Around the Globe
This East Asian island nation is known for its blend of ancient traditions and modern technology. It consists of four main islands and is home to major cities like Tokyo and Osaka
(BONUS: +200 points if you can name one more city in this country)
Japan
This Mexican artist, known for her vivid self-portraits and unibrow, explored identity, pain, and culture in her work, and often drew from Mexican folk traditions
(BONUS: +100 points if you can name her husband, a famous painter and muralist)
Frida Kahlo
(BONUS: Diego Rivera)
Driven by ideals of liberty, equality, and fraternity, this 1789 revolution led to the execution of King Louis XVI.
The French Revolution
These legless reptiles slither along the ground and use their forked tongues to sense their environment/track prey. They are found on every continent except Antarctica
(BONUS: +300 points for the correct answer: This animal is cold-blooded. What does it mean to be cold-blooded?)
Snakes
No state can claim this U.S. capital: an independent district with monuments, museums, and (questionable) lawmakers. Slightly humble compared to more famous cities like Los Angeles and NYC
Washington DC
This North African country is known for cities like Marrakech and Fez, vibrant markets, and rich cultural traditions. It borders both the Atlantic Ocean and the Mediterranean Sea and lies just across the Strait of Gibraltar from Europe
Morocco
This European nation produced composers such as Beethoven, Bach, Brahms, and Wagner, shaping Western classical music.
(BONUS: +100 points if you can name your favorite piece of classical music)
Germany
Justin Bieber, The Weeknd, Tate McCrae, and Avril Lavigne are all international musicians, but they all hail from this country.
Canada
Believed to have descended from gray wolves, these animals are believed to have been domesticated during the Paleolithic era, 15,000 years ago
Dogs
Founded in Los Angeles, CA, in the early 20th century, this entertainment hub gives its name to the American film industry as a whole
Hollywood
This East Asian country is known for its vast steppes and nomadic culture, as well as the legacy of Genghis Khan. It is landlocked between Russia and China and has one of the lowest population densities in the world. Its capital, Ulaanbaatar, is the coldest capital city on Earth.
Mongolia
This Italian Renaissance genius painted the “Mona Lisa” and “The Last Supper,” and is considered one of the greatest artists in history. He was also an inventor and scientist, known for detailed sketches of machines, anatomy, and flight.
(BONUS: +200 points if you can name the word for someone who is a genius in multiple areas of study)
Leonardo da Vinci
(BONUS: Polymath)
This cultural movement marked a revival of classical art, science, and philosophy in Italy from the 14th-16th century. Leonardo da Vinci, Michelangelo, and Raphael were key figures.
The Renaissance
Frogs, toads, and salamanders all belong to this class of cold-blooded vertebrates, that live both in water and on land during different stages of their lives.
Amphibians
This American state, which used to be a part of Mexico, is famous for turquoise, aliens, and secret government activity. It was brought to international attention as the setting for the hit TV show Breaking Bad
New Mexico
This West African country is the most populous nation in Africa and is known for its cultural diversity and vibrant music scene. It is home to Lagos, one of the largest cities on the continent, and has a major oil-based economy. It gained independence from Britain in 1960
Nigeria
This independent film company is known for producing and distributing acclaimed films like “Hereditary,” “Uncut Gems,” and “Everything Everywhere All at Once. A letter and a number
(BONUS: +100 points for each additional film of theirs you can name, up to 300)
A24
Built in 1961, this heavily guarded wall became a powerful symbol of division between the Soviet Union and Western Europe.
(BONUS: +200 Points if you can name the Soviet President at the time this wall fell)
The Berlin Wall
(BONUS: Mikhail Gorbachev)
These colorful birds, often found in tropical rainforests, are known for their intelligence and social behavior. They are most famous for their ability to talk and mimic human speech
Parrots
This American blonde bombshell, known for her platinum hair, red lips, and iconic curvy figure, starred in films like “Some Like It Hot,” “Gentlemen Prefer Blondes,” and “The Seven Year Itch
Marilyn Monroe
This Central Asian country is known for its vast deserts and the “Door to Hell,” a continuously burning gas crater. It was once part of the Soviet Union and remains one of the most isolated nations in the world. Its capital, Ashgabat, is famous for white marble buildings and grand, often empty boulevards.
Turkmenistan
This group of writers in the 1950s rejected mainstream culture and explored new forms of expression, embracing road trips, jazz, and spiritual exploration, forming a Post-WW2 American counterculture
(BONUS: +200 points if you can name one writer associated with this movement)
The Beats
(BONUS: Jack Kerouac, William S. Burroughs, Allen Ginsberg, etc.)
This narrow body of water separates England from France at its closest point. One of the world’s busiest shipping lanes, it is also famous for its white cliffs
(BONUS: +200 points if you can name the port town on the French side of this body of water)
The Dover Strait
(BONUS: Calais)
These intelligent primates, native to Africa and among humans’ closest living relatives, use tools and live in complex social groups.
(BONUS: +200 points for the percentage of DNA they share with humans)
Chimpanzees
(BONUS: 98-99%)
This fist-pumping 2000s-era American reality show spawned spinoffs all over the world, including the UK, Spain, Poland, and Mexico.
(BONUS: +100 points for every spinoff you can name)
The Jersey Shore
(BONUS: Geordie Shore, Gandia Shore, Warsaw Shore, Acapulco Shore)