The 10 quiz questions
Question 1 : What major decision did Nelson Mandela experience on February 11, 1990?
Possible answers:
- He was elected president of the ANC in exile
- He won the Nobel Peace Prize
- He was released after 27 years in prison
- He signed the end of apartheid
Explanation: Nelson Mandela had been imprisoned in 1964 after the Rivonia Trial. He spent 27 years behind bars, mainly on Robben Island, before being released by President Frederik De Klerk. Mandela would become the first Black president of South Africa in 1994.
Question 2 : What historic agreement was signed on February 11, 1929 between the Vatican and Italy?
Possible answers:
- The Treaty of Rome
- The Lateran Accords
- The Concordat of Milan
- The Vatican Convention
Explanation: The Lateran Treaty, signed between the Holy See and Mussolini's fascist Italy, put an end to the 'Roman Question' that had been open since 1870. It created the Vatican City State, recognized as a sovereign state, and settled relations between the Catholic Church and the Kingdom of Italy.
Question 3 : What happened on February 11, 624 regarding the direction of prayer in Islam?
Possible answers:
- Friday prayer becomes mandatory
- The direction of prayer shifts from Jerusalem to Mecca
- The pilgrimage to Mecca is established for the first time
- Medina is chosen as the capital of Islam
Explanation: This change of qibla, from Jerusalem to Mecca, represents a founding turning point in nascent Islam. The qibla is the direction toward the Kaaba, at the heart of the Grand Mosque of Mecca. Today, all Muslims around the world pray in the direction of Mecca, regardless of their country.
Question 4 : What great inventor was born on February 11, 1847?
Possible answers:
- Alexander Graham Bell
- Nikola Tesla
- Thomas Edison
- George Westinghouse
Explanation: Thomas Edison, born in Milan, Ohio, is considered one of the greatest inventors in history with more than 1,000 patents to his name. He is credited with the phonograph, the practical incandescent light bulb, and the kinetoscope, a precursor to cinema. He also founded the Menlo Park laboratories.
Question 5 : On February 11, 1945, the Yalta Conference came to an end. Which Allied leaders took part in it?
Possible answers:
- Roosevelt, Churchill and de Gaulle
- Roosevelt, Churchill and Stalin
- Truman, Attlee and Stalin
- Churchill, de Gaulle and Roosevelt
Explanation: The Yalta Conference brought together Roosevelt (United States), Churchill (United Kingdom) and Stalin (USSR) from February 4 to 11, 1945, in Crimea. It outlined the broad framework of post-war Europe, including the division of spheres of influence, and laid the groundwork for the future United Nations.
Question 6 : What Marian apparition took place on February 11, 1858 in Lourdes?
Possible answers:
- Bernadette Soubirous witnessed an apparition at the Massabielle grotto
- The Virgin Mary appeared and was directly recognized by the Church on the same day
- A miraculous statue was discovered in the grotto of Lourdes
- Bernadette Soubirous had a vision at the cathedral of Pau
Explanation: Bernadette Soubirous was 14 years old during the first apparition at the Massabielle grotto. She claimed to have seen a 'young girl' dressed in white. The Catholic Church officially recognized these apparitions in 1862. Lourdes is today one of the main Catholic pilgrimage sites in the world, with around 5 million visitors per year.
Question 7 : On February 11, 1979, what major political event took place in Iran?
Possible answers:
- The Shah of Iran is overthrown by the army
- Ayatollah Khomeini takes power, marking the end of the Iranian Revolution
- Iran declares war on Iraq
- The United States breaks off diplomatic relations with Tehran
Explanation: The Iranian Revolution overthrew Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, an ally of the United States. Ayatollah Khomeini, who had returned from exile in France on February 1, established the Islamic Republic of Iran. This event durably reshaped the geopolitical balance of the Middle East and relations between Iran and the West.
Question 8 : In 1922, the announcement of the discovery of insulin was made in Toronto. Who were the two scientists behind this discovery?
Possible answers:
- Alexander Fleming and Howard Florey
- Frederick Banting and Charles Best
- Louis Pasteur and Joseph Lister
- Robert Koch and Emil von Behring
Explanation: Frederick Banting and Charles Best discovered insulin in 1921 at the University of Toronto. This discovery revolutionized the treatment of type 1 diabetes, which had until then been fatal. Banting and John Macleod (director of the laboratory) received the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine in 1923. Banting shared his award with Best.
Question 9 : In what year did the great French chef Paul Bocuse, born on February 11, 1926, pass away?
Possible answers:
- 2012
- 2015
- 2018
- 2020
Explanation: Paul Bocuse, nicknamed 'Monsieur Paul', was one of the fathers of nouvelle French cuisine. He was the first chef to receive three Michelin stars in 1965, a distinction he held until his death. In 1987 he created the Bocuse d'Or, an international culinary competition considered the Olympics of gastronomy.
Question 10 : On February 11, 2013, which pope announced his resignation from the pontifical office?
Possible answers:
- John Paul II
- Benedict XVI
- Francis
- John XXIII
Explanation: Benedict XVI (Joseph Ratzinger) was the first pope to resign since Gregory XII in 1415. He cited his physical and mental decline. This decision paved the way for the election of Pope Francis (Jorge Mario Bergoglio), the first Latin American pope in history, elected on March 13, 2013.
