Friday, March 30, 2012

Presidential Trivia of the Week

Presidential Trivia Questions to Share with Your Class, Family, or Friends!

In honor of this year's presidential campaign, the NCBLA is posting three presidential trivia questions each week. Why not take a few minutes to share these trivia questions with your family, class, or group of young people and see what they know?!

This Week's Trivia Questions
  1. Which first lady hired a French chef to run the White House kitchens?
  2. Our 43rd president, George W. Bush, is the son of former President George H. W. Bush, who served as America's 41st president. Who was our country's first father and son pair to both be elected as president?
  3. Which president, having been thrust into the position following the death of President Franklin D. Roosevelt, made the decision to drop two atomic bombs on Japan as a means to end World War II?
A perfect resource for discovering more about America's presidents is the NCBLA's interdisciplinary anthology Our White House: Looking In, Looking Out,  and it's coordinating educational website OurWhiteHouse.org! An incomparable collection of essays, personal accounts, historical fiction, poetry, and a stunning array of original art, Our White House offers a multifaceted look at America’s history through the prism of the White House.

Answers and Information for Learning MORE!
  1. Jacqueline Kennedy. In the OurWhiteHouse.org article "A Taste of the Past: White House Kitchens, Menus, and Recipes," Mary Brigid Barrett writes, "Rene Verdon was the French chef hired by Jacqueline Kennedy to work at the White House. He received the title Chevalier de la Legion d'Honneur for his contribution to French cuisine. During the Kennedy administration, he became an American citizen." Be sure to check out his recipes for Strawberries Romanoff and John F. Kennedy's Favorite Boston Clam Chowder in the article!
  2. John Quincy Adams served as our sixth president. He was the son of our nation's second president, John Adams. Learn more about each of our presidents in the "Presidential Fact Files" on OurWhiteHouse.org.
  3. Harry S. Truman. Truman had been vice president only 83 days when President Roosevelt's untimely death thrust him into the presidency. Though World War II was in its final days, the weight of the world was laid at Truman's feet. In early May of 1945, the World War II Allies formally accepted the unconditional surrender of the armed forces of Nazi Germany. However, Japan still refused to surrender. Truman consulted with his advisers and then ordered that two atomic bombs be dropped on Japan. The consequences were devastating as tens of thousands were killed immediately. The Japanese surrendered quickly, bringing the war to an end. Learn more about President Truman in the "Presidential Fact Files" on OurWhiteHouse.org.
Our White House is available in both hardcover and paperback from Candlewick Press. 
Ask for it at a library or bookstore near you!

And be sure to check out the companion educational website, OurWhiteHouse.org, which provides expanded book content that includes additional articles, resources, activities, and discussion questions related to book topics as well exclusive resources and articles regarding the presidency, presidential campaigns, and presidential elections.