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Newspapers 101: How Well Do You Know the History of Newspapers in America?
Think you know the news inside and out? You may be a news junkie, but how well do you know the history of newspapers in the U.S.? From the first American newspaper to the most recent Pulitzer Prize winners, we'll test your news knowledge to see how much of a newsy you really are!
The very first English-language American newspaper was Boston's Publick Occurrences Both Forreign and Domestick. In what year did this paper first publish?
1708
1691
1517
1653
1 / 20
The second American newspaper also came out of Boston. What was it called?
The Boston News-Letter
The Boston Globe
The Boston Ledger
The Boston News-Leader
2 / 20
Some of the earliest newspaper publishers also had another public-service job. What profession did they come from?
Teachers
Soldiers
Religious leaders
Postmasters
3 / 20
Benjamin Franklin is famous for his involvement in the early newspaper business. Among his accolades is publishing the first American newspaper in which language?
French
German
Dutch
Creole
4 / 20
Which of the Founding Fathers said the following: "Were it left to me to decide whether we should have a government without newspapers or newspapers without a government, I should not hesitate a moment to prefer the latter."
John Adams
Samuel Adams
Thomas Jefferson
Alexander Hamilton
5 / 20
The First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution guaranteed Americans the right to a free press. When was this ratified?
1776
1779
1782
1791
6 / 20
The earliest newspapers were weeklies and monthlies. When did daily newspapers become common in the U.S.?
1680s
1700s
1790s
1850s
7 / 20
Many viewed the Stamp Act of 1765 as the end of American newspapers. What did the Stamp Act require that publishers were against?
All newspapers had to be sent through the mail
American newspapers had to be published on special stamped and taxed paper from Great Britain
Newspapers had to be stamped as approved by British Parliament in order to be sold
No hand-printed newspapers were allowed; only papers "stamped" via printing press were permitted
8 / 20
In the 19th century, cheap newspapers were known, collectively, by the coin you could use to pay for them. What were they called?
Nickel news
Dime news
Quarter papers
Penny papers
9 / 20
The invention of the telegraph in the 1800s allowed for fast transmission of news and information. It was because of this invention that the Associated Press became the first major wire service. In what year was the AP formed?
1837
1846
1852
1869
10 / 20
The first school of journalism was founded at the University of Missouri in what year?
1892
1904
1875
1922
11 / 20
"News reports should be free from opinion or bias of any kind" is one of the primary rules of journalism as stated by the American Society of Newspaper Editors. When did this rule first come about?
1893
1902
1915
1923
12 / 20
The Pulitzer Prize was created to honor the best of American journalism. When was the first Pulitzer awarded?
1917
1907
1892
1886
13 / 20
In the early 19th century, a women's newspaper worked to fight for women's equality. It was recently resuscitated for a new generation by the Washington Post. What is it called?
The New York Call
The Lily
Talkers
Letters and Journals
14 / 20
The Columbia Journalism Review has long been known as the watchdog of the watchdogs, reviewing and critiquing newspapers and publishers. When did it first offer its views to the news world?
1942
1957
1961
1976
15 / 20
What is the term created to describe investigative journalists?
Mop wringers
Muckrakers
Mud slingers
16 / 20
During the late 1890s, the term "yellow journalism" was coined during the circulation wars between Joseph Pulitzer and William Randolph Hearst. What is yellow journalism?
News printed on recycled paper
Investigative reporting
Sensationalized news reporting
Celebrity journalism
17 / 20
Gannett began as one single newspaper, the Elmira Gazette, in 1906. It now owns more than 100 daily newspapers, and 1,000 weeklies. How many unique monthly visitors do they reach?
125 million
50 million
85 million
100 million
18 / 20
The New York Times has won the most Pulitzer Prizes in history. How many awards has it received?
83
125
57
103
19 / 20
The oldest continuously published newspaper in the United States was first published in 1764. What is the name of that newspaper?
The New York Times
The Boston Globe
The Hartford Courant
The Augusta Chronicle
20 / 20
Go Back to J School!
You tried, but failed. It's okay! We won't hold it against you that you don't know journalism history — as long as you're keeping up with the news.
Newspaper Novice
Good try! You know enough to pass as a freshman journalism student. Keep studying and you'll be a master in no time.
J School Graduate
You're good! You know enough to survive J school and graduate on time. You should be proud.
J School Valedictorian
Congratulations! You know so much about journalism history it's almost like you lived it yourself. You're graduating at the top of your class!