Historical Trivia - Page 4

jerseydevil · 10-18-2004, 01:45 PM

I learned something at a reenactment yesterday. Why did adopt quarter, dime, nickel as our coins and not the British form of pense and shilling?

Count Comfect · 10-18-2004, 02:02 PM

Isn't the quarter, at least, derived from pieces of eight? And the rest is decimalized because of people like Jefferson and Franklin? That's about 3rd grade history trying to assert itself, so it may very well be wrong, but I thought I'd take a stab.

jerseydevil · 10-18-2004, 02:15 PM

According to one of the reenactors who collects colonial money and had some pieces from the 1600's and 1700's with him - he said it had to do with the way colonial money was. Britain refused to allow the colonies to mint silver currency - because silver was considered actual money. So we used a lot of spanish currency from the spanish colonies south of us. The Spanish currency was broken up into quarter, dime and half dime (what we call the nickle). Since more of the colonists were familiar with using the spanish currency - we adopted their standard instead of the British.

I did know that we almost were a German speaking country instead of English.

Mercutio · 10-18-2004, 05:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jerseydevil

According to one of the reenactors who collects colonial money and had some pieces from the 1600's and 1700's with him - he said it had to do with the way colonial money was. Britain refused to allow the colonies to mint silver currency - because silver was considered actual money. So we used a lot of spanish currency from the spanish colonies south of us. The Spanish currency was broken up into quarter, dime and half dime (what we call the nickle). Since more of the colonists were familiar with using the spanish currency - we adopted their standard instead of the British.

I did know that we almost were a German speaking country instead of English.

Could you elaborate? I thought we were only about 6% German? Around the 1700s that is. The biggest population of them was in PA.

jerseydevil · 10-18-2004, 06:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mercutio

Could you elaborate? I thought we were only about 6% German? Around the 1700s that is. The biggest population of them was in PA.

As it ends up - it was an urban legend.

But there was this...

Quote:

Urban Legend: German almost became the official language of the US

On January 13, 1795, Congress considered a proposal, not to give German any official status, but merely to print the federal laws in German as well as English. During the debate, a motion to adjourn failed by one vote. The final vote rejecting the translation of federal laws, which took place one month later, is not recorded.

Quote:

German - Official Language of the U.S.?

On reflection, it is ridiculous to think that German might have become the official language of the US. At no time in its early history was the percentage of Germans in the United States ever higher than about ten percent, with most of that concentrated in one state: Pennsylvania. Even in that state, at no time did the number of German-speaking inhabitants ever exceed one-third of the population. Any claim that German might have become the main language of Pennsylvania in the 1790s, when over 66 percent of the population spoke English, is absurd.

I think we should give out false information sometimes and see how many people can figure out if it's true or not.

Mercutio · 10-19-2004, 05:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jerseydevil

As it ends up - it was an urban legend.

But there was this...

I think we should give out false information sometimes and see how many people can figure out if it's true or not.

hahahahaha.

This is a serious trivia question:

What man had his ear cut off, starting a brief conflict (war) between Britain and Spain in the 18th century?

Shelob's Hubby · 10-19-2004, 09:12 PM

Robert Jenkins got his ear cut off, thereby starting The War of Jenkins' Ear 1739-1741.

Who was the first person to give a public demonstration of karate off of the island of Okinawa (where karate origionated)?

**Nurvingiel** · 12-17-2004, 07:25 PM

Gichin Funakoshi.

I am quite sure of that, but I didn't look it up...

What does the "S" in Harry S. Truman stand for?

Mercutio · 12-17-2004, 07:37 PM

He didn't have one. Just the initial. I believe his parents couldn't agree on it or something.

Hmm...now I need a question.

What play was Lincoln watching when his assasination occured? It was at Ford's Theatre.

Also interesting to note, Lincoln had previously had dreams (these he told his wife, and some other people I believe), one of which was this: Lincoln was in the Capitol rotunda, and saw a state funeral going on. He asked people who was in the casket, and they told him to look. He saw himself. There was another one where he saw his own ghost or something.

Also, John Wilkes Booth dated the same girl that Lincoln's son dated.

Even more (we talked about this in Am. History today), Booth (who was a pretty famous actor of the day) knew the aforesaid play quite well. It was a comedy, and he planned to shoot Lincoln right as the audience was in histerics (after some esp. funny part). He did so, Mrs. Lincoln started screaming (and continued for hours), yet no one noticed what was going on until Booth jumped to the stage and limped off they were in so much commotion.

I thought of even more. Grant was supposed to have gone with the Lincoln's to the play, but declined at the last moment. I wonder what would've happened--would they both have gotten shot? Or Grant instead of Lincoln, accidently?

Ok I'll stop rambling now.

**Nurvingiel** · 12-17-2004, 07:48 PM

Nice one Mercutio. And you are indeed correct about Harry S Truman. When I found that out, I just had to bump this thread. I have no idea what the answer to your question is! But it's someone else's turn anyway.

Last Child of Ungoliant · 12-17-2004, 08:15 PM

What was the name of the young boy, who was married by
Roman Emperor Nero, after being castrated by Nero?
(evidently to turn him into a woman).

**Nurvingiel** · 12-17-2004, 08:20 PM

pssstttt I think you have to answer Mercutio's in order to pose yoru own question...

Last Child of Ungoliant · 12-17-2004, 08:24 PM

oops! slipped into stupid spider mode again

Was it 'A Midsummer Night's Dream'?

I Love that play

Beor · 12-17-2004, 11:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Last Child of Ungoliant

What was the name of the young boy, who was married by
Roman Emperor Nero, after being castrated by Nero?
(evidently to turn him into a woman).

Was it Janet Reno?

Last Child of Ungoliant · 12-17-2004, 11:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Beor

Was it Janet Reno?

Not Quite!!

Beor · 12-17-2004, 11:25 PM

Dang!

Mercutio · 12-17-2004, 11:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Last Child of Ungoliant

oops! slipped into stupid spider mode again

Was it 'A Midsummer Night's Dream'?

I Love that play

Nope

Last Child of Ungoliant · 12-17-2004, 11:40 PM

Perchance, t'were it to be 'A Comedy of Errors'?

anyone see the theme?

Mercutio · 12-17-2004, 11:54 PM

lol it is a British comedy...written by Tom Taylor

Last Child of Ungoliant · 12-17-2004, 11:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mercutio

lol it is a British comedy...written by Tom Taylor

to be honest, i'm stumped,
someone must know though...?

10-18-2004, 01:45 PM	#61
jerseydevil I am Freddie/UNDERCOVER/ Founder of The Great Continent of Entmoot Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: Plainsboro, NJ Posts: 9,431	I learned something at a reenactment yesterday. Why did adopt quarter, dime, nickel as our coins and not the British form of pense and shilling? __________________ Come back! Come back! To Mordor we will take you! "The only thing better than a great plan is implementing a great plan" - JerseyDevil "If everyone agreed with me all the time, everything would be just fine"- JerseyDevil AboutNewJersey.com New Jersey MessageBoard Another Tolkien Forum Memorial to the Twin Towers New Jersey Map Fellowship of the Messageboard Legend of the Jersey Devil Support New Jersey's Liberty Tower Peacefire.org AboutNewJersey.com - New Jersey Travel and Tourism Guide

10-18-2004, 02:02 PM	#62
Count Comfect Word Santa Claus Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Chicago, IL Posts: 2,922	Isn't the quarter, at least, derived from pieces of eight? And the rest is decimalized because of people like Jefferson and Franklin? That's about 3rd grade history trying to assert itself, so it may very well be wrong, but I thought I'd take a stab. __________________ Sufficient to have stood, yet free to fall.

10-18-2004, 02:15 PM	#63
jerseydevil I am Freddie/UNDERCOVER/ Founder of The Great Continent of Entmoot Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: Plainsboro, NJ Posts: 9,431	According to one of the reenactors who collects colonial money and had some pieces from the 1600's and 1700's with him - he said it had to do with the way colonial money was. Britain refused to allow the colonies to mint silver currency - because silver was considered actual money. So we used a lot of spanish currency from the spanish colonies south of us. The Spanish currency was broken up into quarter, dime and half dime (what we call the nickle). Since more of the colonists were familiar with using the spanish currency - we adopted their standard instead of the British. I did know that we almost were a German speaking country instead of English. __________________ Come back! Come back! To Mordor we will take you! "The only thing better than a great plan is implementing a great plan" - JerseyDevil "If everyone agreed with me all the time, everything would be just fine"- JerseyDevil AboutNewJersey.com New Jersey MessageBoard Another Tolkien Forum Memorial to the Twin Towers New Jersey Map Fellowship of the Messageboard Legend of the Jersey Devil Support New Jersey's Liberty Tower Peacefire.org AboutNewJersey.com - New Jersey Travel and Tourism Guide

10-19-2004, 09:12 PM	#67
Shelob's Hubby Enting Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Somewhere between heaven and hell Posts: 73	Robert Jenkins got his ear cut off, thereby starting The War of Jenkins' Ear 1739-1741. Who was the first person to give a public demonstration of karate off of the island of Okinawa (where karate origionated)? __________________ Pinky, are you pondering what I'm pondering? I think so Brain, but without ears, we look like weasels. "The next time I lent an ax to a surgeon, I would pick my century." A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court. The Last Alliance of Orcs and Spiders

12-17-2004, 07:37 PM	#69
Mercutio Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: Narnia Posts: 1,656	He didn't have one. Just the initial. I believe his parents couldn't agree on it or something. Hmm...now I need a question. What play was Lincoln watching when his assasination occured? It was at Ford's Theatre. Also interesting to note, Lincoln had previously had dreams (these he told his wife, and some other people I believe), one of which was this: Lincoln was in the Capitol rotunda, and saw a state funeral going on. He asked people who was in the casket, and they told him to look. He saw himself. There was another one where he saw his own ghost or something. Also, John Wilkes Booth dated the same girl that Lincoln's son dated. Even more (we talked about this in Am. History today), Booth (who was a pretty famous actor of the day) knew the aforesaid play quite well. It was a comedy, and he planned to shoot Lincoln right as the audience was in histerics (after some esp. funny part). He did so, Mrs. Lincoln started screaming (and continued for hours), yet no one noticed what was going on until Booth jumped to the stage and limped off they were in so much commotion. I thought of even more. Grant was supposed to have gone with the Lincoln's to the play, but declined at the last moment. I wonder what would've happened--would they both have gotten shot? Or Grant instead of Lincoln, accidently? Ok I'll stop rambling now. __________________ Mike nodded. A sombre nod. The nod Napoleon might have given if somebody had met him in 1812 and said, "So, you're back from Moscow, eh?". Interested in C.S. Lewis? Visit the forum dedicated to one of Tolkien's greatest contemporaries.

12-17-2004, 08:15 PM	#71
Last Child of Ungoliant The Intermittent One Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: here and there Posts: 4,671	What was the name of the young boy, who was married by Roman Emperor Nero, after being castrated by Nero? (evidently to turn him into a woman). Last edited by Last Child of Ungoliant : 12-17-2004 at 08:17 PM.

12-17-2004, 08:24 PM	#73
Last Child of Ungoliant The Intermittent One Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: here and there Posts: 4,671	oops! slipped into stupid spider mode again Was it 'A Midsummer Night's Dream'? I Love that play

12-17-2004, 11:25 PM	#76
Beor founder of the color blue Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: E-Space Posts: 1,727	Dang! __________________ Well, there it is.

12-17-2004, 11:40 PM	#78
Last Child of Ungoliant The Intermittent One Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: here and there Posts: 4,671	Perchance, t'were it to be 'A Comedy of Errors'? anyone see the theme?

12-17-2004, 11:54 PM	#79
Mercutio Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: Narnia Posts: 1,656	lol it is a British comedy...written by Tom Taylor __________________ Mike nodded. A sombre nod. The nod Napoleon might have given if somebody had met him in 1812 and said, "So, you're back from Moscow, eh?". Interested in C.S. Lewis? Visit the forum dedicated to one of Tolkien's greatest contemporaries.

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