Columbus Day Facts and Trivia

Test your knowledge of Columbus Day facts with this interesting Columbus Day trivia quiz. There are a total of 12 trivia questions. Answers to the Columbus Day facts trivia can be found at the end of the quiz.

1. What is the main purpose of Columbus Day?
a) To commemorate the life of Christopher Columbus b) To mark Columbus' arrival in the Americas c) To celebrate Euro-American heritage

2. Who is Christopher Columbus?
a) A king b) A pirate captain c) An explorer d) A missionary e) All of the above

3. How is Columbus Day typically observed?
a) Parade b) Firework c) Cultural festival d) Family picnic e) None of the above

4. Christopher Columbus was of which ethnic heritage.
a) Spanish b) Portuguese c) Dutch d) English e) Italian

5. Columbus Day is celebrated on what date in October.
a) The 9th b) 10th c) 11th d) 12th e) Varies by year

6. In most Latin American countries, Columbus Day is known as _______.
a) Fiesta Nacional b) Da de la Raza c) Day of Indigenous Resistance d) Discoverer's Day e) Americas Day

7. Which U.S. state was the first to adopt Columbus Day as an official state holiday?
a) New York b) New Jersey c) Virginia d) Pennsylvania e) Colorado

8. When did Columbus Day become a federal holiday in the U.S.?
a) 1892 b) 1906 c) 1934 d) 1958 e) 1971

9. True or False. Christopher Columbus was the explorer who discovered America.

10. To counter Columbus Day, some Native American groups created their own holiday called ________.
a) Anti-Columbus Day b) Indigenous People's Day c) Native American Day d) Either B or C

11. The 2008 crime movie Columbus Day starred which of these famous actors.
a) Val Kilmer b) Brad Pitts c) George Clooney d) Tom Cruise e) Matt Damon

12. True or False. The Knights of Columbus (a religious organization) was named after the famous Italian explorer.

Answer Key:
1)b 2)c 3)a 4)e 5)e 6)b 7)e 8)c 9)False 10)d 11)a 12)True

Classification:
Expert - more than 9 correct
Intermediate - 7 to 9 correct
Novice - less than 7 correct