Thumbs Up! Trivia Quiz

Answer: General Tom Thumb

Charles Sherwood Stratton was born on January 4th 1838 in Bridgeport, Connecticut, and died there on July 15th 1883. Although of normal size when he was born and in his infancy, he reached the height of 25 inches after six months, and stopped growing. (He later did start growing again and reached 2ft 11ins).

The showman P.T. Barnum, who was a relative, encouraged Stratton's parents to teach him to sing and dance and, at the age of five, he was put on the stage in Barnum's touring show and was a huge hit in both the USA and Europe.

This exposure made Stratton a rich man. In 1863 he married Lavinia Warren, who was of similar height, and they were met by President Abraham Lincoln at the White House. They were also guests of Queen Victoria.

Answer: Hallucis

Hallucis is your big toe.
Like many primates, humans have what is known as an "opposable thumb" That means that the thumb can touch the other digits on the hand and it is why humans can unscrew the lid of a honey jar while bears, for example, must raid the bees' nests. Without an opposable thumb, humankind would not, some experts argue, have been able to master the use of tools. It is this mastery, they say, that made humankind the dominant species on the planet Earth.

Answer: The Rolling Stones

"Under my thumb
The girl who once had me down
Under my thumb
The girl who once pushed me around..."
Written by Keith Richard and Mick Jagger, "Under My Thumb" was first recorded on the 1966 Stones album "Aftermath".

Answer: Thailand

Many Middle Eastern countries, parts of South America and Western Africa countries also regard it as an unacceptable gesture. In some countries it is perceived in the same way that a certain single digit gesture is regarded in the West.

Answer: Henry Fielding

Fielding wrote a play called "Tom Thumb" in 1730 and a year later rewrote the tale as "The Tragedy of Tragedies, or the History of Tom Thumb the Great". The Great of the title was, it was thought, a reference to the politician Sir Robert Walpole.

Answer: Elijah Wood

Thumbelina was the female equivalent of Tom Thumb and was created by the Danish author Hans Christian Andersen. Jennifer Love Hewitt provided the voice of Thumbelina in the 2002 movie.

Answer: Bob Dylan

"When you're lost in the rain in Juarez
And it's Eastertime too
And your gravity fails
And negativity don't pull you through
Don't put on any airs
When you're down on Rue Morgue Avenue
They got some hungry women there
And they really make a mess outa you"
The song appeared on Dylan's 1965 album "Highway 61 Revisited".
Despite the title, Tom Thumb was not mentioned in the lyrics.

Answer: Michigan

The Thumb Area Tourism Council Inc puts it thus: "Michigan's Thumb Area is outlined by the Saginaw Bay and Lake Huron, and is a destination rich in natural scenic beauty, strong cultural heritage and plenty of year-round activities. When you visit the Thumb Area, you'll find more than 150 miles of shoreline, 2,100 miles of rivers and streams, 51,000 acres of public recreation land, 49,000 acres of state game/wildlife areas and plenty of hometown festivals and events.

It's an area filled with something to do and see for all ages!"

Answer: USA/Canada

Although it stands at just over 9,000 feet, the Devil's Thumb has earned the respect of even the most experienced climbers. It is on the border between Alaska and British Columbia. The first recorded climb was in 1946 by Fred Beckey, Clifford Schmidtke and Bob Craig.

Answer: At right angles to the forefinger

At right angles to the forefinger, the thumb "forms a square". The square is a key element in many Masonic rituals. (There are many branches of Freemasonry but all Masons must belong to a "Craft Lodge" before they can join any other.)