History as Explained in Music Trivia Quiz

Answer: The Battle of New Orleans

"We fired our guns and the British kept a comin'
There wasn't nigh as many as there was awhile ago.
We fired some more and they began a runnin'
On down the Mississippi to the Gulf of Mexico."

Johnny Horton made a career out of historical ballads, doing such songs as "North to Alaska" about the Alaska Gold Rush and "Sink the Bismarck" about the pursuit of a German ship in World War II.

Answer: Little Bighorn

"Custer's Last Stand" was at the Little Bighorn River. After grossly underestimating the number of Indians in the village being attacked, Custer divided his men into three companies, one to attack from the south led by Major Reno, one to prevent an Indian escape led by Captain Benteen, and one to attack from the north led by Custer. The plan was to do a sandwich attack, surrounding and decimating the village.

Reno began his charge, but realizing he was possibly entering into a trap, halted his men and formed them into a skirmish line. Reno's battalion was attacked and, badly outnumbered, he retreated and joined Benteen's men. Meanwhile, Custer's men were attacked while attempting to cross a river, and were also badly outnumbered. When Reno's reinforcements did not come from the south as expected, Custer's men were stuck against a ridge and were easy targets.

Everyone in Custer's battalion, including Custer, was killed, while Reno, Benteen, and many in their command survived.

Answer: Both of them

The headline on November 22, 1963, of course, was the assassination of John F. Kennedy in Dallas, Texas. Consequently, not one, but two well-known authors' deaths were pushed to the back pages. Not only did Aldous Huxley, the author of "Brave New World" die on the 22nd, so did author and theologian C.S. Lewis, best known for "Mere Christianity" and "The Chronicles of Narnia."

Answer: Bethel

The town of Woodstock was actually 43 miles northeast of Max Yasgur's Bethel, NY farm where the Woodstock festival was held. The original plan was to hold it in Walkill, but was not allowed due to public opposition and zoning. Elliot Taber, a motel owner in Bethel, offered to rent his venue, which held chamber concerts, then realizing he did not have the available space, approached his friend Max Yasgur, who offered his dairy farm. He was initially paid $75,000 for the three days, but later received an additional $50,000 for property damage.

Though the 20th Reunion "Woodstock 89" was held at Yasgur's Farm, "Woodstock 94" was held in Saugerties, NY, and "Woodstock 99" in Rome, NY.

Answer: The Battle of Fort McHenry

On September 7, 1814, Francis Scott Key, a 35-year old amateur poet, was sent with John Stuart Skinner on board the British ship HMS Minden to secure a prisoner exchange during the War of 1812. War plans had been discussed while Key and Skinner were on board, and the battle began soon thereafter, so they were held captive on board while the battle raged on Fort McHenry at Baltimore, Maryland. Key watched the battle from the ship, and then saw the American flag flying over the fort the next morning and wrote the poem. They were released on the 16th of September, and he finished it that evening. His brother-in-law put it to the tune of a British drinking song, "To Anacreon in Heaven", and by the 20th, it was published in newspapers.

In 1889, it was ordered to be played at the raising of the flag and in 1931, President Herbert Hoover made it the official national anthem of the United States.

Answer: At a student protest at Kent State University

The picture of Mary Ann Vecchio crying over the body of student Jeffery Miller after he was shot by the Ohio National Guard is one of the most enduring images of the protest era of America.

On May 1, 1970, students at Kent State University began protesting the American invasion of Cambodia announced the previous day by President Richard Nixon. A student burned a draft card and that night some looting occurred downtown. The next day, in response, the mayor of Kent called a state of emergency and the Governor called in the National Guard.

The ROTC building on campus was burned down on May 2, and soon over 1,000 National Guard troops were in town. While many people continued with their protests, many others tried to assist in cleaning up and restoring order.

On May 4, Kent State University officials circulated leaflets announcing that a scheduled protest rally had been canceled. In spite of this, 2,000 people showed up. Immediately, before there was any disorder, the National Guard moved in and attempted to disperse the gathering. When tear gas failed to disperse students, some guardsmen began firing their bayoneted rifles, resulting in four deaths and nine injuries. Two of the four dead were not even involved in the protest, but were students on their way to classes, which showed the random nature of the National Guard's shooting and infuriated many in the general public when the event hit the news.

Answer: Steven Biko

In addition to Peter Gabriel's song "Biko", the story of Steven Biko and Donald Woods was featured in the movie "Cry Freedom." Biko was the founder of the Black Consciousness Movement, which was a grassroots anti-apartheid movement that not only challenged the white government, but also liberal whites who opposed apartheid but often held condescending views about the black populace. Biko taught that "Black is Beautiful" and fought against all racial stereotypes, pushing people to accept themselves for who they were. For this, he not only raised the ire of the government, but also the African National Congress.

He was arrested on August 21, 1977, beaten in police custody, and chained to a window grille. He died in custody September 12, officially from a hunger strike, but more likely from being beaten.

His death, and photos taken of his battered body by Donald Woods and released to the world, combined with publicity about the 1976 Soweto Uprising led to a major backlash against apartheid, and Biko became a major rallying symbol towards its eventual fall.

Answer: Robert F. Kennedy

Marvin Gaye and Smokey Robinson & The Miracles also recorded the song.

Robert F. Kennedy had served as Attorney General for his brother, and continued in that position under President Lyndon B. Johnson after John F. Kennedy's death. He resigned from that position to become Senator from New York before running for President in 1968. After winning the California Democratic Primary election, he was shot shortly after midnight by Sirhan B. Sirhan while celebrating in the ballroom at the Ambassador Hotel in Los Angeles.

Robert Todd Lincoln and Dexter Scott King were sons of their more famous fathers who had their own accomplishments, Lincoln as Secretary of War under Presidents Garfield and Arthur, and King as the President of the King Center for Nonviolent Social Change. King is most notable for being outspoken in defense of James Earl Ray, the alleged assassin of Martin Luther King. Alfred King was the brother of Martin Luther King, and was a civil rights activist and minister who also died young, but died of an accidental drowning.

Answer: Napoleon Bonaparte

Napoleon Bonaparte, known as Napoleon I, or simply Napoleon, was a General during the French Revolution and rose to become the Emperor of France, then fought to expand France's control over much of Europe, before finally being defeated at the Battle of Waterloo. After his capture at Waterloo, he was exiled to the Atlantic Ocean island of St. Helena, where he spent the last six years of his life, dying on May 5, 1821 at the age of 51.

Louis Napoleon, also known as Napoleon III, was the last monarch of France and the first president of the French Republic. He was the nephew of Napoleon Bonaparte. Napoleon XIV recorded "They're coming to Take Me Away Ha Haaa!" Napoleon Lajoie was the Hall of Fame second baseman of the Detroit Tigers.

Answer: Mikhail Gorbachev

The Berlin Wall was a painful 28 years in world history, from its erection in 1961 to its fall in 1989. At least 136 people were killed attempting to cross from East Berlin to West Berlin during that time, most famously Peter Fechter, an 18 year old who was shot and left to cry out and bleed to death for over an hour in full view of Western journalists in 1962. Graphic descriptions of his death led to worldwide condemnation of the wall, but it would be almost three decades before the wall would come down.

The East German government had denied the plans to construct the wall up until construction began, knowing that to make public their intentions would invite mass emigration and international protest. Consequently, when the border was closed on August 13, 1961, first by barbed wire and then by the wall, families were torn apart and many East Germans who were employed in West Berlin were suddenly jobless. During construction, soldiers supervised, with orders to kill anyone who attempted to defect.

On June 12, 1987, the 750th anniversary of the founding of Berlin, U.S. President Ronald Reagan gave the famous speech at the Brandenburg gate, saying, "Mr. Gorbachev, tear down this wall."

On August 23, 1989, Hungary opened its border with Austria, and thousands of East Germans responded by traveling to Hungary, then emigrating to Austria and then West Germany. East Germany then closed its border with Hungary, but the tide had already turned, and soon East Germans were traveling to Czechoslovakia with the same emigration plans. Mass protests began inside East Germany, leading to the resignation of President Erich Honecker on October 18. Finally, November 9, an order was given allowing East Berliners to cross directly into West Berlin, and the wall was dismantled soon thereafter, first by private citizens using chisels and hammers, and later by bulldozers.