Fifteen Random People (Contract #286) Quiz

Answer: London

Jack London (1876-1916), in addition to being an author, was also a journalist. He was a supporter of several causes, including unionism, socialism, and eugenics. The novels "White Fang" (1906) and "The Call of the Wild" (1903) were set during the Klondike Gold Rush and focused on animal main characters trying to balance civilization and nature. At times he also worked as a sailor and an oyster pirate. He briefly attended the University of California at Berkeley, before leaving due to finances.

London is also the capital of the United Kingdom.

Answer: Lincoln

Abraham Lincoln (1809-1865) was the president of the United States during much of the Civil War. For much of his adult life, he was a lawyer but he also worked as a surveyor for several years. "The Gettysburg Address" may be one of the best known speeches in US history, where he tried to express why the Civil War was being fought. Lincoln was not the main speaker at that occasion, however, but followed the main speaker Edward Everett. Everett later said that Lincoln had expressed the point of the event better in two minutes than Everett himself had in two hours.

Lincoln is also the capital of the state of Nebraska.

Answer: Abe

Shinzo Abe (born 1954) has served as Prime Minister in 2006-2007 and 2012-2020. He is a member of the Liberal Democratic Party. He was the first Prime Minister of Japan who was born after the end of World War II. An early focus of his was balancing Japan's budget through spending cuts. This focus on economics continued in his second term.

The Abe is also a river located in Shizuoka Prefecture, Japan.

Answer: Orlando

Vittorio Orlando (1860-1952) served as Prime Minister of Italy (1917-1919) during the period when Italy and the other Allied powers defeated the Central Powers during World War I. Representing Italy at the negotiations for the Treaty of Versailles, Orlando's inability to gain concessions for Italy lessened his popularity. Later in his career, Orlando was part of the assembly that transitioned Italy's government from constitutional monarchy to a republican form.

Orlando is also a city in central Florida.

Answer: Boston

David Boston (born 1978) had a nine-year (1999-2007) career in the National Football League, playing for the Arizona Cardinals, San Diego Chargers, Miami Dolphins, and Tampa Bay Buccaneers, with an additional season with the Toronto Argonauts of the Canadian Football League. He made the Pro Bowl in 2001 and finished his career with about 4,600 receiving yards.

Boston is also the capital of the state of Massachusetts.

Answer: Newport

Christopher Newport (1561-1617) was the captain of the "Susan Constant", one of the three ships that transported the initial settlers to the Jamestown settlement in Virginia. He would make several return voyages, commanding other vessels.
Previous to this, he spent several years as a privateer on behalf of the English government. Christopher Newport University in Newport News, VA, is named for him. The "Susan Constant" only made the one voyage to Virginia and does not appear in records after 1615.

Newport is also a city in Rhode Island.

Answer: Cam

Helen Cam (1885-1968) worked during her academic career at both Cambridge University and Harvard University. As a student, she studied at the University of London. Her publications ranged from the academic ("Studies in the hundred rolls: some aspects of thirteenth-century administration" in 1921), to the popular ("England before Elizabeth" in 1960). She was the first woman to be elected to the British Academy.

The Cam is also a river in England.

Answer: Juneau

During his National Hockey League career (1992-2004), Joe Juneau (born 1968) played for the Boston Bruins, Washington Capitals, Buffalo Sabres, Ottawa Senators, Phoenix Coyotes, and the Montreal Canadiens. He was also part of Canada's 1992 Gold-medal winning Olympic team. Playing primarily center, Juneau had 156 goals and 416 assists in his NHL career.

Juneau is also the capital of the state of Alaska.

Answer: Jackson

Known as the "King of Pop", Michael Jackson (1958-2009) had a highly successful career, first with his brothers (Jackson 5/the Jacksons), and later as a solo artist. His 1982 album "Thriller" is one of the best selling of all time and included the hits "Billie Jean", "Beat It", and the titular song. During his career, he was supportive of a number of charities.

Jackson is also the capital of the state of Mississippi.

Answer: Norway

Nevil Shute Norway (1899-1960) used his first and middle name as his pen name. His novels included "On the Beach" (1957) and "A Town Like Alice" (1950). He was also an aeronautical engineer and pilot, which played a role in a number of his novels. He was part of the team that developed the R100 airship. Born in Britain, he moved to Australia in later life.

Norway is also a country on the Scandinavian Peninsula.

Answer: Monroe

Marilyn Monroe (1926-1962) was born Norma Jean Mortenson. She was a highly successful motion picture actress in the 1950s, being seen in films like "Niagara", "The Seven-Year Itch" (which featured the famous scene where a gust of wind blows up her dress), and "Some Like It Hot". Monroe won a Golden Globe for her role in the last film. She was also the first centerfold in "Playboy" magazine. Monroe's death in 1962 has continued to attract attention and controversy.

Monroe is also a city in Ouachita Parish, Louisiana.

Answer: Madison

James Madison (1751-1836) was the fourth president (1809-1817) of the United States. Before this he played an important role in the development of the 1787 US Constitution. Parts of his so-called "Virginia Plan" were adapted into the modern US government, leading to Madison gaining the name "Father of the Constitution". He also served as Secretary of State during the presidency of Thomas Jefferson. From a wealthy Virginia family, Madison's home was the working plantation Montpelier.

Madison is also the capital of the state of Wisconsin.

Answer: Arad

Avi Arad (born 1948) grew up Israel before traveling to the United States to attend college. He served as the CEO of the Toy Biz company, which was later acquired by Mattel. He later was the founder and CEO of Marvel Studios, which produces films such as "Fantastic Four" and "X-Men: The Last Stand".

Arad is also a city in Israel.

Answer: Newton

Isaac Newton (1642-1727) may be one of the best known scientists in history. He was one of the scholars who developed Calculus. His Three Laws of Motion, described in "Philosophić Naturalis Principia Mathematica" (1687), dominated the scientific worldview for over a century. He developed the first successful reflecting telescope. In addition, he served two terms in Parliament and was master of the Royal Mint for over 20 years.

Newton is also a town in Sussex County, New Jersey.

Answer: Sin

Jaime Sin (1928-2005) was a cardinal who served as Archbishop of Manila from 1974 to 2003. He played a role in the People Power Revolution, which ended the dictatorship of Ferdinand Marcos over the Philippines in 1986. He later strongly opposed a policy of the Filipino government to distribute condoms in order to slow the spread of HIV infection rates.

Sin was also an ancient Greco-Roman name for China.