The Magnificent Humbug: A quiz about P.T. Barnum

Answer: "The Art Of Money Getting"

In 1880, Barnum wrote "The Art of Money Getting, or, The Golden Rules For Making Money." In this book, he listed his suggestions for becoming a success in business and his advice is still valid today. For example, some of his 'rules' included "Let Hope Predominate...But Be Not Too Visionary" and "Be Polite and Kind To Your Customers." Another 'rule' has special meaning in this day of purloined e-mails and intercepted Tweets: "Don't Blab" in which he warns businessmen to be cautious about what they put on paper.

This book is available free of charge on www.gutenberg.org.

Answer: He used the shows to skewer white racist attitudes

Always a progressive thinker, Barnum used his minstrel shows to heap withering satire on white racial beliefs. Despite the warning signs of an approaching Civil War, Barnum did not hesitate to criticize slavery and the South. In 1853, he produced a stage show based on Harriet Beecher Stowe's "Uncle Tom's Cabin" and by 1860, he was a staunch supporter of the Republican Party.

Answer: George Washington's nanny

Ms. Heth (c. 1756-Feb. 19, 1836) never set foot in Mt. Vernon but that didn't stop Barnum from advertising her as the 161-year old wet-nurse to young George. She may have looked old and wrinkled, but was no more than 82 years when she passed away. Even when the public interest in Joice had waned, Barnum proclaimed that she was not even a human being, but an 'automaton' made of whale bone and old leather and challenged people to investigate her closely to prove she wasn't real.

The poor old lady finally passed away on February 19, 1836 and became the foundation for all of the later charges that Barnum was a 'humbug.'

Answer: The chance to read his own obituary

Barnum told editors of the 'Evening Sun' that newspapers only published nice things about people when they had died. He was popular in New York society and his request to read his own obituary wasn't really that difficult to honor. On March 24, 1891, the 'Evening Sun' printed a glowing obituary about Barnum's life and achievements.

A few weeks later, on April 7, 1891, the obituary was re-printed following Barnum's death.

Answer: "There's a sucker born every minute"

Who would believe that the circus business could be so cutthroat? Forepaugh and Barnum were the leading circus owners of the 1870s and 1880s and each one tried to out do the other in presenting gaudy, flamboyant shows. Forepaugh paid his talents more, but by all accounts was a miserable boss while Barnum was beloved by his performers.

When Forepaugh told a newspaper reporter that he had heard Barnum utter the 'sucker' quote, he set in motion an urban legend that lasts to this day. Other accounts attribute the quote to David Hannum, another of P.T.'s competitors. Barnum never looked upon his audiences as 'suckers' and made every effort to give them a memorable (if sometimes hokey) experience.

By the way, the rest of the quote is "but none of them ever die."

Answer: Distinguished alumni of Tufts University

Barnum was a major contributor to Tufts University, a school near Boston that was founded in 1852 to promote liberal arts. In 2005, the university created the Barnum Awards to recognize alumni of Tufts who had excelled in various avenues of entertainment. Past winners include actors Peter Gallagher and Oliver Platt.

The award ceremony alternates between New York ('From Ballou to Broadway') and Los Angeles ('From The Hill To Hollywood')

Answer: The Jenny Lind Competition

The Festival selects an amateur American coloratura soprano between the ages of 20 and 30 in an annual contest, which, in 2010, marked its 62nd anniversary. Jenny Lind was the Swedish singer brought to the U.S. by Barnum and who quickly became one of the most beloved entertainers in the country.

The 2010 winner (Jennifer Caraluzzi) received a $2000 award along with a summer concert tour of Sweden. A Swedish Jenny Lind soprano is also selected at the Barnum Festival.

Answer: Elephants named 'Jumbo'

Jumbo the elephant was born in 1861 in French Sudan. His name probably came from combining the Swahili words for 'hello' (Jambu) and 'chief' (Jumbe) While Jumbo was on exhibition at the London zoo in 1882. P.T. saw him and immediately purchased him for his circus, much to the dismay of British schoolchildren and Queen Victoria.

After being killed by a locomotive, the ashes of Jumbo eventually ended up in a 14-ounce jar of Peter Pan Crunchy Peanut Butter and placed in the office of the athletic director of Tufts University.

The nickname for Tufts' sports teams is Jumbo. In 1962, Doris Day, along with Jimmy Durante and Stephen Boyd, starred in a musical entited "Billy Rose's Jumbo" about a large elephant and efforts to save a faltering circus.

Answer: His proposed 'model city' of East Bridgeport, CT went bankrupt

In 1854, Barnum wanted to create a clean, cheerful, and safe town where people could live and work in harmony. During his search for reputable business to settle into what became known as East Bridgeport, he contacted the Jerome Clock Company. He enticed them to move their offices from Litchfield, CT to the new city of East Bridgeport, and agreed to help them out with some existing debts.

In January of 1856, Barnum realized too late that he had been conned into committing himself to pay close to half a million dollars to the clock company's creditors. With great sorrow, he declared bankruptcy and ended his dreams for East Bridgeport.

Answer: Purchase the American side of Niagara Falls

You can't say that P.T. didn't dream big! In his effort to acquire oddities and curiosities, he spared no expense, but often found himself at the wrong end of the humbuggery, as was the case with the "FeJee Mermaid." This disgusting creature was a Japanese creation made when the upper body of a monkey was sewn to the lower body of a fish.

His plans for Niagara Falls included building a giant permanent circus building on Goat Island. Another of his plans involved lassoing an iceberg from the Arctic Circle and towing it to New York.