Voyage of Discovery | Answers

The answers to the questions I posted earlier are shown in bold below.

Flag of Brazil.
Image Wikipedia
  1. On 22 April 1500, Pedro Álvares Cabral, a Portuguese navigator, is credited as the first European to reach…
    • Brazil—Portuguese explorer Pedro Álvares Cabral sighted the mainland of South America near the present-day city of Pôrto Seguro, Brazil.
      Blue Marble photograph taken by the crew of Apollo 17.
      Image NASA/Wikipedia
  2. Earth Day was first celebrated today in…
    • 1970—Earth Day, celebrated annually on 22 April, is a global event that honours environmental achievements and promotes sustainability. It originated in the US in 1970, organised by Gaylord Nelson and Denis Hayes, involving 20 million Americans and leading to significant environmental legislation. Today, it is observed worldwide with various activities addressing environmental concerns like climate change, involving a billion people in over 193 countries, with notable milestones such as the signing of the Paris Agreement in 2016.
      The First German Gas Attack at Ypres by William Roberts.
      Image Wikipedia
  3. Where was modern chemical warfare initiated on 22 April 1915?
    • Belgium—Chemical weapons have a long history, dating back to ancient times when warring forces poisoned water supplies. However, they became true weapons of mass destruction during World War I with the introduction of modern chemical warfare by the German army by launching a chlorine attack at Ypres, Belgium, on 22 April 1915, killing 5,000 French and Algerian troops.
      Vladimir Nabokov.
      Image Wikipedia
  4. All of these Americans were born on 22 April, but who was born first?
    • Vladimir Nabokov, author—was born in 1899; Oppenheimer, 1904, and Nicholson, 1937. Vladimir Nabokov, a Russian-born American novelist and critic, wrote in both Russian and English, achieving international acclaim for his English-language works such as Lolita and Pale Fire.
      Hernán Cortés.
      Image Wikipedia
  5. On this day in 1519, a Spanish conquistador established a settlement at Veracruz, Mexico. Who was he?
    • Hernán Cortés—a Spanish conquistador, led an expedition from 1519 to 1521 that overthrew the Aztec Empire in Mexico, bringing much of mainland Mexico under Spanish rule. He strategically allied with local tribes, particularly the Tlaxcaltecs, who resented Aztec dominance, and used a native interpreter to aid his efforts. Despite defying orders from the governor of Cuba, Cortés’s leadership and the Aztecs’ internal conflicts resulted in the conquest of Tenochtitlán in 1521. For his achievements, he was awarded the title of marqués del Valle de Oaxaca.
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Author: Scott F

As a retired trivia writer, editor and quiz compiler, I wholeheartedly agree with Bertrand Russell’s quote: “There’s much pleasure to be gained in useless knowledge.” Trivia of all sorts has always fascinated me, and for many years, I’ve written and compiled trivia for various media, including traditional TV and radio quiz shows, newspapers and magazines, apps, and other digital platforms.

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