Trivia

1926 History, Facts, and TriviaQuick Facts from 1926 Influential Songs: When the Red, Red Robin (Comes Bob, Bob, Bobbin’ Along) by Al Jolson, and Always by George Olson and His OrchestraMost Famous American: Charlie ChaplinBayer Aspirin (100 tablets): 72 centsThe Male Sex Symbol: Rudolph Valentino — who died this year at age 31U.S. Life Expectancy: […]

1925 History, Facts, and TriviaQuick Facts from 1925 World Communications-Changing Event: Calvin Coolidge’s presidential inauguration on March 4, 1925, was the first to be broadcast nationally on radio, reaching an estimated 23 million listeners across more than 20 stationsMust-See Movies: The Gold Rush, Ben-Hur: A Tale of the Christ, The Phantom of the Opera, The

1924 History, Facts, and Trivia Quick Facts from 1924 Other Key Event: The Indian Citizenship Act was signed by President Coolidge on June 2, 1924, granting U.S. citizenship to all Native Americans born within the United States — 148 years after the Declaration of Independence declared all men equal. Most Famous Person in America: A

1923 History, Fun Facts, and TriviaQuick Facts from 1923World Pop Culture-Changing Event: Howard Carter opened the inner burial chamber of Pharaoh Tutankhamun’s tomb in February 1923 and found the sarcophagus — revealing a solid gold coffin inside a stone sarcophagus inside a gilded wooden shrine inside another shrine, like the world’s most elaborate nesting doll,

1922 History, Facts, and TriviaQuick Facts from 1922World-Changing Event: Three seismic shifts in the same year: the Ottoman Empire was abolished after six centuries, ending the last major Islamic caliphate; Mussolini and the Fascist Party seized power in Italy, establishing the template for 20th-century fascism; and the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics was formally created

1921 History, Facts, and TriviaQuick Facts from 1921America-Changing Event: KDKA radio in Pittsburgh broadcast the first live baseball game on August 5, 1921, with Harold Arlin announcing the Pirates-Phillies game from Forbes Field. The Pirates won 8-5. Radio had just become a medium for sports, and nothing about mass entertainment would ever be quite the

1920 History, Facts and TriviaQuick Facts from 1920 Influential Songs: I’ll Be With You in Apple Blossom Time by Charles Harrison, and Swanee by Al JolsonMost Famous American: Al JolsonU.S. Life Expectancy: Males 53.6 years; Females 54.6 yearsThe Funny Fat Guy: Roscoe “Fatty” ArbuckleThe Conversation: America emerged from WWI and the Spanish Flu into a

1919 History, Facts and TriviaQuick Facts from 1919 America-Changing Event: Prohibition arrived. The 18th Amendment was ratified on January 16, 1919, banning the manufacture, sale, and transportation of alcohol. Americans had ten months to prepare before it took effect in January 1920. They did not use those months to quit drinking.Must-See Movies: Broken Blossoms (D.W.

1915 History, Facts, and TriviaQuick Facts from 1915 America-Changing Event: D.W. Griffith’s The Birth of a Nation premiered on February 8, 1915, becoming the first feature-length blockbuster film in American history and simultaneously one of the most racist and damaging pieces of popular entertainment ever producedMust-See Movies: The Birth of a Nation, The Tramp (Charlie

1913 History, Facts, and TriviaQuick Facts from 1913 America-Changing Event: The 16th Amendment, ratified February 3, 1913, gave Congress the power to levy a federal income tax. The 17th Amendment, ratified on April 8, changed how senators were chosen, moving from appointment by state legislatures to direct popular election. Two constitutional amendments in one year,

1912 History, Facts, and TriviaQuick Facts from 1912 Top Songs: Alexander’s Ragtime Band by Arthur Collins and Byron G. Harlan, Moonlight Bay by the Haydn Quartet, and Waiting for the Robert E. Lee by the Peerless QuartetNotable Books: Tarzan of the Apes by Edgar Rice Burroughs and The Montessori Method by Maria MontessoriThe Conversation: Did

1911 History, Facts and TriviaQuick Facts from 1911 Other World-Changing Event: Roald Amundsen and his Norwegian expedition reached the South Pole on December 14, 1911, becoming the first humans in history to do soMust-See Movies: Dante’s Inferno, The Lonedale Operator, and Richard III — the oldest surviving American feature-length filmFirst-class stamp: 2 cents; gallon of

1910 History, Facts, and TriviaQuick Facts from 1910 Popular Songs: By the Light of the Silvery Moon, Let Me Call You Sweetheart, and Ah! Sweet Mystery of LifePresident Taft began the tradition of throwing out the ceremonial first pitch on MLB Opening DayU.S. Life Expectancy: Males 48.4 years; Females 51.8 yearsFederal spending: $690 million; Unemployment:

1909 History, Facts, and TriviaQuick Facts from 1909 Popular Songs: By the Light of the Silvery Moon, Casey Jones, and Put on Your Old Grey BonnetU.S. Life Expectancy: Males 50.5 years; Females 53.8 yearsThe Conversation: What would America look like without Theodore Roosevelt running it?Top Ten Baby Names of 1909Girls: Mary, Helen, Margaret, Ruth, Dorothy,

1908 History, Facts, and Trivia Quick Facts from 1908 Popular Songs: Take Me Out to the Ball Game, Shine On, Harvest Moon, and By the Light of the Silvery Moon Most Famous American: Henry Ford, by October 1 The Conversation: Did you hear about this new Ford automobile? 15,000 orders placed within two days of

1907 History, Facts and TriviaQuick Facts from 1907 Popular Songs: On the Road to Mandalay, School Days, and HarriganU.S. Life Expectancy: Males 45.6 years; Females 49.9 years

1906 History, Facts, and Trivia Quick Facts from 1906 U.S. Population: 85.4 million — Alabama, Mississippi, Iowa, and Tennessee were each more populous than CaliforniaU.S. Life Expectancy: Males — 46.9 years | Females — 50.8 yearsAverage annual income: $200–$400 per yearOnly 14% had a bathtubMaximum speed limit in most cities: 10 mph2 in 10 American adults

1905 History, Facts, and TriviaQuick Facts from 1905 Popular Songs: In My Merry Oldsmobile, Yankee Doodle Boy, and Everybody Works But FatherU.S. Life Expectancy: Males 47.3 years; Females 50.2 yearsThe Conversation: The Russo-Japanese War ended, and a non-European power had defeated a European empire for the first time in the modern eraTop Ten Baby Names

1904 History, Facts, and TriviaQuick Facts from 1904 Popular Songs: Meet Me in St. Louis, Louis; Give My Regards to Broadway; and Sweet AdelineMost Famous American: Theodore Roosevelt — elected in his own right in November 1904 by the largest popular vote margin in history to that pointThe Conversation: The St. Louis World’s Fair —

1903 History, Facts, and TriviaQuick Facts from 1903 Popular Songs: Sweet Adeline, Ida! Sweet as Apple Cider, and Dear Old GirlMost Famous American: Theodore Roosevelt, who was camping in Yosemite with John Muir and suing J.P. Morgan simultaneouslyFirst box of Crayola crayons: 5 cents, eight colors

1902 Trivia, History, and Fun FactsQuick Facts from 1902 Popular Songs: Bill Bailey, Won’t You Please Come Home, In the Good Old Summer Time, and Under the Bamboo TreeMost Famous American: Theodore Roosevelt, now nine months into a presidency nobody had planned onThe Conversation: The Teddy Bear — and the president who accidentally created the

1901 History, Facts, and TriviaQuick Facts from 1901 Popular Songs: I Love You Truly, Mighty Lak’ a Rose, and HiawathaU.S. Life Expectancy: Males 47.6 years; Females 50.6 yearsThe Conversation: Would the new president be as easy for corporate interests to manage as McKinley had been? The answer, delivered almost immediately, was no.Top Ten Baby Names

1900 History, Trivia, and Fun FactsQuick Facts from 1900 Popular Songs: A Bird in a Gilded Cage, Tell Me Pretty Maiden, and Goodbye Dolly GrayMost Famous American: President William McKinley — though Theodore Roosevelt, his vice president, was about to change thatAverage weekly wage for a father: $9.60; Average annual income: $200-$400The Conversation: The new