Variations of Blue and Green Trivia Quiz

Answer: Blue

Egyptian blue was a popular color in ancient Egypt, and is seen on many different types of artifacts. Evidence shows the color was first used c. 3250 BC; historians believe that the Egyptians tried to create a color that was reminiscent of the color of turquoise and lapis lazuli stones. The use of the color, which is considered to be the first synthetic pigment, fell out of fashion after the Roman era, but modern chemists have determined that it was made with a mixture of silica, lime, copper, and an alkali.

Blue was an important color for the ancient Egyptians. It was the color of the sky and water, and, therefore, associated with many of the deities in their pantheon. It also symbolized birth, rebirth, fertility, and royalty.

Answer: Blue

The origin of the use of Savoy blue has been traced back to 1366 when the Count of Savoy was leaving Italy to fight in a Crusade. A blue flag was flown on his ships to honor the Virgin Mary. By the late 1800s, Savoy flags also contained the color Savoy blue.

While the House of Savoy was founded in 1003, it is known in modern times for ruling Italy from 1861-1946. At the time of Italy's unification, Savoy blue was chosen as the national color, and has continued to be since the beginning of the Italian Republic in 1946. Sometimes called Italian blue, the color is seen on many of Italy's sports teams, as well as national symbols, such as the Presidential Standard of Italy.

Answer: Blue

Since 1748 officers in the Royal Navy have had uniforms of a dark blue color that was subsequently named navy blue by the early 1800s. The color quickly influenced the color of uniforms in other navies as well, and all were colored with indigo dye. The United States Navy and Royal Canadian Navy both wear uniforms that are said to be navy blue, but appear to be black. In Canada the Canadian Forces dress instructions specifically state that navy blue is a tone of black.

In use since ancient times, the origin of the indigo plant is unknown due to its long use in many different places. Marco Polo is credited with being the first European to mention the color, as he viewed its preparation in India. The dye is made by processing the leaves of the plant, soaking them in water and allowing the mixture to become fermented.

So, if indigo is a variation of blue, why it is also included in the color spectrum? Credited with the creation of the spectrum, Sir Isaac Newton is said to have wanted to include seven colors, as the number seven had long been viewed as being a lucky number that implied perfections, such as in the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. With seven being such a perfect number, he believed seven colors should come together to make white, and blue was the color that Newton decided to represent in two places of the spectrum.

Answer: Blue

There are variations of blue that are named after flowers, such as picotee blue and bluebonnet, and periwinkle is one of them. Described as being lavender blue or light blue violet, the first known use of the name periwinkle as a color was in 1922. The color represents calmness and serenity.

The periwinkle flower, or "Vinca minor" was native to Europe, however, it can be seen all of the world today in climates that are warm enough. In the United States it is sometimes called myrtle or creeping myrtle.

Answer: Blue

Sky blue, first used as "sky blew" in 1681, is also called celeste, from the Latin "caelestis", which means of the sky. It is also called Italian sky blue. Think of the color in this way: It is what the sky looks like on a clear, cloudless, sunny day. To most people this would be the color they wished the sky appeared every day!

The national flag of Argentina contains the color sky blue, and it is also used as the official color of many sporting teams around the world, such as the New South Wales Blues from Australia, and the Uruguay national football team.

Answer: Green

Erin green, which represents growth, harmony, and prosperity, is reminiscent of the plants covering Ireland, and is named for the landscapes and hillside that are seen there. In fact, its name comes from the Irish Gaelic word for Ireland - "Éirinn".

If you have ever heard the phrase, "Erin go Bragh", it means Ireland Forever! Although there are many variations of the color green that are connected to Ireland - shamrock green, Kelly green (capitalized because it is named after a family), or Irish-flag green - they all vary a bit in appearance.

Answer: Green

Jungle green has many variations of its own - as do many of the other colors mentioned; the variations include deep, medium, dark, tropical rainforest, or Amazon jungle green! First used as a term for a color in English in 1926, jungle green has since become a very popular color for military uniforms of the United States Army Special Forces.

The famous Green Beret unit wears uniforms that are colored deep jungle green. Jungle green is also the color used for combat or working uniforms associated with the Commonwealth of Nations.

Answer: Green

Forest green, which represents freshness, growth and balance, was first used as a color in 1810 to describe the leaves of a deciduous forest. It is popularly used by environmentalists for outdoor equipment, and by the Boy Scouts of America for their uniforms.

Some branches of the military use forest green for camouflage gear, and it was even the team color of the Boston Red Sox in 1897!

Answer: Green

Take olive green, which is the color of, well, green olives, and drab, which is a dull light brown. Put them together, and the color olive drab is formed. First used in the mid-1500s, olive drab is a greenish-brown color that is used today for camouflage gear.

During WWII the U.S. Army wore different variations of olive drab for their uniforms - officer and enlisted uniforms were different variations of the color - and even their field equipment was a lighter variation of OD, as it was called. It is still used for the color of military uniforms around the world today.

Answer: Green

Many people today might be tempted to call items with a chartreuse color lime green, but the term has been used for a long time, ever since green chartreuse liqueur was first made by the Carthusian monks in 1764.

In the United States the color, which represents cheerfulness and happiness, is commonly used for clothing - safety vests and the like - for those who work near traffic. It is also seen on fire engines in some parts of the world, such as the United States and Australia. If you have seen the "Shrek" movies (2001-2010), you know that Shrek is green chartreuse in color!