The 10 quiz questions
Question 1 : Which founding declaration for European construction was delivered on 9 May 1950?
Possible answers:
- The signing of the Maastricht Treaty
- The declaration proposing a coal-steel consortium (ECSC)
- The adoption of the European single currency
- The proclamation of the European Economic Community
Explanation: The Schuman Declaration of 9 May 1950 is considered the founding act of the European Union. This is why 9 May is now celebrated as Europe Day in all EU member states.
Question 2 : Which Italian politician was assassinated by the Red Brigades on 9 May 1978?
Possible answers:
- Giulio Andreotti
- Aldo Moro
- Enrico Berlinguer
- Giovanni Leone
Explanation: Aldo Moro, leader of the Italian Christian Democracy, had been kidnapped 55 days before his assassination. His body was found in the trunk of a car in Rome. This murder remains one of the most striking terrorist acts in Italian history during the Years of Lead.
Question 3 : In what year did Nelson Mandela become President of the Republic of South Africa after the end of apartheid?
Possible answers:
- 1990
- 1992
- 1994
- 1996
Explanation: Nelson Mandela was elected during South Africa's first multiracial elections. He had previously spent 27 years in prison, notably on Robben Island. His presidency lasted until 1999 and was marked by a policy of national reconciliation.
Question 4 : Which caricature did Benjamin Franklin publish on 9 May 1754, considered the first in the United States?
Possible answers:
- Liberty or Death, showing a chained eagle
- Join, or Die, showing a snake cut into pieces
- Unite and Conquer, showing thirteen connected stars
- Freedom Now, showing a broken torch
Explanation: The "Join, or Die" cartoon depicted a snake cut into pieces symbolising the American colonies. Franklin sought to promote the union of the colonies against the French and Native American threat during the Seven Years' War. It was later reused during the American Revolution.
Question 5 : Which famous singer was born on 9 May 1949 and is known for songs like Piano Man?
Possible answers:
- Elton John
- Bruce Springsteen
- Billy Joel
- James Taylor
Explanation: Billy Joel, nicknamed "the Piano Man", is one of the best-selling artists in American music history. His albums such as "The Stranger" (1977) and "52nd Street" (1978) marked rock and pop. He has won six Grammy Awards during his career.
Question 6 : Which French athlete and Olympic champion was born on 9 May 1968?
Possible answers:
- Muriel Hurtis
- Christine Arron
- Eunice Barber
- Marie-José Pérec
Explanation: Marie-José Pérec is one of the greatest French athletes of all time. She won three Olympic gold medals: the 400 m in Barcelona in 1992, then the 400 m and 200 m at the Atlanta Games in 1996. She remains the only athlete to have achieved this 200 m/400 m double at the same Games.
Question 7 : What did Thomas Blood, disguised as a clergyman, attempt to steal from the Tower of London on 9 May 1671?
Possible answers:
- The secret royal archives
- The British Crown Jewels
- The royal ceremonial sword
- The royal sceptre of England
Explanation: Thomas Blood entered the Tower of London disguised as a clergyman and attempted to steal the British Crown Jewels. He was arrested but, surprisingly, King Charles II pardoned him and even granted him lands in Ireland, fuelling much speculation about possible royal complicity.
Question 8 : What is the nickname given to the great global economic crisis that began on 9 May 1873?
Possible answers:
- The Great Panic
- The Crash of the Century
- The Long Depression
- The Black Crisis
Explanation: The 1873 crisis is called the "Long Depression" long before that of 1929. It was triggered by the collapse of the Vienna Stock Exchange and affected all Western economies for nearly two decades. The expression "Great Depression" was later reused to refer to the crisis of the 1930s.
Question 9 : Which avant-garde art movement was founded by Georges Maciunas, who died on 9 May 1978?
Possible answers:
- The Dada movement
- The Fluxus movement
- The Cobra movement
- The Situationist movement
Explanation: Fluxus, founded in the 1960s, was an international conceptual art movement that sought to blur the boundaries between art and everyday life. Artists such as Yoko Ono and Joseph Beuys took part in it. The name "Fluxus" comes from Latin and means "flow", "change", "current".
Question 10 : Which international organisation celebrates 9 May each year as its official day, in reference to the events of 1950?
Possible answers:
- The United Nations
- The European Union
- The Council of Europe
- NATO
Explanation: Europe Day, celebrated on 9 May, commemorates Robert Schuman's 1950 declaration. This day is an opportunity for cultural and educational events throughout the European Union. It was officially established by the European Council in 1985 at the Milan summit.
