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Quiz about I Wonder What This Button Does

I Wonder What This Button Does? Quiz

Let's journey through the history of the button together. Hopefully, we'll learn some interesting facts along the way!

A multiple-choice quiz by limabone. Estimated time: 4 mins.

Author
limabone

Time
4 mins

Type
Multiple Choice

Quiz #
313,705

Updated
Jul 23 22

# Qns
10

Difficulty
Average

Avg Score
7 / 10

Plays
673

Awards
Top 35% Quiz

One at a Time - Single Page - Timed Game

Question 1 of 10

1. During what age did buttons appear? Hint

The Industrial Age

The Bronze Age

The Early Age

The Ederly Age

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Question 2 of 10

2. What most likely caused the button to become popular as a fastener? Hint

Thread and ribbon used for fastening became scarce

The King proclaimed it

Tailors were threatened with torture if they didn't find a new way to fasten clothes

Clothing became more fitted

NEXT>

Question 3 of 10

3. Who brought the concept of the button and buttonhole to Europe? Hint

The Beatles

The Pope

The Crusaders

The Pilgrims

NEXT>

Question 4 of 10

4. From which language did the word "button" come? Hint

Italian

Spanish

Chinese

French

NEXT>

Question 5 of 10

5. By 1250, France had established the Button Makers Guild. These artisans took great pride in producing beautiful buttons that could be worn by whom? Hint

Everyone

Only soldiers

Only button makers

Only aristocracy

NEXT>

Question 6 of 10

6. Button obsession became rampant, so much in fact that the Church denounced buttons as what? Hint

The "devil's snare"

The "fastener of Satan"

The "eighth deadly sin"

The "downfall of the Church"

NEXT>

Question 7 of 10

7. In the 16th century, Puritans condemned buttons as sinful and the button craze leveled off. What group of people today still don't wear clothing with ornamental buttons? Hint

The Button Makers Guild

The Amish

The Royal family of England

The Irish

NEXT>

Question 8 of 10

8. In 1620, the First Duke of Buckingham reportedly had clothing items covered with buttons made from what? Hint

Opals

Emeralds

Diamonds

Pearls

NEXT>

Question 9 of 10

9. Can you believe buttons even caused a war? Well they did! It was called "la Guerre des Boutons" and happened in the 17th century. What was the item that started the war? Hint

Pieces of seashell

Slivers of wood

Shards of bone

Balls of thread

10. By the 19th century, buttons were being mass-produced and every house had a button box to hold their collections. The most popular button by far was the black glass button. Who made this button so popular? Hint

King William IV

Cixi

Queen Victoria

King George IV

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Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts

1. During what age did buttons appear?

Answer: The Bronze Age

About 3,000 years ago, buttons made their debut. These early buttons didn't actually fasten anything but were worn as decoration.

2. What most likely caused the button to become popular as a fastener?

Answer: Clothing became more fitted

Someone eventually had the idea that a button could be functional as well as ornamental. A little loop of thread soon accompanied the button, helping to keep garments fastened.

3. Who brought the concept of the button and buttonhole to Europe?

Answer: The Crusaders

Around 1200, the returning Crusaders "borrowed" the idea from the Turks and Mongols. This would be the beginning of a new era in fashion.

4. From which language did the word "button" come?

Answer: French

Up until its introduction to Europe, there had been no specific word used to describe this novelty. Button is thought to be derived from either "bouton" (French for "bud") or "bouter" (French for "to push").

5. By 1250, France had established the Button Makers Guild. These artisans took great pride in producing beautiful buttons that could be worn by whom?

Answer: Only aristocracy

Even if they could afford it, peasants were prohibited by law from wearing anything other than thread- or cloth-covered buttons. Once again, the button became popular as adornment.

6. Button obsession became rampant, so much in fact that the Church denounced buttons as what?

Answer: The "devil's snare"

Some outfits had literally thousands of buttons! Professional dressers became a necessity for dressing and undressing.

7. In the 16th century, Puritans condemned buttons as sinful and the button craze leveled off. What group of people today still don't wear clothing with ornamental buttons?

Answer: The Amish

The Amish avoid distinctive dress as part of their religious beliefs and feel decorative buttons are a sign of pride. While some of their clothing does have functional buttons, most clothing has hook and eye fasteners, pins or velcro.

8. In 1620, the First Duke of Buckingham reportedly had clothing items covered with buttons made from what?

Answer: Diamonds

Obviously, not everyone could afford diamonds, so buttons were also made from silver, gold, ivory, ceramic and silk.

9. Can you believe buttons even caused a war? Well they did! It was called "la Guerre des Boutons" and happened in the 17th century. What was the item that started the war?

Answer: Balls of thread

While at one time or another buttons were made from all of these, it was the balls of thread created by tailors that worked quite well as buttons that set off the button makers. They actually got a law passed to fine anyone who produced the thread buttons.

Answer: Queen Victoria

As we've all heard, Queen Victoria wore mourning black from the death of her husband in 1861 until her own death in 1901. Her popularity in 1861 was such that everyone wanted to emulate her and drove the black jet button into history as the most popular one of its time.

Source: Author limabone

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