QuoteReplyTopic: Total Quiz XIV Posted: 25-Jan-2007 at 13:01
Welcome to Total Quiz XVI! Moderators: Imperator Invictus, Poirot, Northman
(Total Quiz XVI has concluded)
Total Quiz is a contest in which participants attempt to answer questions relating to history. Any forum member or guest may participate.
Instructions:
Use the form in the link above to submit your answer to the question. You are
allowed an unlimited number of submissions and you may use any source,
reference or search engine to help you with your answering. Points are
awarded for correct answers. The participant with the most points win.
If you have gotten a question correct, you do not need to re-submit the
correct answer. The scoreboard will be updated at 4-hour intervals when
possible. Only use this answer sheet to submit answers, DO NOT post
answers on the forum.
Note: Unlike in previous editions, question authors will not be revealed until the end of this quiz.
The first round lasts 48 hours, ending at Saturday 1 PM (North American Eastern) and 7 PM (Central Europe)
Scores will be updated every four hours whenever possible.
Please note that you might have to click "refresh" on your browser to load the most up to date scores. Scores are also posted on the quiz page where it will always be up to date. Answers to Round One Questions (all questions except No. 17)
Question 1
Who was the ruler of the Aztec civilization at the beginning of Spanish Conquest? (Question by poirot)
Answer: Monetzuma II
Question 2
President
of the United States during World War I who later helped create the
League of Nations but was unable to get the support of Congress for the
United States to join the League. (Question by Invictus)
Answer: Woodrow Wilson
Question 3
Which
despotic Roman Emperor whose name means "little soldiers' boot" ruled
from 37 to 41 AD, when he was assassinated by his guards? (Question by poirot)
Answer: Caligula
Question 4
The
Persian scholar Ibn Sina (Avicenna) of the Islamic period wrote what
famous work that became the authoritative manual of health and medicine
in the Islamic and European world? (Question by Invictus)
Answer: The Canon of Medicine (Arabic: "qanun fil tibb")
Question 5
What
major city today derives its name from an influential clan of an
ancient power known for its maritime trade? The same clan produced a
famous military leader whose tactics resound in history texts today. (Question by poirot)
Answer: Barcelona, whose name is derived from the Carthaginian Barca family, from which Hannibal Barca originated.
Question 6
He
is known today by his title which is the same as that of another ruler
1500 years earlier. His rule was marked by constant war against Elam,
Uratu, and Babylon, which he eventually captured, and another kingdom
to his southwest, whose people he deported after his conquest. He
ordered the construction of a massive new city as his capital but was
killed in battle before he saw its completion. Name the king. (Question by Invictus)
Answer: Sargon
(Sharrukin: "True King") of Assyria; also known as Sargon II (to
distinguish from Sargon of Akkad). Sargon captured Samaria and deported
its people, giving rise to the Ten Lost Tribes of Israel.
Question 7
A
Tale of Two Tramps. This is a tale of two tramps, both born around the
same time and having uncanny physical resemblance. One tramp brought
laughter to the world, the other, misery. The two tramps journeyed into
opposite extremes, one to the left, the other to the right.
Nevertheless, the two tramps eventually converged in a famous film,
which was radical for its time. Name the two tramps. (Question by poirot)
Answer: Charlie
Chaplin, who portrayed "The Tramp" and Adolf Hitler, the Tramp of
Vienna. Chaplin and Hitler were both born in 1889 and had amazing
physical resemblance, to an extent. One tramp (Chaplin) enlightened the
masses with comedy, while the other (Hitler) poisoned the masses with
hatred. One tramp (Chaplin) embraced leftist ideas, while the other
(Hitler) embraced fascist ideology. Chaplin portrayed a dictator based
on Hitler in his groundbreaking 1940 film "The Great Dictator," which,
if rumors are true, Hitler is known to have seen.
Question 8
According
to legend, I invented a famous machine of death, and became a victim of
the machine myself. Contrary to legend, I acutally did not invent the
mechanism, did not die from it, and opposed, in theory, the terrible
act the machine carried out. Nevertheless, my name has been forever
linked to the device. Who am I, and what is the terrible mechanism of
death? (Question by poirot)
Answer: Dr.
Joseph-Ignace Guillotin, whose name became forever linked with the
guillotine. Ironically, Guillotin opposed the death penalty and only
suggested a mechanical execution device to ease the pain of a death
sentence.
Question 9
This
city was built by peoples who originally migrated from the north and
became the capital of a powerful trade kingdom. Due to its prominent
role in the area's gold trade, later travelers associated it with the
legendary mineral deposit of a famous king. Today, the city's stone
ruins still remain. (Question by Invictus)
Answer: Great
Zimbabwe, built by the Bantu people who are believed to have migrated
from central Africa. The city and its kingdom has been associated with
"Solomon's Mines."
Question 10
There
are two German authors with same first name and nearly the same
surname. Both lived at the same period. One was a philosopher and
economist and the eponym of a doctrine that changed the world. His
ideas were often misunderstood by those who wanted to translate his
ideas into the reality.
The second was a writer, whose books were fascinating to many
generations of young German readers. His stories were about heroes of
the American west and the Middle East. The meaning of his works of
fiction is subject to debate but nonetheless his is still one of the
most popular writers in Germany today. Who are they? (Question by ulrich von hutten )
Answer: Karl Marx (1818 - 1883) and Karl May (1842 - 1912)
Question 11
Sex
and Sensuality. She was born poor and died poor, but lived much of her
life as the center of attraction in a world of well-bred men. She was
the epitome of fashion in a time of war and change. She was the Marilyn
Monroe, Kate Moss, and Brigitte Bardot of her day. Despite marrying a
much older man, she had a well known affair with a war hero, an affair
that her husband did not object. She had two children via the affair,
although one died prematurely. Who was she? (Question by poirot)
Answer: Lady
Emma Hamilton. Emma Hamilton was born poor, but became the mistress of
many men in high places. She married William Hamilton, more than 30
years her senior, but was most famous for her affair with Lord Nelson,
hero of the Napoleonic Wars. Emma fell into debt after Nelson's death
and died a poor woman.
Question 12
Death
and Rebirth. Following times of great turmoil, a group of radicals were
caught by the ruling regime. The leader of the regime decided to teach
these radicals a life lesson, so he pretended to have them brutally
executed. The prisoners stood, frightened and shaken, awaiting at
death's door; by the time news of a lesser sentence arrived, many had
gone mad. One prisoner, however, did not go mad; instead, he learned
his lesson and grew stronger, cherishing his rebirth from death's
eternal hold. His experiences led him to become a new person, rejecting
the radical ideas of his earlier days. He dedicated himself to writing,
and his philosophical transformation is much reflected in his works,
which are known to many readers today. Who was this reborn prisoner? (Question by poirot)
Answer: Fyodor
Dostoevsky, 19th Century Russian author of famous literary works such
as Crime and Punishment, The Possessed, and The Brothers Karamazov.
Following the revolutions of 1848, Dostoevsky attended socialist
meetings and was captured by agents of Czar Nicholas I. Nicholas wanted
to teach the radicals a lesson, so he staged a mock execution, only to
send the men to Siberian exile at the last minute. The near death
moment proved crucial to Dostoevsky, who realized that he experienced a
rebirth. He devoted much of his later life to writing, and rejected his
earlier socialist tendencies in favor of more traditional, orthodox
religious values. Much of his transformation is reflected in his
literary works.
Question 13
Father
and Son. Father and son were born around the same area, were educated
at the same prestigious institution, and shared the same name. Both
father and son made their marks in history: the father wrote a poem
that helped preserve a famous battleship, while the son held a
prestigious position for almost 30 years. Coincidentially, the name
shared by father and son also helped inspire the name of a popular
literary character. What was the name shared by the father and the son? (Question by poirot)
Answer: Oliver
Wendell Holmes. Both father and son were born around Boston and
educated at Harvard. A physcian turned poet, Oliver Wendell Holmes Sr.
was known for his poem "Old Ironsides," which aroused public sympathy
and helped save the U.S.S. Constitution from being turned into scrap.
An American Civil War veteran turned lawyer and judge, Oliver Wendell
Holmes Jr. served for almost 30 years as justice in the U.S. Supreme
Court, and was known for his pithy opinions and concise explanations of
judicial processes. Today, many believe that Sir Arthur Conan Doyle
invented the name Sherlock Holmes upon a reference to the name Oliver
Wendell Holmes.
Question 14
When
I attacked a heretical rebel, he developed a defensive system that kept
him undefeated for five years until he died. I later was taken prisoner
by this man, and when my king ungraciously refused to ransom me, I
joined the heretics and even became their leader after this man died.
Who am I? (Question by Timotheus)
Answer: I
am Bohuslav of Svamberk, who attacked Jan Zizka at Nekmer, which is the
battle at which Zizka first used his war-wagon tactic. I joined the
Hussites after Zizka took me prisoner in 1422, and briefly became the
general commander of the Taborites after Zizka died.
Question 15
The
tides of misfortune had befallen on my family and the great country
that it once ruled. From the west, a great foreign rival power had
risen from scratch, and devoured my country completely, with stunning
efficiency and effectiveness. My father was nothing but a helpless
young ruler, killed while fleeing from rapidly advancing invaders.
According to some sources, my sister was captured by the invaders and
made to marry, later giving birth to an important historical figure. I,
however, escaped to the capital of another great empire, and sought
help to restore my family's former glory. My son and I would spend the
rest of our lives serving as generals along the borders of the empire
that adopted us. Who am I? (Question by poirot)
Answer: I
am Pirooz, son of Yazdgerd III, the last Sassanid King of Kings. Upon
the Arab invasion, the Sassanid Empire, already weakened by civil war,
quickly crumbled, and Yazdgerd III was killed during flight from the
Arabs. According to some sources, Yazdgerd III's daughter Shahrbanu was
married to Husayn ibn Ali, considered the Third Shiia Imam, and gave
birth to Ali ibn Husayn, the fourth Shia Imam. According to certain
sources, Pirooz escaped to Tang China, where he became a general and
was sent strategically to the Tang Empire border in Central Asia. With
approval from the Tang Empire, Pirooz and his son Narsieh would spend
most of their lives stationed in Central Asia, trying to restore
Sassanid Empire from the Arabs.
Question 16
I
held once one of the highest positions at the capital of my state.
However, my teachings were declared as heresy by other powerful men and
I was deposed of my title and exiled by the ruler who originally
supported me. While my teaching became eradicated in the area where I
held my office, my supporters carried my ideas far away to distant
lands where it flourished in small communities for many centuries. Who
am I? (Question by Invictus)
Answer: Nestorius,
Patriarch of Constantinople who gave rise to Nestroian Christianity,
characterized by the belief that Jesus had both a human and divine
persona. While it was declared heresy in the 430s AD, Nestroianism
flourished east of the of the Roman domains, penetrating all the way to
Mongolia and China.
Question 17
This man worked in and
journeyed through many parts of Europe, though his origin can be
deduced from the motto of a small but famous group of fabled soldiers.
After years of travel, occasionally employed in different armies, he
settled down and achieved a great reputation; although only
temporarily. His name fit him very well and he quickly made enemies and
had to move on to save his life. Again on the road, broke, he spent
years writing and reading, and eventually regained his wealth and fame.
What is his name? (Question by Styrbiorn)
Answer: Theophrastus
Bombastus von Hohenheim. Also, or rather mostly, known as Paracelsus,
Swiss alchemist, physician etc. The motto in question is "One for all,
all for one", made famous from the novels about the Three Musketeers,
but also the unofficial motto of the Swiss confederacy.
Question 18
He
was arguably the greatest ruler of his empire. During his rise to
power, he drove out the foreign invaders who had burned the great city
which was the capital of its empire, near a large lake. He then
proceeded to rebuild and fortify the city, which before being burned
was believed to enjoy divine protection. His religion was different
from that of most of his predecessors as well as most of the population
of the time. Who is he? (Question by Decebal)
Answer: Jayavarman VII of the Khmer Empire.
Question 19
I
was a brilliant commander and a kingdom founder. I first made my mark
in history as a general fighting for my empire, of which I was a member
of the ruling family. My empire was at that time under attack by two
foes. I led my army against one of the foes and won great victories,
but the other enemy was overwhelming the armies of my empire and would
eventually destroy my empire completely. Frustrated by the military
failure of my emperor's army, I abandoned him, gathered a number of my
followers and declared myself king. However, since the enemy was too
strong, I fled west and established a new kingdom by defeating all who
opposed me in the new land. In battle I defeated the ruler of a large
empire toward the west, driving it into internal chaos. By end of my
reign, I had crafted the most powerful empire in the region. However,
my successors could not keep my state alive as it soon crumbled against
a new and rising power about a century after I founded it. Who am I? (Question by Invictus)
Answer: Yelu
Dashi (Gur Khan), founder of the Kara-Khitai Empire. He was a member of
the Liao Dynasty of Northern China, which was being conquered by the
Jurchen, allied with the Song Dynasty. Yelu Dashi defeated a huge Song
Army but poor military conduct of the Liao Emperor caused Dashi to
abandon the Liao and establish a new kingdom in Central Asia (1124). He
defeated the Sultan Sanjar of the Great Seljuk Empire, which soon
collapsed afterward. The Mongols destroyed the Kara-Khitai a century
after its founding. The Liao Dynasty was replaced by the Jurchen Jin
Dynasty, also conquered by the Mongols. A good source about the Khitan
Empires: History of Chinese Society Liao (907-1125), by Karl A.
Wittfogel; Feng Chia-Sheng
Transactions of the American Philosophical Society, 1949
Question 20
I
belonged to one of the most prestigious clans in my era. Respected by
the public due to my spotless image, revered by my peers for my calm
demeanor, and feared by my rivals because of my political ingenuity, I
came out of retirement to save the empire that my clan served, an
empire that halved from its original size a few years before my birth.
First, I prevented a powerful figure from usurping the throne; then,
with my guidance from behind the scenes, my brother and nephew's troops
triumphed in a battle near a river, defeating a much larger invading
army from a young, upstart empire. The young, upstart empire began to
disintegrate soon after its defeat, while the empire I served survived
for a few more decades. Who am I? (Question by poirot)
Answer: I
am Xie An (A.D. 320-385), prime minister of the Eastern Jin Dynasty
(A.D. 317-420). Xie An came out from his hermit life to serve the Jin
Empire (divided by historians into the Western Jin Dynasty from A.D.
365 to A.D. 316 and the Eastern Jin Dynasty from A.D. 317 to A.D. 420),
which had halved from its original size by the time of Xie Ans birth.
With the help of another minister, Xie An prevented Huan Wen, an
ambitious and powerful general of the Jin Empire, from usurping the
throne. At the Battle of River Fei in the year A.D. 383, troops
commanded by his brother Xie Shi and his nephew Xie Xuan defeated a
much larger invasion force of the upstart Former Qin Dynasty under its
emperor Fu Jian. The Former Qin Dynasty began disintergrating soon
afterwards, while the Jin Empire survived for a couple more decades.
The clan of Xie ranked alongside the clan of Wang as one of the most
prestigious clans in the Jin and Southern Dynasties period.
Edited by Imperator Invictus - 28-Jan-2007 at 14:20
I would like to hear a few words on the questions:
When you say 'century' do you mean a hundred years or more or less? It should be exactly hundred so is it? (Just clarifying, for this can confuse a logic or too, it was in one of the last questions.)
And when you say 'empire' you mean Empire, right? Not just a large block of land (like the Russian Empire contra Egyptian Empire)?
I would like to hear a few words on the questions:
When you say 'century' do you mean a hundred years or more or less? It should be exactly hundred so is it? (Just clarifying, for this can confuse a logic or too, it was in one of the last questions.)
And when you say 'empire' you mean Empire, right? Not just a large block of land (like the Russian Empire contra Egyptian Empire)?
A century means about 100 years, plus or minus a few years. A few decades means n x 10 years, where 1<n<7.
Empire should mean that the ruler calls himself or herself emperor or a word in the native tongue that is equivalent of emperor
It should be clear this time.
Edited by poirot - 25-Jan-2007 at 18:23
AAAAAAAAAA
"The crisis of yesterday is the joke of tomorrow.� ~ HG Wells
Wow looks like this edition is rather difficult. Poirot thought that the previous edition was too easy since the questions got swept in the first update, so we made it a little harder this time around.
"When you say 'century' do you mean a hundred years or more or less? It
should be exactly hundred so is it? (Just clarifying, for this can
confuse a logic or too, it was in one of the last questions.)"
I've changed it to "about a century." Thanks for the clarification request.
1. The reason why it is more difficult this time around is we decided not to post the author's name. In the past, the author's name usually hints on a specific region or area of expertise for the quiz taker.
2. Whoever gets number 20 correct will earn extra brownie points in my heart!
Edited by poirot - 25-Jan-2007 at 18:26
AAAAAAAAAA
"The crisis of yesterday is the joke of tomorrow.� ~ HG Wells
And once again Decebal upsets the moderators by answering the last question!
It's good to have a European moderator to fill in our "night shift"! Unfortunately, I have to be up late tonight doing work. Hopefully the same is not true for tomorrow night!
(cant PM you)
I can receive PM's now. I had my inbox all full again and forgot to clear room.
Edited by Imperator Invictus - 26-Jan-2007 at 02:20
One user sent in answers without entering a username. We cannot score answers sent without a username. (I'll modify the form to check that a username has been entered)
Edited by Imperator Invictus - 26-Jan-2007 at 02:58
One user sent in answers without entering a username. We cannot score answers sent without a username. (I'll modify the form to check that a username has been entered)
I think that was my first submission - I realised what I had done immediately. Sorry.
Hey, I thought question 11 was almost the easiest of the lot as well. One never knows, does one?
One user sent in answers without entering a username. We cannot score answers sent without a username. (I'll modify the form to check that a username has been entered)
Hey, I thought question 11 was almost the easiest of the lot as well. One never knows, does one?
but only for the "younger" ones among us...
Edited by ulrich von hutten - 26-Jan-2007 at 10:00
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