1970s Quiz: Trivia, Pop Culture And History Questions
Power cuts, punk, decimal money and the Silver Jubilee.
Below are 13 1970s questions with the answers underneath each one, sorted into pop culture, history and news, and art and design.
Every fact is real and dateable. Print it, read it out, or play the same questions against the clock in our decade trivia game.
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Shop greetings cards Play the decade quiz: test your memory Play the decade trivia game: score points against the clock Decade art finder: search artists and styles by era
Cards, prints and pin badges, drawn and printed by us
Funny cards, milestone birthday cards and art prints, printed in the UK. Order on a working day and it usually goes out the same day.
Yoda Best Multi-Occasion Greeting Card
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Happy Birthday Card For The World's Best Sister-in-Law
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Happy Birthday Card For The World's Best Step Dad
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Ciao, Bitch (Italian-themed Goodbye & Good Luck Card)
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Happy Birthday Card For The World's Best Step Mum
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Happy Birthday Card For The World's Best Father-in-Law
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Years covered in the 1970s
- 1970 - England defended the World Cup, the Beatles ended and eighteen-year-olds got the vote. Full year: /blogs/news/look-back-to-1970
- 1971 - Decimal Day, the first Glastonbury as we know it and Slade on the way up. Full year: /blogs/news/look-back-to-1971
- 1972 - Miners' strikes and power cuts, Ziggy Stardust and a very good year for glam. Full year: /blogs/news/look-back-to-1972
- 1973 - Britain joined the EEC, the oil crisis hit and Slade wrote Christmas. Full year: /blogs/news/look-back-to-1973
- 1974 - Two general elections, the three-day week and Abba winning Eurovision. Full year: /blogs/news/look-back-to-1974
- 1975 - Bohemian Rhapsody, the EEC referendum and Fawlty Towers. Full year: /blogs/news/look-back-to-1975
- 1976 - The heatwave, the drought and the first stirrings of punk. Full year: /blogs/news/look-back-to-1976
- 1977 - Silver Jubilee street parties, Star Wars and the summer punk went overground. Full year: /blogs/news/look-back-to-1977
- 1978 - Grease, the first test-tube baby and the start of the winter of discontent. Full year: /blogs/news/look-back-to-1978
- 1979 - The winter of discontent, the first woman Prime Minister and the last year of the seventies. Full year: /blogs/news/look-back-to-1979
- That is every 1970s year we have written up so far: 1970 to 1979.
1970s pop culture round
- Which band released 'Bohemian Rhapsody' in 1975? Answer: Queen. It was Christmas number one in 1975 and again in 1991.
- Which space-themed film was released in 1977? Answer: Star Wars. Queues round the block and merchandise nobody expected.
1970s history and news round
- Decimal currency arrived in Britain on which day? Answer: Decimal Day, 15 February 1971. Old pennies and shillings went out of use.
- The Queen's Silver Jubilee was celebrated in which year? Answer: 1977. Street parties across the country.
- The three-day week, limiting electricity for industry, ran in which year? Answer: 1974. Introduced to conserve coal during the miners' dispute.
- Britain joined the European Economic Community in which year? Answer: 1973. A referendum confirmed membership in 1975.
- Who became Britain's first female Prime Minister in 1979? Answer: Margaret Thatcher. She took office in May 1979.
- What was Ceefax, launched by the BBC in 1974? Answer: A text information service on television. Pages of news, sport and holidays, typed in by number.
- What was the long dry spell of 1976 best remembered as? Answer: The heatwave and drought. Standpipes in the street and a Minister for Drought.
- The Winter of Discontent, with widespread strikes, was which winter? Answer: 1978-79. Rubbish piled up and Thatcher won the election that followed.
1970s art and design round
- Who created the ransom-note artwork for the Sex Pistols? Answer: Jamie Reid. Cut-out lettering, because it looked like a threat.
- Tate's purchase of Carl Andre's Equivalent VIII caused a national row in 1976. What was it made of? Answer: Firebricks. The papers called it 'the bricks' and never let it go.
- Which British artist, known for California swimming pool paintings, painted Mr and Mrs Clark and Percy? Answer: David Hockney. Painted 1970-71 and one of the most visited works at Tate.
How to run it
- Read the question and hold back the answer - the note after it makes a good follow-up fact.
- Ten questions is one round; split the pop culture and history sections for two shorter rounds.
- For a birthday party, use the decade the guest of honour was born in and finish on their birth year page.
- In a care home session, stop wherever the conversation starts rather than finishing the list.
Found your words? Now find the card
Shop greetings cards Play the decade quiz: test your memory Play the decade trivia game: score points against the clock Decade art finder: search artists and styles by era
How to write it so it lands
- Mix two decades in one round if the room spans a wide age range.
- The notes under each answer are the bits people actually enjoy - read them out.
- Pair the quiz with that decade's party playlist for a themed night.
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Where to shop next
- Play the decade quiz: test your memory
- Play the decade trivia game: score points against the clock
- Decade art finder: search artists and styles by era
- Guess the year quiz
- Care home reminiscence quiz
- All decade quizzes in one place
- 1970s trivia: fun facts
- Look back to 1970
- Look back to 1971
- Look back to 1972
- Look back to 1973
- Look back to 1974
- Look back to 1975
- Look back to 1976
- Look back to 1977
- Look back to 1978
- Look back to 1979
- 1970s history: events, politics and culture
- 1970s calendar: year by year
- 1970s music: songs, genres and trends
- 1970s films and directors
- 1970s books, films and TV
- 1970s books: novels and authors
- 1970s art: artists and styles
- 1970s fashion: styles, designers and trends
- 1970s food: dishes, restaurants and trends
- 1970s travel: destinations and holidays
- 1970s technology: gadgets and computers
- 1970s shopping guide: what to buy
- 1970s games: board, card and video
- 1970s party playlist
- The 1970s: the whole decade
- Retro gift guide: the 1970s
- The decade before: the 1960s
- The decade after: the 1980s
- All decade guides in one place
- Card messages by occasion: every guide in one place
- Card hub: cards, badges and messages by occasion
- Decade history by era
- Decade calendars: every year from 1920
- Decade music: songs, genres and trends
- Decade films: best movies and directors
- Decade books: novels, authors and reading trends
- Decade art: artists, styles and trends
- Decade fashion: styles, designers and trends
- Decade food: dishes, restaurants and eating trends
- Decade travel: destinations and holidays
- Decade technology: gadgets and computers
- Decade shopping guides
- Decade games: board, card and video games by era
- Decade trivia: fun facts by era
- Shop art prints and posters
- Shop greetings cards
- Shop birthday cards
- Shop funny cards
- Milestone birthday cards
- Nostalgia gift shop
- Retro party supplies
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- All guides
Frequently asked questions
What are some good 1970s quiz questions?
Decimal currency arrived in Britain on which day? The answer is Decimal Day, 15 February 1971. There are 13 more above, with answers, across pop culture, history and art.
How many questions are in the 1970s quiz?
13, split into a pop culture round, a history and news round and an art and design round.
Can I use these for a quiz night or care home session?
Yes, freely. Print them, read them out, copy them - no permission needed.
Is there a version I can play online?
Yes. The decade quiz gives instant feedback and a score, and the decade trivia game is timed with points for speed and streaks. Both use these same questions.