Presidential Trivia Answers (Dec. 29 & 30)

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(1) QUESTION: Which President spent one New Year’s Eve in Tehran?

ANSWER: Jimmy Carter. He was there on December 31, 1977, and called Iran “an island of stability.” Less than two years later, dozens of U.S. citizens were being held hostage in Iran.

(2) QUESTION: The United States Marine Band played at the first ever New Year’s celebration at the White House. Which President hosted this celebration?

ANSWER: John Adams, on New Year’s Day 1801. (Although the White House wasn't then called the White House. It was called the President's House.) The Marine Band played at Thomas Jefferson’s inauguration soon afterwards.

(3) QUESTION: Which President signed legislation making New Year’s Day a national holiday?

ANSWER: Ulysses S. Grant. The same legislation made Christmas, Independence Day, and Thanksgiving Day national holidays. “Grant hoped Christmas and the other holidays would help bond people in the North and South through shared celebrations,” the Library of Congress explains.