Answer: 1956

Darlington Hoopes, formerly a state legislator from Reading Pennsylvania, was the Party's last presidential nominee. After the American Socialist Party dissolved, in the late 1960s, one faction of its membership formed the Socialist Party USA, which started running presidential candidates in 1976 and has continued to run presidential candidates since then.

10. Which of the following organizations claims to be the modern heir of the American Socialist Party?

Answer: All of these

The Socialist Party USA is the only one of these which actually runs candidates for office. Its 2000 presidential candidate, David McReynolds, came in 8th place.

Source: Author sku

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