American Fun Facts
Name the branches of the United States government.
Executive, Legislative, Judicial.
Executive - Make Laws (Congress, comprised of the House of Representatives and Senate)
Legislative - Carriers out laws (president, vice president, Cabinet, most federal agencies)
Judicial - Evaluates laws (Supreme Court and other courts)
What bird is often seen as symbolizing the arrival of spring?
Robin
The old wives' tale is that a robin is the first sign of spring. As the myth goes, all robins migrate south for the winter to avoid the cold, returning in the early spring.
Which planet is farthest from the Sun?
Neptune
Ever since the discovery of Pluto in 1930, kids grew up learning that the solar system has nine planets, with Pluto being the one farthest from the sun. That all changed when astronomers, in a highly controversial decision, decided in 2006 to designate Pluto as 'dwarf planet." The order of the planets in the solar system, starting nearest the sun and working outward in currently the following: Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune and then the possible planet Nine.
If you are visiting Ireland and someone says "slainte,", what are they saying in English?
Cheers
"Cheers" in Irish is slainte which is pronounced a bit like "slawn-che". Slainte means health
Created by cartoonist Joe Simon & Jack Kirby, this patriotic super hero was introduced by Marvel comics in 1941
Who is Captain America? The character first appeared in Captain America Comics #1 from Timely Comics, a predecessor of Marvel Comics
Where is the atom bomb developed and first tested?
New Mexico. The Manhattan Project, the secrete development of the atom bomb, was based at Los Alamos, NM, and the bomb was first dropped for testing on July 16, 1945, at Trinity Site near Alamogordo NM.
On the first day of spring in the northern hemisphere, the sun is directly over the?
Equator
What manned U.S. space program eventually put 12 men on the moon.
Apollo
Chess is commonly believed to have originated in what country?
India
Early forms of chess originated in India around the 6th century AD. One ancestor was chaturanga, a popular four-player war game that prefigured several key aspects of modern chess. A form of chaturanga traveled to Persia, where the name of the "king" piece changed from the Sanskrit rajah to the Persian shah.
This baseball player became the first African American to break the color barrier in Major League Baseball
Who is Jackie Robinson? On April 15th 1947 Jackie Robinson, age 28, became the first african american player in the MLB when he stepped onto Ebbets Field to compete for the Brooklyn Dodgers, breaking the color barrier when the sport was segregated for over 50 years
Is the District of Columbia (Washington DC) represented in the United States Senate?
No. The District of Columbia is the nation's capital district, but not one of the 50 states. As such it has no senators, and its only representative in the House of Representatives is a delegate with limited voting privileges.
Spring is the season of flowers. Around what flower does Washington DC hold an annual springtime festival?
Cheery Blossom
The National Cherry Blossom Festival is a spring celebration in Washington DC, commemorating the March 27, 1912, gift of Japanese cherry trees from Mayor Yukio Ozaki of Tokyo City to the city of Washington. Mayor Ozaki donated the trees to enhance the growing friendship between the United States and Japan and also celebrate the continued close relationship between the two nations.
Named for the Roman messenger god, which planet has the shortest orbit around the sun?
Mercury
Mercury is the smallest planet in our solar system and closest to the Sun. It is only slightly larger than Earth's Moon. Mercury is the fastest planet, zipping around the Sun every 88 Earth days.
A tourist attraction known as "The Eye" is located in what European city?
London
The London Eye, or the Millennium Wheel, Europe's tallest cantilevered observation wheel, stands on the South Bank of the River Thames in London. It is the most popular paid tourist attraction in the United Kingdom with over 3 million visitors annually. The structure is 135 meters tall, and the wheel has a diameter of 120 meters. When it opened to the public in 2000 it was the world's tallest Ferris wheel.
This cereal adopted the phrase "Snap, Crackle, & Pop" to describe the sound it makes when you pour milk into it
What is Rice Krispies? The kelloggs rice krispies slogan has been named a top 20 slogan of all time and have been featured the cereal boxes since 1932!
What was the first flag of the United States called?
Old Glory. The original "Old Glory" was owned by Capt. William Driver (1803 - 1886), who flew the flag during his career at sea and later brought it home to Nashville, TN. It eventually became part of Smithsonian's collection, and it can now be seen at the National Museum of American History.
The first stories about what popular symbol of Easter were published in 1680?
The Easter Bunny
Easter Bunny legends were fist written down in Germany in the 1500s, and, about 1680, the first story about a bunny laying eggs and hiding them in a garden was published. These legends were preserved and improved upon by the Pennsylvania Dutch, who referred to the Bunny as the Oschter Haws. Beginning in the 1680s, children around Germantown Pennsylvania would build nests out of hats and bonnets, place them in the yard, or out by the barn, and, on Easter morning, they would be found filled with colorful eggs. The decorated hats and bonnets eventually evolved into Easter baskets.
What color is the sunset on Mars?
Blue
Dust in the Martian atmosphere has fine particles that permit blue light to penetrate the atmosphere more efficiently than longer-wavelength colors.
The Trevi Fountain can be found in what country?
Italy
Trevi Fountain is the most beautiful fountain in Rome. Measuring some 20 meters in width by 26 meters in height, Trevi Fountain is also the largest fountain in the city. The origins of the fountain go back to the year 19 B.C., in which period the fountain formed the end of Aqua Virgo aqueduct. The first fountain was built during the Renaissance, under the direction of Pope Nicholas V.
Orson Welles directed this groundbreaking film in 1941
What is Citizen Kane? Considered by many critics to be the greatest film ever made.
Who was the last U.S President to serve more than two terms in office?
Franklin D. Roosevelt. On November 5, 1940 Franklin D. Roosevelt broke a long-held precedent when he became the first president ever elected to a third term. He went on to win yet a fourth term, taking office again on January 20, 1945, but then died just 11 weeks into his term, promoting a call for a constitutional term-limit amendment that resulted in 22th Amendment.
In American, what two college sports hold their annual national championships in the spring?
basketball and hockey
The final games leading to the season championship in the NCAA Division I men's basketball are called March Madness. There are 61 NCAA member institutions that sponsor Division I Men's Ice Hockey teams and are eligible to compete in the National Championship. Selection begins in March, and finals are typically in early April.
What year boasted the first woman in space?
1963.
On June 16, 1963, aboard Vostok 6, Soviet Cosmonaut Valentina became the first woman to travel into space. After 48 orbits and 71 hours, she returned to earth, having spent more time in space than all U.S. astronauts combined to date.
The Great Barrier Reef is located in what body of water?
Coral Sea
Stretching for 1429 miles over an area of approximately 133,000 square miles, the Great Barrier Reef is the largest coral reef system in the world. The reef is located off the coast of Queensland, Australia, in the Coral Sea.
In 1948 electrical engineer George de Mestral invented this revolutionary binder in Switzerland used in fashion and home goods
What is VELCRO? Inspired by a walk in the woods, Mestral was intrigued by the burdock burrs that kept getting stuck in his dog's fur as they passed the unique plants