Q 01/05

The fasces, the ancient emblem that gave fascism its name, appears on the reverse of which old American coin?

A) Buffalo nickel

B) Mercury dime

C) Morgan dollar

D) Lincoln cent

Answer · why

B) Mercury dime

The Mercury dime, minted from 1916 to 1945, shows the bundle of rods with an axe as a sign of unity and strength. Its design predates Mussolini's move...

Q 02/05

Before founding the Fascist movement, Benito Mussolini edited Avanti!, the newspaper of which Italian political party?

A) The Liberals

B) The Radicals

C) The Socialists

D) The Republicans

Answer · why

C) The Socialists

The Socialists expelled Mussolini for urging Italy to enter the First World War. He was called up in 1915, was wounded in 1917, and came home to build...

Q 03/05

Benito Mussolini is popularly, but wrongly, credited with making which Italian service run on time?

A) The trains

B) The post

C) The buses

D) The ferries

Answer · why

A) The trains

The trains owed most of their repairs to work done before Mussolini took power in 1922. Their famous punctuality under his rule was more propaganda th...

Q 04/05

The 1929 Lateran Treaty, signed by Benito Mussolini's government, created which tiny independent state?

A) San Marino

B) Andorra

C) Liechtenstein

D) Vatican City

Answer · why

D) Vatican City

Vatican City settled a quarrel that had run since Italy annexed Rome in 1870, leaving popes who refused to recognise the kingdom. The deal won Mussoli...

Q 05/05

A stiff-arm salute Americans dropped in 1942, as it looked fascist, had accompanied which patriotic recital?

A) The Star-Spangled Banner

B) The Pledge of Allegiance

C) The Declaration of Independence

D) The Gettysburg Address

Answer · why

B) The Pledge of Allegiance

The Pledge of Allegiance was recited with an outstretched arm, known as the Bellamy salute, from 1892. Congress replaced the gesture with a hand over ...