The 10 quiz questions
Question 1 : In 1789, Alexander Mackenzie completed the exploration of a great river he believed to be the Northwest Passage. What is this river?
Possible answers:
- The Saint Lawrence River
- The Columbia River
- The Mackenzie River
- The Yukon River
Explanation: The Mackenzie River, about 4,241 km long, is the longest river in Canada. Mackenzie hoped to find a route to the Pacific Ocean, but the river actually flows into the Arctic Ocean.
Question 2 : On July 14, 1755, Pasquale Paoli was proclaimed commander-in-chief of the Corsican nation. Against which power was he leading his revolt?
Possible answers:
- Against France
- Against Spain
- Against Genoa
- Against the Kingdom of Naples
Explanation: Corsica had been under Genoese rule since the XVth century. In 1768, Genoa would cede its rights over the island to France, which would trigger Paoli's final resistance before his exile in England.
Question 3 : On July 14, 1865, Edward Whymper completed the first ascent of the Matterhorn. What tragedy marked this expedition?
Possible answers:
- Whymper was seriously injured at the summit
- Four members of the group died during the descent
- The expedition was trapped by a storm for several days
- Two members of the expedition were left at the summit
Explanation: Four of the seven members of the group died during the descent, including guide Michel Croz and three British mountaineers. This disaster shook public opinion and fueled the debate about the risks of mountaineering.
Question 4 : What motto appeared for the first time on the facades of French public institutions on July 14, 1880?
Possible answers:
- Honor and Fatherland
- Unity, Indivisibility, Republic
- Liberty, Equality, Fraternity
- Work, Family, Fatherland
Explanation: The motto "Liberté, Égalité, Fraternité" comes from the French Revolution, but its official adoption came late. It wasn't until 1946 and then 1958 that it was written into the French Constitutions.
Question 5 : Born on July 14, 1918, which famous Swedish filmmaker directed movies like "The Seventh Seal" and "Persona"?
Possible answers:
- Jan Troell
- Bo Widerberg
- Roy Andersson
- Ingmar Bergman
Explanation: Ingmar Bergman is considered one of the greatest directors in the history of cinema. His work, often marked by reflections on death, faith and identity, has influenced generations of filmmakers.
Question 6 : On July 14, 2015, the New Horizons space probe made a historic flyby of Pluto. Which space agency does this probe belong to?
Possible answers:
- ESA (European Space Agency)
- NASA
- Roscosmos (Russian space agency)
- JAXA (Japanese space agency)
Explanation: New Horizons, launched in January 2006 by NASA, took about nine and a half years to reach Pluto. It provided the first detailed images of this dwarf planet, revealing a vast heart-shaped icy plain.
Question 7 : What major event of July 14, 1790 is supposed to symbolize the end of the French Revolution?
Possible answers:
- The proclamation of the First Republic
- The Festival of the Federation at the Champ-de-Mars
- The adoption of the Declaration of the Rights of Man
- The signing of the French Constitution
Explanation: The Fête de la Fédération brought together delegates from all over France at the Champ-de-Mars. Louis XVI swore an oath to the Constitution there, and Lafayette commanded the National Guards. Yet the Revolution would continue for several more years.
Question 8 : On July 14, 1933, Nazi Germany passed a law with dramatic consequences for thousands of people. What did it provide for?
Possible answers:
- The exclusion of Jews from the civil service
- The forced sterilization of certain categories of people
- The ban on political parties opposed to the NSDAP
- Forced labor for political prisoners
Explanation: This forced sterilization law, inspired by eugenicist theories, led to the sterilization of more than 400,000 people in Nazi Germany. It was part of the racial ideology of the Hitler regime.
Question 9 : Which American president, born on July 14, 1913, became president without ever having been elected to that position or to the vice presidency?
Possible answers:
- Harry Truman
- Gerald Ford
- Lyndon Johnson
- Chester Arthur
Explanation: Gerald Ford was appointed vice president in 1973 after the resignation of Spiro Agnew, then became president upon Nixon's resignation in 1974. He is thus the only American president to have received no votes from the Electoral College for either of those two positions.
Question 10 : What is the significance of July 14 in the French Republican calendar, officially named after a plant?
Possible answers:
- Wheat day, 24 Messidor
- Lavender day, 28 Messidor
- Sage day, 26 Messidor
- Linden day, 22 Messidor
Explanation: The Republican calendar, introduced in 1793, gave each day the name of a plant, an animal, or a tool. It was permanently abolished under Napoleon I in 1806, when France returned to the Gregorian calendar.
