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Quiz about Handshakes in History
Quiz about Handshakes in History

Handshakes in History Trivia Quiz


Famous and not-so-famous handshakes throughout history. Some of these meetings changed the world, some didn't!

A multiple-choice quiz by Plumbus. Estimated time: 5 mins.
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Author
Plumbus
Time
5 mins
Type
Multiple Choice
Quiz #
209,394
Updated
Aug 28 23
# Qns
10
Difficulty
Tough
Avg Score
5 / 10
Plays
933
Last 3 plays: Guest 1 (6/10), Guest 65 (3/10), jmel2 (6/10).
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Question 1 of 10
1. July 17th, 1975: What was famous about the handshake between Tom Stafford and Alexei Leonov? Hint


Question 2 of 10
2. Paris, France, January 19th, 1919: The 'Big Four' who shook hands here dominated the conference that decided the terms of the treaties that ended World War One. They were Woodrow Wilson (USA), Henri Clemenceau (France), David Lloyd-George (Britain) and which other state premier? Hint


Question 3 of 10
3. Ujiji, Tanzania, November 10th, 1871: Henry Stanley greeted Dr. David Livingstone with the immortal words, "Doctor Livingstone, I presume?" What was Livingstone's reply? Hint


Question 4 of 10
4. Torgau, Germany, April 25th, 1945: What river in Germany did US Army soldiers cross to shake hands with their Russian allies? Hint


Question 5 of 10
5. Guisnes, France, early June, 1520: Which two kings shook hands before they wrestled each other? Hint


Question 6 of 10
6. Philadelphia, USA, March 6th, 1842: Edgar Allan Poe, the famous American writer, shook hands with which eminent English writer who was touring the United States? Hint


Question 7 of 10
7. Wannsee, Germany, January 20th, 1942: When fifteen leading Nazis shook hands at a conference here, what was being worked out in some detail? Hint


Question 8 of 10
8. Deptford, England, May 30th, 1593: When four men met and shook hands at Eleanor Bull's house, the day would end tragically for which English playwright? Hint


Question 9 of 10
9. Salt Lake City, USA, August 31st, 1860: Brigham Young, leader of the Mormon community, shook hands with Richard Burton, the renowned explorer and adventurer. Why was Burton there? Hint


Question 10 of 10
10. Munich, Germany, September 29th, 1938: Adolf Hitler, Benito Mussolini, Neville Chamberlain and Edouard Daladier shook hands at a meeting that would decide the fate of what country? Hint



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Most Recent Scores
Oct 24 2024 : Guest 1: 6/10
Oct 20 2024 : Guest 65: 3/10
Sep 11 2024 : jmel2: 6/10
Sep 05 2024 : SorKir: 7/10

Score Distribution

quiz
Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts
1. July 17th, 1975: What was famous about the handshake between Tom Stafford and Alexei Leonov?

Answer: It was the first link up in space between the USA and the USSR

Thomas Stafford was the Commander of the American 'Apollo' mission that linked up in space with the Soviet 'Soyuz 19', commanded by Alexei Leonov. This historic meeting was the product of the Apollo Soyuz Test Project that had been agreed between US President Nixon and Soviet Premier Kosygin in 1972.

The other crew members were Vance Brand and Deke Slayton ('Apollo') and Valery Kubasov ('Soyuz 19').
2. Paris, France, January 19th, 1919: The 'Big Four' who shook hands here dominated the conference that decided the terms of the treaties that ended World War One. They were Woodrow Wilson (USA), Henri Clemenceau (France), David Lloyd-George (Britain) and which other state premier?

Answer: Vittorio Orlando (Italy)

Orlando was the Prime Minister of Italy. Italy had been a member of the Tripartite Pact with Germany and Austria-Hungary, the main Central Powers, but entered the war on the side of the Allies in 1915 to emerge as one of the victors. The Treaty of Versailles, which resulted from the Paris Conference, was dictated by the victorious powers but pleased few people.

Many in England and France felt that the penalties placed on Germany were not harsh enough, while the Germans felt that the penalties were far too harsh and resented being blamed for the war.
3. Ujiji, Tanzania, November 10th, 1871: Henry Stanley greeted Dr. David Livingstone with the immortal words, "Doctor Livingstone, I presume?" What was Livingstone's reply?

Answer: "Yes"

Henry Stanley, an American journalist of Welsh birth, set out from Zanzibar in search of the missing missionary-explorer. He travelled 750 miles inland over 200 days, suffering malaria, starvation and dysentery along the way. When he eventually found him, Livingstone's monosyllabic reply must have been somewhat of an anti-climax. I assume that they shook hands at some point shortly after!
4. Torgau, Germany, April 25th, 1945: What river in Germany did US Army soldiers cross to shake hands with their Russian allies?

Answer: Elbe

When this historic meeting between allies from East and West took place, it signalled the imminent end of the Second World War in Europe. The US Army's soldiers were from the 273rd Infantry Regiment, 69th Division; the Russians from the 173rd Regiment, 58th Guards Division.
5. Guisnes, France, early June, 1520: Which two kings shook hands before they wrestled each other?

Answer: Henry VIII of England & Francois I of France

This wrestling bout happened at some point during the negotiations known as 'The Field of the Cloth of Gold'. Ostensibly arranged to discuss an alliance of France and England against the Holy Roman Empire, the negotiations became an immense pageant of chivalry where each monarch tried to outdo the other in demonstrations of wealth and prowess.

Henry challenged Francois to a wrestling bout but when he lost, his hurt pride meant that the negotiations were doomed. A month later, England signed an alliance with The Holy Roman Empire against France. Charles V and Carlos I were one and the same monarch - a red herring for which I do apologise!
6. Philadelphia, USA, March 6th, 1842: Edgar Allan Poe, the famous American writer, shook hands with which eminent English writer who was touring the United States?

Answer: Charles Dickens

This meeting was arranged at the request of Poe, who was trying to solicit Dickens' help with the publication in England of his 'Tales of the Grotesque and Arabesque'. Although Dickens promised he would help Poe, nothing came of it. During his second visit to the USA in 1867, long after Poe's death, Dickens gave money to Poe's impoverished mother-in-law and later arranged for $1,000 to be sent to her.
7. Wannsee, Germany, January 20th, 1942: When fifteen leading Nazis shook hands at a conference here, what was being worked out in some detail?

Answer: The systematic murder of the European Jewish population

Reinhard Heydrich, Chief of SS Intelligence, chaired this infamous meeting of security chiefs and senior civil servants. Minuted carefully by Adolf Eichmann, this conference worked out details of the implementation of 'The Final Solution'.

The decision to murder the European Jews had been taken somewhat earlier and at a much higher level.
8. Deptford, England, May 30th, 1593: When four men met and shook hands at Eleanor Bull's house, the day would end tragically for which English playwright?

Answer: Christopher Marlowe

Marlowe had met Ingram Frizer, Nicholas Skeres and Robert Poley at Widow Bull's Lodgings House in the morning and they spent the rest of that day together in private conversation. That evening, Marlowe attacked Frizer in an argument over payment for the day's meals.

In the ensuing scuffle, Marlowe was fatally stabbed. Marlowe's death has been the subject of various conspiracy theories ever since, emanating from suggestions that he was involved in espionage.
9. Salt Lake City, USA, August 31st, 1860: Brigham Young, leader of the Mormon community, shook hands with Richard Burton, the renowned explorer and adventurer. Why was Burton there?

Answer: He wanted to know more about polygamy

Burton was intrigued by the nature of polygamy and, since Young was rumoured to have 27 wives, who better was there to ask? Burton was an Englishman who had achieved fame for several accomplishments, among them the discovery of Lake Tanganyika, the translation into English of 'The Karma Sutra', and the introduction into the English language of 'pyjamas' and 'safari'.
10. Munich, Germany, September 29th, 1938: Adolf Hitler, Benito Mussolini, Neville Chamberlain and Edouard Daladier shook hands at a meeting that would decide the fate of what country?

Answer: Czechoslovakia

At the Munich Conference, Mussolini, Chamberlain and Daladier agreed not to obstruct Germany's claim over the Sudeten area of Czechoslovakia. A timetable was set for the formal handover of the Sudetenland to Germany, and the Second World War was effectively postponed for nearly a year. Less than six months later, Germany annexed what remained of Bohemia and Moravia, and turned Slovakia into a puppet state.
Source: Author Plumbus

This quiz was reviewed by FunTrivia editor bloomsby before going online.
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