Trivia Quiz?

[phkrause]

On the periodic table, what is the only real element that is named after a U.S. state?

Pennsylvanium Californium Michiganese Floridium

[phkrause]

Star-Spangled Trivia Questions About America's First Official Flag

On June 14, 1777, The Continental Congress in Philadelphia adopted the Stars and Stripes as the national flag.  See if you can answer these all-American trivia questions about America’s first official flags...

What Flag Was Flown Before the Officially Recognized Flag?

Who Sewed the First Official Flag of the United States?

What Was the “Star-Spangled Banner” Flag?

Who Made the “Star-Spangled Banner” Flag for Fort McHenry?

[phkrause]

What is measured using a sphygmomanometer?

Blood pressure Wind speed Shoe size Air pressure

[phkrause]

14 hours ago, phkrause said:

What was Amazon.com's best-selling book of 2015?

A. Go Set a Watchman
B. 50 Shades of Grey
C. The Girl on the Train
D. A Spool of Blue Thread

C. The Girl on the Train

The compelling The Girl on the Train by Paula Hawkins was the number-one bestseller on Amazon last year.

Source: various web sites.

[phkrause]

14 hours ago, phkrause said:

On the periodic table, what is the only real element that is named after a U.S. state?

Pennsylvanium Californium Michiganese Floridium

Answer: Californium is a radioactive metallic chemical element with the symbol Cf and atomic number 98. Californium was first made in 1950 at Berkeley, California by bombarding curium with alpha particles (helium-4 ions). The element was named after the university and the state of California. Californium is a very strong neutron emitter. It is used in portable metal detectors, for identifying gold and silver ores, to identify water and oil layers in oil wells and to detect metal fatigue.

[phkrause]

14 hours ago, phkrause said:

What Flag Was Flown Before the Officially Recognized Flag?

General George Washington was the designer of not only the “Stars and Stripes” but of the Grand Union Flag, which was flown during the period of the American Revolutionary War. It consisted of six white stripes, seven red stripes and had the British Union symbol in the upper left, where the stars are positioned now. Historians believe the Grand Union Flag was flown for the first time aboard the ship Alfred on December 3, 1775 along the Delaware River. This was Esek Hopkins’ ship. He was a commodore with the Continental Navy.

 

14 hours ago, phkrause said:

Who Sewed the First Official Flag of the United States?

Although this has been a subject of debate over the years, Betsy Ross is generally credited with sewing the first flag back in 1776. The news that she was indeed the seamstress wasn’t known until about 100 years later when the information was given to the Historical Society of Pennsylvania by William Canby, her grandson.

Reportedly, she was visited by General Washington, George Ross, and Robert Morris in May or June 1776, and Washington personally asked her to make it. She was shown a sketch that showed a flag with 13 stars with six points and 13 stripes of alternating red and white. According to the family, it was Ross herself who suggested the five-point star and arranging them in a circle.

 

14 hours ago, phkrause said:

What Was the “Star-Spangled Banner” Flag?

This was the flag that inspired Francis Scott Key to write the song, “The Star-Spangled Banner.” Commissioned by the commander at Fort McHenry, Major George Armistead, it originally measured 30 feet by 42 feet. Over years of wear and tear, it now measures 30 feet by 34 feet and is missing one of its stars. It was raised over Fort McHenry on September 14, 1814, as a sign of the American victory in the Battle of Baltimore over British forces. While the flag was in possession of the Armistead family originally, it was loaned to and then donated to the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, D.C. in 1912 and has remained on permanent display there since 1964.

 

14 hours ago, phkrause said:

Who Made the “Star-Spangled Banner” Flag for Fort McHenry?

Mary Pickersgill, a flag maker who lived in Baltimore, Maryland, made both the “Star-Spangled Banner” flag, which was the garrison flag, and a smaller 17 feet by 25 feet storm flag for the fort. It took her six to eight weeks to sew both and her daughter, an indentured woman who was African-American, and two nieces worked on it also. The government paid her $405.90 to create the larger flag and $168.54 for the smaller one. She used white cotton for the stars of the big flag with English wool bunting that had been dyed for the white and red stripes and blue background for the stars. Each one of the stripes measures about two feet wide and the stars are around two feet also if you are measuring them by their diameter.

[phkrause]

14 hours ago, phkrause said:

What is measured using a sphygmomanometer?

Blood pressure Wind speed Shoe size Air pressure

Answer: A sphygmomanometer is a device used to measure blood pressure, composed of an inflatable cuff to collapse and then release the artery under the cuff in a controlled manner, and a mercury or mechanical manometer to measure the pressure. Samuel Siegfried Karl Ritter von Basch invented the sphygmomanometer in 1881. The device's name is derived from the Greek word "sphygmos," which means "pulse," and the scientific term "manometer," which refers to a means of measuring pressure.

[phkrause]

Which U.S. state shares the longest border with a foreign country?

A. Texas
B. Alaska
C. Montana
D. California

Well its not California, probably not Montana, I hope!! That leaves Alaska and Texas, both have a lot of border with there respective foreign countries!! I'll go with Alaska, a lot of Texas has the Gulf of Mexico on its border.

[phkrause]

Aces and eights have been called the "Dead Man's Hand" ever since which gunman was shot while holding them?

Billy the Kid "Wild Bill" Hickok Jesse James Butch Cassidy

I don't think it was JJ or BC, so its either Billy or wild Bill? Gonna go with Wild Bill

[phkrause]

Test Your Knowledge of George Washington's Pre-Presidential Years

On June 15, 1775, a Virginian named George Washington accepted a position as Commander of the Continental Army after a unanimous election by the Continental Congress. Test your knowledge of the future first president with these trivia questions.

What was George Washington Doing Before He was Elected Commander of the Continental Army?

Did Washington Support America’s Independence From the Get-Go?

Why Did the Continental Congress Elect Washington?

Did Washington Want the Job?

When Did Washington Resign from His Post?

[phkrause]

Which actress turned down the leading roles in Pretty Woman and Ghost?

Cher Molly Ringwald Daryl Hannah Jamie Lee Curtis

[phkrause]

23 hours ago, phkrause said:

Which U.S. state shares the longest border with a foreign country?

A. Texas
B. Alaska
C. Montana
D. California

Well its not California, probably not Montana, I hope!! That leaves Alaska and Texas, both have a lot of border with there respective foreign countries!! I'll go with Alaska, a lot of Texas has the Gulf of Mexico on its border.

B. Alaska

Texas may be the obvious answer to this - but don't forget Alaska, which shares a 1,538-mile border with Canada. Texas only shares 1,200 feet with Mexico.

Source: various web sites.

[phkrause]

23 hours ago, phkrause said:

Aces and eights have been called the "Dead Man's Hand" ever since which gunman was shot while holding them?

Billy the Kid "Wild Bill" Hickok Jesse James Butch Cassidy

I don't think it was JJ or BC, so its either Billy or wild Bill? Gonna go with Wild Bill

Answer: Wild Bill Hickok was an American frontiersman, army scout and lawman who helped bring order to the frontier West. Many historic sites and monuments commemorate his life, and he has been depicted numerous times in literature, film, and television. In 1876, Hickok was shot from behind and killed while playing poker in a saloon in Deadwood, South Dakota, by Jack McCall, an unsuccessful gambler. The cards he was holding at the time -- a pair of black aces and a pair of black eights -- became known as "the dead man's hand."

[phkrause]

22 hours ago, phkrause said:

What was George Washington Doing Before He was Elected Commander of the Continental Army?

Washington was born a British citizen and an esteemed commander in the British army during the French and Indian War of 1754. 

By the early 1760s, Washington was living the fairly normal life of a well-to-do plantation owner in Virginia. He served in the House of Burgesses and spent his days overseeing Mount Vernon with his wife, Martha, and her two children from her first marriage. That is until the early 1770s, when the seeds of revolution were first planted.

 

22 hours ago, phkrause said:

Did Washington Support America’s Independence From the Get-Go?

He did not. While he certainly did not agree with the British oppression via taxes and tariffs happening across all 13 colonies, Washington initially rejected the idea of revolution in favor of a peaceful resolution through British repeals. But, by the early 1770s, Washington had fully converted and became one the first prominent Virginians to voice his support of the revolution, leading to his election into the Continental Congress in 1774. 

 

22 hours ago, phkrause said:

Why Did the Continental Congress Elect Washington?

Washington was the obvious choice for the role after militia troops in Boston first engaged the British at the battles of Lexington and Concord. As a 43-year-old former commander with a prestigious reputation, Washington had everything the Continental Congress wanted in their army commander. He was old enough to have respectable leadership chops but young enough to withstand the rigors of battle. 

Plus, he was from Virginia. The Continental Congress hoped appointing someone from the South would help rally more people from southern colonies to their cause. 

 

22 hours ago, phkrause said:

Did Washington Want the Job?

It’s debatable. While he certainly accepted the position immediately (much to the relief of the Continental Congress), he later wrote in a letter to Martha about his new job:

"t was utterly out of my power to refuse this appointment without exposing my Character to such censures as would have reflected dishonour upon myself, and given pain to my friends.”

That’s some pretty serious peer pressure! Upon appointment, Washington said, "I beg it may be remembered that I, this day, declare with the utmost sincerity, I do not think myself equal to the command I am honored with."

Whether that was Washington showing humility for the great honor bestowed upon him saying “you’re making a big mistake,” we’ll never know. 

 

22 hours ago, phkrause said:

When Did Washington Resign from His Post?

Of course, we all know how the war ended. After the British signed the Treaty of Paris in 1783 (officially recognizing the United States as independent), Washington resigned his post as commander. 

But if Washington had dreams of an early retirement to Mount Vernon, they were quickly dissipated. In 1787, Washington joined the Constitutional Convention as a delegate from Virginia and then, in 1789, Washington received the second unanimous vote of his life: this time, for the position of President of the United States.

[phkrause]

22 hours ago, phkrause said:

Which actress turned down the leading roles in Pretty Woman and Ghost?

Cher Molly Ringwald Daryl Hannah Jamie Lee Curtis

Answer: Molly Ringwald was cast in her first major role as Molly in The Facts of Life after a casting director saw her playing an orphan in a stage production of the musical "Annie". After appearing in the successful John Hughes films Sixteen Candles, The Breakfast Club, and Pretty in Pink, Ringwald became a teen icon. In the early 1990s, Ringwald reportedly turned down the female lead roles in Pretty Woman and Ghost. Ringwald is part of the "Brat Pack" and she was ranked number 1 on VH1's 100 Greatest Teen Stars.

[phkrause]

Which song spent the longest time at number one on the U.S. Billboard charts in 1985?

A. "Like a Virgin"
B. "Say You, Say Me"
C. "We Are the World"
D. "Careless Whisper"

[phkrause]

Who first said, "A house divided against itself cannot stand"?

Abraham Lincoln Benjamin Franklin Franklin Roosevelt John Kennedy

Abe is my guess

[phkrause]

Strap Yourself in For These Thrilling Trivia Questions

On June 16, 1884, the first roller coaster in America opened at Coney Island in Brooklyn, NY. Test your knowledge of roller coaster history with these trivia questions.

What’s the Tallest Roller Coaster in the World?

What’s the Fastest Roller Coaster in the World?

How Fast Did the First Roller Coaster in Coney Island Go?

Who is One of the Most Famous Roller Coaster Designers?

What are Your Chances of Dying on a Roller Coaster?

[phkrause]

Which university is home to the famous Skull and Bones secret society?

Princeton Harvard Yale Stanford

[phkrause]

22 hours ago, phkrause said:

Which song spent the longest time at number one on the U.S. Billboard charts in 1985?

A. "Like a Virgin"
B. "Say You, Say Me"
C. "We Are the World"
D. "Careless Whisper"

A. "Like a Virgin"

Madonna's "Like a Virgin" spent six weeks on the Billboard charts during 1985. "Say You, Say Me" and "We Are the World" spent four weeks each on the charts, tying for second place.

Source: various web sites.

[phkrause]

22 hours ago, phkrause said:

Who first said, "A house divided against itself cannot stand"?

Abraham Lincoln Benjamin Franklin Franklin Roosevelt John Kennedy

Abe is my guess

Answer: On this day in 1858, Abraham Lincoln gave his famous "house divided" speech in Springfield, Illinois. Lincoln paraphrased a passage from the New Testament: “a house divided against itself cannot stand.” Lincoln made the speech when he accepted the Illinois Republican Party's nomination to run as that state's U.S. senator against Stephen A. Douglas. The speech talked about the danger of disunion because of slavery. Lincoln lost the close Senate race of 1858, but the speech earned him national attention and ultimately paved the way for his election to the presidency in 1860.

[phkrause]

22 hours ago, phkrause said:

What’s the Tallest Roller Coaster in the World?

The tallest roller coaster in the world is located at Six Flags Great Adventure in Jackson, New Jersey. It’s named “Kingda Ka” and was built in 2005 by major thrill ride producer, Intamin. The 456-foot high megastructure has held the title of "tallest roller coaster" since its initial launch on May 21, 2005. 

It also once held the record for world’s fastest roller coaster with top speeds at 128 MPH. Until it got dethroned by another Intamin coaster…

 

22 hours ago, phkrause said:

What’s the Fastest Roller Coaster in the World?

That title now belongs to “Formula Rossa” - the crowning achievement of Ferrari World in Abu Dhabi. The roller coaster - which was built in 2010 - tops out at 149 MPH (that’s 21 MPH faster than Kingda Ka) in just 5 seconds. The cars on the coaster are shaped like Ferrari Formula 1 cars and for good reason - you’ll reach speeds typically only seen in race cars.

 

22 hours ago, phkrause said:

How Fast Did the First Roller Coaster in Coney Island Go?

That first roller coaster launched on June 16, 1884, climbed a height of 50 feet and topped out at speeds around only 6 MPH! The ride was so slow, that patrons actually sat on long benches sideways while riding. The ride cost a nickel and was an instant success, quickly spawning new roller coasters all around the country. 

 

22 hours ago, phkrause said:

Who is One of the Most Famous Roller Coaster Designers?

Well, that would be Ron Toomer - a mechanical engineer responsible for designing over 93 coasters in his time with Arrow Development (later: Arrow Dynamics). Ron created the first coaster with two loops at Knott’s Berry Farm and even contributed to NASA’s space shuttle. But he had an interesting quirk considering his line of work: Toomer was particularly susceptible to motion sickness. That didn’t stop him from riding his coasters for quality control, though. Toomer is quoted as saying, “I've ridden enough to know what they are like.”

 

22 hours ago, phkrause said:

What are Your Chances of Dying on a Roller Coaster?

There is a one in 300 million chance of dying on a roller coaster, according to website Ask The Odds.  In the United States, there are around two deaths per year relating to rides. So although the rides may seem dangerous, it’s more than twice as likely that you’d be struck by lightning.  Still tragedies happen. The biggest roller coaster accident in history happened in London in 1972 when a wooden roller coaster named “Big Dipper” collapsed. One of the cars rolled back into the station when it broke loose from the coaster killing five children, and seriously injuring 13 others.

[phkrause]

22 hours ago, phkrause said:

Which university is home to the famous Skull and Bones secret society?

Princeton Harvard Yale Stanford

Answer: Skull and Bones is a famous secret society at Yale University in New Haven, Connecticut. The society is known informally as "Bones", and members are known as "Bonesmen". Among prominent alumni are former President and Supreme Court Justice William Howard Taft (a founder's son); and former Presidents and father and son George H. W. Bush and George W. Bush. George W. Bush wrote in his autobiography, "[In my] senior year I joined Skull and Bones, a secret society; so secret, I can't say anything more."

[phkrause]

In which Quentin Tarantino film did the character of "The Gimp" appear?

A. Four Rooms
B. Pulp Fiction
C. Kill Bill: Volume 2
D. Reservoir Dogs

[phkrause]

Which major league baseball team was owned by McDonald's entrepreneur Ray Kroc?

Los Angeles Dodgers San Francisco Giants San Diego Padres Chicago Cubs