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Quiz about Tour of Washington DC
Quiz about Tour of Washington DC

Tour of Washington, DC Trivia Quiz


On July 16, 1790, the American capital Washington, DC was established. Celebrate it by taking this quiz, which is arranged in the form of a bus tour around the city.

A multiple-choice quiz by bullymom. Estimated time: 10 mins.
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Author
bullymom
Time
10 mins
Type
Multiple Choice
Quiz #
83,345
Updated
Dec 03 21
# Qns
25
Difficulty
Very Difficult
Avg Score
10 / 25
Plays
5755
Awards
Editor's Choice
Last 3 plays: Guest 162 (10/25), Guest 70 (12/25), Suber (12/25).
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Question 1 of 25
1. All aboard! We begin our tour at the Lincoln Memorial, on the shore of the Potomac. What architect designed this memorial? Hint


Question 2 of 25
2. Going east on Independence Avenue and looking across the Tidal Basin you see the white dome of the Jefferson Memorial. Inside the memorial you will find excerpts from the two documents for which Jefferson most wanted to be remembered: the Declaration of Independence and _________. Hint


Question 3 of 25
3. Not far from the Jefferson Memorial, on 14th Street, is the US Bureau of Engraving and Printing, established in 1862. You can take a tour of this building and actually see money being made. You learn that all US currency is produced using the intaglio method. What does this mean? Hint


Question 4 of 25
4. Coming up Jefferson Street, we come to two art museums of the Smithsonian, the Freer and Sackler Galleries. In the Freer Gallery, you can see the beautiful Peacock Room, which is dedicated to the works of this famous American artist. Hint


Question 5 of 25
5. A few doors down is the National Museum of African Art, which is dedicated to the works of traditional African artists. One of the exhibits, "The Ancient Nubian City of Kerma", features 40 art objects of Kerma, which was known to the ancient Egyptians as Kush. In what modern-day African nation is this city located? Hint


Question 6 of 25
6. On the right side of the mall facing the Capitol is the National Air and Space Museum, the most visited museum in town. One of the many things you can see is the command module that brought the astronauts back to Earth after the first moon landing in 1969. What is its name? Hint


Question 7 of 25
7. Looking toward the Capitol on the right, you can see the glass dome of the conservatory of the US Botanic Garden. This garden features over 25,000 plants, including cacti, orchids, and cycads. What are cycads? Hint


Question 8 of 25
8. At the end of the Mall sits the magnificent Capitol building. What former President died in this building? Hint


Question 9 of 25
9. At the foot of the Capitol lawn, there is a memorial to this US President, dedicated in 1922. Hint


Question 10 of 25
10. Directly across the Capitol on First Street is the Library of Congress. Right in front of the building you see a statue of which Roman god? Hint


Question 11 of 25
11. On the next block we see the US Supreme Court, a white marble building completed in 1935. On the ground floor of the building you will see a huge statue of this man, the fourth Chief Justice. Hint


Question 12 of 25
12. Nearby on East Capitol Street we come to another library, the Folger Library. This classic building is home to the world's largest collection of Shakespeare's works. Among the many treasures inside is the only known copy of this Roman tragedy, written in 1593. Hint


Question 13 of 25
13. Across the street from the Supreme Court is the Sewall-Belmont House, where many historic events have occurred. From 1801 to 1813 the house was occupied by Albert Gallatin. What position did he hold?
Hint


Question 14 of 25
14. Driving down Massachusetts Avenue, we pass Lincoln Park. In the park is a statue of Abe Lincoln and Archer Alexander. Who was Archer Alexander? Hint


Question 15 of 25
15. As we drive down G Street, the bus driver points out number 636. In 1854 the famous American composer known as "the March King" was born here. What was his real name?

Answer: (three words, or just last name)
Question 16 of 25
16. On the bank of the Anacostia River is the Navy Museum, next to the Navy Yard. Among the museum's many exhibits is the Trieste. What sort of craft is this? Hint


Question 17 of 25
17. On the north side of the Mall we see the huge, trapezoid-shaped National Gallery of Art. One of the many paintings you can see in this building is "Farmhouse in Provence, Arles", by this artist. Hint


Question 18 of 25
18. One block away on Constitution Avenue is the National Archives, a limestone building designed by John Russell Pope. Along with the American Constitution and Declaration of Independence, you can see this famous English document on display.

Answer: (Two Words)
Question 19 of 25
19. On Constitution Avenue facing the Mall is the Smithsonian's Museum of Natural History, opened in 1911. One of the first things you see in the museum is a 13-foot stuffed one of these in the rotunda. Hint


Question 20 of 25
20. Next door is the National Museum of American History, affectionately known as the "nation's attic". In the Physical Science Collection, one of the many things you will see is a teaching tool that represents the motions and phases of the planets in the solar system. What is this called? Hint


Question 21 of 25
21. Driving down H Street, we see a seven-acre park directly across from the White House. What is its name? Hint


Question 22 of 25
22. What would a tour of the capital be without a look at the White House? If you decide to tour the White House, you may purchase a guidebook. Which First Lady came up with the idea to sell guidebooks? Hint


Question 23 of 25
23. At Seventeenth Street and New York Avenue, we find the Octagon House, an eight-sided brick structure built in 1801. One historic event which occurred here was the signing of the Treaty of Ghent, by which US President? Hint


Question 24 of 25
24. Approaching a more residential area, we come to the beautiful National Cathedral at Massachusetts and Wisconsin Avenues. Who is the only US President buried here? Hint


Question 25 of 25
25. Our last stop is the Smithsonian Institution's National Zoological Park (zoo for short). Among the 5,500 animals here are two giant pandas from China. What are these big cuties' names? Hint



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Most Recent Scores
Oct 03 2024 : Guest 162: 10/25
Oct 03 2024 : Guest 70: 12/25
Oct 03 2024 : Suber: 12/25
Oct 03 2024 : Guest 70: 12/25
Oct 03 2024 : Guest 130: 8/25
Oct 03 2024 : Guest 172: 10/25
Sep 22 2024 : Guest 174: 14/25
Sep 20 2024 : Guest 174: 14/25
Sep 14 2024 : kjshear: 25/25

Score Distribution

quiz
Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts
1. All aboard! We begin our tour at the Lincoln Memorial, on the shore of the Potomac. What architect designed this memorial?

Answer: Henry Bacon

In 1911, Henry Bacon was commissioned to design a memorial to the sixteenth President. The design is a flat-roofed Greek temple of white marble with 36 columns- one for each state of the Union when Lincoln died. The nineteen-foot high statue of the seated President was designed by Daniel Chester French.

Inside the structure are bronze plaques inscribed with Lincoln's second innagural speech and Gettysburg Address. The steps of the memorial were the setting for Martin Luther King Jr's famous "I have a dream" speech in 1963.
2. Going east on Independence Avenue and looking across the Tidal Basin you see the white dome of the Jefferson Memorial. Inside the memorial you will find excerpts from the two documents for which Jefferson most wanted to be remembered: the Declaration of Independence and _________.

Answer: The Virginia Statute for Religious Freedom

The Jefferson Memorial was dedicated on April 13, 1943, by President Franklin Roosevelt. The domed structure, designed by John Russell Pope, is similar in appearance to that of Jefferson's own home, Monticello.
3. Not far from the Jefferson Memorial, on 14th Street, is the US Bureau of Engraving and Printing, established in 1862. You can take a tour of this building and actually see money being made. You learn that all US currency is produced using the intaglio method. What does this mean?

Answer: The engraved design is sunk below the surface

Intaglio, in which an engraved design is sunk below the surface of the canvas, is the opposite of cameo, in which it is raised above it. The hardened, completed engraving is transferred onto a soft transfer roll, which is used again and again to duplicate the original.

The Bureau goes through so much ink that it is delivered in 55-gallon drums. Along with currency, the Bureau makes postage stamps, White House invitations, Federal Reserve notes, and other federal documents. No coins are made here, however; those are made at the various US Mints.
4. Coming up Jefferson Street, we come to two art museums of the Smithsonian, the Freer and Sackler Galleries. In the Freer Gallery, you can see the beautiful Peacock Room, which is dedicated to the works of this famous American artist.

Answer: James Whistler

Whistler himself designed the room for an English businessman, calling it "Harmony in Blue and Gold". The Freer Gallery features the collection of Charles Lang Freer (1854-1919), a manufacturer with a magnificent art collection, particularly Asian art. Freer's favorite painter was Whistler, whom he befriended; over 1,000 of the artist's works are in his collection. Follow the underground tunnel to the Arthur M. Sackler Gallery, where you can see more Asian art, including Chinese jade and a series of ancient Islamic manuscripts.
5. A few doors down is the National Museum of African Art, which is dedicated to the works of traditional African artists. One of the exhibits, "The Ancient Nubian City of Kerma", features 40 art objects of Kerma, which was known to the ancient Egyptians as Kush. In what modern-day African nation is this city located?

Answer: Sudan

Kerma is the oldest known African city south of Egypt that has been excavated. The collection includes jewellery, ceramics, and ivory animal figures.
6. On the right side of the mall facing the Capitol is the National Air and Space Museum, the most visited museum in town. One of the many things you can see is the command module that brought the astronauts back to Earth after the first moon landing in 1969. What is its name?

Answer: Columbia

Other treasures here include the "Flyer", the airplane flown by the Wright brothers in their historic 1903 flight, and Charles Lindbergh's plane, "The Spirit of St. Louis", in which he crossed the Atlantic.
7. Looking toward the Capitol on the right, you can see the glass dome of the conservatory of the US Botanic Garden. This garden features over 25,000 plants, including cacti, orchids, and cycads. What are cycads?

Answer: Ancient seed plants

Cycads are an ancient group of seed plants with large compound leaves and a stout trunk. They are found in tropical and subtropical regions. Although rare today, they were everywhere during the Jurassic period, which is why the Jurassic period is sometimes referred to as the "Age of Cycads".
8. At the end of the Mall sits the magnificent Capitol building. What former President died in this building?

Answer: John Quincy Adams

John Quincy Adams, who became a member of the House of Representatives after his Presidential term, collapsed from a stroke while speaking here on March 23, 1848. He was carried to an adjacent room, where he died. Adams was known as "Old Man Eloquent" for his impassioned speeches, many of which were against slavery.
9. At the foot of the Capitol lawn, there is a memorial to this US President, dedicated in 1922.

Answer: Ulysses Grant

The Grant Memorial consists of a 250-foot long sculpture group designed by Henry Merwin Shrady. The memorial depicts a calm-looking General Grant standing amid a chaotic battle scene, with cavalry and an artillery group.
10. Directly across the Capitol on First Street is the Library of Congress. Right in front of the building you see a statue of which Roman god?

Answer: Neptune

The Library, today the world's largest, was originally opened in 1800, when Congress decided that it needed a research facility. The first books were destroyed by the 1814 fire set by the British. Thomas Jefferson came to the rescue by selling his personal collection of 6,500 books to the Library. Unfortunately, most of these were destroyed by another fire, in 1851.
11. On the next block we see the US Supreme Court, a white marble building completed in 1935. On the ground floor of the building you will see a huge statue of this man, the fourth Chief Justice.

Answer: John Marshall

John Marshall, known as the "great Chief Justice", held this position from 1801 until 1835. During his long and distinguished career he greatly influenced history, especially in the case of Marbury vs. Madison in 1803. This case established the Supreme Court's role as the omnipotent interpreter of the Constitution.
12. Nearby on East Capitol Street we come to another library, the Folger Library. This classic building is home to the world's largest collection of Shakespeare's works. Among the many treasures inside is the only known copy of this Roman tragedy, written in 1593.

Answer: Titus Andronicus

Most of the items in the Folger Library came from art patrons Henry Clay Folger, president of Standard Oil, and his wife Emily. Among the features of the building are an elaborate reproduction of an Elizabethan theatre and the Tudor Great Hall, where the 275,000 volume collection is housed.
13. Across the street from the Supreme Court is the Sewall-Belmont House, where many historic events have occurred. From 1801 to 1813 the house was occupied by Albert Gallatin. What position did he hold?

Answer: Secretary of the Treasury

Albert Gallatin was President Jefferson's Secretary of the Treasury. It was here in 1804 that the details of the Louisiana Purchase were worked out. In 1929 the house was purchased by the National Women's Party and named in honor of Alva Belmont, a major supporter. Today it serves as the party's headquarters.
14. Driving down Massachusetts Avenue, we pass Lincoln Park. In the park is a statue of Abe Lincoln and Archer Alexander. Who was Archer Alexander?

Answer: The last man captured under the Fugitive Slave Act

The statue is called, fittingly enough, "Emancipation". It was built in 1876.
15. As we drive down G Street, the bus driver points out number 636. In 1854 the famous American composer known as "the March King" was born here. What was his real name?

Answer: John Philip Sousa

Sousa was one of America's best-loved composers. The leader of the Marine Band from 1880 to 1892, his most famous work may be "The Stars and Stripes Forever".
16. On the bank of the Anacostia River is the Navy Museum, next to the Navy Yard. Among the museum's many exhibits is the Trieste. What sort of craft is this?

Answer: Bathyscaphe

The Trieste is a deep-diving bathyscaphe, a type of vehicle specially designed to reach great depths. In 1960 the Trieste dived to a record 35,810 feet in the Mariana Trench, the deepest point in the Pacific Ocean. The first bathyscaphe was built in Belgium in 1946.
17. On the north side of the Mall we see the huge, trapezoid-shaped National Gallery of Art. One of the many paintings you can see in this building is "Farmhouse in Provence, Arles", by this artist.

Answer: Vincent Van Gogh

The National Gallery of art is actually two buildings: the classic West Building, designed by John Russell Pope, and the contemporary East Building, designed by I. M. Pei. The Gallery was the idea of Pittsburgh financier Andrew Mellon, who served as Secretary of the Treasury in the 1920s.
18. One block away on Constitution Avenue is the National Archives, a limestone building designed by John Russell Pope. Along with the American Constitution and Declaration of Independence, you can see this famous English document on display.

Answer: Magna Carta

The 1297 version of the historical document is on permanent loan from its owner, Ross Perot. Another popular attraction in the Archives is the geneaological records, open to the public.
19. On Constitution Avenue facing the Mall is the Smithsonian's Museum of Natural History, opened in 1911. One of the first things you see in the museum is a 13-foot stuffed one of these in the rotunda.

Answer: Elephant

You could easily spend all day investigating the museum's 121 million items, which include fossils,animals, art from various cultures, gems, and meteorites. Some of the more intersting items are a huge stone head from Easter Island and the Hope Diamond, the world's largest known diamond.
20. Next door is the National Museum of American History, affectionately known as the "nation's attic". In the Physical Science Collection, one of the many things you will see is a teaching tool that represents the motions and phases of the planets in the solar system. What is this called?

Answer: Orrery

Remember the things with styrofoam balls and coat hangers you made in school? (I did, anyway). Well, this is a huge one of them, made in Boston in 1828. This museum has all sorts of Americana, from the First Ladies' inaugural gowns to Archie Bunker's chair to Dorothy's ruby slippers from "The Wizard of Oz".

The most famous item on display is probably the original Star-Spangled Banner, which unfortunately has deteriorated quite a bit since 1814 when it inspired Francis Scott Key to write the song. Obviously, there are many more interesting things in Washington than can fit in this quiz! Look for future quizzes on the White House and the Smithsonian.
21. Driving down H Street, we see a seven-acre park directly across from the White House. What is its name?

Answer: Lafayette Square

This park has been a popular spot for demonstrators, as it can be seen from the White House. A statue of Andrew Jackson on horseback is in the center of the park. Across H Street is St. John's Church, the "Church of the Presidents".
22. What would a tour of the capital be without a look at the White House? If you decide to tour the White House, you may purchase a guidebook. Which First Lady came up with the idea to sell guidebooks?

Answer: Jacqueline Kennedy

Jackie instituted the idea in 1961 as a way to finance restoration of the building. She headed the entire process, from the photography to the writing of the souvenir booklet.
23. At Seventeenth Street and New York Avenue, we find the Octagon House, an eight-sided brick structure built in 1801. One historic event which occurred here was the signing of the Treaty of Ghent, by which US President?

Answer: James Madison

James Madison and his wife Dolley stayed in this house after the invading British burned the White House in August of 1814. It was here that President Madison signed the Treaty of Ghent on December 24, 1814, officially ending the War of 1812.
24. Approaching a more residential area, we come to the beautiful National Cathedral at Massachusetts and Wisconsin Avenues. Who is the only US President buried here?

Answer: Woodrow Wilson

The true name for the building is The Episcopal Cathedral of Saints Peter and Paul. Work on this magnificent English Gothic building was begun in 1907 and finished in 1990. Its features include the 300-foot Gloria in Excelsis Tower, a 53-bell carillon, and a 26-foot high stained glass rose window.
25. Our last stop is the Smithsonian Institution's National Zoological Park (zoo for short). Among the 5,500 animals here are two giant pandas from China. What are these big cuties' names?

Answer: Tian Tian and Mei Xiang

Tian Tian and Mei Xiang arrived in Washington in December 2000, from their birthplace in Sichuan, China. Mei Xiang is the girl; her name means "beautiful fragrance" in Chinese. Tian Tian, the boy, means "more and more". Mei was born on July 21, 1998, and Tian on August 27, 1997. Check out the Panda Cams at the zoo's website to see them live!
Source: Author bullymom

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