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Quiz about Crimes of the 20th Century
Quiz about Crimes of the 20th Century

Crimes of the 20th Century Trivia Quiz


Decade by decade of the 20th century there has been one criminal or crime that became a media frenzy. Let's see if you can figure out what they are.

A multiple-choice quiz by shadowjack. Estimated time: 5 mins.
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Author
shadowjack
Time
5 mins
Type
Multiple Choice
Quiz #
290,104
Updated
Dec 03 21
# Qns
10
Difficulty
Average
Avg Score
7 / 10
Plays
3150
Awards
Top 35% Quiz
Last 3 plays: Guest 99 (6/10), Guest 66 (6/10), Kabdanis (5/10).
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Question 1 of 10
1. The first decade. Born Brynhild Paulsdatter Storseth, this woman killed both her husbands, all of her children, many lovers and drifters, burying them on her farm. By 1908, it was assumed she killed over twenty people. Who is this lovely lady? Hint


Question 2 of 10
2. In the second decade of the 20th Century, the disappearance of this painting shook France so bad they closed the borders to prevent the thief from escaping. Who painted this missing piece of art? Hint


Question 3 of 10
3. The Roaring Twenties; this was the decade of the first known international one-man crime spree, which spanned over two continents. This man's horrific acts consisted of hiring eight black men for a hunt. He hunted and killed them all. Who was this vicious killer? Hint


Question 4 of 10
4. The 1930s brought on a new type of crime to hype up the media. On March 1, 1932, the infant son of world renowned aviator Charles Lindbergh was kidnapped.
What was the name of the person who was tried and convicted of the kidnapping and murder?
Hint


Question 5 of 10
5. The 1940s brings us to a much publicized crime. The body of Elizabeth Short was found mutilated and severed. Her name was Elizabeth Short, and her murder gave rise to speculation. It is also the source of several books and film adaptations. What was Elizabeth nicknamed? Hint


Question 6 of 10
6. The 1950s brought a case that people still talk about. In February 1957, a badly bruised, naked body of a little boy, no more than two-years old, was found in a cardboard box, in a remote area of Philadelphia. This young child was given many labels over the past fifty years; which of the following was he not called? Hint


Question 7 of 10
7. The flower power, peace out 1960s brings us to the scariest monster of all. This was the beginning of the brainwashing, cult following era. Who was the deadliest man to murder, by instructing others to commit the crime, and never having to do the deed himself? Hint


Question 8 of 10
8. The 1970s brought terror to New York, the man the police called the Son of Sam was shooting random people. New York City was frightened. What was the Son of Sam's birth name? Hint


Question 9 of 10
9. The autumn of 1982 brought the first known cause of death by product tampering. Seven deaths were caused by this tampering, and the culprit was never found. What was the item that was the item and how? Hint


Question 10 of 10
10. The 1990s brought us "the trial of the century", the most watched event in American television history, the verdict of "not guilty", was read on October 3, 1995. Who was the person at the center of the trial? Hint



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Most Recent Scores
Mar 22 2024 : Guest 99: 6/10
Feb 29 2024 : Guest 66: 6/10
Feb 26 2024 : Kabdanis: 5/10
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Score Distribution

quiz
Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts
1. The first decade. Born Brynhild Paulsdatter Storseth, this woman killed both her husbands, all of her children, many lovers and drifters, burying them on her farm. By 1908, it was assumed she killed over twenty people. Who is this lovely lady?

Answer: Belle Gunness

Nobody really knows what happened to Belle Gunness. It is said that she took her false teeth and sat them next to a decapitated female victim, having her male partner, Lamphere, start fire to the corpse and her farm. Police were led to believe the corpse was her, but Lamphere put doubt in their mind.
2. In the second decade of the 20th Century, the disappearance of this painting shook France so bad they closed the borders to prevent the thief from escaping. Who painted this missing piece of art?

Answer: Leonardo Da Vinci

In Florence, Italy, Leonardo Da Vinci spent four years painting "The Mona Lisa". For four centuries, she made her home in France. On August 20, 1911, her place on the wall of the Louvre Museum was bare. Several years after the theft, an Italian man named Vincenzo Peugia, was trying to sell her to an art dealer in Italy and was arrested. On January 4, 1914, the painting found its home again on the wall of the Louvre.
3. The Roaring Twenties; this was the decade of the first known international one-man crime spree, which spanned over two continents. This man's horrific acts consisted of hiring eight black men for a hunt. He hunted and killed them all. Who was this vicious killer?

Answer: Carl Panzram

Panzram admitted to killing 22 men and raping over a thousand. When he was sentenced to death, he welcomed it, asking for the execution to be expedited. He was hanged on September 5, 1930.
4. The 1930s brought on a new type of crime to hype up the media. On March 1, 1932, the infant son of world renowned aviator Charles Lindbergh was kidnapped. What was the name of the person who was tried and convicted of the kidnapping and murder?

Answer: Bruno Hauptmann

Even though his guilt was doubted by the presiding judge, Bruno Hauptmann was sentenced to death. His execution took place on April 3, 1936, at New Jersey State Prison, at the hands of "Old Smokey", the electric chair. Until this day there has been a question on whether Hauptmann was guilty, most leaning on the side of him being innocent of the crime.
5. The 1940s brings us to a much publicized crime. The body of Elizabeth Short was found mutilated and severed. Her name was Elizabeth Short, and her murder gave rise to speculation. It is also the source of several books and film adaptations. What was Elizabeth nicknamed?

Answer: Black Dahlia

The body of Elizabeth Short was found on January 15, 1947, in Leimert Park, Los Angeles, severely mutilated, cut in half, and drained of blood. Her face was slashed from the corners of her mouth up towards her ears. It quickly became a cold case.
6. The 1950s brought a case that people still talk about. In February 1957, a badly bruised, naked body of a little boy, no more than two-years old, was found in a cardboard box, in a remote area of Philadelphia. This young child was given many labels over the past fifty years; which of the following was he not called?

Answer: Little Boy Lost

The identity of this little boy, quickly became a mystery. In 1998, his remains were exhumed to extract DNA for analysis; unfortunately, there was no match at the time.
7. The flower power, peace out 1960s brings us to the scariest monster of all. This was the beginning of the brainwashing, cult following era. Who was the deadliest man to murder, by instructing others to commit the crime, and never having to do the deed himself?

Answer: Charles Manson

Manson was sentenced to death, but when California abolished the death penalty, his sentence was converted to life in prison. He is eligible for parole in 2012, at the age of 78.
8. The 1970s brought terror to New York, the man the police called the Son of Sam was shooting random people. New York City was frightened. What was the Son of Sam's birth name?

Answer: Richard David Falco

Born to Betty Falco and Joseph Kleinman, his birth name was Richard David Falco. When Richard was a week old he was adopted by Nathan and Pearl Berkowitz, his name was changed to David Berkowitz. David's defense for the shootings was that he was commanded to kill by the demon who possessed his neighbor's dog.
9. The autumn of 1982 brought the first known cause of death by product tampering. Seven deaths were caused by this tampering, and the culprit was never found. What was the item that was the item and how?

Answer: Tylenol with cyanide

The Tylenol tampering happened in Chicago in 1982. It was done at individual stores, so it was difficult to trace. This was when the development of tamper resistant packaging began.
10. The 1990s brought us "the trial of the century", the most watched event in American television history, the verdict of "not guilty", was read on October 3, 1995. Who was the person at the center of the trial?

Answer: OJ Simpson

OJ Simpson was accused of killing his ex-wife Nicole Simpson and her friend Ron Goldman. Many are confused as to whether or not he is guilty. On February 5, 1997, in a civil trial for wrongful death, a jury found OJ unanimously guilty. He was charged over 33 million in damages.
Source: Author shadowjack

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