On this day in 1960, John F. Kennedy was elected President of the United States, as a result of defeating whom in the presidential election?
Two
John F. Kennedy’s term ended tragically when he was assassinated in Dallas. This makes him one of four US presidents killed while in office. Who is the only British prime minister to have been assassinated?
Three
President Kennedy’s 1,037 days in office are certainly not the shortest. Which US president served the shortest term? Secondly, how long (or short) was the shortest term: 31 days, 51 days or 71 days?
Four
Liz Truss’s 49 days in 2022 is by far the shortest term of any UK prime minister. Which prime minister from the first third of the 19th century served this shortest term? Secondly, how long was this second shortest premiership: 99 days, 119 days or 139 days?
Five
Albino Luciani served in which office for 33 days in the second half of the 20th century?
Here are the answers to the questions I posted earlier.
Following the violent blow delivered by [Soviet Union’s] Valentin Prokopov, Hungarian Ervin Zador bleeds profusely from above his eyebrow. Image Bettmann / Getty Images via Yahoo! Sports
One
The violent Blood in the Water Olympic water polo match between Hungary and the Soviet Union erupted in the aftermath of the Soviet Union suppressing a Hungarian uprising. During which Olympics—year and host city—did this match take place?
Answer: 1956 Melbourne Olympics
The match became a powerful symbol of Cold War tensions. Hungary went on to win the gold medal, and player Ervin Zádor’s bloodied face was widely photographed, capturing global attention.
Two
On November 6, 2012, a US president was re-elected for a second term. Who were his defeated opponents in both the 2008 and 2012 presidential elections?
Answer: John McCain (2008) and Mitt Romney (2012)
Barack Obama, the 44th President of the United States, was the first African American to hold the office. He served two terms, from 2009 to 2017, during which he implemented significant domestic and foreign policies, including healthcare reform, economic stimulus and the end of the Iraq War. Obama left office with high approval ratings and remains politically active.
Three
A composer died on November 6, 1893. One of his symphonies, Symphony No. 6 in B minor, which premiered just nine days earlier, became known as his Pathétique. Who was the composer?
Answer: Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky
The Pathétique is often interpreted as an emotional farewell, blending passion and tragedy in what became Tchaikovsky’s final completed work.
Four
Switzerland officially abolished the death penalty on 6 November. Which decade was this?
Answer: 1990s (1992)
Though executions had already ceased decades earlier, the 1992 constitutional amendment made abolition permanent, aligning Switzerland with wider European human rights standards.
On 6 November 1966, NASA’s Lunar Orbiter 2 was launched with a primary mission objective of photographing specifically what on the Moon’s surface?
Answer: Potential landing sites on the Moon
The Lunar Orbiter 2 spacecraft was designed primarily to photograph smooth areas of the lunar surface for selection and verification of safe landing sites for the Surveyor and Apollo missions.
Lunar Orbiter 2 transmitted over 800 high-resolution images, including the first detailed close-ups of the Moon’s surface. These images were crucial in selecting the Apollo 11 landing site.
Here are five questions related to today, November 6th.
Following the violent blow delivered by [Soviet Union’s] Valentin Prokopov, Hungarian Ervin Zador bleeds profusely from above his eyebrow. Image Bettmann / Getty Images via Yahoo! Sports
One
The violent Blood in the Water Olympic water polo match between Hungary and the Soviet Union erupted in the aftermath of the Soviet Union suppressing a Hungarian uprising. During which Olympics—year and host city—did this match take place?
Two
On November 6, 2012, a US president was re-elected for a second term. Who were his defeated opponents in both the 2008 and 2012 presidential elections?
Three
A composer died on November 6, 1893. One of his symphonies, Symphony No. 6 in B minor, which premiered just nine days earlier, became known as his Pathétique. Who was the composer?
Four
Switzerland officially abolished the death penalty on 6 November. Which decade was this?
Five
On 6 November 1966, NASA’s Lunar Orbiter 2 was launched with a primary mission objective of photographing specifically what on the Moon’s surface?
Here are the answers to the questions I asked earlier.
The Rumble in the Jungle. Muhammad Ali (standing) and George Foreman (on canvas). Image USA Today
One
On October 30, 1974, the legendary boxing event The Rumble in the Jungle took place. In which city and country did this event take place? Who were the two boxers involved? And which fighter emerged victorious, reclaiming the world heavyweight title that day?
Answer: Kinshasa, Zaire (now Democratic Republic of the Congo); Muhammad Ali and George Foreman; and Muhammad Ali (recovered title)
This fight took place in Kinshasa, Zaire (now the Democratic Republic of the Congo). It drew a massive crowd of 60,000 and was one of the most-watched televised events at the time. Ali emerged victorious by knockout in the eighth round.
Orson Welles at the press conference after The War of the Worlds broadcast, 1938. Image Wikipedia
Two
The 1938 broadcast of a radio drama adaptation caused panic among listeners who thought it was real. What was the title of this drama and who wrote the original novel?
Answer: The War of the Worlds; (written by) H.G. Wells
The broadcast presented H.G. Wells’s story in a live news style format and reportedly caused panic by convincing some listeners that Martians were invading.
Three
In 1817, who became president of the newly formed Third Republic of Venezuela?
Answer: Simón Bolívar
Bolívar played a crucial role in Latin American independence, significantly shaping Venezuela’s early republican era.
Comparison of Nuclear Explosions. Image World of Engineering via Reddit
Four
In 1961, the Tsar Bomba test — the largest nuclear weapon ever detonated — was detonated in what archipelago and by which country?
Answer: Novaya Zemlya (archipelago); Soviet Union (USSR)
The Tsar Bomba, or AN602, was the most powerful nuclear weapon ever created and tested, designed by Soviet physicists under Andrei Sakharov’s oversight. The bomb’s yield was around 50 megatonnes, and the test took place over the Novaya Zemlya archipelago.
Five
In 1905, to quell revolutionary pressure in Russia, a significant concession was made: the establishment of an elected parliament, the Duma, and the guarantee of civil liberties. Who made this concession?
Answer: Tsar Nicholas II
This was part of the aftermath of the 1905 Russian Revolution and marked the beginning of attempts at constitutional government in Russia, with Tsar Nicholas II issuing the October Manifesto in 1905, promising civil rights and an elected parliament, the Duma, after being pressured by Sergei Witte and Grand Duke Nicholas.
Here are five questions related to today, October 30th.
Orson Welles, 1937. See question 2. Image Wikipedia
One
On October 30, 1974, the legendary boxing event The Rumble in the Jungle took place. In which city and country did this event take place? Who were the two boxers involved? And which fighter emerged victorious, reclaiming the world heavyweight title that day?
Two
The 1938 broadcast of a radio drama adaptation by Orson Welles caused panic among listeners who thought it was real. What was the title of this drama and who wrote the original novel?
Three
In 1817, who became president of the newly formed Third Republic of Venezuela?
In 1961, the Tsar Bomba test — the largest nuclear weapon ever detonated — was detonated in what archipelago and by which country?
Five
In 1905, to quell revolutionary pressure in Russia, a significant concession was made: the establishment of an elected parliament, the Duma, and the guarantee of civil liberties. Who made this concession?
Five questions which are all related to today, October 28th.
Unveiling of the Statue of Liberty Enlightening the World by Edward Moran. Oil on canvas. The J. Clarence Davies Collection, Museum of the City of New York via Wikipedia
One
On October 28, 1922, a march on Rome resulted in the rise to power of whom?
Two
On October 28, the Statue of Liberty was officially dedicated in New York Harbor. In what decade did this occur, and which US President dedicated the statue?
Three
A vote in the British House of Commons on this day in 1971 approved plans for the UK’s membership of what regional organisation had been created by the Treaty of Rome in 1957?
Four
At the 2023 Rugby World Cup final held at the Stade de France, South Africa defeated … (team), and became the first nation to win the Webb Ellis Cup … times. What team fills the first blank space, and what number is missing from the second blank?
Five
On October 28, 1919, legislation was passed in the United States that enforced the 18th Amendment and ushered in the era of Prohibition. What was the name of that act?
Here are the answers to the questions I posted earlier.
One
Which country, independent since late 1951, was raised from colonial status to part of Italy proper in 1938 by decree of Italy’s Fascist Grand Council?
Answer: Libya
Italian colonisation of Libya began in the 1920s, with significant investment in infrastructure and immigration. After World War II, Libya gained independence in 1951, becoming a kingdom under King Idris I.
Daily Reenactment at the O.K. Corral. Image Wikipedia
Two
Where did the Gunfight at the O.K. Corral take place in 1881?
Answer: Tombstone, Arizona
The gunfight at the O.K. Corral, a brief but deadly shootout between lawmen (Wyatt Earp, his brothers and Doc Holiday) and outlaws (Billy Claiborne, brothers Ike and Billy Clanton, and brothers Tom and Frank McLaury) in Tombstone, Arizona Territory, on 26 October 1881, has become an iconic event of the American Old West. The conflict, fuelled by a long-standing feud and a city ordinance prohibiting weapons, resulted in the deaths of three men and injuries to three others. The incident, largely unknown until Wyatt Earp’s death, gained widespread attention through books and films, solidifying its place in popular culture.
Three
On this day in 1955, which European country declared a law of perpetual neutrality?
Answer: Austria
Since 1955, Austria has been a permanently neutral country—a status declared after the end of post-war Allied occupation. The Austrian State Treaty restored the nation’s sovereignty on the condition that it would not join any military alliances or permit foreign bases on its soil. This neutrality, enshrined in the constitution, has shaped Austria’s identity as a bridge between East and West during the Cold War and beyond.
Erie Canal, aqueduct over the Mohawk River at Rexford. Image Wikipedia
Four
When was the Erie Canal, a major US transport route, inaugurated?
Answer: 1825
The canal connected the Great Lakes to the Atlantic Ocean, fuelling trade and the growth of New York City.
Five
How many terms did François Mitterrand, who was born today in 1916, serve as President of France?
Answer: Two
François Mitterrand, a French politician, served as President of France from 1981 to 1995, marking the longest tenure in the country’s history under the Fifth Republic. Initially aligned with the Catholic nationalist right, he shifted to the left, becoming the first left-wing president. His presidency was marked by significant reforms, such as the abolition of the death penalty and the promotion of French culture, but also faced controversies like the bombing of the Rainbow Warrior. Mitterrand’s tenure spanned pivotal events like the fall of the Berlin Wall and the foundation of the European Union.
These questions all relate to today’s date, October 26th.
François Mitterand, 1983. See question 5. Image Wikipedia
One
Which country, independent since late 1951, was raised from colonial status to part of Italy proper in 1938 by decree of Italy’s Fascist Grand Council?
Two
Where did the Gunfight at the O.K. Corral take place in 1881?
Three
On this day in 1955, which European country declared a law of perpetual neutrality?
Four
When was the Erie Canal, a major US transport route, inaugurated?
Five
How many terms did François Mitterrand, who was born today in 1916, serve as President of France?
Here are the answers to the questions posed earlier.
Meeting of the waters is the confluence between the dark Rio Negro (blackwater) and the pale sandy-coloured Amazon River (whitewater), referred to as the Solimões River in Brazil upriver of this confluence. Image Wikipedia
One
The confluence of what two rivers is shown in the above picture?
Answer: Rio Negro and Amazon aka (Rio Solimões)
The Meeting of Waters in Brazil is where the dark Rio Negro meets the pale, sediment-rich Rio Solimões (Amazon River) but flows side by side for kilometres without mixing due to differences in speed, temperature, and sediment content. The Rio Negro is slower, warmer, and almost sediment-free, while the Solimões is faster, cooler, and carries Andean sediments. This striking visual contrast continues for many kilometres before blending fully.
Two
Who composed the original Star Wars film score?
Answer: John Williams.
Williams’ iconic score, recorded with the London Symphony Orchestra, revitalized interest in grand orchestral film music and remains one of the most recognizable movie themes in history.
Is it true that China’s President Xi Jinping spent part of his childhood living in a cave?
Answer: True
As of 2010, approximately 3 million people in China’s Shanxi province resided in yaodong, which are caves dug into soft yet insulating dirt. These caves are naturally cool in summer and warm in winter, making them an affordable housing option. China’s president, Xi Jinping, spent part of his childhood in a similar cave in a nearby province. In 1968, at the age of 15, Xi applied to leave Beijing for the countryside, influenced by Mao Zedong’s Down to the Countryside Movement. On 13 January 1969, he moved to Liangjiahe Village in Yan’an, Shaanxi. The rural conditions were challenging which fostered his connection with the rural poor. Initially unable to adapt, he attempted to return to Beijing but was arrested and sent to a work camp. Persuaded by his aunt and uncle, he returned to the village, where he served as the party secretary and lived in a cave house.
Yaodong(earth shelter) covered in snow. Image Wikipedia
Four
What is the most abundant gas in Earth’s atmosphere?
Answer: Nitrogen
Nitrogen makes up about 78% of Earth’s atmosphere. Despite being so common, most living organisms can’t use atmospheric nitrogen directly — it must first be made into usable forms by bacteria and plants.
Five
The novel Brave New World was written by whom?
Answer: Aldous Huxley
Published in 1932, Brave New World predicted technologies and societal trends — such as genetic engineering and consumerism — that became eerily relevant decades later.
Quizology Online 
