The 10 quiz questions
Question 1 : Which country was the first in the world to grant women the right to vote, on September 19, 1893?
Possible answers:
- Australia
- Finland
- New Zealand
- Sweden
Explanation: New Zealand was a pioneer with a law signed by Governor Lord Glasgow. However, women didn't gain the right to stand for Parliament until 1919, much later than the right to vote.
Question 2 : On September 19, 1991, hikers discovered a 5,000-year-old natural mummy in the Italian Alps. What popular nickname is it known by?
Possible answers:
- Grog
- Ötzi
- Tyrolean Man
- Alpine
Explanation: Ötzi, also nicknamed 'Hibernatus' at the time of his discovery, is one of the oldest natural mummies in Europe. Analyses revealed that he had been killed by an arrow in his left shoulder, making his case a genuine prehistoric murder.
Question 3 : On 19 September 1356, during the Battle of Poitiers, which French king was captured by the English?
Possible answers:
- Philip VI
- John II the Good
- Charles V
- Charles IV
Explanation: John II the Good was taken prisoner by Edward of Woodstock (known as the Black Prince) and brought to England. His astronomical ransom of 3 million gold écus greatly ruined the Kingdom of France and fuelled the social unrest of the time.
Question 4 : On September 19, 1946, where did Winston Churchill give his famous speech calling for the creation of a United States of Europe?
Possible answers:
- At the United Nations General Assembly in New York
- At the European Parliament in Strasbourg
- At the University of Zurich
- At the British Parliament in London
Explanation: Churchill gave this landmark speech at the University of Zurich, in Switzerland. Ironically, he envisioned this European project for the continent without explicitly including the United Kingdom, which he saw more as an outside supporter of the initiative.
Question 5 : Which Franco-British diplomatic crisis reached its climax on 19 September 1898 with the meeting of Kitchener and Marchand at Kodok?
Possible answers:
- The Suez Canal crisis
- The Fashoda crisis
- The Zanzibar crisis
- The East Fashoda incident
Explanation: The Fashoda Crisis almost triggered a war between France and the United Kingdom over control of the Upper Nile. France ultimately had to back down and recall Marchand, which was experienced as a national humiliation and paradoxically led to the Franco-British rapprochement that resulted in the Entente Cordiale of 1904.
Question 6 : On September 19, 1985, a violent earthquake struck Mexico City. What was the estimated human toll of this disaster?
Possible answers:
- At least 10,000 deaths
- About 2,000 deaths
- More than 50,000 deaths
- About 500 deaths
Explanation: The 1985 Mexico City earthquake (magnitude 8.1) officially killed at least 10,000 people, but some estimates suggest up to 30,000 victims. It marked a turning point in Mexican society: faced with the slow response of the state, residents spontaneously organized into civil solidarity networks that had a lasting influence on Mexican politics.
Question 7 : On September 19, 1899, President Émile Loubet pardoned Alfred Dreyfus. What crime had this French officer been convicted of?
Possible answers:
- Treason and espionage for Germany
- Desertion in wartime
- Conspiracy against the republican government
- Murder of a senior officer
Explanation: Dreyfus had been convicted in 1894 for espionage on behalf of Germany, based on forged documents. The Dreyfus Affair, brought to light notably by Zola's 'J'accuse...!' in 1898, deeply divided France between Dreyfusards and anti-Dreyfusards. Dreyfus was not fully rehabilitated until 1906.
Question 8 : Born on September 19, 1911, which British writer received the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1983?
Possible answers:
- Graham Greene
- Aldous Huxley
- William Golding
- Anthony Burgess
Explanation: William Golding is best known for his novel 'Lord of the Flies' (1954), a dark allegory of human nature through children left to fend for themselves on a deserted island. The Nobel Prize was awarded to him for his body of work, recognizing his pessimistic but lucid vision of civilization.
Question 9 : The Battle of Saratoga, whose first phase took place on September 19, 1777, was a decisive turning point in the American War of Independence. Why is this battle considered so important?
Possible answers:
- It marked the first British defeat on American soil
- It convinced France to ally with the United States against Great Britain
- It led to the immediate signing of the Treaty of Paris
- It allowed the Americans to take control of New York
Explanation: Although the British won the first Battle of Saratoga on September 19, they lost the second on October 7 and were forced to surrender. This American victory convinced France to officially ally with the United States, radically changing the balance of power in the conflict.
Question 10 : On September 19, 1983, Saint Kitts and Nevis gained independence. What geographical group does this country belong to?
Possible answers:
- The South Pacific Ocean
- The Lesser Antilles in the Caribbean Sea
- The Azores archipelago in the North Atlantic
- The islands of the Indian Ocean
Explanation: Saint Kitts and Nevis is the smallest sovereign state in the Americas by both area and population. It formed a British colonial federation with other islands, and Nevis retains the constitutional right to secede from Saint Kitts today, a right unique of its kind.
