Quizology.Online

Tag: history

  • But soft, what light through yonder window breaks?—Answers

    The answers to my earlier post are shown below.

    One of the Ford Anglia 105E’s seen in the Harry Potter films.
    Image Wikipedia

    One

    Which turquoise blue Ford motor car model is depicted as the flying car in the Harry Potter books and films?

    Answer: Ford Anglia 105E

    “My secondary school, Wyedean, where I went when I was eleven, was the place I met Sean Harris, to whom Chamber of Secrets is dedicated and who owned the original Ford Anglia. He was the first of my friends to learn to drive and that turquoise and white car meant FREEDOM and no more having to ask my father to give me lifts, which is the worst thing about living in the countryside when you are a teenager. Some of the happiest memories of my teenage years involve zooming off into the darkness in Sean’s car.“
    — J.K.Rowling. harrypotterfandom.com

    The filming of the scene where the Ford Anglia crashes into the Whomping Willow resulted in the destruction of 14 cars.

    Tristan da Cunha as seen from International Space Station. Image NASA/Wikipedia

    Two

    Tristan da Cunha, an island in the South Atlantic Ocean, has only one settlement. What is its name?

    Answer: Edinburgh of the Seven Seas

    Edinburgh of the Seven Seas is the only settlement of the island of Tristan da Cunha, a part of the British Overseas Territory of Saint Helena, Ascension and Tristan da Cunha in the South Atlantic Ocean. Locally, it is referred to as The Settlement or The Village.

    Juliet’s Balcony, Verona.
    Image No Sweat Shakespeare

    Three

    What tourist attraction in Verona, Italy is a fake as the person allegedly connected to it never existed?

    Answer: (either or both) Juliet’s house or Juliet’s balcony

    In 1905, the mayor of Verona, as part of a tourism marketing campaign, bought the house from the Cappello family, thinking the name resembled Capulet, Juliet’s surname, and declared it the one and only Juliette’s House. Even the balcony is fake, constructed in the 20th century using parts from a 17th-century sarcophagus and attached to the wall to create a bogus balcony.

    Statue of Juliet at Juliets House, Verona.
    Image Wikipedia
    Palace of Holyroodhouse.
    Image Wikipedia

    Four

    What building is the official residence of the British Monarch in Scotland?

    Answer: Palace of Holyroodhouse (aka Holyrood Palace)

    Holyrood Palace, or in full the Palace of Holyroodhouse, the official Scottish residence of the British monarch, is located at the bottom of the Royal Mile. The name derives either from a legendary vision of the cross witnessed by David I, or from a relic of the True Cross known as the Holy Rood or Black Rood, which had belonged to Saint Margaret of Scotland, David’s mother. The palace, which adjoins Holyrood Abbey, is open to the public year-round, except when the royal family is in residence.

    The title page of the first edition of the Encyclopædia Britannica, published in 1768-71.
    Image Wikipedia

    Five

    On 10 December 1768, the first edition of which reference work was first published in Edinburgh, Scotland?

    Answer: Encyclopædia Britannica

    The Encyclopædia Britannica, a general-knowledge English-language encyclopaedia, was first published in 1768 and is currently owned by Chicago based Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc. After 244 years of print, the last printed edition was published in 2010, and it has been available exclusively online since 2016. The Britannica is known for its scholarly articles and has undergone several changes in format and ownership throughout its history.

    The Edinburgh connection is in all the questions except No. 3.

    1. JK Rowling wrote much of Harry Potter while living in Edinburgh.
    2. Edinburgh of the Seven Seas. The settlement was orininally founded and named by a Scotsman: Sergeant William Glass from Kelso, Scottish Borders.
    3. Not part of the theme.
    4. The Palace of Holyroodhouse is at the bottom of Edinburgh’s Royal Mile. Edinburgh Castle is at the opposite end.
    5. Encyclopædia Britannica was originally founded and published in the city.

    But soft, what light through yonder window breaks?
    — The post title is from William Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet

  • Mr ? Goes to Washington—Answers

    Here are the answers to my earlier post.

    Lyndon B. Johnson, 1915.
    Image Wikipedia
    Lyndon B Johnson, 1972.
    Image Wikipedia

    One

    Born on 27 August 1908 in Texas, this boy went on to become the president of the United States. Who is he?

    Answer: Lyndon B Johnson

    Lyndon B Johnson, the 36th President of the United States, served from 1963 to 1969. He assumed the presidency after John F. Kennedy’s assassination and was later elected in a landslide. Johnson’s presidency is remembered for his Great Society programmes, which aimed to expand civil rights, improve healthcare, and combat poverty, but his legacy is also marred by the Vietnam War.

    Two

    On this date, Ernst Heinkel’s He178 turbojet-powered aircraft achieved the historic first jet flight. In which decade did this event occur?

    Answer: 1930s (1939)

    The jet engine, though conceptually ancient, only became practical in the 20th century. Early attempts, like the Caproni Campini N.1 and Tsu-11, were unsuccessful. The breakthrough came with the gas turbine, leading to the development of the turbojet, with Frank Whittle and Hans von Ohain (He178) playing pivotal roles in its creation.

    Three

    The Anglo-Zanzibar War, the shortest war in history, took place on 27 August 1896. How long did the war last?
    1. Between 30 minutes and 60 minutes
    2. Between 510 minutes and 540 minutes
    3. Between 960 and 990 minutes

    Answer: Between 30 minutes and 60 minutes

    The war lasted no longer than 40 minutes, making it the shortest war in recorded history.
    — Encyclopædia Britannica

    The conflict lasted between 38 and 45 minutes, marking it as the shortest recorded war in history.
    — Wikipedia

    Four

    The world premiere of a film adaptation of a book by PL Travers took place on 27 August 1964 in Los Angeles. Which film?

    Answer: Mary Poppins

    Mary Poppins, a 1964 American musical film, features Julie Andrews as a magical nanny who transforms a troubled London household.

    Five

    On 27 August 1938, at Bonneville Salt Flats, Utah, USA, Captain George E.T. Eyston set a new land speed record. What speed did he achieve?
    1. 199.96 mph
    2. 273.13 mph
    3. 345.49 mph

    Answer: 345.49 mph

    Captain George Eyston, a British engineer and racing driver, broke the land speed record three times between 1937 and 1939.

  • But soft, what light through yonder window breaks?

    Today, five different questions with a wee bit of a theme running through some of them, though not all.

    Hogwarts Express at Glenfinnan Viaduct. Image HarryPotter.com

    One

    Which turquoise-blue Ford motor car model is depicted as the flying car in the Harry Potter books and films?

    Two

    Tristan da Cunha, an island in the South Atlantic Ocean, has only one settlement. What is its name?

    Three

    What tourist attraction in Verona, Italy, is a fake as the person allegedly connected to it never existed?

    Four

    What building is the official residence of the British Monarch in Scotland?

    Five

    On 10 December 1768, the first edition of which reference work was first published in Edinburgh, Scotland?

    Good luck! I will post the answers later today.

  • Mr ? Goes to Washington

    All are connected to today’s date, August 27th. Two of the questions are multiple choice the other three are not.

    Image Wikipedia

    One

    Born on 27 August 1908 in Texas, this boy, pictured above in 1915, went on to become the president of the United States. Who is he?

    Two

    On this date, Ernst Heinkel’s He178 turbojet-powered aircraft achieved the historic first jet flight. In which decade did this event occur?

    Three

    The Anglo-Zanzibar War, the shortest war in history, took place on 27 August 1896. How long did the war last?
    1. Between 30 minutes and 60 minutes
    2. Between 510 minutes and 540 minutes
    3. Between 960 and 990 minutes

    Four

    The world premiere of a film adaptation of a book by PL Travers took place on 27 August 1964 in Los Angeles. Which film?

    Five

    On 27 August 1938, at Bonneville Salt Flats, Utah, USA, Captain George E.T. Eyston set a new land speed record. What speed did he achieve?
    1. 199.96 mph
    2. 273.48 mph
    3. 345.49 mph

    Good luck! I will post the answers later today.

  • Five for Twenty-five—Answers

    The answers to my earlier post are shown below.

    Never Say Never Again.
    Image Pinterest

    One

    Who was the actor born on 25 August 1930 who played James Bond in a 1980s film directed by Irvin Kershner?
    Sean Connery
    George Lazenby
    Roger Moors

    Answer: Sean Connery

    Irvin Kershner directed the 1983 non-Eon Productions Never Say Never Again, the seventh and final Bond film starring Sean Connery. The film‘s title referenced Connery’s 1971 declaration that he would never play the role again. The storyline follows Bond as he investigates the theft of nuclear weapons by SPECTRE. It is based on Ian Fleming’s 1961 novel Thunderball, which was originally written by Kevin McClory, Jack Whittingham, and Fleming. The novel had previously been adapted into the 1965 film Thunderball.

    Two

    On 25 August 1916, US President Woodrow Wilson signed the … Act, which established the National Park Service. What word completes the name of the act?
    Operational
    Organic
    Oversight

    Answer: Organic Act

    Stephen Mather, worried about the condition of national parks, was instrumental in founding the National Park Service (NPS) with his assistant Horace Albright through the Organic Act of 1916. They consolidated NPS properties, marketed the parks, and facilitated the establishment of many new parks and monuments. The act sought to preserve and enhance the enjoyment of national parks, monuments, and reservations.

    Three

    On 25 August 1530, Ivan IV Vasilyevich, commonly known as Ivan the Terrible, was born. He became the Tsar and Grand Prince of all Russia. Was he the… person to hold this position. What word completes the previous sentence?
    First
    Fifth
    Fourteenth

    Answer: First

    Ivan the Terrible, first Tsar of Russia, transformed Russia into an empire but at a great cost. His later years were marked by paranoia, violence and the massacre of Novgorod, leading to the end of the Rurik dynasty.

    Four

    On this date in 1825, the Thirty-three Orientals, a revolutionary group, began an insurrection against…
    Benin
    Bhutan
    Brazil

    Answer: Brazil

    The Treinta y Tres Orientales, led by Lavalleja and Oribe, fought for the independence of Oriental Province from Brazil in 1825, leading to the foundation of modern Uruguay.

    Neptune image taken by Voyager 2, August 1989.
    Image NASA via Wikipedia

    Five

    On 25 August 1989, the first human-made object to fly by Neptune made its closest approach to the planet. Which spacecraft was it?
    Viking 1 Voyager 2 Vulcan 3

    Answer: Voyager 2

    Voyager 2 is the only spacecraft to visit Uranus and Neptune. The probe is now in interstellar space, the region outside the heliopause, or the bubble of energetic particles and magnetic fields from the Sun.
    — NASA

  • Five for Twenty-five

    All these questions are related to today, August 25th.

    Yellowstone Lake showing geyser, Yellowstone National Park.
    Image Wikipedia

    One

    Who was the actor born on 25 August 1930 who played James Bond in a 1980s film directed by Irvin Kershner?
    Sean Connery
    George Lazenby
    Roger Moore

    Two

    On 25 August 1916, US President Woodrow Wilson signed the … Act, which established the National Park Service. What word completes the name of the act?
    Operational
    Organic
    Oversight

    Three

    On 25 August 1530, Ivan IV Vasilyevich, commonly known as Ivan the Terrible, was born. He became the Tsar and Grand Prince of all Russia. Was he the… person to hold this position. What word completes the previous sentence?
    First
    Fifth
    Fourteenth

    Four

    On this date in 1825, the Thirty-three Orientals, a revolutionary group, began an insurrection against…
    Benin
    Bhutan
    Brazil

    Five

    On 25 August 1989, the first human-made object to fly by Neptune made its closest approach to the planet. Which spacecraft was it?
    Viking 1 Voyager 2 Vulcan 3

    Good luck! I will post the answers later today.

  • J’Accuse—Answers

    The answers to my earlier post are shown below.

    Captain Alfred Dreyfus. Image Wikipedia
    J’Accuse. Image Wikipedia

    One

    On 22 August 1953, the maximum-security penal colony on Devil’s Island, which had operated for 100 years, was permanently closed. The subject of the front page article from L’Aurore (13 January 1898) was imprisoned on Devil’s Island. Who was the subject of Émile Zola’s J’Accuse and in which country is Devil’s Island located?

    Answer: Captain Alfred Dreyfus and French Guiana

    The Dreyfus affair was a political scandal in France from 1894 to 1906, centred around the wrongful conviction of Captain Alfred Dreyfus for treason. Despite evidence of his innocence, Dreyfus was convicted and imprisoned, sparking a national debate between Dreyfusards, who supported him, and anti-Dreyfusards, who condemned him. The affair highlighted issues of injustice and antisemitism in France.

    Two

    Edvard Munch, 1893, The Scream, oil, tempera and pastel on cardboard, 91 x 73 cm, National Gallery of Norway.
    Image Wikipedia

    On this date in 2004, a painting was stolen from the Munch Museum in Oslo, Norway. What painting?

    Answer: The Scream

    Edvard Munch’s 1893 painting The Scream depicts an agonised face and is considered an iconic representation of existential dread. Munch created multiple versions, including two paintings and two pastels, with one pastel version selling for a record price in 2012. The Scream has been stolen twice, in 1994 and 2004. In both cases, the perpetrators were eventually apprehended. The painting was recovered after a few months in 1994 and two years after the 2004 theft.

    Henry Kissinger, 1982.
    Image Encyclopædia Britannica

    Three

    On 22 August, a U.S. President named Henry A. Kissinger as Secretary of State. Which president?

    Answer: Richard Nixon

    Henry Kissinger, national security adviser and secretary of state (from 1973) under Nixon and Ford, significantly shaped US foreign policy from 1969-1976. He advanced détente with the Soviet Union, initiated SALT (Strategic Arms Limitation Talks), opened relations with China, and played a crucial role in Vietnam War peace negotiations.

    The America, schooner yacht.
    Image Wikipedia

    Four

    In 1851, the yacht America (US) won what is considered the first America’s Cup. Around which island did the race take place?

    Answer: Isle of Wight

    The America’s Cup, originally the R.Y.S. £100 Cup, was donated to the New York Yacht Club (NYYC) in 1857 and renamed after the winning yacht, America. The NYYC held the trophy for 132 years until 1983. The class of yachts used in the competition has evolved over time, from large yachts to smaller, more affordable classes, and currently features high-tech foiling catamarans.

    Richard III, Battle of Bosworth Field.
    From A Chronicle of England, B.C. 55-A.D. 1485 by James E. Doyle, 1864.
    Image Encyclopædia Britannica

    Five

    A battle on 22 August 1485 was the last significant battle of England’s Wars of the Roses. What was the battle, and what king died during it?

    Answer: Battle of Bosworth Field and King Richard III

    The Battle of Bosworth, fought on 22 August 1485, was the decisive battle of the Wars of the Roses. Henry Tudor’s victory over Richard III marked the end of the Plantagenet dynasty and the beginning of the Tudor dynasty. The exact location of the battle is disputed, with memorials erected at different sites.

  • J’Accuse

    All of these questions are related to today, August 22nd.

    J’Accuse.
    Image Wikipedia

    One

    On 22 August 1953, the maximum-security penal colony on Devil’s Island, which had operated for 100 years, was permanently closed. The subject of the front page article from L’Aurore (13 January 1898) was imprisoned on Devil’s Island. Who was the subject of Émile Zola’s J’Accuse and in which country is Devil’s Island located?

    Two

    On this date in 2004, a painting was stolen from the Munch Museum in Oslo, Norway. What painting?

    Three

    On 22 August, a U.S. President named Henry A. Kissinger as Secretary of State. Which president?

    Four

    In 1851, the yacht America (US) won what is considered the first America’s Cup. Around which island did the race take place?

    Five

    A battle on 22 August 1485 was the last significant battle of England’s Wars of the Roses. What was the battle, and what king died during it?

    Good luck! I will post the answers later today.

  • Hawaii Five-0

    The answers to my earlier post are shown below.

    Official portrait of Dwight D. Eisenhower, 1959.
    Image Wikipedia

    One

    On August 21st, Hawaii was officially proclaimed the 50th US state. Can you name the president who made this proclamation?

    Answer: Dwight D. Eisenhower

    Hawaii was officially proclaimed the 50th US state by President Dwight D. Eisenhower on 21 August 1959. Hawaii is an island state in the Pacific Ocean, consisting of 137 volcanic islands. It is the only US state not on the North American mainland and is known for its diverse culture, influenced by North American, East Asia and indigenous Hawaiian heritage. Hawaii’s economy, historically based on agriculture, has diversified to include tourism and military defence.

    Mona Lisa.
    Image Wikipedia

    Two

    Where was the Mona Lisa stolen from on this day in 1911?

    Answer: The Louvre

    The Mona Lisa was stolen from the Louvre in 1911 by Vincenzo Peruggia, who believed it should be returned to Italy. After keeping it for two years, Peruggia attempted to sell it and was caught, leading to the painting’s return to the Louvre in 1914.

    Count Basie, Blazing Saddles, 1974.
    Image

    Three

    Born 21 August 1904, an American musician who will, 70 years later, feature in a desert scene from Blazing Saddles. Who is he?

    Answer: Count Basie

    Count Basie plays himself in Mel Brooks 1974 film Blazing Saddles. He and his orchestra play April in Paris in the middle of the desert as Bart (Cleavon Little) rides towards Rock Ridge to assume the post of sheriff.

    Princess Margaret, 1950.
    Image Wikipedia

    Four

    Born on this day in 1930 at Glamis Castle, Scotland, this princess’s 1960 marriage would be the first royal wedding to be televised. Who is she?

    Answer: Princess Margaret, Countess of Snowdon

    Princess Margaret, born in 1930, was the second daughter of the Duke and Duchess of York, who, following the abdication of Edward VIII, became King George VI and Queen Elizabeth. Known for her independent spirit, she famously renounced her engagement to Peter Townsend due to his divorce. A celebrated socialite, she was the Countess of Snowdon and had a glamorous lifestyle with notable romances. Margaret married Antony Armstrong-Jones in 1960, but their marriage ended in divorce in 1978, marking the first royal divorce in 400 years.

    Dumbarton Oaks, Washington D.C., 1999.
    Image US Library of Congress via Wikipedia

    Five

    The Dumbarton Oaks Conference, opening on 21 August 1944, was instrumental in the founding of what?

    Answer: United Nations

    The ‘Allied Big Four’ (UK, US, USSR, Republic of China) formulated the new international organisation at the Dumbarton Oaks Conference in 1944. The Yalta Conference in 1945 and further negotiations with the Soviet Union resolved all issues.

  • Hawaii Five-0

    All the questions are related to today, August 21st.

    Flag of Hawaii.
    Image Wikipedia

    One

    On August 21st, Hawaii was officially proclaimed the 50th US state. Can you name the president who made this proclamation?

    Two

    Where was the Mona Lisa stolen from on this day in 1911?

    Three

    Born 21 August 1904, an American musician who, 70 years later, will feature in a desert scene from Blazing Saddles. Who is he?

    Four

    Born on this day in 1930 at Glamis Castle, Scotland, this princess’s 1960 marriage would be the first royal wedding to be televised. Who is she?

    Five

    The Dumbarton Oaks Conference, opening on 21 August 1944, was instrumental in the founding of what?

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