Author: Carla

Before pivoting to chewing gum, what was Wrigley’s main product?

Soap
Shoe polish
Baseballs
Pocket watches

In the late 1800s, William Wrigley took over his father’s soap business. He began giving away baking powder as an incentive to buy his soap. Finding that the baking powder was more popular than his soap, Wrigley switched to selling baking powder, this time giving his customers two packages of chewing gum for each can of baking powder they purchased. Again, Wrigley found that the premium he offered was more popular than his primary product. Wrigley pivoted again, this time to chewing gum, ultimately transforming his company into one of the most prominent gum manufacturers in the world.

Correct Answer: Soap

Where was the Constitution of the United States kept during WWII?

Alcatraz Island
Fort Knox
The Pentagon
Library of Congress

Located on the upper level of the National Archives museum, the Rotunda for the Charters of Freedom is the permanent home of the original Declaration of Independence, Constitution of the United States, and Bill of Rights. But what happened to these documents during World War II? As anxiety over a potential Japanese invasion gripped the nation, officials decided to send the documents to an even more secure area for safekeeping. They were put on a train along with the Gettysburg Address and taken to Fort Knox in Kentucky, under the vigilant guard of armed Secret Service officers.

Correct Answer: Fort Knox

Before it was a credit card brand, which company was a delivery service?

Visa
Discover
Mastercard
American Express

Before American Express became synonymous with credit cards, it had humble beginnings as a delivery service. Founded in 1850, American Express initially focused on the secure and swift delivery of valuable goods, documents, and parcels via train in New York and the Midwest. Over time, the company evolved to meet the changing needs of its customers by transitioning into the financial services sector, where it became a pioneer in the credit card industry. They developed their first paper charge card in 1958, gold card in 1966, green card in 1969, platinum card in 1984, and Centurion Card in 1999.

Correct Answer: American Express

What was the original name of the cable television network HBO?

The Green Channel
Quantum Services
Marufuku Programming
Chuck’s Movies

On the evening of November 8, 1972, the premium cable TV network HBO (Home Box Office) made its official debut with a showing of the movie “Sometimes a Great Notion” starring Paul Newman and Henry Fonda. Originally called “The Green Channel,” the nation’s first pay TV service got its start using microwaves to broadcast nine hours of programming a day in fewer than 400 New England homes. The Green Channel was quickly renamed Home Box Office to stress the offering of this new channel: films that had never been broadcast on the television before and live showings of sporting events.

Correct Answer: The Green Channel

Matt Damon and Ben Affleck appear as uncredited Fenway Park extras in what movie?

Fever Pitch
Bull Durham
Field of Dreams
A League of Their Own

Early in their careers, Ben Affleck and Matt Damon appeared as unpaid extras in the 1989 classic film “Field of Dreams” starring Kevin Costner and James Earl Jones. There were literally thousands of other extras in the crowd at Fenway Park, so it’s unlikely that you would have been able to spot them. Even though they didn’t have any lines in the movie, they had the opportunity to meet Kevin Costner and visit Fenway Park. Years later, Damon and Affleck got their big break when they wrote and starred in the Academy Award-winning film Good Will Hunting.

Correct Answer: Field of Dreams

What hotel chain was originally a line of root beer stands?

Hyatt
Marriott
Hilton
Four Seasons

It’s fascinating to note that the renowned hotel chain Marriott, one of the world’s largest and most recognizable hotel brands, had surprisingly humble beginnings as a line of root beer stands. In 1927, J. Willard Marriott and his wife Alice opened an A&W root beer stand in Washington, D.C. Soon, they added food to the franchise’s menu and renamed it “Hot Shoppes,” opening more locations within a few years. For 30 more years, Hot Shoppes was successful until the Marriotts made a pivotal decision in 1957 to transition into the hotel business, opening the world’s first motor hotel in Arlington, Virginia.

Correct Answer: Marriott

Who is considered the founder of Earth Day?

Al Gore
Jimmy Carter
Leonardo DiCaprio
Gaylord Nelson

Happy Earth Day! Earth Day is celebrated on April 22, where events worldwide are held to demonstrate support for environmental protection. Senator Gaylord Nelson is the founder of Earth Day. Earth Day was first observed on April 22, 1970, when an estimated 20 million people nationwide attended the inaugural event. Senator Nelson promoted Earth Day, calling upon students to fight for environmental causes and oppose environmental degradation. Nelson was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom award in recognition of his work.

Correct Answer: Gaylord Nelson

In a rare example of a word that rhymes with “orange,” the word Blorenge is a what?

River in Scotland
Mountain in Wales
Desert in Egypt
Forest in Costa Rica

The word “orange” is infamous in English for being particularly difficult to rhyme with. In fact, some say that there are no words that rhyme with orange. Well, that’s not necessarily true. There are actually two words that rhyme with the word orange. sporange, which is apparently a plant that produces spores, and the word Blorenge, which is a mountain in Wales. This prominent mountain overlooks the valley of the River Usk near Abergavenny, Monmouthshire in southeast Wales. It is situated in the southeastern corner of the Brecon Beacons National Park with the summit plateau reaching a height of 1,841 feet.

Correct Answer: Mountain in Wales

Who was known as the “conductor” of the Underground Railroad?

John Brown
Harriet Tubman
Frederick Douglass
Harriet Beecher Stowe

Harriet Tubman was a courageous abolitionist and humanitarian who dedicated her life to the fight against slavery. Born into slavery herself, Tubman escaped to freedom in 1849 and subsequently became one of the most prominent leaders of the Underground Railroad, a clandestine network of safe houses and routes that helped enslaved individuals escape to free states and Canada. Tubman’s remarkable efforts earned her the nickname “conductor” of the Underground Railroad, as she made multiple perilous journeys back into slave territory to guide others to freedom, often risking her own life in the process.

Correct Answer: Harriet Tubman

Which famous landmark has acted as a prison, records office, and zoo?

Alcatraz
Taj Mahal
Tower of London
Versailles Palace

Though originally built as a fortress for the city of London, the Tower of London was later used to house criminals, store records, and even acted as a zoo. In the 1200s, Henry III began using the tower for his collection of exotic animals that were often gifted to him by other royals. Lions, elephants, and even polar bears roamed within its walls from the 13th century until 1835. The Tower gained infamy as the nation’s foremost state prison, with its dungeons harboring political prisoners, traitors, and perceived enemies of the crown.

Correct Answer: Tower of London