American History Fun Facts

Hip! Hip! It's a holiday week! Before you don your red, white, and blue and fire up the grill, brush up on your American History. Test your knowledge and see how you do. Better yet, print this out and quiz your friends and family at your party!
  • Whose face is featured on a two-dollar bill? (Jefferson)
  • Do you know the four presidents on Mt. Rushmore? (Washington, Jefferson, Lincoln, and Roosevelt)
  • How many stripes on the American flag? (Thirteen)
  • Which was the first state? (Delaware)
  • Who gave the shortest inaugural speech? (Washington, his dentures were hurting.)
  • Which president had two bear cubs for pets on the South Lawn? (Jefferson, they were a gift from Lewis and Clark.)
  • Which president never belonged to a political party? (Washington, and he never lived in the White House either!)
  • Which president served in both World Wars? (Dwight D. Eisenhower)
  • Who was the first president to be born in a hospital? (Jimmy Carter)
  • Who was the only bachelor president? (James Buchanan)
  • Who was the oldest person elected president? (Ronald Reagan)
  • Which president went on to become the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court? (William H. Taft)
  • Which is the oldest capital city in the US? (Santa Fe, New Mexico, founded in 1610!)
Did you know?
  • Fourth of July fireworks were first used as a mockery of the tradition of fireworks for British royalty.
  • Though it was always celebrated, the Fourth of July wasn't an official US holiday until 1941.
  • "The Star-Spangled Banner" is set to the tune of an old English drinking song.
  • Lincoln logs were named after Abraham Lincoln and his childhood log cabin.
  • No president has been an only child.
  • Longtime friends and pen-pals John Adams and Thomas Jefferson died on the same day, July 4, 1826.
  • The national capital was originally Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
  • President Lincoln kept important notes and papers tucked in his famous top hat.
  • The "largest" city in the US is Juneau, Alaska. The city is larger in size than the entire state of Delaware.
  • Amelia Earhart also designed her own line of clothes that was sold all over the US.
  • Arlington National Cemetary was originally a plantation owned by Gen. Robert E. Lee and his wife, Mary Ann Randolph Custis (a cousin of George Washington).
Do you have any other fun facts? Share them in the comments and have a great holiday!
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