Can You Pass This K-12 American History Quiz?

This landmark act prohibited discrimination based on race, color, religion, or national origin in the United States. It occurred during the civil rights movement when activists such as Martin Luther King Jr. inspired people nationwide to rally against discrimination. President Lyndon B. Johnson signed the act into law on July 2, 1964.

On June 25, 1876, the Native American forces led by Sitting Bull saw their most decisive victory at the Battle of Little Bighorn. Also called ​​Custer’s Last Stand, the battle resulted in the death of famed American military commander George Custer. This signaled disaster for the Plains tribes — within five years, the U.S. government confined nearly all of the Sioux and Cheyenne in reservations.

The 18th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution made manufacturing, selling, and distributing alcohol illegal in the United States. This ushered in the era of Prohibition, characterized by bootlegged alcohol, underground speakeasies, and the Jazz Age. Prohibition lasted from 1920 until 1933 and shaped the culture, economy, and politics of the Roaring ’20s.

The Battle of the Alamo is the most famous battle of the Texas Revolution. It took place from February 23 to March 6, 1836, when the Texan volunteers faced off against Mexican forces at a former Spanish mission called the Alamo. The battle remained a symbol of resistance for Texans one decade later when the Mexican-American War began.

From 1933 to 1944, President Franklin D. Roosevelt delivered a series of public radio shows called “fireside chats” to increase morale during the Great Depression. In the programs, FDR championed his New Deal policies and discussed World War II, which made many Americans hopeful that the country could emerge from the hardships of the time.

In the early 1970s, President Richard Nixon became embroiled in one of the most famous political scandals in U.S. history when his administration covered up its involvement in the burglary and wiretapping of the Democratic National Committee headquarters at the Watergate complex in Washington, D.C. Amid talks of impeachment, Nixon resigned from office, becoming the first U.S. President to do so.

The 2 million-acre Yellowstone National Park is America’s oldest national park. Situated in parts of Wyoming, Montana, and Idaho, the vast area was dedicated on March 1, 1872, under the Yellowstone National Park Protection Act, signed by President Ulysses S. Grant. Today, 63 protected areas have been granted a national park designation.

In 1981, Sandra Day O’Connor became the first woman appointed to the Supreme Court. She held the position until her retirement in 2006. She was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2009, and today, she remains an activist for the rule of law.

The Louisiana Purchase was the largest territorial acquisition in American history. In 1803, the newly formed United States purchased a large swath of land west of the Mississippi River from France for just over $27 million. It doubled the size of the U.S., stretching from southern Louisiana on the Gulf Coast to the northern border with Canada, as far west as Montana.

Famed automobile manufacturer Henry Ford revolutionized the industry by creating the first moving assembly line. This streamlined the process of car manufacturing and reduced production time from 12 hours per car to around an hour and a half. This new technology also lowered the price of cars, making them more affordable for customers everywhere.

The Boston Tea Party is one of American history's most famous political protests, organized by the Sons of Liberty at the Boston Harbor in December 1773. Although the event resulted from a list of grievances against the British crown, the leading cause was the issue of taxation without representation.

On July 20, 1969, NASA’s Apollo 11 mission landed the first humans on the lunar surface. Millions of viewers at home waited on the edge of their seats as astronaut Neil Armstrong proudly proclaimed, “That’s one small step for a man, one giant leap for mankind.” The landmark event gained the U.S. an enormous lead in the ongoing space race against the Soviet Union.

George Washington became the United States' first President on April 30, 1789. He had risen to prominence several years earlier, in 1775, when he was elected as the commander in chief of the Continental Army during the American Revolution. This position earned him a reputation as a true American patriot. He remains the only President to be unanimously elected by the Electoral College.

On November 19, 1863, four months after one of the Civil War’s deadliest battles, President Abraham Lincoln gave a speech at the dedication of the Gettysburg Civil War Cemetery. The two-minute speech went down as one of the most famous in American history; in it, Lincoln suggested that the sacrifices made during the Civil War were for the betterment of the Union in hopes that all people living in America could be free one day.

In May 1775, John Hancock was elected president of the Continental Congress. One year later, he became the first signer of the Declaration of Independence. While he may be less well known than other famous signers of the document, Hancock made a name for himself by having the largest signature. His standout signing also resulted in the phrase “John Hancock” becoming slang for “signature.”