Quizology.Online

Tag: history

  • Seize the Hour — Answers

    Here are the answers to my earlier questions.

    British Summer Time.
    Image BBC

    Having finished our A to Z quizzes from the last few days, we now return to the date with questions about today, March 31st.

    One

    On this date Daylight Saving Time was introduced for the first time in the United States.

    1. In what year did this occur?
    2. True or false: Ancient Rome also adjusted their clocks to achieve similar results as daylight savings. 

    Answers

    1. 1918

    2. True

    In the U.S., it was seen as a wartime implementation and was abandoned after 1918. It was again used during World War II. It came into general annual use in the 1960s. Ancient Romans used water clocks with varying scales for different months, adjusting the length of hours based on the season. A specific hour which lasted 44 minutes at the winter solstice would be 75 minutes long at the summer solstice.

    Two

    Born in 1809, Edward FitzGerald, an English poet and writer who is best known for his 1859 translation of the work of ‘the Astronomer-Poet of Persia’. He published this in 1859 as the Rubáiyát of ——. What two word name is that of the Persian astronomer-poet which completes the title of FitzGerald’s 1859 translation?

    Answer: Omar Khayyám.

    Edward FitzGerald’s 1859 translation of the Rubáiyát of Omar Khayyám gained popularity in the 1860s and 1870s, becoming a cultural phenomenon in the English-speaking world. The work inspired numerous translations and became something of a cult in the later part of the 19th century. Omar Khayyam (1048–1131) was a Persian polymath who made significant contributions to mathematics, astronomy, philosophy and literature. 

    Three

    Born in 1984, Martins Dukurs, a Latvian sportsman, is a six-time world champion and double Olympic silver medallist. He holds the record for the most World Cup titles with 11. In which sport has Dukurs achieved this success?

    Answer: Skeleton.

    Martins Dukurs, born on 31 March 1984, is a former Latvian skeleton racer and current coach. Competing since 1998, he is a six-time world champion and double Olympic silver medallist (2010, 2014). Dukurs holds the record for the most World Cup titles, with 11, including eight consecutive from 2010 to 2017 and three from 2020 to 2022.

    Four

    Born in Scotland on this day in 1971, an actor links these two roles. The first is a character from a 1996 film also born in Scotland, in Leith, Edinburgh. The second is not Scottish but a character in a 2009 film who said ‘Have you come to make me a martyr?’. Who is the actor?

    Answer: Ewan McGregor.

    Ewan McGregor is a Scottish actor and filmmaker known for his roles in Trainspotting, Star Wars, and Moulin Rouge!. He has received numerous accolades, including a Golden Globe and a Primetime Emmy Award, and has also directed films and appeared in theatre productions.

    Five

    On this date, the U.S. Virgin Islands became American possessions. 

    1. By what name had they been known immediately prior to this?
    2. In what decade did this occur?

    Answers

    1. Danish West Indies

    2. 1910s

    The United States purchased the three islands from Denmark for $25 million in 1917, recognising their strategic importance in controlling the main passage through the Caribbean to the Panama Canal. Previously controlled by Denmark–Norway from 1754 to 1814 and then by the Kingdom of Denmark from 1814 to 1917, the islands were sold under the 1917 Treaty of the Danish West Indies. Adjusted for inflation, this amount would be $628 million in 2025. Since the purchase, the islands have been an organised, unincorporated U.S. territory. 

  • Seize the Hour

    British Summer Time.
    Image BBC

    Having finished our A to Z quizzes from the last few days, we now return to the date with questions about today, March 31st.

    One

    On this date Daylight Saving Time was introduced for the first time in the United States.

    1. In what year did this occur?
    2. True or false: Ancient Rome also adjusted their clocks to achieve similar results as daylight savings. 

    Two

    Born in 1809, Edward FitzGerald, an English poet and writer who is best known for his 1859 translation of the work of ‘the Astronomer-Poet of Persia’. He published this in 1859 as the Rubáiyát of ——. What two word name is that of the Persian astronomer-poet which completes the title of FitzGerald’s 1859 translation?

    Three

    Born in 1984, Martins Dukurs, a Latvian sportsman, is a six-time world champion and double Olympic silver medallist. He holds the record for the most World Cup titles with 11. In which sport has Dukurs achieved this success?

    Four

    Born in Scotland on this day in 1971, an actor links these two roles. The first is a character from a 1996 film also born in Scotland, in Leith, Edinburgh. The second is not Scottish but a character in a 2009 film who said ‘Have you come to make me a martyr?’. Who is the actor?

    Five

    On this date, the U.S. Virgin Islands became American possessions. 

    1. By what name had they been known immediately prior to this?
    2. In what decade did this occur?

    Good luck! I’ll post the answers later.

  • Every Picture Tells a Story — Answers

    The answers to my earlier questions are shown below.

    Five pictures and some questions all of which are related to today’s date, March 24th.

    One

    Brandenburg Gate, Berlin.
    Image Wikimedia Commons

    In 1721, a collection of six instrumental works—the composer’s own title was Six Concerts Avec plusieurs Instruments (Six Concertos With several Instruments)—were presented by Johann Sebastian Bach to Christian Ludwig, a marquess and younger brother of King Frederick I of Prussia. Using the above picture as a clue, by what name is this collection commonly known today?

    Answer: Brandenburg Concertos

    Johann Sebastian Bach’s Brandenburg Concertos, now his most popular work, were likely never performed during his lifetime. Bach sent the original manuscript to the Margrave (Marquess) of Brandenburg in 1721, possibly as a job application, but the Margrave never acknowledged the gift. The concertos were forgotten for over a century until they were rediscovered and published in the 19th century.

    Two

    James VI and I.
    Image Wikimedia Commons
    Elizabeth I.
    Image Wikimedia Commons

    The male monarch pictured above succeeded the female one on her death in 1603. 

    1. Who is the queen?
    2. Who was the king?
    3. What was the familial relationship between them?

    Answers

    1. Queen Elizabeth I
    2. King James VI and I
    3. Cousins.

    Queen Elizabeth I’s death in 1603 ended her reign of England and Ireland, leading to her cousin King James VI of Scotland’s succession as King of England and Ireland. Now both James VI and I, his reign saw the beginning of the Plantation of Ulster and English colonisation of the Americas.

    Three

    From Jules Verne’s novel Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea.
    Image Wikimedia Commons
    From the Earth to the Moon by Jules Verne
    Image Wikimedia Commons

    The two illustrations above are from novels by an author, ‘the father of science fiction’, who died in 1905, aged 77. Since 1979, he has been the second most translated author.

    1. Who was the author?
    2. From what novel is the first illustration?
    3. From what novel is the second illustration?

    Answers

    1. Jules Verne 
    2. Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea
    3. From the Earth to the Moon

    Jules Verne was a French novelist, poet, and playwright, best known for his adventure novels like Journey to the Centre of the Earth and Around the World in Eighty Days His work, often set in the 19th century, incorporated contemporary scientific knowledge and technological advances. Verne is considered an important author in Europe and has been the second most-translated author in the world since 1979.

    Four

    Harry Houdini, performing The Chinese Water Torture Cell.
    Image Wikimedia Commons

    Erik Weisz, who was born in 1874, is pictured above during one of his acts, although he’s better known by his stage name.

    1. In what European city was he born?
    2. Who is he better known as?

    Answers

    1. Budapest
    2. Harry Houdini.

    Harry Houdini, a Hungarian-American escapologist, gained fame for his daring escape acts, including freeing himself from handcuffs, chains, and straitjackets. He also pursued a crusade against fraudulent spiritualists and was a pioneer aviator.

    Five

    Stalag Luft III.
    Image Wikimedia Commons

    The prisoner of war camp above was made famous by a 1963 film which features the inmates attempts to leave it on the night of 24 March 1944.

    1. By what name is this POW camp commonly known?
    2. What was the 1963 film?
    3. In what modern country is the site of the camp today?

    Answers

    1. Stalag Luft III
    2. The Great Escape
    3. Poland

    Stalag Luft III (in full Stammlager Luft III; literally meaning Main Camp, Air, III) was a World War II POW camp for Allied airmen, known for escape plots including the Great Escape. Of the 76 men who escaped that night, 73 were recaptured, and fifty of those were executed. The camp, which was liberated in 1945 and is now a museum, was the subject of two feature films about the escape attempts that were made: The Wooden Horse (1950) and The Great Escape (1963).

  • Every Picture Tells a Story

    Five pictures and some questions all of which are related to today’s date, March 24th.

    One

    Image Wikimedia Commons

    In 1721, a collection of six instrumental works—the composer’s own title was Six Concerts Avec plusieurs Instruments (Six Concertos With several Instruments)—were presented by Johann Sebastian Bach to Christian Ludwig, a marquess and younger brother of King Frederick I of Prussia. Using the above picture as a clue, by what name is this collection commonly known today?

    Two

    Image Wikimedia Commons
    Image Wikimedia Commons

    The male monarch pictured above succeeded the female one on her death in 1603. 

    1. Who is the queen?
    2. Who was the king?
    3. What was the familial relationship between them?

    Three

    First illustration.
    Image Wikimedia Commons
    Second illustration.
    Image Wikimedia Commons

    The two illustrations above are from novels by an author, ‘the father of science fiction’, who died in 1905, aged 77. Since 1979, he has been the second most translated author.

    1. Who was the author?
    2. From what novel is the first illustration?
    3. From what novel is the second illustration?

    Four

    Eric Weisz.
    Image Wikimedia Commons

    Erik Weisz, who was born in 1874, is pictured above during one of his acts, although he’s better known by his stage name.

    1. In what European city was he born?
    2. Who is he better known as?

    Five

    Image Wikimedia Commons

    The prisoner of war camp above was made famous by a 1963 film which features the inmates attempts to leave it on the night of 24 March 1944. 

    1. By what name is this POW camp commonly known?
    2. What was the 1963 film?
    3. In what modern country is the site of the camp today?

    Good luck! I’ll post the answers later.

  • Mungojerrie and Rumpelteazer — Answers

    See question three. Loevestein Castle.
    Image Wikimedia Commons

    These questions are all about today’s date, March 22nd.

    One

    Born in 1948, this composer wrote the music for a musical based on a 1939 T.S. Eliot poetry collection. Three questions…

    1. Who is the composer?
    2. What is the title of the musical? 
    3. What is the name of the poetry collection?

    Answers

    1. Andrew Lloyd Webber;
    2. Cats
    3. Old Possum’s Book of Practical Cats

    Cats, a sung-through musical by Andrew Lloyd Webber based on T.S. Eliot’s poetry, tells the story of the Jellicle cats and their annual ‘Jellicle choice’. Premiering in 1981, it became a commercial success, running for decades in both the West End and Broadway, and sparking the mega-musical phenomenon.

    Two

    Canadian actor William Shatner, who was born on 22 March 1931, first appeared in the role of James T. Kirk in series 1 episode 1 of the original television series Star Trek in September 1966. What was the episode title?

    Answer: The Man Trap.

    William Shatner, born in 1931, is a Canadian actor renowned for his iconic role as Captain Kirk in the Star Trek franchise. He also starred in T.J. Hooker, Rescue 911, and Boston Legal, earning two Emmy Awards for the latter. Beyond acting, Shatner has released several albums and made history in 2021 as the oldest person to fly in space.

    Three

    Hugo Grotius, a Dutch jurist, scholar and diplomat, is often called the ‘father of modern international law’. Today, he is best known for escaping imprisonment in Loevestein Castle, Netherlands, on this date in 1621. His wife devised the escape plan; what was it?

    Answer: Hidden in a wooden chest.

    On this day in 1621, Hugo Grotius was smuggled out of prison in a chest. Religious tensions were high in Holland and Grotius, who favoured tolerance, made many enemies. Arrested and sentenced to life in prison in 1618, his guards grew careless, neglecting to inspect the large book chest he often received. His wife then devised a plan to smuggle him out using the same chest. The plan was successful and the couple later reunited in Paris. Grotius is also remembered for his extensive legal writings which earned him the title ‘father of international law’.

    Four

    Born in 1976 in New Orleans, Louisiana, this actress won an Academy Award in 2006 for her role in Walk the Line. Who is she?

    Answer: Reese Witherspoon.

    Reese Witherspoon, born on March 22, 1976, in New Orleans, Louisiana, is an acclaimed American actress and producer renowned for her roles in romantic comedies and films like Legally Blonde and Walk the Line — for which she won an Academy Award for Best Actress for her portrayal of June Carter. Witherspoon founded Hello Sunshine, a production company dedicated to female-led literary adaptations, and is actively involved in advocacy for children and women.

    Five

    Born in 1641 in Antwerp, Spanish Netherlands (now Belgium), this Flemish Baroque artist became a leading court painter in England. He is also known for having a beard named after him. Who is he? 

    Answer: Anthony van Dyck.

    Sir Anthony van Dyck, a Flemish Baroque artist, revolutionised court portraiture in England, notably painting Charles I. He was a prolific painter of portraits, religious and mythological subjects, and a fine draftsman and etcher. The Van Dyke beard is named after him.

    Mungojerrie and Rumpelteazer

    Today’s post title is the names of two feline characters from T.S. Eliot’s Old Possum’s Book of Practical Cats and the musical Cats.

  • Mungojerrie and Rumpelteazer

    See question three. Loevestein Castle.
    Image Wikimedia Commons

    These questions are all about today’s date, March 22nd.

    One

    Born in 1948, this composer wrote the music for a musical based on a 1939 T.S. Eliot poetry collection. Three questions…

    1. Who is the composer?
    2. What is the title of the musical? 
    3. What is the name of the poetry collection?

    Two

    Canadian actor William Shatner, who was born on 22 March 1931, first appeared in the role of James T. Kirk in series 1 episode 1 of the original television series Star Trek in September 1966. What was the episode title?

    Three

    Hugo Grotius, a Dutch jurist, scholar and diplomat, is often called the ‘father of modern international law’. Today, he is best known for escaping imprisonment in Loevestein Castle, Netherlands, on this date in 1621. His wife devised the escape plan; what was it?

    Four

    Born in 1976 in New Orleans, Louisiana, this actress won an Academy Award in 2006 for her role in Walk the Line. Who is she?

    Five

    Born in 1641 in Antwerp, Spanish Netherlands (now Belgium), this Flemish Baroque artist became a leading court painter in England. He is also known for having a beard named after him. Who is he? 

    Good luck! I’ll post the answers later.

  • Who? What? Where? When? Why? How?—Answers

    Here are the answers to my earlier questions.

    Today’s questions revolve around March 21st and follow the 5W1H format: Who, What, Where, When, Why and How. This results in six questions instead of the usual five.

    Who

    In a 1980 television series finale, who shot J.R.? 

    Answer: Kristin Shepard.

    ’Who shot J.R.?’ is a catchphrase from the 1980 season finale of Dallas, referring to the fictional murder attempt on J.R. Ewing. The mystery, resolved eight months later, became a pop culture phenomenon and increased the popularity of cliffhanger endings. Kristin Shepard, played by Mary Crosby, was J.R.’s sister-in-law and mistress.

    What

    What did Jack Dorsey use to end the first public tweet in 2006: ‘just setting up my ——’? 

    Answer: twttr.

    Twitter (originally Twttr), launched in 2006, quickly grew to over 100 million users by 2012. Initially limited to 140 characters per post, the limit was increased to 280 in 2017 and removed for subscribed accounts in 2023.

    Flag of Namibia.
    Image Wikimedia Commons

    Where

    Represented by this flag, where, in 1990, gained independence after a combined period of 106 years German and then South African rule?

    Answer: Namibia.

    Namibia, a sparsely populated country in Southern Africa, gained independence from South Africa in 1990. Despite significant GDP growth, poverty and inequality remain high, with a Gini coefficient of 59 in 2015. The economy is based on agriculture, tourism, and mining, with a small manufacturing sector.

    When

    When was Gary Oldman’s year of birth?

    Answer: 1958.

    Gary Oldman, an English actor and filmmaker, is known for his versatility and intense acting style. He has received numerous accolades, including an Academy Award, and his films have grossed over $11 billion worldwide. Oldman began his career in theatre and rose to prominence in British film, later achieving greater recognition in American films and franchise roles.

    Why

    Why, in 1980, did U.S. President Jimmy Carter announce that the United States was boycotting that year’s Summer Olympics in Moscow?

    Answer: Soviet invasion of Afghanistan.

    The 1980 Moscow Olympics, boycotted by the U.S. and 60 other countries due to the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan, saw 5,000 athletes from 81 countries compete amidst ongoing protests and security concerns.

    How

    How many visitors, according to the U.S. National Park Service, visit Alcatraz annually (to the nearest 100,000)? 

    Answer: 1.2 million.

    Golden Gate National Recreation Area, established in 1972, includes Alcatraz Island, attracting 1.2 million visitors annually. The island offers a unique opportunity to explore its layered history and contemplate crime and punishment.

  • Who? What? Where? When? Why? How?

    Today’s questions revolve around March 21st and follow the 5W1H format: Who, What, Where, When, Why and How. This results in six questions instead of the usual five.

    Who

    In a 1980 television series finale, who shot J.R.?

    What

    What did Jack Dorsey use to end the first public tweet in 2006: ‘just setting up my ——’? 

    Image Wikimedia Commons

    Where

    Represented by this flag, where, in 1990, gained independence after a combined period of 106 years German and then South African rule?

    When

    When was Gary Oldman’s year of birth?

    Why

    Why, in 1980, did U.S. President Jimmy Carter announce that the United States was boycotting that year’s Summer Olympics in Moscow?

    How

    How many visitors, according to the U.S. National Park Service, visit Alcatraz annually (to the nearest 100,000)? 

    Good luck! I’ll post the answers later.

  • Bookends—Answers

    Here are the answers to my questions from earlier today.

    A book shelf of questions on literature today, with a bit of history and an album squeezed in the middle to provide the background music.

    See question two. Aragorn.
    Image The Digital Flix

    One

    This is a tale of a meeting of two lonesome, skinny, fairly old white men on a planet which was dying fast…

    This quote is the opening of Breakfast of Champions, a 1973 novel by a writer born in Indianapolis in 1922. Who is the writer?

    Answer: Kurt Vonnegut.

    Kurt Vonnegut’s Breakfast of Champions is a satirical novel critiquing American society through the story of Kilgore Trout and Dwayne Hoover, whose meeting leads to Hoover’s insanity. The novel addresses themes of free will, suicide and race relations.

    Two

    Following Sauron’s defeat in The Lord of the Rings, Aragorn is crowned king. What name does he adopt on his coronation?

    Answer: Elessar (aka Elfstone).

    After Sauron’s defeat, Aragorn is crowned King Elessar, meaning ‘Elfstone’. This Quenya name was given to him by his grandmother, Galadriel. He marries Arwen at midsummer and becomes the twenty-sixth King of Arnor, the thirty-fifth King of Gondor, and the first High King of the united Kingdom of Gondor and Arnor. His lineage is known as the House of Telcontar, meaning ’Strider’ in Quenya.

    Three

    Time it was
    And what a time it was, it was
    A time of innocence
    A time of confidences

    These are the opening lyrics to a 1968 song that served as the title track for an album. Please name the track/album and the artist?

    Bookends by Simon and Garfunkel

    The post title Bookends derives from this track and album. Bookends is a concept album exploring a life journey from childhood to old age. Side one marks life stages, while side two includes singles and unused material. Today’s quiz is bookended by questions one and five being about books.

    Four

    T.E. Lawrence is commonly known by what name?

    Answer: Lawrence of Arabia.

    T.E. Lawrence, known as Lawrence of Arabia, was a British Army officer, archaeologist, and writer. He gained fame for his role in the Arab Revolt during World War I and his subsequent work with Emir Faisal. Lawrence published his autobiography, Seven Pillars of Wisdom, and later served in the Army and RAF before his death in a motorcycle accident in 1935.

    Five

    What fish does the fisherman have an epic struggle to catch in Ernest Hemingway’s The Old Man and the Sea?

    Answer: Marlin.

    Ernest Hemingway’s short, heroic novel The Old Man and the Sea, published in 1952 and winning the 1953 Pulitzer Prize for Fiction, marked his final major work of fiction. The story follows an ageing fisherman’s epic struggle to catch a giant marlin.

    Bookends — Post title

    See explanation in Three above.

    Bookends

    Simon and Garfunkel

    Time it was 
    And what a time it was, it was 
    A time of innocence 
    A time of confidences 

    Long ago it must be 
    I have a photograph 
    Preserve your memories 
    They’re all that’s left you
    — AZ Lyrics

  • Bookends

    A book shelf of questions on literature today, with a bit of history and an album squeezed in the middle to provide the background music.

    See question two. Aragorn.
    Image The Digital Flix

    One

    This is a tale of a meeting of two lonesome, skinny, fairly old white men on a planet which was dying fast…

    This quote is the opening of Breakfast of Champions, a 1973 novel by a writer born in Indianapolis in 1922. Who is the writer?

    Two

    Following Sauron’s defeat in The Lord of the Rings, Aragorn is crowned king. What name does he adopt on his coronation?

    Three

    Time it was
    And what a time it was, it was
    A time of innocence
    A time of confidences

    These are the opening lyrics to a 1968 song that served as the title track for an album. Please name the track/album and the artist?

    Four

    T.E. Lawrence is commonly known by what name?

    Five

    What fish does the fisherman have an epic struggle to catch in Ernest Hemingway’s The Old Man and the Sea?

    Good luck! I’ll post the answers later.