# Mission US: Think Fast! About the Past > Fast-paced American history trivia game with timed challenges. (iPhone/iPad app by Thirteen/WNET.) - Source: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/mission-us-think-fast-about-the-past/id566607316 (this page in markdown: same URL + `.md`) - Developer: [Thirteen/WNET](https://appshunter.io/developer/446797258) - Category: Education, Games, Trivia - Price: Free - Rating: 2.60/5 from 16 App Store ratings · 11 written reviews indexed - Age rating: 4+ - Requires: iOS 4.3 · 19 MB - Languages: American English - Released: 2012-10-12 - Data updated: 2026-06-28 - Monetization: free - User reviews in markdown: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/mission-us-think-fast-about-the-past/id566607316/reviews.md ## What is Mission US? Test your knowledge of history as you race against the clock! Featuring characters from the online role-playing adventure game Mission US, Think Fast! About the Past is a fast-paced trivia game that introduces hundreds of fascinating facts about different eras of American history. Players can choose from two different Think Fast “missions,” each connected to one of the Mission US adventure games. In Mission 1, the sharp-tongued Patriot Royce Dillingham challenges players to navigate 1770 Boston by answering questions about colonial history. In Mission 2, Lucy King challenges players to deliver a message to her brother, who is enslaved on a plantation in 1850 Kentucky, by answering questions about slavery and resistance during the pre-Civil War era. Each correct answer advances players to another location on the map. Players have five minutes to move through all ten locations to complete the challenge, but answering correctly more quickly will earn a higher ranking. The clock pauses whenever explanations appear to allow players time to read them. Each “mission” includes approximately 100+ questions randomly served up during the course of the game. The Think Fast! About the Past app, developed by Thirteen/WNET, the producers of Mission US, and Very Memorable, was funded by the National Endowment for the Humanities and the Verizon Foundation through EDSITEment, the NEH site for high quality teaching resources. Mission US, a series of free interactive US history games for tweens and teens, was funded by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting with additional support from the National Endowment for the Humanities. For more Mission US content, visit mission-us.org. (Any views, findings, conclusions, or recommendations expressed in this app do not necessarily represent those of the National Endowment for the Humanities.) ## Key features - Timed trivia challenges - Hundreds of historical facts - Two distinct historical missions - Progress through historical locations - Randomly served questions - High-ranking system ## Recent user reviews (10 of 11) All indexed reviews: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/mission-us-think-fast-about-the-past/id566607316/reviews.md ### 1/5 — ,Why tho Kreger *2017-04-24, version 1.1* Kreger Boy made me download this trash. It crashed like my car in a tree. ### 1/5 — iOS 6 *2016-04-29, version 1.1* Doesn't work on my iPad ### 1/5 — Yuck *2015-11-08, version 1.1* This game stinks ### 5/5 — LOVE this App!!!! *2014-02-21, version 1.0* I LOVE playing this game!!!! I am learning a ton, and it is fun!!!! I will buy anything educational you develop. (A geography app would be fun.) ### 3/5 — Good info, but snarky comments *2014-01-30, version 1.0* The information is good, but you have to be QUICK and perfect to win. The snarky comments by the male in Game 1 is completely unacceptable, especially for kids. "You're pathetic!" Really???? The creator(s) couldn't be an educator or parent. Very disappointing. I downloaded the app for our school iPads but will delete now because of that. Too bad - the info is great. ### 3/5 — Informative and Engaging *2013-04-25, version 1.0* In the high stakes testing world we live in, it is important we teach students how to think both quickly and critically. This app does a good job of encouraging that by including basic facts and more complex principles. The time limit helps to focus their attention and it is not unreasonable. Plus, time pauses after each question to allow for review. While students may not be extrinsically motivated to complete the missions, they may be engaged simply in answering the questions, as it's fun to hear the responses that sound as though they come from the colonial period. Finally, it is easy to turn off the sound within the app if the background music is a point of distraction for anyone's concentration. Overall, great app I will definitely recommend to students -- especially since it's freely available to them. ### 5/5 — Interactive! *2013-04-20, version 1.0* Fun to play, and learn, you get to make your own choices and complete fun missions! ### 2/5 — Very annoying *2013-02-26, version 1.0* Snarky comments and incessant fife and drums run in the background while the player tries to read the questions. This app doesn't seem to know who its audience is. Childish goal to find a puppy and teen goading make this unsuited to either group. Better than a shoot 'em up, but not something the kids will get involved in playing. ### 3/5 — More quiz than game agreement *2013-02-05, version 1.0* Enjoy taking the quiz but found the timing to be too fast to win a game. I'm a great reader and teach the topic yet couldn't win. This would frustrate my 8th graders especially for the ones that need it the most! ### 2/5 — More quiz than game *2012-11-02, version 1.0* The timing and"goals" of the missions seem to be there to make these quizzes feel like games, but even only getting 1 of 10 incorrect leads to a "loss" in the silly missions. If its that hard for me (an adult) to win...good luck to kids. And there's no motivation for anyone to read the supporting information after the correct/incorrect notice. I'd have to make a whole separate quiz if I wanted to see if my students had read. ## Frequently asked questions about Mission US ### What is Mission US: Think Fast! About the Past? Mission US: Think Fast! About the Past is a free, fast-paced trivia game designed to test and teach users about American history. It features timed challenges and hundreds of facts across different historical eras. ### How does the gameplay work in Mission US: Think Fast! About the Past? Players race against a five-minute clock to answer approximately 100+ randomly served history questions. Each correct answer moves players to a new location on a map, and faster correct answers lead to higher rankings. ### What historical periods does Mission US: Think Fast! About the Past cover? The app features two missions: one focused on colonial history in 1770 Boston, and another on slavery and resistance in 1850 Kentucky, covering the pre-Civil War era. ### Is Mission US: Think Fast! About the Past suitable for all ages? The app has an age rating of 4+, making it accessible for younger learners. However, the historical content is geared towards tweens and teens. ### What devices is Mission US: Think Fast! About the Past available on? Currently, Mission US: Think Fast! About the Past is supported on iPad devices. ### How often is Mission US: Think Fast! About the Past updated? The app was last updated on January 13, 2015, to version 1.1. It was originally released on October 12, 2012. ### Does Mission US: Think Fast! About the Past have ads? The provided data does not specify if the app contains advertisements. However, it is listed as free with no in-app purchases. ### Where can I find more Mission US content? For additional Mission US content, you can visit mission-us.org. This website offers more free interactive US history games for tweens and teens. ## Version history (last 2 releases) ### 1.1 — 2015-01-13 Updated for iOS 8 compatibility. ### 1.0 — 2012-10-12 No release notes. ## Apps similar to Mission US | App | Rating | Price | Category | | --- | --- | --- | --- | | [Experience Chemistry](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/experience-chemistry/id777231761) | — | Free | Education | | [NPS Journey to Greatness](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/nps-journey-to-greatness/id1314198166) | 5.0 (1) | Free | Education | | [Highland Public Library](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/highland-public-library/id1461144991) | 1.0 (1) | Free | Education | | [Wyz US History](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/wyz-us-history/id1267372360) | — | Free | Education | | [Biology Study Quiz](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/biology-study-quiz/id1221979567) | 3.0 (4) | $4.99 | Education | | [Keyboard Fun Lite](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/keyboard-fun-lite/id626754565) | — | Free | Education | ## More apps by Thirteen/WNET - [Thirteen Explore](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/thirteen-explore/id598509773) - [Mission US: Up from the Dust](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/mission-us-up-from-the-dust/id1137321335) - [NJ PBS](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/nj-pbs/id1383342133) - [ALL ARTS](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/all-arts/id1439833045) - [MissionUS: For Crown or Colony](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/missionus-for-crown-or-colony/id1445695332) All apps by Thirteen/WNET: https://appshunter.io/developer/446797258 --- *Data collected daily from the US App Store and indexed by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/). User reviews are verbatim App Store reviews. Ratings, prices and chart positions refresh continuously; this snapshot is from 2026-06-28.*