Famous Trials

Name:

Date:

Instructions: Historic court cases and trials that changed history

1.
In 1925, teacher John Scopes was put on trial in Tennessee for teaching what subject in school?
A
Communism
B
Evolution
C
Atheism
D
Civil disobedience
2.
The Nuremberg Trials held after World War II prosecuted leaders of which regime?
A
Imperial Japan
B
Fascist Italy
C
Soviet Union
D
Nazi Germany
3.
In the landmark 1954 case Brown v. Board of Education, the Supreme Court ruled against what practice?
A
Poll taxes
B
Interracial marriage bans
C
Racial segregation in public schools
D
Voting age restrictions
4.
Which Italian astronomer was tried by the Roman Inquisition in 1633 for supporting heliocentrism?
A
Copernicus
B
Galileo Galilei
C
Giordano Bruno
D
Kepler
5.
The Salem Witch Trials of 1692 took place in which American colony?
A
Pennsylvania
B
Connecticut
C
Massachusetts
D
Virginia
6.
Which French military officer was wrongfully convicted of treason in 1894, sparking a major political scandal?
A
Philippe Pétain
B
Charles de Gaulle
C
Alfred Dreyfus
D
Ferdinand Foch
7.
The O.J. Simpson murder trial verdict was delivered in which year?
A
1993
B
1996
C
1995
D
1994
8.
Which ancient philosopher was sentenced to death by drinking hemlock in 399 BC?
A
Aristotle
B
Pythagoras
C
Socrates
D
Plato
9.
The Rosenberg trial in 1951 involved charges of passing secrets about what to the Soviet Union?
A
Submarine designs
B
Radar technology
C
Cryptography codes
D
The atomic bomb
10.
In 1966, the Supreme Court case Miranda v. Arizona established what requirement for police?
A
Search warrants
B
Reading suspects their rights
C
Providing a lawyer at arrest
D
Recording interrogations
11.
Oscar Wilde was put on trial in 1895 in London on charges related to what?
A
Libel
B
Treason
C
Fraud
D
Gross indecency
12.
The trial of which king of England in 1649 led to his execution and the establishment of a republic?
A
Henry VIII
B
James II
C
Charles I
D
Richard III
13.
Which Italian-American anarchists were controversially tried and executed in 1927 for murder?
A
Rosenberg and Sobell
B
Leopold and Loeb
C
Sacco and Vanzetti
D
Bonnie and Clyde
14.
The Watergate scandal trials stemmed from a break-in at the headquarters of which political party?
A
Republican Party
B
Libertarian Party
C
Green Party
D
Democratic Party
15.
Joan of Arc was tried for heresy and burned at the stake in 1431 in which French city?
A
Paris
B
Rouen
C
Lyon
D
Orléans

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