Kamala Harris is the 49th Vice President of the United States. She is the first woman, the first Asian American, and the first woman of color to be elected to the second-highest office in the United States.
The first person of color to be elected vice president was Charles Curtis. He was elected as Herbert Hoover’s Vice President in 1929. Curtis was a Native American lawmaker and member of the Kaw Nation.
Kamala Harris’ husband, Doug Emhoff is the first Second Gentleman and the first Jewish spouse of a U.S. vice president.
In recognition of the many firsts of her vice presidency, this month’s quiz will be about our former vice presidents.
How much do you know about the Vice-Presidency and America’s former vice presidents? I put in a couple of multiple-choice questions, but most of these are fill in the blank. If you don’t know the answers (a few of them are tough), it’s a reminder we need to read more and study history to learn about the people we’ve elected to higher office and to understand how our government works.
Answers to the quiz can be found in the article, Next Month in This Awful Awesome Life- February 2021. Here is the link, https://www.thisawfulawesomelife.com/home/2021/1/21/next-month-in-this-awful-awesome-life-february-2021
1. Who was the first vice president of the United States? ____________________________
2. As of January 21, 2021, how many vice presidents have become president? _____
3. During a duel in 1801, Thomas Jefferson’s vice president shot and killed Alexander Hamilton, the founder of the New-York Evening Post. What was his name? _____________
4. Who was the first Catholic to become vice president? ____________________
5. Name the three vice presidents of the Nixon/Ford Administration: _________________________________________________________________________
6. Doug Emhoff is the third man in U.S. history to be the husband of a U.S. vice presidential candidate of a major party. Who are the first two men and their spouses? ________________________________________________________________________
7. Name the six-living former U.S. vice presidents as of January 21, 2021: ________________________________________________________________________
8. How long was Harry Truman vice president before he became president? ______________
9. What is the only official duty of the vice president? _________________________________________________________________________
10. Before __________ if the President died it was unclear whether the VP was President or merely the acting president.
a. 1865
b. 1904
c. 1944
d. 1967
11. Which Amendment to the U.S. Constitution clarifies what happens to the Presidency and the Vice Presidency if the President dies, becomes incapacitated and can no longer fulfill his duties or is impeached? _________________________________________
12. From 1788 to 1800, how was the vice president selected? __________________________________________________________________
13. Of the six Vice Presidents who were elected president after they served as Vice President, which two were not elected directly after their tenure as Vice President? _______________________________________________________
14. What is the official residence of the Vice President? __________________________________________________________
15. When did it become available to be the Vice-Presidential residence?
a. 1943
b. 1956
c. 1974
d. 1981
16. Who was the first Vice President to move into Number One Observatory Circle? Walter Mondale – ________________________________________________
17. George Clinton served as Vice President under which two Presidents? ______________________________________________________
18. John C. Calhoun served as Vice President under which two Presidents? _____________________________________________________
19. Which Vice President is the term gerrymandering named for? _____________________________________________________________
20. Who were Abraham Lincoln’s two Vice Presidents? ______________________________________________________________________