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US Colonial History Quizzes, Trivia and Puzzles
US Colonial History Quizzes, Trivia

U.S. Colonial History Trivia

U.S. Colonial History Trivia Quizzes

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54 quizzes and 756 trivia questions.
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Jamestown Jamestown (2 quizzes)
Mayflower Mayflower (6)
1.
  Colonies Founded in the USA    
Ordering Quiz
 15 Qns
Soon after European explorers found the Americas, colonization began. Several different nations founded colonies in what would later become the United States. Place the colony and the founding country in chronological order.
Tough, 15 Qns, Reamar42, Nov 04 23
Tough
Reamar42 gold member
Nov 04 23
186 plays
2.
  With The Promise Of Opportunity   popular trivia quiz  
Match Quiz
 10 Qns
There are many reasons that explain why England began to think about colonization in the New World in the late 1500s. See if you can follow the clues, that include a date, reason, and important person, to match the information with the correct colony.
Average, 10 Qns, ponycargirl, Oct 11 22
Average
ponycargirl editor
Oct 11 22
631 plays
3.
  US History - 1 - Exploration & Early Settlement   top quiz  
Multiple Choice
 20 Qns
I have been a social studies teacher for the past twenty years in grades 7-12. This is the first of a set of quizzes covering the first thousand years of American History.
Average, 20 Qns, ironsides 163, Jan 31 17
Average
ironsides 163
11019 plays
4.
  US History - 2 - Exploration & Early Settlement   top quiz  
Multiple Choice
 25 Qns
It is time to continue the journey down the historical time line of American History. If you took Test #1, welcome back for another quiz. Good luck!
Average, 25 Qns, Ironsides 163, Jun 09 23
Average
Ironsides 163
Jun 09 23
9483 plays
5.
  The Thirteen Colonies   great trivia quiz  
Multiple Choice
 10 Qns
This will test your knowledge of the original thirteen colonies. You may be asked why a certain colony was settled, who settled it, and other questions relating to the colonies.
Average, 10 Qns, ladramakween, Dec 30 10
Average
ladramakween
10415 plays
6.
  American History (Origins-1776)   popular trivia quiz  
Multiple Choice
 10 Qns
This is my first quiz ever! You world studies/history teachers should find this good for your class!
Easier, 10 Qns, 12986553, Aug 07 22
Easier
12986553
Aug 07 22
8355 plays
7.
  U.S. History [3] : America's Colonization   top quiz  
Multiple Choice
 20 Qns
How much do you know about the original colonies of America?
Tough, 20 Qns, kdizogg, Jun 30 22
Tough
kdizogg
Jun 30 22
4896 plays
8.
  Questions on Early American History    
Multiple Choice
 10 Qns
An applicant for naturalizatiion must demonstrate a knowledge of the fundamentals of US history and its principles of government.
Average, 10 Qns, AlphaByte, Aug 06 23
Average
AlphaByte
Aug 06 23
5848 plays
9.
  Early U.S. History    
Multiple Choice
 10 Qns
I love history (specifically the 1700s - 1800s) and I am quizzing on matters that occurred before the Revolutionary War. Enjoy!
Average, 10 Qns, KianaBooh, Oct 06 21
Average
KianaBooh
Oct 06 21
3007 plays
10.
  Early US Government    
Multiple Choice
 10 Qns
If you paid attention in high school this shouldn't be too tough. Let's hope you had a good teacher.
Average, 10 Qns, sae254527, Jul 12 23
Average
sae254527
Jul 12 23
4609 plays
trivia question Quick Question
Before George Washington became the first President of the United States, how did he earn his money?

From Quiz "Early US Government"




11.
  US History - 3 - Exploration & Early Settlement   popular trivia quiz  
Multiple Choice
 25 Qns
We continue the journey down the American History timeline. You should have very few problems if you took Tests 1 and 2. Good luck and have fun.
Tough, 25 Qns, Ironsides 163, Sep 06 11
Tough
Ironsides 163
3035 plays
12.
Here's a test for anyone who really thinks that they know their stuff! A great way to get ready for an upcoming test or exam on Early American History! Have fun!
Tough, 20 Qns, snnddrksn, May 25 11
Tough
snnddrksn
6772 plays
13.
  American Colonial Origins   great trivia quiz  
Multiple Choice
 10 Qns
Do you know about the origins of various American colonies? Here's a simple quiz regarding this subject.
Average, 10 Qns, thejazzkickazz, Feb 24 10
Average
thejazzkickazz gold member
5979 plays
14.
  15 Questions about Early American History    
Multiple Choice
 15 Qns
This quiz has questions regarding the British influence on the American colonies, early American Indians, and exploration. Hope you have fun!
Average, 15 Qns, sherrie1112, Oct 23 13
Average
sherrie1112
6109 plays
15.
  Back to Basics    
Multiple Choice
 10 Qns
This quiz goes back to colonial times - i.e. when the U.S. was at its most basic.
Average, 10 Qns, omar7812, Jan 23 17
Average
omar7812 gold member
621 plays
16.
  American History by Decade: The 1760s    
Multiple Choice
 10 Qns
Tensions were starting to rise between the colonies and Great Britain during the 1760s. How much do you know about this decade?
Average, 10 Qns, LIBGOV, Dec 17 11
Average
LIBGOV gold member
928 plays
17.
  Colonial Settlements That Weren't Big Hits    
Multiple Choice
 10 Qns
Some settlements in what is now the United States established by European colonists are thriving cities such as New York, Boston, Philadelphia, or Charleston. Others were not so successful.
Tough, 10 Qns, bernie73, Aug 26 19
Tough
bernie73 gold member
Aug 26 19
295 plays
18.
  Exploration of the New World    
Multiple Choice
 10 Qns
A quiz about pre-colonial America.
Average, 10 Qns, Skippygirl, Apr 04 17
Average
Skippygirl
4498 plays
19.
  The Europeans Are Coming!   popular trivia quiz  
Multiple Choice
 10 Qns
Let's see what we can "discover" in the period from Columbus to c. 1680.
Tough, 10 Qns, obiwan04, Jun 05 12
Tough
obiwan04 gold member
694 plays
20.
  American History, 1700s    
Multiple Choice
 10 Qns
This is a quiz that touches on the French-Indian War, and also the colonists' fight for independence.
Average, 10 Qns, mcfan321, Apr 06 16
Average
mcfan321
4415 plays
21.
  The 13 Colonies    
Multiple Choice
 10 Qns
A short quiz on the 13 colonies.
Average, 10 Qns, clende5, Sep 30 13
Average
clende5
1226 plays
22.
  American Colonial History    
Multiple Choice
 10 Qns
This quiz focuses on life in the colonies, New England, the Middle Colonies, Chesapeake Bay Colonies and the Lower South. It touches on various aspects of living in colonial times; religious, political, and military.
Tough, 10 Qns, CliftonClowers, Jun 08 12
Tough
CliftonClowers gold member
1181 plays
23.
  U.S. History [1] : 1580-1680    
Multiple Choice
 10 Qns
This is a short quiz on the history of England and Early America from 1580-1680.
Average, 10 Qns, kdizogg, Nov 12 12
Average
kdizogg
2477 plays
24.
  New York Prior to 1783    
Multiple Choice
 10 Qns
These questions are some odds and ends about events occurring in the present-day State of New York prior to 1783.
Tough, 10 Qns, AlexT781, Sep 21 16
Tough
AlexT781
504 plays
25.
  Women in Puritan America    
Multiple Choice
 10 Qns
This quiz looks at the position of women in Puritan America - mothers, political figures, writers, opposition leaders and mystics. I hope you get a deeper view of the complex roles of women in the times of Puritanism in the United States.
Average, 10 Qns, Windswept, Sep 27 09
Average
Windswept gold member
519 plays
26.
  The Dutch in the New World    
Multiple Choice
 15 Qns
In 1609 Henry Hudson discovered the Hudson River Valley for the Dutch East India Company. The Netherlands controlled the area until 1664 and in this time established New Netherland and laid the groundwork for towns that still exist today.
Tough, 15 Qns, Shaffyre, May 03 15
Tough
Shaffyre
822 plays
27.
  Early American History Figures: 1    
Multiple Choice
 10 Qns
If you know anything about the thirteen original colonies and that era in history, this quiz should be a piece of cake. If you slept through history class this could be tough. It may be summer school for you!
Average, 10 Qns, jen26marie, Mar 27 11
Average
jen26marie
3340 plays
28.
  English Colonies in the Americas    
Multiple Choice
 15 Qns
During the 17th and 18th centuries, the English established thirteen colonies in North America. This quiz is about them.
Average, 15 Qns, LordBehemoth, Apr 18 24
Average
LordBehemoth
Apr 18 24
4257 plays
29.
  American Colonial Forts and Their Cities    
Match Quiz
 10 Qns
Many American cities began life as a fort built in colonial times. Match the city with the name of the fort built to defend it.
Tough, 10 Qns, Reamar42, Mar 29 21
Tough
Reamar42 gold member
Mar 29 21
272 plays
30.
  Early American History Figures: 2    
Multiple Choice
 10 Qns
How much do you know about Colonial America? Find out. I think this quiz is a breeze, but I'm a history enthusiast! Sing the National Anthem while taking this quiz and maybe it will bring you good luck. Hey, it can't hurt!
Tough, 10 Qns, jen26marie, Sep 08 22
Tough
jen26marie
Sep 08 22
1943 plays
31.
  Colonial Higher Education, 1636-1769   popular trivia quiz  
Multiple Choice
 10 Qns
Colleges were few, but they did exist in the British colonies. Let's see what they were up to!
Tough, 10 Qns, obiwan04, Jun 14 12
Tough
obiwan04 gold member
482 plays
32.
  American History by Decade: The 1750s    
Multiple Choice
 10 Qns
See what you know about what happened in U.S. History during the 1750s.
Average, 10 Qns, LIBGOV, Aug 28 14
Average
LIBGOV gold member
632 plays
33.
  The Planting of English America, Bailey Ch. 2    
Multiple Choice
 10 Qns
The questions are based on information available in the second chapter of The American Pageant, Advanced Placement Edition.
Average, 10 Qns, 3kittyluver3, Dec 22 17
Average
3kittyluver3
442 plays
34.
  New World Beginnings, Bailey Ch.1    
Multiple Choice
 10 Qns
This quiz is based on the Chapter 1 of "The American Pageant", Advanced Placement Edition.
Average, 10 Qns, 3kittyluver3, Jul 28 12
Average
3kittyluver3
406 plays
35.
  America in George Washington's Time    
Multiple Choice
 10 Qns
Do you know about the American government around George Washington's time?
Tough, 10 Qns, roobear, Aug 20 22
Tough
roobear
Aug 20 22
1898 plays
36.
  Colonial America    
Multiple Choice
 10 Qns
This quiz is about Colonial America.
Average, 10 Qns, dlev0119, Apr 18 24
Average
dlev0119
Apr 18 24
922 plays
37.
  Early American History    
Multiple Choice
 20 Qns
This is a quiz on Early American History. More specifically it is based on the first 6 chapters of the textbook "American Pageant" by David Kennedy, Thomas Bailey and Lizbeth Cohen.
Tough, 20 Qns, boblarry, Jan 30 09
Tough
boblarry
1536 plays
38.
  The Sloopers: Part 1    
Multiple Choice
 10 Qns
This will quiz your knowledge of the journey of the first group of Norwegian settlers in America.
Tough, 10 Qns, tubaplayer2006, Feb 24 17
Tough
tubaplayer2006
525 plays
39.
  The Sloopers: Part 2    
Multiple Choice
 20 Qns
This quiz will focus on the Sloopers and their settlement in New York. It starts where Part 1 ended.
Tough, 20 Qns, tubaplayer2006, Aug 17 13
Tough
tubaplayer2006
541 plays
40.
  17th Century Southern Colonies    
Multiple Choice
 10 Qns
This quiz mainly deals with the Southen Colonies during the 17th Century.
Tough, 10 Qns, dlev0119, Jul 03 15
Tough
dlev0119
654 plays
41.
  The Dutch Past of the American East Coast    
Multiple Choice
 10 Qns
If the Dutch hadn't sold New York to the British, perhaps all Americans would be speaking Dutch now:) This quiz is about the Dutch history of the US.
Tough, 10 Qns, jaye, Apr 14 10
Tough
jaye
979 plays

U.S. Colonial History Trivia Questions

1. Saint Croix Island was the site of an early French attempt of colonization in 1604. In which New England state would one find Saint Croix Island?

From Quiz
Colonial Settlements That Weren't Big Hits

Answer: Maine

Saint Croix Island is located near the mouth of the Saint Croix River which forms part of the border between Maine and the Canadian province of New Brunswick. Pierre Dugua, Sieur de Mons led the French attempt at colonization as part of a larger area that the French referred to as l'Acadie (Acadia). After over half of the colonists died because of sickness, the colony was relocated to a mainland location on the southern shore of the Bay of Fundy. English adventurer Sir Samuel Argall burned the remaining buildings on the island enroute to his 1613 raid on Port Royal. In 1984, the United States established the Saint Croix Island International Historic Site. There is no public access to the island but a visitor center and signage can be found nearby on the mainland.

2. The first recorded English settlers to the United States arrived in the 1600s. Which future Southern state (after failed attempts) was the site of the first English settlement?

From Quiz Back to Basics

Answer: Virginia

Jamestown, VA was noted as the country's first British settlement in 1607, and according to some, the beginning of the British Empire. However, they were not alone; the area surrounding Jamestown was populated by what was known as the Paspahegh tribe. Because of souring relations and disease, the Paspahegh were destroyed as a tribe in 1611.

3. The cities of Beverwijk and Neuiw Amsterdam were renamed Albany and New York by the British after which king, famous for his version of a very popular book?

From Quiz New York Prior to 1783

Answer: King James I

Two of the titles held by King James I was Duke of Albany and Duke of York. The future King James II was, at the time the British took control of New Netherland, called Prince James, Duke of Albany.

4. Who organized the Roanoke colony in Virginia in 1585?

From Quiz The Planting of English America, Bailey Ch. 2

Answer: Sir Walter Raleigh

The Roanoke colony was organized by Sir Walter Raleigh in 1585. It was located in what was to become colonial Virginia. Three years after the last shipment of supplies was sent to the colony, it vanished. It is still not known what became of the inhabitants of the colony.

5. During what century did Spanish explorers first encounter the Pueblo people in North America?

From Quiz New World Beginnings, Bailey Ch.1

Answer: 16th century

The Pueblo people were located in the Rio Grande valley in the present day United States. Before they made contact with Europeans, they had already established complex irrigation and housing systems.

6. What was the name of the first college in the British colonies in North America (founded in 1636)?

From Quiz Colonial Higher Education, 1636-1769

Answer: Harvard College

Set up by the Puritans, Harvard was for the purpose of training new ministers. All Puritan ministers were expected to be college graduates.

7. Which explorer gave England in the 1490's a claim to the northern portion of the New World?

From Quiz The Europeans Are Coming!

Answer: John Cabot

Cabot, whose real name was Giovanni Cabato, was hired by Henry VII to see what he could find out about this "New World." Cabot's expedition made landfall on the coast of what is now eastern Canada in 1498, but did not set up a permanent colony.

8. In October of 1760, this man, who is roundly condemned in the Declaration of Independence, became King of Great Britain after the death of his grandfather. Who is he?

From Quiz American History by Decade: The 1760s

Answer: George III

George III succeeded his grandfather at age 22. George III became king because his own father had died ten years previously.

9. Benjamin Franklin performed a famous experiment with a kite in 1752. What was he trying to show?

From Quiz American History by Decade: The 1750s

Answer: He wanted to demonstrate that lightning is a discharge of electricity

Franklin described the experiment in 1750, but didn't carry it out until 1752.

10. Why did the population of Jamestown decrease greatly between 1609-10?

From Quiz The 13 Colonies

Answer: Harsh winters brought famine and disease.

Because the colonists were not well prepared for the conditions of setting up a new colony in North America, they suffered under the harsh winter and did not have the necessary food or medicine to enable them to survive.

11. In the 17th century, under a 'headright' system in the American colonies, a person received a grant of land in a colony:

From Quiz American Colonial History

Answer: for settling there

A headright is the right to a certain number of acres of land for each person ("head") for the promotion of settlement in a colony.

12. The Boston Tea Party was a reaction to what?

From Quiz Early U.S. History

Answer: The Tea Act

The Tea Act granted a monopoly on tea imports to the East India Company, which angered the colonists.

13. The Massachusetts Bay Colony was the second colony in Massachusetts. What was the first colony that was established in Massachusetts?

From Quiz Colonial America

Answer: The Plymouth Colony

The Plymouth Colony, founded in 1620, provided a home for the Mayflower pilgrims. The Massachusetts Bay Colony was founded in 1629.

14. In which colony was the Headright system implemented?

From Quiz 17th Century Southern Colonies

Answer: Virginia

It gave 50 acres of land to anyone who helped someone, such as an indentured servant, to come to Virginia from England.

15. Who was the first published American poet in the New World?

From Quiz Women in Puritan America

Answer: Anne Bradstreet

Anne Bradstreet (1612-1672), wife of Governor Simon Bradstreet, wrote poems which examined the realities of death, loneliness, and Puritan beliefs in the New World. Some say that within her poems appears a subtle questioning of Puritan theocracy. Her book, "The Tenth Muse Lately Sprung Up in America, By a Gentlewoman of Those Parts," was the first book written by a woman to be published in the United States.

16. What name did Henry Hudson originally give to the river that would later bear his name?

From Quiz The Dutch in the New World

Answer: Mauritius River

The Dutch East India Company employed Englishman Henry Hudson to find a northeast passage to the Far East and India for them. After unsuccessfully searching for a route above Norway with his ship the "Halve Maen" ("Half Moon"), Hudson sailed west across the Atlantic and in 1609 he discovered what is now called the Hudson River. Hudson himself originally named it the Mauritius River in honour of Maurice of Nassau, Prince of Orange, who was leading the Dutch Republic's war against Spain. Hudson hoped to discover a "northwest passage" that would allow a ship to pass north of the American continent to the Pacific Ocean and from there to India. He sailed as far as present-day Albany before the river became too shallow for his ship to continue northwards.

17. The very first successful colony to be created in the future Thirteen Colonies was ___________ and was founded by _______________.

From Quiz U.S. History [3] : America's Colonization

Answer: Virginia ; London Company

Virginia was established in 1607 by a charter granted to the London Company by King James I. The London Company, also known as the Charter of the Virginia Company of London, was established by a charter by King James I in 1606. Its primary purpose was to establish colonies in the New World. The earlier colony of Roanoke had vanished mysteriously.

18. In 1558, ________________ became the ruler of England, making ________________ the dominant religion of England.

From Quiz U.S. History [1] : 1580-1680

Answer: Queen Elizabeth, Anglicanism (Protestantism)

In 1534, King Henry VIII had broken away from Rome and the various Catholics and Protestants fought for years. The conflict continued till Elizabeth I became queen 1558 and piloted the country through what is often referred to as the 'Elizabethan Settlement'. The struggle between England and Spain (which liked to see itself as the champion of the Roman Catholic Church) was soon to begin.

19. Who founded the colony of Connecticut?

From Quiz The Thirteen Colonies

Answer: Thomas Hooker

Thomas Hooker found the colony of Connecticut on May 1636. He was one of the people who, at the time, left the Massachusetts Bay because he believed too much power was being given to the governor and officials. Connecticut had become an American colony in the year 1662.

20. The first Virginian colony, established in 1607, was ________ .

From Quiz American History (Origins-1776)

Answer: Jamestown

This colony couldn't have lasted without the Powhatans!

21. What happened to the Captain and crew of the Restoration after it docked in New York?

From Quiz The Sloopers: Part 2

Answer: They were arrested

A law was passed in 1818 limiting how many people you could have on a ship per tonnage of the ship, having regard to any cargo. There were 3.2 tons of Swedish iron that was to be sold when they arrived, but according to the law, they were only supposed to have 16 people aboard the vessel. The Captain and crew were put in jail in New York City.

22. Lars Larson was captured in 1812 by the British who were patrolling the waters along the coast of Norway. Which religion was he introduced to while aboard a prison ship off the coast of England?

From Quiz The Sloopers: Part 1

Answer: Quaker Faith

Lars Larson was given a book written in Danish that contained the teachings of the Quakers. He and several men read the book and found the ideas to be very interesting.

23. What was the first successful English colony established in the present United States?

From Quiz Early US Government

Answer: Jamestown

Roanoke was first but since everyone disappeared without trace, you can't really consider it to have been a success.

24. What is Giovanni de Verrazzano known for discovering?

From Quiz Early American History

Answer: New York Bay

Giovanni de Verrazzano- Eastern Seaboard

25. Who was the philosopher that wrote, "Two Treatises on Government", in 1690?

From Quiz Early American History Figures: 2

Answer: John Locke

Locke, an Englishman, states that God gave us natural rights so the "human world would run as smooth as the physical world." Thomas Jefferson interpreted those rights as "life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness."

26. What was Christopher Columbus really looking for when he discovered North America?

From Quiz Early American History

Answer: A trade route from Europe to East Indies

In 1492 Christopher Columbus left Spain to try to find a new, quicker route to the Far East.

27. In the Massachusetts village of Salem, in the year 1692, twenty citizens were executed. What crime were they found guilty of?

From Quiz US History - 3 - Exploration & Early Settlement

Answer: Witchcraft

The individuals were brought to trial because of false tales spread by a couple of girls who had grudges against a few of these people. The Salem Witch Trials were the beginning of several such trials in the religious New England countryside. Salem was the only town to issue a death sentence. It might be added that technically it was not a death sentence, merely a "test" to see if someone was a witch. If the individual survived their sentence they were a witch, if not they were innocent of all charges. It was a "no win" situation for those who stood accused.

28. Explorer Henry Hudson claimed territory in the New World for which European country?

From Quiz US History - 2 - Exploration & Early Settlement

Answer: The Netherlands

Henry Hudson, sailing his ship "Half Moon", explored the Hudson River in present day New York State. He sailed as far inland as present day Albany looking for a Northwest Passage across or past the American mainland to the Pacific. He also explored the bay in northern Canada that bears his name, although this land was not claimed for the Netherlands.

29. Who was the first European explorer to discover North America?

From Quiz US History - 1 - Exploration & Early Settlement

Answer: Leif Ericsson

Although no written record has been found of their discovery, the Vikings have been given credit for first setting foot in North America around 1000 AD. There are remains of some Viking settlements that lasted about 2-4 years. These ruins have been found as far south as northern Massachusetts.

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