A lot of people around the world think they know a lot about the United States of America based on what they see on TV or in the movies or even if they have been to the United States on a short trip, but do they really know that much? Today I have a 15-question trivia game for you to see how much you really know about America. The questions are on diverse topics related to American geography, statistics, and culture. My guess is that not many people will know all the answers to these questions, but let’s see. Let me know how you do with these trivia questions by leaving a comment in the box below. Good luck!

1. How many states and territories are there in the United States of America?
2. How much does the average American woman weigh?
3. What US state has the longest coastline?
4. What is the lowest point in the United States?
5. What US state grows the most food?
6. What state sees the sunrise first of all the US states?
7. How many miles of subway tracks do you think New York City has?
8. What US state is the most populated?
9. What is the national symbol of the US? (Hint: It is a bird.)
10. What year did the United States become a country?
11. What are US dollar bills made out of?
12. What is the smallest US state? (Hint: It has the longest name.)
13. What is the official language of the United States of America?
14. What level of income is considered “poverty level” in the US (for a family for four people)?
15. How many public holidays are there in the United States each year?

Answers:

1. There are 50 states and 6 non-state regions or territories in the US including: American Samoa, the District of Columbia (US capital), Guam, Northern Marianas Islands, Puerto Rico (a commonwealth), and the U.S. Virgin Islands.
2. The average American woman weighs 140 pounds (63 kilos), but remember averages can be deceiving because it combines both the highs and the lows, which in some ways equal each other out.
3. Alaska has a longer coastline than all of the other 49 US states put together!
4. Death Valley is the lowest point in the US, measuring in at 282 feet (86 meters) below sea level. Death Valley is found in the state of California.
5. California grows more food than any other state.
6. Maine sees the sunrise before the whole US every day as it is the eastern most state.
7. New York City has 722 miles (1161 km) of subway tracks.
8. California is the most populated stated, with 37,691,912 people.
9. The American bald eagle was adopted as the official symbol of the US in 1782, before the US was officially a country!
10. The United States declared its independence from Great Britain in 1776, but it did not become an independent country until 1783 when the Revolutionary War ended and a treaty was signed.
11. Surprisingly American “paper money” is made from a blend of cotton, linen, and silk, but no paper.
12. Rhode Island is the smallest US state.
13. Even though English is the most commonly spoken language in the US, and it is the language used by the government, there is no official language in the US.
14. The US government’s definition of poverty is based on total income received and is currently set at $23,050 for a family of four. Approximately 48% of all Americans are currently considered to be “low income” or are living in poverty.
15. There are currently 10 public or national holidays in the United States, including: New Year’s Day, Birthday of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., President’s Day, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Columbus Day, Veterans Day, Thanksgiving Day, and Christmas Day. Austria is the country with the most national holidays in the world, with 38 national holidays, almost 4 times more than the US.

How well did you do? Even if you didn’t get any answers right in this trivia game, I hope at least you have learned some new facts about the United States that you might share with others. If you have enjoyed this and other posts on this blog, I hope you also share this blog with other ESL learners that you know, who might also like it. Don’t forget to also check out resources to help you learn English at www.transparent.com.