The 10 quiz questions
Question 1 : In which year did the Edict of Roussillon officially set the start of the year to January 1st in France?
Possible answers:
- 1539
- 1564
- 1582
- 1622
Explanation: The Edict of Roussillon, signed by King Charles IX in 1564, officially harmonised the start of the year in France on January 1st, until then, regions used various reference dates depending on religious feasts or local customs.
Question 2 : What event marks January 1st, 1983 in the history of the Internet?
Possible answers:
- The launch of the first online search engine
- The creation of the ARPANET network by the U.S. Department of Defense
- The opening of the Internet to the general public
- The ARPANET network adopts the TCP/IP protocol, founding act of the Internet
Explanation: The adoption of the TCP/IP protocol by ARPANET on January 1st, 1983 is considered the official birth of the Internet. The protocol allowed heterogeneous networks to communicate with each other, laying the foundations for the global interconnection we know today.
Question 3 : Which African country was the first French colony to gain independence, on January 1st, 1960?
Possible answers:
- Senegal
- Cameroon
- Congo
- Ivory Coast
Explanation: Cameroon kicked off a wave of decolonisation in 1960 that would transform Africa. The year 1960 is often called the "Year of Africa" because no fewer than 17 African countries gained independence that year, redrawing the entire map of the continent.
Question 4 : On January 1st, 1999, a major economic event took place in Europe. What was it?
Possible answers:
- The creation of the European Central Bank
- NAFTA enters into force between the United States, Canada and Mexico
- The introduction of the European currency, the euro
- The birth of the World Trade Organization
Explanation: The euro was introduced in 1999 first in scriptural form (used in banking and financial transactions). Banknotes and coins were not put into circulation until three years later, on January 1st, 2002, in 12 European Union member states.
Question 5 : Which Cuban dictator was forced to flee his country on January 1st, 1959 after the revolutionaries' victory?
Possible answers:
- Rafael Trujillo
- Fulgencio Batista
- Anastasio Somoza
- Marcos Pérez Jiménez
Explanation: Fulgencio Batista, who had seized power in a coup in 1952, fled to the Dominican Republic before going into exile in Portugal. The Cuban revolution, led by Fidel Castro and Ernesto "Che" Guevara, had lasted about two years.
Question 6 : In which year did Denmark, the United Kingdom and Ireland join the European Economic Community?
Possible answers:
- 1968
- 1973
- 1981
- 1986
Explanation: The 1973 enlargement, also known as the "first enlargement", brought the EEC from 6 to 9 members. The United Kingdom's previous applications had been blocked by General de Gaulle in 1963 and 1967, who felt Britain was not sufficiently European in outlook.
Question 7 : What name was given to January 1st in the French Republican calendar?
Possible answers:
- Day of silt
- Day of granite
- Day of the earth
- Day of clay
Explanation: The French Republican calendar, established in 1793 during the Revolution, gave each day a poetic name linked to nature. January 1st most often corresponded to 12 Nivôse, officially called "day of clay", while other days bore names such as "day of the laurel" or "day of the truffle".
Question 8 : Before the calendar reform, on which variable date did the year begin in many medieval European countries?
Possible answers:
- December 25th
- Easter
- March 1st
- The spring equinox
Explanation: The calculation of Easter, which falls between March 22nd and April 25th, made the start of the year extremely difficult to administer. Other systems coexisted: December 25th (Christmas), March 25th (Annunciation) or March 1st, a legacy of the ancient Roman calendar in which March was the first month.
Question 9 : Which musician or composer is associated with the famous Vienna New Year's Concert, whose first edition took place on January 1st, 1939?
Possible answers:
- Ludwig van Beethoven
- Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
- Johann Strauss
- Franz Schubert
Explanation: The Vienna New Year's Concert is traditionally dominated by works of the Strauss family, especially Johann Strauss II, nicknamed "the Waltz King". The annual concert is now broadcast in more than 90 countries to several hundred million viewers, with a different conductor each year.
Question 10 : Which country gained its independence from France on January 1st, 1804, after a revolution led notably by slaves?
Possible answers:
- Martinique
- Guadeloupe
- Louisiana
- Haiti
Explanation: Haiti is the world's first Black Republic and the only country born of a successful slave revolt. The Haitian Revolution (1791–1804), led by figures such as Toussaint Louverture and Jean-Jacques Dessalines, defeated Napoleon's troops and resulted in the proclamation of independence on January 1st, 1804. Napoleon had nevertheless restored slavery in 1802.
