Coming This August Trivia Quiz

Answer:

The month of August was once the sixth month of the calendar, named Sextilis, "sixth" in Latin. It was in 800 BCE that January and February were added and it became the eighth month and in 8 BCE it was named Augustus, in honor of Emperor Augustus Caesar, marking the significant shift in Roman politics and power. Throughout history, August has witnessed pivotal events, from the fall of empires to the birth of nations. It was in August 1492 that Christopher Columbus set sail on his voyage to the New World, forever altering the course of history. Additionally, August 1945 saw the end of World War II with the bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, shaping the geopolitical landscape of the modern world.

Leo is one of the two Western zodiac signs that take up August, the other one being Virgo. It spans between July 23 and August 22, it corresponds to the constellation Leo, it is ruled by the Sun and it is a fire sign. The people who belong to this sign are passionate, loyal, and ambitious, traits frequently possessed by leaders.

Barack Obama, the 44th President of the United States of America, is a Leo, born in Honolulu on August 4, 1961. Obama was a charismatic leader and remains a great communicator and respected public figure.

The Perseids are an annual meteor shower visible on the night sky of the Northern Hemisphere from late July until late August, peaking around August 10th to 12th with a meteor shower of about 50 meteors per hour. They took their name from the mythological Greek hero Perseus since they appear to radiate from the constellation of Perseus.

The Swiss National Day is set on August 1st. The people of Switzerland commemorate on this date the "Federal Charter of 1291," when three cantons first formed a confederation which later led to the founding of Switzerland as a state.

Left-Handers Day is celebrated annually on August 13. It was established in 1976 as a need and an opportunity to celebrate the uniqueness of left-handed people, the challenges they face, and the advantages and disadvantages of 10% of the population in a predominantly right-handed world.

Martin Luther King Jr.'s "I Have a Dream" speech was delivered on August 28, 1963, on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial in Washington DC, during the March for Jobs and Freedom which advocated the political rights of African Americans. The speech remains one of the most powerful and influential orations in American history, articulating eloquently and passionately a vision for racial equality and social justice.

The Sturgeon Moon is the full moon of August. It is named after America's largest fish which during that time of the year is abundant in the Great Lakes of North America. In the Western world, the names of the full moons are usually, but not solely, interpretations of the Native American names, given from the natural world, plants, and animals.

The fig is a small fruit native to the Mediterranean, the Middle East, and Western and South Asia. It is small, green, white, or purple, juicy, and full of seeds. In the Northern hemisphere ripens naturally on the tree between late July and early September with the main crop being picked in August. The milky sap that seeps from the figs is known to attract snakes; both are sacred symbols for the mythological Greek goddess of fertility, Demeter.

The peridot is a semi-precious stone and one of the two birthstones of August. It has a light green color and symbolizes compassion, good health, peace, and harmony; it boosts creativity and calms anger.

The gladiolus is an elegant blossom that adorns gardens and floral arrangements alike. Named after the Latin word "gladius," meaning little sword, its tall, slender stems bear striking sword-shaped leaves and vibrant flowers in a spectrum of hues, from delicate pastels to vivid shades of red, pink, purple, and yellow. It symbolizes strength, integrity, and remembrance, and it is often featured in bouquets for commemorating special occasions or paying homage to loved ones. The gladiolus and the poppy are the two birth flowers for August.

Wrong choices: Aquarius is between January 20 and February 19, Jimmy Carter was born on October 1st, International Women's Day is on March 8th, the National Day of France is on July 14th, the "Gettysburg Address" was given on November 19, 1863, the Lyrids are meteor showers that peak in April, the Beaver Moon is the full moon of November, broccoli is a winter vegetable, the opal is October's birthstone and the carnation is January's birth flower.