My Bloody Birthday Trivia Quiz

Answer: Charles I

Charles I was a believer in the divine right of kings, which led to many conflicts with the parliaments of his three kingdoms, not to mention some difficulties with the Church. His actions directly led to the Bishops' Wars of 1639 and 1640, as well as the English Civil War (1642-1651). The latter was actually three separate wars, the first two between Charles I and the Long Parliament under the leadership of Oliver Cromwell, Thomas Fairfax and Devereux, Earl of Essex. The third conflict took place after Charles I's defeat and execution, and was between supporters of Charles II and the Rump Parliament.

With the parliamentarian victory, Charles I's execution, and Charles II's exile, the Commonwealth of England was established (1649-1653), followed by Oliver Cromwell's protectorate (1653-1659). Cromwell's death in 1658 eventually led to the restoration of the monarchy (legally backdated to 1649). After Charles II took the throne in 1660, he had Cromwell exhumed and then ritually executed on the anniversary of Charles I's execution - January 30th (1661).

Answer: Forty-seven

There have been very many fictionalized stories written of the forty-seven ronin, but the stories are based on a historical incident. Asano Naganori was a daimyo (territorial lord) of the Akô Domain in Classical Japan. He inherited the position from his father in 1675 at the tender age of nine. He had a bad relationship with Kira Yoshinaka, and on the day of his death, attacked him in the Corridor of the Pines at Edo Castle. He was unsuccessful in killing Kira, and because of this shameful act, he was sentenced by shogun Tsunayoshi to commit seppeku (ritual suicide).

Naganori's samurai, forty-seven of them, planned and carried out their revenge on Kira for the death of their master nearly two years later. Having accomplished their mission, the forty-seven ronin also performed seppeku, for having committed murder.

Answer: Andrew Jackson

The causes for Richard Lawrence's mental state can only be speculated upon, but it has been documented that he believed himself to be King Richard III, and that the US government owed him a large sum of money for two English estates. He reasoned that President Jackson was preventing him from receiving his due by opposing the establishment of a national bank, and that Vice President Martin Van Buren would establish it if he became president. Thus, Lawrence took two pistols to a funeral attended by Jackson at the US Capitol. As Jackson left the service, Lawrence attempted to fire both pistols in turn (they both misfired), and Jackson responded by attacking his attacker with his cane until the crowd subdued the would-be assassin.

At his trial, the jury needed only five minutes to deliver a verdict of 'not guilty by reason of insanity'. He lived out his life in various institutions, finally passing in 1861.

Answer: A fire

After the Great Fire of 1841 that destroyed approximately 300 structures in Mayagüez, the Villa was rebuilt with wider avenues better suited to prevent the spread of future fires. A fire department was established in 1843 that successfully battled major fires in 1852 and 1866. Mayagüez was granted city status in 1877.

Answer: Adolf Hitler

Hitler first tried to seize power in Germany with an attempted coup in 1923 (the Beer Hall Putsch), resulting in his imprisonment. After his release, he rebuilt the Nazi Party. In the 1928 elections they won only 12 seats in the Reichstag; in 1930 they secured 107 seats, and they emerged as the biggest party in the 1932 elections. President Hindenburg offered Hitler the post of Vice Chancellor. Hitler would have none of it: he insisted on the chancellorship. But Hindenburg did not appoint Hitler as the new chancellor, instead choosing Kurt von Schleicher.

More political infighting following this appointment led to a very unstable government, and it did not take long for Schleicher to also resign the appointment. When Hindenburg heard a rumour of Schleicher's intent to overthrow the government, he appointed Hitler as Chancellor on 30th January 1933. After the Reichstag fire on 27th February 1933, Hitler gained permission to rule by decree ... and after Hindenburg's death in 1934, Hitler's power increased even further to the point that he was able to combine the positions of Chancellor and President, naming himself Führer. I don't think I need to go into detail about what happened after that.

Answer: Gandhi

The first attempt on Gandhi's life happened on 25th June 1934, when a bomb was thrown towards the car he and his wife were driving on the way to deliver a speech in Pune. The second attempt was in May of 1944 at Panchgani near Pune, when Nathuram Godse rushed at Gandhi with a dagger. The third attempt in September of 1944 also involved Nathuram Godse, although it was not so much an attempt as it was a demonstration against Gandhi. Godse, however, was found to have a knife in his possession.

Ten days before succeeding in assassinating Gandhi, Nathuram Godse was once again involved in an attack on the leader, as a group of men planned to place a bomb near the podium where Gandhi was to speak in Delhi. After so many attempts, it is a wonder to me that Godse wasn't already locked away in prison. Sadly, his efforts eventually succeeded.

Answer: MS Hans Hedtoft

Hans Hedtoft served as the Prime Minister under King Frederick IX. His first term lasted from 13th November 1947, to 30th October 1950, while his second term went from September 30th, 1953 until his death on 29th January 1955.

The MS Hans Hedtoft was on its maiden voyage, having completed the trip from Denmark to Greenland in early January. The ship departed from Julianehaab, Greenland on the 29th of January, but struck an iceberg the next day. Inclement weather prevented any rescue attempts, and the ship went down with all hands; only one piece of wreckage was recovered: a lifebelt that washed up on shore nine months later. The MS Hans Hedtoft was the last ship in the 20th century to sink (with casualties) from colliding with an iceberg.

Answer: Vietnam War

The Tet Offensive was a series of surprise attacks by the Vietcong against South Vietnam. It was a surprise because there had been an agreed-upon two-day cease-fire in place for the Tet celebrations (the Lunar New Year). Attacks began late in the day, and because they were so widespread, there was no real coordinated defensive action taken until the next day. Over 80,000 Communist troops attacked more than 100 cities and towns. Eventually, the South Vietnamese and U.S. troops rallied and defeated the Communist incursion, but it was a sign of things to come.

Answer: Bloody Sunday

This event in the history of 'The Troubles' was significant for the direct involvement of British troops, rather than paramilitaries. The original inquiry into the shootings was a whitewash, exonerating the soldiers, but a second inquiry was established in 1998. Lord Saville of Newdigate chaired the inquiry, with findings published 12 years later in 2010.

The report found that all those shot had been unarmed and that the shootings were unjustified. After the release of the report, British Prime Minister David Cameron issued an official apology on behalf of the U.K.

Answer: Kenya Airways Flight 431

Kenya Airways Flight 431 took off from Félix Houphouët-Boigny International Airport (Abidjan) and barely a minute later, crashed into the ocean. The official report of the incident showed the following sequence of events:

1) An errant stall warning sounded immediately after takeoff.
2) The pilot put the aircraft into a descent.
3) The crew did not apply maximum engine power.
4) The ground proximity warning did not sound because the stall warning took precedence.
5) Overspeed warning sounds.
6) The Captain gives the order to climb.
7) The aircraft collides with the sea.

The accident was the first in the history of Kenya Airways that involved fatalities.