Entertaining History—Answers

Here are the answers to the questions from my earlier post.

Catherine Zeta-Jones, Michael Douglas and daughter, Carys in 2023.
Image Wikipedia

One

Answer: 25 years; New Jersey, US and Wales, UK

Douglas was born in 1944, in the city of New Brunswick, New Jersey, US. The birth of Catherine Zeta-Jones was in 1969 in Swansea, a city in Wales, UK


Two

Answer: King Harold II of England aka Harold Godwinson and Battle of Hastings

On 25 September 1066, Tostig Godwinson, allied with the Norwegian king Harald Hardrada, faced his brother Harold II, the king of England, at the Battle of Stamford Bridge. Both Tostig and Harald died in the battle. The victorious Harold was then compelled to march his armies to the English Channel coast to confront the Norman invasion led by William, Duke of Normandy. At the Battle of Hastings, Harold was killed and his armies defeated, and the Duke of Normandy became William the Conqueror, the first Norman king of England, known as William I.


The first page of Publick Occurrences.
Internet Archive under public domain
Image Smithsonian Magazine

Three

Answer: True

It is true. It was short lived though as the following quote explains.

His newspaper, Publick Occurrences, Both Foreign and Domestick (Sept. 25, 1690), the first newspaper printed in the colonies, was suppressed by Boston authorities after one issue.
Encyclopædia Britannica


Four

Answer: Floyd Paterson

Floyd Patterson became the youngest heavyweight champion in 1956, defeating Archie Moore. He lost the title to Ingemar Johansson in 1959 but regained it in 1960, holding it until 1962 when he was defeated by Sonny Liston.


Vasco Nuñez de Balboa.
Image Wikipedia

Five

Answer: Pacific Ocean

The Pacific Ocean was originally called the South Sea by Spanish explorer Vasco Núñez de Balboa in 1513, due to its location along the southern shore of the Isthmus of Panama. Later, in 1520, Ferdinand Magellan renamed it the Pacific, being a ‘peaceful sea’, after his journey through the stormy waters surrounding Cape Horn to reach it.

Entertaining History

Here are five questions all related to today, September 25th.

Catherine Zeta-Jones with her husband Michael Douglas in 2012.
Image Wikipedia

One

Michael Douglas and Catherine Zeta-Jones, both actors, share the same birthday on 25 September. How many years apart are their birth years, and where were they born?

Two

Tostig Godwinson died in England on 25 September in a battle against his brother. His victorious brother would die less than three weeks later in another battle over 250 miles away. Who was the victorious brother, and in what battle did he die?

Three

Publick Occurrences Both Forreign and Domestick, a multi-page newspaper, first published on 25 September 1690, was the first publication of its kind in the British American colonies. Is this true or false?

Four

On 25 September 1962, Sonny Liston became the world heavyweight boxing champion with a first-round knockout to win the title. Who did he defeat?

Five

On 25 September 1513, Vasco Núñez de Balboa became the first European to see the Pacific Ocean. What was that body of water known as to Balboa and his contemporaries at that time?

Good luck! I’ll post the answers later.

The Devil is in the Detail—Answers

Here are the answers to the questions from my earlier post.

Devils Tower, Wyoming.
Image US National Parks Service

One

On 24 September 1906 Devils Tower, Wyoming was named the first national monument in the United States. What 290 miles (470 km) long river, a tributary of the Cheyenne River, passes Devil’s Tower?

Answer: Belle Fourche River

The Belle Fourche River, a 290-mile tributary of the Cheyenne River, flows through Wyoming and South Dakota. It is part of the Mississippi River watershed via the Cheyenne and Missouri Rivers.


Skellig Michael.
Image Wikipedia

Two

An Early Medieval ecclesiastical site, an Irish National Monument and World Heritage Site, featured in the Star Wars sequel trilogy. What is this site?

Answer: Skellig Michael

Skellig Michael, a twin-pinnacled crag off the Iveragh Peninsula in County Kerry, Ireland, is known for its well-preserved Gaelic monastery and diverse wildlife. The island, accessible only during summer, features steep stone steps leading to the monastery and a hermitage on the south peak. The island was used as the planet Ahch-To in Star Wars: The Force Awakens (2015) and Star Wars: The Last Jedi (2017). While aerial footage was used in Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker (2019).


Uluru/Ayers Rock.
Image Wikipedia

Three

The World Heritage Site Uluru was named Ayers Rock in 1873. How many years prior to this had it been known as Uluru? (To the nearest thousand.)

Answer: 10,000 years

Uluru, also known as Ayers Rock, was named by explorer William Gosse in 1873. However, the Pitjantjatjara people, the local indigenous population, have called it Uluru for around 10,000 years before Gosse’s renaming. They believe its formations are physical manifestations of creation events.


Taj Mahal.
Image Wikipedia

Four

In which century was the Taj Mahal built?

Answer: 17th century

The Taj Mahal at Agra, Uttar Pradesh, India was built between 1631 and 1653 by Mughal emperor Shah Jahan as a tomb for his wife, Mumtaz Mahal. A UNESCO World Heritage Site, it is a 17-hectare complex which features a mausoleum, mosque and guest house, showcasing Indo-Islamic and Mughal architecture.


Cabot Tower.
Image Wikipedia

Five

Cabot Tower is a National Monument in which country?

Answer: Canada

Cabot Tower, built in 1898 on Signal Hill in St. John’s, Newfoundland, Canada commemorates the 400th anniversary of John Cabot’s landing and Queen Victoria’s Diamond Jubilee.

The Devil is in the Detail

Here are five questions, the first of which is related to today, September 24th. The others follow a theme.

Devils Tower, Wyoming.
Image Wikipedia

One

On 24 September 1906 Devils Tower, Wyoming was named the first national monument in the United States. What 290 miles (470 km) long river, a tributary of the Cheyenne River, passes Devil’s Tower?


Skellig Michael.
Image UNESCO

Two

An Early Medieval ecclesiastical site, an Irish National Monument and World Heritage Site, featured in the Star Wars sequel trilogy. What is this site?

Uluru (Ayers Rock).
Image Wikipedia

Three

The World Heritage Site Uluru was named Ayers Rock in 1873. How many years prior to this had it been known as Uluru? (To the nearest thousand.)


Taj Mahal.
Image Wikipedia

Four

In which century was the Taj Mahal built?

Cabot Tower.
Image Wikipedia

Five

Cabot Tower, pictured, is a National Monument in which country?

Mothers—Answers

Here are the answers for the questions I posted earlier.

Sylvia’s Mother, Dr. Hook and the Medicine Show.
Image CD and LP

One

Answer: Sylvia’s Mother and Dr. Hook and the Medicine Show

Sylvia’s Mother, written by Shel Silverstein and originally performed by Dr. Hook and the Medicine Show, was their first hit. It reached number five on the Billboard singles chart and topped charts in several countries. The band kept this name until 1975 when they shortened it to Dr. Hook.


Thetis Dipping the Infant Achilles into the River Styx by Peter Paul Rubens (c. 1625);
Museum Boijmans Van Beuningen, Rotterdam.
Image Wikipedia

Two

Answer: Styx

Legend claims Achilles was invulnerable except for his heel, which his mother held while dipping him in the River Styx. Achilles heel, a term derived from this, signifies a vulnerable point despite overall strength. The Achilles tendon is also named after this legend.


Adolf Hitler: My Part in his Downfall by Spike Milligan.
Image Libris

Three

September 3rd, 1939. The last minutes of peace ticking away. Father and I were watching Mother digging our air-raid shelter.

Answer: Adolf Hitler: My Part in His Downfall by Spike Milligan

Spike Milligan’s war memoir, Adolf Hitler: My Part in His Downfall, recounts his experiences from Britain’s declaration of war to the Allied liberation of Africa. The book, the first of seven volumes, blends anecdotes, photographs and sketches.


Alyson Hannigan as Lily Aldrin.
Image Alchetron

Four

Answer: Alyson Hannigan

Lily Aldrin, portrayed by Alyson Hannigan, is a fictional character in How I Met Your Mother. She is a kindergarten teacher, amateur painter, and later becomes an art consultant.


Statue of Helena in the Musei Capitolini, Rome.
Image Wikipedia

Five

Answer: Constantine I or Constantine the Great

Flavia Julia Helena, also known as Saint Helena, was a Roman Augusta and mother of Emperor Constantine the Great. Revered as a saint, she is believed to have discovered the True Cross during a religious tour.

Statue of Constantine I in York, England.
Near the spot where he was proclaimed Augustus in 306 CE.
Image Wikipedia

Mothers

All of today’s questions are related to Mothers in one way or another.

See question 2. Thetis Dipping the Infant Achilles into the —— by Peter Paul Rubens c. 1625; Museum Boijmans Van Beuningen, Rotterdam.
Image Wikipedia

One

Mrs Avery is the title character in which 1972 song by Dr. Hook; and what was the full name of the band at the time of the original release?

Two

Achilles was dipped into which river by his mother to make him invulnerable?

Three

September 3rd, 1939. The last minutes of peace ticking away. Father and I were watching Mother digging our air-raid shelter.

The opening lines of a novel first published in 1971 are quoted above. What novel and who was the author?

Four

Who plays Lily on television’s How I Met Your Mother?

Five

Evelyn Waugh’s 1950 novel Helena is about the mother of which 4th-century Roman emperor?

Good luck! I’ll post the answers later today.

Birthdays—Answers

Here are the answers to the questions I posted earlier.

Harry Potter, question 3.
Image Movieweb Images

Today is my one hundred and eleventh birthday: I am — today!

At the start of The Lord of the Rings, Bilbo Baggins is celebrating his 111th birthday. What two-word, hyphenated term, omitted above, does he use to describe his birthday?

Answer: Eleventy-one

See comment below next answer


Two

Bilbo’s nephew Frodo’s birthday was also the 22 September and that year it marked his ‘coming of age’. How old was Frodo that day?

Answer: 33

Hobbits, a fictional race in J.R.R. Tolkien’s novels, are about half the height of humans. They have tough, hairy feet and live in underground homes. Known as halflings, they first appeared in The Hobbit (1937), featuring Bilbo Baggins. In The Lord of the Rings, hobbits Frodo Baggins, Sam Gamgee, Pippin Took and Merry Brandybuck are central to saving Middle-earth. Hobbits reside in Hobbiton, part of the Shire and Bree-land. The name’s origins are debated, although Tolkien emphatically rejected any link to ‘rabbit’. Hobbits bridge the modern and ancient worlds, featuring modern items like umbrellas and clocks unlike the race’s of men in Rohan and Gondor.


Three

Harry Potter’s birthday is 31 July, but in what year?

Answer: 1980

Harry Potter, the titular character of J.K. Rowling’s series, is an orphan who discovers he is a wizard on his eleventh birthday. The series of seven novels and subsequent film adaptations follows his journey at Hogwarts and his quest to defeat the Dark wizard Lord Voldemort.


Casino Royale, first published 13 April 1953.
Image James Bond Fandom

Four

When the Bond film series received a reboot with the 2006 film Casino Royale, the title character was given a birthday: 13 April 1968. What was significant about that date and that year?

Answer: Casino Royale first publication plus Daniel Craig’s birth year

13 April 1953, was the date of publication of Casino Royale, Fleming’s first novel. The year chosen was that of Daniel Craig’s own birth year 1968 (March 2nd).


Five

Which regular character from Scooby_Doo has their birthday confirmed as being on Christmas Day in In Be Cool, Scooby-Doo!?

Answer: Daphne

The Scooby-Doo gang visits the town of Rockwellville in search of a Christmas mystery, but all they find is a pterodactyl who seems to have nothing to do with Christmas. Meanwhile, Daphne, who is tired of having her December 25th birthday overshadowed year after year, tries to convince the gang to celebrate her birthday instead of Christmas.
In Be Cool, Scooby-Doo! ‘Scary Christmas’ First broadcast 10 December 2015 — Wikipedia

Daphne Blake.
Image Scooby-Doo Fandom

Birthdays

The first and second questions are about two fictional characters’ birthdays on September 22nd. The remaining questions also revolve around fictional characters’ birthdays.

Bilbo’s Party.
Image Livia Prima via Tolkien Gateway

One

Today is my one hundred and eleventh birthday: I am — today!

At the start of The Lord of the Rings, Bilbo Baggins is celebrating his 111th birthday. What two-word, hyphenated term, omitted above, does he use to describe his birthday?

Two

Bilbo’s nephew Frodo’s birthday was also the 22nd September and that year it marked his ‘coming of age’. How old was Frodo that day?

Three

Harry Potter’s birthday is 31 July, but in what year?

Four

When the Bond film series received a reboot with the 2006 film Casino Royale, the title character was given a birthday: 13 April 1968. What was significant about that date and that year?

Five

Which regular character from Scooby_Doo has their birthday confirmed as being on Christmas Day in In Be Cool, Scooby-Doo!?

Good luck! I’ll post the answers later.

An Unexpected Party—Answers

Here are the answers to the questions from my earlier post.

An Unexpected Party.
Image Tea With Bilbo

One

Answers: Thirteen

The book is The Hobbit. Bilbo Baggins lives in the house. Gandalf, without Bilbo’s knowledge, organises a party. The dwarves arrive either singly or in groups:

  • Dwalin
  • Balin
  • Kili and Fili
  • Dori, Nori, Ori, Oin and Gloin
  • Bifur, Bofur and Bombur
  • Thorin Oakenshield

Two

Answer: Green Day

American Idiot, Green Day’s seventh studio album, is a concept album that follows the story of Jesus of Suburbia. The album, which marked a return to the band’s punk rock sound, was a critical and commercial success, selling over 23 million copies worldwide and winning several awards.

American Idiot
Image

Three

Answer: Moroni

Moroni, son of Mormon, was a Nephite prophet, historian and military commander. He completed the Nephite record, buried the plates, and later became the Angel Moroni in Latter Day Saint belief.

Four

Answer: Perry Mason

Perry Mason, a long-running American legal drama series, aired on CBS from 1957 to 1966. The show, based on Erle Stanley Gardner’s detective fiction, starred Raymond Burr as the titular lawyer and received numerous awards and accolades.


Janis Joplin photographed by Jim Marshall about one year before her death.
Image Wikipedia

Five

Answer: Leonard Cohen

Chelsea Hotel #2 recounts a sexual encounter at the Chelsea Hotel with Janis Joplin. Cohen later regretted revealing the song’s inspiration and the explicit details of their relationship. In 1994, on the BBC, Cohen said it was “an indiscretion for which I’m very sorry. If there is some way of apologising to the ghost, I want to apologise now for having committed that indiscretion.”
Good luck! I’ll post the answers later today.

An Unexpected Party

Five questions related to today, September 21st.

See question 3.
Image LDS

One

The opening chapter of a book, first published on 21 September 1937, is titled ‘An Unexpected Party’. Before the party begins, the householder is unexpectedly visited by a group of dwarfs. How many dwarfs are there?

Two

The Grammy-winning album American Idiot was released on 21 September 2004 by which band?

Three

According to the teachings of the Church of Jesus Christ of the Latter-day Saints, on the night of September 21, 1823, Joseph Smith prayed to know God’s further will. A light steadily grew, “as though the house was filled with consuming and unquenchable fire.” …, a messenger sent from God stood before him. Who was this messenger?

Four

On this day in 1957, a mystery series based on Erle Stanley Gardner’s books debuted on American television. What was the TV series?

Five

Born on 21 September 1934, a singer-songwriter released an album titled New Skin for the Old Ceremony in 1974. This album included the song Chelsea Hotel No. 2, which Encyclopædia Britannica describes as a ‘frank recollection of a brief sexual encounter with Janis Joplin’. Who is this singer-songwriter?

Good luck! I’ll post the answers later today.