Valerie Kokor and her niece, Jocelyn Kokor, work through a question at the Brookfield Branch Library’s America 250 trivia contest April 11. The library will hold another trivia session July 18.
In honor of this year as our nation’s 250th birthday, Brookfield Branch Library held an America 250 trivia contest April 11.
The event brought out seven people to answer questions about American history, geography and culture.
“We like to play trivia,” said Diana DeVito of Liberty, who came to the April 11 session with her sister Fran Tanner of Brookfield, and Fran’s husband, Wayne Tanner.
Some of the questions were taken from the citizenship test that would-be naturalized citizens have to pass, while others were just things library branch Manager Amanda Murphy ran across. She said she tested them out on her husband and non-trivia buffs.
Some of the questions turned into teachable moments. Following the question of which French aristocrat became a major general of the Continental Army – Marquis De Lafayette – DeVito noted that he was imprisoned during the French Revolution and his wife and kids moved into prison with him.
While Betsy Ross’s place in history is debatable – legend has credited her with sewing the first American flag – Valerie Kokor, who came with her niece, Jocelyn, said, “She’s one of the few women we learn about in school.”
When the subject turned to music, Kokor could only cringe.
“I don’t know anything about music,” she said.
But, she survived it, and, in the end, everyone said they had a good time.
“You did a good job with the questions,” DeVito told Murphy.
Murphy will hold the next America 250 trivia program at 11 a.m. July 18. Register to participate beginning one week before the event by calling 330-448-8134.
There will be a number of America 250-themed programs held throughout the Warren-Trumbull County Public Library system that anyone can attend. A full list of programs is available at the library’s website, wtcpl.org
Here is a sampling of the questions from the April 11 session, with the answers below:
- What two former presidents died on July 4, 1826?
- What two non-presidents appear on U.S. currency?
- What is the smallest state in size?
- What state has the smallest population?
- How many states border the Pacific Ocean?
- What state was once ruled by a queen?
- True or false: President Martin van Buren once had tiger cubs in the White House.
- Who was the first female justice of the U.S. Supreme Court?
- Who was the first president born in the 20th century?
- Who sang a song about an American girl “raised on promises”?
- What event inspired Don McLean’s song “American Pie”?
- How many times has the U.S. officially declared war?
- How many presidents have been assassinated?
- Who were the first residents of the White House?
- What sport is played in the Banana Ball League?
Answers: 1. Thomas Jefferson and John Adams. 2. Alexander Hamilton and Benjamin Franklin. 3. Rhode Island. 4. Wyoming. 5. Five, Washington, Oregon, California, Alaska and Hawaii. 6. Hawaii. 7. True. 8. Sandra Day O’Connor. 9. John F. Kennedy. 10. Tom Petty. 11. The death of Buddy Holly. 12. Five, War of 1812, Mexican-American War, Spanish-American War, World War I and World War 2. 13. Four, Lincoln, Garfield, McKinley and Kennedy. 14. John and Abigail Adams. 15. Baseball, with alternative rules.
