Episodes

  • What time is it? Trivia Time.

    What time is it? Trivia Time.
    Mar 29 2025
    Hello, friends. For my personal update, I’ve been working with Joan Lunden on her legacy memoir, which will be published in March of 2026. Joan was the longest-running female host ever on early morning television, and her post-Good Morning America career has been equally fascinating and full. I’ll let you know when she settles on a title and cover design. Next week, I’m headed out on my motorcycle to visit family in Arizona. I'm thinking of stopping in Roswell, New Mexico, because I am a connoisseur of roadside kitsch and conspiracy theories. The weather should be splendid. I’ll post the occasional picture on Instagram if you’re interested. I’ll be back on the Ohio River in late August/early September for a BMW motorcycle rally in Athens, Ohio. If you’d like to get together, please reach out. I’d love to meet you in person.Alright, on to the quiz. If you’ve read The Ghosts of Eden Park, you’re familiar with the role of the Ohio River in bootlegging, but it’s been used for lots of other illicit businesses over the years. Let’s see how you do with these ten questions.Note to my fantastic new subscribers:Monthly trivia is for sport. It’s not a test of intelligence or character. I couldn’t answer these questions without a significant amount of research, either! Do your best and enjoy learning something new. Would you share this quiz with someone else? Please?QUESTIONSAnswers in the footnotes. Have fun!* Going back to the 18th and early 19th centuries, Ohio River criminal syndicates capitalized on the river's ever-growing traffic to evade taxes or to smuggle contraband humans and goods. We’ll come back to the trafficking of humans in a later question. What goods were the basis for most of the criminal activity along the river? More than one may apply.* Tobacco and alcohol * Counterfeit currency* Everyday goods like textiles and grains* Newport, Kentucky, became a major hub for organized crime in the 1940s and 1950s while neighboring Covington, Kentucky, and Cincinnati, Ohio, did not. Which of the following reasons best explains Newport’s “success” as a crime town? More than one applies.* It was small enough that local law enforcement could be easily influenced, but close enough to a major city (Cincinnati) to draw in big-money gambling customers.* Figures like Newport Police Chief Frank "Screw" Andrews openly worked with crime bosses rather than against them.* Unlike Ohio, Kentucky had looser gambling laws, creating a gray area where illegal casinos could flourish with little state interference.* Newport had a history of vice industries dating back to the 1800s, including brothels and saloons that made illegal activity feel like "business as usual."* Las Vegas-style casino operators, like Moe Dalitz (who later helped develop the Vegas Strip), used Newport as a testing ground before heading west.* Newport, Kentucky, was known as a mini Las Vegas due to its numerous illegal casinos. Which famous mob family was heavily involved in running these operations? Hint: It’s the oldest of the “Five Families” that dominate the New York and New Jersey region.a) The Genovese Familyb) The Gambino Familyc) The Dalitz Family* Which Ohio River city was used as a stand-in for New York City to film the recent gangster movie, The Alto Knights, starring Robert De Niro?* Pittsburgh* Cincinnati* Louisville* The Fugitive Slave Act of 1850 effectively criminalized freedom for escaped enslaved people, which was a major force in Ohio River border states. While it didn’t classify freedom seekers as criminals by legal definition, it subjected them to punishment, forced capture, and denial of rights in ways that mirrored criminal prosecution—without any of the legal protections given to actual criminals. Which of the following is true of this Act? More than one applies.* Unlike other legal systems where crimes have statutes of limitations, a fugitive slave could be hunted for life—even if they had lived freely for decades. * Anyone who helped a fugitive slave—whether by providing shelter, food, or transportation—could face fines of up to $1,000 (roughly $35,000 today) and six months in prison.* Slavery was legal under U.S. law at the time, so escaping from bondage was considered a violation of property law, similar to stealing a horse—except the “stolen property” was the person’s own body.* Freedom seekers were subject to hot metal branding, known as the “scar-based identification system.” This was believed to deter repeat escape attempts.* Blackbirding is the nickname for kidnapping free Black people and illegally selling them into slavery. If you watched the movie or read the book, Ten Years a Slave you will know about this history. Which of the following statements best describes how blackbirding networks operated north of the Ohio River before the Civil War? Choose one.* They were loosely organized groups of bounty hunters who only targeted escaped enslaved people.* They...
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    33 mins
  • February '25 Trivia Time

    February '25 Trivia Time
    Feb 27 2025
    Hello friends! I don’t often share personal news here, but exceptional times call for exceptional correspondence. As I mentioned in my other newsletter, I’m taking comfort in simple pleasures these days, including knitting and crocheting while binge listening to the Thursday Murder Club series. The movie adaptation is coming out on Netflix this year. Here’s an afghan I finished (left) and another that I’m making for my son’s birthday in March (right). I’m sprinting to the finish with that one!I hope you are able to find something to do with your hands or body to balance some of the negativity that’s relentlessly assaulting our heads and hearts. Now, on to the quiz! This (loosely) ties Ohio River towns and culture with that of the ancient Greeks and Romans. I’m told Gladiator II was a stinker, and if you skipped it, I don’t think your quiz score will suffer. Good luck!Note to my fantastic new subscribers:Monthly trivia is for sport. It’s not a test of intelligence or character. I couldn’t answer these questions without a significant amount of research, either! Do your best and enjoy learning something new. Oh, and would you share it with someone else?QUESTIONSAnswers in the footnotes. * Which Kentucky city along the Ohio River is named after the first emperor of Rome?* Nero* Augusta* Julius* Hadrian* What Indiana town takes its name from the famous site that marked the end of Sparta’s dominance in the Greek world?* Marathon* Troy* Thermopylae* Delphi* The word “Sparta” reminds me of the 1960 movie Spartacus starring Kirk Douglas. Stay with me as I get you to an Ohio River connection. Spartacus (the book and movie) is about the historic slave revolt of 73 BCE. Spartacus's rebellion was the largest slave revolt in Roman history. The screenplay was written by the blacklisted Dalton Trumbo, who served time in a federal prison after being found in contempt of Congress in 1950. In which Ohio River city did Trumbo serve his federal sentence?* Ashland, Kentucky* Cincinnati, Ohio* Marion, Illinois* Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania* I’m not going to give you the obvious question about Cincinnatus being the namesake of Cincinnati. Instead, I’ll tell you that the city was was originally named "Losantiville." Now, can you tell me why?* The Losant family was first to settle the area. Their land lies across from the Licking River where it empties into the Ohio.* It was supposed to be named Loganville, but the signmaker’s apprentice screwed up the letter “g” and it looked like an “s.” The town’s fathers let it slide after the signmaker said he would donate the sign.* It’s a portmanteau combining * L, for Licking River* os, Greek for mouth* anti, Latin for opposite * ville, French for town* In which state would you find the Ohio River town of Rome? More than one may apply.* Ohio* Kentucky* Indiana* Illinois* What famous Roman phrase associated with Julius Caesar means "I came, I saw, I conquered," and could describe early settlers’ ambitions along the Ohio River?* Alea Iacta Est* Carpe Diem* Sic Semper Tyrannis* Veni, Vidi, Vici* The term "Athenaeum" derives its name from Athena, the Greek goddess of wisdom and refers to institutions dedicated to education, arts, or culture. What states have Athenaeums located near the Ohio River? More than one may apply* Illinois* Indiana* Kentucky* Ohio* Pennsylvania* West Virginia* How many American states have cities, towns, counties, villages, townships and boroughs named “Athens?” * Surprisingly, only 8* At least 13 (a baker’s dozen)* 27, which is more than half * Are any Ohio River cities named for Roman deities? C’mon, this is a 50/50 opportunity to gain a point.* Several schools and universities in the river area have mascots inspired by Greek and Roman figures. Which of the following mascots is NEITHER Greek nor Roman?* Argonaut* Gorlock* Hoplite* MinotaurINTERMISSIONPittsburgh in 50 Maps, is a book right up the 981 Project’s alley. Whether you call it the Steel City, the City of Bridges, City of Champions, Hell with the Lid Off, or even the Paris of Appalachia, Pittsburgh’s distinctive character is undeniable. Pittsburgh in 50 Maps considers the boundaries of the city’s 90 distinct neighborhoods (plus Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood), the legacy of the steel industry, and how immigration continues to shape the city. You’ll also find the areas with the highest concentrations of bike lanes, supermarkets, tree cover, and fiberglass dinosaurs. Each colorful map offers a new perspective on one of America’s most consistently surprising cities and the people who live here.ANSWERS Get full access to The 981 Project at the981project.com/subscribe
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    28 mins
  • January 2025 Trivia: Thundersnow and a Frozen River

    January 2025 Trivia: Thundersnow and a Frozen River
    Jan 23 2025
    I’m officially an old timer, since I can give you a first-hand account of the 1977 & ‘78 blizzards. Technically, the ‘78 blizzard was more intense because of the record-breaking snowfall and extreme winds. I grew up in Central Ohio, about 30 miles east of Columbus. After a good week or so at home, we ventured out to the grocery store and were shocked that the snow reached power/phone lines. The weather forecast called for frigid conditions and heavy snowfall, but I tell you, when I saw LIGHTNING and heard THUNDER in the middle of that storm, I thought doomsday had arrived. Before you dismiss my observation as fanciful, this phenomenon is known as thundersnow. Watch Jim Cantore do the thundersnow dance here!Okay, if you want to call it a “winter thunderstorm,” that’s an acceptable answer for TV Jeopardy contestants, but you’re gonna hafta accept being called a spoil sport or a kill joy by the rest of us. Your choice.Another thing I recall is that Mom’s tropical fish aquarium froze. No, not like a block of ice, more like a slurry of the consistency we got from the old Icee Drink machines at Sears stores. I was pretty sad about the little angelfish and tetras suspended there as if Samantha on Bewitched had put a spell on them, but here’s the real miracle: those fish survived! No kidding. I think we were out of power for a good week, but once we got it back, the slurry melted and the fish swam around like nothing had happened. With that, it’s time for January Trivia, focused on the history, pop culture, and earth science behind winter weather in the region. This should be fun!Note to my fantastic new subscribers:Monthly trivia is for sport. It’s not a test of intelligence or character. I couldn’t answer these questions without a significant amount of research, either! Do your best and enjoy learning something new. Oh, and would you share it with someone else?QUESTIONSI’m going for quality over quantity this month using these nine questions. Answers in the footnotes.* What conditions produce thundersnow? Choose one.* Exactly the same conditions that produce thunderstorms. Duh! That’s to say, when there is moisture, static electricity/instability, and a lifting mechanism in the atmosphere (known as convection).* Basically the same conditions that produce thunderstorms, with the addition of snowflakes and sleet pellets that collide in the clouds, creating static charges. The static builds up until it's discharged as lightning. The lightning generates intense heat, which causes the air to rapidly expand and produce thunder.* Where is thundersnow most common in the United States? More than one may apply. * The Great Lakes region* Around the Great Salt Lake * The Northeast during nor'easters* The entire length of the Ohio River froze during the winter of 1917-1918. What happened as a result? More than one may apply.* As temperatures dropped, ice flows formed and sharp ice pierced ship hulls or piled on decks, weighing down and sinking 36 boats. * The Great Ice Gorge of the Ohio River formed and finally broke on February 12, after holding firm for 58 days.* More than 100 coal barges were lost and coal yards along the river were flooded. The shortage of coal almost shut down the power plant that supplied heat and light to Cincinnati.* The harbor and the canal at Louisville were kept open by breaking the ice with dynamite because the ice boats weren’t up to the task.* Now it’s time to talk about the blizzard of 1977, which was caused by a strong blocking high over the Arctic Ocean that brought Arctic air into the central and eastern United States. The cold air combined with a build-up of precipitation and wind to create a severe blizzard. Which of the following is true? More than one applies.* January 18, 1977 the temperature in the Cincinnati area was -25°F, the coldest day in that city’s history since the National Weather Service began keeping official records in the nineteenth century.* Louisville saw significant snowfall, compounded by high winds that created drifts several feet deep. Some rural areas nearby were completely cut off. The city opened emergency shelters in schools and other public buildings.* Indiana farmers lost livestock due to the extreme cold and inability to transport feed.* Huntington, West Virginia, experienced issues with frozen water mains, leading to water shortages.* True or false: The Ohio River became a “frozen highway” in 1977 from Huntington, West Virginia, to Evansville, Indiana, because the ice could support the weight of a person and in limited areas, even motor vehicles.* Let’s compare the ‘77 and ‘78 storms. The Blizzard of 1977 was caused by a combination of extreme cold (from Arctic air) and high winds, with snow already on the ground due to prolonged cold weather prior to the storm. The Great Blizzard of 1978 was different in which key ways? More than one is correct.* The storm was caused by an explosive low-pressure system ...
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    27 mins
  • December 2024 Trivia Time

    December 2024 Trivia Time
    Dec 19 2024
    December 16 marked the anniversary of the 1967 collapse of the bridge that crossed the Ohio River between Point Pleasant, West Virginia, and Gallipolis, Ohio. The Point Pleasant Bridge is usually called the Silver Bridge, and its collapse is often associated with the Mothman, a creature reportedly sighted in the area leading up to the disaster. The devastating event took place at rush hour, on a bridge built in 1928 when Model Ts were in use, not the heavier cars that followed. Two cars avoided plunging into the river, but 46 people died, and 9 bodies were never recovered. My great-grandmother lived on the Ohio side of the bridge and we crossed it several times visiting family before its collapse—yes, I’m “that” old. This month, we’ll explore bridge construction techniques, the disaster itself, the folklore and history of the Mothman, and a good bit more within ten questions. Note to my fantastic new subscribers:Monthly trivia is for sport. It’s not a test of intelligence or character. I couldn’t answer these questions without a significant amount of research, either! Do your best and enjoy learning something new. Answers in the footnotes.QUESTIONS* The Silver Bridge was named for:* Beloved local architect John H. Silver, who was born in Point Pleasant, but died one month before the bridge opened in 1928.* It was the first bridge in the United States to use eyebar chain suspension, a design that relied on a series of metal links (eyebars) to support the structure. Its shiny aluminum paint was innovative for the time, so the locals disregarded its official name.* Both.* We often tell our children that the weakest link in a chain determines its fate. This is also true of the Silver bridge collapse because…* A tiny crack developed in the lower part of eyebar 330 due to stress corrosion cracking. When the crack grew, it caused a sudden brittle fracture of the eyebar, leading to the rapid failure of the suspension chain and the subsequent collapse of the entire bridge. * In 1968, a junior-level bridge inspector noticed the stress on eyebar 330 and reported it to his supervisor. Instead of placing the issue on a list of items to re-inspect, the boss hid the report. Only after the bridge collapsed did the junior inspector come forward, but since he didn’t keep his own copy of the report, and the official copy of the file had been “temporarily misplaced,” the federal inspectors with the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) wrote him off as a glory seeker until he was vindicated in 1997 when the file was found. * Both.* The eyebar chain system was considered innovative because it used fewer materials compared to traditional suspension cables. Which of the following is true about bridge design? More than one may apply.* The eyebar design's failure mode is non-redundant, meaning that if one key component fails, the entire structure can collapse.* Today, bridges typically use cable-stayed or suspension systems with wire cables, which are more robust and offer multiple lines of support.* Most existing bridges with similar designs to the Silver Bridge have either been retrofitted or replaced to meet modern safety standards. * A cryptid is an animal or creature that is said to exist but has never been proven to do so. Cryptids are often featured in folklore and other accounts, and the list includes Mothman. What other creatures are considered to be cryptids? More than one may apply.* Bigfoot/Sasquatch* The Loch Ness Monster* The Jackalope* The Flatwoods Monster aka “Braxie”* For a year prior to the collapse of the Silver Bridge, the Mothman was sighted in the area, leading to the hypothesis that Mothman either caused or prophesied the accident. Which of the following characteristics were described by people who claimed to see the Mothman? More than one may apply. * Height between 6 to 7 feet with a humanoid form.* Wingspan 10 to 15 feet, resembling those of a bat or bird.* Large, glowing red eyes said to shine or glow in the dark.* The creature’s head seemed small or nonexistent, with the eyes appearing to be set directly into its shoulders or chest area.* What do skeptics of Mothman believe the sightings misidentified? More than one may apply.* Barn owls, barred owls and snowy owls. * Herons, or sandhill cranes.* An extra-dimensional spirit monster heralding the Age of Aquarius.* Richard Gere and Laura Linney starred in a 2002 movie about the Silver Bridge collapse. The Mothman Prophesies is a supernatural thriller about a journalist (Gere) whose wife sees the Mothman before she dies in a car accident. Two years later, he finds himself in Point Pleasant. Were any TV shows/episodes based on the Mothman? If so, name the show(s).* The 2002 movie kicked up interest in the Silver Bridge collapse and all things Mothman. Unveiled a year later, in 2003, Point Pleasant West Virginia, has its own Mothman statue made of stainless steel. How did artist Bob Roach land on the final design? * ...
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    27 mins
  • November '24 Trivia

    November '24 Trivia
    Nov 27 2024

    Hello, Readers. In an effort to give you something neutral to discuss at Thanksgiving gatherings, I give you River Trivia. You’ll find questions on hydrology, dams, locks, dredging, flood management, plus specific questions about the Ohio River in the aftermath of the Great Flood of 1937. Try them out at “the kids’ table” too.

    Thanks to everyone who reached out about October ‘24 Trivia. I love knowing that something I’ve written has made you ponder. In case you missed it or would like to share it (please do!) click the link below.

    Note to my fabulous new subscribers:

    Monthly trivia is for sport. It’s not a test of intelligence or character. I couldn’t answer these questions without a significant amount of research, either! Do your best and enjoy learning something new. Answers in the footnotes.

    QUESTIONS

    * What is the term for the total amount of water flowing past a given point in a river over a specified period?a) Water Tableb) Dischargec) Runoff

    * What is one primary purpose of constructing a dam on a river?a) To increase sediment transportb) To increase biodiversityc) To generate hydroelectric powerd) To prevent aquatic life migration

    * What is the function of a lock in river navigation?a) To stop water from flowing downstreamb) To raise or lower ships between sections of a river with different water levelsc) To prevent fish from migrating upstream

    * What is a common purpose of dredging in river management?a) To decrease sedimentation in reservoirsb) To remove sediment and maintain navigation channels

    c) To build damsd) To create artificial lakes

    * What is a common method used to reduce the impact of river flooding in urban areas?a) Channelizationb) Dredgingc) Levees and floodwallsd) Water diversion tunnels

    * In the Ohio River region, certain species have experienced conservation success and are no longer listed as endangered. One notable example was removed from Ohio's endangered species list in 2012 after substantial population recovery efforts. Its resurgence is attributed to habitat protection, environmental regulations like the banning of DDT, and ongoing conservation programs. What species is this?

    * Bald eagle

    * Longheaded darter fish

    * Red-tailed hawk

    * Scioto madtom

    * The Great Flood of 1937, also known as the Ohio River flood, was a catastrophic flood that occurred in late January and February of 1937. How many people were known to be killed in that cataclysmic event?

    * 189

    * 248

    * 385

    * Which of the following cities was 95% submerged during that flood?

    * Louisville, Kentucky

    * Jeffersonville, Indiana

    * Paducah, Kentucky

    * Yes or no to each option: did Franklin Delano Roosevelt visit this city in the wake of the flood?

    * Cincinnati, Ohio

    * Louisville, Kentucky

    * Evansville, Indiana

    * Paducah, Kentucky

    * The Flood Control Act of 1938 authorized extensive federal investments in dams, levees, and other flood control structures. Which of the following is/are true about the Act and its outcomes?

    * By constricting rivers with levees, areas on either side of the levees can see higher water levels and more destructive flooding.

    * The focus on structural solutions often neglected the natural functions of floodplains, leading to habitat loss and disruption of ecosystems.

    * The Act primarily targeted major river basins, leaving smaller communities and tributaries vulnerable to flooding.



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    21 mins
  • October '24 Trivia

    October '24 Trivia
    Oct 17 2024
    Last summer, after touring the floodwall murals in Covington, Kentucky, I ate at a pizza joint called The Gruff, situated close to the Roebling Bridge. While the bar filled up with Cincinnati Reds fans, I had my first encounter with bacon-apple pizza at the recommendation of my winsome waitress. As we chatted, I learned she’d just finished high school and was figuring out her next move in life. In time, she asked about my research project, which led me to test a theory about how much Kentuckians remember about their history as a border state. I asked, “Was Kentucky a Union or Confederate state?” I could tell by the way her eyebrows shot up that the question surprised her. “Let me think while I run your credit card,” she said. As I would have done at her age, she got it wrong. Kentucky never seceded from the Union. I just checked the Kentucky Academic Standards and it looks like my waitress would have studied the Civil War in eighth grade, which might explain her leaky memory, but it seems like the kind of thing that would have stuck in the way that you don’t need fingers to remember that 2+2=4. I’m not putting my waitress down or dismissing the quality of her education. In many ways, Kentucky presents itself to the world as a former Confederate state. As an aside, is eighth grade a bit early to study the complexities of the Civil War? Does it do any good to give eighth graders a survey course on something that still divides our country today? I’d love your thoughts.This brings me to the subject of this month’s trivia: Kentucky and the Civil War. The quiz will lean heavily on research and analysis by the scholar Ann E. Marshall in her book, Creating a Confederate Kentucky: The Lost Cause and Civil War Memory in a Border State. That’s where I found this 1926 quote from E. Merton Coulter, who observed that Kentuckians “…waited until after the war was over to secede from the Union.” Dr. Marshall reminds us that Kentucky’s white population identified as both Union and Confederate before and after the war, and that African-Americans, who identified with and fought for the Union, were eager to draw upon the Union victory to claim what had been promised to “all men” in the Constitution. That “emancipation narrative” never resonated with the majority of white Kentuckians, no matter their partisan affiliation. In the words of historian Patrick Lewis, Ph.D., “Kentuckians imagined themselves as the last remaining spokespeople with political power for a defeated South.” With that, it’s time for the quiz.Note to my fabulous new subscribers:Monthly trivia is for sport. It’s not a test of intelligence or character. I couldn’t answer these questions without a significant amount of research, either! Do your best and enjoy learning something new. Answers in the footnotes.QUESTIONSThe first four questions will help ground us in Kentucky’s economics and culture before the Civil War. Then we’ll move to the war years, and finally, the aftermath.* The African slave trade was outlawed by Congress in 1808, consequently raising the price of enslaved workers born into what’s known as the domestic slave trade. With proximity to the Ohio River, Lexington and Louisville became major slave markets. When the cotton gin created a cotton boom in the deep South, the average value of an enslaved worker sold in New Orleans rose from $500-1800 between 1800-1860. At the peak of the cotton boom (1850-60) how many enslaved people did Kentucky sell into the cotton belt?* Over 37,000, making it the fourth highest state in the domestic slave trade.* At least 54,000, making it second only to Virginia.* The Commonwealth of Kentucky taxed enslaved workers as property, eventually assessing owners 22 cents per $100 of value. At the outbreak of the Civil War in 1861, with 250,000 enslaved workers in residence, what percentage of Kentucky’s tax revenue was based in human bondage/trafficking? * 10%* 20%* 35%* During Kentucky’s constitutional convention of 1849-1850, delegates debated the possibility of gradual, compensated emancipation. Proslavery forces in the state quashed all hopes of that. What did they accomplish instead?* Section three in the 1850 constitution bill of rights strengthened owners rights, saying, “The right of property is before and higher than any constitutional sanction; and the right of the owner of a slave to such slave, and its increase, is the same, and as inviolable as the right of the owner of any property whatever.”* They chartered The Kentucky Colonization Society and allocated money to purchase land for freed slaves to settle in Liberia. The colony was called “Kentucky in Africa.” * They repealed Kentucky's Nonimportation Act of 1833 to remove a significant barrier to a profitable domestic slave trade. The goal was increased tax revenue for the state.* In the 1860 national election, Abraham Lincoln took 40 percent of the country’s vote. What percentage of ...
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    39 mins
  • September '24 Trivia!

    September '24 Trivia!
    Sep 27 2024
    Did you know we’re in a bicentennial year? From now until September, 2025, historical sites in the nation’s first 24 states will be commemorating the Marquis de Lafayette’s Farewell Tour. Planned as a three-month tour, Lafayette was celebrated by all as the “Nation’s Guest” for 13 months. Honestly, it amazes me how Lafayette Fever swept the nation in the 1800s, with crowds thronging to catch a glimpse of the French nobleman who aided the American cause against Great Britain. For comparison’s sake, 4000 people greeted The Beatles in NYC but 80,000 turned out for Lafayette there! I’ve come across a few theories to explain this phenomenon, which took place fifty years after the Revolution. One says that Lafayette was the swashbuckling symbol of France’s role in securing independence, and Americans were still deeply grateful. Another holds that Lafayette basked in the American reverence for George Washington as his de facto adopted son. (Lafayette even named his son Georges Louis Gilbert Washington de Motier Marquis de Lafayette). The theory that rings most true for me is that Lafayette’s farewell tour coincided with the vitriolic presidential election of 1824, in which, for the first time, no founding father was running. Perhaps the country was demonstrating a nostalgia and reverence for the past and nervousness about the future, as author Sarah Vowel stated in an interview.If you’re like me, Lafayette’s place in our history is more legendary than factual. The opening paragraph a New Yorker story from 2021 summed up my sketchy understanding:Lafayette, like Betsy Ross and Johnny Appleseed, is so neatly fixed in the American imagination that it is hard to see him as a human being. Betsy sews stars, Johnny plants trees, Lafayette brings French élan to the American Revolution. He is, in the collective imagination, little more than a wooden soldier with a white plume on his cocked hat. In the original production of “Hamilton,” Daveed Diggs portrayed him affectionately, with a comically heavy French accent and an amorous manner—a hero, yes, but of the cartoon kind, a near relation of Pepé le Pew. Allison Epstein wrote a most entertaining sketch of the marquis in her hilarious newsletter, Dirtbags Through the Ages. When Allison can’t criticize someone, take note. I must leave you to dig into Lafayette’s extraordinary international escapades on your own while we focus on his stops along the Ohio River in this month’s trivia. Note to my fabulous new subscribers:Monthly trivia is for sport. It’s not a test. Only the rare person can answer all ten trivia questions without any prep. I couldn’t answer them without a significant amount of research, either! Do your best and enjoy learning something new. Answers in the footnotes.QUESTIONS* When Lafayette visited Old Shawneetown, Illinois, it was simply called Shawneetown. Why do we call it Old Shawneetown today?* Remember Illinois’ salt industry from last month’s trivia? When Congress granted the salines to Illinois, the state ran the operation using the unpaid labor of enslaved workers who lived in what was then-Shawneetown. After the Emancipation Proclamation, these workers fled, making it a ghost town that eventually came to be called Old Shawneetown.* After a 15-foot flood in 1937, only 20 of Shawneetown’s 400 homes were habitable. Most Shawneetown residents moved three miles inland from the Ohio River, and took the name with them. The remaining section of the original settlement was incorporated as Old Shawneetown in 1956. The town operates several historic sites to this day. * As we’ve discussed before, Marietta, Ohio, was named for Queen Marie Antoinette. Did Lafayette personally know her? Choose the BEST answer.* Lafayette’s relationship with the queen was fodder for the French Revolution. The political club known as the Jacobins advocated for the violent overthrow of the monarchy and the establishment of a republic. There were two factions of Jacobins, and the The Montagnards were the most radical. Their leader, Maximillian Robespierre, published “proof” of a long-running affair between Lafayette and the queen in a series of illustrated pamphlets. * In 1789, revolutionary fever was spreading throughout France. Lafayette was named the commander of the National Guard. On October 5, a hungry Parisian mob descended on the palace of Versailles, demanding bread. As the crowd shouted angrily at the unpopular queen, Lafayette kissed her hand on a balcony. Lafayette's charm may well have saved the king and queen on that day, though they would not, of course, survive the revolution.* Lafayette named his youngest daughter Marie Antoinette Virginie to honor both the French queen and the state of Virginia. He did so at the behest of Thomas Jefferson.* Lafayette’s Farewell Tour included a visit to Marietta on May 8, 1825. Which is true about that visit? More than one may apply.* It was not on his original itinerary.* A...
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    32 mins
  • August '24 Trivia!

    August '24 Trivia!
    Aug 30 2024
    I hope you’ve already read my last newsletter about Illinois’ Little Egypt, because this one builds upon it. We’re going to explore the region’s history with legalized slavery. As a reminder, Illinois and Indiana were once called the Illinois Country when first settled by the French, and it was the French who brought the first enslaved African workers there in 1720. The Illinois Country became part of the Northwest Territory in 1787, which meant it was bound by Article VI of the Northwest Ordinance: There shall be neither slavery nor involuntary servitude in the said territory otherwise than in the punishment of crimes whereof the party shall have been duly convicted. But slaveholders in the old Illinois Country (Illinois and Indiana) were exempted from the new law. Grandfathered, if you will.Through the next ten questions, we’ll explore the history of slavery north of the Ohio River in what’s now Illinois and Indiana. Note to my fabulous new subscribers:It’s the rare person who can answer all ten trivia questions without any prep. I couldn’t answer them without a significant amount of research, either! Do your best and enjoy learning something new. Answers in the footnotes.QUESTIONS* The French brought the first enslaved Africans to the Midwest around 1720 to work the mines along the Mississippi. The Illinois Country east of the Mississippi River became part of the Northwest Territory sixty-seven years later. Why didn’t Article VI end the practice of human bondage in the Illinois Country? In other words, on what grounds were the French enslavers granted an exemption from Article VI? More than one may apply. * Slavery was never defined in Article VI. * Article VI didn’t contain an enforcement clause.* Article VI didn’t specify how to unwind slavery in places where it had taken root before the Northwest Ordinance of 1787.* The French enslavers cut a deal with Congress that they would phase out slavery within two generations using a plan modeled after Pennsylvania’s 1780 Act for the Gradual Abolition of Slavery.* In 1800, the Indiana Territory (which included Illinois) received its second territorial governor, William Henry Harrison. He had served as secretary of the Northwest Territory and was elected a territorial delegate to Congress, which means he knew that Article VI banned slavery. What action(s) did Harrison take in contradiction of Article VI? More than one may apply.* He brought seven of his enslaved workers with him from Virginia to build his residence and gubernatorial office in Vincennes.* He enslaved Shawnee women to help run his household.* He purchased enslaved workers from French owners who had been in the territory. They built his residence and gubernatorial office in Vincennes.* After the Louisiana Purchase in 1803 (which involved land west of the Mississippi River), French slaveholders living in Illinois asked Congress to separate Illinois from the Indiana Territory and attach it to Louisiana, where they would have greater protection for their practice of human bondage. The French did not prevail. That same year, the Indiana Territory invented the loophole for prospective enslavers to bring their human property into the state using a practice known as chattel servitude. Instead of calling their human property “slaves” they called them “indentured workers.” Which of these is true about the “indentured servitude”contracts used in the Indiana Territory? More than one may apply.* Indentured contracts could last for 90 years.* Holders of indenture contracts could sell the service contract, along with the worker, to another holder.* Children of indentured mothers were also considered indentured.* Enslaved workers who didn’t sign an indenture contract would be sold into bondage in slave states. * In 1803, “A Law concerning Servants,” in the Northwest Territory established some minimal requirements of masters toward their servants and formed the basis for regulating all slavery and involuntary servitude in the territory. Territorial Governor Harrison and the other white settlers conveniently assumed that all Black people entering the territory were voluntarily indentured before they arrived. This means they assumed that the states from whence the Black workers came had properly supervised these indenture contracts. Ha. How did Harrison et al justify the institution of slavery when appealing to Congress to override Article VI and allow outright slavery in the Territory? More than one may apply.* Slavery would benefit the territory’s economy by stimulating settlement and increasing land values.* Allowing slavery in the Indiana Territory would keep slaveowners living in the Territory from moving west of the Mississippi River, where slavery was permitted by the French and Spanish. * Spreading the practice of enslaved labor throughout the West would benefit the captives themselves as well as the nation's white population, a belief known as diffusion.* A ...
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    36 mins