Q 01/05

Which ancient general crossed the Alps with war elephants to invade Italy in 218 BC?

A) Spartacus

B) Hannibal

C) Hamilcar

D) Jugurtha

Answer · why

B) Hannibal

Hannibal reached Italy with only a few elephants left, yet still crushed Roman armies at Trebia, Lake Trasimene and Cannae.

Q 02/05

Which Union general's bushy whiskers inspired a word for facial hair that is still used today?

A) Joseph Hooker

B) Irvin McDowell

C) Ambrose Burnside

D) Winfield S. Hancock

Answer · why

C) Ambrose Burnside

Ambrose Burnside's whiskers were first called burnsides; the syllables were later reversed. Two disastrous defeats did not stop him serving three term...

Q 03/05

Which British commander, victor over Napoleon in 1815, gave his name to a popular style of boot?

A) Duke of Wellington

B) Lord Raglan

C) Earl of Cardigan

D) Duke of Marlborough

Answer · why

A) Duke of Wellington

The Duke of Wellington had his London shoemaker rework the tasselled Hessian boot into a plainer design. Rubber versions of it are still called wellie...

Q 04/05

Which river did George Washington's army cross on Christmas night 1776 to attack Trenton?

A) Hudson

B) Potomac

C) Susquehanna

D) Delaware

Answer · why

D) Delaware

The Delaware crossing let Washington surprise and defeat the Hessian garrison at Trenton, even though the other crossings planned in support were call...

Q 05/05

Which general, supreme commander on D-Day, drafted a statement taking the blame if the invasion failed?

A) Walter Bedell Smith

B) Dwight Eisenhower

C) Mark Clark

D) Courtney Hodges

Answer · why

B) Dwight Eisenhower

Dwight Eisenhower never had to issue the statement, because the Normandy landings held. Eight years later he was elected the 34th US president.