Tag: history

Historical Highlights

Historical Highlights connected with today’s date, June 15th.

  1. On 15 June 1808, Joseph Bonaparte became King of…
    • Italy
    • Spain
    • The Two Sicilies
  2. Today in 1215, King John of England placed his seal on a charter of liberty and political rights. What is this charter known as?
    • Domesday Charter
    • Magna Carta
    • Reculver Charter
  3. On 15 June 1864, the creation of a national cemetery on the former Arlington Estate was authorised by the US Quartermaster General Montgomery Meigs. Who previously owned this estate?
    • Jefferson Davies, President of the Confederate States
    • Robert E. Lee, Confederate General-in-Chief
    • Thomas Jonathan ‘Stonewall’ Jackson, Confederate General
  4. Henry Fitzroy, born on this day in 1519, was the illegitimate son of which English king?
    • Edward V
    • Henry VII
    • Henry VIII
  5. On 15 June 1888, a crown prince became emperor, making 1888 the Year of the Three Emperors. Which empire had its Year of the Three Emperors in 1888?
    • Austro-Hungarian Empire
    • German Empire
    • Russian Empire

Good luck! I will post the answers later today.

Mr. Gorbachev, tear down this wall! | Answers

The answers to my earlier post are shown in bold below. I have included the questions simply for your information.

Ronald Reagan speaking at the Brandenburg Gate on June 12, 1987. (Ronald Reagan Library).
US National Archives
  1. In a speech made on 12 June 1987, US President Ronald Reagan publicly challenged Mikhail Gorbachev, the Soviet leader, with the words quoted above. Where was the speech made?
    • Brandenburg Gate—On 12 June 1987, US President Ronald Reagan delivered a speech at the Brandenburg Gate, famously calling for Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev to “tear down this wall”. The speech, written by Peter Robinson, became a defining moment of the Cold War.
      Photo of Richard Burton and Elizabeth Taylor in Cleopatra.
      Image Wikipedia
  2. On this day in 1963, a film starring Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton was released in the US. It was the most expensive film made at the time. What was it?
    • Cleopatra—is a 1963 American epic historical drama film about the struggles of Cleopatra VII of Egypt against Roman ambitions. The film, starring Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton, faced production delays, budget overruns, as well as an affair between the leads. Despite mixed reviews and initial financial losses, it became the highest-grossing film of 1963 and won four Academy Awards.
      Last known photo of Anne Frank, May 1942.
      Image Wikipedia
  3. On 12 June 1942, a now-famous diarist received a diary for their thirteenth birthday. Where did they live?
    • Amsterdam—Anne Frank, a German-born Jewish girl, documented her life in hiding during the German occupation of the Netherlands in a diary. The diary detailed her family’s life in an Amsterdam attic from 1942 until their arrest in 1944. Anne and her sister, Margot, were transferred from Auschwitz to Bergen-Belsen concentration camp in November 1944, where they died of typhus a few months later.
      John Rhys-Davies as Sallah in the Indiana Jones franchise.
      Image
  4. Today in 1981, the first Indiana Jones film was released. Who played Sallah in Raiders of the Lost Ark and was also a main character in The Lord of the Rings trilogy?
    • John Rhys-Davies—Rhys-Davies, standing at 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m), played the dwarf Gimli in The Lord of the Rings trilogy.
      John Rhys-Davies as Gimli in The Lord of the Rings trilogy.
      Image Pinterest
  5. The Chaco War, which ended on 12 June 1935 with the signing of a ceasefire, involved which two nations? Bolivia and Paraguay—The Gran Chaco region, known in Spanish as Chaco Boreal, was the site of this conflict between Bolivia and Paraguay from 1932 to 1935. The dispute centred on control of the northern part of the region, which was believed to be rich in oil.

Mr. Gorbachev, tear down this wall!

Here are a few questions which are related to today’s date, 12 June.

Berlin Wall in Bethaniendamm. The West Berlin side brightly painted, 1986.
Image Wikipedia

Mr. Gorbachev, open this gate!

Mr. Gorbachev, tear down this wall!

  1. In a speech made on 12 June 1987, US President Ronald Reagan publicly challenged Mikhail Gorbachev, the Soviet leader, with the words quoted above. Where in Berlin was the speech made?
    • Brandenburg Gate
    • Reichstag
    • Schloss Charlottenburg
  2. On this day in 1963, a film starring Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton was released in the US. It was the most expensive film made at the time. What was it?
    • America America
    • Ben Hur
    • Cleopatra
  3. On 12 June 1942, a now-famous diarist received a diary for their thirteenth birthday. Where did they live?
    • Amsterdam
    • Berlin
    • Cologne
  4. Today in 1981, the first Indiana Jones film was released. Who played Sallah in Raiders of the Lost Ark and was also a main character in The Lord of the Rings trilogy?
    • John Rhys-Davies
    • Denholm Elliott
    • Wolf Kahler
  5. The Chaco War, which ended on 12 June 1935 with the signing of a ceasefire, involved which two nations?
    • Angola and South Africa
    • Bolivia and Paraguay
    • China and Burma

Good luck! I will post the answers later today.

Six of one half a dozen of the other | Answers

The answers to my earlier post are shown in bold below. I have included the questions simply for your information.

Portrait of Henry VIII, c1540-1547.
Catherine of Aragon c. 1525.
  1. Henry VIII of England married for the first time on 11 June 1509, his bride, Catherine of Aragon, was his…
    • Sister-in-law—Catherine of Aragon, who was married to Arthur, Prince of Wales, became a widow at 16 when Arthur died of sweating sickness. After her father-in-law, Henry VII’s, death, Catherine married his second son, now King Henry VIII, in a private ceremony in 1509, becoming Queen of England.
      Memorial at Le Mans.
      Image Wikipedia
  2. The deadliest ever accident in motor sport occurred on this day in 1955. It happened during…
    • 24 Hours of Le Mans—The 1955 Le Mans disaster, the most catastrophic event in motorsport history, occurred when a Mercedes-Benz crashed into the spectator area, killing at least 82 people. The official inquiry blamed the track layout rather than the drivers.
  3. In 173, the Roman army was encircled by the Quadi, who had broken a peace treaty. Emperor Marcus Aurelius defeated them in a thunderstorm. This ‘miracle in the rain’ is depicted at the start of the film Gladiator (2000). During what war or wars had the actual battle taken place?
    • Marcomannic Wars—Gladiator (2000) depicts Marcus Aurelius seizing victory in the Marcomannic Wars. In reality, the war was ongoing when he died. Commodus secured peace with the two Germanic tribes allied against Rome, the Marcomanni and the Quadi, immediately after his father’s death.
      Hugh Laurie and House executive producers Katie Jacobs and David Shore, 2009.
      Image Wikipedia
  4. Which actor born 11 June 1959, links these: Prince Regent to House to Roper. Who is he?
    • Hugh Laurie—An English actor, comedian, singer, musician, and writer. He gained recognition as part of the comedy duo Fry and Laurie, and later starred as Dr. Gregory House in the medical drama series House (2004-2012).  He has also appeared in films, released blues albums and written a novel.  Pertinent to the question, as well as House his roles include George, Prince Regent in Blackadder III (1987) and Richard Onslow Roper in The Night Manager (2016).
      Millicent Fawcett.
      Image Wikipedia
  5. Born this day in 1847, who became the first woman honoured by a statue in Parliament Square, London, UK?
    • Millicent Fawcett—The statue of Dame Millicent Fawcett, a prominent leader in the women’s suffrage movement, was erected in Parliament Square to commemorate the centenary of women’s suffrage in the UK. The statue, created by Gillian Wearing, depicts Dame Millicent at age 50, holding a banner with a quote from a speech she made after Emily Davison’s death. The statue creates another first: the sculptor, Gillian Wearing, being the first woman to create a statue that stands in Parliament Square.

Six of one half a dozen of the other

Here are a few questions which are related to today’s date, June 11th.

Catherine of Aragon.
Image Wikipedia
  1. Henry VIII of England married for the first time on 11 June 1509, his bride, Catherine of Aragon, was his…
    • Half-sister
    • Sister-in-law
    • Stepsister
  2. The deadliest ever accident in motor sport occurred on this day in 1955. It happened during…
    • 24 Hours of Le Mans
    • Indianapolis 500
    • Mille Miglia
  3. In 173, the Roman army was encircled by the Quadi, who had broken a peace treaty. Emperor Marcus Aurelius defeated them in a thunderstorm. This ‘miracle in the rain’ is depicted at the start of the film Gladiator (2000). During what war or wars had the actual battle taken place?
    • Alemannic Wars
    • Marcomannic Wars
    • War of Radagaisus
  4. Which actor born 11 June 1959, links these: Prince Regent to House to Roper. Who is he?
    • Hugh Laurie
    • John Laurie
    • Mike Laurie
  5. Born this day in 1847, who became the first woman honoured by a statue in Parliament Square, London, UK?
    • Millicent Fawcett
    • Millicent Fenwick
    • Millicent S. Ficken

Good luck! I will post the answers later today.

Number soup | Answers

The answers to my earlier post are shown in bold below. I have included the questions simply for your information.

Aerial view of Iwo Jima, 2014.
Image Wikipedia
  1. What number is represented by these Roman numerals: MCMLXXV?
    • 75—
  2. The name of the Japanese Island Iwo Jima literally means …
    • Sulfur Island—Iwo Jima, a volcanic island in the Ogasawara Archipelago, is administered by Tokyo despite its 1,200 km distance. The island, known for its strategic importance during World War II, was the site of a pivotal battle and is now home to a Self-Defence Force base. Its area has increased due to ongoing volcanic activity.
      Cate Blanchett, 2024.
      Image Wikipedia
  3. Who is the only actress in Oscar history to be nominated twice for playing the same role in two films?
    • Cate Blanchett—was nominated twice for playing the same role in two films, namely Elizabeth I in Elizabeth (1998) and Elizabeth: The Golden Age (2007).
      Khnum.
      Image Wikipedia
  4. The deity Khnum was originally associated with the…
    • Cataracts of the Nile—Khnum, an ancient Egyptian deity, was revered as the creator of human bodies and the life force. He was believed to shape them from clay on a potter’s wheel. Khnum’s worship spanned from the First Dynasty to the Greco-Roman period. He was typically depicted with ram horns, representing fertility and rebirth, and later evolved to feature the down-turned horns of Ammon.
      Gerhard Schroeder, 2005.
      Image Wikipedia
  5. In 2000, Angela Merkel succeeded who as Chancellor of of Germany?
    • Gerhard Schröder—
      Angela Merkel won the CDU/CSU nomination to challenge Chancellor Gerhard Schröder in the 2005 federal elections. After a close election, Merkel formed a grand coalition with the SPD, becoming Chancellor on 22 November 2005, with a focus on reducing unemployment.

Number soup

A five course cornucopia.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel, 2019.
Image Wikipedia
  1. What number is represented by these Roman numerals: MCMLXXV?
    • 1565
    • 1975
    • 1885
  2. The name of the Japanese Island Iwo Jima literally means …
    • Seaweed Island
    • Spirit Island
    • Sulfur Island
  3. Who is the only actress in Oscar history to be nominated twice for playing the same role in two films?
    • Annette Bening
    • Anne Hathaway
    • Cate Blanchett
  4. The deity Khnum was originally associated with the…
      • Cataracts of the Nile
      • Confluence of the Tigris and Euphrates
      • Source of the Rhine
    • In 2000, Angela Merkel succeeded who as Chancellor of of Germany?
      • Christian Wulff
      • Helmut Kohl
      • Gerhard Schröder

    Good luck! I will post the answers later today.

    Americana | Answers

    The answers to my earlier post are shown in bold below. I have included the questions simply for your information.

    Jacques Cartier by Theophile Hamel, 1844.
    Image Wikipedia
    1. The first European to describe and map North America’s Saint Lawrence River was Jacques Cartier. He sailed into the river for the first time on 9 June 1534. Who was he?
      • Jacques Cartier—Jacques Cartier, commissioned by King Francis I of France, sailed into the St. Lawrence River in 1534 in search of gold, spices and a northern passage to Asia. He made contact with the Iroquois nation on Prince Edward Island and believed he had discovered a new seaway to Asia.
        Michael J. Fox, 2020.
        Image Wikipedia
    2. Michael J. Fox was born 9 June 1961, what role did he play in Spin City?
      • Mike Flaherty—Michael J. Fox, a Canadian-American actor and activist, rose to fame in the 1980s and 1990s through roles in Family Ties, Back to the Future and Spin City. After being diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease in 1991, he became an advocate for finding a cure, founding The Michael J. Fox Foundation in 2000. Fox officially retired from acting in 2020 due to declining health.
        Lyndon. B Johnson, 1964.
        Image Wikipedia
    3. On this date, a US President declared a national day of mourning following the assassination of Senator Robert F. Kennedy. Which US president made this decision?
      • Lyndon B. Johnson—On 5 June 1968, Robert F. Kennedy, a US senator and presidential candidate, was shot and fatally wounded by Sirhan Sirhan at the Ambassador Hotel in Los Angeles. Kennedy died on 6 June. Sirhan, a Palestinian Christian with anti-Zionist beliefs, was convicted and sentenced to death, later commuted to life in prison.
        Patricia Cornwall, 2016
        Image Wikipedia
    4. Best known for her Kay Scarpetta novels, which author was born today in 1956?
      • Patricia Cornwell—Kay Scarpetta, a fictional character inspired by Marcella Farinelli Fierro, is the protagonist in Patricia Cornwell’s crime novels. The name Scarpetta means ‘Little Shoe’ and is a pun on Caligula, meaning ‘Little Boot’.
        The US Navy ballistic missile submarine USS George Washington (SSBN-598) underway, circa in the 1970s. Image Wikipedia
    5. On 9 June 1959, the world’s first nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarine was launched. Which of these was it?
      • USS George Washington (United States)—The world’s first functioning nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarine (SSBN) was the USS George Washington, armed with 16 Polaris A-1 missiles. The Soviets, although having several SSBs, followed suit as part of the arms race, in developing a Soviet SSBN.

    Americana

    Here are a few questions which are related to today’s date, June 9th.

    Grande Hermine with cameos of Jacques Cartier & Francis I, King of France in margins.
    Image US Library of Congress
    1. The first European to describe and map North America’s Saint Lawrence River sailed into the river for the first time on 9 June 1534. Who was he?
      • Jacques Cartier
      • Jacques Chirac
      • Jacques Cousteau
    2. Michael J. Fox was born 9 June 1961, what role did he play in Spin City?
      • Frank Bannister
      • Mike Flaherty
      • Ben Stone
    3. On this date, a US President declared a national day of mourning following the assassination of Senator Robert F. Kennedy. Which US president made this decision?
      • Gerald Ford
      • Lyndon B. Johnson
      • Richard Nixon
    4. Best known for her Kay Scarpetta novels, which author was born today in 1956?
      • Jane Adams
      • Patricia Cornwell
      • Sandra Brown
    5. On 9 June 1959, the world’s first nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarine was launched. Which of these was it?
      • K-19 (Soviet Union)
      • HMS Resolution (United Kingdom)
      • USS George Washington (United States)

    Good luck! I will post the answers later today.

    An assassin, an invader, mutineers, mountaineers and religious revolutionaries walk into a bar | Answer

    The answers to my earlier post are shown in bold below. I have included the questions simply for your information.

    London Heathrow.
    Image Wikipedia
    1. On 8 June 1968, James Earl Ray, who was later convicted of the assassination of Martin Luther King, was arrested at…
      • London Heathrow Airport, UK—James Earl Ray, convicted of assassinating Martin Luther King Jr., fled to London after the murder and was captured there. In 1999, after a civil trial in Memphis, a jury found Loyd Jowers liable for the assassination, concluding it was a conspiracy involving US government agencies.
    2. Today in 452, an invasion heading towards Rome, devastated the northern provinces of Italy. The invasion was lead by…
      • Attila the Hun—ruler of the Huns from 434 to 453, led an empire in Central and Eastern Europe. He invaded the Eastern and Western Roman Empires, attempting to conquer Constantinople and Gaul, but died before conquering Rome. Ivan the Terrible and Vlad the Impaler lived a millennium after Attila.
        Maximilien Robespierre.
        Image Wikipedia
    3. On 8 June 1794, during the French Revolution, a new religion was inaugurated, which was celebrated with festivals across France. It was called the Cult of the…
      • Supreme Being—a deistic religion established by Maximilien Robespierre during the French Revolution, was intended to replace Catholicism and the Cult of Reason. It was banned by Napoleon Bonaparte in 1802.
        Mount Everest.
        Image Wikipedia
    4. On this date in 1924, British mountaineers Andrew Irvine and George Mallory went missing. Which expedition were they on?
      • British Mount Everest Expedition—The 1924 expedition, the second attempt to reach the summit, saw two summit attempts by Edward Norton and the disappearance of George Mallory and Andrew Irvine on the third attempt. Mallory’s body was found in 1999, but Irvine’s remains were only discovered in 2024.
        Descendants of Matthew Quintal and John Adams, the mutineers on Bounty, 1862.
        Image Wikipedia
    5. On 8 June 1856, a group of people arrived on Norfolk Island to be resettled from Pitcairn Island. These were descendants of the mutineers from the…
      • Bounty—In 1856, 193 Pitcairn Islanders, descendants of the Bounty mutineers and their Tahitian partners, resettled on Norfolk Island due to Pitcairn’s overpopulation. They established farming and whaling industries, and the island’s population continued to grow despite some families returning to Pitcairn.