Ultimate US Quiz 2024: Test Your Knowledge on All Things American!

The Boston Celtics have claimed the most NBA championships in history. This feat came to pass when they won their record 18th championship on Jun. 17, 2024, by defeating the Dallas Mavericks 106-88 in Game 5 of the NBA Finals. The Celtics, a powerhouse in the league, finally surpassed the Los Angeles Lakers, who have 17 championships. The victory set an all-time record, cementing the Celtics’ legacy as the NBA’s most successful franchise.

The shiny bean, officially known as Cloud Gate, is a famous public sculpture in Millennium Park, Chicago, USA. Anish Kapoor designed it, and it attracts around 20 million visitors annually. After nearly a year of renovations to the surrounding Grainger Plaza, The Bean reopened on June 23, 2024.

On June 15, 2024, Biden and Trump’s campaigns agreed to specific rules for their upcoming debates. CNN will host the first debate, scheduled for June 27, 2024. It will feature muted microphones to prevent interruptions and a ban on props to ensure a focused and orderly discussion.

On June 14, 2024, the US Supreme Court struck down the Trump-era ban on bump stocks, devices that allow semi-automatic rifles to match the firing rate of fully automatic weapons. The ruling, decided by a narrow 5-4 vote, has significant implications for gun control laws in the United States. Initially banned following the tragic Las Vegas shooting in 2017, bump stocks have been at the center of a heated debate over federal authority and public safety.

In June 2024, Hunter Biden, the son of President Joe Biden, was convicted of three federal felonies related to a 2018 firearm purchase. He was found guilty of lying on a federal gun application, possessing a firearm while being a drug user, and making a false statement to a gun dealer. The trial in Wilmington, Delaware, on June 11, 2024, marked a significant moment: Biden became the first child of a sitting US president to be convicted of a crime.

Donald Trump, the 45th president of the United States, became the first US president convicted of felony crimes. This historic verdict was delivered in Manhattan, New York, on May 30, 2024. Trump was found guilty on 34 counts of falsifying business records in connection with hush money payments to porn star Stormy Daniels ahead of the 2016 election.

Rudy Giuliani turned 80 on May 17, 2024, marking the occasion with a birthday celebration in Palm Beach, Florida. However, his festivities took an unexpected turn when he was served an indictment notice related to an alleged conspiracy to overturn the 2020 election results in Arizona. The charges against him include conspiracy, fraud, and forgery. Despite the severity of these charges, Giuliani remained unfazed during his party, even after taunting Arizona authorities on social media before being served.

In the 2024 Joe Biden campaign ad “Snapped,” Robert De Niro lent his distinctive voice to narrate a clip of Donald Trump declaring, “If I don’t get elected, it’s gonna be a bloodbath.” De Niro warned viewers, “Trump wants revenge. And he’ll stop at nothing to get it.” The ad aired on May 24, 2024.

In the film “The Apprentice,” which premiered at the 2024 Cannes Film Festival, Donald Trump is portrayed as mentored by Roy Cohn during his early days in New York’s real estate world. Sebastian Stan stars as Trump, while Jeremy Strong plays Roy Cohn. On May 21, 2024, after the film’s premiere, the Trump campaign announced plans to sue the filmmakers for malicious defamation, arguing that the film sensationalized falsehoods.

Who was Roy Cohn?

Before becoming a New York fixer, Cohn was Senator Joseph McCarthy’s chief counsel assisting McCarthy’s investigations of “suspected communists.” He also played a prominent role in the 1951 espionage trial of Julius and Ethel Rosenberg.

The popular US seafood restaurant chain Red Lobster is well-known for its all-you-can-eat ‘endless shrimp’ promotion. This offer allowed customers to indulge in unlimited shrimp dishes, making it a beloved event for seafood lovers. However, the promotion’s popularity also contributed to the company’s financial troubles. Customers took full advantage of the endless shrimp deal, which led to higher-than-expected costs. Combined with declining sales and rising operational expenses, these challenges ultimately resulted in Red Lobster filing for Chapter 11 bankruptcy on May 20, 2024. The company is now restructuring its debt and closing several underperforming locations to stabilize its business.

Columbia University decided to cancel its main commencement ceremony scheduled for May 15, 2024, and instead opted for smaller, school-based ceremonies. This decision was made following weeks of pro-Palestinian protests that disrupted campus activities and raised security concerns. In consultation with student leaders, the university chose to focus on smaller graduations to ensure the safety and smooth running of these events, reflecting a cautious approach to managing the potential for further disruptions.

During their annual meeting on May 7, 2024, the Boy Scouts of America announced its official rebranding to Scouting America. This change, set to take effect on Feb. 8, 2025, symbolizes a shift towards inclusivity. The rebranding aims to welcome every youth and family in America to experience the benefits of scouting, regardless of gender or sexual orientation. This decision follows years of evolving policies to include gay and female members.

OJ Simpson became famous as a standout football player in the National Football League (NFL). He was one of the most celebrated running backs of his time. During his illustrious career, he set numerous records, including being the first NFL player to rush for over 2,000 yards in a single season, a feat he achieved in 1973 with the Buffalo Bills. His sports legacy was firmly established long before his highly publicized 1995 murder trial and subsequent legal troubles. Simpson died on April 10, 2024, at 76, after a battle with cancer.

In April 2024, under immense national security pressure and bipartisan concern, President Joe Biden signed a law that required TikTok’s Chinese parent company, ByteDance, to either sell TikTok to a US owner or shut down its operations in the US. This drastic measure reflects worries about Chinese government interference and data privacy issues. Although TikTok has expressed intentions to challenge this in court, citing First Amendment rights and a lack of concrete evidence from the government, the clock is now ticking.

On Feb. 21, 2024, Beyoncé became the first Black woman to record a No. 1 song on Billboard’s Hot Country Songs when “Texas Hold ‘Em” debuted at the top spot. Beyoncé beat Linda Martell’s “Color Him Father,” who held the record for the highest-charting Black woman at No. 22 more than 50 years ago. Described as “act ii” of the three-act project that began in 2022 with Beyoncé’s critically acclaimed “Renaissance” album, her new country album will be released on Mar. 29.

The Alabama Supreme Court dropped a legal bombshell in February 2024, sparking a heated debate far beyond its borders. The court ruled that frozen embryos, those tiny biological blueprints for future humans created during IVF treatments, are to be considered children under state law. This groundbreaking decision has left fertility clinics in a quandary. In response, several healthcare providers in Alabama have paused IVF services. They’re navigating through the murky waters of legal liabilities and ethical dilemmas, wondering if a Petri dish might now need a nursery.

Former Congressman George Santos sued Jimmy Kimmel. The reason? Kimmel allegedly used fake names to procure Cameo videos from Santos, only to air them on “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” in a segment titled “Will Santos Say It?” Seeking at least $750,000 in damages, Santos accuses Kimmel of copyright infringement, fraud, breach of contract, and unjust enrichment.

President Joe Biden was under a magnifying glass for handling classified documents. Amidst an explosive report by special counsel Robert Hur, released in February 2024, that painted the octogenarian leader as potentially forgetful, Biden declared during an impromptu press conference that his memory was “just fine.”

In a move that surprised many and confirmed some suspicions, Tucker Carlson, the former Fox News host known for his divisive commentary, secured a landmark interview with Russian President Vladimir Putin. This interview, conducted in Moscow, marks the first engagement of its kind since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine two years prior. Carlson’s trip and subsequent interview have been framed as an effort to bring an alternative perspective to the American public, contrasting with what he describes as biased coverage of the Western media. The decision by the Kremlin to grant Carlson, a figure criticized for promoting conspiracy theories and extremist views, this exclusive opportunity has sparked discussions about the motivations behind it.

In a groundbreaking moment at the 2024 Grammy Awards, Taylor Swift shattered records by winning Album of the Year for “Midnights,” marking her as the first artist in history to win this coveted award four times. Swift’s previous wins in this category include “Fearless” (2010), “1989” (2016), and “Folklore” (2021), with “Midnights” (2024) being the latest addition to her Grammy collection. This historic win propelled Swift past music legends Stevie Wonder, Paul Simon, and Frank Sinatra, who each held three wins in the Album of the Year category.