The 10 quiz questions
Question 1 : In 1642, Paul de Chomedey de Maisonneuve founded a city in New France that would become a major North American metropolis. What was the original name of this city?
Possible answers:
- Nouvelle-Paris
- Fort-Royal
- Ville-Marie
- Saint-Laurent
Explanation: Ville-Marie was founded by Paul de Chomedey de Maisonneuve on May 17, 1642 on the island of Hochelaga. The city gradually took the name of Montreal, derived from Mount Royal which dominates the island. Maisonneuve was its first governor for over twenty years.
Question 2 : In 1954, the United States Supreme Court issued a historic ruling in the Brown v. Board of Education case. What practice did this ruling prohibit in American public schools?
Possible answers:
- The wearing of mandatory uniforms
- Racial segregation
- Religious education
- Coeducation between girls and boys
Explanation: The Brown v. Board of Education ruling ended the "separate but equal" doctrine established by the 1896 Plessy v. Ferguson ruling. This unanimous decision, handed down under Chief Justice Earl Warren, was a major turning point in the American civil rights movement, although its concrete implementation took many years.
Question 3 : On May 17, 1943, Operation Chastise consisted of bombing strategic German dams. Which Royal Air Force squadron led this operation?
Possible answers:
- The 617 Squadron
- The 101 Squadron
- The 550 Squadron
- The 75 Squadron
Explanation: The 617 Squadron, nicknamed the "Dambusters Squadron", was specifically created for this mission. They used bouncing bombs invented by engineer Barnes Wallis, dropped at very low altitude to blow up the dams. The operation caused significant material damage but also heavy losses among British crews: 53 airmen out of 133 perished.
Question 4 : On May 17, 1990, the World Health Organization took an important symbolic decision. What was it?
Possible answers:
- The ban on conversion therapy in public hospitals
- The removal of homosexuality from the list of mental illnesses
- The recognition of the right to marriage between same-sex persons
- The creation of a global day against discrimination
Explanation: Since 1990, May 17 has been celebrated as the International Day Against Homophobia, Transphobia and Biphobia (IDAHOT), in reference to this WHO decision. France had removed homosexuality from its national list of mental illnesses as early as 1981, under the presidency of François Mitterrand.
Question 5 : In 1792, a major financial institution was created in New York following the Buttonwood Agreement. Which institution was it?
Possible answers:
- The Federal Reserve Bank
- The American central bank
- The New York Stock Exchange
- The New York Chamber of Commerce
Explanation: The Buttonwood Agreement was signed on May 17, 1792 by 24 brokers and merchants under a buttonwood tree at 68 Wall Street. They thus formed the first organized stock exchange in New York, ancestor of the NYSE, which today is the largest stock exchange in the world by market capitalization.
Question 6 : In 1997, Laurent-Désiré Kabila proclaimed himself president of a Central African country after taking its capital, and renamed it. Under what new name has this country been known ever since?
Possible answers:
- People's Republic of the Congo
- Democratic Republic of the Congo
- Congo-Brazzaville
- Federal Republic of Zaire
Explanation: Zaire had been renamed by Mobutu Sese Seko in 1971 as part of his policy of African authenticity. Kabila, after overthrowing Mobutu with the support of Rwanda and Uganda among others, restored the name Democratic Republic of the Congo. This country is the second largest in Africa and has one of the largest tropical forests in the world.
Question 7 : Born on May 17, 1866, Erik Satie is a French artist famous in which field?
Possible answers:
- Impressionist painting
- Symbolist literature
- Musical composition and piano
- Abstract sculpture
Explanation: Erik Satie is particularly known for his Gymnopédies (1888) and his Gnossiennes, piano pieces of great harmonic sobriety that profoundly influenced 20th-century music. He was a figure of the Parisian avant-garde and had great influence on composers such as Debussy and the group Les Six.
Question 8 : In 1814, the Norwegian Constituent Assembly meeting at Eidsvoll adopted a Constitution and elected a king. Who is this first king of independent Norway?
Possible answers:
- Harald V of Norway
- Haakon VII
- Christian Frederick of Denmark
- Oscar I of Sweden
Explanation: The Norwegian Constitution of May 17, 1814 is one of the oldest constitutions still in force in the world. This day became the Norwegian national holiday, "Syttende mai". However, Christian Frederick had to abdicate the same year after the military defeat against Sweden, and Norway was placed in personal union with Sweden until 1905.
Question 9 : In 1861, James Clerk Maxwell achieved a world first in front of the members of the Royal Institution of London. What was it?
Possible answers:
- The first transatlantic telegraph transmission
- The first true-color photograph
- The first X-ray image of the human body
- The first sound recording on cylinder
Explanation: Maxwell took three photographs of a Scottish tartan knot with red, green and blue filters, then superimposed them to obtain a color image. This principle of additive color synthesis is still today the basis of all digital screens. Maxwell is also famous for his unifying equations of electromagnetism.
Question 10 : The Kentucky Derby is a horse race held annually in Kentucky, in the United States. To which category of horses is this race reserved?
Possible answers:
- Draft horses over four years old
- Three-year-old thoroughbreds
- Arabian horses with no age restriction
- Horses of four years old minimum, all breeds combined
Explanation: The Kentucky Derby, whose first edition was held on May 17, 1875, is reserved for thoroughbred horses aged three. It constitutes the first stage of the American Triple Crown, with the Preakness Stakes and the Belmont Stakes. It is nicknamed "The Most Exciting Two Minutes in Sports" because the race lasts about two minutes.
