8th January Quiz Medium
- 15 questions
- about 20 minutes to run
- published 9 Aug 2019
- updated
1. The Battle of New Orleans was fought on 8 January 1815, after the peace treaty had already been signed. Which future president led the American forces?
2. A singer born in Tupelo, Mississippi, on 8 January 1935 became the "King of Rock and Roll". Name him. What was unusual about his birth?
3. A singer born in Brixton on 8 January 1947 changed his surname to avoid confusion with a Monkee. What was his real name, and his stage name?
4. A British physicist born in Oxford on 8 January 1942 liked to point out that he was born exactly 300 years after the death of a famous astronomer. Name both men.
5. A Venetian merchant whose travels to China became a famous book died on 8 January 1324. Name him. To whom did he dictate his book while in prison?
6. On 8 January 1790, George Washington gave the first speech of a type US presidents still give every year. What is it called?
7. On 8 January 1918, Woodrow Wilson set out his plan for peace after the First World War. What is the speech known as?
8. On 8 January 1959, Charles de Gaulle became the first president of a new French Republic. Which number Republic?
9. Which French president died on 8 January 1996, having served 14 years, longer than any other president of the Fifth Republic?
10. On 8 January 1889, an American inventor patented a punched-card machine for counting census data. Name him. Which famous computer company did his firm later become part of?
11. On 8 January 1973, the Soviet Union launched a mission carrying its second robotic Moon rover. What was the rover called?
12. A Welsh singer born in Cardiff on 8 January 1937 sang three James Bond themes. Name her and any one of the films.
13. On 8 January 1940, food rationing began in Britain. Name the three foods that were rationed first.
14. An English novelist born on 8 January 1824 wrote "The Moonstone", often called the first English detective novel, and "The Woman in White". Who was he?
15. On 8 January 1982, a giant American telephone company agreed to be broken up into smaller regional companies. Name the company. What nickname did the regional companies get?
ANSWERS
1. Andrew Jackson
2. Elvis Presley. He was a twin (his twin brother Jesse Garon was stillborn).
3. His real name was David Jones (David Robert Jones). His stage name is David Bowie.
4. Stephen Hawking, born exactly 300 years after Galileo Galilei died
5. Marco Polo. He dictated it to Rustichello da Pisa.
6. The State of the Union address
7. The Fourteen Points
8. The Fifth Republic
9. François Mitterrand
10. Herman Hollerith. His company became part of IBM.
11. Lunokhod 2
12. Shirley Bassey. Her Bond themes were "Goldfinger", "Diamonds Are Forever" and "Moonraker" (any one).
13. Bacon, butter and sugar
14. Wilkie Collins
15. AT&T (the Bell System). The regional companies were called the "Baby Bells".
How was this quiz?
Thank you, that helps Paul balance future quizzes.