Tag: First World War

  • My Way — Answers

    Here are the answers to my earlier questions.

    The Declaration of Arbroath.
    The ‘Tyninghame’ copy
    National Library of Scotland
    Image Wikimedia Commons

    The first question concerns a national declaration and is linked to today’s date, April 6th. The other questions aren’t date-related but continue the declaration theme with some slightly more modern examples.

    One

    On this day in 1320, the Declaration of Arbroath was signed. It declared and asserted the independence of which nation? 

    Answer: Scotland.

    The Declaration of Arbroath, written in 1320 by Scottish barons and addressed to Pope John XXII, asserted Scotland’s independence and right to self-defence against English subjugation. Believed to have been written by Bernard of Kilwinning, it was sealed by fifty-one magnates and nobles and remained largely unknown until the late 17th century when it was printed and translated into English. The Declaration strengthened Robert the Bruce’s position, and although he secured independence through the Treaty of Northampton in 1328, his successor faced the same struggle.


    Two

    In 1918, Estonia declared independence after the collapse of one empire and before a second invasion. Which empires were they?

    Answer: Russian Empire and German Empire.

    Following the collapse of the Russian Empire in 1917, Estonia declared independence on 24 February 1918, forming the Estonian Provisional Government. German occupation followed, but they relinquished power to the Estonian government on 19 November 1918 after their surrender at the end of the First World War.


    Three

    A 1965 Declaration of Independence, which was the first unilateral break from the United Kingdom by one of its colonies since the United States in 1776, was made by what colony? Secondly, what is that former colony now known as?

    Answer: Rhodesia; Zimbabwe.

    Rhodesia’s Unilateral Declaration of Independence (UDI) in 1965, a move by the white minority government to break away from British rule, was deemed illegal by the UK, Commonwealth, and UN. This led to international isolation and economic sanctions, with Rhodesia receiving support from South Africa and Portugal. The conflict escalated into the Rhodesian Bush War, ultimately leading to the country’s reconstitution as Zimbabwe in 1980.


    Four

    In 1822 and in 1877, Greece and Romania both declared their independence from the same empire. What was that empire? 

    Answer: Ottoman Empire.

    Greek merchants, inspired by the Modern Greek Enlightenment, promoted Greek nationalism, leading to the Greek War of Independence with the Ottomans. With assistance from France, Russian Empire and the United Kingdom, the Greeks gained control of Central Greece, resulting in the recognition of the Greek state in 1830. Meanwhile, Romania achieved independence from the Ottoman Empire during the Russo-Turkish War (1877–78) by signing a treaty with Russia and joining the Russian Army in the fight against the Ottomans.


    Five

    In 1918, Czechoslovakia declared independence form what empire? 

    Answer: Austro-Hungarian Empire.

    The Czechoslovak Declaration of Independence published on 18 October 1918, declared the independence of the Czechoslovak Nation from the Austro-Hungarian Empire. This empire had encompassed the Czech and Slovak lands for nearly four centuries and its downfall followed World War I.


  • My Way

    The Declaration of Arbroath.
    The ‘Tyninghame’ copy
    Image Wikimedia Commons

    The first question concerns a national declaration and is linked to today’s date, April 6th. The other questions aren’t date-related but continue the declaration theme with some slightly more modern examples.

    One

    On this day in 1320, the Declaration of Arbroath was signed. It declared and asserted the independence of which nation? 


    Two

    In 1918, Estonia declared independence after the collapse of one empire and before a second invasion. Which empires were they?


    Three

    A 1965 Declaration of Independence, which was the first unilateral break from the United Kingdom by one of its colonies since the United States in 1776, was made by what colony? Secondly, what is that former colony now known as?


    Four

    In 1822 and in 1877, Greece and Romania both declared their independence from the same empire. What was that empire? 


    Five

    In 1918, Czechoslovakia declared independence form what empire? 

    Good luck! I’ll post the answers later.


  • True or false | Answers

    Below are the questions from earlier today with the correct answers shown in bold.

    Anne Boleyn.
    Image Wikipedia
    1. Anne Boleyn was arrested and imprisoned on 2 May 1536. True or false, one of the charges she faced was witchcraft.
      • TRUE—Anne Boleyn was arrested and imprisoned on charges of adultery, incest, treason and witchcraft.
    2. Manfred, Baron von Richthofen, born on 2 May 1892, became Germany’s top fighter ace in World War I until he was killed in action. True or false, he was eventually succeeded as commander of his fighter group by future Nazi leader Hermann Göring.
      • TRUE—Manfred von Richthofen, aka Baron von Richthofen or the Red Baron, was a German fighter pilot during World War I. He is considered the ace-of-aces of the war and officially credited with 80 air combat victories. Hermann Göring, himself a veteran World War I fighter pilot ace, served as the last commander of Jagdgeschwader 1 (JG I), the fighter wing—Flying Circus—once led by Manfred von Richthofen. In the above photo Göring is holding a walking stick (the Geschwader-Stock) passed down from von Richthofen.
        A BOAC de Havilland Comet jet airliner, en route to Johannesburg from London, breaks its journey at Entebbe Airport, Uganda. 1952
        Image Wikipedia https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/8e/BOAC_Comet_1952_Entebbe.jpg
    3. On this day in 1952, the first jetliner flight with fare-paying passengers took place. True or false, this flight was from Seattle, Washington to Washington DC.
      • FALSE—The de Havilland DH.106 Comet, the world’s first commercial jet airliner, entered service in 1952 with a flight from London, England to Johannesburg, South Africa. However, within a year, three Comets were lost in catastrophic mid-flight accidents.
        Catherine the Great.
        Image Wikipedia
    4. Catherine the Great, Empress of Russia, was born today in 1729. True or false, she was born in the Kingdom of Prussia, which was part of the Holy Roman Empire.
      • TRUE—Catherine the Great, Empress of Russia from 1762 to 1796, was born in Prussia in the Holy Roman Empire. She oversaw a cultural and scientific renaissance, expanding the empire through conquest and diplomacy. Her reign, marked by Enlightenment ideals, saw the founding of new cities, universities, and theatres, as well as the colonisation of Alaska and the annexation of the Crimean Khanate. Despite her modernising efforts, serfdom persisted, leading to rebellions.
        James VI and I.
        (James VI of Scotland and I of England)
        Image Wikipedia
    5. The King James Version of the Bible was first published on 2 May; True or false, the year of this first publication was1661.
      • FALSE—The King James Version, commissioned in 1604 and published in 1611, is an Early Modern English translation of the Christian Bible. It is considered one of the most important books in English culture and a driving force in shaping the English-speaking world.
  • True of false

    Jadstaffel 11: The Red Barons Squadron
    Image Wikipedia

    Here are a few questions which are related to today’s date, 2 May.

    1. Anne Boleyn was arrested and imprisoned on 2 May 1536. True or false, one of the charges she faced was witchcraft.
    2. Manfred, Baron von Richthofen, born on 2 May 1892, became Germany’s top fighter ace in World War I until he was killed in action. True or false, he was eventually succeeded as commander of his fighter group by future Nazi leader Hermann Göring.
    3. On this day in 1952, the first jetliner flight with fare-paying passengers took place. True or false, this flight was from Seattle, Washington to Washington DC.
    4. Catherine the Great, Empress of Russia, was born today in 1729. True or false, she was born in the Kingdom of Prussia, which was part of the Holy Roman Empire.
    5. The King James Version of the Bible was first published on 2 May; True or false, the year of this first publication was 1661.

    Good luck! I will post the answers later today.

  • 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.
  • Voyage of Discovery

    Here are a few questions relating to today, 22 April.

    Pedro Álvares Cabral.
    Image Wikipedia
    1. On 22 April 1500, Pedro Álvares Cabral, a Portuguese navigator, is credited as the first European to reach…
      • Brazil
      • Mozambique
      • Sri Lanka
    2. Earth Day was first celebrated today in…
      • 1970
      • 1980
      • 1990
    3. Where was modern chemical warfare initiated on 22 April 1915?
      • Belgium
      • Egypt
      • Syria
    4. All of these Americans were born on 22 April, but who was born first?
      • Vladimir Nabokov, author
      • Jack Nicholson, actor
      • J. Robert Oppenheimer, physicist
    5. On this day in 1519, a Spanish conquistador established a settlement at Veracruz, Mexico. Who was he?
      • Eugenio Cajés
      • Hernán Cortés
      • Antonio Cortis

    Good luck! I will post the answers later today.

  • Sheelah’s Day—Answers

    Here, in bold, are the answers to the questions I posted earlier.

    Sophie Myles, 2007.
    Wikipedia
    1. Sophia MylesWikipedia describes her as “an English actress… best known in film for portraying Lady Penelope Creighton-Ward in Thunderbirds(2004), Isolde in Tristan & Isolde (2006), Darcy in Transformers: Age of Extinction (2014), Erika in Underworld(2003) and Underworld: Evolution (2006), and Freya in Outlander (2008)”.
    2. Caldwell, New Jersey—Stephen Grover Cleveland, the 22nd and 24th US President, was the first Democrat elected after the Civil War and the first to serve two non-consecutive terms. Known for his honesty and principled approach, he blocked legislative excesses during his first term and championed political reform, fiscal conservatism, and classical liberalism, gaining support from both Democrats and Republicans. His presidency saw significant legislation such as the Interstate Commerce Act and the Dawes Act. However, his stance on government intervention during the economic collapse and the legacy of the Dawes Act have resulted in mixed assessments of his legacy.
      Wilfred Owen
      Wikipedia
    3. Wilfred Owen, an English poet and soldier, expressed anger at war’s cruelty and waste through his poetry. Based on his World War I experiences, his war poetry was about the horrors of trenches and gas warfare. At only 25 years of age, he was killed in action at the Battle of the Sambre on 4 November 1918, exactly a week before the war’s end. His best-known works— most of which were published posthumously— are Anthem for Doomed Youth, Dulce et Decorum est, Futility, and Spring Offensive

      Final draft of Anthem for Doomed Youth by Wilfred Owen, penned by the author.
      Wikipedia
      Honoree Queen Latifah speaks at the Kennedy Center Honors dinner at the State Department in Washington, D.C., Saturday, December 2, 2023. (Official State Department photo by Freddie Everett)
      Wikipedia
    4. Queen Latifah—American musician and actress. She rose to fame in the late 1980s with her debut album, All Hail the Queen, which blended diverse styles and feminist themes. The name Latifah is Arabic for “delicate” or “sensitive”.
    5. Neville Chamberlain—Prime Minister of the UK from 1937 to 1940—is known for his policy of appeasement towards Hitler’s Germany. He served in various government positions, including Chancellor of the Exchequer, before becoming Prime Minister. Despite signing the Munich Agreement with Hitler in 1938, the latter’s invasion of Poland less than a year later compelled Chamberlain to declare war on Germany.
    Chamberlain holding up the paper signed by both Hitler and himself on his return to Great Britain from Munich, Germany.
    Wikipedia

    Sheelah’s Day

    Sheelah’s Day is celebrated on 18 March, the day after Saint Patrick’s Day, and is observed in the Irish diaspora in Australia and Canada. Although there are no Sheelahs included in my post today, all of the questions are about people born on 18 March.

  • Sheelah’s Day

    Shamrock
    Wikipedia

    Sheelah’s Day is celebrated on 18 March the day after Saint Patrick’s Day and is observed in the Irish diaspora in Australia and Canada. No Sheelah’s included here today but all of the following are about people born on 18 March.

    1. Born 1980. Actress who links the following roles: Penelope (in 2004), Isolde (2006), Erika (2003 and 2006), Darcy (2014) and Freya (2008). Who is she?
      • Rose Keegan
      • Sophia Myles
      • Lucy Russell
      Grover Cleveland
      Wikipedia
    2. Born 1837, Grover Cleveland, served as the 22nd and 24th president of the United States. Where was he born?
      • Amherst, New Hampshire
      • Brighton, New York
      • Caldwell, New Jersey
    3. Anthem for Doomed Youth was written by a war poet born this day in 1893. Who was he?
      • Rupert Brook
      • Wilfred Owen
      • Siegfried Sassoon
    4. Who is Dana Elaine Owens, born 18 March 1970, a musician and actress, better known as?
      • Lauryn Hill
      • Missy Elliott
      • Queen Latifah
    5. Born today in 1869, this British prime minister returned from Germany with a “piece of paper” promising to “have brought you back peace — but a peace I hope with honour.” Who was he?
      • Stanley Baldwin
      • Neville Chamberlain
      • Winston Churchill

    Good luck! I will post the answers later today.

  • One of the Big Four—Answer

    Woodrow Wilson
    Woodrow Wilson was the 28th President of the United States and played a significant role in the Paris Peace Conference in 1919, which led to the Treaty of Versailles. Wilson was an advocate for the League of Nations, although the United States never joined it. He passed away on 3 February 1924.

  • One of the Big Four

    A former US president who passed away on 3 February 1924, was one of the prominent figures known as the Big Four, the chief Allied leaders who convened at the Paris Peace Conference in January 1919. Can you identify this president?

    The answer will be posted later today.