Fill Me In (#3) Trivia Quiz

Answer: Adolfo

Gustavo Adolfo Becquer was born Gustavo Adolfo Domínguez Bastida, but he took for himself the alias of Becquer. While writing in a time of post-romanticism, he created in Spanish literary traditions what is known as modern lyrical poetry. His unique, passionate writings became especially famous after his death. He is particularly famous for a book called "Rimas y Leyendas." Overall, his writings speak directly to a new sense of self. His directness can be seen in this excerpt from "Rima 21"
"What is poetry? you say while you pierce
my pupil with your blue pupil.
What is poetry! And you ask me that?
Poetry is you."

Answer: Montgomery

John Montgomery Ward played baseball in the 19th century. He was a pitcher, a shortstop, and a manager. Interestingly, he was the second man ever to pitch a perfect game. (The first person was John Lee Richmond.) Ward played for the Providence Grays. Later, after graduating from Columbia Law School, Ward formed the first labor union for sports: The Brotherhood of Professional Baseball Players.

His sports career is intricate. All seem to agree that his success as a player has been greatly overlooked.

Answer: Claflin

Victoria California Claflin Woodhull (1838-1927) has a lot of firsts associated with her name. Not only was she the first woman to declare her candidacy for president of the United States of America in 1872. (Frederick Douglass had been nominated as her vice president running mate but never formally accepted this nomination.) She was also said to be the first woman stockbroker on Wall Street.

She also owned the newspaper that was responsible for publishing in English "The Communist Manifesto." Her opponents called her many names when she was running for President--such as "witch" and "prostitute." Woodhull was attacked for her alleged support of free love.

Her life and thinking are amazingly interesting.

Answer: Bernard

Born in Dublin, Nobel-prize winning writer George Bernard Shaw (1856-1950) was one of the most prolific writers of his times. He was a playwright, literary critic, socialist theoretician, among other things. He was also a supporter of radical causes, such as vegetarianism, reform of the alphabet and abolition of private property, among others.

His best known writings include "Major Barbara," "Saint Joan," and "Pygmalion." His class-sensitive play, "Pygmalion," became "My Fair Lady." Eliza Doolittle was one of the most famous heroines in stage history with lines such as, "The difference between a lady and a flower girl is not how she behaves, but how she is treated."

Answer: Cady

Elizabeth Smith Cady Stanton (1815-1902) was sometimes seen as second to the famous Susan B. Anthony. However, her role throughout the struggle for woman's suffrage was powerful. She delivered a speech called "A Declaration of Sentiments" at the famous Seneca Falls Convention in 1848.

After the Civil War, Stanton and Anthony opposed the passage of the Fourteenth and Fifteenth Amendments because women, black and white, were still excluded from suffrage. The division in the women's movement over this response did get straightened out about twenty years later. Stanton was deeply affected by her father's deprecating comment, "Oh, my daughter, I wish you were a boy!" In the longstanding working relation between Stanton and Anthony, Stanton was known for being an excellent writer and orator. The history of women's suffrage and abolition is complicated in that some African American leaders believed that women already had the vote by means of their connection to their fathers, husbands, brothers.

Answer: Chapman

Carrie Chapman Catt had the distinction of being twice elected president of the NAWSA, the National Woman Suffrage Association. After the declaration of woman's suffrage, Catt formed the League of Women Voters. Earlier, she got into a struggle with the famous feminist Alice Paul regarding support for Woodrow Wilson for President.
She was an amazingly successful organizer. It is estimated that she organized over a million volunteers and personally gave hundreds of speeches.

Answer: Mary

Mary Todd Lincoln (1813-1862) had a most troubled life, or at least others called it so. In spite of an elite eduction, she came to be deemed mentally unfit. She was overprescribed drugs such as laudanum and chloral hydrate. Interestingly, Mary Todd Lincoln is one of many women in the 19th century who were judged "hysterical," "unhinged, "unbalanced" or unfit as mothers and wives. Often, some of these women simply refused to fit into pre-established roles.

Answer: Payne

Dolley Payne [Todd ] Madison (1768-1849) has a unique role in American history. She was apparently extremely charming, fitting the part of royalty perfectly, knowing how to act with perfect manners and complete propriety. She is forever famous for rescuing the portrait of George Washington when she fled from the British during the War of 1812.

Answer: Washington

George Washington Carver (1864-1943) had enormous success in his efforts to improve the conditions of post-bellum African Americans. He personally was a botanist, scientist, in addition to an innovative educator. He is famous for the suggestion to create an alternative to cotton, namely peanuts and sweet potatoes.

He has been incorrectly identified as the person who invented peanut butter.

Answer: Brownell

Susan Brownell Anthony (1820-1906)came from Quaker roots. This summary begins with the fact that she learned to read at the age of three. Her social involvement originally led her to temperance movements. After the war, her unique organizing and tactical mind led to great succcess in organizing the suffrage movement.

She was a tireless speaker, traveller, inspiration. Antony and Matilda Joslyn Gage, completed the first three volumes of "The History of Woman Suffrage" in 1886; ultimately the work was a massive six volumes On her final trip, in 1906, she is reported to have said, "Failure is impossible." Throughout her life, Anthony had struggled against a self of failure-a sense that she was not good enough--either in looks, brains, or speech.