October November December Trivia

1. 31st October 1908 saw the closing ceremony of the fourth Summer Olympic games. Which city hosted these games?

From Quiz Halloween Happenings

Answer: London

The 1908 Olympic games were held in the city of London in the UK, the first time the city hosted the games. The games were originally meant to be in Rome but the city had to give up the games following the 1906 eruption of Mount Vesuvius which caused significant damage to the city of Naples. The repair of Naples saw funds designated for the Olympics diverted and so London was selected to host instead.

From Quiz The Forty-Seven Days of Christmas

Answer: Dean Martin

Although all four answers were members of the "Rat Pack" or "Summit", Dean Martin (1917-1995) was the one known as "The King of Cool". Earlier in his career (the 1940s and 1950s) he was teamed with Jerry Lewis. Later he was a successful singer and later still the host of of his own successful variety show, "The Dean Martin Show" (1965-1974). Martin (born Dino Paul Crocetti) died on December 25, 1995, of emphysema after decades of heavy smoking. Martin, who was a significantly lighter drinker than his onstage persona would suggest, was also known for the quote, "You're not drunk if you can lie on the floor without holding on."

From Quiz 'Twas the Night Before Christmas

Answer: Treaty of Ghent

The Treaty of Ghent was signed by both sides after peace talks took place in the area that represents modern-day Belgium. The treaty brought peace and reset borders to the way they were right before the War of 1812 had begun.

From Quiz On This Day: December 25

Answer: Pope Leo III

Charles I, also knows as Charles the Great or Charlemagne, was King of the Franks and then, beginning in 774, King of the Lombards. He was crowned Emperor of the Romans by then Pope Leo III at St. Peter's Basillica in 800. Pope John Paul II and Pope Frances are both modern-day popes. Pope Gregory I died in 604.

From Quiz On This Day: December 9

Answer: Ostrogoths

The long history of the Western Roman Empire ended in 476 AD when Emperor Romulus Augustus left the city during an attack by the Ostrogoths. They were led by Odoacer, King of Italy from 476-493, until he was assassinated by his successor, known as Theodoric the Great. A war called the Gothic War began in 535 between the Ostrogoths and the Byzantine Emperor, Justinian I, who was driven by the ambition to reunite the old Roman Empire. After his general, Belisarius, easily defeated the Vandals in North Africa in 533, his attention turned toward Rome. By December 9, 536, the Ostrogoths left Rome with little resistance. They did, however, lay siege to the city unsuccessfully three times before the Gothic War was finally over.

From Quiz On the First Day of Christmas....

Answer: Clovis I

Clovis I (c. 466-511) is considered the first King of the Frankish realm, as opposed to a tribal leader. Although most of his period of rule was over the Salian Franks (481-509), for the last two years of his life he was king of all of the Franks. He established the Merovingian Dynasty which would (at least formally) rule the Frankish kingdom until the eighth century. By the 490s, Clovis was becoming more interested in and receptive to Christianity. However, he was uncertain about whether he should adopt Arian Christianity--actually more common in the Frankish Empire at the time--or Nicene Christianity (Catholicism). Simply put, Arian Christians viewed Jesus as separate and lesser than God the Father and Nicene Christians viewed Jesus, God the Father, and the Holy Spirit as three aspects of one being (and therefore equal). The influence of his wife, Clotilde (474-545), already a Catholic, ultimately helped Clovis choose to convert to Nicene Christianity in about 496. He was be baptized by Remigius (437-533), Bishop of Reims. Different historical records sometimes suggest different years, although they do generally state the baptism occurred on Christmas. Mieszko I (Poland), Olaf I (Norway), and Ethelbert (Kent/England) were each the first Christian king of their respective country, but each was not born until after the death of St. Remigius.

From Quiz Events of December 5th

Answer: Hispaniola

On landing on the island on December 5th 1492, Columbus called it 'La Isla Espanola' (meaning "The Spanish Island"), which was Anglicized to 'Hispaniola' some time later. With an area of 29,418 square miles, Hispaniola is the 22nd largest island in the world, and the second largest island of the West Indies. The island is shared by the Dominican Republic and Haiti.

From Quiz It Happened on October 24

Answer: France

King Louis IX (born 1214, reigned 1226-1270) is also known as St. Louis. Chartres Cathedral is located about 60 miles southwest of Paris. The cathedral was built over several decades in the 12th and 13th centuries first in the Romanesque and then Gothic style. The cathedral is a UNESCO World Heritage site.

From Quiz The Fifth of November

Answer: Ibrahim the Mad

Like many Ottoman sultans, Ibrahim was confined to the palace before he ascended the throne. He ruled as Sultan from 1640-1648. He was forced to abdicate and was strangled shortly thereafter.

From Quiz First Monday in October

Answer: a play by Jerome Lawrence and Robert E. Lee

The writing team of Lawrence and Lee collaborated on many memorable plays including "Inherit the Wind" (1955), "The Night Thoreau Spent in Jail" (1970), and "Mame" (1958). In their long career together, they co-wrote over thirty plays. They often drew on history to build a platform on which to build a play examining a contemporary social issue. In "First Monday in October" (1978) they anticipated the historic appointment of the first woman to serve on the Supreme Court of the United States.

From Quiz On the Last Day of the Year

Answer: East India Company

The East India Company was originally set up under the slightly less snappy title of 'Governor and Company of Merchants of London trading with the East Indies'. The charter granted by Queen Elizabeth I gave the company a trade monopoly with a range of countries located around the Indian Ocean. The company's work to develop trade routes across India, and its eventual seizure of control of large parts of the country, played a major part in establishing India as the jewel in the crown of the British Empire. One of the key factors in the success of the company was the fact that it commanded its own army - which had grown from around 30 European soldiers recruited to guard key factories (trading station) in around 1650 to a force of around 280,000 men of both European and Indian descent by 1857. Many other European nations (including the Netherlands, Denmark, Portugal, France, Sweden and Austria) also set up their own East India Companies between 1602 and 1776. However, none of these organisations managed to match the success and longevity of the English/British version.

From Quiz Tidings of Comfort and Joy

Answer: The English Channel

Proposed as early as 1802, the tunnel under the English Channel finally became reality in 1990 with the breakthrough ceremony (although a small pilot hole had already been drilled in late October). It marked the first time that a person could move from continental Europe to Britain or vice versa without needing to embark on a sea or air vessel. The tunnel, consisting of two live and a service tunnels, is a rail only connection and was opened to traffic in 1994. Trains in the tunnel travel at up to 160 kph (100 mph).

From Quiz Not Only the Battle of Hastings!

Answer: 1322

On October 14, 1322 the Battle of Byland Moor, in Yorkshire, was fought between Scottish and English soldiers. There the Scots led by Robert the Bruce inflicted a heavy defeat on King Edward II and his English army. This victory for the Scots followed their earlier victory at Bannockburn, and Edward II was subsequently forced to accept independence for Scotland.

From Quiz November 18th

Answer: Margaret Atwood

Margaret Atwood was born in Ottawa, Canada. She writes novels and poetry. She was given the Order of Canada in 1981. Some of her other work includes "The Handmaid's Tale" and "Alias Grace".

From Quiz A Date That Lives in Infamy - December 7

Answer: Delaware

Delaware, the second-smallest of today's 50 US states, has numerous nicknames including "The Small Wonder", "The Blue Hen State" and "The Diamond State". It is also known as "The First State" because it was the first to ratify the Constitution, and it did so on December 7, 1787.

From Quiz Famous Dates October November December

Answer: World Animal Day

World Animal Day began in Italy in 1931. A convention of ecologists who met in the beautiful city of Florence in that year kicked it off. It celebrates animal life on our planet in all its wonderful and varied forms. That date in October was chosen as it is also the feast day of Francis of Assisi, the patron saint of animals, the environment, and one of the two major saints of Italy. World Animal Day however cuts across all faiths, and is marked each year by people from every religious background right around the globe.

From Quiz One Christmas Day

Answer: Delaware

On this date, Washington and his troops crossed the frigid Delaware River, surprising and then defeating over 1,400 Hessian troops. Planned in secrecy this dangerous operation proved to be one of the most important of the war. One of the most famous depictions of this event is the large oil-on-canvas painting by German-American artist Emanuel Gottlieb Leutze aptly named "Washington Crossing the Delaware" and displayed at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City.

From Quiz It Happened in November

Answer: William Shakespeare

"The Tempest" is considered to be Shakespeare's last play. It was performed at Whitehall for James I on All Hallows' Day and again for the marriage festivities of Elizabeth, the King's daughter, to Frederick, the Elector Palatine. Scholars attribute the idea of the play to the shipwreck of an English ship near Bermuda in 1609.

From Quiz It Happened on November 20th

Answer: New Jersey

The Bill of Rights laid down the first ten amendments to the US Constitution. It was proposed by Congress in September 1789. In order the others were New Hampshire (fifth on January 25 1790); New York (seventh on February 24 1790); Virginia (eleventh on December 15 1791). Once Virginia had ratified the Bill it went into effect.

From Quiz The Twelve Dates of Christmas

Answer: Mao Zedong

Mao Zedong was a soldier and politician and held the post of 1st Chairman of the Communist Party of China from 1943 to 1974. He died on 9th September 1976. He led the Communist Party to victory in the civil war in China in the 1940s. As "Time" magazine put it: "His ruthless vision united a fractured people and inspired revolutions far beyond China's borders". (Note: different traditions stipulate the "12 days" in slightly different ways. The usage here is that the first day starts on the evening of December 25 and runs through to the evening of December 26).

From Quiz Happy Birthday: November 23

Answer: 'Life'

'Life' magazine, particularly known for its photojournalism, was published weekly from 1936 until 1972. For the next six years it appeared only intermittently, before settling into a monthly schedule until its demise in 2000. Of the alternatives, the first issue of 'Time' was published in 1923; 'Newsweek' first appeared in 1933; and 'Hello!' debuted in 1988.

From Quiz Happy Birthday, November 16th

Answer: Paul Scholes

Paul Aaron Scholes, born in Manchester in 1974, is that rare thing in football these days, a one-club player. Although from Manchester, he grew up in Salford as an Oldham Athletic fan. He officially signed with United in 1991 and made his debut three years later. He has since made more than 400 first-team appearances with a strike-rate of just under one goal every four games. Scholes made his England debut in 1997, in a friendly against South Africa at Old Trafford. Over the next seven years, he made 66 appearances and scored 14 times before retiring from international football in 2004.

From Quiz 2 October: A Day to Remember

Answer: Montreal

The Jacques Cartier Bridge connects Montreal Island and Longueuil by crossing the St Lawrence River in Canada.

From Quiz It Happened on Christmas Day

Answer: 800

Charlemagne was known in Latin as Carolus Magnus, or Charles the Great. He became King of the Franks at the age of 21 in 768 and reigned for 45 years until his death from pleurisy in January 814. In that time, he expanded the Frankish Empire to cover a large part of Western Europe, including conquering Italy which led to his coronation as Emperor by Pope Leo III on Christmas Day in 800.

From Quiz November 7th

Answer: Marie Curie

Marie Curie shared a Nobel Prize win with Pierre Curie and Henri Becquerel in 1903 for physics. She won another in 1911 for her discovery of radium and polonium.

From Quiz It Happened One December 13th

Answer: Francis Drake

While Ferdinand Magellan's crew was credited with the first sailing around the world, Francis Drake was the first captain to do this feat. His voyage took approximatly 3 years, with a long term stop in what is thought to be the San Francisco Bay area. After his round the world voyage, he then battled the Spanish Armada several times, often winning the battles. He died in 1596, and was buried out in sea near Panama.

From Quiz October 23rd

Answer: 4004 BC

The archbishop used what he called the 'sacred timeline' in the Bible, and estimated the world began at 9:00 AM GMT. This information found its way into the classic film 'Inherit the Wind' (1960), about the 1925 Scopes Monkey Trial.

From Quiz 6 December

Answer: Nicholas

Nicholas was a Bishop in Myra in Byzantium (modern day Turkey) in the 4th century. 6 December is thought to be the day of his death and is celebrated as Saint Nicholas' feast day in the Orthodox Church. He had a reputation for secretly giving gifts to the poor, supposedly leaving them in their shoes which were left over night on the door steps of their houses. He was the inspiration for the folk myths of the German Nikolaus and Dutch Sinterklaas. Many countries know these characters as Santa Claus and celebrate his gift giving as part of the Christmas festival. In Germany and Holland sweets and candy are placed in children's shoes as they sleep on the eve of 5 December. Presumably this is the origin of leaving presents in Christmas stockings. Saint Nicholas is the patron saint of sailors, children, archers, students, prostitutes, merchants, prisoners, lawyers, pawnbrokers, Russia and Amsterdam.

From Quiz On the 27th of November...

Answer: Alfred Nobel

Alfred Nobel He was born in 1833 in Sweden. In 1866 he invented dynamite and solved the problem of instability of nitroglycerine, which had been invented by the Italian, Ascanio Sobrero. The problem was not easily overcome, and during experimentation in 1864, an explosion killed his brother and several others. Nobel founded factories in over 20 different countries, and mostly lived in Paris once his invention had been established. He died in San Remo, Italy, on December 10, 1896. George Peabody He was a banker-philanthropist who established the Peabody Awards for excellence in broadcasting and journalism. He was particularly concerned with African-American education and served as a trustee of Hampton University. John Heisman He was a lawyer who founded, amongst other things, the National Football Coaches Association, having been football coach at several colleges. When he died, the Downtown Athletic Club Award was renamed the Heisman Memorial Trophy. Jules Verne The Jules Verne Trophy is for the fastest time sailing around the world, nonstop and unassisted. The last holder I could find is Bruno Peyron of France, in the catamaran 'Orange', having completed the course in 64 days, 8 hours, 37 minutes and 24 seconds.

From Quiz November 1st Happenings

Answer: Michelangelo

The Sistine Chapel was completed in 1483 but Michelangelo's painting was not finished until 1541. The Sistine Chapel was built to the exact dimensions of the temple of Solomon.

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