Quiz: Can You Name These Famous Americans?

Quiz: Can You Name These Famous Americans?


March 28, 2025 | Alex Summers

Quiz: Can You Name These Famous Americans?


Try To Identify These Famous Figures

America has been shaped by people who defied the odds with their unique visions and left a lasting impact on the world. But can you name them in an instant with just a clue to help you? 

Intro (1)

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He Supposedly Never Told A Lie

You know him. He led a revolution, but he didn't want to be king. His face is on the dollar bill, and his name is everywhere.

Priceless Works Of Art factsGetty Images

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The Answer

George Washington. The first President of the United States helped secure American independence and set the standard for leadership in the new nation.

George Washington (1732–1799)Gilbert Stuart, Wikimedia Commons

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He Helped Put America On Wheels

He didn't invent the automobile, but he made it affordable. His assembly line changed the way things were built and shaped the modern world.

Henry Ford (1863-1947) american industrialist pioneer.Getty Images

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The Answer

Henry Ford. The history of automobiles changed with Model T. He founded the Ford Motor Company and changed the auto industry with mass production to make cars accessible to ordinary Americans.

Henry FordHartsook, photographer, Wikimedia Commons

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An Aviator Who Vanished Into History

She broke records in the sky but disappeared on her most daring journey. To this day, her fate remains one of history's greatest mysteries.

Amelia Earhart's Lockheed Electra at TakeoffBettmann , Getty Images

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The Answer

Amelia Earhart. She was a successful aviator and the first woman to fly solo across the Atlantic. Unfortunately, she vanished over the Pacific in 1937 while attempting a world flight.

Amelia EarhartHarris & Ewing, Wikimedia Commons

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His Words Captured The American Spirit

Born under Halley's Comet, he became one of America's greatest humorists. His stories about a young boy are among the most beloved in literature.

Grayscale Portrait Photo of Mark Twain in a white suitUnderwood & Underwood, Wikimedia Commons

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The Answer

Mark Twain. He wrote The Adventures of Tom Sawyer and later Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. Twain used wit and satire to explore American life in the 19th century.

File:Mark Twain Cigar2.jpgA.F. Bradley, New York, Wikimedia Commons

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The Pen Behind The Declaration

This man bought a massive amount of land without firing a shot and wrote some of the most famous words in American history. He also wrote the Declaration of Independence.

Writing the Declaration of Independence, 1776Jean Leon Gerome Ferris, Wikimedia Commons

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The Answer

Thomas Jefferson. He wrote the Declaration of Independence and became the third American President. He also orchestrated the Louisiana Purchase to double the size of the US. 

Thomas Jefferson (1743–1826)Rembrandt Peale, Wikimedia Commons

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A Software Pioneer Who Built A Tech Empire

As a teenager, he spent his free time writing software and built a company that put computers in millions of homes. His work made him one of the wealthiest people in the world.

Portrait Photo of Microsoft Co-founder Bill Gates in beiger outfitDoug Wilson, Getty Images

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The Answer

Bill Gates. The co-founder of Microsoft played a key role in the rise of personal computing and later became one of the world's leading philanthropists.

Bill GatesKuhlmann /MSC, CC BY 3.0, Wikimedia Commons

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The Poet Who Rose Like A Phoenix

She wrote of caged birds and rising beyond adversity. Her voice carried the weight of history, and she spoke at a presidential inauguration.

Maya Angelou FactsBrian Stansberry (photographer), CC BY 3.0, Wikimedia Commons

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The Answer

Maya Angelou. A poet and activist, Angelou wrote I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings and became a powerful voice for civil rights and self-expression.

Maya Angelou FactsShutterstock

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He Kept The Nation Together In The Time Of Conflict

He came from a log cabin, stood tall in a top hat, and believed that "a house divided against itself cannot stand". His most famous speech lasted just over two minutes.

File:Abraham Lincoln giving his second Inaugural Address (4 March 1865).jpgAlexander Gardner, Wikimedia Commons

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The Answer

Abraham Lincoln. He was the 16th President during the time of the Civil War. Lincoln also issued the Emancipation Proclamation, which led to the abolition of slavery.

Abraham Lincoln (1809–1865)George Henry Story, Wikimedia Commons

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A Woman Who Took A Stand By Staying Seated

One day, she refused to give up her seat, but her act of defiance moved a whole nation. That simple "no" became a turning point in American history.

Martin Luther King Jr. FactsFlickr, Tullio Saba

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The Answer

Rosa Parks. The one known as the "Mother of the Civil Rights Movement”. Her decision to remain seated on a segregated bus in Montgomery sparked a wave of change that changed modern American history. 

File:Rosaparks.jpgUnknown authorUnknown author, Wikimedia Commons

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He's A Dreamer Who Changed A Nation

His words echoed from the steps of the Lincoln Memorial to inspire millions. He believed in peaceful protests and fought for equality, even when it meant risking his life.

Martin Luther King Jr. FactsGetty Images

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The Answer

Martin Luther King Jr. He led the Civil Rights Movement and advocated for racial justice. He is best known for his "I Have a Dream" speech.

File:Martin Luther King Jr with medallion NYWTS.jpgPhil Stanziola, NYWT&S staff photographer, Wikimedia Commons

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The Writer Who Lived As Boldly As His Stories

He drove ambulances in war, ran with bulls, fished the deep seas, and hunted in Africa. His writing was as sharp as a sword, and his words are still remembered.

File:ErnestHemingway.jpgLloyd Arnold, Wikimedia Commons

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The Answer

Ernest Hemingway. A literary giant known for The Old Man and the Sea and A Farewell to Arms, he pioneered a minimalist writing style and lived a life of adventure.

File:Ernest Hemingway Writing at Campsite in Kenya - NARA - 192655.jpgLook Magazine, Photographer (NARA record: 1106476), Wikimedia Commons

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He Led The Nation Through A Crisis

Taking office in the middle of the worst economic downturn in US history, he reassured Americans with his fireside chats and led the country through war.

File:Franklin D. Roosevelt and Henry Morgenthau Jr - NARA - 195619.jpgUnknown authorUnknown author or not provided, Wikimedia Commons

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The Answer

Franklin D Roosevelt. He's the only US President elected four times as he guided the nation through the Great Depression and WW2 to leave a lasting impact.

File:Franklin D. Roosevelt - NH 19.jpegUnknown authorUnknown author, Wikimedia Commons

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He Left His Footprints In Space

This man took a giant leap for mankind and left his footprints on the lunar surface. His words from space became some of the most famous ever spoken.

File:Buzz Aldrin by Neil Armstrong.jpgNeil Armstrong, Wikimedia Commons

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The Answer

Neil Armstrong. As the commander of Apollo 11, he became the first human to walk on the Moon in 1969 to mark a milestone in space exploration.

File:Neil Armstrong pose.jpgUnknown authorUnknown author, Wikimedia Commons

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His Invention Connected The World

He was born in Scotland but later became an American citizen. Inspired by a family situation, he made an invention that redefined communication. 

File:Alexander Graham Telephone in Newyork.jpgGilbert H. Grosvenor Collection, Prints and Photographs Division, Library of Congress., Wikimedia Commons

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The Answer

Alexander Graham Bell. He invented the telephone, and his work laid the foundation for modern telecommunications.

File:Alexander Graham Bell.jpgMoffett Studio, Wikimedia Commons

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Thanks To Him, The Supreme Court Gained More Power

Before he took the bench, the Supreme Court had little real power. Under his leadership, it became a force that could strike down laws and shape the nation's future.

File:John Marshall Full.jpgChester Harding, Wikimedia Commons

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The Answer

John Marshall. He was the fourth Chief Justice of the US and established the principle of judicial review, which strengthened the power of the Supreme Court.

File:John Marshall by Henry Inman, 1832.jpgHenry Inman, Wikimedia Commons

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The Doctor Who Saved Millions

His discovery changed childhood forever. Thanks to his work, a once-feared disease was nearly eradicated.

File:Jonas Salk 1988.jpgCDC, Wikimedia Commons

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The Answer

Jonas Salk. He is the medical researcher who developed the polio vaccine. His work protected generations of children from a devastating illness.

File:Dr Jonas Edward Salk, creator of Salk polio vaccine, at Copenhagen Airport.jpgSAS Scandinavian Airlines, Wikimedia Commons

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The Man Who Broke Baseball's Color Barrier

Wearing number 42, he stepped onto the field and changed history. Facing hostility, he let his performance do the talking to prove he belonged among the greats.

File:Jrobinson.jpgPhoto by Bob Sandberg Look photographer, Wikimedia Commons

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The Answer

Jackie Robinson. He was the first African American to play Major League Baseball in the modern era. As a result, he paved the way for racial integration in professional sports.

Jackie Robinson, first baseman with the Brooklyn DodgersHarry Warnecke, CC0, Wikimedia Commons

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He Made Dreams Come True

He built an empire of movies and theme parks that defined childhood for generations, all based on the character of a mouse. 

File:Disney World, Orlando Florida.jpgJuliancolton, Wikimedia Commons

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The Answer

Walt Disney. He's the visionary behind Mickey Mouse and Disneyland. Disney transformed entertainment and left a lasting legacy in animation and storytelling.

File:Walt Disney NYWTS.jpgNew York World-Telegram and the Sun staff photographer: Fisher, Alan, photographer., Wikimedia Commons

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Two Brothers Who Soared 

At a small airfield in North Carolina, they changed the course of history. Their successful experiment in powered flight paved the way for modern aviation.

File:The Wright Brothers; first powered flight HU98267.jpgDaniels John T, Kill Devil Hills Life Saving Station on Wikimedia

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The Answer

The Wright Brothers. Orville and Wilbur Wright built and flew the first powered airplane in 1903, which opened the skies to humanity.

Wright Brothers FactsWikimedia Commons

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He Lit Up The World

His lab was called "The Invention Factory," and his breakthroughs made modern life possible. Among his thousands of patents, his most famous creation brought light to the darkness.

Thomas Edison FactsShutterstock

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The Answer

Thomas Edison. He invented the phonograph, motion picture camera, electric pen, and electric light bulb. Edison held over 1,000 patents and revolutionized everyday life.

Thomas EdisonLouis Bachrach, Bachrach Studios, Michel Vuijlsteke, Wikimedia Commons

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The Poet Who Mastered The Macabre

His tales of mystery and horror have haunted readers for generations. A raven was the star of one of his famous poems.

File:Edgar Allan Poe - Daguerreotype portrait mirrored.jpgPriyanshi.rastogi21, Wikimedia Commons

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The Answer

Edgar Allan Poe. He's the master of gothic literature and wrote The RavenThe Pit and the PendulumThe Tell-Tale Heart, and other dark, eerie tales that defined American horror.

File:Edgar Allan Poe, circa 1849, restored, squared off-contrast-added-and-retouched.jpgUnknown, with restoration by Yann, Adam Cuerden and Qono, Wikimedia Commons

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She Was The Queen Of Soul

Her powerful voice made her a legend in gospel and soul. She demanded respect and was the first woman to famously be inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame.

Aretha Franklin FactsGetty Images

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The Answer

Aretha Franklin. As one of the greatest vocalists of all time, she was known for hits like “Natural Woman” and “Respect.” She was also a symbol of musical excellence and civil rights activism.

Publicity photo of Aretha Franklin from BillboardAtlantic Records, Wikimedia Commons

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