Know the More Recent History?

When we think of History as a topic, the mind probably goes to George Washington, the Civil War, World War II, or all the way back to the Roman Empire.  Miriam Webster defines History as "a branch of knowledge that records and explains past events."  By that meaning, anything yesterday now qualifies as History.  So how well do you know the more recent history?

A team of young med students brought their teachers to the Wednesday Night Trivia game at the GrandStand Sports Bar, with a requested topic of history in this millennium.  Two or three more student teams showed up for a college-level party.  Their plan didn't quite work: The professors got 9 correct, one student team got a 9 and the others 8 or 7.

How well do you remember the events of 2016 and 2017?  The answers are further down the page.

1. What country voted in favor of leaving the European Union on June 23, 2016?

2. Who set a world record for being the first to have 100 million followers on Instagram? Selena Gomez, Harry & Meghan, Katy Perry or Taylor Swift?

3. After a 13-year hiatus, what paranormal/conspiracy TV series returned for a 10th season in January 2016?

4. A 3-year-old boy climbed into an enclosure in the Cincinnati Zoo with an animal named Harambe. Although it appeared to protect the child, zoo officials shot the animal for fear it would kill the boy. What animal was Harambe? A Bear, a Gorilla, a Lion, or a Tiger?

5. What popular song, sung around the world daily, returned to the public domain from the copyright ownership of Warner/Chappell Music?

6. At the Australian Open final in January 2017, sisters Serena and Venus Williams played against each other. Which sister won 6-4, 6-4?

7. Which Star Wars actor was involved in almost an airport collision in Orange County CA in February? Carrie Fisher, Harrison Ford or Mark Hamill?

8. In September 2017, Peggy Whitson set a record of 675 cumulative days living and working where? On a Cliff Face, in Space, or deep Underwater?

9. In 2017 the song "Shape of You" became the most streamed song of all time. Who is the artist of this hit?

10. "Sorry, guys, hold on. There’s a mistake. Moonlight, you guys won Best Picture. This is not a joke." Jordan Horowitz quickly corrected this error at the Academy Awards. What musical film was Horowitz the producer of and nearly walked away with the Oscar?

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The Answers

1.  Remember Brexit?  United Kingdom, aka Great Britain, aka England

2.  Selena Gomez

3.  The X-Files

4.  Gorilla

5.  "Happy Birthday to You"  If you got this wrong, are you kicking yourself now?

6.  Serena

7.  Which one is a pilot?  Harrison Ford

8.  Space

9.  Ed Sheeran

10.  La La Land