States & Capitals
November Days
This 'n' That
The Games People Play
American Presidents
100
Springfield is the capital of this state
What is Illinois? In addition to being the capital, Springfield is famous as the former home of President Abraham Lincoln. In 1834, Lincoln was responsible for moving the capital from Vandalia to Springfield, and he resided there for 10 years before moving to Washington, D.C.
100
This is held on November 11th
What is Veterans Day? Veterans Day is a federal holiday in the United States observed annually on November 11, for honoring military veterans of the United States Armed Forces.
100
"Plop, Plop, Fizz, Fizz (Oh what a relief it is)" refers to this over-the-counter medication.
What is Alka Seltzer? The first Alka Seltzer product hit the market in 1931, and it was sold as a hangover remedy. Today, Bayer owns Alka Seltzer.
100
An infants’ game has parents covering their eyes and saying this.
What is peekaboo? The game is played all over the world. When the infant reaches the toddler stage, you can graduate to hide-and-seek.
100
He said, “Ask not what your country can do for you; ask what you can do for your country.”
Who is President John F. Kennedy? President Warren Harding said something similar at the 1916 Republican National Convention: “We must have a citizenship less concerned about what the government can do for it, and more anxious about what it can do for the nation.”
200
Olympia is the capital of this state
What is Washington? Famous as the home of the Space Needle and Pike Place Market, Seattle is a vibrant city that is often confused for the Washington state capital. However, the Capitol can be found about 60 miles south on the Puget Sound, in the city of Olympia. When Washington was still a territory, Olympia was a busy trading hub and the largest settlement in the area. As such, it was named the capital and remains so to this day.
200
CBS showed what movie, featuring a brick road, in November 1956 for the first time on TV
What is the Wizard of Oz? n this classic musical fantasy, Judy Garland stars as Dorothy Gale, a young Kansas farm girl who dreams of a land "somewhere over the rainbow." Dorothy's dream comes true when she, her dog, Toto, and her family's house are transported by a tornado to a bright and magical world unlike anything she has seen before.
200
These are Cagney and Lacey’s first names.
What are Christine and Mary Beth? The show survived two cancellations thanks to viewer demand. Loretta Swit (of M*A*S*H fame) and Meg Foster played the Cagney role before Sharon Gless did.
200
Move your body into a pretzel with this 1960s game.
What is Twister? The original game was called Pretzel. The game garnered a reputation of being risqué, but Johnny Carson saved the game from obscurity when he played it with Eva Gabor on The Tonight Show.
200
He was the first president elected unanimously.
Who is President George Washington? He was also the first president to refuse to take his presidential salary.
300
Harrisburg is the capital of this state
What is Pennsylvania? Philadelphia is so embedded in U.S. history that many people assume the city is Pennsylvania’s state capital, too. Philadelphia actually served as the U.S. capital between 1790 and 1800 (before Washington, D.C.), so it only made sense for the state legislature to convene there as well.
300
Born November 4, 1946 she was the first lady of the United States from 2001 to 2009.
Who is Laura Bush? Laura Lane Bush is married to President George W. Bush and served as the first lady of the United States from 2001 to 2009. Bush previously served as the first lady of Texas from 1995 to 2000. She is also the daughter-in-law of former president George H. W. Bush
300
Kites originated in this country.
What is China? They date to the BC era and were originally used for military purposes.
300
This game is typically played with a set of 136 or 144 tiles that are based on Chinese characters and symbols.
What is Mah-jongg? Mah-jongg sets used to be made of bone or ivory, but modern sets are often made of plastic.
300
He is the only U.S. president to be elected from Pennsylvania and the only one to never marry.
Who is President James Buchanan? He served immediately prior to the American Civil War — from 1857 to 1861.
400
Salem is the capital of this state
What is Oregon? As Oregon’s largest city, Portland is home to its fair share of beer drinkers, coffee lovers, and hipsters — but it doesn’t house the state legislature. That honor belongs to Salem, a city of about 170,000 people located on the Willamette River.
400
On 5 November 1935, what hugely popular game was presented to the world by The Parker Brothers? Remember to collect $200 for going past go.
What is Monopoly? Charles Darrow stole the idea for this game from a woman named Elizabeth Magie, and she called it the "Landloard's Game". She first came up with the idea in 1903 as a way to protest against the monopolists of her time, but despite self-circulating the game for awhile, it never fully caught on — until Darrow claimed it as his own and took a version to Parker Brothers.
400
This is the capital of Hungary.
What is Budapest? Before 1873, Budapest was three separate cities: Pest, Buda, and Óbuda.
400
This classic murder-mystery game was patented by a British musician named Anthony Pratt in 1944 and released by Parker Brothers in 1949.
What is Clue? The most recent version of the game includes details about the characters. For example, Colonel Mustard left the military, and he’s a former football star.
400
This modern president was the first to be born in a hospital.
Who is President Jimmy Carter? He was also the first president to have claimed to have seen a UFO.
500
Jefferson City is the capital of this state
What is Missouri? Home to the Gateway Arch, the Cardinals, and the World’s Fair, St. Louis is Missouri’s most prominent city, which means it’s often mistaken for the capital. However, the capital of Missouri is located 126 miles west of St. Louis in the center of the state. Jefferson City was originally named Missouriopolis, but the name was changed in 1825 to honor former President Thomas Jefferson
500
In November 1860 he was elected the 16th President of the United States.
Who is Abraham Lincoln? Benjamin Franklin isn’t the only American political leader who demonstrated an inventive mind. After being aboard a steamboat that ran aground on low shoals and had to unload its cargo, Lincoln, who loved tinkering with machines, designed a method for keeping vessels afloat when traversing shallow waters through the use of empty metal air chambers attached to their sides. For his design, Lincoln obtained Patent No. 6,469 in 1849.
500
Everyone believes Nero fiddled while Rome burned, but that’s inaccurate because of this problem with the fiddle.
What is it had not yet been invented? Nero was 35 miles away in Antium at the time Rome began to burn.
500
Derived from a game called Halma, this game’s board is in the shape of a six-pointed star. Additionally, the playing pieces are typically marbles.
What is Chinese checkers? While the checkers-type board game Halma was invented around 1880, Chinese checkers came to popularity in the U.S. in the 1930s.
500
He is the only U.S. president to have served during both World Wars.
Who is President Dwight D. Eisenhower? Though he did not serve in combat in World War I, after graduating from West Point in 1915, Eisenhower served in the U.S. Army in Texas, Maryland, and Pennsylvania, supporting the war efforts.