Pop Quiz A pillar of the community

Today marks the 125th anniversary of the completion of the Washington Monument,

the day a 3,300-pound marble capstone was put in place. See what you know about the events

that led to the completion.

1. In what year did the Continental Congress first call for a monument in honor of Gen. George Washington?

a. 1776.

b. 1783.

c. 1789.

d. 1799.

2. Ten days after Washington's death in 1799, what honor did a congressional committee recommend for the former commander in chief?

a. The current Washington Monument.

b. An equestrian statue atop the Capitol.

c. A tomb within the Capitol.

d. Placing his portrait on the dollar bill.

3. True or false: The Washington National Monument Society was formed in 1832, the 100th anniversary of Washington's birth.

4. What former first lady helped the society raise funds for the monument?

a. Martha Washington.

b. Abigail Adams.

c. Dolley Madison.

d. Mary Todd Lincoln.

5. Which of the features listed below was not part of the original winning design by architect Robert Mills?

a. An obelisk with a flat top.

b. A Greek temple with colonnades.

c. Statues of 30 Revolutionary War heroes.

d. A statue of Washington on horseback.

6. The cornerstone was laid July Fourth of what year?

a. 1835.

b. 1843.

c. 1848.

d. 1855.

7. The controversy over a block of marble donated by this person helped cause work to be halted in 1854 when the monument was a mere 153 feet high.

a. Pope Pius IX.

b. Jefferson Davis.

c. King George IV.

d. Napoleon.

8. True or false: At one point, control of the monument society was taken over by the Know-Nothing party.

9. Under what president did construction of the monument resume?

a. Abraham Lincoln.

b. Ulysses Grant.

c. William McKinley.

d. Franklin Roosevelt.

10. Once the capstone was in place, how tall was the monument?

a. 555 feet, 51/8 inches.

b. 600 feet, 61/2 inches.

c. 650 feet, 81/2 inches.

d. 700 feet, 91/3 inches.

Answers: Below.