| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| This man twice joined the Oneida commune and attempted to plagiarize their teachings in his newspaper The Daily Theocrat. Prior to his execution, this man recited his poem (+) "I am Going to the Lordy." This man reportedly chose one weapon with ivory grips because he thought it would look nicer in a museum, and he carried out his most famous crime at the Baltimore and Potomac Railroad Station. (*) For the points, name this assassin of James Garfield. | Charles Guiteau [[GEE-toh]] (Charles Julius Guiteau) |
| This figure published “On the Rainbow” after being heavily influenced by Isaac Newton’s work on optics. This figure served as the third president of Princeton for five weeks before dying from a complication of a (+) smallpox vaccine. This grandfather of Aaron Burr formed the New England School of Theology at the start of the (*) First Great Awakening. For the points, name this fiery preacher who delivered the sermon “Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God.” | Jonathan Edwards |
| Some Christian Bibles include a tale of Daniel killing one of these creatures by feeding it a tainted cake. This type of creature is the last monster killed by (+) Beowulf, at the cost of the hero’s own life. In Greek myth, both Jason and Cadmus sowed the teeth of this creature to form armies, and Chinese emperors sat on a (*) throne named after this creature. For the points, identify this creature, which is slayed in Christian lore by St. George. | Dragon |
| He’s not Strom Thurmond, but this man delivered the longest filibuster in the history of the House of Representatives to oppose a bill of nearly $2 trillion. This man suddenly withdrew from an election because of a rumored (+) affair with Congresswoman Renee Ellmers. This man was criticized for moving into a certain office before he was elected after a historic (*) fourteen ballots. For the points, name this California Republican who was elected speaker of the House in 2023. | Kevin McCarthy (or Kevin Owen McCarthy) |
| According to Greek mythology, this deity lost a musical contest to Apollo, which resulted in King Midas being cursed with donkey ears. This (+) deity fashioned Syrinx, a wood nymph, into a musical instrument after her sisters turned her into a reed. Traditionally depicted as the god of the (*) Wild, for the points, who is this deity often depicted as a faun or satyr? | Pan (do not accept or prompt on “Faunus”) |
| In this year, an earthquake interrupted the World Series between the San Francisco Giants and Oakland A’s. During this year, a human chain known as the "Baltic Way" made up of 2 million (+) Estonians, Latvians, and Lithuanians formed to protest Communism in the Singing Revolution. The People's Liberation Army (*) broke up student demonstrations in this year at the "Gate of Heavenly Peace," also known as Tiananmen Square. The fall of the Berlin Wall occurred in, for the points, what year in the 1980s? | |
| This city’s navy joined forces with Cumae to defeat the Etruscans in a 474 B.C. battle. This city fought a war against Carthage under the tyrannical Dionysius (+) the Elder, and this city was legendarily founded by Corinthian colonists that were led by Archias. This city’s leader, Hieron the Second, commissioned a heat ray and a claw weapon that was created by the polymath (*) Archimedes. For the points, name this Greek colony that was founded on Sicily, the namesake of a university city in Upstate New York. | Syracuse (or Syracusae; prompt on “Sicily” before read) |
| In the movie History of the World Part One, Mel Brooks performs a song and dance routine in a role as the head of this institution. This institution originated the use of public penance called auto- da-fé as a form of (+) punishment. This institution was led by Tomás de Torquemada and to police recent (*) Jewish and Muslim converts near the completion of the Reconquista. Founded by Ferdinand and Isabella, for the points, name this Catholic institution tasked with rooting out heresies on the Iberian Peninsula. | Spanish Inquisition (or Tribunal of the Holy Office of the Inquisition) |
| This country's name was first mentioned in an ancient inscription from the second Himyarite kingdom. In 2004, the head of a Zaidi Shia sect launched an ongoing uprising against this country's government. This country is currently experiencing a (+) humanitarian disaster caused by depleted aquifers, famine, and a proxy war between Iran and Saudi Arabia. The Houthi (*) movement controls the capital of, for the points, what southern Arabian country that has been in a state of civil war since 2011? | Republic of Yemen |
| This man made an appearance in the 2012 London Closing Ceremony, where his tweet that stated, "This is for everyone," appeared in LED lights on the audiences' chairs. While working at CERN in 1980, this collaborator of Robert Cailliau proposed the (+) hypertext program ENQUIRE, which was the predecessor of his most notable invention. The first version of (*) HTML was written by, for the points, what English computer scientist who invented the World Wide Web? | Tim Berners-Lee (or Timothy John Berners-Lee) |
| Name and number required! The Erfurt Latrine Disaster occurred during the rule of a German King of this name and number. A revolt by Owen Glendower was put down by a king of this name and number, who was the son of (+) John of Gaunt. A Holy Roman Emperor of this name and number underwent the Walk to Canossa to end the Investiture Controversy, while a French King with the same title was assassinated by Francois Ravaillac. (*) For the points, name this regnal name and number held by many kings in Europe, including one who declared “Paris is well worth a mass”? | Henry the Fourth (prompt on partial answer; accept Heinrich or Henri for Henry) |
| Negotiations for this treaty were led on one side by James Gambier, William Adams, and Henry Goulburn. This treaty’s terms called for the return of land taken from Native Americans, but ignored the issue of fishing rights off (+) Canada. While negotiating this treaty, Henry Clay earned a reputation for carousing that contrasted with his fellow diplomat, John (*) Quincy Adams. For the points, name this treaty that ended the War of 1812. | Treaty of Ghent |
| This organization merged with the Fatherland Front in 1977 after the dissolution of the Provisional Revolutionary Government. This organization fought the FULRO, which was composed of Montagnards [[mon-tan-YARDS]], (+) and this organization used the Parrot’s Beak region to attack an enemy capital through the Mekong Delta during the (*) Tet Offensive. Succeeding the Viet Minh in 1960, this is, for the points, what South Vietnamese Communist guerrilla group? | Viet Cong (or National Liberation Front for South Vietnam; or NLF; prompt on “Charlie” or “Victor Charlie”; do not accept “People’s Army of Vietnam”) |
| This man missed the 1952 and ’53 seasons after being drafted into the Army, during which time Bobby Thomson primarily played his position in the Polo Grounds. During his team’s 1954 World Series victory, this man made a running (+) over-the-shoulder catch to rob Vic Wertz of extra bases, an act still called “The Catch.” Notably silent on race issues, stating, “I’m a ballplayer, (*) not a politician,” for the points, who is this Giants center fielder who hit 660 career home runs? | Willie Mays (or Willie Howard Mays Jr.) |
| This deity used a sword to create three goddesses while competing against another god who made five gods from a necklace. This deity (+) fled from her brother after he threw a flayed horse into her weaving-room, and was only lured out of hiding by seeing her brilliant reflection in a (*) mirror. For the points, the Japanese emperor formerly claimed to be divine due to descent from what Shinto sun goddess? | Amaterasu Ōmikami (or Ōhirume no Muchi no Kami) |
| The current leader of this country lost a leadership election to Bill Shorten, but took over leadership after a surprise loss in 2019 elections. Kevin (+) Rudd apologized to this country’s indigenous population for its “Stolen Generation. Formerly led by such prime ministers as Malcolm Turnbull and Scott Morrison (*) for the points, name this currently led by Labour leader Anthony Albanese. | Commonwealth of Australia |
| One set of religious wars in this present-day country saw infighting between the Taborites and Utraquists. One religious reformer from this present-day country was burned at the stake at the Council of Constance, (+) and his followers later fought the Battle of White Mountain after causing a defenestration in a certain city (*) For the points, name this country whose historical region of Bohemia is centered on Prague. | Czechia (or Czech Republic; accept Bohemia before mentioned) |
| Reappropriating a derisive term, this politician coined the Latin phrase meaning “The life of the egghead is hard.” (+) During the Cuban Missile Crisis, this man represented the United States at the UN, and this politician’s grandfather and namesake served as Grover Cleveland’s (*) vice president. For the points, name this Democratic politician who lost two elections to Dwight Eisenhower. | Adlai Ewing Stevenson II |
| A ruling dynasty of this culture lost power thanks to the “Do Nothing” kings. That dynasty of this culture was succeeded by another dynasty founded by Pepin (+) the Short, the son of the winner of the Battle of Tours. Ruled by warrior-kings like Charles (*) Martel and Charlemagne, for the points, what is this Germanic culture that ruled much of modern-day Germany and France? | Franks (or Franci; or Francorum; accept Merovingians before “Pepin”; prompt on “Carolingian (s)”) |
| Many people of this ethnicity settled in the United States following the Hamidian and Adana Massacres. A member of this ethnicity worked alongside Jonny Cochran [[KOK-ran]] to represent O.J. Simpson, and that man’s daughters appeared on one of the longest-running (+) reality TV series of all time. Including the Kardashians, (*) for the points, what is this ethnicity that fled their native region following an Ottoman-perpetrated genocide? | Armenian-American |
| An executive from this company, Sidney Reso, was kidnapped in his driveway by people falsely claiming to be from Greenpeace. Rex Tillerson served as (+) CEO of this company, which was founded by a merger of the Vacuum Oil Company and Standard Oil. It's not BP, but this company caused one of the largest (*) oil environmental disasters in history after the Valdez ran ashore in Alaska. For the points, name this largest American gas and oil company, which merged with Mobil in 1998. | ExxonMobil (or Exxon; prompt on “Mobil” before mentioned) |
| After being kidnapped by Thomas Hunt and taken to Spain, this man learned English and went to London to work for the shipbuilder John Slaney. This man is credited with showing (+) European colonists to use menhaden fertilizer. According to William Bradford, this last member of the Patuxet died of “Indian fever” in 1622 and he may have participated in the first (*) Thanksgiving. For the points, name this Native American who taught the Pilgrims how to plant local crops. | Squanto (or Tisquantum) |
| This country was briefly ruled by Goukouni Oueddei [[WEH-deh]] in the 1980s, a decade whose later years included the dictatorship of (+) Hissen Habré. This country won control of the Aouzou Strip in the aftermath of its defeat of Libya in the Toyota War. (*) Like the Aral Sea, this country’s namesake lake has shrunk significantly in size, hampering water access to millions of people in the Sahel region. For the points, name this African county where, in 2021, Idriss Déby was killed north of N'Djamena. | Republic of Chad (accept Jumhūriyyat Tšād or République du Tchad) |
| After this commander assisted in a coup against the Jianwen Emperor, he was appointed commander of Nanjing. The Xuande [[SHWAHN-DUH]] Emperor ended the (+) explorations of this court eunuch. The Mao Kun Map documents this Muslim navigator's seven (*) treasure voyages. For the points, name this Ming dynasty navigator who explored the coasts of Asia and Africa under the Yongle [[YONG-LUH]] Emperor. | Zheng He [[ZHUNG-HUH]] (or Ma He; be lenient on pronunciation; prompt on "He") |
| The Tall el-Hammam site in this country is the subject of pseudoscientific theories about an airburst which inspired the Biblical story of Sodom. This country is home to a (+) rock cut “rose city” that was built by the Nabateans. This country has been ruled by the Hashemite Dynasty since 1921, and its city of (*) Petra was used as a setting for the adventure movie “Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade. For the points, what Middle Eastern country, lost control of the West Bank to Israel after the Six Day War? | Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan (or Al Mamlakah al Urduniyah al Hashimiyah) |
| William Brown of Framingham, Massachusetts published an advertisement for the recovery of this man in 1750. During one trial, John (+) Adams called this man a “stout…fellow, whose very looks was enough to terrify any person.” This whaler and longshoreman was the first to die to an attack by men led by (*) Thomas Preston. For the points, name this African American man who died at the Boston Massacre. | Crispus Attucks |
| During a battle of this conflict, the collapse of a bridge at Graben forced Hans Joachim von Zieten to relocate south. That battle during this war was the inspiration for the Hohenfriedberger Marsch, and this larger conflict included the (+) War of Jenkin's Ear, which solidified Prussian claims to Silesia. The death of Charles the Sixth of the (*) Hapsburg monarchy precipitated, for the points, what war over Maria Theresa’s accession that was ended by the Treaty of Aix-la-Chapelle [[‘EYE’-lah-SHAH-pell]]? | War of the Austrian Succession |
| At the age of ten, this man defeated the fire-breathing man Aillen to save the city of Tara. This man had his wife disguise him as a baby to scare off the giant Benandonner. (+) This hero gained special knowledge after sucking on his burnt thumb while cooking a fish that ate magic chestnuts. This man is the subject of a Cycle of tales purportedly written by his son, Ossian. (*) For the points, name this Irish hero who gained wisdom by eating some of the salmon of wisdom. | Fion mac Cumhail (or Finn McCool) |
| Owen Lovejoy created a reconstruction of this figure after various parts were brought to the Cleveland Museum of Natural History. Located at the Hadar site in the Awash Valley, this figure was given the name (+) Dinkinesh. A team led by Donald Johanson was working in the the Afar Depression of the Great Rift Valley when they stumbled upon this figure, best known by a name inspired by a (*) Beatles song. For the points, identify this early female hominid specimen. | Lucy (accept AL 288-1; accept Dinkinesh before mentioned) |
| Until Theodosius the First forced one site’s closure, this person worked one day a month and rested all winter, when Dionysus moved in. Serving for life, this person declared that Persia (+) would be defeated at sea and that Croesus [[KREE-sus]] would destroy a great empire. This person uttered poetry or gibberish after taking money and a cake while sitting on a tripod to (*) breathe vapor from a crack in the floor. For the points, name this woman who prophesied at Delphi. | Oracle at Delphi (or Pythia; or Pythoness; or High priestess of the temple of Apollo at Delphi) |
| According to Chalkokondyles [[kal-koh-kon-DYE-leez]], this ruler was imprisoned in the city of Belgrade by John Jiskra. The murder of this ruler’s older brother, Mircea the Second, motivated a lifelong grudge against his own nobility. Near Targoviste, this man attempted the Night Attack to capture (+) Mehmed the Second. (*) For the points, name this Wallachian ruler known for his brutal execution method, an inspiration for Dracula. | Vlad the Impaler (accept Vlad the Third; or Vlad Tepes; accept Vlad Dracula before “Dracula”, but do not accept or prompt on “Vlad Dracul”) |
| This person called Douglas MacGregor the “Putin wing of the GOP” after the latter called the Ukrainian president a “puppet.” In an interview with 60 Minutes, this person claimed that waterboarding wasn’t torture before expressing regret for not supporting (+) same-sex marriage. This politician and Adam Kinzinger were the only Republicans serving on the select committee responsible for investigating the January (*) 6th attacks on the Capitol building. For the points, what former representative of Wyoming is the daughter of an ex-vice president? | Liz Cheney (or Elizabeth Lynne Cheney) |