Poor George Washington. Like the kid whose birthday is too close to a younger sibling’s, he might have had Presidents Day all to himself in February if not for Abe Lincoln, who was also born this month. Then we created Presidents Day for both of them. And now, all presidents get a little shoutout on the third Monday in February, no matter when they were born.
In that spirit, here is a quiz based on one from the National Constitution Center in Philadelphia that will test your presidential knowledge. You can find the actual quiz, with more questions and fewer of our parenthetical asides, at ConstitutionCenter.org. (You can also play a Hail to the Chief Quiz Game in person this weekend as part of the Constitution Center's Presidents Day Weekend activities. Admission is free on Monday.)
1. Who was our first president? JK. That’s too easy. Who was our first vice president?
- Alexander Hamilton
- John Adams
- Thomas Jefferson
- James Monroe
2. Do you know who this is? (Hint: It’s not that bartender at the brewpub your dad likes to visit.)
- Franklin Pierce
- Rutherford Hayes
- Chester Arthur
- Benjamin Harrison
3. Who was the first president to win the popular vote, but lose the election? (Do you know how that happens?)
- Andrew Jackson
- John Quincy Adams
- Samuel Tilden
- Thomas Jefferson
4. What president campaigned with this dog, King Tut? (He won. Good dog!)
- Warren Harding
- Calvin Coolidge
- Herbert Hoover
- Franklin Roosevelt
5. Who is the only president to take office without being elected president or vice president? (Extra credit if you know why.)
- John Tyler
- Chester Arthur
- Harry Truman
- Gerald Ford
6. Which president doesn’t have a statue donated by his state in the National Statuary Hall in Washington DC? (Hint: He has a really big one nearby.)
- George Washington
- Abraham Lincoln
- Dwight Eisenhower
- Ronald Reagan
See the answers on the next page
Quiz Answers
1. John Adams
2. Rutherford Hayes
3. Andrew Jackson
4. Herbert Hoover
5. Gerald Ford
6. Abraham Lincoln
How did you do?
0 correct — We know, it was pretty hard.
1 correct — You tried. Look at all you learned!
2 correct — Now we’re talking.
3 correct — Halfway to perfect
4 correct — Wait, are you a history teacher?
5 correct — Wow, is your name Google?
6 correct — Do want to run for president?
