"I Have a Dream" Speech Quiz

Quiz on MLK's 'I Have a Dream' speech! Test your understanding of its key messages and historical context.

King starts his speech by saying, "Five score years ago a great American in whose symbolic shadow we stand today signed the Emancipation Proclamation."What is a score in this context? A measure of time (20 years) An act of gaining a point, goal or run in a game A piece of music The main idea of Dr. King’s speech is Celebrating the anniversary of the Emancipation Proclamation Ending segregation and racial injustice in America Getting more money for America’s black population Convincing everyone to live in peace and tranquility In paragraphs four and five, Dr. King uses an analogy to illustrate America’s broken promise of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness to “her citizens of color.” What is this analogy? A promissory note--a check that has come back marked “insufficient funds” A crossroads in a dark forest A dark empty well with a bottomless bucket tied to a frayed rope A vast stretch of sand occasionally interrupted by lakes--which prove to be illusions Martin Luther King, Jr. appeals mainly to his listeners’ Common sense Sense of guilt Concerns about America’s status among the world’s nations Desire for a better future In “I Have a Dream”, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., urges his followers to Work toward a slow and gradual change Use any means necessary, even violence Demand equality now Accept that things may never change Which repeated phrase in Dr. King’s speech has additional power because it is from a familiar patriotic song? "I have a dream" "Let freedom ring" "Now is the time" "One hundred years later" Dr. King’s speech does not incorporate Repeated phrases References to the Bible Lyrics from songs A call for violent action Dr. King hopes that one day, children will be judged not by the color of their skin, but by _. Their intelligence The content of their character. Their work ethic Their family's name and status. Toward the end of the speech, in the paragraphs beginning with the now-famous phrase "I have a dream," Dr. King mentions certain members of his own family. Why does he do this? To show everyone how well he has raised his children To have a reason to bring his children to the speech To connect with his audience as a fellow parent and have them think of their own children To get the members of the audience to feel guilty for how they treated his children At the end of his speech, Dr. King repeatedly calls out, "Let freedom ring." Which is NOT a reason why he did this? To show that African-Americans were asking only for freedom, which was given to other citizens, and not special privileges To emphasize that his speech is about freedom, justice, and equality, not just politics To help him to show that freedom needs to come from all areas - not only from the North but also the South To get the audience to join together and sing.