Category: Brain Teasers

Trivia: In 1787, what was Ben Franklin’s final major political act?

Running for president
Founding the Democratic Party
Designing voting machines
Signing the U.S. Constitution

Correct Answer: Signing the U.S. Constitution

So why is this answer correct? : Just three years before Ben Franklin’s death, the statesman attended the Constitutional Convention, where he would sign yet another pivotal document in American history. At the convention, the delegates outlined their new form of government, which would have the same three branches we know today: executive, legislative and judicial. At 81 years old, Franklin was the oldest person to sign the famous document.

Trivia: Franklin was part of a five-member committee that drafted which document?

Declaration of Independence
U.S. Constitution
Bill of Rights
Emancipation Proclamation

Correct Answer: Declaration of Independence

So why is this answer correct? : Shortly after the Revolutionary War had begun, Ben Franklin returned to Philadelphia for a very important task: to draft the United States’ Declaration of Independence from Great Britain. In this document, the 13 American colonies declared their freedom from the monarchy. Thomas Jefferson and John Adams, two more of America’s Founding Fathers, were also on the committee. Congress formally adopted the document on July 4, 1776.

Trivia: Under what name did 16-year-old Ben Franklin submit to a weekly newspaper?

O. Henry
Mrs. Silence Dogood
Ann Landers
Mrs. Doubtfire

Correct Answer: Mrs. Silence Dogood

So why is this answer correct? : Ben Franklin submitted a number of essays to his brother’s newspaper the “New England Courant” in the 1720s under the pseudonym “Mrs. Silence Dogood.” In his essays, he portrayed himself as a fictitious widow, offering her opinions on everything from marriage to current events and religion. The letters gained popularity, and after receiving many marriage proposals from hopeful bachelors, Franklin had to reveal himself to the public.

Trivia: Which U.S. currency does Ben Franklin appear on?

Silver dollar
$50 bill
$100 bill
$20 bill

Correct Answer: $100 bill

So why is this answer correct? : If Ben Franklin were alive today, he’d likely be pleased to see his face on a currency note. During his time in the colonies, he used his printing press to create colonial notes with unique, raised patterns, making money more difficult to counterfeit. Today, Ben Franklin’s portrait is on the face of the $100 bill, currently the largest currency note being printed by the U.S. mint.

Trivia: Which medical invention is credited to Ben Franklin?

Bifocals
Hearing aids
X-rays
Stethoscope

Correct Answer: Bifocals

So why is this answer correct? : Bifocals are one of Ben Franklin’s most famous inventions, allowing wearers to see both close-up and at a distance using the same lens. Franklin himself suffered from presbyopia, or far-sightedness that develops later in life. In August of 1784, Franklin described his excitement for his invention of “double spectacles” to his friend George Whatley in a letter. He happily proclaimed that his eyes were useful once again.

Trivia: Which yearly almanac did Ben Franklin publish in the mid-1700s?

Farmers’ Almanac
Schott’s Almanac
Whitaker’s Almanack
Poor Richard’s Almanack

Correct Answer: Poor Richard’s Almanack

So why is this answer correct? : From 1732 to 1758, “Poor Richard’s Almanack” was the premiere almanac in the American colonies. It contained must-know information for the citizens of the East Coast at the time, from calendar dates and weather predictions to fun fodder like recipes and popular sayings. Franklin first published the almanac on December 19, 1732, under the name Richard Saunders.

Trivia: Benjamin Franklin was born in which city in 1706?

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
London, England
Edinburgh, Scotland
Boston, Massachusetts

Correct Answer: Boston, Massachusetts

So why is this answer correct? : Ben Franklin was born into a modest Bostonion family in the early 1700s during a pivotal time in early American history. The self-taught businessman and inventor went on to own a successful printing press in Philadelphia, where he became involved in governmental issues, eventually becoming one of America’s Founding Fathers. Franklin is also celebrated for his many inventions and published writing.

Trivia: Ben Franklin’s best-known experiment with electricity involved what?

A wagon
A tree
A kite
A radio

Correct Answer: A kite

So why is this answer correct? : Ben Franklin’s experiments greatly contributed to the human understanding of how to harness and conduct electricity. Franklin famously invented the lightning rod in 1740 to help protect homes from electrical fires caused by lightning. In 1752, Franklin’s famous key-and-kite experiment (the one in which he was electrocuted) further demonstrated that lightning was electricity.

What U.S. war included the Battle of Sackett’s Harbor and the Battle of Lacolle Mills?

American Revolution
War of 1812
Mexican-American War
Spanish-American War
Civil War

Correct Answer: War of 1812

In which war was Great Britain’s HMS Sheffield sunk?

Napoleonic Wars
World War I
World War II
Suez War (1956)
Falkland War

Correct Answer: Falkland War