Trivia Quiz?

[phkrause]

Who rejected Secret Service protection after his presidency?

Ronald Reagan Jimmy Carter Richard Nixon George H. W. Bush

Jimmy Carter??

[phkrause]

What kind of animals live in nests known as dreys?

Raccoons Badgers Turtles Squirrels

[phkrause]

21 hours ago, phkrause said:

Who rejected Secret Service protection after his presidency?

Ronald Reagan Jimmy Carter Richard Nixon George H. W. Bush

Jimmy Carter??

Answer: According to federal law, the Secret Service is authorized to protect the sitting U.S. president and vice president, their immediate families, and all former U.S. presidents and their spouses, as well as their children under age 16. While in office, neither the president nor the vice president can decline Secret Service protection, but their spouses and adult children can. Richard Nixon relinquished his Secret Service protection in 1985, saying it was a waste of the taxpayer’s money. He is the only US President to reject the automatic Secret Service protection.

[phkrause]

21 hours ago, phkrause said:

What kind of animals live in nests known as dreys?

Raccoons Badgers Turtles Squirrels

Answer: A drey is the nest of a squirrel, usually built of twigs and branches that are typically assembled in the forks of a tall tree. The finished drey is a hollow sphere, about a foot or more in diameter, with branches and other materials loosely woven on the outside and an inner surface lined with a variety of finer materials, such as grass, moss, and leaves. Adult squirrels often build two dreys so they have an option if one is disturbed. The average drey is only used for a year or two before it is abandoned, although remnants of the nest can be visible for years.

[phkrause]

Robert Wadlow was the tallest person in recorded history. How tall was he?

7' 8'' 8' 1'' 8' 11'' 9' 2''

[phkrause]

In which state was the Spanish Flu pandemic of 1918 first observed?

A. Florida
B. Virginia
C. California
D. Kansas
 

[phkrause]

Carry On With Trivia Questions About the U.S. Marine Corps

On Nov 10, 1775, The U.S. Marine Corps was created to raise two battalions to increase security for American ships and provide landing forces. Battle your way through these trivia questions about America’s “soldiers at sea.”

Who Was the First Commandant of the Marines?

What Was the First Amphibious Landing Made by the Marines?

Which Marine Holds the Record as the Most Decorated?

When Was the Marine Corps Band Established?

[phkrause]

23 hours ago, phkrause said:

Robert Wadlow was the tallest person in recorded history. How tall was he?

7' 8'' 8' 1'' 8' 11'' 9' 2''

Answer: Robert Wadlow, also known as the Alton Giant and the Giant of Illinois, was an American who became famous as the tallest person ever in human recorded history. The Alton and Illinois monikers reflect the fact that he was born and raised in Alton, Illinois. Wadlow reached 8 ft 11.1 in in height and weighed 490 pounds at his death at age 22. His great size was due to hyperplasia of his pituitary gland, which results in an abnormally high level of human growth hormone. He showed no indication of an end to his growth even at the time of his death.

[phkrause]

23 hours ago, phkrause said:

In which state was the Spanish Flu pandemic of 1918 first observed?

A. Florida
B. Virginia
C. California
D. Kansas
 

D. Kansas

While its origin is debatable, the deadly disease's arrival in the U.S. first was recorded in Kansas.

Source: various web sites.

[phkrause]

22 hours ago, phkrause said:

Who Was the First Commandant of the Marines?

Captain of Marines Samuel Nicholas, who was a Quaker from Philadelphia, was awarded the first commission in the Continental Naval Service and was appointed by the Marine Committee of the Continental Congress. His first act was to establish the Marine headquarters at Tun’s Tavern in Philadelphia. In this location, recruits were obtained by promising adventure aided by mugs of beer. In January 1776, the new branch of the military had the required men to man their boats, which were seven or eight in number. Nicholas was commander of the USS Alfred, America’s first Man-of-War, which started off as a merchant ship named Black Prince. The ship carried three masts and weighed 450 tons.

 

22 hours ago, phkrause said:

What Was the First Amphibious Landing Made by the Marines?

The USS Alfred was sent to Nassau in the Bahamas for support against the British Fort Montague and to seek military supplies. Captain Nicholas led his men ashore, and 200 Marines arrived at the British island of New Providence and took control of the fort without a shot being fired. This amphibious landing was the first of its kind by the American Marines.

Montforte Browne, the British Governor, was allowed 24 hours to concede defeat and surrender. However, he used this time to remove most of his gunpowder to St. Augustine, Florida, where British troops were stationed. The Marines took possession of the town and both of its forts unopposed by British forces. Following the surrender of the British at Fort Montague, the cannons and what remained of the gunpowder were taken by the American troops. The weapons and gunpowder obtained by the Marines in this assault were put to use later by General George Washington and the Continental Army.

 

22 hours ago, phkrause said:

Which Marine Holds the Record as the Most Decorated?

Lt. General Lewis Burwell “Chesty” Puller holds the record as the most decorated Marine with 63 medals. He served as a Marine in Haiti and Nicaragua and went on to serve in World War II and in the Korean War. Among the decorations and awards presented to Puller were five Navy Crosses and the U.S. Army’s Distinguished Service Cross, several Legion of Merit awards for outstanding achievements and service and a Silver Star.

 

22 hours ago, phkrause said:

When Was the Marine Corps Band Established?

This famous band was established in 1798 and has performed at every presidential inauguration since Thomas Jefferson’s. It was he who nicknamed the band “The President’s Own.” Since its establishment, the band’s main duty has been to play at parades, state dinners and at other functions. While it is known for its stirring military marches such as John Philip Sousa’s “The Stars and Stripes Forever,” it also plays opera and classical music. At one time, the Marine Corps band even played a ragtime song by Scott Joplin, which was requested by Alice Roosevelt, the daughter of President Theodore Roosevelt.

[phkrause]

What do numismatists study (or collect)?

A. Stamps
B. Coins
C. Rocks
D. Jewels

[phkrause]

What was the original name of Veterans Day?

Remembrance Day Decoration Day Soldiers Day Armistice Day

[phkrause]

17 hours ago, phkrause said:

What do numismatists study (or collect)?

A. Stamps
B. Coins
C. Rocks
D. Jewels

B. Coins

Numismatists are interested in currency, particularly coins.

Source: various web sites.

[phkrause]

17 hours ago, phkrause said:

What was the original name of Veterans Day?

Remembrance Day Decoration Day Soldiers Day Armistice Day

Answer: Veterans Day got its start as "Armistice Day" on Nov. 11, 1919 as a way to honor the end of World War I. Congress voted to make it an annual observance in 1926, and it was upgraded to a national holiday in 1938. But it wasn't until 1954 that President Dwight D. Eisenhower signed the bill changing the day's name to Veterans Day. Veterans Day is not to be confused with Memorial Day, a U.S. public holiday in May; Veterans Day celebrates the service of all U.S. military veterans, while Memorial Day honors those who died while in military service.

[phkrause]

What is the official national animal of Scotland?

Unicorn Cyclops Dragon Loch Ness Monster

[phkrause]

Welcome to America... and These 4 Trivia Questions about Ellis Island

On this day in 1954, Ellis Island, the gateway to America, shut it doors after processing more than 12 million immigrants since opening in 1892.  Try answering these trivia questions about a name and place whose memory remains a major player in the history of the nation...

Why Was the Center Closed?

Who Did the Center Process?

Is It True That Immigration Officials Changed People's Names?

What Happened to Ellis Island After the Closure?

[phkrause]

On 11/12/2017 at 6:58 PM, phkrause said:

What is the official national animal of Scotland?

Unicorn Cyclops Dragon Loch Ness Monster

Answer: With Scotland being famed for its love for and long history of myths and legends, it is no surprise that the unicorn is Scotland’s national animal. Unicorns have been linked to Scotland for centuries. While the animal is mythological, the ideals it represents are what make it a perfect fit as the national animal for Scotland. In Celtic mythology the unicorn was a symbol of purity and innocence, as well as masculinity and power. Tales of dominance and chivalry associated with the unicorn may be why it was chosen as Scotland’s national animal.

[phkrause]

On 11/12/2017 at 8:18 PM, phkrause said:

Why Was the Center Closed?

Ellis Island had to adjust to changing laws. In its first few decades, the center was the place where immigrants were questioned and inspected before being allowed to enter the country. After anti-immigration regulations took hold in 1924, reducing the numbers of people trying to enter and also shifting processing duties to embassies and consulates, the center morphed into a detention center for illegal immigrants or those immigrants who had caused problems. By 1954, the government shifted most of the remaining duties from Ellis Island to other immigration offices in other cities such as New York.

 

On 11/12/2017 at 8:18 PM, phkrause said:

Who Did the Center Process?

Contrary to the popular image of Ellis Island as the rite of passage for all immigrants, it was really meant for people who had traveled third-class. This was the era of ship travel, so rather than having people disembark at an airport and go through Customs, people would sail over and be divided by ticket class. The reasoning was that people who had the money to buy the more expensive first- and second-class tickets were more likely to be able to support themselves and not get into trouble. These passengers got a brief on-ship inspection of belongings and then went on their way. Third-class passengers, though, were the poorest, and they had to undergo several health screenings and questioning.

 

On 11/12/2017 at 8:18 PM, phkrause said:

Is It True That Immigration Officials Changed People's Names?

Yes and no. There was no widespread changing of names to make them simpler or more familiar because of the officials' preferences. There were certainly immigrants who wanted to change their names, but it was never done on purpose by the officials themselves. What did happen was confusion. A passenger's name could be misspelled by ship officers as the passenger came on board, and it could be misspelled again as the passenger tried to speak above the din in the immigration hall. There are apocryphal stories of people receiving different names because they yelled at someone who had just shoved them (thus getting a name that sounded similar to whatever they had yelled), but in reality, the big name changes were due mainly to mistakes, cultural misunderstandings, and people giving false names.

 

On 11/12/2017 at 8:18 PM, phkrause said:

What Happened to Ellis Island After the Closure?

The building slowly deteriorated over time; officials couldn't decide what to do with it at first. However, President Lyndon Johnson declared Ellis Island a national monument in 1965; after that, it was opened for public viewing for a few years. It later went through a huge restoration in the 1980s and is now a historical museum.

[phkrause]

Which women's anthem was actually written by a man?

A. It's Raining Men
B. Respect
C. Single Ladies
D. All of them were written by men.

[phkrause]

Abraham Lincoln's son was pulled to safety from an oncoming train by whose brother?

Mark Twain Vincent Van Gogh John Wilkes Booth Robert E. Lee

[phkrause]

Trivia Questions About the Vietnam Veterans Memorial

On November 13, 1982, three days after it opened to the public, the Vietnam Veterans Memorial was dedicated in Washington, D.C. The memorial, a V-shaped, polished stone wall with engravings of names of those killed, got off to a rocky start but later became one of the best-known memorials in the country. See if you can answer these trivia questions about the Vietnam Veterans Memorial...

Why Was There Opposition to the Design at First?

Are Newly Identified Casualties Added to the Wall?

Why Do Some States Have Their Own Version?

Why Were Many Names Left off of the Wall?

[phkrause]

The character Spock, from the sci-fi series Star Trek, was from which fictional planet?

Tatooine Vulcan Alderaan Naboo

[phkrause]

20 hours ago, phkrause said:

Which women's anthem was actually written by a man?

A. It's Raining Men
B. Respect
C. Single Ladies
D. All of them were written by men.

D. All of them were written by men.

A man had a hand in writing all of these anthems. Otis Redding wrote Aretha Franklin's big hit, "Respect;" Paul Jabara and Paul Shaffer (of Late Show fame) wrote "It's Raining Men;" and Beyonce teamed with several men to write "Single Ladies."

Source: various web sites.

[phkrause]

20 hours ago, phkrause said:

Abraham Lincoln's son was pulled to safety from an oncoming train by whose brother?

Mark Twain Vincent Van Gogh John Wilkes Booth Robert E. Lee

Answer: In a strange twist of fate, Edwin Booth, the brother of John Wilkes Booth, once saved the life of Abraham Lincoln‘s son Robert Todd Lincoln. Fate brought Lincoln and Booth together in a train station in Jersey City, N.J., in the midst of the Civil War. Lincoln was waiting to buy a train ticket when he was accidentally pushed off the platform into the path of an oncoming train. According to Robert Lincoln, Edwin Booth grabbed him by the collar and pulled him back to his feet. It was less than a year after this event that Booth’s brother took the life of Lincoln’s father.

[phkrause]

20 hours ago, phkrause said:

Why Was There Opposition to the Design at First?

The design of the memorial, created by a 21-year-old student named Maya Lin, is a simple V-shaped granite wall. There are none of the heroic-seeming statues or other accompaniments that you see at other memorials, and at first, this seemed ridiculous to a vocal group of veterans. Criticism of the memorial was open and fairly common at first, but once the memorial actually opened, there was a big change in how it was perceived. 

Now the memorial is so popular that several traveling versions have been created, which tour the country so that vets who can't travel to the real memorial can still see their friends' names and remember their service and sacrifice. It is interesting to note that the memorial almost didn't make it -- Congress considered stopping its construction -- due to the statue issue as well as the use of black granite, which seemed too sad to many people. After several members agreed to add an additional memorial with a statue and flag nearby, construction on the memorial continued.

 

20 hours ago, phkrause said:

Are Newly Identified Casualties Added to the Wall?

Yes. If the service member's death meets certain requirements, the person's name can be added to the wall. The wall also contains the names of those missing in action, and if remains are identified, the discovery is noted. Each name has either a diamond or cross next to it, with the cross denoting missing in action; when remains are found and identified, the cross is changed to a diamond.

 

20 hours ago, phkrause said:

Why Do Some States Have Their Own Version?

The traveling versions of the wall are not the only copies available. Many cities and states, such as Naperville, Illinois, and the state of California have their own mini-versions (and they are mini; they are not nearly as big as the actual memorial). These were created partly to give residents a chance to see the wall without going all the way to Washington D.C. and partly to honor those dead and missing service members who were from that area.

 

20 hours ago, phkrause said:

Why Were Many Names Left off of the Wall?

The memorial's list of names is extensive but not complete. In order to be on the wall, the death of the service member has to meet certain restrictions, such as occurring within a certain number of miles from Vietnam or taking place between certain dates. For example, deaths that occur years after exposure to Agent Orange might not be on the wall; others that took place during the war and due to military movements may not be there because the deaths did not occur in the actual war zone -- and it is difficult to add names like these. 

One example of that last type is a group known as the "Lost 74," sailors who were killed when their Navy ship collided with an aircraft carrier just outside the war zone during naval exercises. These sailors had all been a part of the war effort, and had the collision taken place inside the war zone, their names would have been included. But they were not on the original memorial, and despite years of attempts to add them, including passing a bill in the House of Representatives, the Pentagon has declined to add them.