Are You Ready For Jay Leno's Questions?

During Jay Leno's show the other night, he had a segment where he went out "on the street" to quiz a few "average" Americans about American History.

Now I don't know if it's just Los Angeles, or if it's everywhere, but it seems that every time Leno does this he finds some of the most uninformed people in the country.

And honestly, most of the time these people are asked some really easy questions.

It's not as if he were asking trick questions, or questions that only ardent Historians would know. We're talking basic American History!

So to help those folks in Los Angeles, and especially in Hollywood, who may be stopped by Jay Leno. I decided that these folks might need a short lesson in American History that they might be asked about.

First things first, the document that says “all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness” is the Declaration of Independence.

The man who's name is most prominent on the Declaration of Independence is John Hancock. According to legend, John Hancock signed his name large and clear "so that King George could read it without his spectacles."

Jay Leno has a habit of stumping people on simple questions. So remember, yes, it was John F. Kennedy who said those immortal words during his inauguration "Ask not what your country can do for you, ask what you can do for your country!"

And yes, Historians agree that Sarah Palin was right in that Paul Revere did indeed warn the British not to tangle with the heavily armed Minutemen when he made his famous ride warning that the British Army was coming.

Sorry that the Liberal Media wants to paint everything out of Sarah Palin as wrong, but the fact is that she was correct.

Fact is that later "Revere was captured and questioned by the British soldiers at gunpoint. He told them of the Army's movement from Boston, and that British army troops would be in some danger if they approached Lexington because of the large number of hostile militia gathered there.

Revere and other captives taken by the British patrol were still escorted east toward Lexington, until about a half mile from Lexington they heard a gunshot. The British major demanded Revere explain the gunfire, and Revere replied it was a signal to “alarm the country”. As the group drew closer to Lexington, the town bell began to clang rapidly, upon which one of the captives proclaimed to the British soldiers “The bell's a'ringing! The town's alarmed, and you're all dead men!” The British soldiers gathered and decided not to press further towards Lexington but instead to free the prisoners and head back to warn their commanders. The British confiscated Revere's horse and rode off to warn the approaching British army column." (per Wikipedia).

I can't help but wonder how many people know that Sarah Palin was correct?

But it doesn't mater because I'm sure Jay Leno would never ask such question about Paul Revere, or would he?

Just in case, here's more so that you'll be really ready.

The Great Chicago Fire started at about 9 p.m. on Sunday, October 8, 1871, in or around a small barn that bordered the alley behind 137 DeKoven Street. Because most, if not all the buildings were made of wood, the great fire wiped out Chicago. The traditional account of the origin of the fire is that it was started by a cow kicking over a lantern in the barn owned by Patrick and Catherine O'Leary. 

Though the fire did start in O'Leary's Barn, later in 1893, Michael Ahern who was a reporter for the Chicago Republican newspaper admitted to creating the cow story. Even back then, you couldn't trust the News Media. He said he made it up because he thought it would make a better story.

It was President Abe Lincoln who proclaimed the first national Thanksgiving Day in 1863. Tough luck for turkeys!

The first Minimum Wage Law in the U.S. was instituted in 1938. The minimum wage was 25 cents per hour. Imagine that for a moment.

Yellowstone Nation Park is the world's first national park. It was dedicated in 1872. And yes, that's where the famous geyser "Old Faithful" is located just in case Jay does ask.

In 1865, several veterans of the Confederate Army formed a "private social club" in Pulaski, Tennessee, called the Ku Klux Klan. Can you imagine that they actually has the cojones to call it a "Social Club"?

The first losing candidate in a U.S. presidential election was Thomas Jefferson. He lost to John Adams.

George Washington had been unopposed when he ran for office. I mean come on here, who in his right mind would've run against George Washington?

Martha Washington, Pocahontas, Sacajawea, and Susan B. Anthony are the only 4 women to have been represented on U.S. currency.

The White House, in Washington DC, was originally gray, the color of the sandstone it was built out of. After the War of 1812, during which it had been burned by British troops, the outside walls were painted white to hide the smoke stains. Now you know the reason why it's white.  

The first U.S. Marines wore high leather collars to protect their necks from sabres, hence the name "leathernecks." I know you were curious about it!

The very first bomb dropped by the Allies on Berlin during World War II actually killed the only elephant in the Berlin Zoo. No kidding, it's true! Not exactly shock and awe was it? Unless of course you were that elephant.

And in case Jay decides to ask, yes, during the Civil War the Union ironclad, the U.S.S. Monitor, was the first U.S. ship to have a flush toilet.

Lastly, yes, Colonel George Armstrong Custer died at the Battle of the Little Big Horn. But it's true that no one can confirm that Custer's last words were "Where the Hell did all of these Indians come from?!"

Imagine that!


Story by Tom Correa