The 10 quiz questions
Question 1 : What historic French law was passed on December 9, 1905?
Possible answers:
- The Freedom of the Press Act
- The Communards' Amnesty Act
- The Law on the Separation of Churches and State
- The Compulsory Education Act
Explanation: The law on the separation of Church and State, championed notably by Aristide Briand and Ferdinand Buisson, put an end to the Concordat regime of 1801 established by Napoleon. It is considered the legal foundation of French-style secularism (laïcité).
Question 2 : Which Parisian museum opened its doors to the public on 9 December 1986?
Possible answers:
- The Louvre Museum
- The Centre Pompidou
- The Cluny Museum
- The Musée d'Orsay
Explanation: The Musée d'Orsay is housed in a former train station built for the 1900 World's Fair. It holds the largest collection of Impressionist works in the world, with masterpieces by Monet, Renoir, and Degas.
Question 3 : On December 9, 1824, in which country did the Battle of Ayacucho take place?
Possible answers:
- In Colombia
- In Peru
- In Venezuela
- In Bolivia
Explanation: The Battle of Ayacucho, won by the independence forces of Marshal Sucre against the Spanish troops, is considered the last major battle of the Spanish-American wars of independence. It sealed the independence of Peru.
Question 4 : What major event concerning the rights of enslaved people took place in Mayotte on December 9, 1846?
Possible answers:
- The creation of a tribunal to judge slave owners
- The emancipation of slaves by royal decree
- The ban on the slave trade in the port of Mayotte
- The recognition of voting rights for former slaves
Explanation: The emancipation of enslaved people in Mayotte in 1846 preceded by two years the general abolition of slavery in the French colonies, proclaimed by Victor Schœlcher in 1848. Mayotte had been ceded to France in 1841.
Question 5 : What public transport network was inaugurated in Île-de-France on December 9, 1977?
Possible answers:
- The automatic metro
- The Parisian tram
- The RER, regional express network
- The high-level service bus
Explanation: The RER (Réseau Express Régional) transformed travel in Île-de-France by connecting the heart of Paris to its suburbs at high speed. Today made up of five lines (A to E), it carries millions of passengers every day.
Question 6 : On December 9, 1990, which leader won the presidential election in Poland?
Possible answers:
- Tadeusz Mazowiecki
- Aleksander Kwaśniewski
- Lech Wałęsa
- Wojciech Jaruzelski
Explanation: Lech Wałęsa, founder of the Solidarność trade union, became president of Poland after being a central figure in the resistance to the communist regime in the 1980s. He received the Nobel Peace Prize in 1983.
Question 7 : Born on December 9, 1916, which famous American actor is best known for his role as Spartacus?
Possible answers:
- Burt Lancaster
- Kirk Douglas
- Gregory Peck
- Charlton Heston
Explanation: Kirk Douglas, whose real name was Issur Danielovitch, produced and starred in Spartacus (1960), a film that also helped end the McCarthyist blacklist in Hollywood by crediting screenwriter Dalton Trumbo under his real name. Kirk Douglas died in February 2020 at the age of 103.
Question 8 : What international Convention was adopted by the UN on December 9, 1948?
Possible answers:
- The Convention on the Rights of the Child
- The Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide
- The Convention Against Torture
- The Geneva Convention on Prisoners of War
Explanation: The Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide was adopted one day before the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (December 10, 1948). It legally defined genocide as an international crime for the first time.
Question 9 : Which chemist born on December 9, 1868 received the Nobel Prize in Chemistry for the synthesis of ammonia?
Possible answers:
- Carl Wilhelm Scheele
- Claude-Louis Berthollet
- Fritz Haber
- Dmitri Mendeleev
Explanation: Fritz Haber developed the process for synthesizing ammonia from atmospheric nitrogen, revolutionizing fertilizer production and world agriculture. He is also sadly famous for having developed the combat gases used during World War I.
Question 10 : What is the historical significance of the European flag officially adopted on December 9, 1955?
Possible answers:
- It represents the 12 founding states of the European Union
- It symbolizes unity and perfection, with 12 stars on a blue background
- It commemorates the end of World War II in Europe
- It takes the colors of the United Nations flag as a tribute to the UN
Explanation: The European flag, featuring twelve golden stars on a blue background, was first adopted by the Council of Europe in 1955, before being taken up by the European Community in 1985. The twelve stars symbolize perfection and unity, not the number of member states.
