Category: Brain Teasers

Trivia: Which President’s dog Fala has a statue on the National Mall?

Woodrow Wilson
Harry Truman
Herbert Hoover
Franklin D. Roosevelt

The correct answer is Franklin D. Roosevelt

So why is this answer correct? : When he arrived at the White House as a Christmas gift from a cousin in 1940, Fala — a Scottish Terrier whose full name was Murray, the Outlaw of Falahill — quickly became FDR’s favorite, rarely leaving his side. Often photographed with the President at speeches or on diplomatic visits abroad, Fala was popular with the media, making him a beloved figure for the American public.

Trivia: Which 1970s President hosted his daughter’s prom at the White House?

Richard Nixon
Jimmy Carter
Gerald Ford
Lyndon B. Johnson

The correct answer is Gerald Ford

So why is this answer correct? : Susan Ford was in the 1975 class of the Holton-Arms School in Bethesda, Maryland, while her father, Gerald Ford, was in office. When her prom committee asked if the White House could host, she conveyed the request to the head usher, who agreed conditionally. All 74 students who attended had to submit their personal information a month in advance. The President and First Lady were on a trip to Europe at the time, so Susan’s aunt Janet chaperoned.

Trivia: Which of these Presidents was NOT a relative of Franklin D. Roosevelt?

Ulysses S. Grant
James Madison
Andrew Jackson
Theodore Roosevelt

The correct answer is Andrew Jackson

So why is this answer correct? : The Roosevelts are one of the most famous families in American history, most notable for Presidents Theodore Roosevelt and Franklin Delano Roosevelt, fifth cousins who held office roughly 30 years apart. Not only is FDR related to 11 other U.S. Presidents, but the family also has ties to legendary British leader Winston Churchill and World War II General Douglas MacArthur.

Trivia: George W. Bush is a distant cousin of which other modern President?

Ronald Reagan
Jimmy Carter
Bill Clinton
Barack Obama

The correct answer is Barack Obama

So why is this answer correct? : It’s a far-reaching connection, but both the 43rd and 44th U.S. Presidents can trace their family lineage back to a couple named Samuel and Sarah Hinckley, who lived in Massachusetts in the 17th century. Barack Obama is also in the same family tree as the 33rd President, Harry Truman, and George W. Bush is a ninth cousin of his Vice President, Dick Cheney.

Trivia: The term “first family” came into popularity under which President?

John F. Kennedy
Ronald Reagan
Abraham Lincoln
Bill Clinton

The correct answer is John F. Kennedy

So why is this answer correct? : You have a comedian to thank for the widespread use of the term used to describe the President’s family. Vaughn Meader was famous for his impressions of John F. Kennedy, and his comedy album, titled “First Family,” won the 1962 Grammy for Album of the Year.

Trivia: Which First Lady was the first to graduate college?

Lucy Hayes
Martha Washington
Lady Bird Johnson
Helen Taft

The correct answer is Lucy Hayes

So why is this answer correct? : Lucy Hayes, the wife of 19th President Rutherford B. Hayes, received her degree from Wesleyan Female College at the age of 18. She later became known for her decision to ban alcohol from White House events, earning her the nickname “Lemonade Lucy.”

Trivia: Which unique pet did Calvin Coolidge have during his presidency?

Ostrich
Lemur
Raccoon
Llama

The correct answer is Raccoon

So why is this answer correct? : Pets have always been beloved members of the first family, and while dogs are typically the most common choice for a presidential pet, there have been some unusual selections over the years such as ponies, snakes, and sheep. But Calvin Coolidge’s raccoon, Rachel, might be the most well known. She walked around on a leash but was apparently the master of mischief during her family’s tenure.

Trivia: Which of the following U.S. Presidents fathered no children?

Ulysses S. Grant
George Washington
Theodore Roosevelt
Woodrow Wilson

The correct answer is George Washington

So why is this answer correct? : The first family has often been a very literal descriptor, with many children making the White House their home over the years. However, five Presidents never fathered children: George Washington, James Polk, Warren Harding, James Buchanan, and Andrew Jackson.

Trivia: Which First Lady that saved a portrait of Washington from the War of 1812?

Martha Jefferson
Dolley Madison
Mary Todd Lincoln
Abigail Adams

The correct answer is Dolley Madison

So why is this answer correct? : During the War of 1812 (which actually lasted from 1812 to 1815), British troops marched on Washington, D.C., in August 1814, burning several government buildings including the White House. Though the story is often told as if President James Madison’s wife, First Lady Dolley Madison, removed George Washington’s portrait from the burning building herself, real events are less dramatic: A day before the attack, she asked a servant to save the presidential painting known as the “Lansdowne Portrait” by breaking its frame and removing the canvas with a knife.

Trivia: Which First Lady was the first born outside of America?

Louisa Adams
Melania Trump
Anna Harrison
Nancy Reagan

The correct answer is Louisa Adams

So why is this answer correct? : Louisa Adams, the wife of John Quincy Adams, was born in London to a British mother and an American father. She remained the first and only First Lady born outside of America until Melania Trump, who was born in Slovenia.