United States trivia: 47 questions and answers

Washington D.C.. Washington D.C. has been the capital since 1800. New York and Philadelphia were earlier capitals, before the new city on the Potomac was ready.

Canada and Mexico. Canada and Mexico are the only land neighbours. Russia and Cuba are close, but across the sea.

50. There are 50 states, plus the federal capital district, Washington D.C. The 48 contiguous states lie between Canada and Mexico, and the original colonies numbered 13.

False. False. English was designated the official language by a presidential executive order in March 2025. Congress has never passed a law setting an official language.

4 July 1776. The Declaration was adopted on 4 July 1776 in Philadelphia, which is why the Fourth of July is Independence Day.

France. The United States bought it from France for 15 million US dollars, nearly doubling the size of the country.

The Thirteenth Amendment. The Thirteenth Amendment, ratified in December 1865, abolished slavery. The Nineteenth Amendment of 1920 gave women the vote.

Neil Armstrong. Neil Armstrong stepped out first, followed by Buzz Aldrin, while Michael Collins stayed in orbit around the Moon.

True. True. Earlier English attempts, such as Roanoke, had failed, but Jamestown survived.

False. False. The Nineteenth Amendment came into effect in 1920. In 1865 the Thirteenth Amendment abolished slavery.

It is made with milk or cream. It is made with milk or cream, so it is white and creamy. Manhattan clam chowder is red, because it uses tomatoes instead.

Pork. Pork: in the Carolinas, barbecue means pork, either a whole pig or a cut such as the shoulder. In Texas, beef brisket is the favourite.

Louisiana. Louisiana. Gumbo is a dark stew made with a roux, the 'holy trinity' of onion, celery and green pepper, and seafood, chicken or sausage.

Chicago. Chicago. Deep-dish pizza is usually credited to Pizzeria Uno, which opened there in 1943.

The fourth Thursday of November. The fourth Thursday of November, a date fixed for the whole country in 1941. The meal centres on a roast turkey.

False. False. Apple pie recipes were first written down in England in the 14th century, but the saying 'as American as apple pie' made it an American symbol.

True. True. Native American cooks made breads from corn long before Europeans arrived, and settlers learned from them.

Flagstaff. Flagstaff, Arizona, at its Lowell Observatory. The town is also a popular base for visiting the Grand Canyon.

Chicago. Chicago is the Windy City. It lies on the shore of Lake Michigan.

False. False. New York City is the most populous, with about 8.6 million people. Los Angeles is second.

France. France. It was designed by the French sculptor Bartholdi and dedicated in New York Harbor in 1886.

True. True. Bartholdi designed the statue, and Eiffel built the metal framework that holds up its copper skin.

Independence Hall. Independence Hall in Philadelphia, a World Heritage Site since 1979. The White House was not finished until 1800.

International Orange. International Orange, chosen by the architect Irving Morrow. The bridge opened in 1937.

The Colorado River. The Colorado River carved the canyon, which is 446 km long and more than 1.8 km deep.

False. False. The Lincoln Memorial was dedicated in 1922, 57 years after Lincoln was assassinated.

True. True. It began as the Mission San Antonio de Valero in the 18th century, and it is part of the San Antonio Missions World Heritage Site.

Yellowstone. Yellowstone, created on 1 March 1872. The Grand Canyon became a national park in 1919 and the Everglades in 1947.

Russia. Russia sold Alaska for 7.2 million US dollars, about two cents per acre.

The 13 colonies that declared independence. They stand for the 13 colonies that declared independence. The 50 stars stand for today's 50 states.

Francis Scott Key. Francis Scott Key wrote them in 1814, after watching the British bombard Fort McHenry in Baltimore.

True. True. It has been on the Great Seal since 1782, but a law making it the official national bird was signed only in December 2024.

True. True. Little Diomede (US) and Big Diomede (Russia) are about 3.8 km apart, with the International Date Line between them.

True. True. The Missouri joins the Mississippi just north of St. Louis. The two rivers are almost the same length, about 3,770 km each, and together they form the fourth-longest river system in the world.

A biscuit. A biscuit. In the United States a 'biscuit' is something else: a soft, scone-like bread served with savoury food.

The toilet. The restroom is the toilet. Ask 'Where's the restroom?' when you need it.

Autumn. Fall means autumn, the season when the leaves fall from the trees.

True. True. In the United States pants are trousers, while in Britain 'pants' usually means underwear.

Can I get the check, please?. Can I get the check, please? In the United States the bill is called the check. A refill is more to drink, and a rain check means 'another time'.

Not now, but I would like to another time. It means 'not now, but I would like to another time'. It comes from baseball tickets that let you come back if a game is stopped by rain.

The South. The South. Y'all, short for 'you all', is the usual way to speak to more than one person in Southern American English.

False. False. It is simply a friendly hello. A short 'Good, thanks. And you?' is the usual answer.

15 to 20 percent. 15 to 20 percent of the bill before tax is normal. Check first whether a service charge has already been added.

911. Dial 911 from any phone in an emergency. 999 is the number in Britain and 000 in Australia.

ESTA. ESTA, the Electronic System for Travel Authorization. Apply on the official website at least 72 hours before you travel. ETIAS is for Europe and eTA for Canada.

True. True. Sales tax is added at the till and depends on the state and city, so you pay more than the label shows.

False. False. Most of the country allows a right turn on red after a full stop, but New York City is the big exception: there it is not allowed unless a sign permits it.