Can You Complete This Life in the '70s Quiz Without Missing Any Questions?

By: Isadora Teich
Estimated Completion Time
3 min
Can You Complete This Life in the '70s Quiz Without Missing Any Questions?
Image: Steven Errico/DigitalVision/GettyImages

About This Quiz

The 1970s are sometimes known as the "Me Decade," because individualism was on-trend and in full swing. Many consider this decade to be the pinnacle of rock and roll, with influential musicians like the members of Led Zeppelin and David Bowie dominating the music world. This is the decade that brought us glam rock, platform shoes, peasant tops, and pet rocks. It was a decade where youth counterculture evolved but continued to dominate, even though the era of flower power was over.  

This decade remains influential to this day, with its fashions still having a far-flung influence. Around the world, you can still see people wearing bell-bottoms and big sunglasses even today, and still looking chic. Also, even a generation or two later, rock and roll and rebellion have not gone out of style. The 1970s also brought us "Star Wars," which changed the face of pop culture forever. While this decade is largely considered a golden age of music, movies, and TV, it also definitely has its dark side, too. 

If you are a true lover of this decade who knows that disco never really died, put your hot pants on and see if you can get down with this life in the '70s quiz! 

Which war was controversial during the 1970s?
The Vietnam War
The Iraq War
The Gulf War
The French-Indian War
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The Vietnam War was fought in Laos, Vietnam, and Cambodia from 1955-1975. It became especially controversial in the 1960s and 1970s, with many Americans feeling that the US should not have been involved in it at all.

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What does it mean to "get the skinny" on something?
Steal it
Trick someone
Get the truth
Fix it
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

This was a popular phrase back in the '70s. Someone who said "Let me give you the skinny on the situation" was saying that they were going to give you all the details of it.

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The character "The Fonz" came from which popular '70s show?
"Happy Days"
"The Mary Tyler Moore Show"
"The Jeffersons"
"Charlie's Angels"
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

"Happy Days" was one of the most iconic shows of the decade. It ran from 1974-1984 and had over 250 episodes across 11 seasons.

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Who was the first president of the US during the 1970s?
George H. W. Bush
Herbert Hoover
Richard Nixon
John F. Kennedy
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Richard Nixon was president from 1969 until 1974. He was the 37th US president and the only one to ever resign.

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Why did Nixon resign as president in 1974?
He got caught stealing money.
He got caught cheating on his wife.
Watergate
Health issues
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Nixon announced his resignation as president during the summer of 1974. The Watergate Scandal involved the Nixon administration's attempt to cover up their involvement with a break-in at the Democratic National Committee's headquarters. Investigation into it led to numerous illegal activities the administration was taking part in getting discovered.

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What kind of outfit became popular for women during the 1970s?
Pantsuit
Monochromatic
Modest
Grunge
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

In the 1970s, the pantsuit was a radical statement. It became popular for women both in and out of professional settings.

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Which iconic TV show premiered in 1975?
"Saturday Night Live"
"M*A*S*H"
"General Hospital"
"The Daily Show"
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

"SNL" premiered in 1975. The first ever host was the famous comedian George Carlin. To date, he is the only host of the show who chose not to appear in any of the show's sketches.

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Which famous band broke up in 1970?
The Beatles
Led Zeppelin
Queen
Creedence Clearwater Revival
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The Beatles broke up in the spring of 1970. They did this before the release of their last album "Let It Be."

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Was hippie fashion still popular in the 1970s?
Yes
No
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

It is common for fashion to go in and out of style regardless of decade, and for there to be a slight blend between decades as fashion naturally evolves. Many things from the 1960s, such as homemade accessories, bell-bottom pants and tie-dye were still popular in the 1970s.

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Which iconic film, which is said to be one of the best ever made, came out in the early '70s?
"Labyrinth"
"Citizen Kane"
"The Godfather"
"ET"
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

"The Godfather" was released in 1972. It was based on the novel of the same name by Mario Puzo and directed by Francis Ford Coppola.

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Which world-changing company was founded in 1976?
Johnson & Johnson
Apple
Tesla
L'Oreal
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Steve Jobs, Steve Wozniak and Ronald Wayne formed Apple Computer, Inc in 1976. Their first ever product was the Apple I computer, which Wozniak designed and built himself.

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Who starred in the film "Grease" alongside John Travolta?
Madonna
Sissy Spacek
Olivia Newton-John
Faye Dunaway
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

"Grease" premiered in the summer of 1978 and was an instant smash hit. It starred Olivia Newton-John as the famous Sandy, a good girl who goes bad for her high school sweetheart. To this day, it is one of the highest-grossing movie musicals of all time.

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Which famous '70s flick defined the summer blockbuster?
"Rocky"
"The Network"
"Jaws"
"Dog Day Afternoon"
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

"Jaws" hit theaters in June of 1974 and pop culture was never the same. This smash hit also spiked a mass shark hysteria in real life.

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Who was the Son of Sam?
An athlete
A band
A serial killer
A famous soldier
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

David Berkowitz was an American serial killer who terrorized New York City in 1976 and 1977 with a series of fatal shootings. He managed to evade the police during a massive manhunt, leaving them mocking letters, before eventually getting caught. He gained international fame for his crimes as the Son of Sam.

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Which standup comedian owned the 1970s?
Richard Pryor
Eddie Murphy
Jo Koy
Robert Klein
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Richard Pryor's anti-establishment comedy and examinations on race made him a rockstar of the '70s. In the mid-'70s. he took home the Grammy for Best Comedy Album multiple times.

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Who went solo in 1970?
Diana Ross
Elvis Presley
Robert Plant
Freddy Mercury
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Diana Ross was initially part of the group The Supremes, one of the most popular Motown acts of the 1960s. In 1970, she left the group to go solo.

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Which hit show premiered in 1972 and ran for over a decade?
"The Mary Tyler Moore Show"
"Scrubs"
"M*A*S*H"
"Miami Vice"
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

"M*A*S*H" is a truly iconic show that captured the hearts of millions of Americans. Its finale episode, after a nearly 10-year run, was one of the most watched television events in history.

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Which famous writer emerged during the 1970s?
JRR Tolkien
Tom Clancy
Dan Brown
Stephen King
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Stephen King's first horror novel "Carrie" came out in 1974. He also wrote "The Dead Zone" and "The Stand" during this decade, cementing himself as a true master of horror.

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John Bonham was the member of which band that defined '70s rock?
Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars
The Doors
Fleetwood Mac
Led Zeppelin
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

John Bonham was the the drummer of the famous Led Zeppelin. Founded by guitarist Jimmy Page in London, the other members were vocalist Robert Plant and bass and keyboard player John Paul Jones.

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What did the Jonestown Massacre involve?
Mass suicide
Mass shooting
A violent revolution
None of the above
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

In 1978 cult leader Jim Jones led 900 of his followers to commit suicide by drinking flavored drink laced with cyanide in their Guyana Commune. Until 9/11, this event had the largest civilian death toll of any non-natural tragedy in US history.

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Which musician was known for personas such as Ziggy Stardust and the Thin White Duke?
Jim Morrison
Janice Joplin
Eric Clapton
David Bowie
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

David Bowie defined glam rock, and his numerous musical and aesthetic changes throughout the 1970s made him one to watch. He switched between masculinity and femininity and numerous musical styles in ways no one could predict.

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What helped to make disco huge in the '70s?
A film
The invention of the CD
Rock losing popularity
The Beatles embracing it
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The 1977 film "Saturday Night Fever" starring John Travolta is one of the most iconic films of the '70s. It brought disco front and center and helped to make it a massive craze.

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How did "The Rocky Horror Picture Show" do at the box office when it was first released?
An instant hit
A total flop
It did OK.
Critical acclaim, but low ticket sales
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

"The Rocky Horror Picture Show" was released in 1975. It initially performed poorly in theaters, but when on to become a pop culture milestone and massive cult hit.

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What government agency was created during the Nixon administration?
The EPA
The FDA
The CIA
The FBI
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Less than a year into Nixon's presidency, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) opened its doors. The job of the EPA is to create laws and standards that protect both human health and the health of the environment.

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Which band released the massively iconic rock album "Rumours" in 1977?
Led Zeppelin
Queen
Fleetwood Mac
Cream
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

To this day, "Rumours" is one of the best selling albums in the US of all time. It was recorded by the band during a period of intense struggle and turmoil between its members.

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In 1971, Americans could do what for the first time?
Smoke in public
Take Amtrak
Legally buy guns
Vote
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Amtrak began service in May of 1971. Even back then, you could get from coast to coast on Amtrak.

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Which of these took over in the 1970s?
Jumpsuits
Tiny sunglasses
The shaved head look
Minimalism
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

One piece jumpsuits became incredibly popular for women in the mid-1970s. Many had flared legs, like popular at the time bell bottom pants.

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Which iconic artist died in 1973?
Van Gogh
Picasso
Dali
Kahlo
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Pablo Picasso died on April 8th 1973. The iconic Spanish artist died at age 91 of congestive heart failure in France.

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When was the first "Star Wars" movie released?
1970
1972
1977
1979
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The first ever "Star Wars" film was released in 1977 and changed the world forever. A massive pop culture phenomenon, it began with this groundbreaking film that defined sci-fi blockbuster.

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Who was the last president of the 1970s?
Bill Clinton
Andrew Jackson
Jimmy Carter
Ronald Reagan
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Jimmy Carter served as the 39th president of the US from 1977-1981. He was a famously unpopular president.

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Which famous musician died in 1970?
Jim Morrison
Jimi Hendrix
David Bowie
George Harrison
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Jimi Hendrix died in 1970 from an overdose. Some people, however, have other theories as to what killed him and it has been debated by music lovers for decades.

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What important cultural icon opened in the US during this decade?
The Hard Rock Cafe
Disney World
The Metropolitan Museum of Art
The Golden Gate Bridge
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Walt Disney World opened in the fall of 1971. The original Disney world was oddly empty and did not look much like the one that is known and loved today. It had a famously difficult opening day.

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Which of these fabrics was popular for disco club clothing?
Leather
Spandex
Velvet
Tulle
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Spandex hot pants and other bottoms were all the rage at the height of disco. Disco attire was designed mostly to show off the body and shine under the club lights.

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What genre of TV appeared for the first time in the 1970s?
Game Shows
Scripted Dramas
Sketch Comedy
Reality TV
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

In winter of 1973, the first ever reality TV show premiered. The PBS show called "An American Family" profiled the Loud family.

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Which of these models was one of the biggest supermodels of the 1970s?
Iman
Twiggy
Tyra Banks
Kate Moss
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Iman was one of the most successful models of the 1970s. She was a muse for many famous designers. Yves Saint-Laurent once even described her as his "dream woman."

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