North American River Cities
This large American city mostly sits between the Hudson River and the East River
What is New York City? The East River flows into Long Island Sound. The Hudson River separates New York and New Jersey.
This nut has the same name as a South American country and is the largest nut found in a container of mixed nuts
What is Brazil? Brazil nuts aren’t really nuts; they are seeds that come from a tree in the Amazon rain forest.
This state’s official nickname is the Beehive State, and one of its unofficial nicknames is Land of the Mormons.
What is Utah? Members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints first settled in Utah, and much of the population belongs to the church today.
Today, many young people don’t always know how to tie these because Velcro is used to secure their shoes on their feet.
What are shoelaces? Using Velcro to close shoes is not just a convenience; it keeps you from tripping over shoelaces that come untied.
On July 30, 1965, this health benefit was signed into law as an amendment to the Social Security Act.
What is Medicare? President Lyndon B. Johnson was accompanied by several people, including President Harry S. Truman, who signed the original Social Security Act.
This Pennsylvania city sits at the confluence of the Monongahela River and the Allegheny River, which form the Ohio River. Some people say this city sits at the confluence of all three rivers
What is Pittsburgh? The Ohio River is the largest tributary of the Mississippi River.
This huge, delicious summertime fruit is a gourd with red flesh.
What is watermelon? The average watermelon vine produces two to four fruits.
The Sunshine State unofficially goes by the nickname the Citrus State
What is Florida? When you think of orange juice, you think of Florida. Much of North America’s orange and grapefruit production comes from Florida.
People won’t be out of luck when the GPS system goes down if they keep one of these in the glove compartment, assuming they know how to read it.
What is map? Those of us who grew up with maps may find them easier to read than using GPS. Today, AAA offers TripTik apps for the smartphone for those who prefer this method.
On July 1, 1963, the Post Office Department (now the U.S. Postal Service, or USPS) introduced this five-digit system for sorting mail.
What is zip code? The USPS launched a marketing campaign with the mascot Mr. Zip to introduce zip codes to the public.
This city in the south of Texas sits on a river by the same name and is famous for its River Walk.
What is San Antonio? If you go to San Antonio, you don’t want to miss the River Walk, known as Paseo del Rio, where you can shop, dine, listen to music, take boat rides, or just stroll along the riverbank.
This C-shaped nut is often found in a can of mixed nuts.
What is cashew? Cashews are native to Brazil and come from evergreen trees in warm, humid climates across the globe.
The Aloha State unofficially goes by another nickname: the Pineapple State.
What is Hawaii? The state’s pineapple production is responsible for the unofficial nickname.
Otherwise known as turntables, these devices play music on vinyl.
What are record players? Some people prefer the sound of this earlier technology. You can still buy record players and turntables today.
On July 31, 1975, this Teamster leader vanished, and his body has never been found
Who is Jimmy Hoffa? His disappearance has been blamed on a mob hit, even though there is no evidence to support that assumption.
The Rideau River and the Gatineau River run through this capital city of Canada.
What is Ottawa? Parts of the riverbanks are flanked by castle-like structures.
This large, orange gourd is the largest fruit in the world.
What is pumpkin? The largest one to date is the Atlantic giant pumpkin that weighed in at 2,625 pounds. The title goes back and forth between pumpkin and squash.
The Volunteer State is unofficially called the Big Bend State.
What is Tennessee? Early Native Americans’ called the Tennessee River “Big Bend.”
The easiest way to save money on energy in the summer is to supplement air-conditioning with these devices that create air movement.
What are fans? They do not cool air; they move it. Circulating air feels cooler and requires less air-conditioning. Ceiling fans can lower the temperature by four degrees.
On July 14, 1789, the storming of the Bastille marked the beginning of this historical event.
What is the French Revolution? It was the most significant of the 18th-century revolutions in Europe. The most notable events were the executions of King Louis XIV and Queen Marie Antoinette
This capital city of Ontario sits on the mouth of the Humber River.
What is Toronto? Toronto also sits on Lake Ontario and is the largest city in Canada, with eight million residents.
This blossoming Japanese tree doesn’t produce the fruit that is mentioned in its name. Also, in making an argument for or against something, you might want to [name of fruit]-pick your words.
What is cherry? To “cherry pick” is to look through what’s available and find the best ones—whether it’s an item or argument.
The Bay State’s unofficial nicknames include Pilgrim State and the Spirit of America
What is Massachusetts? The Pilgrims are said to have landed at Plymouth Rock.
Instead of letting children create art on the computer, you can buy them a coloring book and time-tested box of 64 of these.
What are crayons? Crayola still makes the 64-crayon box. If those aren’t enough colors, they also make a box with 120 colors.
On July 4, 1826, the second and third presidents of the United States died within five hours of each other. Name one of them
Who is John Adams or Thomas Jefferson? The men were the last remaining American revolutionaries.