The History of June Trivia Quiz

Answer: The invasion of Normandy.

The Invasion of Normandy, also called D-Day, started on this date. It was the start of Operation Overlord and helped bring World War II to an end. More than 1,000 British bombers dropped over 5,000 tons of bombs on the German gun batteries. At the same time over 3,000 Allied ships crossed the English channel to the French beaches. This was the turning point in the war.

Answer: Elvis Presley

"The Milton Berle Show" was a wholesome family program and many Americans were shocked when Elvis was introduced. It was his second appearance on the program in four months. In one of his first performances without playing a guitar, he gyrated his hips through his rendition of his hit song "Hound Dog".

His provocative movements and the sexual overtones of the song caused scandal among older watchers and absolute adoration in younger watchers. It was this appearance that gave rise to the nickname "Elvis the Pelvis".

He came to define key aspects what was to become known as the "generation gap".

Answer: Magna Carta

The Magna Carta proclaimed that a monarch's power was not absolute. It limited the king's powers and protected the rights of the nobility and to some extent of all free men. This is one of the most important documents in history and helped lead to the rule of constitutional law in most of the English speaking country's of the world.

Answer: For the manufacture of soft surface cured cheese.

James Lewis Kraft won a patent for his cheese processing method with which he founded the food empire known as Kraft Foods. In 1937, in the Great Depression, Kraft introduced its Kraft Macaroni and Cheese dinner to the public. During World War II, it became very popular due to the rationing of dairy products and the large number of women working outside the home.

The fact that it had a long shelf life and did not have to be refrigerated helped keep it popular throughout the rest of the century and beyond.

Answer: Ambassador Hotel in Los Angeles

The assassination of Robert Kennedy took place in the kitchen of the Ambassador Hotel in Los Angeles, California on June 5, 1968, shortly after midnight. Sirhan Sirhan, a Palestinian immigrant, was convicted of shooting Kennedy with a .22 caliber Iver-Johnson handgun. Robert Kennedy is buried near his brother John Kennedy at Arlington National Cemetery and was the impetus for the United States Secret Service to begin providing protection for all future presidential candidates.

Answer: Jacques-Yves Cousteau

Jacques Cousteau was possibly the most important oceanographer of the 20th century. After an automobile accident cut short his naval aviation career, he pursued the science of oceanography for the rest of his life. He was instrumental in the creation of SCUBA equipment with which he carried out underwater archaeological excavations, and pursued the discovery of unknown forms of sea life.

Answer: A domestic Merino sheep

Shrek was a runaway Merino sheep who managed to escape and run free for over six years. Merino sheep are usually shorn every year and when Shrek was finally caught he was shorn on national television. This one shearing produced enough wool to make 20 men's suits. In 2004 he was introduced to Prime Minister, Helen Clark. He was euthanized on June 6, 2011 at an approximate age of 17.

Answer: False

This statement is false. John Alcock and Arthur Whitten Brown were two British aviators who, in June of 1919, made the first non-stop transatlantic flight. Using a modified World War I bomber, they flew from St. John's, Newfoundland to Clifden, Ireland.

It was not until 1928 that the first trans-Pacific flight took place and this feat was accomplished by Australian aviator, Sir Charles Kingsford Smith.

Answer: Father's Day

The first Father's Day was celebrated at the Spokane, Washington YMCA in 1910. It was a complement to Mother's Day which was first celebrated in 1908. Although not initially successful, with the help of trade groups, the holiday took off. It provided a holiday which boosted the sales of ties, pipes, and other traditional gifts for men.

It was not until 1966, that President Lyndon Johnson proclaimed the third Sunday in June to be Father's Day.

Answer: The Saint Lawrence Seaway

Consisting of a combination of canals, locks, and channels, the Saint Lawrence Seaway allowed ships on the Great Lakes to have access to the Atlantic Ocean without having to sail down the Mississippi River and across the Gulf of Mexico to get to the ocean.

The opening of the Saint Lawrence Seaway is often cited as the cause of the Erie Canal becoming obsolete. This magnificent waterway is a testament to the hard work and cooperation that exists (most of the time) between the United States and Canada.