Exodus Trivia Quiz

Answer: Leon Uris

Published in 1958, "Exodus" is about the efforts of Jewish refugees trying to get into Israel after World War II--in particular those aboard the ship Exodus. It is set just prior to and immediately after the founding of the State of Israel in 1948, and follows the lives of main characters during this critical period of history.

Answer: Otto Preminger

Based on the book, this 1960 film is credited with stimulating support for Israel in America. It is also noted for breaking the Hollywood blacklist in force from the McCarthy Era by employing Dalton Trumbo as the screenwriter. With an all-star cast headed by Paul Newman, and a memorable music score, which won the Academy Award, the film has remained a powerful piece of social commentary.

Answer: Edward I

In July of 1290, Edward I issued an expulsion order stating that all Jews had to leave by November 1st. This followed several years of persecution, which included heavy taxation, special levies to fund the Crusades, prohibition on types of occupation and the forbidding of synagogue building.

Many Jews tried to get to France and Belgium, but many did not arrive. It is known that several parties were tricked into leaving ships that were purposely grounded in the Thames Estuary and were then left to drown in the rising tide.

Answer: Migration

Every year millions of animals move from one area to another. Some are following the food supply, moving from dry areas to those with water and fresh grazing. Others, usually birds, are moving to traditional breeding sites, usually in a warmer climate.

These mass migrations typically happen twice a year. Once the baby birds can fly, they will accompany their parents to the winter feeding grounds. Many animals move round in a large circle following rain and flood waters, ending up back where they started.

Answer: Swarm

When a hive swarms, around 60% of the worker bees will follow the queen out of the hive, leaving it for a newly laid queen and her workers. A swarm of bees can consist of a few hundred or several thousand depending on the size of the original colony. The swarm will often cluster around the queen on a suitable tree branch quite close to the original hive while scouts look for a new nest site.

At this stage an experienced bee keeper can capture and re-hive them. It is not recommended that anyone inexperienced approach a swarm, as the bees will attack if they feel threatened.

Answer: Pat Boone

In 1960, lyrics were put to the "Exodus" theme tune and it was recorded by Pat Boone. Although only a minor hit for him, it reached number 64 on the Billboard chart, it was very popular in his live shows. Pat Boone is well-known for his Christian beliefs and clean-cut image.

In the 1950s and 1960s, he was seen almost as an antidote to rock and roll and Elvis Presley. This did not stop him from recording rock and roll songs, but he is best remembered for songs such as "Friendly Persuasion" and "Love Letters in the Sand".

Answer: Famine

In 1845, the Potato Famine started in Ireland. A fungus devastated the crop, a staple of the diet of most Irish people. Soon people were starving to death, and diseases such as cholera and typhoid were sweeping through the population. Over the next ten years, more than two million people (mainly poor farmers) left Ireland, many going to America. Over seven hundred and fifty thousand are known to have died from starvation or disease.

In five years the population of Ireland decreased by around 25%.

Answer: Highland Clearances

Highlanders had begun to leave the land and emigrate, often to America, as early as 1725. This followed the failure of the Jacobite rebellion. From around 1762, large landowners began evicting crofters (small tenant farmers) from the land, calling this 'improvements'.

The land was then enclosed and given over to sheep or large scale crop growing. These evictions were notable for the short notice, the lack of protection given to the crofters under Scottish law, and often the brutality with which they were carried out.

The clearances went on in waves until the late 1800s, and were accompanied by a potato famine similar to that suffered in Ireland. Many Scots chose to emigrate, and their descendants can be found all over the world, most notably America and Australia.

Answer: Toads

It has long been believed that animals can predict earthquakes and tsunamis, and will move out to safer ground. In 2009, a team of scientists were observing the breeding behaviour of common toads when a mass exodus occurred. Five days later a 6.3 magnitude earthquake struck the Italian town of L'Aquila. The day after the earthquake, the toads started returning to their breeding sites.

Answer: Lemmings

In fact, lemmings do not commit suicide. This misconception came about because many of them do die during their mass migration. Their migration route often includes the need to swim across large lakes and rivers. It is inevitable that there will be casualties, and this, coupled with unexplained drastic fluctuations in the population, especially in Norway, gave rise to the suicide tale.