Heard a little bit about stuff happening in the Middle East lately, in places like Tunisia and Libya and Yemen?

Sure, haven't we all. But how well do you know where those places really are?

Click on the box above, and it will take you to a mapping game that tests your geographic knowledge of the area much in the news. Don't worry. Unlike 5th Grade Geography, no one's keeping score, so you can correct your mistakes.

And thanks to Edward Thomas Jr. for sending the link.

The Founding Fathers set us on the path 234 years ago to the political system we have, but even they wouldn’t spend the holiday arguing politics. In keeping with tradition, Spin Control takes a holiday from politics and offers a July Fourth quiz to test readers’ knowledge of Americana, trivial and otherwise.

Independence Day > Make A Quiz

Happy Independence Day.

Spin Control is taking the day off, but if you’ve put out the flag, packed the cooler and bought the fireworks, only one question remains: Just how much do you really know about American history?

The real history, that is – not the stuff you pick up from listening to July 4th speeches, watching Mel Gibson movies or reading novels. Take the 13 question quiz and see what level of patriotic study you have achieved:

Flag stuff

Elementary school question: The Stars and Stripes, aka Old Glory, now has stars for the current states and stripes for the original ones. How many red stripes does the U.S. flag have?

High school question: How many stars in the top row of a 50-star flag?

Graduate level question: Of George Washington, Benedict Arnold, Ethan Allen and John Paul Jones, who can we say definitely fought under a contemporary version of the Stars and Stripes?

Declaration of Independence stuff

Elementary school question: Whose signature is larger than all others at the bottom of the declaration?

High school question: What are the three inalienable rights listed in the declaration?

Graduate level question: What three things did the signers pledge to each other at the close of the declaration?

Battle stuff

Elementary school question: American troops got significant military help from what country during the revolution?

High school question: The last battle of the Revolutionary War was fought where?

Graduate level question: Of battles of Lexington, Bunker Hill, Ticonderoga, Long Island, which happened after independence was declared?

Celebration stuff

Elementary school question: The fireworks that mark July 4th celebrations originated in what country?

High school question: Where was the first celebration of American independence held?

Graduate level question: On what day was that celebration held?

Extra credit

Two famous American documents, the Declaration and the Constitution, were signed by the people present when drafted. Among the following, who signed both documents? George Washington, Benjamin Franklin, Thomas Jefferson, Alexander Hamilton.

Go inside for the answers.

In honor of the three-day holiday, and as a sign of laziness, Spin Control is rerunning last lyear’s July 4th Quiz. A new quiz is coming Saturday.

So you think you’re a good patriot. You wear a flag pin on your pajamas, know that the last two words to “The Star Spangled Banner” are not “Play ball,” and bleed red, white and blue.
On July Fourth, we all feel that way. So try your hand at this American history quiz. But remember, just because you heard it when you were growing up doesn’t make it so.
1.) The Continental Congress declared its independence from King George and Great Britain on what day?
a. April 18, 1775
b. June 7, 1776
c. July 2, 1776
d. July 4, 1776
2.) Which of the following grievances against King George is NOT listed in the Declaration of Independence?
a. He had “cut off our Trade with all parts of the world.”
b. He had “plundered our seas, ravaged our coasts and burnt our towns.”
c. He had sent “merciless Indian Savages” to attack them on the frontiers.
d. He had decreed laws for “Naturalization of Foreigners … to encourage their migrations hither.”
3.) And by the way, which King George was that?
a. George II
b. George III
c. George V
d. George W
4.) “Give me liberty or give me death!” was a sentiment voiced by:
a. Thomas Paine
b. Patrick Henry
c. Nathan Hale
d. Sam Adams
5.) Which of the following statements is false?
a. The battle of Bunker Hill was not fought on Bunker Hill.
b. Benedict Arnold was promoted for bravery by George Washington.
c. Philadelphians celebrating the Declaration of Independence rang the Liberty Bell so long it cracked.
d. The U.S. flag is based in part on the British Union Jack.
6.) Which of the following is not one of the original 13 colonies?
a. Georgia
b. South Carolina
c. New Jersey
d. Vermont
7.) Who designed the first U.S. flag?
a. George Washington
b. Betsy Ross
c. Francis Hopkinson
d. Abigail Adams
8.) Who among the following did NOT sign the Declaration of Independence?
a. John Hancock
b. George Washington
c. Thomas Jefferson
d. Elbridge Gerry
9.) Which of the following is true?
a. The delegates to the Continental Congress who declared “all men are created equal” were elected only by white men who owned property.
b. George Washington’s army was made up chiefly of militia throughout the Revolution.
c. Paul Revere never warned the residents of Concord that the British were coming.
d. The British played “Yankee Doodle” when Gen. Cornwallis surrendered to Washington at Yorktown.
10.) The Statue of Liberty was made in:
a. New York
b. Boston
c. London
d. Paris
11.) The words to “The Star Spangled Banner” were written during what military action?
a. The battle of Baltimore
b. The battle of Yorktown
c. The battle of Gettysburg
d. The battle of the Alamo
12.) Four of the first five presidents came from which state?
a. Virginia
b. Massachusetts
c. New York
d. Pennsylvania
13.) John Adams was Washington’s vice president. Who was Adams’ vice president?
a. Alexander Hamilton
b. Thomas Jefferson
c. James Madison
d. Benjamin Franklin

For answers, go inside the blog