💌February Week 3💌

🎭Mardi Gras🎭

100

What state is Mardi Gras traditionally celebrated in? What city has the biggest celebration every year?

New Orleans in Louisiana! 

Mardi Gras has been celebrated in New Orleans since the explorer Iberville first set foot here on Mardi Gras Day 1699. In French colonial days, wealthy members of Creole society threw lavish Mardi Gras balls from Twelfth Night (Jan. 6) to Fat Tuesday Eve. In 1857, the first parade rolled through the city streets, courtesy of the Mistick Krewe of Comus. And in 1872, Rex, the king of Mardi Gras made his debut. Today, hundreds of Mardi Gras clubs (krewes) host grand balls and dozens of parade. 

200

Mardi Gras is a Cajun French holiday, what does it mean in English? 

Bonus: When is Mardi Gras usually celebrated?

Fat Tuesday! 

Mardi Gras (also known as Shrove Tuesday) is the final day of Carnival or Shrovetide before Ash Wednesday. Mardi Gras is French for "Fat Tuesday", reflecting the practice of the last night of consuming rich, fatty foods in preparation for the fasting season of Lent. Related popular practices are associated with Carnival celebrations before the fasting and religious obligations associated with the penitential season of Lent. In countries such as the United Kingdom, Mardi Gras is more usually known as Pancake Day or (traditionally) Shrove Tuesday, derived from the word shrive, meaning "to administer the sacrament of confession to; to absolve".

Bonus: Any Tuesday which is before Ash Wednesday, 47 days before Easter and 2 days after Shrove Sunday.

300

True or False: A bead necklace is hidden in traditional Mardi Gras King Cakes.

False: It's actually a baby! 

Not a real one of course, a tiny plastic baby is traditionally hidden inside King Cakes for those eating it to find. The baby symbolizes luck and prosperity to whoever finds it. That person is also responsible for purchasing next week's cake or hosting the next Mardi Gras party. Often, bakers place the baby outside of the cake, leaving the purchaser to hide it themselves. 

400

The official greeting of Mardi Gras is "Laissez les bon temps rouler!" What does this mean in English?

a. "Let the good times roll!"

b. "Pass me some gumbo!"

c. "Join the parade!"

d. "I think I just ate the baby in the king cake!"

a. "Let the good times roll!"

The phrase "let the good times roll" is most frequently heard during Mardi Gras celebrations in New Orleans, as it is a Cajun expression. Cajun French, or Louisiana regional French, is derived from the language of French settlers who colonized the Mississippi Delta area and intermarried with Cajun settlers. The language includes different grammatical structures and unique words not found in a more classic variety of French.

500

What is it illegal not to wear onboard a float in the Mardi Gras parade? 

A Mask!

It’s not just a tradition—it’s the law! Everyone on the float must wear a mask or paint their face. The practice was originally started to encourage people to mingle and talk to those outside of your social circle. 

☂️Ultimate Umbrellas☂️

100

Where is it bad luck to open an umbrella?

Inside! 

Opening an umbrella indoors is considered bad luck due to safety concerns with early umbrella designs in the Victorian era. Ancient Egyptians believed it was disrespectful to the sun god to open umbrellas indoors, as umbrellas were originally used for sun protection. Some believe that opening an umbrella indoors may upset the home's protective spirits and bring misfortune.

200

True or False: The word umbrella comes from the Latin word “umbra” which means shield.

False, it means shade or shadow. 

Widespread use of the umbrella in Europe was promoted by Princess Palatine in 1712. Her use encouraged the aristocracy to accessorize with an umbrella. A Paris magazine in 1768 is reported to have advised that without an umbrella, one is considered vulgar! “The common usage for quite some time now is not to go out without an umbrella, and to have the inconvenience of carrying it under your arm for six months in order to use it perhaps six times. Those who do not want to be mistaken for vulgar people much prefer to take the risk of being soaked, rather than to be regarded as someone who goes on foot; an umbrella is a sure sign of someone who doesn’t have his own carriage.” 

300

Modern-day umbrellas are coated with Teflon, which makes their canopy ________.

a. bulletproof

b. fire resistant

c. waterproof

d. magnetic

c. waterproof

Did you know it was women who championed the umbrella before men took up the habit of carrying them? Identified as early as 1708, women were using the umbrella to protect them from the outdoor elements, women were also able to accessorize their outfits with accompanying umbrellas. Kersey’s dictionary references an umbrella as ‘a screen commonly used by women to keep off rain.’ Another umbrella fact for you – it was John Hanway, a philanthropist and traveller from London who took up using the umbrella and was vilified and laughed at for carrying it by Hackney coachmen.

 

400

What type of Mexican hat also doubles as an umbrella?

The Sombrero! 

One of the most famous hats that serves as a big parasol is the Mexican sombrero (which can be translated as “shade maker”). Gentlemen often wore tan, white, or gray felt sombreros, while peasants wore straw. In Mexico the brim of the sombrero could be as much as 2 feet wide. Adopted by ranchers and frontiersmen in the United States, the sombrero was modified into the cowboy hat.

500

What are some other names for "umbrella"? What are some uses besides shielding ourselves from the rain?

Some common names for umbrella are parasol, brolly, canopy, sunshade, bumbershoot and shade. Umbrellas are also used for protecting yourself from the sun, as a means of privacy and even protecting oneself. 

Parasol is mainly an umbrella for protection from the sun. Brolly is a British slang that refers to a compact or folding umbrella. Canopy is a large umbrella-like structure often used over doors, entranceways or to provide shade for outdoor events. Sunshade and shade are often used synonymously with parasol as they provide shade during hot, sunny weather. Bumbershoot is simply an informal term for an umbrella. 

🌞The Sunny Side🌞

100

Smiling helps with anxiety by lowering your heart rate which in turn can lower your s_____.

Stress!

The simple act of smiling releases anti-stress chemicals (dopamine and serotonin) in your brain. These “feel good” transmitters travel throughout the body to relax muscles, lower blood pressure, slow the heartbeat, ease tension, and relieve stress. We’ve all heard the phrase “Fake it till you make it.” Surprisingly, that works with smiles too. Your brain reacts to the muscle movement of smiling. When the zygomaticus major lifts the corners of your mouth into a smile, your brain releases “feel good” chemicals. Your brain can’t differentiate between a genuine, real smile and a fake smile.

200

True or false: Otters hold hands when they float. 

True! 

Other animals hold hands as well, including honeybees! Honeybee “hands” resemble hooks, and they tend to do it while they’re sleeping. This phenomenon is known as festooning, and nobody truly knows why honey bees do this. Some experts say the bees are “measuring” the distance between frames, some say the structure acts like a scaffolding from which the bees build comb, some say bees can only produce wax from the festooning position. 

300

Hugging helps you release what feel good hormone?

a. Lovintocin

b. Huggintocin

c. Kissintocin

d. Oxytocin

d. Oxytocin

Hugging often creates a feeling of calmness and relaxation. That's because of oxytocin, which is sometimes called the "cuddle hormone." Oxytocin is released when people or pets snuggle up or bond socially. This release can have a domino effect throughout the body and has been found to reduce inflammation, improve wound healing, lessen cravings for drugs, alcohol, and sweets as well as lower one's heart rate and stress.

400

What happy actions do humans learn to do before they can speak?

Laughing and smiling! 

Humans start laughing as early as 3 months into life, even before we can speak. This is true even for babies who are deaf or blind. Peekaboo, it turns out, is particularly a global crowd-pleaser. And we know this because studying baby laughter is an actual job, too. Laughter clearly serves a social function. It is a way for us to signal to another person that we wish to connect with them. In fact, in a study of thousands of examples of laughter, the speakers in a conversation were found to be 46 percent more likely to laugh than the listeners. 

500

Who said the following quote: "I've learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel."

Bonus: Who said: "Remember no one can make you feel inferior without your consent."

Maya Angelou 

Bonus: Eleanor Roosevelt

⚜️Louisiana⚜️

100

What is the capital of Louisiana?

Hint: It's a French phrase meaning "red stick". 

Baton Rouge!

Named by French explorers as "the Red Stick City," Baton Rouge is where Louisiana's capital, flagship university, and distinctive Cajun and Creole cultures all come together. Located in Southeast Louisiana, Baton Rouge is the fifth largest city on the Mississippi River and home to Louisiana's largest parish. Strategically seated at the mouth of the Mississippi River, the Baton Rouge area's assets are integral to the nation's logistics and energy networks. Additionally, the city boasts a thriving arts culture and food scene making it a hub for unique festivals all year long. 

200

True or False: Louisiana shares an official state bird with four other states (Texas, Arkansas, Florida and Tennessee).

Bonus: What is the Louisiana state bird? 

True, the state bird is the Mockingbird!

This bird's famous song, with its varied repetitions and artful imitations, is heard all day during nesting season (and often all night as well). Very common in towns and cities, especially in southern areas, the Mockingbird often seeks insects on open lawns. When running in the open it may stop every few feet and partly spread its wings, flashing the white wing patches. Mockingbirds are bold in defense of their nests, attacking cats and even humans that venture too close.

 

300

New Orleans was originally founded by the French. What country took possession of it via the Treaty of Paris in 1763? 

a. Great Britain

b. Spain

c. Germany

d. Italy

b. Spain

Spain governed the colony of Louisiana for nearly four decades, from 1763 through March 1803, returning it to France for a few months before France sold it to the United States in the Louisiana Purchase of 1803. The Spanish colonial period began with uncertainty and a major rebellion, but by its end Louisiana had reached a new level of prosperity. By employing effective administrators who were culturally sensitive to the colony’s French-speaking Creole population, the Spanish accomplished what the French had never done—transform Louisiana into a stable, growing outpost. 

400

What evergreen tree with blooms that are creamy white to light pink and sweet-smelling was made Louisiana’s official state flower in 1900?

Magnolia

The large, creamy-white bloom of the magnolia tree was designated the state flower in 1900 because of its abundance throughout the state. The magnolia is an evergreen and the flower is unusually fragrant. Magnolia petals are edible and may be used as garnishes for food and beverages, or to hold small portions of food served in each sturdy, concave tepal. They taste a bit like citrus and ginger, and may also be used as a seasoning in cooked dishes. 

500

Which U.S. president called Baton Rouge Louisiana his home, after he had cotton plantations there? He was also general in the Us army before he was president. 

Zachary Taylor

Zachary Taylor, the twelfth president of the United States, served a mere sixteen months spanning the years 1849–50 before his untimely death in office. He was a planter and slaveholder based in Baton Rouge when he entered politics in the late 1840s, a time when northerners and southerners fiercely debated whether Western territories wrested from Mexico should be opened to slavery. Nicknamed “Old Rough and Ready,” before entering politics Taylor had a distinguished forty-year career in the United States Army, serving in the War of 1812, the Black Hawk War, and the Second Seminole War. When some southerners threatened secession, President Taylor stood firm and was prepared to hold the Union together by armed force rather than by compromise.

🥞Pancakes🥞

100

What meal are pancakes usually served for? 

Bonus: What do we traditionally serve on pancakes?

Breakfast

Although we can't point out the exact date maple syrup was first used as a topping for pancakes, there are some theories about how it began. Dave Smoke McCluskey, a Mohawk chef, spoke with the Martha Stewart website and shared that the Dutch Mohawk trade could have something to do with this. Dutch pancakes were traditionally enjoyed with apple syrup, so using maple syrup as an alternative wasn't far-fetched.

Bonus: Maple Syrup

200

True or False: Pancake Day and Shrove Tuesday fall on the same day.

True

Pancake Day, or Shrove Tuesday, is the traditional feast day before the start of Lent on Ash Wednesday. Lent – the 40 days leading up to Easter – was traditionally a time of fasting and on Shrove Tuesday, Anglo-Saxon Christians went to confession and were “shriven” (absolved from their sins). A bell would be rung to call people to confession. This came to be called the “Pancake Bell” and is still rung today. Shrove Tuesday was the last opportunity to use up eggs and fats before embarking on the Lenten fast and pancakes are the perfect way of using up these ingredients.

300

This famous American brand is known for their pancake mix, table syrup and other breakfast foods.

a. Father John's

b. Sister Susy's

c. Uncle Jeremy's

d. Aunt Jemima's

d. Aunt Jemima's

To distinguish their pancake mix, in late 1889 Chris L. Rutt appropriated the Aunt Jemima name and image from lithographed posters seen at a vaudeville house in St. Joseph, Missouri. In 1915, the well-known Aunt Jemima brand was the basis for a trademark law ruling that set a new precedent. Previously, United States trademark law had protected against infringement by other sellers of the same product, but under the "Aunt Jemima Doctrine", the seller of pancake mix was also protected against infringement by an unrelated seller of a different but related product—pancake syrup. Aunt Jemima became one of the longest continually running logos and trademarks in the history of American advertising.

400

What ingredients usually make up pancakes? 

Usually pancakes are made using flour, baking powder, sugar, salt, milk, butter and eggs.

Pancakes today differ significantly from what people ate in prehistoric times. The National Geographic explains that crude grinding tools from 30,000 years ago were used to process ferns, cattails, and other starchy plants into powder. According to researchers, the powders would then be mixed with water and baked on hot stones. The results were flat cakes likely harder than you'd typically prepare today.

500

What are some other versions of pancakes called around the world? 

Crêpes in France, Potato Pancakes in Austria, Blinis or Blintz in Russia, Cong You Bing (or Scallion Pancakes) in China, Hotcakes in Mexico, Dosa in India and Dutch Babies in the Netherlands are just a few examples!