The 1950s were a very important decade in history. As the world entered the second half of the 20th century many things were in a constant state of flux. World War II was over but tensions between world powers remained and more wars would break out as a result. In many ways, society was trying to rebuild from a very turbulent first half of the 20th century.
Many things that happened in the fifties would go on to influence how we live our lives even today. You don't necessarily have to have lived during those years to have lots of knowledge about the decade. In fact, most history experts alive on the planet today likely have none or very little first-hand experience with the 1950s. In this quiz, we cover questions on world events, pop culture, and technology to test your knowledge of this pivotal decade in human history.
How well do you know the trends and popular products of the '50s? Put yourself to the test in this quiz!
How Much Random 1950s Knowledge Do You Have? Quiz Questions
What was Lucy's husband's name on I Love Lucy?
Jim Anderson
Archie Bunker
Ralph Kramden
Ricky Ricardo
Who did Marilyn Monroe marry on January 14th, 1954?
James Dougherty
Joe DiMaggio
Arthur Miller
John F. Kennedy
What famous author pictured below won the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1954?
J. D. Salinger
Allen Ginsberg
Ernest Hemingway
Ray Bradbury
When was the Korean Armistice Agreement signed bringing an end to the Korean War?
1951
1953
1957
1955
Where did the United States test the first hydrogen bomb in 1954?
The Marshall Islands
Amchitka Island
Nevada Test Site
3-Mile Island
In 1954, UK Health Minister Iain Macleod announced in a press conference that a government study showed what important medical discovery?
A vaccine for polio
A link between alcohol and liver damage
A vaccine for yellow fever
A link between smoking and cancer
What U.S. Supreme Court decision in 1954 ruled that racial segregation was unconstitutional?
Miranda v. Arizona
Gideon v. Wainwright
Brown v. Board of Education
Schenck v. United States
What is the current name of the former British colony known as the British Gold Coast that gained its independence from Britain on March 6, 1957?
Uganda
Ghana
Haiti
Nigeria
Winston Churchill resigned as Prime Minister in 1955 due to declining health. Who replaced him?
Anthony Eden
Edward Heath
Harold Macmillian
Neville Chamberlain
After Joseph Stalin died in 1953, Georgy Malenkov spent about a month as the First Secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union. Who replaced him in the role beginning on September 14th, 1953?
Leonid Brezhnev
Nikita Khrushchev
Yuri Andropov
Konstantin Chernenko
What was the name of the first Earth-orbiting satellite that was launched, in the year 1957?
Koronas-Foton
Mir
Spektr-R
Sputnik I
The Diner's Club began issuing what important new items in 1950?
ID Cards
Takeout menus
Cheques
Credit cards
Who is widely credited with having invented the term "Rock N Roll" during the 1950s?
Time-travelling Marty McFly
Chuck Berry
Alan Freed
Elvis Presley
What author wrote the first James Bond novel "Casino Royale" in 1953?
John Gardner
Kingsley Amis
Ian Fleming
Charlie Higson
What was the name of Elvis Presley's first studio album released on March 23rd, 1956?