The 10 quiz questions
Question 1 : What decree did Napoleon I issue on November 21, 1806?
Possible answers:
- The Decree of Fontainebleau, annexing the Papal States
- The Decree of Berlin, establishing the continental blockade against the United Kingdom
- The Decree of Milan, reinforcing the Civil Code
- The Decree of Warsaw, creating the Duchy of Warsaw
Explanation: The Berlin Decree established the Continental Blockade, forbidding countries under French influence from trading with the United Kingdom. This measure aimed to weaken England economically, but it also hurt European economies and pushed several countries to secretly align with the British.
Question 2 : On 21 November 1783, what historic aerial feat was achieved above Paris?
Possible answers:
- The first parachute jump from a Paris tower
- The first official crewed hot air balloon flight
- The first glider flight over the Seine
- The first overflight of Notre-Dame in a hydrogen balloon
Explanation: Jean-François Pilâtre de Rozier and the Marquis d'Arlandes made the first crewed hot-air balloon flight, from the gardens of La Muette to the Butte-aux-Cailles. Pilâtre de Rozier would die two years later while attempting to cross the English Channel by balloon, becoming the first fatality in aviation history.
Question 3 : Which female politician became the first to serve in the United States Senate on November 21, 1922?
Possible answers:
- Susan B. Anthony
- Jeannette Rankin
- Rebecca Latimer Felton
- Eleanor Roosevelt
Explanation: Rebecca Latimer Felton, from Georgia, was appointed senator at 87 for a symbolic term of only two days. She was also a journalist and women's rights activist, though her positions on racial segregation remain controversial.
Question 4 : On 21 November 1990, what major political event took place in the United Kingdom?
Possible answers:
- Queen Elizabeth II abdicates in favor of Prince Charles
- The United Kingdom votes to join the European Union
- Margaret Thatcher resigns as Prime Minister
- The Labour Party wins the general election
Explanation: Margaret Thatcher resigned as Prime Minister after eleven years in power, under pressure from her own Conservative Party. She had notably lost the support of her ministers due to the poll tax and her increasingly radical Eurosceptic positions.
Question 5 : Which famous Belgian painter, known for his surrealist works, was born on November 21, 1898?
Possible answers:
- Salvador Dalí
- Paul Delvaux
- René Magritte
- Yves Tanguy
Explanation: René Magritte is one of the masters of surrealism, famous for paintings like 'The Treachery of Images' (featuring the pipe and the words 'This is not a pipe') or 'The Son of Man'. His work questions the nature of representation and plays on visual illusions.
Question 6 : The Mayflower Compact, signed on November 21, 1620, is a founding document for what reason?
Possible answers:
- It proclaimed the independence of the American colonies from England
- It established a self-governing civil government by the consent of the colonists
- It granted exclusive trading rights to the Plymouth Company
- It recognized the king's sovereignty over the newly discovered lands
Explanation: The Mayflower Compact is considered one of the first acts of direct democracy in North America. Signed by 41 Puritan settlers aboard the Mayflower before landing in New England, it established a self-governing civil government based on the consent of the governed, foreshadowing American constitutional principles.
Question 7 : In what year was Björk born, the Icelandic singer and artist whose birthday is November 21?
Possible answers:
- 1963
- 1965
- 1967
- 1969
Explanation: Björk Guðmundsdóttir, born in 1965 in Reykjavik, first broke through with the band The Sugarcubes before pursuing an international solo career. Her avant-garde style blends electronic, pop and experimental music. She also starred in the film 'Dancer in the Dark' by Lars von Trier, for which she received the Best Actress award at Cannes in 2000.
Question 8 : Which French women's magazine published its first issue on November 21, 1945?
Possible answers:
- Marie Claire
- Vogue France
- Elle
- Femme Actuelle
Explanation: Elle magazine was founded by Hélène Lazareff and Marcelle Auclair. Hélène Lazareff had worked in the United States during the war and drew inspiration from American women's magazines to create a publication mixing fashion, culture and society. She became one of the most influential figures in French women's press of the XX century.
Question 9 : What is the name of the ship sunk by the German submarine U-73 on November 21, 1916?
Possible answers:
- The Lusitania
- The Britannic
- The Olympic
- The Mauretania
Explanation: The Britannic, sister ship of the Titanic, had been converted into a hospital ship during World War I. Sunk in the Aegean Sea, it went down in just 55 minutes, claiming 30 victims among the 1,066 people on board. The most famous Titanic survivor, Violet Jessop, was also on board the Britannic and survived once again.
Question 10 : The first Canut revolt, which began on November 21, 1831, involved which trade?
Possible answers:
- The coal miners of northern France
- The silk weavers of Lyon
- The carpenters and joiners of Paris
- The porcelain makers of Limoges
Explanation: The Canuts were the silk weavers of Lyon. Their revolt of 1831, the first major workers' uprising in French history, broke out after merchants refused to honor a negotiated minimum wage rate. It was brutally suppressed by the army. The Canuts left behind a famous motto: 'Live working or die fighting'.
