61 Riddles About USA With Answers

The United States of America is a large and diverse country with a rich history and culture.

From sea to shining sea, the USA has countless facts, trivia, and mysteries that can stump even the biggest history buffs. Riddles can be a fun and challenging way to learn more about America.

Here are 61 riddles about the USA along with their answers. Test your knowledge of American geography, government, inventions, food, and more!

Riddles about American History

Riddle 1

I’m the first president of the United States. I helped America win independence from Britain. Who am I?

Answer: George Washington

Riddle 2

I issued the Emancipation Proclamation in 1863, freeing many slaves in rebelling states during the Civil War. Who am I?

Answer: Abraham Lincoln

Riddle 3

I was the 26th president of the United States and promoted the Square Deal domestic policies. Who am I?

Answer: Theodore Roosevelt

Riddle 4

I inspired America with my New Deal programs and wartime leadership during the Great Depression and World War II. Who am I?

Answer: Franklin D. Roosevelt

Riddle 5

I was president during the Bay of Pigs Invasion and Cuban Missile Crisis. I tragically died from an assassin’s bullet in 1963. Who am I?

Answer: John F. Kennedy

Riddles about American Geography

Riddle 6

I’m the largest state in the USA and was admitted as the 49th state in 1959. The capital is Juneau and I’m known for glaciers, northern lights, and abundant wildlife. What state am I?

Answer: Alaska

Riddle 7

I’m a Midwestern state nicknamed the Cornhusker State. My capital and largest city is Lincoln. Who am I?

Answer: Nebraska

Riddle 8

I’m a Southern state that borders Mexico along the Rio Grande. Oil, cattle ranching, and space exploration are important to my economy. What state am I?

Answer: Texas

Riddle 9

I’m an Eastern state home to the Appalachian Mountains. Nashville is my capital and country music hub. What state am I?

Answer: Tennessee

Riddle 10

I’m a Western coastal state known for the Golden Gate Bridge, Silicon Valley tech companies, wine country, and Hollywood. Name me!

Answer: California

Riddles about American Symbols

Riddle 11

Thirteen of me represent the original colonies. Fifty of me represent the states. Name me!

Answer: Stars

Riddle 12

I’m an iconic American landmark that welcomed immigrants arriving in New York Harbor. What am I?

Answer: The Statue of Liberty

Riddle 13

I’m a patriotic song and the national anthem of the United States of America since 1931. Francis Scott Key wrote me during the War of 1812. What song am I?

Answer: “The Star-Spangled Banner”

Riddle 14

I’m a majestic bird that serves as a national symbol of the United States. Benjamin Franklin argued I should be the country’s national symbol over the bald eagle. What bird am I?

Answer: The turkey

Riddle 15

I’m a patriotic nickname for the United States which is derived from the lyrics of the song “Hail, Columbia.” What nickname am I?

Answer: Uncle Sam

Riddles about American Government

Riddle 16

How many U.S. Supreme Court justices are there?

Answer: Nine

Riddle 17

How many senators does each state have?

Answer: Two

Riddle 18

How many voting members are there in the U.S. House of Representatives?

Answer: 435

Riddle 19

Whose face is on the United States one dollar bill?

Answer: George Washington

Riddle 20

What are the first three words of the U.S. Constitution?

Answer: We the People

Riddles about American Inventions

Riddle 21

I’m a mechanical sewing machine that revolutionized garment production in the 1850s. Who invented me?

Answer: Elias Howe

Riddle 22

I’m a device that lets you transmit and receive audio signals over long distances through radio waves. Who invented me in 1876?

Answer: Alexander Graham Bell (telephone)

Riddle 23

I’m a vaccine developed in the 1950s that helped eradicate a highly contagious disease that once killed thousands each year in the United States. What vaccine am I?

Answer: The polio vaccine

Riddle 24

I’m a mechanical cotton picker that automated harvesting in the 1940s. Who created me?

Answer: John Daniel Rust

Riddle 25

I’m a machine that lets users assemble documents using pre-designed formats and interchangeable parts. Who invented me in the 1960s?

Answer: Chester Carlson (Xerox photocopier)

Riddles about American Food

Riddle 26

I’m a soft drink invented in Atlanta, Georgia in 1886. I’m often called Coke. What am I?

Answer: Coca-Cola

Riddle 27

I’m a chocolate cookie with creamy white filling originally created in 1912. Two famous flavors are Oreo and Golden Oreo. What am I?

Answer: An Oreo cookie

Riddle 28

I’m a popular condiment often used on hot dogs and sandwiches. I’m made with fermented cabbage and spices. What am I?

Answer: Sauerkraut

Riddle 29

I’m a sliced ham nicknamed for the Eastern state where I was originally produced. What food am I?

Answer: Virginia ham

Riddle 30

I’m a sweet dessert made from layered pastry dough, nuts, and syrup. I’m a specialty in the Midwest city of Chicago. What am I?

Answer: Baklava

Riddles about American Literature

Riddle 31

I wrote the novel Moby Dick about Captain Ahab’s hunt for a great white whale. Who am I?

Answer: Herman Melville

Riddle 32

I wrote the poetry collection Leaves of Grass and the novel Benito Cereno. Walt Whitman is my pen name. Who am I?

Answer: Walter Whitman

Riddle 33

I wrote the novel Uncle Tom’s Cabin which depicted the harsh realities of slavery. My first name starts with an H. Who am I?

Answer: Harriet Beecher Stowe

Riddle 34

I’m a Transcendentalist writer famous for my essays “Self-Reliance” and “Walden.” My first name is Ralph. Who am I?

Answer: Ralph Waldo Emerson

Riddle 35

I wrote the beloved novel To Kill a Mockingbird and won the Pulitzer Prize in 1961. My first name is Nelle. Who am I?

Answer: Nelle Harper Lee

Riddles about American Entertainment

Riddle 36

I’m an animated mouse created by Walt Disney in 1928. Who am I?

Answer: Mickey Mouse

Riddle 37

I’m a genre of music born in the late 1940s Deep South that combined gospel, blues, and country music. What genre am I?

Answer: Rock and roll

Riddle 38

I’m an actress famous for playing Dorothy in The Wizard of Oz in 1939. My first name is Judy. What’s my last name?

Answer: Garland

Riddle 39

I’m an actor who starred in classic westerns like The Searchers and True Grit. My nickname is The Duke. Who am I?

Answer: John Wayne

Riddle 40

I’m a famous superhero who first appeared in DC comics in 1938. I was born on the planet Krypton and came to Earth as a baby. Who am I?

Answer: Superman

Riddles about Famous Americans

Riddle 41

I was a famous aviator who made the first solo airplane flight across the Atlantic Ocean in 1927. Who am I?

Answer: Charles Lindbergh

Riddle 42

I broke baseball’s color barrier when I started playing for the Brooklyn Dodgers in 1947. Who am I?

Answer: Jackie Robinson

Riddle 43

I’m an African American civil rights activist who refused to give up her bus seat to a white passenger in 1955. Who am I?

Answer: Rosa Parks

Riddle 44

I led the Pony Express, which was the first fast mail service across the North American continent from 1860-1861. Who am I?

Answer: William Russell

Riddle 45

I was a famous frontiersman known as an expedition leader, soldier, and American folk hero. My nickname was “Long Knife.” Who am I?

Answer: Daniel Boone

Riddles about U.S. Cities

Riddle 46

I’m a Southern U.S. city hit hard by Hurricane Katrina in 2005. I’m known for lively jazz music, Creole cuisine, and French influences. What city am I?

Answer: New Orleans

Riddle 47

I’m an Eastern seaboard city that served as America’s first capital. I’m known for my famous cracked Liberty Bell and cheesesteak sandwiches. What city am I?

Answer: Philadelphia

Riddle 48

I’m a Midwestern city nicknamed “The Windy City” along the shores of Lake Michigan. I’m home to the Willis Tower skyscraper. What city am I?

Answer: Chicago

Riddle 49

I’m a Southwestern city near the Rio Grande River. I’m the largest city in Texas and known for NASA’s mission control center. Name me!

Answer: Houston

Riddle 50

I’m a West Coast city nicknamed “The City of Angels.” My famous sites include the Griffith Observatory and Hollywood sign. What city am I?

Answer: Los Angeles

Riddles about the States

Riddle 51

I’m a New England state located on the Atlantic coast. My capital is Boston and I’m home to Harvard University. Who am I?

Answer: Massachusetts

Riddle 52

I’m a Midwestern state nicknamed the Hawkeye State. My capital and largest city is Des Moines. What state am I?

Answer: Iowa

Riddle 53

I’m a Southern state that borders the Gulf of Mexico. My capital is Tallahassee and I’m nicknamed the Sunshine State. What state am I?

Answer: Florida

Riddle 54

I’m a Mountain West state nicknamed the Centennial State. My capital is Denver, located near the Rocky Mountains. What state am I?

Answer: Colorado

Riddle 55

I’m a Pacific Northwest state nicknamed the Evergreen State. My capital is Olympia and Mt. Rainier is a famous landmark. What state am I?

Answer: Washington

Riddles about American Landmarks

Riddle 56

I’m a famous national monument carved into a granite cliff in the Black Hills of South Dakota. What monument am I?

Answer: Mount Rushmore

Riddle 57

I’m an iconic metal sign with “HOLLYWOOD” in huge letters representing the U.S. film industry. Where am I located?

Answer: In the Hollywood Hills by Los Angeles

Riddle 58

I’m a tall granite clock tower on the U.S. Parliament’s Houses of Parliament. Where am I located?

Answer: In London, England

Riddle 59

I’m a famous canyon carved by the Colorado River in northwest Arizona. My views are breathtaking! What canyon am I?

Answer: The Grand Canyon

Riddle 60

I’m an iconic monument in New York Harbor featuring a robed female figure representing liberty. What monument am I?