Microsoft: Happy 36th birthday!

The company's story is an important part of Americana. But how much do you really know about it?

Microsoft was founded on April 4, 1975, as a partnership between Bill Gates and Paul Allen. The company's history is an embedded part of Americana. Its leaders are household names. Its products grace just about every household in the land. It's story is the stuff of American legend and myth (a scrappy startup that turned into an international powerhouse).

Smile worthy too: Steve Ballmer as emoticons

But how much do you really know about the legendary software maker? Here's a quiz to test you. (Answers can be found on page 2 of this article.)

1. In what city and state was Microsoft founded?

a. Bellevue, Wash.

b. Redmond, Wash.

c. Albuquerque, N.M

d. Tucson, Ariz.

2. How old were Bill Gates and Paul Allen when they founded Microsoft?'

a. Gates was 19. Allen was 22.

b. Gates was 17; Allen was 26.

c. Gates was 24; Allen was 30.

d. Gates was 26; Allen was 19.

3. On November 2, 2001, Microsoft and the Department of Justice came to an agreement on the DOJ's antitrust lawsuit against Microsoft. What was the product that originally sparked the lawsuit?

a. DOS

b. Excel

c. Internet Explorer

d. Windows

4. In what year did Steve Ballmer join Microsoft?

a. 1990

b. 2000

c. 1965

d. 1980

5. What year was the flagship Windows 3.0 released?

a. 1984

b. 2000

c. 1988

d. 1990

• Microsoft

• Software

• Bill Gates

• Microsoft

• Steve Ballmer

• Windows 3.0