| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| This city's Dome of the Treasury included eight Roman columns at the mosque Qubbat al-Khazna. John the Baptist's head was supposedly kept in this city, which was conquered in 750 by the Abbasids. Mu'awiya I [[the First]] and the Umayyad Caliphate ruled from this city. This city’s namesake university granted a medical degree to Bashar al-Assad. Known for a namesake steel, for the point, name this capital of Syria. | Damascus (accept Damascus affair; accept Damascus steel) |
| This man labeled the Chevrolet Corvair a “one car accident" and criticized automobile manufacturers for being reluctant to spend money on safety in the book Unsafe at Any Speed. This man may have detracted from Democratic votes for Al Gore in the state of Florida in one election. For the point, name this consumer advocate who ran on the Green Party presidential ticket in the Election of 2000.. | Ralph Nader (accept Nader's Raiders) |
| One man with this title held the epithet Parapinakes [[pah-rah-pee-NAH-kehs]], literally meaning "Minus a Quarter," due to his devaluation of a currency. The Palaiologos [[pah-"lie"-oh-LOH-gohss]] Dynasty held this title for 200 years, with the last holder of this title from that dynasty dying while fighting Ottoman sultan Mehmed the Conqueror in 1453. For the point, name this title held by men such as Basil the Bulgar Slayer and Justinian the Great. | Eastern Roman Emperor (accept Byzantine Emperor; accept Basileus or Imperator; Emperor of the Eastern Roman Empire; prompt on partial answers) |
| This man, along with classmate Samuel D. Warren, wrote the article “The Right to Privacy” for the Harvard Law Review. This man changed American legal discourse in his namesake brief, in which scientific data and social science superseded legal theory. This man is the namesake of a research university that was founded in 1948 in Waltham, Massachusetts. For the point, identify this first Jewish U.S. Supreme Court justice, who served from 1916 to 1941. | Louis Brandeis [[BRAND-"ice"]] (or Louis Dembitz Brandeis) |
| Fred Trump dismantled parts of this area, including Steeplechase Park. This area was the site of the electrocution of a female Asian elephant named Topsy, an act that was supposedly part of the Edison-Tesla Current Wars. This area is the location of early wooden roller coasters such as The Cyclone and The Wonder Wheel. For the point, name this Brooklyn "island" which hosts the Nathan's Hot Dog Eating Contest. | Coney Island peninsula (prompt on "Brooklyn" or "New York City") |
| To spite a prophecy, this emperor may have created a three-mile long boat pontoon made to ride across on his horse. The assassination of this emperor resulted in the ascent of his uncle, Claudius. This emperor is most commonly known by a nickname meaning “little boot.” For the point, name this likely insane emperor who tried to have his horse made consul. | Caligula (or Gaius Julius Caesar Augustus Germanicus) |
| One piece of this type was premiered at the consecration of the rebuilt Coventry Cathedral and featured text by Wilfred Owen. The Polish and War are two pieces of this type, and another piece of this type, identified as K626, had its Lacrimosa movement left unfinished at its composer's death. Mozart composed a notable example of, for the point, what type of mass for the dead? | Requiem (accept Polish Requiem; accept War Requiem; accept Mozart's Requiem in D Minor) |
| During his first presidential campaign, this man received support from the reform- minded Mugwumps. This president used the Army to prevent discontented laborers in the Pullman Strike from obstructing railways. This man was the only president to hold his wedding in the White House, and this man lost the election of 1888 to Benjamin Harrison but defeated him in 1892. For the point, name this Republican, the only man to serve two non- consecutive terms as U.S. president. | Grover Cleveland (or Stephen Grover Cleveland) |
| An area near this river is home to the oldest-known cotton garments. A civilization based around this river used a major port at Lothal. Artifacts recovered from an area near this river include the unicorn cylinder seal and the Dancing Girl. This river was at the center of the Harappan civilization, who built cities such as Mohenjo-Daro. For the point, name this river whose valley was home to an ancient civilization in modern-day Pakistan. | Indus River (accept Indus River Valley Civilization) |
| While stationed in the Philippines, this man refused to execute the Rainbow Five plan for a strategic retreat, instead launching a failed defense of Luzon against Japanese forces. In another conflict, this man oversaw the successful amphibious landing at Inchon. This man commanded UN forces in Korea until he was dismissed by Harry S. Truman. For the point, name this American general who accepted the Japanese surrender to end World War Two. | Douglas MacArthur |
| A member of this family named Salvestro represented the upper classes during the Ciompi [[CHYOM-pee]] Revolt. This family accumulated power after the bankruptcy of the Gran Tavola. This family produced four popes, including Pius IV [[the Fourth]]. For the point, name this powerful Florentine banking family led by Cosimo and Lorenzo the Magnificent. | de Medici (accept Salvestro de' Medici; accept Cosimo de' Medici; accept Lorenzo de' Medici) |
| This event caused the Murphy Oil USA refinery spill and resulted in the resignation of Michael D. Brown, the director of FEMA. During a live television benefit for this event, Kanye West appeared alongside Mike Myers and went off script to say, “George Bush doesn’t care about Black people.” This event caused a flood from Lake Pontchartrain, and many people displaced by this event were housed in the SuperDome. For the point, name this 2005 hurricane that destroyed much of New Orleans. | Hurricane Katrina |
| Citizens of this island rebelled against its government in the Theriso Revolt. Thanks to Venetian influence, this island experienced an artistic Renaissance largely powered by its native son, El Greco. Linear A was created on this island, and it eventually morphed into the script of the powerful Mycenaean Civilization. For the point, name this Greek Island which was the center of the proto-Greek Minoan civilization. | Crete (or Kríti) |
| At this location, Polish glass-blowing artisans refused to work in the first recorded labor strike in U.S. history. This location was burned during Bacon's Rebellion, which likely caused the House of Burgesses to move to Middle Plantation. This location's third supply mission introduced the Orinoco breed of tobacco via the trader John Rolfe. For the point, name this first permanent English settlement in the Americas, located in the Virginia Tidewater region. | Jamestown |
| This officer’s idiosyncrasies included avoiding pepper due to its alleged effect on his left leg. At Harpers Ferry, this officer captured the largest contingent of Union soldiers to surrender during the U.S. Civil War. The speed of this officer’s soldiers during the Valley Campaign earned them the nickname “foot cavalry.” Friendly fire laid this officer low at Chancellorsville. For the point, name this man whose nickname derived from his stolidity at First Manassas. | “Stonewall” Jackson (or Thomas Jonathan Jackson) |
| A die error on the Franklin variety of these things has been dubbed the "Bugs Bunny" variant by collectors. For the 1976 bicentennial, the reverse of these objects depicted a profile of Independence Hall rather than the typical reverse containing the presidential seal. For the point, name this denomination of U.S. coinage which has been graced by the likeness of John F. Kennedy since 1964. | Half Dollar (or 50-Cents Piece; accept Franklin half dollar; accept Kennedy half dollar; prompt on less-specific answers) |
| This man called for destroying synagogues in a book titled On the Jews and Their Lies. Prior to being excommunicated, this man stated, "Here I stand, I can do no other.” This man wrote the popular hymn “A Mighty Fortress Is Our God” and was condemned as a heretic by Charles V [[the Fifth]] at the Diet of Worms [[VURMS]]. For the point, name this German theologian whose Ninety-five Theses were an impetus for the Protestant Revolution. | Martin Luther |
| Credit for saving this type of plant is often given to Collingwood Ingram, an English botanist. Since 1967, parts of these plants appear on the reverse of 100-yen coins. Chinda Iwa and Helen Taft planted the first two of these trees in the Tidal Basin in 1912. For the point, name this type of flowering tree, called sakura in Japanese, which do not produce red edible fruit like other similarly named plants. | Cherry blossoms (or Japanese cherry; accept Sakura before mentioned) |
| Major companies in this industry during the 1950s included Young & Rubicam and J. Walter Thompson. Vance Packard’s 1957 book The Hidden Persuaders criticized this industry during a wave of panic over its use of “subliminal” tactics. The growth of television was largely driven by the expansion of, for the point, what industry, traditionally headquartered on Madison Avenue? | Advertising (accept Television advertising; accept Commercials; accept word forms) |
| A speech given in early support of this cause was entitled Blut und Eisen [[BLOOT UND "EYE"-zen]], based on a poem written by Max von Schenkendorf. This process was complicated by the Congress of Vienna, which attempted to deter the rise of large empires. This event was completed in France with the crowning of Kaiser Wilhelm I [[the First]] in Versailles [[vehr-"SIGH"]]. For the point, identify this process, which involved joining several Central European kingdoms to form an empire centered in Berlin. | Unification of Germany (accept descriptive answers involving making Germany into one country) |
| After coming to power in the wake of the Winter of Discontent, became known as the “milk snatcher” for ending a school lunch program while serving as education secretary. This leader, who was targeted in the Brighton Hotel bombing, served as prime minister during Britain’s conflict with Argentina over the Falkland Islands. For the point, name this Conservative British prime minister, nicknamed the 'Iron Lady.' | Margaret Thatcher (or Margaret Hilda Thatcher; or Margaret Hilda Roberts; or Baroness Thatcher) |
| This person organized the Loire [[LWAHR]] Campaign, which culminated in the Battle of Patay. This person is credited with boosting Charles VII [[the Seventh]] from ruler of Bourges [[BOORZH]] to king of all France at Reims [[RAHMS]]. Captured by Burgundian forces and burned at the stake for crossdressing, for the point, who was this woman who lifted the English siege of Orleans [[or-leh-AHN]]? | St. Joan of Arc (or Jeanne d'Arc; or Saint Joan) |
| The assassination and overthrow of this man was the goal of Operation Mongoose. The Kennedy administration partnered with the Mafia in an attempt to assassinate this man. The CIA-backed Bay of Pigs invasion was a failed attempt to oust this man, who himself deposed Fulgencio Batista. For the point, name this long-time leader of communist Cuba who was succeeded by his brother, Raul. | Fidel Castro (or Fidel Alejandro Castro Ruiz; prompt on "Castro") |
| One song about a person from a neighborhood in this city who is described as "tall and tan and young and lovely" won the 1965 Grammy for Record of the Year. One Art Deco statue in this city was designed by Paul Landowski and is located on Corcovado Mountain in Tijuca [[tee-HOO-kah]] National Park. For the point, name this South American city, known for its Copacabana and Ipanema beaches. | Rio de Janeiro |
| During this conflict, one side failed to provoke a retaliatory strike from a certain country by launching 42 Scud missiles at cities such as Tel Aviv. This conflict was preceded by accusations of horizontal drilling in the Rumaila oil field. While retreating, one army in this conflict set fire to over 700 oil wells. A namesake syndrome struck soldiers in, for the point, what conflict of the early 1990s, during which American forces liberated Kuwait from Iraqi troops? | Gulf War (or Persian Gulf War; or First Gulf War; or Gulf War I; accept First Iraq War before mentioned; accept Operation Desert Storm; accept Kuwait War before mentioned) |
| Jabir Ibn Hayyan attempted to decipher this writing system. Thomas Young helped to decipher this writing system by recognizing the importance of names inscribed within a cartouche [[kar-TOOSH]]. A decree establishing the cult of Ptolemy V [[the Fifth]] was part of the text on an object written in this script that also included a parallel text in Greek. For the point, identify this Ancient Egyptian writing system which was deciphered via the Rosetta Stone. | Hieroglyphics (accept Hieroglyphs) |
| This man helped William Thompson win a mayoral election against Charles Deneen in the Pineapple Primary. This man was incarcerated after the Eliot Ness-led “Untouchables” charged him with tax evasion. Ordering the murder of seven of Bugs Moran’s men in the Saint Valentine’s Day Massacre, for the point, who was this Chicago gangster, nicknamed Scarface? | Al Capone (or Alphonse Gabriel “Al” Capone; prompt on “Scarface”) |
| In a letter to Robert Hooke, this thinker coined the phrase “standing on the shoulders of giants.” This thinker established the field of classical mechanics with the publication of his Principia Mathematica, and one law named for this thinker equates force with the product of mass and acceleration. For the point, name this English physicist who described the Three Laws of Motion. | Isaac Newton (accept Newton's Laws of Motion) |
| A line from Henry Wadsworth Longfellow’s poem "Catawba Wine" gave this city the nickname “Queen of the West.” The work of Levi Coffin at this city’s Lane Theological Seminary inspired the character of Eliza in Uncle Tom’s Cabin. This city takes its name from a Roman dictator who voluntarily relinquished power. A hub of the meatpacking industry, leading to its nickname “Porkopolis," for the point, what is this third-most populous Ohio city after Columbus and Cleveland? | Cincinnati (prompt on "Cincinnatus") |
| This country's first prime minister listed multicultural tolerance and air conditioning as vital factors in its rapid economic development. That prime minister, Lee Kwan Yew, led this country's independence from another former British colony. Initially set up as a trading post by Sir Stamford Raffles, for the point, what is this Southeast Asian country at the tip of the Malay Peninsula? | Republic of Singapore (or Republik Singapura) |
| This nation clashed with Britain over the Shire [[SHEE-reh]] Highlands during the Scramble for Africa, and this country's hopes for a “Rose-Colored Map” were dashed by the 1890 “British Ultimatum.” This nation's Carnation Revolution overthrew the “Estado Novo” regime of Antonio Salazar. The oldest international alliance in history is shared between England and, for the point, what Iberian country? | Portugal (or Portuguese Republic; or República Portuguesa; accept Kingdom of Portugal; accept Reino de Portugal) |
| A politician from this U.S. state was known as the "Financier of the Revolution." The Walnut Street Prison was located in this state, where Robert Morris served as superintendent of finance. Once led by a man who created the political cartoon Join or Die, for the point, what is this U.S. state which hosted the first U.S. capital in Philadelphia? | Pennsylvania (accept PA; accept University of Pennsylvania; prompt on "UPenn") |
| Vessels named for these animals, which were used during the Imjin War and invented by Admiral Yi, were used to defend the Joseon Kingdom from Toyotomi Hideyoshi's forces. Along with oxen, these animals provided the material used for oracle bones. For the point, name these reptiles, revered in some Asian myth systems, known for their shelled exterior. | Turtles (accept Tortoises; accept Bixi) |
| This man and his older sibling began the "Heads Together" mental health campaign. The Invictus Games were founded by this man, who was trained as an army officer at Sandhurst. This man's children include Lilibet and Archie, whom he has raised with an actress who played Rachel Zane on the legal drama Suits. For the point, name this British royal and husband of Meghan Markle. | Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex (accept Duke of Sussex; accept Prince Henry of Wales; accept Henry Charles Albert David) |
| In 1947, a fire aboard the SS Grandcamp in this U.S. state ignited an ammonium nitrate explosion that launched an anchor over 1.5 miles away. A port city in this state was home to the deadliest hurricane in U.S. history. A 2017 natural disaster in this state led to the raising of 37 million dollars in relief funds by J.J. Watt. For the point, name this U.S. state that also suffered a major electrical grid failure in cities like Austin. | Texas |
| This ruler allegedly won a bet over who could host the most expensive feast by dissolving a pearl in a cup of vinegar and drinking it. According to legend, this ruler forced a meeting with another ruler by being rolled up inside of a carpet. This ruler had affairs with both Julius Caesar and Marc Antony. For the point, name this final Ptolemaic pharaoh of Egypt who, according to legend, was killed by a snakebite. | Cleopatra (or Cleopatra VII Philopator) |