Summer Olympics Host Cities

Question: 2008

Answer: More than 200 national Olympic committees participated in the Beijing Olympics, where American swimmer Michael Phelps set a record for the most gold medals won in a single year (eight).

Question: 1988

Answer: After the capital of South Korea was selected to host the Olympics, North Korea lobbied for cohosting duties. When its bid failed, North Korea announced a boycott that was supported by several other countries.

Question: 1896

Answer: The first modern Olympic Games were held in Greece, where the ancient Olympics began almost 3,000 years ago.

Question: 2016

Answer: One hundred twenty years after the birth of the modern Olympics, the Games ventured to South America for the first time.

Question: 1936

Answer: As the German chancellor, Adolf Hitler used the 1936 Olympics as an opportunity to promote Nazi racial ideology. It was undercut by the success of American sprinter Jesse Owens and other nonwhite athletes.

Question: 1904

Answer: The 1904 Olympics were held in conjunction with the St. Louis World’s Fair, which commemorated the 100th anniversary of the Louisiana Purchase.

Question: 1996

Answer: Although many people expected that the centennial Olympic Games would be awarded to Athens, the host of the first modern Olympics, Atlanta won out. Athens eventually hosted the 2004 Games.

Question: 1928

Answer: At Amsterdam, women competed in gymnastics and track and field for the first time. The Olympic flame also made its debut.

Question: 1968

Answer: The high altitude of Mexico City (more than 7,000 feet [2,100 meters] above sea level) proved beneficial to some athletes, among them the American long jumper Bob Beamon, who set a new world record.

Question: 1956

Answer: Because Australia is in the Southern Hemisphere, the 1956 Summer Olympics took place in November and December.

Question: 1912

Answer: Sweden was commended for its organization of the 1912 Olympics, the first to feature electronic timers and a public-address system.

Question: 1976

Answer: While the world thrilled to the feats of Romanian gymnast Nadia Comăneci, the 1976 Olympics turned out to be a financial disaster for the city of Montreal.