What do many Washington, D.C., license plates say, protesting the city's lack of voting members in Congress?

End Taxation Without Representation

Why is the Washington Monument two slightly different colors?

Construction stopped for years and new stone came from a different quarry

The Smithsonian Institution was founded with money left by James Smithson. Who was he?

A British scientist who never visited the United States

A French king who supported the American Revolution

The Lincoln Memorial has 36 columns. What do they represent?

The states in the Union when Lincoln died

The 36 years of Lincoln's political career

The Library of Congress in Washington holds which record?

The oldest library in the world

Why does Washington, D.C., have no skyscrapers?

The ground beneath the city is too soft

Washington DC Quiz: Monuments, Museums and Capital of the USA

This Washington DC quiz explores the capital of the USA, with questions on city planner Pierre L'Enfant, why DC is not a state, the two-tone Washington Monument, the cherry blossoms from Tokyo, James Smithson and the Smithsonian, the Lincoln Memorial, the burning of the White House in 1814, the Hope Diamond, the Library of Congress and the city's height limit. Ten questions.

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🎯 Daily Trivia Challenge • 🧠 10 Questions • ⏱️ 90 Seconds

Question 1 / 10 Time: 90s

Planning
Which French-born engineer drew up the original plan for Washington, D.C., in 1791?
Politics
What do many Washington, D.C., license plates say, protesting the city's lack of voting members in Congress?
Monuments
Why is the Washington Monument two slightly different colors?
Trees
In 1912, the famous cherry trees around the Tidal Basin were a gift from which city?
Museums
The Smithsonian Institution was founded with money left by James Smithson. Who was he?
Memorials
The Lincoln Memorial has 36 columns. What do they represent?
History
During the War of 1812, who set fire to the White House in 1814?
Gems
Which famous blue diamond, said to be cursed, is displayed at the National Museum of Natural History?
Libraries
The Library of Congress in Washington holds which record?
Height
Why does Washington, D.C., have no skyscrapers?

Explanations: answer key for all 10 questions

Q1: Which French-born engineer drew up the original plan for Washington, D.C., in 1791?
Answer: Pierre L'Enfant
His design included wide avenues, open squares and the long green space now called the National Mall. George Washington chose the site for the capital.
Q2: What do many Washington, D.C., license plates say, protesting the city's lack of voting members in Congress?
Answer: End Taxation Without Representation
The District is not a state, so its residents have only a non-voting delegate in the House and no senators. Statehood has been debated for decades.
Q3: Why is the Washington Monument two slightly different colors?
Answer: Construction stopped for years and new stone came from a different quarry
Building paused in 1854 because of money problems and the Civil War. When work restarted in 1879, the marble did not quite match.
Q4: In 1912, the famous cherry trees around the Tidal Basin were a gift from which city?
Answer: Tokyo
Mayor Yukio Ozaki sent about 3,000 trees as a sign of friendship. The National Cherry Blossom Festival celebrates them every spring.
Q5: The Smithsonian Institution was founded with money left by James Smithson. Who was he?
Answer: A British scientist who never visited the United States
Smithson left his fortune to the United States to found an institution for knowledge. The Smithsonian now has more than 20 museums and a zoo, mostly free.
Q6: The Lincoln Memorial has 36 columns. What do they represent?
Answer: The states in the Union when Lincoln died
The memorial was dedicated in 1922. Martin Luther King Jr. gave his I Have a Dream speech from its steps in 1963.
Q7: During the War of 1812, who set fire to the White House in 1814?
Answer: British troops
First Lady Dolley Madison saved a portrait of George Washington before fleeing. The building was rebuilt and painted white.
Q8: Which famous blue diamond, said to be cursed, is displayed at the National Museum of Natural History?
Answer: The Hope Diamond
The 45.5-carat diamond was donated in 1958 by jeweler Harry Winston, who mailed it in a plain brown package. It glows red under ultraviolet light.
Q9: The Library of Congress in Washington holds which record?
Answer: One of the largest libraries in the world
It holds well over 170 million items, including books, maps, films and recordings. Thomas Jefferson sold his personal library to help rebuild it after 1814.
Q10: Why does Washington, D.C., have no skyscrapers?
Answer: A law limits building heights
The Height of Buildings Act of 1910 limits most buildings to about the width of the street they face plus 6 meters. This keeps the monuments visible across the city.

Washington DC Quiz – The Capital of the USA

Washington, D.C., is the capital of the United States, located on the Potomac River between Maryland and Virginia. The letters D.C. stand for District of Columbia, a federal district that is not part of any state. It is home to the White House, the U.S. Capitol and the Supreme Court, as well as many monuments, museums and embassies.

The city was chosen as the capital in 1790 and planned by Pierre L'Enfant, who designed wide avenues and the long National Mall. During the War of 1812, British troops burned the White House and the Capitol, but both were rebuilt. Today, the Height of Buildings Act keeps skyscrapers out of the city, so its domes and monuments stand out.

The National Mall is lined with famous landmarks. The Washington Monument, the world's tallest stone obelisk, rises in the center. The Lincoln Memorial, the Jefferson Memorial, the World War II Memorial and the Vietnam Veterans Memorial honor important figures and events. Each spring, cherry blossoms from Japan bloom around the Tidal Basin.

Washington is a city of museums, most of them free. The Smithsonian Institution runs museums of natural history, air and space, American history and African American history and culture, as well as the National Zoo. The Library of Congress is one of the largest libraries in the world.

Neighborhoods such as Georgetown, Capitol Hill and U Street have their own character. Residents still lack voting members in Congress, and DC statehood remains debated.

Washington is also a lively place to live. Its restaurants reflect communities from around the world, especially Ethiopian, Salvadoran and Vietnamese, and the half-smoke sausage is a local favorite. The Metro rail system links the city with its suburbs in Maryland and Virginia.

This quiz covers the history, monuments, museums and politics of Washington, D.C.

What This Quiz Teaches

This quiz is perfect for history fans, students and travelers.

Who planned Washington, D.C.
Why D.C. is not a state
The Washington Monument and the Lincoln Memorial
The cherry blossoms and the Smithsonian
The burning of the White House in 1814
The Hope Diamond, the Library of Congress and the height limit

Quick Facts About Washington DC

The Pentagon is across the river in Arlington, Virginia.
The U.S. Capitol has a statue called Freedom on its dome.
Ford's Theatre is where President Lincoln was shot in 1865.
The National Zoo is famous for its giant pandas.
Washington's Metro opened in 1976.
The city is laid out with lettered and numbered streets.