America is saying goodbye to George Herbert Walker Bush. A generation has passed since he left the Oval Office, providing fresh perspective on the 41st president.
But how much do you really know about the man who served in the nation’s highest office from 1989 to 1993? Take the quiz below and test your knowledge of the president fondly remembered by many for his “kinder and gentler” administration.
1. Where was Bush born?
- A. Houston, Texas
- B. Hartford, Connecticut
- C. Milton, Massachusetts
- D. Dallas, Texas
2. Bush’s wife Barbara not only was the wife of one president and mother of another, but was a presidential descendant as well. Which president was her ancestor?
- A. Thomas Jefferson
- B. Woodrow Wilson
- C. James Buchanan
- D. Franklin Pierce
3. Bush’s warplane was shot down over the Pacific during World War II. How was he rescued?
- A. Saved by friendly island natives.
- B. Picked up in a raft by a submarine.
- C. Made signal flares from coconuts.
- D. Swam to a nearby warship.
4. Which position did Bush hold before the presidency?
- A. Congressman
- B. United Nations Ambassador
- C. CIA Director
- D. All the above
5. In 1988, Bush became the first incumbent vice president elected president in 152 years. Which previous vice president pulled off that political feat?
- A. Martin Van Buren
- B. Millard Fillmore
- C. Rutherford Hayes
- D. Calvin Coolidge
6. During his time at Yale, Bush excelled at which extracurricular activity?
- A. Sang in the Whiffenpoofs
- B. Edited The Yale Daily News
- C. Captained the college baseball team
- D. Pulled practical jokes
7. Bush had the most children of any president since Franklin D. Roosevelt? How many did he father?
- A. Five
- B. Six
- C. Seven
- D. Eight
8. Bush was dogged all his life by a nickname he hated. What was it?
- A. Smiley
- B. Weezer
- C. Poppy
- D. Old Grand Dad
9. 1992 was the first presidential election where all three major candidates shared something in common. What was it?
- A. They all grew up on farms
- B. They all painted in their spare time
- C. They all rode motorcycles
- D. They all were left-handed
10 . While living in Washington, D.C. during the 1980s, how did Bush maintain his Texas residency?
- A. Keeping a room in his son’s house
- B. Building his own mansion
- C. Renting a room in a Houston hotel
- D. Staying with friends while visiting
Answers: 1-C, 2-D , 3-B , 4-D, 5-A, 6-C, 7-B, 8-C, 9-D, 10-C