A History of Los Angeles, City of Angels Quiz

Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts

1. In what year was the city of Los Angeles founded?

Answer: 1781

After first arriving in the area in 1769, the Spanish founded "El Pueblo de Nuestra Se�ora la Reina de los Angeles de Porci�ncula" or The Town of Our Lady the Queen of Angels of the Little Portion in 1781.

2. Which of the 21 California Missions is located within the city limits of present day Los Angeles?

Answer: San Fernando

Ironically, San Fernando Mission is within the L.A. city limits, about a quarter of a mile from the city of San Fernando. San Gabriel Mission is in L.A. county but not the city, and San Juan Capistrano is between Los Angeles and San Diego.

3. How many countries have ruled over Los Angeles?

Answer: 3

Los Angeles has been ruled by Spain, Mexico, and the United States. Though there was a small movement during the Mexican War to establish the Bear Flag Republic, California was never officially an independent nation.

4. This man oversaw construction of the California Aqueduct that brought water from the Owens Valley in Central California to the Los Angeles Basin.

Answer: William Mulholland

Mulholland is still viewed with villainous contempt in the Owens Valley. Fremont was an American explorer and politician, and Roosevelt was the 26th President. Harrison Chandler was the first publisher of the "Los Angeles Times" newspaper. Without this water source, Los Angeles could not have experienced its tremendous growth in the 20th century.

5. In which U.S. Census did the population of Los Angeles first exceed one million?

Answer: 1920

Spurred by an oil boom and two new industries (motion pictures and aircraft), the city passed the 1 million mark in the 1920 census).

6. In the early 20th century, Los Angeles had one of the most advanced rapid transit systems in the nation, primarily utilizing an extensive system of streetcars of what color?

Answer: Red

They were owned and operated by Pacific Gas and Electric and were commonly known as "the red cars." The advent of the automobile and lobbying by oil companies saw the lines torn up and the streetcars disappear. Los Angeles has struggled to keep up with other major cities' rapid transit systems ever since.

7. Earthquakes present a constant threat to the city. Which of these earthquakes did *not* cause damage in Los Angeles?

Answer: Loma Prieta

The Loma Prieta earthquake struck the San Francisco Bay Area in 1989. The Long Beach earthquake struck in 1933, the Sylmar (also known as the San Fernando) earthquake struck in 1971, and the Northridge quake struck in 1994.

8. What was the first major professional sports team in Los Angeles?

Answer: The Rams

The Rams came to L.A. from Cleveland in 1946. The Dodgers arrived from Brooklyn in 1958, the Lakers from Minneapolis in 1960, and the Kings were an NHL expansion team in 1967. Prior to the Rams' arrival, the L.A. sports scene centered on UCLA, USC, and two minor league baseball teams - the Los Angeles Angels and Hollywood Stars.

9. This man became the first African American mayor of Los Angeles when he was elected in 1973.

Answer: Tom Bradley

Bradley was a L.A. City police officer and City Councilman who served a record 20 years as L.A. Mayor. Willie Brown was a California State Assembly Speaker and mayor of San Francisco, Coleman Young was mayor of Detroit, and civil rights leader Jesse Jackson was never Mayor of L.A.

10. In what U.S. Census did Los Angeles first become the second most populous city in the U.S.?

Answer: 1980

Although population estimates had Los Angeles passing Chicago into 2nd place (behind New York) as early as 1974, it did not officially move into 2nd place until the 1980 census.

11. In 1940, Bing Crosby had a #1 hit song about this geographic area of Los Angeles.

Answer: San Fernando Valley

Crosby's hit was titled "The San Fernando Valley is My Home." The valley comprises the northern section of Los Angeles, and if it were a separate city, it would be the 5th most populous in the nation.

12. The Hollywood sign is one of Los Angeles' famous landmarks. When it was originally erected, what did it say?

Answer: Hollywoodland

It originally read "Hollywoodland" as that was the original name of the area. The "land" was dropped from common use in the 1920s. In the 1960s, the sign fell into a state of disrepair, but it was refurbished in the 1970s. When California passed a law that sharply reduced penalties for marijuana possession, pranksters hung sheets that altered the sign to read "Hollyweed."

13. Los Angeles was the only city on the U.S. mainland to be attacked during World War II.

Answer: False

On February 25, 1942, a flury of anti aircraft fire erupted over the city in response to what was thought to be a Japanese air raid. However, there was no confirmed sighting of enemy aricraft, and it was later believed that weather balloons were the culprit.

Some buildings were damaged by falling anti-aircraft shells and three people died of heart attacks. The only confirmed attack on continental U.S. soil in World War II was when a Japanese submarine shelled the Ellwood Oil Fields just north of Santa Barbara, causing minor damage and a small fire.

14. Through 2005, Los Angeles has hosted the Summer Olympics twice. Which years?

Answer: 1932 and 1984

Through 2005, Los Angeles is the only city in the U.S. to have hosted the summer olympics more than once.

15. Throughout its history, Los Angeles has annexed many neighboring cities, therby contributing to its rapid growth. Which of these cities was one of those annexed by Los Angeles?

Answer: San Pedro

San Pedro was annexed when the man made harbor was built there. It was a separate city until annexation, and it comprises the very southern end of Los Angeles, about 25 miles from downtown and over 50 miles from the city's northern limit in the San Fernando Valley. Beverly Hills, Burbank, and Santa Monica are all separate cities in L.A. County. Van Nuys and Wilmington are among other cities that were annexed by L.A.

Source: Author 81gaucho

This quiz was reviewed by FunTrivia editor bloomsby before going online.
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Historical tidbits and facts about the U.S.A.'s second most populous city.

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