The Centennial State
"G" to "G"
This N That
Communication
Say Goodbye
More Notable August Events
100
This state has the nickname of "The Centennial State"
What is Colorado?
Colorado became the 38th U.S. state on August 1, 1876—exactly 100 years after the United States signed the Declaration of Independence. This precise 100-year milestone earned it the nickname the "Centennial State"
100
A band's live performance at a club, theater, or festival is commonly called this three letter word.
What is a gig?
The term "gig" originally started as jazz slang in the early 1900s when musicians used it to describe a single-night performance or job
100
On Jan. 31, 1999 this team repeated as Super Bowl champs with John Elway throwing for 336 yards
Who are the Denver Broncos?
At 38 years old, John Elway became the oldest player at the time to win Super Bowl MVP, finishing his career by riding off into the sunset with a 34–19 victory over the Atlanta Falcons.
100
To briefly close one eye; it can be used as a signal, like to mean "I'm not really serious"
What is a wink?
Winking requires the precise coordination and contraction of up to 49 facial muscles.
100
"Adios" or the more informal "Hasta luego"
What is Spanish?
Adios literally translates to "to God". Many experts believe it is a shortened form of longer phrases like "vaya con Dios" (go with God)
100
August 14th, 1935 - President Franklin Roosevelt signed this act into law, which guarantees pensions to all Americans aged 65 years and older
What is Social Security?
Even though the law passed in 1935 and taxes started in 1937, the very first regular monthly retirement check was not mailed out until January 1940.
200
This Colorado city is home to the United States Air Force Academy.
What is Colorado Springs?
Colorado Springs is also home to Air Force Space Command.
200
If something disgusts you, you may need to surpress this reflex to avoid throwing up.
What is Gag?
The comedy meaning of "gag" (a joke or a quick quip) originated in 19th-century theater. Actors used "gag" as a verb meaning to insert unscripted lines or jokes into a performance. The physical meaning traces back to Old Norse words like gag-hals, meaning "with the head thrown back," which connects to the choking or retching action.
200
This candy's slogan says it "melts in your mouth, not in your hands."
What are M&M's?
"M&M" stands for Mars and Murrie, representing Bruce Murrie of the Hershey company and Forrest Mars Sr. of Mars Candy
200
Doing this with 2 fingers in your mouth is an old-fashioned but effective way to hail a taxi
What is whistle?
A proper finger whistle can exceed 100 decibels, making it one of the loudest sounds you can produce with just your human body without any external tools.
200
"Au revoir" or "Adieu"
What is French?
"Au revoir" literally translates from French to "until we see each other again," coming from au (to the) and revoir (to see again).
200
August 28th, 1963 - The March on Washington occurred as over 250,000 people attended a civil rights rally in our nations capital, at which this civil rights leader made his now-famous "I have a dream" speech
Who is Dr. Martin Luther King Jr?
An estimated 250,000 people gathered peacefully at the Lincoln Memorial to demand civil rights and economic justice, making it one of the largest political rallies in U.S. history. Famous attendees included Marlon Brando, Charlton Heston, Paul Newman, Sidney Poitier, and Sammy Davis Jr.
400
This folk musician, who shares his last name with the capital of Colorado, has written numerous songs about the state, including "Rocky Mountain High" and " I guess I'd rather be in Colorado"
Who is John Denver?
John Denver's real name was Henry John Deutschendorf Jr. He changed his last name because his birth name was too long for club signs, choosing Denver after the capital of Colorado because he loved the state's natural beauty.
400
Often associated with east Asian cultures, this large, flat percussion instrument is struck with a padded mallet to produce a resonant sound.
What is a gong?
Historians trace early gongs to Southeast Asia and China around 2000 BC or earlier.
400
This is the name of the federal agency tasked with protecting national VIPs such as the President and Vice President
What is the Secret Service?
The U.S. Secret Service was founded by President Abraham Lincoln on April 14, 1865—the exact day he was shot—not to protect presidents, but to stop widespread currency counterfeiting that threatened the post-Civil War economy
400
People will understand your writing better if you put this, sometimes also called a full stop, at the end of each sentence
What is a period?
The period has been used in written English since the 7th century. British English calls a period a "full stop", while American English calls it a "period".
400
"Arrivederci" or "Ciao"
What is Italian?
"Ciao" is the most famous Italian word in the world next to "pizza", meaning both "hello" and "goodbye". Italians only use ciao with close friends, family, and peers. Using it with a stranger, an elder, or a worker like a waiter is considered too familiar or rude.
400
August 5th, 1962 - This model, actress, and Ex-wife of Joe DiMaggio died at age 36 from an overdose of sleeping pills
Who is Marilyn Monroe?
She started her own studio, Marilyn Monroe Productions, becoming only the second woman in Hollywood to head her own production company.
600
This is the name of the state flower of Colorado, shown here
What is the Columbine?
One of the best places to experience the beautiful columbine is arguably on one of Colorado's best wildflower trails: the 11-mile hike from Aspen Snowmass to Crested Butte, where wildflowers line the trail in abundance.
600
This four-letter word refers to a criminal organization or a group of close-knit friends
What is a gang?
Documented street gangs appeared in England around the 1600s and emerged in major U.S. cities like New York soon after the American Revolution.
600
In 1973, this actor The Godfather, sending civil rights activist Sacheen Littlefeather to protest Hollywood's treatment of Native Americans and the ongoing standoff at Wounded Knee.
Who is Marlon Brando?
600
This communication system that predates the telephone represents letters and numbers using combinations of short and long signals, commonly called dots and dashes.
What is Morse code?
Samuel Morse conceived the electric telegraph after a tragic delay. He received a horse-delivered message that his wife was gravely ill, but she died and was buried before he could reach home
600
Aloha
What is Hawaiian?
The custom of wearing casual, floral Aloha shirts on the final workday of the week started in Hawaii in the 1960s. This practice later inspired the global corporate trend of "Casual Friday".
600
August 16th, 1896 - Gold was discovered in Rabbit Creek, a tributary of the Klondike River in what would become this state, resulting in the Great Klondike Gold Rush
What is Alaska?
John W. Nordstrom, who later started the famous Nordstrom department store, made his initial stake by finding and selling a small gold claim during the Klondike rush
800
Steven King wrote this book, later adapted into a film starring Jack Nicholson, after a spooky stay at the Stanley Hotel in Estes Park, Colorado
What is The Shining?
Being the hotel's only guests just as it closed for the winter, King had a terrifying dream of his son being chased down the empty hallways. King has said he woke up sweating, jumped out of bed, lit a cigarette, and looked out at the Rocky Mountains. By the time he finished the cigarette, the entire concept and plot of The Shining were clear in his mind
800
Political prisoners, dissidents, and others were often sent to this network of forced labor camps administered by the Soviet government.
What is gulag?
Though famous for being deep in the freezing Siberian wilderness, some camps were inside major cities like Moscow, where prisoners built public infrastructure.
800
It's the only U.S. state named for a French king
What is Louisiana?
In 1682, the French explorer René-Robert Cavelier, Sieur de La Salle named the vast Mississippi River basin for France, and named it La Louisiane to honor King Louis XIV.
800
This visual language uses handshapes, facial expressions, and body movements instead of spoken words to help deaf and hard-of-hearing of people to communicate
What is sign language or ASL(American sign language)?
Even though the US and UK both use English, ASL and British Sign Language (BSL) are completely different
800
Sayonara
What is Japanese?
The word exploded in Western pop culture thanks to Sayonara, a hit romantic drama starring Marlon Brando about an American pilot falling for a Japanese dancer. The film won four Academy Awards
800
August 2, 1990 - The nation was Kuwait was invaded by this neighboring country, led by Saddam Hussein, which resulted in the U.S. and its allies to launching Operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm.
What is Iraq?
It is sometimes referred to as the 100 hour war. While the air campaign lasted nearly six weeks, the actual ground invasion of Kuwait took just over four days, or about 100 hours) before combat operations ended.
1000
Originally a military outpost, this city that's home to Colorado State University was named for an early commander in the Civil War.
What is Fort Collins?
Fort Collins was named after Lieutenant Colonel William O. Collins, an officer who led the 11th Ohio Volunteer Cavalry during the American Civil War.
1000
Denial, anger, bargaining, depression, and acceptance are all stages of this process of dealing with a great loss in life.
What is the grieving process?
The five stages do not happen in a straight line. You can bounce back and forth between them or even sometimes feel them all at once
1000
The likeness of this President appears on the quarter
Who is George Washington?
George Washington first appeared on the quarter in 1932 to celebrate his 200th birthday. What was meant to be a one-year design became permanent. Prior to 1932, quarters had various depictions of Lady Liberty printed on them depending on when they were produced.
1000
Elevators, hotel room signs, and sometimes medication packaging often include this raised-dot system to help people who are blind or have low vision
What is braille?
The system evolved from "night writing," a 12-dot military code invented so soldiers could share messages silently in the dark. Louis Braille streamlined the military format down to a simple 6-dot cell that a single fingertip could cover and read instantly
1000
Auf Wiedersehen
What is German?
Using Auf Wiedersehen with close friends sounds stiff, old-fashioned, or even sarcastic. Most German speakers opt for word Tschüss in more casual situations.
1000
August 14th, 1769 - This future emperor of France was born on the Island of Corsica
Who is Napoleon Bonaparte?
Napoleon thought of himself as a man of the people and he regularly wandered the streets of Paris disguised as a common worker to hear what ordinary citizens genuinely thought of his rule.
1200
Do svidaniya, or written in its native language "до свидания"
What is Russian?
"Do svidaniya" is the standard Russian phrase for "goodbye," but it literally translates to "until the next meeting" or "till seeing again.