Trivia: What was the alter ego of 1920s heavyweight boxing champ Jack Dempsey?
The Phantom of Philly
The Fighting Irish
The Thunderbolt
The Manassa Mauler
The correct answer is The Manassa Mauler
So why is this answer correct? : Boxing was one of the most popular sports in the 1920s, and American Jack Dempsey was one of the most popular boxers. Known as the “Manassa Mauler” after his hometown of Manassa, Colorado, Dempsey went on to become the World Heavyweight Champion from 1919 to 1926.
Trivia: What awards tradition made its debut in 1929?
Grammy Awards
Academy Awards
Tony Awards
Nobel Prize
The correct answer is Academy Awards
So why is this answer correct? : The Oscars, or Academy Awards, have been around for nearly 100 years, after being conceived in 1927 as the brainchild of MGM studio head Louis B. Mayer. As for the first Best Picture winner? The film “Wings,” which was the most expensive movie of the time with a budget of around $2 million (more than $30 million today).
Trivia: Which of these daredevil stunts became a fad in the 1920s?
Swallowing goldfish
Sitting on flagpoles
Sprinting across train tracks
Bungee jumping
The correct answer is Sitting on flagpoles
So why is this answer correct? : It was 1924 when a former sailor-turned-stuntman named Alvin Kelly was hired to sit on top of a flagpole for as long as possible to drum up attention for a local theater. The schtick worked, and was soon copycatted across the nation.
Trivia: Which of these fashion staples was introduced in the 1920s?
Trench coat
Blue jeans
Little black dress
Breton t-shirt
The correct answer is Little black dress
So why is this answer correct? : There are some fashion trends that will endure forever, and the little black dress — or LBD — is one of them. The simple staple first made its debut in the pages of “Vogue” in 1926, where it was dubbed as “Chanel’s Ford” after designer Coco Chanel, suggesting it was every bit as essential to fashion as the Model T was to transportation.
Trivia: 1920s star Rudolph Valentino was famous for what?
Motor racing
Film
Music
Radio
The correct answer is Film
So why is this answer correct? : Known to some as “the Great Lover” of the 1920s, Rudolph Valentino was one of the earliest movie stars of the silent era. His breakout role was the character Julio in 1921’s “The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse.” Valentino was at his peak popularity in 1925 when he died suddenly from a medical condition at age 31 — a shocking loss felt worldwide.
Trivia: What nickname did infamous 1920s gangster Al Capone go by?
Scarface
Bugsy
Kingpin
The Barber
The correct answer is Scarface
So why is this answer correct? : Few gangsters were better known than Al Capone in the 1920s, who was also known by the nickname “Scarface.” The name originated after Capone made a rude comment to a woman at a bar, and her brother attacked him in response, leaving Capone with three scars on his face. The press invented the nickname — Capone himself was apparently not a fan.
Trivia: What was awarded to the first Miss America Pageant winner in 1921?
Golden Mermaid
Silver Angel
Ruby Crown
Shining Star
The correct answer is Golden Mermaid
So why is this answer correct? : Originally known as the 1921 Atlantic City Pageant, the event was held that September to encourage tourists to stick around after Labor Day weekend. Eight finalists from cities in the Northeast competed for the Golden Mermaid statue. Later, the title of the winner would be known as “Miss America.”
Trivia: Why was 1920 a monumental year for women in the U.S.?
They gained the right to vote
Girl Scouts of America was founded
They could serve in armed forces
Equal Pay Act was passed
The correct answer is They gained the right to vote
So why is this answer correct? : The new decade was off to a good start for women in the United States. After 100 years of campaigning for women’s suffrage, the 19th Amendment was ratified on August 19, 1920, granting women the right to vote. This would pave the way for further legislation such as the Equal Pay Act in 1963.
Trivia: The 40-hour work week was implemented by which company?
Ford Motor Company
Coca-Cola
Bethlehem Steel
Sears Roebuck
The correct answer is Ford Motor Company
So why is this answer correct? : On May 1, 1926, Ford Motor Company adopted the five-day, 40-hour workweek, making it one of the first manufacturers to do so and certainly the first of its size. The decision to reduce the workweek from six days to five was adopted by Henry Ford in 1922, citing the need for “more than one day of rest.” Manufacturers all over the world followed Ford’s lead, making the standard work week Monday through Friday.
Trivia: How did Coco Chanel’s 1921 perfume Chanel No. 5 get its name?
Five was a fashionable number
Named after a ship
It was the fifth sample
Slang used by an actor
The correct answer is It was the fifth sample
So why is this answer correct? : Chanel expanded beyond fashion and began making its signature scent, Chanel No.5, in 1921. Well-established fashion designer Coco Chanel wanted a scent that better suited her, so she made her own. She worked with a perfumer, Ernest Beaux, to create 10 samples for her new fragrance. In the end, Chanel chose sample number five, the namesake of this beloved scent.