Which President Was It?

We associate George Washington with cherry trees. The tall, black "stovepipe" hat is a symbol of President Abraham Lincoln. But do you know which president was famous for his radio talks, called fireside chats? Do you know which president was an army general in World War II? Answer these questions to learn more about the men who served as president.

Use the time line to help you. The objects included in each question provide clues. Good luck!

  1. Do you ever worry about what to wear to a special party? This president's wife wore a dress with a low waistline and detachable train to a special party at the White House. The dress, popular in the Jazz Age, is called a flapper gown.

    Which president was it?
    1. Woodrow Wilson, 1913-1921
    2. Calvin Coolidge, 1923-1929
    3. John F. Kennedy, 1961- 1963
       
  2. Do you feel proud when you wear your soccer team outfit or your band uniform? This president proudly wore the uniform of a World War II army general.

    Which president was it?
    1. George Washington, 1789-1797
    2. Dwight D. Eisenhower, 1953-1961
    3. Ulysses S. Grant, 1869-1877
       
  3. The National Zoo in Washington, D.C., received a pair of pandas after this president went to China. This president initiated "Ping-Pong diplomacy."

    Which president was it?
    1. Theodore Roosevelt, 1901-1909
    2. Harry S. Truman, 1945-1953
    3. Richard M. Nixon, 1969-1974
       
  4. Before television was invented, families gathered around the radio to hear this president's friendly "fireside chats."

    Which president was it?
    1. Warren G. Harding 1921-23
    2. Herbert Hoover 1929-1933
    3. Franklin D. Roosevelt 1933-1945
       
  5. Do you have a teddy bear? Did you know that the teddy bear was named after this president, an enthusiastic outdoorsman?

    Which president was it?
    1. Thomas Jefferson, 1801-1809
    2. Theodore Roosevelt, 1901-1909
    3. Zachary Taylor, 1849-1850
       
  6. Do you take a compass on hikes to keep from getting lost? Lewis and Clark brought one when this president sent them to explore newly acquired land in the West.

    Which president was it?
    1. George Washington, 1789-1797
    2. Thomas Jefferson, 1801-1809
    3. James Monroe, 1817-1825
       
  7. During this president's term of office, the British Army burned down the Executive Mansion now called the White House.

    Which president was it?
    1. James Madison, 1809-1817
    2. Andrew Jackson, 1829-1837
    3. Herbert Hoover, 1929-1933
       
  8. Does your family use special plates when you have guests for dinner? Many presidents had state china designed for their use. The design on this president's china featured a symbol of the United States.

    Which president was it?
    1. John Adams, 1797-1801
    2. James Monroe, 1817-1825
    3. Gerald R. Ford, 1974-1977
       
  9. Your grandparents probably remember exactly where they were when they heard about the assassination of this president.

    Which president was it?
    1. Abraham Lincoln, 1861-1865
    2. John F. Kennedy, 1961-1963
    3. Ronald Reagan, 1981-1989
       
  10. Who was the president when you were born? Who was the president when your father or mother was born?

Score Yourself!
Give yourself 1 point for each correct answer to questions 1-9. For question 10, give yourself 1 point if you know who was president when you were born; 2 points if you know who was president when your father or mother was born.

Correct Answers:
1b, 2b, 3c, 4c, 5b, 6b, 7a, 8b, 9b

8 or more points: You're a presidential scholar!
4-7 points: You're a presidential apprentice!
less than 4 points: You're a presidential novice!