Trivia People

On this day in the year 1170, Thomas Becket was killed by supporters of King Henry II of England during a conflict over the rights of the Catholic Church in England.

Here are some things you may not have known about Thomas Becket.

He was born around the year 1120 in London. His father was a merchant and property owner originally from the Normandy region. He studied the trivium and quadrivium and then spent a year in Paris. His father soon suffered a financial setback and Becket was forced to get a job as a clerk. Eventually he worked for Theobald of Bec, the Archbishop of Canterbury. The archbishop sent Becket on missions to Rome and to study canon law in Bologna and Auxerre. In 1154, Becket was named Archdeacon of Canterbury along with other posts. He was appointed Lord Chancellor in 1155.

After the death of Theobald of Bec, Becket was nominated to replace him as Archbishop. His election was confirmed in 1162. He was ordained a priest on June 2 1162 and was consecrated archbishop the next day.

As archbishop he clashed with Henry II over the rights of the church, including the jurisdiction of secular courts over clergy. This disagreement escalated for two years until Henry called a meeting of bishops at Clarendon Palace. There, Henry demanded the church be subject to secular law. Becket refused at first, but eventually agreed to what became known as the Constitutions of Clarendon. Later that year, Becket tried to go to France without permission, which was prohibited by the Constitutions. Additionally, the king would ask him to account for his spending while he was chancellor. He was found guilty on both charges. Becket went in to exile in France for the better part of the next six years.

In 1170, Henry's son was crowned junior King of England by the Archbishop of York. This act infringed upon the right of the Archbishop of Canterbury to crown monarchs. This led the pope to allow Becket to threaten to censure England as punishment. This threat led Henry to negotiate with Becket. The two reached an agreement on July 22, 1170. Shortly before returning to England, Becket excommunicated the archbishop of York, the bishop of Salisbury and the bishop of London.

The news of the excommunications enraged Henry, who is said to have exclaimed, "Will no one rid me of this turbulent priest?"

In answer to this question, four knights set off to confront Becket in Canterbury. Upon arrival, they demanded Becket account for his actions, which he refused. In response, the knights retrieved their weapons and killed Becket in Canterbury Cathedral.

In 1173, Becket was canonized by Pope Alexander III.

Our question, "The Canterbury Tales" is set during a journey to the shrine of Saint Thomas of Canterbury. Who wrote "The Canterbury Tales"?

Today is Constitution Day in Ireland and Independence Day in Mongolia.

It's the birthday of inventor Charles Goodyear, who was born in 1800; British Prime Minister William Gladstone, who was born in 1809, and actress Mary Tyler Moore, who turns 80.

Because our topic happened before 1960, we'll spin the wheel to pick a year at random.

This week in 1987, the top song in the U.S. was "Faith" by George Michael.

The No. 1 movie was "Three Men and a Baby," while the novel "The Tommyknockers" by Stephen King topped the New York Times Bestsellers list.

Weekly question

Besides "(Just Like) Starting Over," what was John Lennon's only other solo No. 1 single in the United States?

Submit your answer at triviapeople.com/test and we'll add the name of the person with the first correct answer to our winner's wall … at triviapeople.com. We'll reveal the correct answer on tomorrow's episode.

Sources

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thomas_Becket

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Becket_controversy

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Archbishop_of_Canterbury

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asceticism

Links

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On this date in 1065, Westminster Abbey was consecrated.

Here are some things you may not have known about the landmark London church.

Since the year 1560, the building's common name has been a misnomer.

Before 1560, it did serve as an abbey, which is a facility where monks or nuns work and live, overseen by an abbot or abbess. In this case, it housed Benedictine monks.

For a short time it served as a cathedral, the definition of which is a church which is the seat of a bishop, making it the main church in a diocese, conference or episcopate.

Since 1560, however it has been classified as a Royal Peculiar collegiate church, meaning that it's headed by a dean, who, in turn, is responsible directly to the monarch.

The building's formal name is the Collegiate Church of St. Peter at Westminster.

The church was built as St. Peter's Abbey to serve as a burial church for King Edward the Confessor. The building was consecrated a week before Edward's death in January 1066. It's believed that Edward's successor, Harold II, was crowned in the abbey, although he first documented coronation was of William the Conqueror later that year.

Construction of Westminster Abbey as it looks today began in 1245. It was built by Henry III in the Anglo-French Gothic style to venerate Edward the Confessor, and to serve as the site of Henry's own tomb.

During the protestant reformation in the 16th century, the monastery was disolved, but the building itself was converted to a cathedral, which helped spare it from being destroyed as happened to most English abbeys of the day. It was returned to the Benedictines under the Catholic Queen Mary, before they were ejected again in 1559 by Protestant Elizabeth I.

Westminster Abbey has been the site of every coronation of an English monarch since 1066. The only two kings not coronated at Westminster Abbey, Edward V and Edward VIII, were never formally crowned.

It has also been the site of 16 royal weddings — the first was Henry I to Matilda of Scotland in 1100, and the most recent was of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge in 2011.

Our question: Prince Charles and Princess Diana were not married at Westminster Abbey. Where where they married?

Today is King Taksin Memorial Day in Thailand, Republic Day in South Sudan, and Proclamation Day in South Australia.

It's unofficially National Chocolate Candy Day, National Card Playing Day, and Pledge of Allegiance Day.

It's the birthday of former U.S. President Woodrow Wilson, who was born in 1856; actress Maggie Smith, who is 82; and actor Denzel Washington, who is 62.

Because our topic happened before 1960, we'll spin the wheel to pick a year at random.

This week in 1980, the top song in the U.S. was "(Just Like) Starting Over" by John Lennon.

The No. 1 movie was "9 to 5," while the novel "The Covenant" by James Michener topped the New York Times Bestsellers list.

Weekly question

Besides "(Just Like) Starting Over," what was John Lennon's only other solo No. 1 single in the United States?

Submit your answer at triviapeople.com/test and we'll add the name of the person with the first correct answer to our winner's wall … at triviapeople.com. We'll reveal the correct answer on Friday's episode.

Links

Follow us on Twitter, Facebook or our website.

Also, if you're enjoying the show, please consider supporting it through Patreon.com

Please rate the show on iTunes by clicking here.

Sources

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Westminster_Abbey

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abbey

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cathedral

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dissolution_of_the_Monasteries

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edward_V_of_England

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edward_VIII

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/St_Paul%27s_Cathedral

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/December_28

http://www.nationaldaycalendar.com/december/

http://www.biography.com/people/groups/born-on-december-28

http://www.bobborst.com/popculture/numberonesongs/

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_1980_box_office_number-one_films_in_the_United_States

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_New_York_Times_Fiction_Best_Sellers_of_1980

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Today is the birthday of Lady Bird Johnson, the wife of U.S. President Lyndon B. Johnson.

Here are some things you may not have known about her.

She was born Claudia Alta Taylor in Karnack, Texas in 1912. When she was a baby, her nurse said that she was as "purty as a ladybird" and the nickname stuck. Her father was the son of a sharecropper, who became a wealthy landowner and businessman. Her mother died when Lady Bird was five years old of complications from a miscarriage suffered after she fell down a flight of stairs. Lady Bird was raised largely by her mother's sister Effie, who moved to Texas after her mother's death.

To attend high school, Lady Bird moved in with a family in the town of Jefferson, Texas. She graduated third in her class after letting her grades slip so she wouldn't have to give a valedictorian speech at her graduation ceremony. She attended the University of Alabama for a summer before returning to Texas and enrolling at St. Mary's Episcopal College for Women, a junior college in Dallas. After graduation, she enrolled at the University of Texas, where she earned a bachelor's degree in history and another in journalism.

In 1934, she met Lyndon Baines Johnson, who was working for Congressman Richard Kleberg. Johnson proposed marriage on their first date. Lady Bird accepted 10 weeks later and they were married in November 1934 in San Antonio, Texas. They had two daughters, Lynda Bird and Luci Baines, meaning all four family members had the initials LBJ; five if you include their dog "Little Beagle Johnson."

Lady Bird used $10,000 of her inheritance from her mother to help fund Lyndon's first campaign for Congress, which he won. While in office, Lyndon enlisted in the Navy and Lady Bird ran his congressional office. In 1943, Lady Bird used another part of her inheritance to buy a radio station in Austin, Texas. In 1952, she bought a television station as well. The media properties made her the first president's wife to become a millionaire in her own right.

Lyndon Johnson served in the House of Representatives from 1937 until 1949, when he won election to the Senate after a highly controversial Democratic primary election. He eventually rose to become the Senate Majority Leader. In 1960 he decided to run for president. He was unsuccessful, but ended up nominated to be vice president under John F. Kennedy. During the campaign, Lady Bird Johnson filled in for Jacqueline Kennedy at many events, during Kennedy's pregnancy. Kennedy and Johnson were elected in November 1960 and took office the next January. Lady Bird continued to fill in at events the first lady couldn't attend.

In November 1963, John F. Kennedy was assassinated and Lyndon Baines Johnson became the 36th President of the United States.

As first lady, Lady Bird Johnson became well known for several beautification projects. The first, the Society for a More Beautiful National Capital, focused on improving conditions in Washington, D.C. She worked to protect wildflowers and plant them along highways. Later she pushed the Highway Beautification Act to limit billboards and plant flowers along highways across the country. The act became known as "Lady Bird's Bill." She also convinced her husband to run for his own term as president in 1964. She campaigned tirelessly for him and helped him defeat Arizona Senator Barry Goldwater in the general election.

Lyndon Johnson did not run for re-election in 1968 and the couple retired to their ranch 50 miles west of Austin. Lyndon Johnson died of a heart attack in 1973.

Lady Bird Johnson continued to represent her husband at events for the next 30 years. She served on the board of regents of the University of Texas and on the board of trustees of the National Geographic Society.

She received the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 1977 and the Congressional Gold Medal in 1988.

She died on July 11, 2007, at the age of 94.

Our question, in 1982, a poll of historians ranked Lady Bird Johnson as the third most influential and important first lady. Who ranked ahead of her?

It's Armed Forces Day in Vietnam, Mother's Day in Indonesia and National Mathematics Day in India. It's unofficially National Cookie Exchange Day and National Date Nut Bread Day. It's the birthday of actress Barbara Billingsley, musicians Robin and Maurice Gibb; and artist Jean-Michel Basquiat.

On this date in 1913, the first crossword puzzle was printed in the New York World newspaper.

Here are some things you may not have known about crossword puzzles.

The first puzzle was actually called a word-cross puzzle. It was created by Arthur Wynne, who was a journalist from Liverpool, England. It was based on earlier puzzles, such as the word diamond, but also included many of the features of the modern crossword puzzle, such as black squares to separate some answers. It came to be known as a crossword puzzle early on as a result of a typesetting error.

The New Yorker magazine's first issue made mention of the large number of puzzle solvers on public transportation and noted that the puzzles had become a fad. The New York Public Library complained that puzzlers were hogging dictionaries that should be used by "legitimate readers." The New York Times expressed alarm that so many people were wasting so much time with the puzzles. The New Republic magazine reported that the fad was sure to fade away in 1925; it repeated the claim in 1929. In 1930, The New York Times touted the fact that it had never run a crossword puzzle. The Times didn't run one until 1942; their puzzle is now considered one of the gold standards of the genre.

In the United Kingdom and many Commonwealth countries, the dominant form of crossword is the cryptic crossword. In these, the clue is a word puzzle, which must be solved first before filling in the solution. Roger Squires, who sets these types of puzzles, holds the world record for number of crosswords created. In 2007, he published his 66,666th puzzle, all of which totaled more than 2 million clues.

During World War II, cryptologists at Bletchley Park in England were selected using a crossword competition.

Also during the war, It was also noted that an unusual number of military code words were showing up in puzzles in The Daily Telegraph.

In 1942, the French port of Dieppe appeared as an answer the day before an Allied raid on the port. Later, in the run up to D-Day, the words "Utah," "Omaha," "Overlord," "Mulberry," and "Neptune" were answers. All of them were codewords. The authorities suspected that the words were a form of espionage. An investigation by Britain's MI5 determined that the puzzle's creator was a school headmaster, who used answers supplied by his students. The school happened to be located next to an American and Canadian military base where the boys overheard the words.

Our question, what Broadway songwriter was responsible for introducing the cryptic crossword to the United States in New York magazine?

Today is the December Solstice, meaning it's the shortest day of the year in the Northern Hemisphere and the longest day in the Southern Hemisphere.

It's unofficially National Hamburger Day, National Kiwi Fruit Day, and National Homeless Persons' Memorial Day.

It's the birthday of musician Frank Zappa, who was born in 1940; actor Samuel L. Jackson, who is 68; and athlete Florence Griffith Joyner, who was born in 1959, whose records in the 100 and 200 meters still stand.

Because our topic happened before 1960, we'll spin the wheel to pick a year at random.

This week in 1979, the top song in the U.S. was "Escape (The Pina Colada Song)" by Rupert Holmes.

The No. 1 movie was "Star Trek: The Motion Picture," while the novel "Triple" by Ken Follett topped the New York Times Bestsellers list.

Weekly question

What was the first broadcast network in the United States?

Submit your answer at triviapeople.com/test and we'll add the name of the person with the first correct answer to our winner's wall … at triviapeople.com. We'll reveal the correct answer on Friday's episode.

Links

Follow us on Twitter, Facebook or our website.

Also, if you're enjoying the show, please consider supporting it through Patreon.com

Please rate the show on iTunes by clicking here.

Sources

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crossword

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arthur_Wynne

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/December_21

https://www.checkiday.com/12/21/2016

http://www.biography.com/people/groups/born-on-december-21

http://www.bobborst.com/popculture/numberonesongs/?chart=us&m=12&d=21&y=1960&o=

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_1979_box_office_number-one_films_in_the_United_States

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_New_York_Times_Fiction_Best_Sellers_of_1979

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On this date in 1946, "It's a Wonderful Life" was released in the United States.

Here are some things you may not have known about the classic Christmas movie.

It's based on a story called "The Greatest Gift" by Philip Van Doren Stern, who wrote it in 1939. After failing to sell the story, he made it into a Christmas card and send copies to friends and family in 1943. One of these cards came to the attention of a producer at RKO Pictures, which bought the story intending to make it into a movie starring Cary Grant.

RKO shelved the project after three unsuccessful screenplay attempts were made. Director Frank Capra read the story and saw its potential. His production company bought the rights and the three screenplays for $10,000. Capra worked with a team of writers, including Frances Goodrich, Albert Hackett, Jo Swerling and Dorothy Parker.

The popular belief is that the role of George Bailey was all but written for Jimmy Stewart, however film historian Stephen Cox claims that Henry Fonda was also considered. The part of Mary was offered first to Jean Arthur, Olivia de Havilland and Ginger Rogers before it finally went to to Donna Reed. Vincent Price and Charles Bickford were considered for the part of the villainous Mr. Potter, who was eventually played by Lionel Barrymore.

Filming took place largely at RKO's studio in Culver City, California and the RKO movie ranch in Encino, California. The only filming locations that remain intact are the home that the Martini family buys in the film, and the gymnasium at Beverly Hills High School with its swimming pool under the gym floor.

It's widely believed that "It's a Wonderful Life" was originally a box office flop and was dislike by critics. However, this isn't entirely true. The film made $3.3 million dollars in 1947, placing it 26th among more than 400 films released late in 1946 and in 1947. The reviews were mixed, with Time magazine and Variety praising it, and the New York Times and New Yorker magazine panning it.

It went on to be nominated for six Academy Awards, including Best Picture, Best Director for Capra and Best Actor for Stewart. It won an Oscar for technical achievement for a new method of simulating falling snow. It lost the Best Picture Oscar to "The Best Years of Our Lives."

The single event that made the film a Christmas classic didn't happen until 24 years after it was released. In 1974, the company which owned the rights to the film didn't properly renew the copyright. This allowed the film to be shown inexpensively on hundreds of local television stations. The film was believed to be in the public domain until 1993, when Republic Pictures proved that it still owned the film rights to the original short story, and because of that, to all derivative works, including "It's a Wonderful Life."

The movie is now licensed to NBC, which shows it twice during the Christmas season, including on Christmas Eve.

Our question: Which television villain was inspired by the character of Mr. Potter?

Today is unofficially Cathode-Ray Tube Day, Games Day, and National Sangria Day.

It's the birthday of tire magnate Harvey Firestone, who was born in 1868; author Sandra Cisneros, who is 62; and actor Jonah Hill, who is 33.

Because our topic happened before 1960, we'll spin the wheel to pick a year at random.

This week in 1968, the top song in the U.S. was "I Heard It Through the Grapevine" by Marvin Gaye.

The No. 1 movie was "Oliver!," while the novel "The Salzburg Connection" by Helen MacInnes topped the New York Times Bestsellers list.

Weekly question

What was the first broadcast network in the United States?

Submit your answer at triviapeople.com/test and we'll add the name of the person with the first correct answer to our winner's wall … at triviapeople.com. We'll reveal the correct answer on Friday's episode.

Links

Follow us on Twitter, Facebook or our website.

Also, if you're enjoying the show, please consider supporting it through Patreon.com

Please rate the show on iTunes by clicking here.

Sources

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/It's_a_Wonderful_Life

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mr._Potter

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ginger_Rogers

http://www.iamnotastalker.com/2009/12/22/the-martini-house-from-its-a-wonderful-life/

https://www.checkiday.com/12/20/2016

http://www.biography.com/people/groups/born-on-december-20

http://www.bobborst.com/popculture/numberonesongs/

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_1968_box_office_number-one_films_in_the_United_States

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_New_York_Times_Fiction_Best_Sellers_of_1968

iOS: http://apple.co/1H2paH9

Android: http://bit.ly/2bQnk3m

On this date in 1932, the BBC Empire Service radio system went on the air for the first time.

Here are some things you may not have known about what is now called BBC World Service.

The Empire Service began as a shortwave service aimed at English speakers in the far-flung reaches of the British Empire. It would take weeks for letters to reach some points by mail, while radio could reach them instantly. King George V said the service was intended for "men and women, so cut off by the snow, the desert or the sea, that only voices out of the air can reach them."

While those behind the idea had high hopes for the service in the long term, their short-term hopes were more guarded. The director general of the BBC, John Reith (Wreath), opened the service by saying: "Don't expect too much in the early days; for some time we shall transmit comparatively simple programs, to give the best chance of intelligible reception and provide evidence as to the type of material most suitable for the service in each zone. The programs will neither be very interesting or good."

The first foreign-language service, in Arabic, was launched in January 1938, followed in March by German programming. By 1942, the service was broadcasting in all major European languages, and had been renamed BBC Overseas Service.

During World War II, the Overseas Service broadcast propaganda and its French service sent coded message to the French Resistance.

In 1965, the service was again renamed, this time as BBC World Service.

At various times, the BBC World Service has operated in 70 different languages and dialects around the world. Through the years, services have been started and discontinued. In the 1990s and early 2000s, many of the European-language services were discontinued as the majority of listeners in those countries listened in English.

Budget cuts and changing technologies have also led the BBC to reduce the number of countries it broadcasts to on shortwave radio. Countries that retain shortwave service today are mostly in Africa, Asia and South America. Europe, North America and Australia are served by local FM stations, and streaming on the internet.

Today, the service broadcasts in 27 languages, the most recently added service is in the Krygyz language of Kyrgyzstan. The service plans to begin broadcasting to Nigeria in Igbo, Nigerian Pidgin, and Yoruba soon.

Our question: Which European language service was the first to be discontinued by the BBC World Service?

Today is unofficially National Hard Candy Day, and National Oatmeal Muffin Day.

It's the birthday of former Soviet leader Leonid Brezhnev, who was born in 1905; singer Edith Piaf, who was born in 1915; and musician Maurice White, who was born in 1941.

Because our topic happened before 1960, we'll spin the wheel to pick a year at random.

This week in 1994, the top song in the U.S. was "Here Comes the Hotstepper" by Ini Kamoze. (Eye-knee)

The No. 1 movie was "Dumb and Dumber," while "Politically Correct Bedtime Stories" by James Finn Garner topped the New York Times Bestsellers list.

Weekly question

The BBC is the world's oldest national broadcaster. What was the first broadcast network in the United States?

Submit your answer at triviapeople.com/test and we'll add the name of the person with the first correct answer to our winner's wall … at triviapeople.com. We'll reveal the correct answer on Friday's episode.

Links

Follow us on Twitter, Facebook or our website.

Also, if you're enjoying the show, please consider supporting it through Patreon.com

Please rate the show on iTunes by clicking here.

Sources

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BBC_World_Service

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iceland

https://www.checkiday.com/12/19/2016

http://www.biography.com/people/groups/born-on-december-19

http://www.bobborst.com/popculture/numberonesongs/?chart=us&m=12&d=19&y=1960&o=

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_1994_box_office_number-one_films_in_the_United_States

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_New_York_Times_Fiction_Best_Sellers_of_1994

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Android: http://bit.ly/2bQnk3m

Thursday's episode ended with 12 proposed amendments to the U.S. Constitution being sent to the states for ratification.

What we now know as the First Amendment was actually the third proposed article of the Bill of Rights.

The first article dealt with how to determine the size of Congress. Because it was never ratified, the total number of seats in the House of Representatives has been determined by specific acts of Congress. The most recent, in 1929, capped the size of the House at 435 seats.

We'll come back to the second proposed amendment in a moment.

The third proposal was the first to be ratified. "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances."

The second was: "A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed."

The third: "No soldier shall, in time of peace, be quartered in any house without the consent of the owner, nor in time of war, but in a manner to be prescribed by law."

The fourth: "The right of the People to be secure in their persons, houses, papers and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated, and no warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause supported by oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be searched, and the persons or things to be seized."

The fifth: "No person shall be held to answer for a capital, or otherwise infamous crime, unless on a presentment or indictment of a Grand Jury, except in cases arising in the land or naval forces, or in the Militia, when in actual service in time of War or public danger; nor shall any person be subject for the same offence to be twice put in jeopardy of life or limb; nor shall be compelled in any criminal case to be a witness against himself, nor be deprived of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law; nor shall private property be taken for public use, without just compensation."

The sixth: "In all criminal prosecutions, the accused shall enjoy the right to a speedy and public trial, by an impartial jury of the State and district wherein the crime shall have been committed, which district shall have been previously ascertained by law, and to be informed of the nature and cause of the accusation; to be confronted with the witnesses against him; to have compulsory process for obtaining witnesses in his favor, and to have the Assistance of Counsel for his defence."

The seventh: "In suits at common law, where the value in controversy shall exceed twenty dollars, the right of trial by Jury shall be preserved, and no fact, tried by a Jury, shall be otherwise re-examined in any court of the United States, than according to the rules of the common law."

The eighth: "Excessive bail shall not be required, nor excessive fines imposed, nor cruel and unusual punishments inflicted."

The ninth: "The enumeration in the Constitution, of certain rights, shall not be construed to deny or disparage others retained by the people."

The tenth and final amendment of the Bill of Rights: "The powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the States, are reserved to the States respectively, or to the people."

Three states didn't act on the Bill of Rights when it was initially proposed. Georgia refused to ratify any amendments. Massachusetts never sent official notice of ratification. Connecticut failed to reconcile their bills after disagreeing over whether to ratify the first and second articles. As part of the 150th anniversary of the Bill of Rights in 1939, the three states ratified the 10 amendments.

Now back to the story of the second article passed by Congress in 1789. It prevented Congress from raising its pay until the next election. It also didn't contain any ratification time limit.

The proposed amendment was largely forgotten until 1982, when Gregory Watson, a student at the University of Texas, began campaigning for its ratification. Besides Wyoming's ratification in 1978, it had been more than 100 years since the most recent ratification. Over the course of the next 10 years, 29 states ratified it and it became the 27th amendment on May 25, 1992, after pending more than 202 years.

It's the most recent amendment to the Constitution.

Our question: Of the 27 total amendments, which is the only one to be repealed?

Today is National Day in Bahrain, and Republic Day in Kazakhstan.

It's unofficially National Chocolate Covered Anything Day, National Ugly Christmas Sweater Day, and Underdog Day.

It's the birthday of composer Ludwig van Beethoven, who was born in 1770; writer Jane Austen, who was born in 1775; and playwright Noel Coward, who was born in 1899.

Because our topic happened before 1960, we'll spin the wheel to pick a year at random.

This week in 1969, the top song in the U.S. was "Leaving on a Jet Plane" by Peter, Paul and Mary.

The No. 1 movie was "They Shoot Horses, Don't They?," while the novel "The Godfather" by Mario Puzo topped the New York Times Bestsellers list.

Links

Follow us on Twitter, Facebook or our website.

Also, if you're enjoying the show, please consider supporting it through Patreon.com

Please rate the show on iTunes by clicking here.

Sources

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Bill_of_Rights

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Twenty-seventh_Amendment_to_the_United_States_Constitution

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Twenty-first_Amendment_to_the_United_States_Constitution

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/December_16

https://www.checkiday.com/12/16/2016

http://www.biography.com/people/groups/born-on-december-16

http://www.bobborst.com/popculture/numberonesongs/?chart=us&m=12&d=15&y=1960&o=

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_1969_box_office_number-one_films_in_the_United_States

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_New_York_Times_Fiction_Best_Sellers_of_1969

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This is part one of a a two-part episode.

On this date in 1791, the United States Bill of Rights became law when the state of Virginia ratified it.

Here are some things you may not have known about the story behind the first 10 amendments to the Constitution.

The Constitution of the United States is the result of hard fought negotiations between federalists and antifederalists during the summer of 1787. Originally, the meeting that became the Constitutional Convention was intended to revise the Articles of Confederation, which had been in place since 1777.

The Articles of Confederation established how the individual states would work together, and it created a weak national government. The national government had no president, executive agencies, judiciary or right to tax.

Federalists such as James Madison, John Jay and Alexander Hamilton argued in favor of throwing out the Articles of Confederation in favor of a new constitution which would establish a strong national government, known as a federal system.

A proposal to add a bill of rights during the convention was defeated. Hamilton, among many, believed such an addition would be dangerous. It was his belief that the inclusion of some rights would imply that rights not specifically mentioned didn't exist.

The Constitution required ratification by nine of the 13 states before it came into effect. Five states ratified the constitution with little trouble. Massachusetts on the other hand, was a different story.

A contentious convention from the start, the low point of the Bay State's meeting was a fist fight between federalist Francis Dana and anti-federalist Elbridge Gerry. Cooler heads prevailed as the convention agreed to ratify under the condition that the group also propose amendments. Massachusetts' suggestions included the basis for what would become the fifth and 10th amendments. Ratifications by Maryland, South Carolina and New Hampshire pushed the Constitution over the nine-state requirement. Shortly after, Virginia and New York ratified, while North Carolina and Rhode Island waited until after the document came into effect in 1788.

By the time the first Congress was seated in 1789, James Madison had come around on the idea of a bill of rights. Although his reasoning was largely strategic. He pledged to introduce a bill of rights as amendments to the Constitution as part of his effort to defeat James Monroe for a seat in the House of Representatives. He also believed that introducing a bill of rights would help preempt a second constitutional convention that could lead to the dissolution of the new federal government.

Madison wrote what would become 20 proposed amendments. The House whittled this down to 17 amendments, while the Senate condensed it to 12. The 12 proposed amendments were then referred to the states for ratification.

On tomorrow's episode, we'll delve into the amendments themselves.

Today's question: What document is seen as the world's first bill of rights?

Today is International Tea Day, Kingdom Day in the Netherlands, and Remembrance Day of Journalists Killed in the Line of Duty in Russia.

It's unofficially Cat Herders Day, National Cupcake Day, and National Regifting Day.

It's the birthday of engineer Gustave Eiffel, who was born in 1832; actor and comedian Tim Conway, who is 83; and actor Don Johnson, who is 67.

Because our topic happened before 1960, we'll spin the wheel to pick a year at random.

This week in 1989, the top song in the U.S. was "We Didn't Start the Fire" by Billy Joel.

The No. 1 movie was "The War of the Roses," while the novel "Daddy" by Danielle Steele topped the New York Times Bestsellers list.

Weekly question

What wireless technology was named after a Danish king's nickname?

Submit your answer at triviapeople.com/test and we'll add the name of the person with the first correct answer to our winner's wall … at triviapeople.com. We'll reveal the correct answer on tomorrow's episode.

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Sources

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Bill_of_Rights

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1st_United_States_Congress

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elbridge_Gerry

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Articles_of_Confederation

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Constitutional_Convention_(United_States)

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_Madison

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alexander_Hamilton

http://www.enchantedlearning.com/usa/states/statehood.shtml

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bill_of_rights

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/December_15

https://www.checkiday.com/12/15/2016

http://www.biography.com/people/groups/born-on-december-15

http://www.bobborst.com/popculture/numberonesongs/?chart=us&m=12&d=15&y=1960&o=

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_1989_box_office_number-one_films_in_the_United_States

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_New_York_Times_Fiction_Best_Sellers_of_1989

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On this date in 1972, Eugene Cernan became the last man to walk on the moon.

Here are some things you may not have known about Apollo 17.

Apollo 17 was the first mission to be commanded by someone who was not a test pilot. Gene Cernan was a fighter pilot in the navy, and had more than 200 aircraft carrier landings. He served as pilot on Gemini 9A and lunar module pilot on Apollo 10, which was the dress rehearsal for the first moon landing.

Cernan was joined on Apollo 17 by fellow naval aviator Ron Evans and Jack Schmitt, who was the first, and so far only, professional scientist to fly beyond low Earth orbit.

The mission was classified as a "J" mission by NASA, meaning the crew would spend three days on the lunar surface, conducting several scientific excursions and using the Lunar Rover. During the mission, Cernan and Schmitt logged about 22 miles in the Lunar Rover and Cernan set a lunar land speed record of 11.2 miles per hour. The duo spent a total of 22 hours outside the lunar lander on the surface. Their first extra-vehicular activity was three times longer than the total amount of time Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin spent on the surface during Apollo 11. They collected almost 250 pounds of samples from the moon.

On December 14, Cernan stepped off the moon as he and Schmitt rejoined Evans in the command module orbiting above.

Five days later, the command module returned to Earth, splashing down in the South Pacific near American Samoa. The astronauts were recovered by the USS Ticonderoga and were safely aboard 52 minutes after landing.

Our question: The first and last men on the moon earned degrees from what university?

Today is unofficially World Monkey Day and National Bouillabaisse Day.

It's the birthday of Great Britain's George VI, who was born in 1895; author Shirley Jackson, who was born in 1916; and actress Patty Duke, who was born in 1946.

This week in 1972, the top song in the U.S. was "Me and Mrs. Jones" by Billy Paul.

The No. 1 movie was "Lady Sings the Blues," while the novel "Jonathan Livingston Seagull" by Richard Bach topped the New York Times Bestsellers list.

Weekly question

What wireless technology was named after a Danish king's nickname?

Links

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Also, if you're enjoying the show, please consider supporting it through Patreon.com

Please rate the show on iTunes by clicking here.

Sources

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/December_14

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apollo_17

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apollo_program

https://www.google.com/maps/place/17%C2%B052'48.0%22S+166%C2%B006'36.0%22W/@-16.8149668,-170.6073051,7.41z/data=!4m5!3m4!1s0x0:0x0!8m2!3d-17.88!4d-166.11?hl=en

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eugene_Cernan

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gemini_9A

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apollo_10

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ronald_Evans_(astronaut)

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harrison_Schmitt

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_missions_to_the_Moon

https://www.checkiday.com/12/14/2016

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On this date in 1577, Francis Drake set off from Plymouth, England, on his around-the-world voyage.

Here are some things you may not have known about Drake and his voyages.

Francis Drake was born around 1540 in Devon, England. His father was a farmer. As a youth, Drake was apprenticed to a neighbor, who captained a trading ship between Britain and France. The neighbor, who had no heirs of his own, bequeathed the ship to Drake upon his death.

Drake set sail for the Americas for the first time at the age of 23. He sailed with his second cousin John Hawkins, a slave-trader who pioneered the triangle trade of bringing slaves to the Americas in exchange for sugar, tobacco and cotton, which he would then sell in Europe for textiles and manufactured goods, which he would sell in Africa.

On a later voyage, Drake and Hawkins were defeated by the Spanish, but managed to escape.

Drake turned to privateering, which is a nice word for state-sponsored piracy. He attacked the Isthmus of Panama, which was where the Spanish would transit gold and silver from the Pacific Ocean to the Caribbean Sea. He and his men captured around 20 tons of gold and silver. The amount of treasure was too much for them to haul, so they buried it, possibly serving as the inspiration for later buried pirate treasure stories.

Four years later, Drake was sent to pillage the Spanish fleet off the Pacific coast of South America. Drake set sail from Plymouth with five ships and 164 men. He lost lost enough men crossing the Atlantic that he was forced to scuttle two ships before reaching Argentina. At the same spot where Ferdinand Magellan executed mutineers 50 years earlier, Drake killed his own mutineer, Thomas Doughty.

It was also here that a third ship was discovered to be rotting and was burned. Violent storms while rounding Cape Horn led to the loss of his second to last ship, leaving his with only his flagship, the Pelican. It was around this time that he renamed the ship the Golden Hind.

During the trip north along the coast, Drake and his men captured several prizes, including one full of Chilean wine and others loaded with gold and silver. Drake would sail as far north as the coast of California, before turning west to cross the Pacific. He and his crew reached what is now Indonesia a few months later and sailed back to England.

Upon his return, Drake became the first Englishman to circumnavigate the globe, and the first person to command an entire circumnavigation of the world. Magellan had been killed during his attempt.

The voyage's treasure was roughly equivalent to the rest of the Crown's income for the year. Drake and his crew kept half the treasure, while the other half went to Queen Elizabeth.

Drake continued sailing into his 50s. He died of dysentery after being defeated by the Spanish in 1596. We was about 55 years old.

Our question: What is a hind, an in the name of Drake's flagship … the Golden Hind?

Today is Republic Day in Malta, and Sailors' Day in Brazil.

It's unofficially Ice Cream Day, National Cocoa Day, and National Violin Day.

It's the birthday of actor Dick Van Dyke, who is 91, actor and comedian Jamie Foxx, who is 49, and singer Taylor Swift, who is 27.

Because our topic happened before 1960, we'll spin the wheel to pick a year at random.

This week in 1965, the top song in the U.S. was "Turn, Turn, Turn" by The Byrds.

The No. 1 movie was "A Patch of Blue," while the novel "The Source" by James Michener topped the New York Times Bestsellers list.

Weekly question

What wireless technology was named after a Danish king's nickname?

Links

Follow us on Twitter, Facebook or our website.

Also, if you're enjoying the show, please consider supporting it through Patreon.com

Please rate the show on iTunes by clicking here.

Sources

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/December_13

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Francis_Drake

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Hawkins_(naval_commander)

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thomas_Doughty_(explorer)

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Triangular_trade

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Golden_Hind

https://www.checkiday.com/12/13/2016

http://www.biography.com/people/groups/born-on-december-13

http://www.bobborst.com/popculture/numberonesongs/?chart=us&m=12&d=12&y=1960&o=

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_1965_box_office_number-one_films_in_the_United_States

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_New_York_Times_Fiction_Best_Sellers_of_1965

iOS: http://apple.co/1H2paH9

Android: http://bit.ly/2bQnk3m