Math (calculators allowed)
Early space research required calculating trajectories. If a rocket travels at 2,000 meters/minute for 5 minutes, how far does it travel (in kilometers)?
10 kilometers
Which novel by Ray Bradbury (1953) depicts a future where books are burned?
Fahrenheit 451
What term describes the splitting of an atomic nucleus, a process central to nuclear weapons and power?
Fission
Which famous 1950 Disney film featured a girl who falls down a rabbit hole?
Alice in Wonderland
What 1957 event marked the beginning of the Space Race?
Sputnik I
If a radioactive substance has a half-life of 8 years, what fraction remains after 16 years?
1/4
Which 1949 dystopian novel introduced the concept of “Big Brother” and government surveillance?
1984
In 1953, scientists discovered the structure of DNA. What shape is it?
Double Helix
What style of music, emerging in the 1950s, blended rhythm and blues with country influences and became associated with youth culture?
Rock 'n' Roll
Who were the candidates in the 1960 election? Circle the winner.
*John F. Kennedy*
Richard Nixon
A radar system detects planes within a circular area of radius 120 miles. What is the area covered?
45,239 square miles
What author is known for works such as the Cat in the Hat?
Dr. Seuss
What element is commonly produced in nuclear reactors?
Plutonium
What Disney movie features three fairies and a spinning wheel?
Sleeping Beauty
What were the names of the two military alliances in Europe? (No abbreviations. Full words.)
North Atlantic Treaty Organization
Warsaw Pact
The average cost of a house in 1950 was $7,300. In 1960, that number had risen to $12,000. What was the percent increase in the price of a home in that decade?
64.38%
What author is known for books like Galapagos and Slaughterhouse 5.
Kurt Vonnegut
What planet did early space exploration aim to study first beyond Earth?
Venus
What 1956 song by Elvis Presley is considered his first major hit?
Heartbreak Hotel
Union of Soviet Socialist Republics
The population of Westfield in 1950 was 849. In 1960, it was 1,217. What was the population increase as a percent during the post war period?
43.3%
What dystopian novella by Ayn Rand features the protagonist Equality 7-2521 and explores a society where individuality is forbidden?
Anthem
What disease had a vaccine developed in 1955 that drastically reduced the disease around the world?
Polio
What 1957 film starring Henry Fonda takes place in a jury room?
12 Angry Men
What Soviet leader came to power after Joseph Stalin died in 1953?
Nikita Khrushchev