How to play the US Presidents Quiz
The United States has had 45 different presidents, from George Washington in 1789 to the president serving today. This quiz helps you put faces, names and events together. Every round has 10 questions, and they get harder as you go: the first few are presidents most people know, and the last few are the ones that even history fans mix up.
Name the president
You see a portrait and four names. The wrong names come from around the same time, so you cannot just guess by the style of the picture. After you answer, a card shows the president's number, years in office, party and a few facts about what happened while they served.
Who am I?
Clues appear one at a time, from hard to easy: where the president was born, a job they had before, a key event from their time in office, and what they are best known for. You can pick from the four names at any point. Answer after the first clue for 500 points, or wait for more help and earn fewer.
In order
You get five presidents and put them in the order they served, first at the top. Drag a name, tap one name and then the spot you want, or use the arrow buttons. Press Check order to see which ones you got right. Early questions spread across many years; later ones are close together.
Options and the timer bonus
Press Play to start right away (the first time, you get Name the president). Open Options to change the game mode or the time period: All years, or focus on one era: 1789 to 1861 (the early republic, Washington to Buchanan), 1861 to 1933 (Civil War to the Great Depression, Lincoln to Hoover), or 1933 to now (Franklin D. Roosevelt to today). Switch on Timer bonus for a countdown on each question; faster answers score more. The quiz remembers which presidents you saw recently and tries to show you new ones.
Fun facts
- William Henry Harrison served only 31 days, the shortest presidency. Franklin D. Roosevelt served the longest, just over 12 years.
- John Adams and Thomas Jefferson both died on July 4, 1826, exactly 50 years after the Declaration of Independence.
- Two father and son pairs have both been president: John Adams and John Quincy Adams, and George H. W. Bush and George W. Bush.
- William Howard Taft is the only person to serve as both president and Chief Justice of the United States.
- Gerald Ford is the only president who was never elected president or vice president.
Questions
Where do the portraits come from?
Every portrait is in the public domain. Modern presidents are shown in official White House photographs, which are works of the US government. Earlier presidents are shown in paintings and photographs made before 1931, such as Gilbert Stuart's portrait of George Washington and Alexander Gardner's 1863 photograph of Abraham Lincoln. The files come from Wikimedia Commons, and each one is credited at the bottom of this page.
Why are there 45 people but 47 presidencies?
Grover Cleveland and Donald Trump each served two terms that were not back to back. Cleveland was the 22nd and 24th president, and Trump is the 45th and 47th. The quiz counts each person once and shows both numbers.
How does scoring work?
Name the president gives 500 points for each right answer. Who am I? gives 500 points if you answer after one clue, 400 after two, 300 after three and 200 after all four. In order gives 100 points for each president in the right spot. Turn on Timer bonus to race a clock: the faster you answer, the more extra points you earn, up to half again.
Can I use a keyboard?
Yes. Press 1 to 4 to pick an answer and Enter to go on. In Who am I?, Enter shows the next clue. In In order, Tab to the arrow buttons to move names, then press Check order.
Is my score saved?
Your best score for each mode and time period is saved in this browser only. Nothing is uploaded and there is no account.