Today’s questions focus on ‘firsts’ that occurred on January 3rd.
Image Wikimedia Commons
One
In 1848, Joseph Jenkins Roberts was sworn in as the first president of a country which began as a project of the American Colonization Society. What country?
Answer: Liberia
Liberia, Africa’s oldest republic, was established for formerly enslaved people from the United States. It gained independence in 1847 and experienced relative stability until a civil war in the 1990s.
Two
Who, in 1987, was the first woman to be voted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame?
Answer: Aretha Franklin
Aretha Franklin, the Queen of Soul, was a highly acclaimed American singer known for her powerful voice and hits like Respect and (You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman.
Three
A spacecraft named for a goddess who, according to legend, flew from Earth to the Moon was the first to land on the far side of the Moon. What name do the goddess and spacecraft share, and in what decade did this first landing take place?
Answer: Chang’e; 2010s
Chang’e, the Chinese moon goddess, is celebrated annually on the 15th day of the eighth lunar month during the Mid-Autumn Festival. She is often depicted floating towards the moon, holding a moon disk, or with the Hare preparing the elixir of immortality. The spacecraft Chang’e 4, carrying the Yutu-2 rover, landed on the Moon’s far side on 3 January 2019, becoming the first spacecraft to do so. It communicated with Earth via the Queqiao relay satellite.
Four
In 1749, the first issue of Berlingske was published. It is now the oldest continually operating newspaper in what country?
Answer: Denmark
Berlingske, Denmark’s oldest continually operating newspaper, was founded in 1749 and is considered a newspaper of record. Originally titled Kjøbenhavnske Danske Post-Tidender, it has a conservative stance and is known for its traditionalism. The newspaper, now published in tabloid format, has won numerous awards, including the World Press Photo Award three times.
Five
In what decade was the first electric watch introduced to the retail market?
Answer: 1950s
The Hamilton Watch Company produced the first electric watch to be retailed in 1957, using a balance wheel or tuning fork driven by a battery. Quartz watches later surpassed them in accuracy and durability.
Quizology Online 