Well, here it is! As I said, it has a more literary turn than usual, and I'm afraid it's frightfully Eurocentric, but I hope it will at least provide a challenging and entertaining diversion for all our devoted quiz-takers.
1. What is the name, according to some official sources, of history's most famous Dalmatian?
(4 points)
2. For
4 points, relate the circumstances of the last person to be convicted under British witchcraft legislation.
3. It has been said of a certain great man that, at some point in his life, "he became 'good,' abandoned his daughter, adopted correct principles, and wrote bad poetry." Name him
(3 points) and the author of this quotation
(2 points). You can get another
2 points by identifying the most important political event with which he is associated, and a further
1 point for his basic opinion of it. For
3 bonus points, say what he had in common with these fellows:
4. Name the first American President.
(3 points)
5. In what country did the Terrace Mutiny occur
(2 points), and what was its primary cause
(2 points)?
6. Two roughly contemporary authors of immensely famous and well-loved children's books share something quite specific in common, something which began the literary career of one and ended the other's. Name the authors for
2 points each, and earn
3 points for briefly describing the thing they have in common.
7. Who was the first man who could officially call himself Prime Minister of the United Kingdom
(3 points), and what was unique about his death
(2 points)?
8. Use the pictures as clues to find the name I'm looking for:
4 points for the name;
1 point for each person pictured;
3 points for the painter of the fourth picture;
2 points for an explanation of each clue's connection to the answer; and
2 points for giving the name of the person most closely connected with the answer. Since I'm feeling generous, take another
2 points if you can say how one of the persons in this question was responsible for the deaths of several young men.
22 points in total are available for this question!
9. A certain cobbler (as he might be called), in the course of a storied life, was taken prisoner of war, collected for three years a daily gallon of wine from his king, and personally witnessed one of his country's most famous insurrections. Identify the man, the battle at which he was captured, the royal booze-pusher, and the insurrection in question, for
1 point each. He was also an author, and you can earn more points by identifying his two most important textual influences (
2 points for each). Interestingly, the first recorded reference to a certain object in the natural world occurs in one of his writings, and you'll get
3 points if you can name it.
(11 points in total.)
10. During which decade did the last veteran of the Crimean War die?
(3 points.) Give the veteran's name to earn another
2 points.
11. What fact about the Earth was Ferdinand Magellan instrumental in conclusively demonstrating?
(1 point.)
12. Among many rather curious preoccupations with his posterior, a very important historical figure reports doing much of his thinking, and even writing, while seated on his garderobe. Name him for
3 points.
The maximum score available is
80 points, and I expect many of you clever types will win a healthy portion of that. There's no particular hurry about the deadline, and we want everybody to get a chance to submit, so for now I'll give you three weeks to get your answers in by
May 21. As always, you are permitted to attempt any question more than once, but research is not allowed.
