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Where Knowledge Junkies Get Their Fix
Sure, you know the presidents who appear on your wallet, and the ones you just voted for, but how well do you know the in-betweeners? Take Millard Fillmore for example. Queen Victoria once called him “the handsomest man” she’d ever met. But can you spot the dapper Prez in a line-up? Test your Presidential IQ with Sandy and Kara’s latest quiz, located here. Oh, and be sure to share your scores in the comments below!
Comments (62)
Comment
In The Magazine
I got 8/10. I mixed up Hayes and Garfield, but can you blame me? I guess it also helped I had U.S. history last semester.
posted by Jeremiah on 8-17-2007 at 7:02 am
didn’t realize that I was that stupid
posted by mark on 8-17-2007 at 7:25 am
I don’t blame you a bit, Jeremiah. Those were definitely the two toughest to distinguish from one antoher. Not that that’s a hint or anything…
posted by Sandy on 8-17-2007 at 7:31 am
Mark, I think I might have outdone you. Zero. Ouch.
posted by khm on 8-17-2007 at 8:27 am
The only one I knew for sure was Monroe, (I have no idea why I know that) the other two I got right were guesses.
posted by Sally on 8-17-2007 at 8:36 am
khm, thank you. I was almost ashamed to admit my 0% score.
posted by Miss Cellania on 8-17-2007 at 8:44 am
I got a 60% ( 2 pairs swapped) which I thought sucked. I feel better now.
posted by SId Morrison on 8-17-2007 at 8:51 am
booyah! 100%. no foolin’.
posted by Dave on 8-17-2007 at 9:19 am
you’re not the only one Dave. 100%
posted by Carl on 8-17-2007 at 9:51 am
I only got 2 right. However, everyone with a beard, I incorrectly matched up to another President with a beard… Altogether now, everybody sing!
“We are the mediocre Presidents, you won’t find our pictures on dollars or on cents…”
posted by Karl on 8-17-2007 at 10:51 am
Well, McKinley used to be on a bill — not the sort one sees every day though.
A number of them died in office early so it is hard to jude how mediocre they would have been. And Monroe wasn’t mediocre by any stretch of the word, IMO.
posted by Sid Morrison on 8-17-2007 at 12:18 pm
50% Not bad, considering neither of us has had U.S. History yet.
posted by bobwalrus5 and monkeyman on 8-17-2007 at 12:39 pm
I only got 1 correct. I never was any good at History. I am more into psychology.
posted by Anna on 8-17-2007 at 1:23 pm
50% through pure guesswork! Woo-hoo!
posted by Anita on 8-17-2007 at 2:10 pm
10 out of 10; didn’t seem so tough (although I am writing a presidential trivia book, so I guess I’m sort of immersed in this stuff).
posted by Ian Randal Strock on 8-17-2007 at 2:14 pm
Bah, a 70. I got the three beardmen scrambled. But I did get the rest, so I suppose AP US did some good…
posted by Aemi on 8-17-2007 at 3:54 pm
I scored 100% on this quiz. I had a book of the presidents when I was in elementary school (early 60’s) that had many of these portraits to accompany the short biographies of the presidents. Who knew that 45 years later I could retrieve those images from longterm memory?! I must say that I shocked myself on this one!!
posted by Anne on 8-18-2007 at 11:23 am
I got a 60%, but I was sweating it. I only knew a 3 of the prez’s for sure. I attribute this minor victory to luck.
posted by Patrick on 8-18-2007 at 11:51 am
100%! Yeah, baby! It pays to be a history nerd who teaches history!
And actually, not all of these guys were mediocre. Polk was probably the most successful president the U.S. has had, in that he achieved every one of the goals he set for his time in office: got us Oregon, CA & the Southwest, etc. Since the presidency essentially killed Polk, maybe current presidents see living longer as a good trade off for having a few failures under their belts!
Plus, the true sign of success: They Might Be Giants sing a rockin’ song about “James K. Polk!”
posted by Erin on 8-18-2007 at 12:09 pm
I got an 80% - not great for a former American History teacher. Damn William Henry Harrison!
posted by Laura on 8-21-2007 at 10:34 am
I got 8/10! I switched the two Harrisons. What can I say, it’s been a few good years since I had History…
posted by Ellen on 8-21-2007 at 5:55 pm
All I got was a rock. (and a 20%)
posted by Scott on 8-23-2007 at 10:41 am
I got 100%, with very little guessing. That kinda scared me, actually. . .and I teach math.
-PJM
posted by Kmanpat on 8-24-2007 at 10:38 pm
I got much higher than I expected - 80%.
posted by Chuck on 9-5-2007 at 7:34 pm
I got 90% - and should have got 100%, but I left out Zachary Taylor because I was rushing.
posted by Karen on 9-6-2007 at 12:52 pm
100% this is ridiculously easy. Any fifth grader educated in China could get the same score.
posted by Frank on 9-6-2007 at 8:52 pm
100% for the banker from Georgia with the public school education.
posted by brian on 9-6-2007 at 9:45 pm
I wonder if I can take my 100% to the principal at my school and ask for my raise.
posted by Jeff on 9-8-2007 at 7:52 am
Um, Frank, I know you’re being silly, but I can tell you that the 5th graders at the school where I teach(in China, yes, I’m serious) would barely have any idea who any of these presidents are… And, I think that would go for any 5th grader in, I would think, any country in the world. The 5th graders (as well as my first graders) would all know who Mao was- although it does help that he’s on all of the money. But, I’ll be sure to pass it along that you think they’re that intelligent. :)
posted by greenstrawberries on 9-17-2007 at 3:16 am
I received 80%.
posted by Joan West on 10-12-2007 at 10:22 am
Fun game! I’ve been studying the presidents for fun since second grade. Glad all of my knowledge is worth something. I got 100%!
posted by Karen Churn on 10-23-2007 at 8:50 am
Got 100%! Glad all those history courses were worth it!
posted by Karen on 10-25-2007 at 11:42 am
Got 100% - 10 out of 10!!! As a little girl, I had a poster showing all the presidents.
posted by Sarah on 10-27-2007 at 7:23 pm
I had Garfield & Hayes switched for a score of 80%. However, I am quite a history buff and I am almost positive that someone has made a mistake. I have seen the portrait of Hayes used in your quiz in books on the history of the U.S. Presidency. It was shown as a portrait of Garfield. Please re-check your information.
posted by Gary F. on 10-29-2007 at 1:07 am
OK so I was never into older men?!?!or history class……….0%
posted by Llou on 11-5-2007 at 6:27 pm
American History including the Presidents is something lacking in our schools any more. I’m glad to know I was tought to memorize and Identify them. Chalk one up for old school.
posted by Denver on 11-7-2007 at 10:04 pm
100% twice in a row. Not bad. They should have one of these with Vice Presidents.
posted by Denver on 11-7-2007 at 10:17 pm
I memorized all of the presidents by name years ago but the pictures of the two I missed were Harrison,& Polk.
Enjoyed the quiz though. My 12 yr.old daughter scored 100%.
posted by S. Penny 11/16/07 on 11-17-2007 at 2:09 am
That’s a tough one. Kudos to the author!
posted by Chip on 12-5-2007 at 7:10 am
this was easy
posted by johnny on 12-12-2007 at 6:38 am
60%
posted by Ginger on 12-16-2007 at 11:53 pm
30%
posted by Robin on 12-28-2007 at 10:44 pm
thought that would be a snap but didn’t have one right.although Ienjoyed it very much .
posted by edward on 1-5-2008 at 11:25 pm
I really enjoy history, especially the older Presidents. I did’nt do bad I got them all right!
posted by edna on 1-8-2008 at 8:50 pm
This was tough but I enjoyed it. I scored 80%, missing on Monroe and Taylor. Not bad I guess, considering I have not been in a classroom since 1969. Kudos to all my teachers!
posted by Dick D, on 1-10-2008 at 10:59 pm
Great quiz. Most are so soon forgotten. Next quiz thought, name all the Presidents with the first name James.
P.S. 100%
posted by Mike on 1-19-2008 at 8:28 am
I had my 9 year old son take this quiz. In 2nd grade they learned all the presidents. He knows them by their picture and the order of their presidency and can list them out of order!
posted by Penny on 2-9-2008 at 9:09 pm
100%! I can thank my dad for quizzing me with flash cards 30 years ago.
posted by Karen on 2-13-2008 at 12:36 pm
Six out of 10 — I got all those bearded ones mixed up!
posted by Ginny on 3-5-2008 at 12:49 pm
I admit that I am deaf and I got 100% on this one. I am wearing a beard. I have something of an affinity with the bearded Presidents right now due to me having a beard. I usually wear one during the winter. I admit I like US history including Presidential history. I believe based on study of Presidential history, One can think some of our Presidents have better sense and sobriety than others. One can attribute that to human nature albeit sinful. I like Hayes which has traits which seems to be rare among today’s politicians. I respect Lucy Harrison’s insistence that no alcohol be served. To me, It seems to be sound policy in general. Let me please say and admit, it is said that 50% or better would be a good Commander in Chief, in this case, how about a deaf Commander in Chief? As a Christian but anti-theocratic and an American, I ask: Would not this country be better served if a good number of our politicians had traits similar to Hayes and a number of other Presidents? That way, our national image to the world would improve immensely. I fear that many governmental officials may be dangerously deferent to business leaders. To a nod to President Eisenhower and his reference to the industrial-military complex, how about government-business (or industrial as some people prefer) complex. THAT kind of complex is dangerous to our country! Such complex should be rebuked! Christians my fellow ones, need to understand that this country is not truly a Christian country as some claim. That will be very helpful in some cases. I wish to add that many of our Founders were better students of history concerning religious matters in my opinion.
posted by Michael Trippiedi on 3-12-2008 at 2:34 pm
Dear people at Mental Floss,
I am sorry if I went on and on in my first post here about the quiz of pictures of the Presidents. Please forgve me. I am not sure if it showed up already. I hope I am not in trouble.
Thank you,
Michael Trippiedi
posted by Michael Trippiedi on 3-12-2008 at 2:37 pm
Strictly speaking, President Garfield was ambidextrous, not left-handed. I read he was able to write Latin with one hand and Greek with the other at the same time (a great party trick in his day, I’m sure).
posted by Brenda Trickler on 4-10-2008 at 6:20 pm
8/10! Mixed Benji Harry and Hayes.
Yes, this comment was self-selecting for high score=likelier to post about it.
posted by argus on 4-15-2008 at 2:28 am
100% - Mr Rawlings would be proud!
posted by Tina on 4-19-2008 at 9:03 pm
I have studied the portraits of the U.S. presidents along with their biographies.
posted by Keith Johnson on 5-1-2008 at 7:39 pm
got good
posted by bob & rog on 5-10-2008 at 12:49 pm
Have forgotten alot of what i knew
posted by Rhonda S. Koontz on 5-26-2008 at 11:20 pm
perfect score
posted by Rich Angehr on 6-8-2008 at 8:47 pm
Perfect Score on Presidents!
posted by Jimmy Sidebottom on 6-25-2008 at 3:15 pm
Happy Day 100%
posted by Tina Phelps on 7-30-2008 at 7:33 pm
I was just at the Portrait Museum in DC and I wish my family was not so whiny about wanting to leave and go to lunch. We zoomed past the Presidents way too fast. Same goes at the White House visitors center. I just hope that most of the things we saw in DC made some sort of impression on them.
posted by CropTillDawn on 8-1-2008 at 6:39 pm
Woohoo! 100% score on Presidential Portraits. I have to stop and really study the portraits for Garfield and Hayes because I usually get those two mixed up. Luckily I was correct.
posted by Robin Wright on 8-5-2008 at 1:27 am