🍁September Week 4🍁

🏴‍☠️Arrrgh! Pirates🏴‍☠️

100

What famous symbol is on a pirate ship flag? 

A Skull and Crossbones

The flag is known as the Jolly Roger, and it is often depicted with a white skull and crossbones on a black background. The first use of the term “Jolly Roger” in print appears in 1724 in The General History of Pyrates. Some scholars believe the term is an Anglicization of the French “joli rouge” name for the terrible red flag. Others think the term “Roger” or “Old Roger”—a common 18th-century nickname for the devil—and the grinning skull inspired the name. Regardless of its origins, pirates raised their versions of the Jolly Roger long before the name entered popular use. 

200

Where is the lookout positioned on a pirate ship?

The Crow's Nest

A crow's nest is a structure in the upper part of the main mast of a ship or a structure that is used as a lookout point. On ships, this position ensured the widest field of view for lookouts to spot approaching hazards, other ships, or land by using the naked eye or optical devices such as telescopes or binoculars. It should not be confused with the top, the platform in the upper part of each lower mast of a square-rigged sailing ship.

300

A cutlass was a type of what? 

a. Lady

b. Saber

c. Ship

d. Dog

b. Saber

A cutlass is a short, broad sabre or slashing sword, with a straight or slightly curved blade sharpened on the cutting edge, and a hilt often featuring a solid cupped or basket-shaped guard. It was a common naval weapon during the early Age of Sail.

400

What accessories does a pirate typically carry or wear?

An eye patch, peg leg, hat, sword, sometimes even a hook for a hand and parrot on their shoulder!

If you thought that pirates wear eye patches because they’re missing an eye then you are mistaken, pirates actually wore eye patches to help them see better in the dark! Our eyes take quite a while to adjust properly from light to dark, so pirates kept an eye patch over one eye at all times so they were already adjusted. Whenever a pirate went below deck, they would just change their eye patch over and voila! They could see in the dark!

500

Who was the most successful pirate of all time? 

Hint: He was named after his facial hair!

Blackbeard 

Blackbeard, also known as Edward Teach, is widely considered the most successful pirate of all time. He captured over 40 ships in his career and was known for his intimidating appearance, which included a long black beard and multiple weapons.

🗽I ❤️ NY🗽

100

What is the capital of New York?

Albany 

During the Revolutionary War from 1775 to 1783, Albany was a supply center as well as a focal point for military planning because of its central location on the Hudson River, said Discover Albany. In 1797, Albany became the official state capital. However, Albany was not the first capital of the state, Kingston was. In September 1777, officials met in Kingston to declare it a sovereign state and establish the first New York State Senate, making the city New York’s first capital. One month later, the city was burned down by British troops who came from the south. British troops from the north never reached Albany, as they were stopped at Saratoga.

200

"Low bridge, everybody down..." According to the classic grade school song, Sal the mule pulled a barge 15 miles a day along which waterway? 

The Erie Canal 

Built in 1825, the Erie Canal stretched from Albany to Buffalo, and connected the Great Lakes to the Atlantic Ocean.

300

This city is home to two well-known colleges and was an important area in the silent film era. What is the name of this city on the southern end of Cayuga Lake? 

Ithaca, NY!

Although the movie industry has gone global in the 21st century, Hollywood remains synonymous with movie making. But that wasn't always the case. For almost a decade between 1912 and 1920, idyllic Ithaca, NY was the cinematic capital of the US. 

400

The New York State Fair is held every year in this city and is the longest running state fair in the country.

Syracuse, NY

The first state-wide fair in New York, with speeches, animal exhibits, a plowing contest, and manufactured and home goods, was held in Syracuse on September 29-30, 1841. Syracuse has been the fair’s permanent home since1890.

500

True or false, there are 10 Finger Lakes.

False, there are actually 11!

The eleven Finger Lakes are Conesus, Hemlock, Candice, Honeoye, Canandaigua, Keuka, Seneca, Cayuga, Owasco, Skaneateles, and Otisco.
All of the Finger Lakes were carved out by glaciers after the Ice Age, which makes them look long, narrow, and similar to fingers.

🏛️State the Capital!🏛️

100

True or False: Lansing is the capital of New York. 

False! Albany is the capital of New York, Lansing is Michigan's capital. 

Lansing is the capital of Michigan and was the birthplace of Oldsmobile. The city is bookended by the majestic and historic State Capitol Building and the campus of Michigan State University. The Grand River and Lansing's 20-mile River Trail bisect the downtown from Old Town to REO Town and beyond. 

200

If there are 24 state capitals west of the Mississippi River, how many are east of the Mississippi River?

26!

There were actually four capitals of the state of Mississippi, the first being the city of Washington. The second capital of the State was actually back in Natchez. The third capital of the state was in Columbus. The fourth and final capital of the state was established in Jackson.

300

True or False: Big Rock is the capital of Arkansas.

False, it's Little Rock!

Located along the Arkansas River, Little Rock, the bustling capital city of Arkansas, is known for its William J. Clinton Presidential Library and Museum, the Old State House Museum, Pinnacle Mountain State Park, Esse Purse Museum, and the Little Rock Zoo, among other popular sites and attractions.

400

Which state capital's official bird is the plastic pink flamingo?

a. Carson City, Nevada

b. Austin, Texas

c. Baton Rouge, Louisiana

d. Madison, Wisconsin

d. Madison, Wisconsin

In the fall of 1979, Madison was the site of the largest known migration of plastic flamingos in recorded history. On September 4, University of Wisconsin students and staff, trudged their way to class and were stunned to see that more than 1,000 plastic flamingos had descended upon the iconic Bascom Hill in the wee hours of the morning. A prank had been pulled and a legend born. This prank turned tradition became so popular that in 2015, the Madison Common Council declared the plastic flamingo the official bird of the city of Madison. 

500

There are four state capitals are named after American presidents, can you name them?

There are four state capitals named after American presidents: Jackson (Mississippi), Jefferson City (Missouri), Lincoln (Nebraska), and Madison (Wisconsin).

🍂Fall Into Autumn🍂

100

In what month does fall begin in the United States?

September

The autumnal equinox, also known as the September equinox or fall equinox, arrives in September. The date marks the start of fall in the Northern Hemisphere and spring in the Southern Hemisphere — and the equinox occurs at the same moment worldwide.

200

What event happens at the end of fall, causing clocks to be set back?

Daylight Saving Time Ends

Two states don’t do daylight saving time: Hawaii and Arizona. The United States officially adopted daylight saving time (yes, not “savings”) as part of the Uniform Time Act of 1966. Before that, states could come up with their own versions of the practice. In fact, Iowa once had 23 different pairs of start and end dates throughout the state. This new law brought much-needed order to the country’s clocks, but it didn’t require all states to comply. And so, Hawaii and Arizona eventually opted out.

300

What delicious fall spice is rich in antioxidants and may help support blood sugar?

a. Pepper

b. Cumin

c. Cinnamon

d. Tumeric

c. Cinnamon

A favourite household spice, cinnamon was once traded as currency. The spice has a pleasant flavour and warm smell, making it popular for cooking, especially in sweet bakes and curries. Derived from the inner bark of a small evergreen tree, the bark is peeled and laid in the sun to dry, where it curls into rolls known as cinnamon sticks. Cinnamon is also available in powdered form.

400

True or False: Pumpkins are a vegetable.

False! They are a fruit because they come from the flowers of their plant and have seeds inside.

A pumpkin, from a botanist's perspective, is a fruit because it's a product of the seed-bearing structure of flowering plants. Vegetables, on the other hand, are the edible portion of plants such as leaves, stems, roots, bulbs, flowers, and tubers.

500

Why do leaves change color in the fall? 

A lack of chlorophyll from less direct sunlight as the days get shorter.

Most of the year, these leaves are green because of the chlorophyll they use to absorb energy from sunlight during photosynthesis. As the season changes, trees get less direct sunlight, and the chlorophyll in the leaves breaks down. The lack of chlorophyll reveals yellow and orange pigments that were already in the leaves but masked during the warmer months. Darker red leaves are the result of a chemical change: Sugars that can get trapped in the leaves produce new pigments that weren’t part of the leaf in the growing season. 

🌎North American Wildlife🌎

100

According to folklore, Ben Franklin thought this bird should have been favored over the chosen national symbol of the U.S.A.

Wild Turkey

Often symbolizing America’s Thanksgiving meal, the Eastern wild turkey is a magnificent bird that epitomizes the spirit of a survivor. These birds made an incredible comeback, largely through active restoration efforts, after being extirpated from New York State in the early 1840s. Today wild populations of this striking North American native can be found across the state, frequently spotted feeding along the side of the road or in farm fields. 

200

One of the larger members of the rodent family, it's fur is dark brown and it has a flat hairless tail. This animal basically spends its lifetime in or around water.

Beaver

The beaver’s tail has important uses both in the water and on land. In the water, the animal uses its flexible tail as a four-way rudder. When diving after being frightened, a beaver loudly slaps the water with its tail; the sound warns all beavers in the vicinity that danger is near, and perhaps serves to frighten potential predators. On land, the tail acts as a prop when a beaver is sitting or standing upright. It also serves as a counterbalance and support when a beaver is walking on its hind legs while carrying building materials with its teeth, front legs, and paws.

300

This is a large warm water animal which grows to approx. 15 feet in length, and 2000 pounds. Its body is grayish and almost completely hairless. It has a broad, paddle-shaped tail. 

Manatee

The Florida manatee, Florida’s state marine mammal, is a large aquatic relative of the elephant. Manatees are grayish brown in color and have thick, wrinkled skin on which there is often a growth of algae. Their front flippers help them steer, or sometimes crawl, through shallow water. They also have powerful, flat tails that help propel them through the water. 

400

This is a large ungainly bird, with a large amount of extra skin hanging under its bill which it uses to keep fish and other food. 

Pelican

The Brown Pelican is a comically elegant bird with an oversized bill, sinuous neck, and big, dark body. Squadrons glide above the surf along southern and western coasts, rising and falling in a graceful echo of the waves. They feed by plunge-diving from high up, using the force of impact to stun small fish before scooping them up.

500

This animal's flat body is wider than it is high with short legs that bow outward and a slightly upturned snout. A white stripe from its nose to the back of its neck bisects the shoulders with a short bushy tail.

Badger 

Badgers are solitary animals, except during the breeding season when the female raises the young. While badgers are nocturnal, they are sometimes seen out during the day. They are strong, fast diggers, known to be capable of burrowing through roads and thin concrete.