Welcome to our 70s trivia journey! Today, we’re stepping into the time machine to explore the fascinating decade of the 1970s. From politics and technology to music, movies, and fashion, the ’70s were truly an era of transformation that left an indelible impact on global history and culture. This post includes 100 trivia questions that will test your knowledge and perhaps rekindle some nostalgic memories of this dynamic period. Ready to dive into the world of disco, Watergate, Star Wars, and much more? Let’s get started and see how well you know the 1970s!
1. What was the highest grossing film of the 1970s?
2. Who was the President of the United States at the start of the 1970s?
3. What event marked the end of the Vietnam War?
4. What was the name of the first successful video game, released in the 1970s?
5. What band released the popular album ‘Dark Side of the Moon’ in 1973?
6. What significant event happened in the U.S. in 1973 that greatly affected the auto industry?
7. What was the name of the spacecraft involved in the Apollo moon landing in 1972?
8. What iconic toy was introduced by Kenner in 1978?
9. What 1970s fashion trend was popularized by the film Saturday Night Fever?
10. What disease was eradicated in 1979, marking a major achievement in global health?
11. Which New York City nightclub became synonymous with the disco era?
12. What was the name of the first test-tube baby, born in 1978?
13. Who was the British Prime Minister for most of the 1970s?
14. What series of agreements was signed between the U.S. and Soviet Union to limit strategic arms in the 1970s?
15. Which 1970s TV show popularized the catchphrase ‘Dy-no-mite!’?
16. What famous rock concert festival took place in upstate New York in 1969, but had cultural impact into the 70s?
17. Who was the notorious serial killer active in the 70s known as the ‘Son of Sam’?
18. What world-changing tech company was founded in 1976 by Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak?
19. Which U.S. President resigned from office in the 1970s?
20. What American sitcom that aired from 1971 to 1979 focused on the life of a working-class African American family?
21. In 1971, what country changed its currency to the decimal system?
22. Who was the famous martial artist and actor who starred in Enter the Dragon in 1973?
23. Which 1970s rock band was known for their face paint and stage outfits?
24. What Swedish pop group won the Eurovision Song Contest in 1974, launching their international career?
25. Which controversial event led to the first impeachment process of a U.S. president in the 1970s?
26. Which music genre, characterized by synthesized rhythms and an urban feel, emerged in the 1970s?
27. Which ‘King of Rock ‘n’ Roll’ died in 1977?
28. What was the name of the supersonic passenger airliner that started service in 1976?
29. What was the feminist book published in 1970 written by Germaine Greer?
30. Which 1970s film directed by Francis Ford Coppola was based on the novel by Mario Puzo?
31. What hit 1970s TV show was set during the Korean War?
32. What was the popular self-help book by psychiatrist Thomas Harris that was published in 1969 and became a bestseller in the 1970s?
33. What was the influential punk rock band from New York City that was formed in 1974?
34. What was the name of the treaty signed in 1973 that led to the end of U.S. involvement in the Vietnam War?
35. What famous graffiti artist started tagging in the New York City subway system in the 1970s?
36. Who was the leader of the People’s Temple cult that led to the mass suicide at Jonestown in 1978?
37. Who won the Academy Award for Best Actress in 1977 for her role in the film Network?
38. What was the name of the controversial law passed in India in 1975 that led to a period of authoritarian rule?
39. Who was the famous fashion designer known for his glamorous designs in the 1970s, especially his evening gowns and suits?
40. What was the name of the ground-breaking miniseries that aired in 1977 depicting the multi-generational saga of an African American family?
41. What was the popular diet of the 1970s that involved eating high-protein, low-carbohydrate foods?
42. Who was the NBA’s leading scorer in the 1970s?
43. Which Stephen King novel, later turned into a popular movie, was published in 1974?
44. What was the name of the pioneering home video game console released by Atari in 1977?
45. Which band, formed in the late 1970s, went on to become one of the biggest pop acts of the 1980s?
46. What major world event occurred in the 1970s, leading to a global economic crisis?
47. What late-night television sketch comedy and variety show premiered in 1975?
48. Who was the famous American television journalist and anchor known for his live televised coverage of the U.S. moon landing in 1972?
49. What was the name of the successful 1977 album by Fleetwood Mac?
50. Which famous American actor starred in the 1976 film ‘Rocky’?
51. Which British punk rock band released the album ‘Never Mind the Bollocks, Here’s the Sex Pistols’ in 1977?
52. What was the name of the NASA space probe that was launched in 1977 to study the outer Solar System?
53. Which 1979 revolution led to the establishment of an Islamic republic in Iran?
54. What was the 1971 environmental campaign that became a global movement, celebrated every year on April 22?
55. Who won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1971 for his efforts to bring peace in the Vietnam War?
56. What was the name of the landmark U.S. Supreme Court case decided in 1973 that legalized abortion?
57. What was the name of the program launched by the U.S. government in 1972 to develop a reusable spacecraft?
58. What was the name of the influential heavy metal band formed in Birmingham, England, in 1968 that gained popularity in the 1970s?
59. What was the title of the best-selling album of the 1970s in the U.S.?
60. Which famous American comedian, known for his social critique and observational humor, rose to fame in the 1970s?
61. What popular 1970s television show starred Farrah Fawcett, Kate Jackson, and Jaclyn Smith?
62. What was the name of the popular 1970s hairstyle, often associated with actress Farrah Fawcett?
63. What was the 1970 amendment to the U.S. Constitution that lowered the voting age to 18?
64. Which band released the 1976 album ‘Hotel California’?
65. What famous American actress starred in the 1973 film ‘The Exorcist’?
66. What popular 1970s television show was based on Laura Ingalls Wilder’s series of ‘Little House’ books?
67. What pioneering rap group was formed in the Bronx, New York, in 1973?
68. What was the name of the 1977 miniseries based on Alex Haley’s novel, one of the most-watched broadcasts in U.S. history?
69. What popular daytime television game show premiered on CBS in 1972?
70. Who was the popular British glam rock artist who released the album ‘The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars’ in 1972?
71. What was the landmark education law passed in the U.S. in 1972 that prohibits discrimination on the basis of sex in any federally funded education program or activity?
72. What was the name of the music festival held in Watkins Glen, New York, in 1973, attended by over 600,000 people?
73. What popular children’s educational television show, featuring characters like Big Bird and Oscar the Grouch, premiered in 1969 and became a cultural phenomenon in the 1970s?
74. Who won the World Series in 1975?
75. What was the major environmental disaster in 1979 that led to a partial meltdown of a nuclear reactor at a power plant in Pennsylvania?
76. What popular 1970s dance move was popularized by the 1977 film ‘Saturday Night Fever’?
77. What famous American singer, known as the ‘Queen of Disco’, rose to fame in the 1970s with hits like ‘Last Dance’ and ‘Hot Stuff’?
78. What was the name of the political scandal that led to the resignation of U.S. President Richard Nixon in 1974?
79. What was the name of the first home computer, released in 1977?
80. What popular 1970s television show was set in a fictional Wisconsin town and followed the Cunningham family?
81. What was the name of the currency that was introduced in Europe in 1979 as part of an attempt to stabilize regional trade?
82. What was the name of the landmark U.S. Supreme Court case decided in 1978 that upheld affirmative action, but imposed limitations on it to ensure that providing greater opportunities for minorities did not come at the expense of the rights of the majority?
83. What was the name of the nuclear power plant in Ukraine that had a catastrophic meltdown in 1986, which was built in the 1970s?
84. Who was the famous British theoretical physicist who published ‘A Brief History of Time’ in 1988, but became renowned for his work on black holes in the 1970s?
85. What was the name of the punk rock band formed in New York City in 1974, known for their minimalistic approach to music and fashion?
86. What famous superhero movie was released in 1978, starring Christopher Reeve in the lead role?
87. What band, known for their harmonies and romantic lyrics, released the hit album ‘Rumours’ in 1977?
88. What was the name of the Japanese video game company that released the home console ‘Color TV-Game’ series in the late 1970s?
89. What was the name of the legendary rock band that released the album ‘Dark Side of the Moon’ in 1973?
90. What was the highest grossing film of 1975, directed by Steven Spielberg, which created the concept of the summer blockbuster?
91. What was the name of the famous 1971 concert at Madison Square Garden by ex-Beatle George Harrison and friends, often cited as the first major charity concert?
92. What landmark U.S. Supreme Court case, decided in 1978, determined that corporate funding of independent political broadcasts in candidate elections cannot be limited?
93. What popular 1970s music genre combined elements of funk, soul, pop, and salsa?
94. Who was the American author who published the horror novel ‘The Shining’ in 1977?
95. What was the name of the U.S. Supreme Court case in 1971 that established the ‘Lemon Test’ for determining when a law has the effect of establishing religion?
96. What was the name of the major fashion trend in the 1970s that involved colorful, extravagant and funky clothing?
97. What major technological innovation, launched by Motorola in 1973, would revolutionize communication?
98. What band, known for their theatrical live performances and anthems, released their debut album in 1973?
99. What famous soft-rock duo released the album ‘Bridge Over Troubled Water’ in 1970?
100. Who was the U.S. president who took office after Richard Nixon’s resignation in 1974?
101. What famous British rock band, known for their progressive and psychedelic music, released the iconic album ‘The Dark Side of the Moon’ in 1973?
102. What was the name of the American space station that was occupied for about 24 weeks between May 1973 and February 1974?
103. What was the popular science fiction film directed by George Lucas that was released in 1977?
104. What famous comic strip, featuring a lasagna-loving orange cat, debuted in 1978?
105. What was the major sports event hosted by Montreal, Canada, in 1976?
106. What was the name of the landmark U.S. Supreme Court case in 1973 that established a constitutional right to privacy for women’s reproductive rights?
107. What famous boxing match between Muhammad Ali and Joe Frazier took place in 1971 and was nicknamed the ‘Fight of the Century’?
108. What animated musical fantasy film, based on a concept album by the rock band The Who, was released in 1975?
109. What was the name of the famous Swedish pop group that won the Eurovision Song Contest in 1974, propelling them to international fame?
110. Who was the famous science fiction author who released the novel ‘Rendezvous with Rama’ in 1972?
111. Who was the American boxer who reclaimed the heavyweight title in the ‘Rumble in the Jungle’ in 1974?
112. What was the name of the first digital watch, which was introduced in 1972?
113. What was the famous scandal involving the U.S. government’s attempted cover-up of illegal activities during the 1972 presidential election?
114. What famous American rock band, known for hits like ‘Hotel California’, formed in 1971?
115. What was the name of the peace agreement signed in 1973 that ended direct U.S. military involvement in the Vietnam War?
116. Who was the American author who published the novel ‘Interview with the Vampire’ in 1976?
117. What was the name of the automotive fuel efficiency law enacted by U.S. Congress in 1975, in response to the 1973 oil crisis?
118. What was the name of the economic theory, prominent in the 1970s, that suggests that inflation and unemployment have a stable and inverse relationship?
119. Who was the first woman to run for the U.S. presidency with a major party, securing the Democratic nomination in 1972?
120. What famous Jamaican singer became a symbol of reggae music with his album ‘Catch a Fire’ in 1973?
121. What novel, written by Alex Haley and published in 1976, tells the story of the author’s family line from ancestor Kunta Kinte’s enslavement to his descendants’ liberation?
