Tag Archives: american presidents

Trivia’s Facts and More (5/27)

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This informative post will be posted on Saturday along with my usual writing.  You are invited to participate with the opening question.

Brain Teaser Question

Do they have a 4th of July in England?

(answer found at the end of this post)

Featured Facts

William Henry Harrison served as America’s ninth President.  His nickname “Old Tippecanoe” came from his military career.

Here are some quick facts about President Harrison: 

  • Served the shortest term of office ever for a President (one month).
  • He was the grandfather of the nation’s 23rd President, Benjamin Harrison.
  • First elected President from the Whig Party.
  • His father, Benjamin Harrison, was a famous patriot during the American Revolutionary War.

In the Election of 1840, Harrison and his running mate, John Tyler, used a catchy campaign slogan:  “Tippecanoe and Tyler, too.”  Harrison intended to become a doctor and enrolled in medical school.  However, due to lack of funds he dropped out and entered the military.

Despite a wet, wintry day, Harrison delivered an outside, two-hour Inaugural Address.  This may have led to his death a month later from suspected pneumonia.

An interesting coincidence followed the death of Harrison, who was elected in 1840.  Every 20 years thereafter, the President elected would die in office.  The streak would continue until the Election of 1980 when Ronald Reagan narrowly escaped death after being shot.

Here are the Presidents who were elected in the 20-year intervals following 1840:

1860:  Abraham Lincoln, 1880:  James A. Garfield, 1900:  James McKinley, 1920:  Warren G. Harding, 1940:  Franklin D. Roosevelt, and 1960:  John F. Kennedy.

Answer to Brain Teaser Question

Yes

England may not celebrate the Fourth of July as a holiday, but they do have a 4th of July (July 4) on their calendar.

Trivia’s Facts and More (4/22)

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This informative post will be posted on Saturday along with my usual writing.  You are invited to participate with the opening question.

Brain Teaser Question

If I have 3 dimes, 3 nickels, and 3 quarters, how many ways can I make change for $1.00?

(answer found at the end of this post)

Featured Facts

Martin Van Buren served as America’s 8th President from 1837-1841.  Nicknamed “The Little Magician,” his political savvy was legendary.

Here are some interesting facts about Martin Van Buren:

  • Life Span:  Born December 5, 1782, died July 24, 1862
  • Occupation:  Lawyer
  • Home State:  New York
  • Political Party:  Democratic (played a significant role in its founding)

Before ascending to the highest political office in the land, Van Buren’s career was filled with numerous posts:  U.S. Senator, Governor, Secretary of State, and Vice President.  He was the first President born in the independent United States, and the only one to have learned English as a second language (he grew up speaking Dutch).

Downturn in the American economy spelled doom for Van Buren.  The Panic of 1837 was the first significant depression of the young republic.  It would become a major reason for his failure to secure a second term in the election of 1840, which was won by Whig candidate William Henry Harrison.

Portrait of President van buren and interior photo of his lindenwald mansion in new york state.

 

Answer to Brain Teaser Question

Only 2 ways:

3 quarters, 2 dimes, 1 nickel

3 quarters, 1 dime, 3 nickels

Trivia’s Facts and More (3/25)

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This informative post will be posted on Saturday along with my usual writing.  You are invited to participate with the opening question.

Brain Teaser Question

Four cars come to a four-way stop, each coming from a different direction.  They can’t decide who got there first, so they all go forward at the same time.  All four cars go, but none crash into each other.  How is this possible? 

(answer found at the end of this post)

Featured Facts

Admitted to the American Union on January 3, 1959, the state of Alaska is the largest in terms of land size.  Its 663,268 square miles exceed the combined land size of the next three states (Texas, California, and Montana).

Here are some interesting facts about Alaska (nicknamed The Last Frontier):

  • Capital:  Juneau
  • Motto:  North to the Future
  • Bird:  Willow ptarmigan
  • Flower:  Forget-me-not

In 1867, the Alaskan Territory was purchased from Russia by Secretary of State William Seward.  For many Americans, the purchase price of $7.2 million stirred up negative comments about “Seward’s Folly.”

On Good Friday in 1964, Alaska experienced one of the most powerful earthquakes ever recorded.  With a magnitude of 9.2, the quake destroyed countless villages and coast communities in addition to the 133 fatalities.

Left:  State capitol in juneau.  right:  scene in anchorage following the earthquake in 1964.  (courtesy of pinterest)

 

Answer to Brain Teaser Question

All of the cars make right-hand turns.

Trivia’s Facts and More (3/18)

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This informative post will be posted on Saturday along with my usual writing.  You are invited to participate with the opening question.

Brain Teaser Question

Unscramble each group of letters to form words having to do with film making.

SGITHL,   AEMRAC,   CTONIA

(answer found at the end of this post)

Featured Facts

Andrew Jackson (nicknamed “Old Hickory”) served the United States as its 7th President.  His two terms in office ran from 1829-1837.

Here are some interesting facts about Andrew Jackson:

  • Born:  March 15, 1767 in South Carolina
  • Died:  June 8, 1845 in Tennessee
  • Founder of the Democratic Party
  • Occupations of lawyer and soldier

Jackson was a war hero during the War of 1812.  His leadership insured American victory over the British in the Battle of New Orleans in 1815.  He was elected as Tennessee’s first U.S. Representative in 1796.

Located about 10 miles outside of Nashville, Tennessee was Jackson’s estate called The Hermitage.  It served as his home from 1804 until his death in 1845.  One of its main characteristics was its Greek Revival architecture.

President Andrew Jackson portrait, front view of The Hermitage.  (courtesy of Pinterest)

 

Answer to Brain Teaser Question

LIGHTS,   CAMERA,   ACTION

Trivia’s Facts and More (2/4)

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This informative post will be posted on Saturday along with my usual writing.  You are invited to participate with the opening question.

Brain Teaser Question

There are tree mistake in this sentence.  

What are they?

(answer found at the end of this post)

Featured Facts

John Quincy Adams (1767-1848) served as the sixth American President from 1825-1829.  He grew up in the colony and later state of Massachusetts.

Here are some interesting facts about John Quincy Adams:

  • Member of Democratic-Republican Party (today’s Democratic Party).
  • Attended Harvard College.
  • Son of John Adams, second American President.
  • As President Monroe’s Secretary of State, he was the primary writer of the Monroe Doctrine.
  • First President to be photographed (1848).

Nicknamed “Old Man Eloquent,” Adams served in Congress for 18 years following his single term as President.  He has been the only President to return to Congress following a Presidency.  As a member of the House of Representatives, he switched political parties to the Anti-Masonic and later the Whig.

(Courtesy of Pinterest).

Answer to Brain Teaser Question

(1)  tree should be three

(2)  mistake should be mistakes

(3)  There are not three mistakes, only two, so stating there are three is a mistake.

Trivia’s Facts and More (12/17)

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This informative post will be posted on Saturday along with my usual writing.  You are invited to participate with the opening question.

Brain Teaser Question

What letter would come next in this sequence?

M,  A,  M,  J,  J,  A,  S,  O,  ___

(answer found at the end of this post)

Featured Facts

James Monroe was the 5th American President (1817-1825).  He became the fourth Virginian to serve as President (George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, and James Madison being the first three). 

Here are a few interesting facts about this two-term President:

  • Occupations:  farmer, lawyer
  • Schooling:  attended College of William and Mary (Williamsburg, VA)
  • Previous political experience:  Governor of Virginia, Secretary of War, State

Two of the most significant accomplishments of the Monroe administration were the passage of the Missouri Compromise in 1820 and the establishment of the Monroe Doctrine.  The Missouri Compromise redefined the division line between slave and free states in the Union.  The Monroe Doctrine stated that no further European colonies would be allowed in the America’s while the United States would remain neutral in European affairs.

Both images courtesy of Pinterest.

Answer to Brain Teaser Question

N–for November

Trivia’s Facts and More (10/29)

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This informative post will be posted on Saturday along with my usual writing.  You are invited to participate with the opening question.

Brain Teaser Question

Find the next letter in the sequence:    a    b    d    g    k    ?

(A) m    (B) n    (C) o    (D) p    (E) q

(answer found at the end of this post)

Featured Facts

The fourth President of the United States was James Madison (1809-1817).  He has often been referred to as “The Father of the Constitution.”

Born in the Virginia colony in 1751, Madison was destined to be a farmer and later a politician.  He would die at his home at Montpelier, Virginia in 1836.

Here are some interesting facts about Madison:

  • He was the shortest President, standing only 5′ 4″.
  • His portrait was used on the $5,000 bill, which was only issued during the American Civil War.
  • His spouse, Dolley, was instrumental in saving a portrait of George Washington when the British attempted to burn down the White House during the War of 1812.

During the ratification period of the Constitution in 1787-1788, James Madison was instrumental in writing numerous articles in support of it.  He was joined in this endeavor by Alexander Hamilton and John Jay.  These many writings were called the “Federalist Papers.”

Images courtesy of Pinterest.

Answer to Brain Teaser Question

(D) p

Between a and b, there are no letters

Between b and d, there is one letter:  c

Between d and g, there are two letters:  e   f

Between g and k, there are three letters:  h  i  j

To continue, skip four letters:  l   m   n   o

Trivia’s Facts and More (8/27)

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This informative post will be posted on Saturday along with my usual writing.  You are invited to participate with the opening question.

Brain Teaser Question

What day follows the day before yesterday if two days from now will be Sunday?

(answer found at the end of this post)

Featured Facts

Massachusetts’ own John Adams followed Virginian George Washington as President of the United States in 1797.  Despite being a one-term President, he served his country with distinction.

Because of his commitment to establishing and strengthening the country’s navy, Adams is sometimes referred to as the “Father of the Navy.”  He was the first President to live in the new Executive Mansion, later called the White House.  He was also the father of the sixth American President, John Quincy Adams.

His loving relationship with his wife, Abigail, has been well-researched from the many letters shared between the two of them.  Over 1,000 of these letters have been preserved.  Together, they witnessed many historical events in the formation of their young nation.

Adams death occurred on July 4, 1826, on the 50th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence.  His political rival, chief writer of the Declaration, and America’s third President, Thomas Jefferson, also died on the same day.

Gilbert Stuart’s official portrait of President Adams. (courtesy of Pinterest)

Answer to Brain Teaser Question

Thursday.  The key is to realize that “now” must be Friday.

Trivia’s Facts and More (8/20)

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This informative post will be posted on Saturday along with my usual writing.  You are invited to participate with the opening question.

Brain Teaser Question

What can run but never walks, has a mouth but never talks, has a head but never weeps, and has a bed but never sleeps?

(answer found at the end of this post)

Featured Facts

Many Americans know some facts about the first President of the United States, George Washington.  Here are a few to note.

Before becoming a soldier and military leader, he spent some of his younger years as a surveyor.  He was home schooled on the family plantation in Westmoreland County in the Colony of Virginia.  This was quite common for youth growing up in many of the southern colonies.

Here are some lesser known facts about “The Father of His Country.”  Prior to being elected President, Washington presided over the Constitutional Convention which crafted the iconic American Constitution, which is still used to this day.

Few people can remember which political party he was affiliated with during his time as President.  Washington was the only President to never be tied to a specific political party.

In his farewell address at the end of his second term in office, President Washington expressed his disdain for political parties.  He felt that the young country should function without them.  His words from this speech spoke with the following vision:

“[The spirit of party] serves always to distract the public councils and enfeeble the public administration.  It agitates the community with ill-founded jealousies and false alarms, kindles the animosity of one part against another, foments occasionally riot and insurrection.”

In 1796, Gilbert Stuart painted this life-size portrait of President Washington. (courtesy of Pinterest)

Answer to Brain Teaser Question

A river.

Mount Rushmore Presidents Quotes

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Mount Rushmore National Monument is located in South Dakota’s Black Hills.  The sculptured figures of George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Theodore Roosevelt, and Abraham Lincoln stand watch.  

Abraham Lincoln (1961-1865)

The best thing about the future is that it comes one day at a time.

Theodore Roosevelt (1901-1909)

In any moment of decision, the best thing you can do is the right thing, the next best thing is the wrong thing, and the worst thing you can is nothing.