thetrooper
Misanthrope
- Joined
- May 24, 2004
- Messages
- 9,084
luceafarul said:
When I submit - it is final, always. Nice quiz phosphoros!
Cumulative PM-based History Quiz II
- Thread starter Knight-Dragon
- Start date
- Status
When I submit - it is final, always. Nice quiz phosphoros!
LouLong
In love with Rei Ayanami
QUIZZ - until wednesday the 29th
Guess I can launch it now.
30 points
As done by Luc, I tried to include new ways of playing this quizz. Namely the list including something/someone that does not fit and the Right or Wrong questions. For this one, you can give whatever answer you want but be precise as it is basically the type of questions that try to make you answer wrongly.
1. Who does not fit in this list (please explain why) ?
Baber
Akbar
Tugluk
2. What country became of the Mosquito coast ?
3. How did a German become the official musician of the English court during the early XVIIIth century. What was his name ?
4. Right or Wrong ?
A visiting Roman senator was stoned to death in Alexandria under the Lagids after causing the death of a cat.
Is this tue or false ?
An Englishwoman could have been a medieval Pope. Is this true or false ?
John Cabot was actually French. Is this true or false ?
The Romans won the battle of Thapsus. Is this true or false ?
5. What is the symbol on the coat-of-arms of the Vatican (precisely = what does it refer to) ?
6. Was the trade between China and England positive or negative for England before the opium wars ?
7. What music writer is associated with the romantism and nationalism in Finland ?
8. What is the current name of the Sandwich islands ?
9. The Blackfeet can be used to describe (globally) two groups of people. Which ones ? (not automatically in English).
10. What country birth does not fit here (and why) ? These are the modern countries.
Belgium
Albania
Greece
11. The black slave revolt in Haiti in the late XVIIIthe century was actually partly organized by the white French colons in the first place. How and why ?
12. Why was the church so important in the Holy Roman Empire, to the point that the Reform nearly saw the end of the Empire ?
13. What ancient writer wrote parallel lifes of famous Greek and Roman people ? Give an exemple.
14. What could be a UU for the Qin (the dynasty that united China in 221 BC) ?
15. What was the Italian capital city (of modern Italy then) after Torino and before Rome ?
16. Toussaint Louverture's initial name was Toussaint Breda. Where did his name come from and why did he change it ?
17. What does the "Blue horizon" chamber in French parliamentary life refer to ?
18. Name 3 battles of the colonization/decolonization era lost by European powers against non-Europeans/Americans.
19. What can the TVA acronym refer to in the first half of XXth century US history ?
20. Who does not fit in this list (and why) ?
Mizoguchi
Yamamoto
Ozu
21. From what other castle did Louis XIV find inspiration for Versailles ? Who owned that first castle ?
Guess I can launch it now.
30 points
As done by Luc, I tried to include new ways of playing this quizz. Namely the list including something/someone that does not fit and the Right or Wrong questions. For this one, you can give whatever answer you want but be precise as it is basically the type of questions that try to make you answer wrongly.
1. Who does not fit in this list (please explain why) ?
Baber
Akbar
Tugluk
2. What country became of the Mosquito coast ?
3. How did a German become the official musician of the English court during the early XVIIIth century. What was his name ?
4. Right or Wrong ?
A visiting Roman senator was stoned to death in Alexandria under the Lagids after causing the death of a cat.
Is this tue or false ?
An Englishwoman could have been a medieval Pope. Is this true or false ?
John Cabot was actually French. Is this true or false ?
The Romans won the battle of Thapsus. Is this true or false ?
5. What is the symbol on the coat-of-arms of the Vatican (precisely = what does it refer to) ?
6. Was the trade between China and England positive or negative for England before the opium wars ?
7. What music writer is associated with the romantism and nationalism in Finland ?
8. What is the current name of the Sandwich islands ?
9. The Blackfeet can be used to describe (globally) two groups of people. Which ones ? (not automatically in English).
10. What country birth does not fit here (and why) ? These are the modern countries.
Belgium
Albania
Greece
11. The black slave revolt in Haiti in the late XVIIIthe century was actually partly organized by the white French colons in the first place. How and why ?
12. Why was the church so important in the Holy Roman Empire, to the point that the Reform nearly saw the end of the Empire ?
13. What ancient writer wrote parallel lifes of famous Greek and Roman people ? Give an exemple.
14. What could be a UU for the Qin (the dynasty that united China in 221 BC) ?
15. What was the Italian capital city (of modern Italy then) after Torino and before Rome ?
16. Toussaint Louverture's initial name was Toussaint Breda. Where did his name come from and why did he change it ?
17. What does the "Blue horizon" chamber in French parliamentary life refer to ?
18. Name 3 battles of the colonization/decolonization era lost by European powers against non-Europeans/Americans.
19. What can the TVA acronym refer to in the first half of XXth century US history ?
20. Who does not fit in this list (and why) ?
Mizoguchi
Yamamoto
Ozu
21. From what other castle did Louis XIV find inspiration for Versailles ? Who owned that first castle ?
Richard Cribb
He does monologues
- Joined
- Nov 5, 2003
- Messages
- 4,291
There were no more submission, thanks to everybody who participated for good efforts and three cheers for the winner Loulong!
I also apologize for not presenting any extensive write-up this time, but I am not feeling well to put it mildly. But of course, if anybody has questions or comments concerning any of these topics, just come forward.
So here is the answers:
1.This is the coat of arm of a city. Which city? (1 pt)
Warszawa.
It has connection with the legend of how this city was founded? How does this legend go? (2 pts)
In short, a beautiful mermaid asked the fisherman Wars and his wife Sawa to build a city on the river Vistula.
2. Who was known under the name β? (1 pt)
Erathostenes, Greek mathematician, geographer and astronomer.(276-194) Among his feats was to device a system for longitude and latitude and to compute the size of the Earth. He is also credited for having introduced the word geography.The reason for his nickname was that he, but for his excellence, was number two in most areas, eclipsed by people like his friend Arkhimedes.
How did he supposedly die? (1pt)
He is supposed to have starved himself to death one year after having turned blind.
3. What event is depicted here? (2 pts)
The death of Sardanapalus or Ashurbanipal. Ashurbanipal was the last of the great ancient kings of Assyria. The painting is by Eugene Delacroix. Its historical authencity is
non-existent, but it is a nice picture...
4. Where and when did the Majapahit empire flourish? (2 pts)
This empire was based on Eastern Java and ruled most of the Malay Peninsula, Sumatra, Bali and Borneo from 1293 until about 1500.It is regarded as the last great Hindu empire on the Malay archipelago.
5. One of my favourite writers is Amin Maalouf. One of his novels is about a traveller from the 16th century who wrote a famous description of African geography.
What was this man called ?(1 pt)
Leo Africanus
And what was his real name? (2 pts)
Al-Hasan bin Muhammed al-Wazzan al-Fasi
6.From which civilization is this image? (1 pt)
The Aztecs.
And what does it depict? (2 pts)
The giving testimony in an
Aztec court. The first shows judges holding court. In the second, the judge seated at right records testimony in pictographs; the man standing is perhaps an attorney. Aztec courts relied on evidence to reach their decisions, which could come from oral testimony, confessions, or circumstantial evidence. Unlike some European legal proceedings at the time of the conquest, the Aztecs did not use trial by ordeal or appeals for supernatural guidance.
7. What was the Bärwalde treaty? (1 pt)
A treaty between Sweden and France during the Thirty Years War. Sweden was paid by France to keep an army in Germany for the coming five years.
8. This animal is called after a rather famous explorer.
What is the name of this animal? (2 pts)
Lumholtz tree kangaroo, after the Norwegian Carl Lumholtz.
And where does it live? (1 pt)
Queensland Australia. Many guessed Madagascar, but is there any place one can find more weird animals than Australia?
9. This is the flag of which country? (1 pt)
Angola.
What is the country's name derived from? (2 pts)
From the Bantu word N'gola which was the title of the rulers at the time of Portuguese colonization. (16 century).
10.From the 6th to the 16th century, the Muslim world produced many important scientists and thinkers.
Below is a list of names with numbers and a list of epithets or professions with letters. Can you find find the correct combinations of numbers and letters? (1 pt for each correct)
My intended solution was: 1-g, 2-i, 3-e, 4-b, 5-j, 6-c, 7-h, 8-f, 9-a, 10-d, but I also awarded a couple of points to other plausible combinations due to the fact that those gentlemen were an outstandingly talented assembly.
11.What is anthropometry? (1 pt)
Who invented it? (1 pt)
Anthropometry is the study of human body measurement for use in anthropological classification and comparison. It was invented by the Frenchman Eugene Vidocq.(YNCS)
12.This is a portrait of one of the most famous military heroes from my country. What was his name? (1 points)
Peter Wessel Tordenskiold (1690-1720), outstanding naval commander.
And which war did he excel in? (1 pt)
The Great Northern War.
13.This cylinder of baked clay which was discovered in 1878 has been called the first charter of human rights.[/B
Who issued it? (1 pt)
Cyrus the Great of Persia.
Where was it discovered? (1 pt)
Babylon. This link has someinformation:http://home.btconnect.com/CAIS/Cyrus-the-Great/cyrus_cylinder.htm
14.Another of Maalouf's novel has as title the name of the city where this building can be found.
What is the name of the city? (1 pt)
Samarkand.
The novel is about one of the persons in question nr. 10.
Which one? (2 pts)
Omar Al-Khayyam.
15. What is this?(1 pt)
A cheese slicer. A very useful tool, and invented by a person from my town, Thor Bjørklund.
16.In one famous creation myth the twin heroes Hunahpu and Xbalanque are forced to play in a ball tournament by the gods of the underworld. At one point Xbalanque has to use Hunahpu's head as ball.
What is the name of that epos? (1 pt)
Popol Vuh. Terrific reading.
From which culture does it come from? (1 pt)
The Quiche Mayans.
17.Who is this man? (1 pt)
Joseph Boulogne, Chevalier de Saint-Georges (1745-1799).
He excelled in two areas. Which ones? (1 pt for each)
Music: Composer, violin virtuoso and conductor.
Military : France's leading fencer, Colonel of Black Legion.
Here is a couple of links to information about this remarkable man:http://chevalierdesaintgeorges.homestead.com/Page1.html
http://208.11.77.182/database/s/Saint-Georges.html
I also apologize for not presenting any extensive write-up this time, but I am not feeling well to put it mildly. But of course, if anybody has questions or comments concerning any of these topics, just come forward.
So here is the answers:
1.This is the coat of arm of a city. Which city? (1 pt)
Warszawa.
It has connection with the legend of how this city was founded? How does this legend go? (2 pts)
In short, a beautiful mermaid asked the fisherman Wars and his wife Sawa to build a city on the river Vistula.
2. Who was known under the name β? (1 pt)
Erathostenes, Greek mathematician, geographer and astronomer.(276-194) Among his feats was to device a system for longitude and latitude and to compute the size of the Earth. He is also credited for having introduced the word geography.The reason for his nickname was that he, but for his excellence, was number two in most areas, eclipsed by people like his friend Arkhimedes.
How did he supposedly die? (1pt)
He is supposed to have starved himself to death one year after having turned blind.
3. What event is depicted here? (2 pts)
The death of Sardanapalus or Ashurbanipal. Ashurbanipal was the last of the great ancient kings of Assyria. The painting is by Eugene Delacroix. Its historical authencity is
non-existent, but it is a nice picture...
4. Where and when did the Majapahit empire flourish? (2 pts)
This empire was based on Eastern Java and ruled most of the Malay Peninsula, Sumatra, Bali and Borneo from 1293 until about 1500.It is regarded as the last great Hindu empire on the Malay archipelago.
5. One of my favourite writers is Amin Maalouf. One of his novels is about a traveller from the 16th century who wrote a famous description of African geography.
What was this man called ?(1 pt)
Leo Africanus
And what was his real name? (2 pts)
Al-Hasan bin Muhammed al-Wazzan al-Fasi
6.From which civilization is this image? (1 pt)
The Aztecs.
And what does it depict? (2 pts)
The giving testimony in an
Aztec court. The first shows judges holding court. In the second, the judge seated at right records testimony in pictographs; the man standing is perhaps an attorney. Aztec courts relied on evidence to reach their decisions, which could come from oral testimony, confessions, or circumstantial evidence. Unlike some European legal proceedings at the time of the conquest, the Aztecs did not use trial by ordeal or appeals for supernatural guidance.
7. What was the Bärwalde treaty? (1 pt)
A treaty between Sweden and France during the Thirty Years War. Sweden was paid by France to keep an army in Germany for the coming five years.
8. This animal is called after a rather famous explorer.
What is the name of this animal? (2 pts)
Lumholtz tree kangaroo, after the Norwegian Carl Lumholtz.
And where does it live? (1 pt)
Queensland Australia. Many guessed Madagascar, but is there any place one can find more weird animals than Australia?
9. This is the flag of which country? (1 pt)
Angola.
What is the country's name derived from? (2 pts)
From the Bantu word N'gola which was the title of the rulers at the time of Portuguese colonization. (16 century).
10.From the 6th to the 16th century, the Muslim world produced many important scientists and thinkers.
Below is a list of names with numbers and a list of epithets or professions with letters. Can you find find the correct combinations of numbers and letters? (1 pt for each correct)
My intended solution was: 1-g, 2-i, 3-e, 4-b, 5-j, 6-c, 7-h, 8-f, 9-a, 10-d, but I also awarded a couple of points to other plausible combinations due to the fact that those gentlemen were an outstandingly talented assembly.
11.What is anthropometry? (1 pt)
Who invented it? (1 pt)
Anthropometry is the study of human body measurement for use in anthropological classification and comparison. It was invented by the Frenchman Eugene Vidocq.(YNCS)
12.This is a portrait of one of the most famous military heroes from my country. What was his name? (1 points)
Peter Wessel Tordenskiold (1690-1720), outstanding naval commander.
And which war did he excel in? (1 pt)
The Great Northern War.
13.This cylinder of baked clay which was discovered in 1878 has been called the first charter of human rights.[/B
Who issued it? (1 pt)
Cyrus the Great of Persia.
Where was it discovered? (1 pt)
Babylon. This link has someinformation:http://home.btconnect.com/CAIS/Cyrus-the-Great/cyrus_cylinder.htm
14.Another of Maalouf's novel has as title the name of the city where this building can be found.
What is the name of the city? (1 pt)
Samarkand.
The novel is about one of the persons in question nr. 10.
Which one? (2 pts)
Omar Al-Khayyam.
15. What is this?(1 pt)
A cheese slicer. A very useful tool, and invented by a person from my town, Thor Bjørklund.
16.In one famous creation myth the twin heroes Hunahpu and Xbalanque are forced to play in a ball tournament by the gods of the underworld. At one point Xbalanque has to use Hunahpu's head as ball.
What is the name of that epos? (1 pt)
Popol Vuh. Terrific reading.
From which culture does it come from? (1 pt)
The Quiche Mayans.
17.Who is this man? (1 pt)
Joseph Boulogne, Chevalier de Saint-Georges (1745-1799).
He excelled in two areas. Which ones? (1 pt for each)
Music: Composer, violin virtuoso and conductor.
Military : France's leading fencer, Colonel of Black Legion.
Here is a couple of links to information about this remarkable man:http://chevalierdesaintgeorges.homestead.com/Page1.html
http://208.11.77.182/database/s/Saint-Georges.html
LouLong
In love with Rei Ayanami
Same problem here. I should have thought of it but expected something really surprising... when it was not.
I forgot you had to post the answers so now my quizz is above.... Wonder if anyone will see it and send me a PM (please, send be a PM (and draw me a sheep)).
I forgot you had to post the answers so now my quizz is above.... Wonder if anyone will see it and send me a PM (please, send be a PM (and draw me a sheep)).
Rambuchan
The Funky President
Yes. Agloo's unit threads.Luceafarul said:
Great quiz Luc
I'll post up some info on the characters in Q10 in a bit. And if I had the inclination to use my digital camera and upload the image, I could probably give you a picture of me with my very own cheese slicer, courtesy of Thor Bjørklund. And I look forward to getting stuck into you Loulong, I mean yours
It's a very good spread of questions, gonna be tricky!
Rambuchan
The Funky President
Here is the information I promised on those amazing men in Q10 of Luceafarul's quiz:
8. ABU AL-QASIM AL-ZAHRAVI (Abulcasis)
f. Famous surgeon
http://www.famousmuslims.com/ABU AL-QASIM AL-ZAHRAVI.htm
Born in 936 C.E. in Zahra in the neighbourhood of Cordova. He became one of the most renowned surgeons of the era and was physician to King Al-Hakam-II of Spain. After a long medical career, rich with significant original contribution, he died in 1013 C.E.
His great contribution to science and medicine was his Medical Encyclopedia called "Al-Tasrif". This covered operations he had performed himself: cauterization, removal of stone from the bladder, dissection of animals, midwifery, styptics, and surgery of eye, ear and throat. He perfected several delicate operations, including removal of the dead foetus and amputation. He also developed many surgical instruments which are still used today and the contents of Al-Tasrif comprised a part of the medical curriculum in European countries for many centuries. According to Dr. Cambell (History of Arab Medicine), his principles of medical science surpassed those of Galen in the European medical curriculum.
7. IBN BATTUTA
h.The Incredible Traveler
http://www.sfusd.k12.ca.us/schwww/sch618/Ibn_Battuta/Ibn_Battuta_Rihla.html
Ibn Battuta started on his travels when he was 20 years old in 1325. His main reason to travel was to go on a Hajj, or a Pilgrimage to Mecca. But his traveling went on for about 29 years and he covered about 75,000 miles, visiting the equivalent of 44 modern countries which were then mostly under the governments of Muslim leaders of the World of Islam, or "Dar al-Islam".
Near the end of Ibn Battuta's own life, the Sultan of Morocco insisted that Ibn Battuta dictate the story of his travels to a scholar and today we can read translations of that story called "Rihla - My Travels". Much of it is fascinating, but some of it seems to be made up and even is inaccurate about places we know about. However, it is a valuable and interesting record of places which add to our understanding of the Middle Ages.
2. ABU AL-NASR AL-FARABI
c.astronomer
Was born in a small village Wasij, near Farab in Turkistan in 259 A.H. (870 A.D.). His parents were originally of Persian descent, but his ancestors had migrated to Turkistan. He lived through the reigns of six Abbassid Caliphs and studied in Farab and Bukhara but, later on, he went to Baghdad. He also studied for some time in Damascus and Egypt, but repeatedly came back to Baghdad.
Farabi contributed considerably to:
- science
- philosophy (Neoplatonist who tried to synthesize Platonism and Aristotelism with theology
- logic (& One of the important contribu- tions of Farabi was to make the study of logic more easy by dividing it into two categories viz., Takhayyul (idea) and Thubut (proof)
- sociology (he wrote several books out of which Ara Ahl al-Madina al-Fadila became famous)
- Physics He demonstrated the existence of void.
- Music (He was a great expert in the art and science of music and invented several musical instru- ments, besides contributing to the knowledge of musical notes. It has been reported that he could play his instrument so well as to make people laugh or weep at will.)
- medicine
- mathematics
http://members.tripod.com/~wzzz/FARABI.html
10. OMAR AL-KHAYYAM
d. mathematician, astronomer, philosopher, physician & POET
Born at Nishapur, the provincial capital of Khurasan around 1044 A.D. Lived there and at Samarqand for most of his life. He died at Nishapur in 1123-24.
Maths - Algebra would seem to rank first among the fields to which he contributed. He made an attempt to classify most algebraic equa- tions, including the third degree equations and, in fact, offered solutions for a number of them. 'This includes geometric' solutions of cubic equations and partial geometric solutions of most other equations.
Astronomy - The Saljuq Sultan, Malikshah Jalal al-Din, called him to the new observatory at Ray around 1074 and assigned him the task of determining a correct solar calendar. This had become necessary in view of the revenue collections and other administrative matters that were to be performed at different times of the year. Khayyam introduced a calendar that was remarkably accurate, and was named as Al-Tarikh-al-Jalali. It had an error of one day in 3770 years and was thus even superior to the Georgian calendar (error of 1 day in 3330 years).
Poetry - He has become more popularly known in the Western world since 1839, when Edward Fitzgerald published an English translation of his Rubaiyat (quatrains). This has since become one of the most popular classics of world literature.
Science - contributions to other fields of science include a study of generalities of Euclid, development of methods for the accurate determination of specific gravity, etc
http://members.tripod.com/~wzzz/KHAYYAM.html
3. IBN SINA (Avicenna)
e.Doctor of doctors
Was born in 980 C.E. in the village of Afshana near Bukhara which today is located in the far south of Russia. He devoted himself during his teens to Muslim Jurisprudence, Philosophy and Natural Science and studied Logic, Euclid, and the Almeagest.
He turned his attention to Medicine at the age of 17 years and found it, in his own words, "not difficult". However he was greatly troubled by metaphysical problems and in particular the works of Aristotle. By chance, he obtained a manual on this subject by the celebrated philosopher al-Farabi which solved his difficulties.
After much studying Ibn Sina established a busy medical practice in Ray near Tehran. When Ray was besieged, Ibn Sina fled to Hamadan where he cured Amir Shamsud-Dawala of colic and was made Prime Minister.
His greatest legacy to the world was the Qanun. The Arabic text of the Qanun was published in Rome in 1593 but from the 12th-17th century, the Qanun served as the chief guide to Medical Science in the West and is said to have influenced Leonardo da Vinci. In the words of Dr. William Osler, the Qanun has remained "a medical bible for a longer time than any other work".
http://www.ummah.net/history/scholars/ibn_sina/
8. ABU AL-QASIM AL-ZAHRAVI (Abulcasis)
f. Famous surgeon
http://www.famousmuslims.com/ABU AL-QASIM AL-ZAHRAVI.htm
Born in 936 C.E. in Zahra in the neighbourhood of Cordova. He became one of the most renowned surgeons of the era and was physician to King Al-Hakam-II of Spain. After a long medical career, rich with significant original contribution, he died in 1013 C.E.
His great contribution to science and medicine was his Medical Encyclopedia called "Al-Tasrif". This covered operations he had performed himself: cauterization, removal of stone from the bladder, dissection of animals, midwifery, styptics, and surgery of eye, ear and throat. He perfected several delicate operations, including removal of the dead foetus and amputation. He also developed many surgical instruments which are still used today and the contents of Al-Tasrif comprised a part of the medical curriculum in European countries for many centuries. According to Dr. Cambell (History of Arab Medicine), his principles of medical science surpassed those of Galen in the European medical curriculum.
7. IBN BATTUTA
h.The Incredible Traveler
http://www.sfusd.k12.ca.us/schwww/sch618/Ibn_Battuta/Ibn_Battuta_Rihla.html
Ibn Battuta started on his travels when he was 20 years old in 1325. His main reason to travel was to go on a Hajj, or a Pilgrimage to Mecca. But his traveling went on for about 29 years and he covered about 75,000 miles, visiting the equivalent of 44 modern countries which were then mostly under the governments of Muslim leaders of the World of Islam, or "Dar al-Islam".
Near the end of Ibn Battuta's own life, the Sultan of Morocco insisted that Ibn Battuta dictate the story of his travels to a scholar and today we can read translations of that story called "Rihla - My Travels". Much of it is fascinating, but some of it seems to be made up and even is inaccurate about places we know about. However, it is a valuable and interesting record of places which add to our understanding of the Middle Ages.
2. ABU AL-NASR AL-FARABI
c.astronomer
Was born in a small village Wasij, near Farab in Turkistan in 259 A.H. (870 A.D.). His parents were originally of Persian descent, but his ancestors had migrated to Turkistan. He lived through the reigns of six Abbassid Caliphs and studied in Farab and Bukhara but, later on, he went to Baghdad. He also studied for some time in Damascus and Egypt, but repeatedly came back to Baghdad.
Farabi contributed considerably to:
- science
- philosophy (Neoplatonist who tried to synthesize Platonism and Aristotelism with theology
- logic (& One of the important contribu- tions of Farabi was to make the study of logic more easy by dividing it into two categories viz., Takhayyul (idea) and Thubut (proof)
- sociology (he wrote several books out of which Ara Ahl al-Madina al-Fadila became famous)
- Physics He demonstrated the existence of void.
- Music (He was a great expert in the art and science of music and invented several musical instru- ments, besides contributing to the knowledge of musical notes. It has been reported that he could play his instrument so well as to make people laugh or weep at will.)
- medicine
- mathematics
http://members.tripod.com/~wzzz/FARABI.html
10. OMAR AL-KHAYYAM
d. mathematician, astronomer, philosopher, physician & POET
Born at Nishapur, the provincial capital of Khurasan around 1044 A.D. Lived there and at Samarqand for most of his life. He died at Nishapur in 1123-24.
Maths - Algebra would seem to rank first among the fields to which he contributed. He made an attempt to classify most algebraic equa- tions, including the third degree equations and, in fact, offered solutions for a number of them. 'This includes geometric' solutions of cubic equations and partial geometric solutions of most other equations.
Astronomy - The Saljuq Sultan, Malikshah Jalal al-Din, called him to the new observatory at Ray around 1074 and assigned him the task of determining a correct solar calendar. This had become necessary in view of the revenue collections and other administrative matters that were to be performed at different times of the year. Khayyam introduced a calendar that was remarkably accurate, and was named as Al-Tarikh-al-Jalali. It had an error of one day in 3770 years and was thus even superior to the Georgian calendar (error of 1 day in 3330 years).
Poetry - He has become more popularly known in the Western world since 1839, when Edward Fitzgerald published an English translation of his Rubaiyat (quatrains). This has since become one of the most popular classics of world literature.
Science - contributions to other fields of science include a study of generalities of Euclid, development of methods for the accurate determination of specific gravity, etc
http://members.tripod.com/~wzzz/KHAYYAM.html
3. IBN SINA (Avicenna)
e.Doctor of doctors
Was born in 980 C.E. in the village of Afshana near Bukhara which today is located in the far south of Russia. He devoted himself during his teens to Muslim Jurisprudence, Philosophy and Natural Science and studied Logic, Euclid, and the Almeagest.
He turned his attention to Medicine at the age of 17 years and found it, in his own words, "not difficult". However he was greatly troubled by metaphysical problems and in particular the works of Aristotle. By chance, he obtained a manual on this subject by the celebrated philosopher al-Farabi which solved his difficulties.
After much studying Ibn Sina established a busy medical practice in Ray near Tehran. When Ray was besieged, Ibn Sina fled to Hamadan where he cured Amir Shamsud-Dawala of colic and was made Prime Minister.
His greatest legacy to the world was the Qanun. The Arabic text of the Qanun was published in Rome in 1593 but from the 12th-17th century, the Qanun served as the chief guide to Medical Science in the West and is said to have influenced Leonardo da Vinci. In the words of Dr. William Osler, the Qanun has remained "a medical bible for a longer time than any other work".
http://www.ummah.net/history/scholars/ibn_sina/
LouLong
In love with Rei Ayanami
First results :
Adso de Fimnu : 13.5
Oryctolagus : 9
Plotinus : 5
Rambuchan : 5 (at the moment)
Adso de Fimnu : 13.5
Oryctolagus : 9
Plotinus : 5
Rambuchan : 5 (at the moment)
Rambuchan
The Funky President
Plotinus - I have now submitted so I wouldn't keep looking so smug if I were you 
. There are quite a few topics LL has chosen which fall within my fields of ahem expertise, if I can use that word. So I'm fully hoping to take the lead (which I shall no doubt lose pretty soon after 
).
. There are quite a few topics LL has chosen which fall within my fields of ahem expertise, if I can use that word. So I'm fully hoping to take the lead (which I shall no doubt lose pretty soon after ).
LouLong
In love with Rei Ayanami
I edited some questions to make them more precise.
Rambuchan : at the moment so much for taking the lead over Plotinus !
Rambuchan : at the moment so much for taking the lead over Plotinus !
Adso de Fimnu
Prince
Well, I just submitted some answers. I've been loath to do this quiz, as no research is allowed, but some of the questions looked relatively simple this time. Hopefully I don't embarrass myself...
LouLong
In love with Rei Ayanami
Results :
Well I expected much more "players" but anyway...
1. Who does not fit in this list (please explain why) ?
Baber
Akbar
Tugluk
Tugluk because he was not a Moghol
2. What country became of the Mosquito coast ?
Nicaragua (don't know about a movie...)
3. How did a German become the official musician of the English court during the early XVIIIth century. What was his name ?
I was surprised here to get so few answers. Haendel was the court musician of the Hannovers. When they became kings of England he followed them.
4. Right or Wrong ?
A visiting Roman senator was stoned to death in Alexandria under the Lagids after causing the death of a cat.
Is this tue or false ?
Indeed it is true. I learnt that the day my cat had died so I am not gonna forget that. Cats were very important in Egypt as in many agricultural countries. They were even worshipped as Bastet.
An Englishwoman could have been a medieval Pope. Is this true or false ?
Yes. Most studies think it is false but rumors are strong and they say that the English pope John could actually have been a Joan ! I believe there is a movie about that.
John Cabot was actually French. Is this true or false ?
No, neither was he English. He was Italian but his name got anglicized.
The Romans won the battle of Thapsus. Is this true or false ?
This question was the tricky one and a good way to get a bonus. Nobody got it. Thapsus was a battle of the civil war between Pompeians and Caesarians so actually it was both true and wrong...
5. What is the symbol on the coat-of-arms of the Vatican (precisely = what does it refer to) ?
The main one is a pair of keys and these keys are called the keys of Peter (St Peter the first bishop of Rome).
6. Was the trade between China and England positive or negative for England before the opium wars ?
Well slightly tricky... Officially it was negative hence the need for England to export opium "illegally". This made the trade at least balanced and even positive. But that caused China to blockade the opium trade and then the Opium Wars.
7. What music writer is associated with the romantism and nationalism in Finland ?
Sybelius.
8. What is the current name of the Sandwich islands ?
Come on ! Hawai !
9. The Blackfeet can be used to describe (globally) two groups of people. Which ones ? (not automatically in English).
Of course the Blackfeet AmerIndians in NW USA. But the Pieds-Noirs (Blackfeet in French) is the name (or nickname) of the colons that fled Algeria when it became independant and moved forcibly to France.
10. What country birth does not fit here (and why) ? These are the modern countries.
Belgium
Albania
Greece
Actually at least 2 possible answers. 2 of them broke from the Otooman Empire and 1 from the Netherlands. My original idea was 2 became independant in the XIXth century while Albania became independant only in the XXth century.
11. The black slave revolt in Haiti in the late XVIIIthe century was actually partly organized by the white French colons in the first place. How and why ?
The trick was indeed French white colons first armed some of their slaves to organize a rebellion. This has to do with the French revolution that gave the same rights to the free blacks as to the whites. All these free "blacks" were actually mixed and many had some money and terrains (including plantations) that they often had inherited from their actual fathers (actually white colons !). But they saw the revolution as an opportunity to get some real power and equality and since they were numerous the whites feared them while they could not accept equality with them. So they tried to play one group against another: black slaves vs mixed (some of whom had slaves themselves). The color problems were so important that it started to work (albeit blacks revolted against both categories their initial revolts were geographically controlled) but then they worked together against whites (before fighting one another once the Whites had lost all real power).
12. Why was the church so important in the Holy Roman Empire, to the point that the Reform nearly saw the end of the Empire ?
Many people found the question vague but it was actually quite straightforward and simple. Because it was the only real factor of unity. Italians, Prussians, Czechs, ... different languages, laws, traditions but one religion.
13. What ancient writer wrote parallel lifes of famous Greek and Roman people ? Give an exemple.
Plutarch. He compared the lives of 2 people (1 Roman, 1 Greek) in each book.
He focused on moral virtues or shortcomings.
14. What could be a UU for the Qin (the dynasty that united China in 221 BC) ?
One very specific unit of the time was the heavy crossbowmen (they required two men, one to hold, one to shoot). Watch the movie "Hero" by Zhang Yi Mou.
15. What was the Italian capital city (of modern Italy then) after Torino and before Rome ?
Piedmont (capital Torino) united Italy except for Rome that had to wait until 1870. In-between to be more centered the captial was moved to Florence/Firenze.
16. Toussaint Louverture's initial name was Toussaint Breda. Where did his name come from and why did he change it ?
That question needed mostly some thinking. Toussaint was actually an Haitian slave so as most slaves he was called by the name of the plantation he worked in. In this case Breda. That is indeed a Dutch city but I don't know of any link between the city and the plantation. Of course he changed his "name" to get something more "personal".
17. What does the "Blue horizon" chamber in French parliamentary life refer to ?
It refers to the chamber after the elections that just followed the end of WWI (elections had been postponed until the end of the war). MANY members (that including lots of newcomers to politics) were veterans of the war (which gave them a lot of prestige). The cape French soldiers were wearing was horizon blue therefore the name.
18. Name 3 battles of the colonization/decolonization era lost by European powers against non-Europeans/Americans.
You have the choice here. The most famous are probably Adua (Italians vs Ethiopians), Isandhlwana (British vs Zulus) and Dien Bien Phû (French vs Vietnamese) but there were other possibilities such as Little Big Horn or Tsushima or Mukden (Russians got beaten by "yellow" men).
19. What can the TVA acronym refer to in the first half of XXth century US history ?
Tenessee Valley Authority, one of the organizations organized to fight unemployment. Hoover Dam anyone ?
20. Who does not fit in this list (and why) ?
Mizoguchi
Yamamoto
Ozu
Yamamoto was an admiral. The two others are film directors of (mostly) the after WWII.
21. From what other castle did Louis XIV find inspiration for Versailles ? Who owned that first castle ?[/QUOTE]
Vaux-le-Vicomte. The castle was created in a brand-new style (including the garden) by Fouquet, basically the finance minister of Louis XIV. The king was so jealous he stole his architect and garden designer (Le Nôtre) and had Fouquet send to jail where he died. He probably stole some money for himself but did not deserve such hatred and was probably convicted on false evidence. The new style was then used to create Versailles.
Adso de Fimnu : 13.5
Oryctolagus : 12
Plotinus : 5
Rambuchan : 5
Adso de Fimnu wins.
Well I expected much more "players" but anyway...
1. Who does not fit in this list (please explain why) ?
Baber
Akbar
Tugluk
Tugluk because he was not a Moghol
2. What country became of the Mosquito coast ?
Nicaragua (don't know about a movie...)
3. How did a German become the official musician of the English court during the early XVIIIth century. What was his name ?
I was surprised here to get so few answers. Haendel was the court musician of the Hannovers. When they became kings of England he followed them.
4. Right or Wrong ?
A visiting Roman senator was stoned to death in Alexandria under the Lagids after causing the death of a cat.
Is this tue or false ?
Indeed it is true. I learnt that the day my cat had died so I am not gonna forget that. Cats were very important in Egypt as in many agricultural countries. They were even worshipped as Bastet.
An Englishwoman could have been a medieval Pope. Is this true or false ?
Yes. Most studies think it is false but rumors are strong and they say that the English pope John could actually have been a Joan ! I believe there is a movie about that.
John Cabot was actually French. Is this true or false ?
No, neither was he English. He was Italian but his name got anglicized.
The Romans won the battle of Thapsus. Is this true or false ?
This question was the tricky one and a good way to get a bonus. Nobody got it. Thapsus was a battle of the civil war between Pompeians and Caesarians so actually it was both true and wrong...
5. What is the symbol on the coat-of-arms of the Vatican (precisely = what does it refer to) ?
The main one is a pair of keys and these keys are called the keys of Peter (St Peter the first bishop of Rome).
6. Was the trade between China and England positive or negative for England before the opium wars ?
Well slightly tricky... Officially it was negative hence the need for England to export opium "illegally". This made the trade at least balanced and even positive. But that caused China to blockade the opium trade and then the Opium Wars.
7. What music writer is associated with the romantism and nationalism in Finland ?
Sybelius.
8. What is the current name of the Sandwich islands ?
Come on ! Hawai !
9. The Blackfeet can be used to describe (globally) two groups of people. Which ones ? (not automatically in English).
Of course the Blackfeet AmerIndians in NW USA. But the Pieds-Noirs (Blackfeet in French) is the name (or nickname) of the colons that fled Algeria when it became independant and moved forcibly to France.
10. What country birth does not fit here (and why) ? These are the modern countries.
Belgium
Albania
Greece
Actually at least 2 possible answers. 2 of them broke from the Otooman Empire and 1 from the Netherlands. My original idea was 2 became independant in the XIXth century while Albania became independant only in the XXth century.
11. The black slave revolt in Haiti in the late XVIIIthe century was actually partly organized by the white French colons in the first place. How and why ?
The trick was indeed French white colons first armed some of their slaves to organize a rebellion. This has to do with the French revolution that gave the same rights to the free blacks as to the whites. All these free "blacks" were actually mixed and many had some money and terrains (including plantations) that they often had inherited from their actual fathers (actually white colons !). But they saw the revolution as an opportunity to get some real power and equality and since they were numerous the whites feared them while they could not accept equality with them. So they tried to play one group against another: black slaves vs mixed (some of whom had slaves themselves). The color problems were so important that it started to work (albeit blacks revolted against both categories their initial revolts were geographically controlled) but then they worked together against whites (before fighting one another once the Whites had lost all real power).
12. Why was the church so important in the Holy Roman Empire, to the point that the Reform nearly saw the end of the Empire ?
Many people found the question vague but it was actually quite straightforward and simple. Because it was the only real factor of unity. Italians, Prussians, Czechs, ... different languages, laws, traditions but one religion.
13. What ancient writer wrote parallel lifes of famous Greek and Roman people ? Give an exemple.
Plutarch. He compared the lives of 2 people (1 Roman, 1 Greek) in each book.
He focused on moral virtues or shortcomings.
14. What could be a UU for the Qin (the dynasty that united China in 221 BC) ?
One very specific unit of the time was the heavy crossbowmen (they required two men, one to hold, one to shoot). Watch the movie "Hero" by Zhang Yi Mou.
15. What was the Italian capital city (of modern Italy then) after Torino and before Rome ?
Piedmont (capital Torino) united Italy except for Rome that had to wait until 1870. In-between to be more centered the captial was moved to Florence/Firenze.
16. Toussaint Louverture's initial name was Toussaint Breda. Where did his name come from and why did he change it ?
That question needed mostly some thinking. Toussaint was actually an Haitian slave so as most slaves he was called by the name of the plantation he worked in. In this case Breda. That is indeed a Dutch city but I don't know of any link between the city and the plantation. Of course he changed his "name" to get something more "personal".
17. What does the "Blue horizon" chamber in French parliamentary life refer to ?
It refers to the chamber after the elections that just followed the end of WWI (elections had been postponed until the end of the war). MANY members (that including lots of newcomers to politics) were veterans of the war (which gave them a lot of prestige). The cape French soldiers were wearing was horizon blue therefore the name.
18. Name 3 battles of the colonization/decolonization era lost by European powers against non-Europeans/Americans.
You have the choice here. The most famous are probably Adua (Italians vs Ethiopians), Isandhlwana (British vs Zulus) and Dien Bien Phû (French vs Vietnamese) but there were other possibilities such as Little Big Horn or Tsushima or Mukden (Russians got beaten by "yellow" men).
19. What can the TVA acronym refer to in the first half of XXth century US history ?
Tenessee Valley Authority, one of the organizations organized to fight unemployment. Hoover Dam anyone ?
20. Who does not fit in this list (and why) ?
Mizoguchi
Yamamoto
Ozu
Yamamoto was an admiral. The two others are film directors of (mostly) the after WWII.
21. From what other castle did Louis XIV find inspiration for Versailles ? Who owned that first castle ?[/QUOTE]
Vaux-le-Vicomte. The castle was created in a brand-new style (including the garden) by Fouquet, basically the finance minister of Louis XIV. The king was so jealous he stole his architect and garden designer (Le Nôtre) and had Fouquet send to jail where he died. He probably stole some money for himself but did not deserve such hatred and was probably convicted on false evidence. The new style was then used to create Versailles.
Adso de Fimnu : 13.5
Oryctolagus : 12
Plotinus : 5
Rambuchan : 5
Adso de Fimnu wins.
Serutan
Eatibus Anythingibus
LouLong said:
A slight correction
Hoover Dam is not a TVA dam; it's on the opposite
side of the country on the Colorado River, and it
predates the TVA.
TVA dams include Watts Bar, Norris, Kentucky,
Pickwick, Wheeler, plus many others. And it was a
huge success.
Ciceronian
Latin Scholar
Toussaint's owner was the Count of Breda, hence his name.LouLong said:
I should have submitted, I actually knew quite a lot and there were lots of Classical questions, but unfortunately I didn't find the time.
Adso de Fimnu
Prince
I lucked out on the questions. But I have no desire to make another quiz. I thus give the floor to Oryctolagus for the next quiz.LouLong said:
Adler17
Prussian Feldmarschall
IIRC Pope Joan was from Mainz, Germany, and not from England...
Adler
Adler
LouLong
In love with Rei Ayanami
YNCS said:
And a tiny bit in Costa Rica too. You are right and this is why I accepted these 3 answers. But the most important part is definitely in Nicaragua.
@Serutan : :shame . Probably wanted to be brilliant in the answer and typed a bit quickly....
I wish all you guys had reacted more to the quizz than merely to the answers...
Mongoloid Cow
Great Khan
Well, there was only one English pope: Adrian IV (?). So John / Joan could not have been English.
LouLong
In love with Rei Ayanami
Ciceronian said:
Ah ! I will take a look. Indeed a pity you did not take part.
BTW my point here was not erudition but actually thinking and I was surprised none thought of the fact many slaves bore the names of the plantations where they worked and/or of their owners. Erudition is not really a field for competition but deducing something from a few elements was IMHO.
- Status
