I really like what Peter is doing with the blog. If there ever would be a theme to the blog, it could not be better than games. In this vein I was inspired to look up some of my old games. This one I developed as a project to learn Java, but we don't need the computer version to play. I call it "Betwixt." The rules are simple, just pick the item that is betwixt (in between) the others. There are three main headings: History, Measurement, and the ever fun Potpourri. I'll start off with one from each. You're on your honor not to look up answers until you have made your guess.
History
Category: American rebellions
a. Whiskey Rebellion
b. Shay's Rebellion
c. Bacon's Rebellion
Measurement
Category: People killed in natural disasters
a. Johnstown flood of 1889
b. Great Chicago fire of 1871
c. San Francisco earthquake of 1906
Potpourri
Category: Portraits on U.S. currency denominations
a. Grover Cleveland
b. William McKinley
c. Benjamin Franklin
3 comments:
Picking the "in-between" item is always the hardest. Without the help of Mr. Google, I can eliminate one answer with some confidence, but you need to know all three in order to know the middle one. For example, on American rebellions, I know that the Whiskey rebellion was pretty early, like, during Washiongton's or Adams' presidency, so I assume that that's the first. I'm not sure when Shay's rebellion happened and never even heard of Bacon's rebellion.
On measurement, I'm pretty sure that the Johnson flood took more lives than any other disaster. Not sure of the rank of the Chicago fire or the San Francisco earthquake.
As for the money, I figure Franklin is on the lowest of the three bills, because he's on the hundred (as in "dropping Benjamins"), but I have no idea what bills carry the portrait of Cleveland or McKinley. I figure that they gotta be some kind of big bills.
Hmm... You're right. These are too hard. I even threw in a controversial one with disasters. Of course the main point is thinking about them—exactly what you did. Here are some hints:
Bacon's Rebellion was a protest of Indian raids.
The death toll in the San Francisco earthquake of 1906 was originally reported as 376 but that was later said to be fabricated by city officials. Also supposedly deaths in Chinatown were not counted. Now the figure ranges from about 700 up to 3,000. I was going with the 700 figure, but anything from 376 to 700 up to 3 times that much would still keep it in the same position.
Grover Cleveland is on a $1,000 dollar bill.
American Rebellions (from earliest to latest)
1. (c) Bacon's Rebellion: 1676 - Nathaniel Bacon, a Virginian landowner, led a rebellion against Indians and also against Governor Berkley of Virginia. (The whole story is tragically fascinating. One of the consequences, because poor black and white farmers fought side by side, was later government desire to separate blacks and whites.
2. (b) Shay's Rebellion: 1787-1787 - Shay led western Massachusetts farmers seeking tax relief and seizure of their farms.
3. (a) Whiskey Rebellion: 1794 in Pittsburgh - Farmers who typically converted extra grain into liquor revolt from what they considered unfair taxes. Government response was largely dictated by the events of Shay's Rebellion and perceived national weakness under the Articles of Confederation.
Measurement (from least to most)
1. (b) Great Chicago Fire: 250 (between 200-300) - Amazingly few deaths for such great destruction, 1/3 of Chicago's valuation or about $222 million lost.
2. (c) San Francisco Earthquake: originally reported as 376, then 498 in SF and 166 elsewhere, in 1972 deaths were estimated at 700-800, later est. at up to 3000.
3. (a) Johnstown Flood: over 2,200
Johnstown Flood
Potpourri
1. (c) Franklin: $100
2. (b) McKinley $500
3. (a) Cleveland $1,000
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