The Glove Has Been Thrown Trivia Quiz

Answer: Seconds

The two seconds would try to get the duellists to settle matters without fighting, but if this were not possible they would then deal with the selection of weapons, time and date of the duel, finding a suitable location, checking the weapons and making sure a doctor was standing by. They also dealt with the aftermath of the duel, which could include arranging for an undertaker.

Answer: Dawn

Many duels took place at dawn for various reasons. There was less likelihood of law enforcement agents stopping the duel if it happened early in the day, and in the case of pistols being used it was harder to both see your opponent and to be seen clearly yourself in early dawn light. Also, there was little of likelihood of a crowd of spectators at dawn.

Answer: Throwing down a glove

When someone felt they or their honour had been insulted they would issue a challenge verbally and accompany this by throwing down a glove. If the other party picked up the glove then the challenge had been accepted. Not picking up the glove was a sign of cowardice.

This probably goes back to knights challenging each other when they threw down a gauntlet. It was of course not a gentlemanly thing to issue a challenge to a social inferior, and if this did happen the person challenged was under no obligation to accept.

Answer: Sometimes

The rules of engagement allowed for various outcomes to a duel. There could be 'first blood', often used where swords were the weapon when the first swordsman to draw blood was the winner, or the two parties could fight until one was physically unable to continue. With pistols the number of shots to be fired if the first shot did not hit was agreed on, although it was considered uncivilised to fire more than three shots. Rarely were duels deliberately fought to the death, this was reserved for the gravest of insults.

Answer: Ireland

Italy had the first published code of duelling, which appeared sometime during the Renaissance, closely followed by France, which had the first formal national code. The Irish code, introduced in 1777 was influential in America due to the vast number of Irish migrants to the New World.

Answer: Germany

For this type of fight the participants fence each other at a fixed distance apart, the aim being to score a hit on unprotected areas of their opponents face and head. Flinching or dodging is not allowed, and the fight is ended when one of them has an injury a minimum of one inch long that has drawn blood.

These fights were mainly among students and the resulting facial duelling scar was regarded as a badge of honour.

Answer: Aaron Burr

Alexander Hamilton and Aaron Burr had a long standing rivalry which was both personal and political. It came to a head when Burr felt Hamilton had defamed his character in a newspaper article. On July 11, 1804 the two men fought a duel in which Hamilton was shot and mortally wounded and he died of his injuries the next day. Burr was indicted for murder in both New York and New Jersey, and although the charges were either dismissed or he was acquitted it spelt the end of his political career.

Answer: Yes

Amazingly over half the states do not have any statute that prohibits duelling. These include Alaska, Maine and Delaware amongst a total of 30, although some of these do prohibit duelling amongst members of the State Guard but allow it between civilians!

Answer: In hot air balloons

Monsieur de Grandpre and Monsieur de Pique chose to settle their differences over the affections of a dancer by taking to the air in hot air balloons and firing blunderbusses at each other. On May 3, 1803 they took off, and when they reached around 2,000 feet and were approximately 80 yards apart Monsieur de Pique fired and missed. Monsier de Grandpre was either a better shot or had a better weapon, as his shot hit his opponent's balloon which collapsed and fell to earth killing Monsieur de Pique and his second.

Answer: 19

In 1794 Captain Dupont was ordered to stop Captain Fournier attending a party. Captain Fournier objected to this and the first of their duels was fought. Over the next few years they continued to fight every time they came near each other, even going to the extent of drawing up a contract stating that if they were within 100 miles of each other they would fight.

The only thing that stopped them was military duty. This state of affairs continued for 19 years until Dupont spared Fournier's life. This story formed the basis of Ridley Scott's film, "The Duellists" and the Joseph Conrad story, "The Duel".