Philadelphia artists have had a prominent national role in popular music. In the 1970s, Philadelphia soul influenced the music of that and later eras. On July 13, 1985, Philadelphia hosted the American end of the Live Aid concert at John F. Kennedy Stadium. The city reprised this role for the Live 8 concert, bringing some 700,000 people to the Ben Franklin Parkway on July 2, 2005. Philadelphia is home to the world-renowned Philadelphia Boys Choir & Chorale, which has performed its music all over the world. Dr. Robert G. Hamilton, founder of the choir, is a notable native Philadelphian. The Philly Pops is another famous Philadelphia music group. The city has played a major role in the development and support of American rock music and rap music. Hip-hop/Rap artists such as The Roots, DJ Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince, The Goats, Freeway, Schoolly D, Eve, and Lisa "Left Eye" Lopes hail from the city.

Name a type of music from the 70's that influenced the nation?

Philadelphia soul

What concert did Philly host on July13th, 1985?

Live Aid

What is the name of the stadium that held Live Aid?

John F. Kennedy Stadium

Name a hip/hop artist from the city?

The Roots, DJ Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince, The Goats, Freeway, Schoolly D, Eve, and Lisa "Left Eye" Lopes


Rowing has been popular in Philadelphia since the 18th century. Boathouse Row is a symbol of Philadelphia's rich rowing history, and each Big Five member has its own boathouse. Philadelphia hosts numerous local and collegiate rowing clubs and competitions, including the annual Dad Vail Regatta, the largest intercollegiate rowing event in the U.S, the Stotesbury Cup Regatta, and the Head of the Schuylkill Regatta, all of which are held on the Schuylkill River. The regattas are hosted and organized by the Schuylkill Navy, an association of area rowing clubs that has produced numerous Olympic rowers.

What water sport is popular in the city?

Rowing

What is the symbol of rowing in the city?

Boathouse Row

What is the name of the big rowing races?

Dad Vail Regatta, the largest intercollegiate rowing event in the U.S, the Stotesbury Cup Regatta, and the Head of the Schuylkill Regatta

Where are these races held?

Schuylkill River


The city uses the strong-mayor version of the mayor-council form of government, which is headed by one mayor, in whom executive authority is vested. Elected at-large, the mayor is limited to two consecutive four-year terms under the city's home rule charter, but can run for the position again after an intervening term. The Mayor is Jim Kenney, who replaced Michael Nutter, who served two terms from 2009 to January 2016. Kenney, as all Philadelphia mayors have been since 1952, is a member of the Democratic Party, which tends to dominate local politics so thoroughly that the Democratic Mayoral primary is often more widely covered than the general election. The legislative branch, the Philadelphia City Council, consists of ten council members representing individual districts and seven members elected at large. Democrats currently hold 14 seats, with Republicans representing two allotted at-large seats for the minority party, as well as the Northeast-based Tenth District. The current council president is Darrell Clarke.

What type of government does Philadelphia have?

strong-mayor version of the mayor-council

How many terms can a mayor serve?

two consecutive four-year terms

Who is the current mayor?

Jim Kenney

What party does the mayor represent?

Democratic Party

What is the legislative branch called?

Philadelphia City Council


The Philadelphia County Court of Common Pleas (First Judicial District) is the trial court of general jurisdiction for Philadelphia, hearing felony-level criminal cases and civil suits above the minimum jurisdictional limit of $7000 (excepting small claims cases valued between $7000 and $12000 and landlord-tenant issues heard in the Municipal Court) under its original jurisdiction; it also has appellate jurisdiction over rulings from the Municipal and Traffic Courts and over decisions of certain Pennsylvania state agencies (e.g. the Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board). It has 90 legally trained judges elected by the voters. It is funded and operated largely by city resources and employees. The current District Attorney is Seth Williams, a Democrat. The last Republican to hold the office is Ron Castille, who left in 1991 and is currently the Chief Justice of the Pennsylvania Supreme Court.

What is the main trial court called?

The Philadelphia County Court of Common Pleas (First Judicial District)

What type of cases are heard here?

felony-level criminal cases and civil suits above the minimum jurisdictional limit of $7000

How are judges appointed?

elected by the voters

Who was the last Republican DA?

Ron Castille


From the American Civil War until the mid-20th century, Philadelphia was a bastion of the Republican Party, which arose from the staunch pro-Northern views of Philadelphia residents during and after the war (Philadelphia was chosen as the host city for the first Republican National Convention in 1856). After the Great Depression, Democratic registrations increased, but the city was not carried by Democrat Franklin D. Roosevelt in his landslide victory of 1932 (in which Pennsylvania was one of the few states won by Republican Herbert Hoover). Four years later, however, voter turnout surged and the city finally flipped to the Democrats. Roosevelt carried Philadelphia with over 60% of the vote in 1936. The city has remained loyally Democratic in every presidential election since. It is now one of the most Democratic in the country; in 2008, Democrat Barack Obama drew 83% of the city's vote. Obama's win was even greater in 2012, capturing 85% of the vote.

What party dominated until the mid-20th century

Republican Party

What happened in Philadelphia in 1856?

Philadelphia was chosen as the host city for the first Republican National Convention in 1856

When did the Democrats take the city?

Who won the most votes in the city in '08?

Barack Obama


Philadelphia once comprised six congressional districts. However, as a result of the city's declining population, it now has only four: the 1st district, represented by Bob Brady; the 2nd, represented by Chaka Fattah; the 8th, represented by Mike Fitzpatrick; and the 13th, represented by Brendan Boyle. All but Fitzpatrick are Democrats. Although they are usually swamped by Democrats in city, state and national elections, Republicans still have some support in the area, primarily in the northeast. A Republican represented a significant portion of Philadelphia in the House as late as 1983, and Sam Katz ran competitive mayoral races as the Republican nominee in both 1999 and 2003.

How many congressional districts are there in the city?

four

How many congressional districts were there at the peak population?

six

Who represents the 8th district?

Mike Fitzpatrick

When was the last major Republican representation of a large part of the city?

Who was the last Republican to be fairly competitive in the mayoral race?

Sam Katz


Like many American cities, Philadelphia saw a gradual yet pronounced rise in crime in the years following World War II. There were 525 murders in 1990, a rate of 31.5 per 100,000. There were an average of about 600 murders a year for most of the 1990s. The murder count dropped in 2002 to 288, then rose four years later to 406 in 2006 and 392 in 2007. A few years later, Philadelphia began to see a rapid drop in homicides and violent crime. In 2013, there were 246 murders, which is a decrease of over 25% from the previous year, and a decrease of over 44% since 2007. And in 2014, there were 248 homicides, up by one since 2013.

Did the crime rate go up or down after the War years?

pronounced rise in crime in the years following World War II

How many murders occurred in 1990?

What was the average murder rate during the 90's?

How many murders occurred in 2013?


The number of shootings in the city has declined significantly in the last 10 years. Shooting incidents peaked in 2006 when 1,857 shootings were recorded. That number has dropped 44 percent to 1,047 shootings in 2014. Similarly, major crimes in the city has decreased gradually in the last ten years since its peak in 2006 when 85,498 major crimes were reported. In the past three years, the number of reported major crimes fell 11 percent to a total of 68,815. Violent crimes, which include homicide, rape, aggravated assault, and robbery, decreased 14 percent in the past three years with a reported 15,771 occurrences in 2014. Based on the rate of violent crimes per 1,000 residents in American cities with 25,000 people or more, Philadelphia was ranked as the 54th most dangerous city in 2015.

When did shootings peak in the city?

How many shootings were there in that year?

Has violent crime rate fallen or risen in the last 10 years?

fell

What rank in danger does Philadelphia have in the U.S.?


The city's K-12 enrollment in district run schools has dropped in the last five years from 156,211 students in 2010 to 130,104 students in 2015. During the same time period, the enrollment in charter schools has increased from 33,995 students in 2010 to 62,358 students in 2015. This consistent drop in enrollment has led the city to close 24 of its public schools in 2013. During the 2014 school year, the city spent an average of $12,570 per pupil, below the average among comparable urban school districts.

Has public school enrollment dropped or increased in the last 5 years?

dropped

How many public schools have been closed in 2013?

How much does the city spend per year per child?


Graduation rates among district-run schools, meanwhile, have steadily increased in the last ten years. In 2005, Philadelphia had a district graduation rate of 52%. This number has increased to 65% in 2014, still below the national and state averages. Scores on the state's standardized test, the Pennsylvania System of School Assessment (PSSA) have trended upward from 2005 to 2011 but have decreased since. In 2005, the district-run schools scored an average of 37.4% on math and 35.5% on reading. The city's schools reached its peak scores in 2011 with 59.0% on math and 52.3% on reading. In 2014, the scores dropped significantly to 45.2% on math and 42.0% on reading.

Have grad rates fallen or increased in the last years?

increased

What was the grad rate in 2005?

What was it in 2014?

Is that the above or below the national average?

below the national and state averages


The city's largest private school by number of students is Temple University, followed by Drexel University. Along with the University of Pennsylvania, Temple University and Drexel University make up the city's major research universities. The city is also home to five schools of medicine: Drexel University College of Medicine, Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine, Temple University School of Medicine, and the Thomas Jefferson University. Hospitals, universities, and higher education research institutions in Philadelphia's four congressional districts received more than $252 million in National Institutes of Health grants in 2015.

What is the largest private institution in the city?

Temple University

What are the 3 research universities in the city?

University of Pennsylvania, Temple University and Drexel University

How many med schools are there?

five


Philadelphia's two major daily newspapers are The Philadelphia Inquirer, which is the eighteenth largest newspaper and third-oldest surviving daily newspaper in the country, and the Philadelphia Daily News. Both newspapers were purchased from The McClatchy Company (after buying out Knight Ridder) in 2006 by Philadelphia Media Holdings and operated by the group until the organization declared bankruptcy in 2010. After two years of financial struggle, the two newspapers were sold to Interstate General Media in 2012. The two newspapers have a combined circulation of about 500,000 readers.

How many major papers are published?

two

What is the 3rd oldest paper in the nation?

Philadelphia Inquirer

Who owns the major papers in the city?

Interstate General Media


The city also has a number of other, smaller newspapers and magazine in circulation such as the Philadelphia Tribune, which serves the African-American community, the Philadelphia, a monthly regional magazine; Philadelphia Weekly, an weekly-printed alternative newspaper; Philadelphia City Paper another weekly-printed newspaper; Philadelphia Gay News, which services the LGBT community; The Jewish Exponent a weekly-printed newspaper servicing the Jewish community; Philadelphia Metro, free daily newspaper; and Al Día, a weekly newspaper servicing the Latino community.

Name a smaller newspaper?

Philadelphia Tribune

What community does the Tribune serve?

African-American community

What paper serves the LGBT community?

Philadelphia Gay News

Name a Jewish newspaper?

The Jewish Exponent


The first experimental radio license was issued in Philadelphia in August 1912 to St. Joseph's College. The first commercial broadcasting radio stations appeared in 1922: first WIP, then owned by Gimbel's department store, on March 17, followed the same year by WFIL, WOO, WCAU and WDAS. The highest-rated stations in Philadelphia include soft rock WBEB, KYW Newsradio, and urban adult contemporary WDAS-FM. Philadelphia is served by three major non-commercial public radio stations, WHYY-FM (NPR), WRTI (jazz, classical), and WXPN-FM (adult alternative music), as well as several smaller stations.

Where was the first radio license granted?

St. Joseph's College

When did the first radio stations appear?

Name the 3 public radio stations?

WHYY-FM (NPR), WRTI (jazz, classical), and WXPN-FM


In the 1930s, the experimental station W3XE, owned by Philco, became the first television station in Philadelphia; it became NBC's first affiliate in 1939, and later became KYW-TV (CBS). WCAU-TV, WPVI-TV, WHYY-TV, WPHL-TV, and WTXF-TV had all been founded by the 1970s. In 1952, WFIL (now WPVI) premiered the television show Bandstand, which later became the nationally broadcast American Bandstand hosted by Dick Clark. Today, as in many large metropolitan areas, each of the commercial networks has an affiliate, and call letters have been replaced by corporate IDs: CBS3, 6ABC, NBC10, Fox29, Telefutura28, Telemundo62, Univision65, plus My PHL 17 and CW Philly 57. The region is served also by public broadcasting stations WYBE-TV (Philadelphia), WHYY-TV (Wilmington, Delaware and Philadelphia), WLVT-TV (Lehigh Valley), and NJTV (New Jersey). In September 2007, Philadelphia approved a Public-access television cable TV channel.

Who owned W3XE?

Philco

When did it become NBC's first affiliate?

What show started out in the city?

Bandstand


In 1981, large sections of the SEPTA Regional Rail service to the far suburbs of Philadelphia were discontinued due to lack of funding. Several projects have been proposed to extend rail service back to these areas, but lack of funding has again been the chief obstacle to implementation. These projects include the proposed Schuylkill Valley Metro to Wyomissing, PA, and extension of the Media/Elwyn line back to Wawa, PA. SEPTA's Airport Regional Rail Line Regional Rail offers direct service to the Philadelphia International Airport.

When did SEPTA service get cut?

Why did SEPTA rail service get cut?

lack of funding

Has service ever been restored?

but lack of funding has again been the chief obstacle to implementation

Name a proposed project to repalce it?

Schuylkill Valley Metro to Wyomissing, PA, and extension of the Media/Elwyn line back to Wawa, PA. SEPTA's Airport Regional Rail Line Regional Rail


Two airports serve Philadelphia: the Philadelphia International Airport (PHL), straddling the southern boundary of the city, and the Northeast Philadelphia Airport (PNE), a general aviation reliever airport in Northeast Philadelphia. Philadelphia International Airport provides scheduled domestic and international air service, while Northeast Philadelphia Airport serves general and corporate aviation. In 2013, Philadelphia International Airport was the 15th busiest airport in the world measured by traffic movements (i.e. takeoffs and landings). It is also the second largest hub and primary international hub for American Airlines.

Name the main airport?

Philadelphia International Airport (PHL)

Where does PHL rank in the list of busiest airports?

What airline uses this airport as its primary international hub?

American Airlines


Interstate 95 runs through the city along the Delaware River as a main north-south artery known as the Delaware Expressway. The city is also served by the Schuylkill Expressway, a portion of Interstate 76 that runs along the Schuylkill River. It meets the Pennsylvania Turnpike at King of Prussia, Pennsylvania, providing access to Harrisburg, Pennsylvania and points west. Interstate 676, the Vine Street Expressway, was completed in 1991 after years of planning. A link between I-95 and I-76, it runs below street level through Center City, connecting to the Ben Franklin Bridge at its eastern end.

What is the main north-south freeway called?

Delaware Expressway

What is part of I-76 called?

Schuylkill Expressway

When was the Vine Street Expressway finished?

Name a bridge in the city?

Ben Franklin Bridge


Roosevelt Boulevard and the Roosevelt Expressway (U.S. 1) connect Northeast Philadelphia with Center City. Woodhaven Road (Route 63), built in 1966, and Cottman Avenue (Route 73) serve the neighborhoods of Northeast Philadelphia, running between Interstate 95 and the Roosevelt Boulevard (U.S. 1). The Fort Washington Expressway (Route 309) extends north from the city's northern border, serving Montgomery County and Bucks County. U.S. 30, extending east-west from West Philadelphia to Lancaster, is known as Lancaster Avenue throughout most of the city and through the adjacent Main Line suburbs.

What is another name for the Roosevelt Expressway?

U.S. 1

When was Woodhaven road built?

What neighborhoods does Cottman Avenue serve?

Northeast Philadelphia,

What is another name for The Fort Washington Expressway?

Route 309

What is US-30 also known as?

Lancaster Avenue


Philadelphia is also a major hub for Greyhound Lines, which operates 24-hour service to points east of the Mississippi River. Most of Greyhound's services in Philadelphia operate to/from the Philadelphia Greyhound Terminal, located at 1001 Filbert Street in Center City Philadelphia. In 2006, the Philadelphia Greyhound Terminal was the second busiest Greyhound terminal in the United States, after the Port Authority Bus Terminal in New York. Besides Greyhound, six other bus operators provide service to the Center City Greyhound terminal: Bieber Tourways, Capitol Trailways, Martz Trailways, Peter Pan Bus Lines, Susquehanna Trailways, and the bus division for New Jersey Transit. Other services include Megabus and Bolt Bus.

What bus line uses the city as a hub?

Greyhound Lines

Where is Greyhound terminal located?

1001 Filbert Street

How many other bus companies operate from Philadelphia?

six

What is the name of the six bus companies?

Bieber Tourways, Capitol Trailways, Martz Trailways, Peter Pan Bus Lines, Susquehanna Trailways, and the bus division for New Jersey Transit


Since the early days of rail transport in the United States, Philadelphia has served as hub for several major rail companies, particularly the Pennsylvania Railroad and the Reading Railroad. The Pennsylvania Railroad first operated Broad Street Station, then 30th Street Station and Suburban Station, and the Reading Railroad operated out of Reading Terminal, now part of the Pennsylvania Convention Center. The two companies also operated competing commuter rail systems in the area, known collectively as the Regional Rail system. The two systems today, for the most part still intact but now connected, operate as a single system under the control of the SEPTA, the regional transit authority. Additionally, the PATCO Speedline subway system and NJ Transit's Atlantic City Line operate successor services to southern New Jersey.

Name 2 rail companies that use the city as a hub?

Pennsylvania Railroad and the Reading Railroad

Where did the Pennsylvania Railroad have their first station?

Broad Street Station

Where did the Reading operate out of?

Reading Terminal

What is Reading Terminal called now?

Pennsylvania Convention Center


Historically, Philadelphia sourced its water by the Fairmount Water Works, the nation's first major urban water supply system. In 1909, Water Works was decommissioned as the city transitioned to modern sand filtration methods. Today, the Philadelphia Water Department (PWD) provides drinking water, wastewater collection, and stormwater services for Philadelphia, as well as surrounding counties. PWD draws about 57 percent of its drinking water from the Delaware River and the balance from the Schuylkill River. The public wastewater system consists of three water pollution control plants, 21 pumping stations, and about 3,657 miles of sewers. A 2007 investigation by the Environmental Protection Agency found elevated levels of Iodine-131 in the city's potable water.[citation needed] In 2012, the EPA's readings discovered that the city had the highest readings of I-131 in the nation. The city campaigned against an Associated Press report that the high levels of I-131 were the results of local gas drilling in the Upper Delaware River.[citation needed]

What was the first water supply system called?

Fairmount Water Works,

Who provides the city water now?

Philadelphia Water Department

Where dos PWD get it's water from?

Delaware River and the balance from the Schuylkill River

How many pumping stations are there in the sewer system?

How many miles of sewers are in the city?

3,657 miles


Philadelphia Gas Works (PGW), overseen by the Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission, is the nation's largest municipally owned natural gas utility. It serves over 500,000 homes and businesses in the Philadelphia area. Founded in 1836, the company came under city ownership in 1987 and has been providing the majority of gas distributed within city limits. In 2014, the Philadelphia City Council refused to conduct hearings on a $1.86 billion sale of PGW, part of a two-year effort that was proposed by the mayor. The refusal led to the prospective buyer terminating its offer.

What is the largest city owned gas utility?

Philadelphia Gas Works

How many homes does PGW serve?

When was PGW founded?

When did the city take PGW over?


Southeastern Pennsylvania was assigned the 215 area code in 1947 when the North American Numbering Plan of the "Bell System" went into effect. The geographic area covered by the code was split nearly in half in 1994 when area code 610 was created, with the city and its northern suburbs retaining 215. Overlay area code 267 was added to the 215 service area in 1997, and 484 was added to the 610 area in 1999. A plan in 2001 to introduce a third overlay code to both service areas (area code 445 to 215, area code 835 to 610) was delayed and later rescinded.

What area code is used in Philadelphia in 1947?

When was the 610 area code added?

When was the 267 added?


Philadelphia has dedicated landmarks to its sister cities. Dedicated in June 1976, the Sister Cities Plaza, a site of 0.5 acres (2,000 m2) located at 18th and Benjamin Franklin Parkway, honors Philadelphia's relationships with Tel Aviv and Florence which were its first sister cities. Another landmark, the Toruń Triangle, honoring the sister city relationship with Toruń, Poland, was constructed in 1976, west of the United Way building at 18th Street and the Benjamin Franklin Parkway. In addition, the Triangle contains the Copernicus monument. Renovations were made to Sister Cities Park in mid-2011 and on May 10, 2012, SCP was reopened and currently features an interactive fountain honoring Philadelphia's ten sister and friendship cities, a café and visitor's center, children's play area, outdoor garden, and boat pond, as well as pavilion built to environmentally friendly standards.

What city in Poland is a sister city to Philadelphia?

Toruń

What city in Israel is a sister city to Philadelphia?

Tel Aviv

When was Torun triangle built?

What else does the Triangle contain?

Copernicus monument

How many sister cities does Philadelphia have?

ten


Kerry was born in Aurora, Colorado and attended boarding school in Massachusetts and New Hampshire. He graduated from Yale University class of 1966 with a political science major. Kerry enlisted in the Naval Reserve in 1966, and during 1968–1969 served an abbreviated four-month tour of duty in South Vietnam as officer-in-charge (OIC) of a Swift Boat. For that service, he was awarded combat medals that include the Silver Star Medal, Bronze Star Medal, and three Purple Heart Medals. Securing an early return to the United States, Kerry joined the Vietnam Veterans Against the War organization in which he served as a nationally recognized spokesman and as an outspoken opponent of the Vietnam War. He appeared in the Fulbright Hearings before the Senate Committee on Foreign Affairs where he deemed United States war policy in Vietnam to be the cause of war crimes.

What was Kerry's major?

political science

Where did Kerry go to college?

Yale University

What branch of the military did Kerry join?

Naval Reserve

What medals did Kerry win?

the Silver Star Medal, Bronze Star Medal, and three Purple Heart Medals

What group was Kerry a spokesman for?

Vietnam Veterans Against the War


After receiving his J.D. from Boston College Law School, Kerry worked in Massachusetts as an Assistant District Attorney. He served as Lieutenant Governor of Massachusetts under Michael Dukakis from 1983 to 1985 and was elected to the U.S. Senate in 1984 and was sworn in the following January. On the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, he led a series of hearings from 1987 to 1989 which were a precursor to the Iran–Contra affair. Kerry was re-elected to additional terms in 1990, 1996, 2002 and 2008. In 2002, Kerry voted to authorize the President "to use force, if necessary, to disarm Saddam Hussein", but warned that the administration should exhaust its diplomatic avenues before launching war.

Where did Kerry get a law degree?

Boston College Law School

Who was Kerry an Lt. Gov. for?

Michael Dukakis

When did Kerry become a Senator?

Where was Kerry an Lt. Gov.?

Massachusetts

When was Kerry an Lt. Gov.?

from 1983 to 1985


In his 2004 presidential campaign, Kerry criticized George W. Bush for the Iraq War. He and his running mate, North Carolina Senator John Edwards, lost the election, finishing 35 electoral votes behind Bush and Vice President Dick Cheney. Kerry returned to the Senate, becoming Chairman of the Senate Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship in 2007 and then of the Foreign Relations Committee in 2009. In January 2013, Kerry was nominated by President Barack Obama to succeed outgoing Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and then confirmed by the U.S. Senate, assuming the office on February 1, 2013.

When did Kerry run for president?

Who was Kerry's running mate?

John Edwards

How much did Kerry lose by?

35 electoral votes

Who was Bush's running mate?

Dick Cheney


John Forbes Kerry was born on December 11, 1943 in Aurora, Colorado, at Fitzsimons Army Hospital. He was the second oldest of four children born to Richard John Kerry, a Foreign Service officer and lawyer, and Rosemary Isabel Forbes, a nurse and social activist. His father was raised Catholic (John's paternal grandparents were Austro-Hungarian Jewish immigrants who converted to Catholicism) and his mother was Episcopalian. He was raised with an elder sister named Margaret (born 1941), a younger sister named Diana (born 1947) and a younger brother named Cameron (born 1950). The children were raised in their father's faith; John Kerry served as an altar boy.

What is Kerry's middle name?

Forbes

At what facility was Kerry born?

Fitzsimons Army Hospital

What was Kerry's father's religion?

Catholic

What was Kerry's mother's religion?

Episcopalian

What is Kerry's older sibling's name?

Margaret


In his sophomore year, Kerry became the Chairman of the Liberal Party of the Yale Political Union, and a year later he served as President of the Union. Amongst his influential teachers in this period was Professor H. Bradford Westerfield, who was himself a former President of the Political Union. His involvement with the Political Union gave him an opportunity to be involved with important issues of the day, such as the civil rights movement and the New Frontier program. He also became a member of the secretive Skull and Bones Society, and traveled to Switzerland through AIESEC Yale.

What was Kerry's role in the Yale Political Union as a junior?

President of the Union

What secret society did Kerry join?

Skull and Bones Society

What country did Kerry visit as a student?

Switzerland

Who was Kerry's most influential professor?

H. Bradford Westerfield

What was Kerry's role in the Yale Political Union as a sophomore?

Chairman of the Liberal Party


On February 18, 1966, Kerry enlisted in the Naval Reserve. He began his active duty military service on August 19, 1966. After completing 16 weeks of Officer Candidate School at the U.S. Naval Training Center in Newport, Rhode Island, Kerry received his officer's commission on December 16, 1966. During the 2004 election, Kerry posted his military records at his website, and permitted reporters to inspect his medical records. In 2005, Kerry released his military and medical records to the representatives of three news organizations, but has not authorized full public access to those records.

When did Kerry join the Naval Reserve?

February 18, 1966

When did Kerry become a navy officer?

December 16, 1966

How long was Officer Candidate School?

16 weeks

Where is the Navy training center?

Newport, Rhode Island


During his tour on the guided missile frigate USS Gridley, Kerry requested duty in South Vietnam, listing as his first preference a position as the commander of a Fast Patrol Craft (PCF), also known as a "Swift boat." These 50-foot (15 m) boats have aluminum hulls and have little or no armor, but are heavily armed and rely on speed. "I didn't really want to get involved in the war", Kerry said in a book of Vietnam reminiscences published in 1986. "When I signed up for the swift boats, they had very little to do with the war. They were engaged in coastal patrolling and that's what I thought I was going to be doing." However, his second choice of billet was on a river patrol boat, or "PBR", which at the time was serving a more dangerous duty on the rivers of Vietnam.

When did Kerry publish his memories of Vietnam?

What kind of ship was the USS Gridley?

guided missile frigate

What was the formal name of 'swift boats'?

Fast Patrol Craft

How long were swift boats?

What had Kerry expected the 'swift boats' to do?

coastal patrolling


During the night of December 2 and early morning of December 3, 1968, Kerry was in charge of a small boat operating near a peninsula north of Cam Ranh Bay together with a Swift boat (PCF-60). According to Kerry and the two crewmen who accompanied him that night, Patrick Runyon and William Zaladonis, they surprised a group of Vietnamese men unloading sampans at a river crossing, who began running and failed to obey an order to stop. As the men fled, Kerry and his crew opened fire on the sampans and destroyed them, then rapidly left. During this encounter, Kerry received a shrapnel wound in the left arm above the elbow. It was for this injury that Kerry received his first Purple Heart Medal.

Where was Kerry's boat on Dec 2-3, 1968?

near a peninsula north of Cam Ranh Bay

How many crew were with Kerry?

two

Who were in Kerry's crew?

Patrick Runyon and William Zaladonis

What did Kerry's crew destroy?

sampans

Where was Kerry injured?

in the left arm above the elbow


Kerry received his second Purple Heart for a wound received in action on the Bồ Đề River on February 20, 1969. The plan had been for the Swift boats to be accompanied by support helicopters. On the way up the Bo De, however, the helicopters were attacked. As the Swift boats reached the Cửa Lớn River, Kerry's boat was hit by a B-40 rocket (rocket propelled grenade round), and a piece of shrapnel hit Kerry's left leg, wounding him. Thereafter, enemy fire ceased and his boat reached the Gulf of Thailand safely. Kerry continues to have shrapnel embedded in his left thigh because the doctors that first treated him decided to remove the damaged tissue and close the wound with sutures rather than make a wide opening to remove the shrapnel. Though wounded like several others earlier that day, Kerry did not lose any time off from duty.

When did Kerry earn his 2nd Purple Heart?

February 20, 1969

Where did Kerry earn his 2nd Purple Heart?

on the Bồ Đề River

What munition hit Kerry's boat?

a B-40 rocket

Where did Kerry's boat escape to safety?

Gulf of Thailand


Eight days later, on February 28, 1969, came the events for which Kerry was awarded his Silver Star Medal. On this occasion, Kerry was in tactical command of his Swift boat and two other Swift boats during a combat operation. Their mission on the Duong Keo River included bringing an underwater demolition team and dozens of South Vietnamese Marines to destroy enemy sampans, structures and bunkers as described in the story The Death Of PCF 43. Running into heavy small arms fire from the river banks, Kerry "directed the units to turn to the beach and charge the Viet Cong positions" and he "expertly directed" his boat's fire causing the enemy to flee while at the same time coordinating the insertion of the ninety South Vietnamese troops (according to the original medal citation signed by Admiral Zumwalt). Moving a short distance upstream, Kerry's boat was the target of a B-40 rocket round; Kerry charged the enemy positions and as his boat hove to and beached, a Viet Cong ("VC") insurgent armed with a rocket launcher emerged from a spider hole and ran. While the boat's gunner opened fire, wounding the VC in the leg, and while the other boats approached and offered cover fire, Kerry jumped from the boat to pursue the VC insurgent, subsequently killing him and capturing his loaded rocket launcher.

When did Kerry earn a Silver Star?

February 28, 1969

Where did Kerry earn a Silver Star?

the Duong Keo River

How many swift boats did Kerry command?

his Swift boat and two other Swift boats

Who awarded the Silver Star to Kerry?

Admiral Zumwalt

What story described the events of Feb 28, 1969?

The Death Of PCF 43


Kerry's commanding officer, Lieutenant Commander George Elliott, stated to Douglas Brinkley in 2003 that he did not know whether to court-martial Kerry for beaching the boat without orders or give him a medal for saving the crew. Elliott recommended Kerry for the Silver Star, and Zumwalt flew into An Thoi to personally award medals to Kerry and the rest of the sailors involved in the mission. The Navy's account of Kerry's actions is presented in the original medal citation signed by Zumwalt. The engagement was documented in an after-action report, a press release written on March 1, 1969, and a historical summary dated March 17, 1969.

Who was Kerry's commander?

Lieutenant Commander George Elliott

What complaint did Elliot have about Kerry's actions?

beaching the boat without orders

Where did Kerry receive his Silver Star?

An Thoi

When was a press release put out about Kerry earning the Silver Star?

March 1, 1969

What was released on March 17, 1969?

a historical summary


On March 13, 1969, on the Bái Háp River, Kerry was in charge of one of five Swift boats that were returning to their base after performing an Operation Sealords mission to transport South Vietnamese troops from the garrison at Cái Nước and MIKE Force advisors for a raid on a Vietcong camp located on the Rach Dong Cung canal. Earlier in the day, Kerry received a slight shrapnel wound in the buttocks from blowing up a rice bunker. Debarking some but not all of the passengers at a small village, the boats approached a fishing weir; one group of boats went around to the left of the weir, hugging the shore, and a group with Kerry's PCF-94 boat went around to the right, along the shoreline. A mine was detonated directly beneath the lead boat, PCF-3, as it crossed the weir to the left, lifting PCF-3 "about 2-3 ft out of water".

Where was Kerry on Mar 13, 1969?

on the Bái Háp River

On what body part was Kerry wounded on Mar 13, 1969?

in the buttocks

What was Kerry doing when he was wounded on Mar 13, 1969?

blowing up a rice bunker

What was the lead boat on Mar 13?

What boat was Kerry on, on Mar 13?


James Rassmann, a Green Beret advisor who was aboard Kerry's PCF-94, was knocked overboard when, according to witnesses and the documentation of the event, a mine or rocket exploded close to the boat. According to the documentation for the event, Kerry's arm was injured when he was thrown against a bulkhead during the explosion. PCF 94 returned to the scene and Kerry rescued Rassmann who was receiving sniper fire from the water. Kerry received the Bronze Star Medal with Combat "V" for "heroic achievement", for his actions during this incident; he also received his third Purple Heart.

What boat was Rassmann on?

Who fell overboard from Kerry's boat?

James Rassmann

What was Rassmann's job?

a Green Beret advisor

What medal did Kerry earn for rescuing Rassmann?

the Bronze Star Medal with Combat "V"

What does the Combat V mean?

heroic achievement


After Kerry's third qualifying wound, he was entitled per Navy regulations to reassignment away from combat duties. Kerry's preferred choice for reassignment was as a military aide in Boston, New York or Washington, D.C. On April 11, 1969, he reported to the Brooklyn-based Atlantic Military Sea Transportation Service, where he would remain on active duty for the following year as a personal aide to an officer, Rear Admiral Walter Schlech. On January 1, 1970 Kerry was temporarily promoted to full Lieutenant. Kerry had agreed to an extension of his active duty obligation from December 1969 to August 1970 in order to perform Swift Boat duty. John Kerry was on active duty in the United States Navy from August 1966 until January 1970. He continued to serve in the Naval Reserve until February 1978.

Which wound allowed Kerry to leave combat duty?

third

Where was Kerry reassigned in April 1969?

the Brooklyn-based Atlantic Military Sea Transportation Service

When did Kerry become a lieutenant?

January 1, 1970

Who was Kerry a personal aide for?

Rear Admiral Walter Schlech

When did Kerry leave the Naval Reserve?

February 1978


With the continuing controversy that had surrounded the military service of George W. Bush since the 2000 Presidential election (when he was accused of having used his father's political influence to gain entrance to the Texas Air National Guard, thereby protecting himself from conscription into the United States Army, and possible service in the Vietnam War), John Kerry's contrasting status as a decorated Vietnam War veteran posed a problem for Bush's re-election campaign, which Republicans sought to counter by calling Kerry's war record into question. As the presidential campaign of 2004 developed, approximately 250 members of a group called Swift Boat Veterans for Truth (SBVT, later renamed Swift Vets and POWs for Truth) opposed Kerry's campaign. The group held press conferences, ran ads and endorsed a book questioning Kerry's service record and his military awards. The group included several members of Kerry's unit, such as Larry Thurlow, who commanded a swift boat alongside of Kerry's, and Stephen Gardner, who served on Kerry's boat. The campaign inspired the widely used political pejorative 'swiftboating', to describe an unfair or untrue political attack. Most of Kerry's former crewmates have stated that SBVT's allegations are false.

Who kept George W. Bush out of Vietnam?

his father

What military branch was George W. Bush in?

the Texas Air National Guard

How did Republicans attack Kerry?

by calling Kerry's war record into question

What did SBVT change its name to?

Swift Vets and POWs for Truth

What term was inspired by the attacks on Kerry?

swiftboating


After returning to the United States, Kerry joined the Vietnam Veterans Against the War (VVAW). Then numbering about 20,000, VVAW was considered by some (including the administration of President Richard Nixon) to be an effective, if controversial, component of the antiwar movement. Kerry participated in the "Winter Soldier Investigation" conducted by VVAW of U.S. atrocities in Vietnam, and he appears in a film by that name that documents the investigation. According to Nixon Secretary of Defense Melvin Laird, "I didn't approve of what he did, but I understood the protesters quite well", and he declined two requests from the Navy to court martial Reserve Lieutenant Kerry over his antiwar activity.

How many members did VVAW have when Kerry joined it?

about 20,000

What VVAW investigation was Kerry involved in?

the "Winter Soldier Investigation"

Who was Melvin Laird?

Nixon Secretary of Defense

What did Laird refuse to court-martial Kerry for?

his antiwar activity


On April 22, 1971, Kerry appeared before a U.S. Senate committee hearing on proposals relating to ending the war. The day after this testimony, Kerry participated in a demonstration with thousands of other veterans in which he and other Vietnam War veterans threw their medals and service ribbons over a fence erected at the front steps of the United States Capitol building to dramatize their opposition to the war. Jack Smith, a Marine, read a statement explaining why the veterans were returning their military awards to the government. For more than two hours, almost 1000 angry veterans tossed their medals, ribbons, hats, jackets, and military papers over the fence. Each veteran gave his or her name, hometown, branch of service and a statement. Kerry threw some of his own decorations and awards as well as some given to him by other veterans to throw. As Kerry threw his decorations over the fence, his statement was: "I'm not doing this for any violent reasons, but for peace and justice, and to try and make this country wake up once and for all."

What did Kerry do on Apr 22, 1971?

appeared before a U.S. Senate committee hearing

What was the topic of the hearing Kerry testified on?

ending the war

What did Kerry throw over a fence?

some of his own decorations and awards as well as some given to him by other veterans to throw

Why did Kerry participate in the protest?

for peace and justice, and to try and make this country wake up once and for all

How many vets participated in the protest?

almost 1000


Kerry was arrested on May 30, 1971, during a VVAW march to honor American POWs held captive by North Vietnam. The march was planned as a multi-day event from Concord to Boston, and while in Lexington, participants tried to camp on the village green. At 2:30 a.m., local and state police arrested 441 demonstrators, including Kerry, for trespassing. All were given the Miranda Warning and were hauled away on school buses to spend the night at the Lexington Public Works Garage. Kerry and the other protesters later paid a $5 fine, and were released. The mass arrests caused a community backlash and ended up giving positive coverage to the VVAW.

When was Kerry arrested for protesting?

May 30, 1971

Who was being honored on May 30, 1971?

American POWs held captive by North Vietnam

How many people were arrested with Kerry?

At what time was Kerry arrested?

2:30 a.m.

Why were the protesters arrested?

tried to camp on the village green


In 1970, Kerry had considered running for Congress in the Democratic primary against hawkish Democrat Philip J. Philbin of Massachusetts's 3rd congressional district, but deferred in favour of Robert Drinan, a Jesuit priest and anti-war activist, who went on to defeat Philbin. In February 1972, Kerry's wife bought a house in Worcester, with Kerry intending to run against the 4th district's ageing thirteen-term incumbent Democrat, Harold Donohue. The couple never moved in. After Republican Congressman F. Bradford Morse of the neighbouring 5th district announced his retirement and then resignation to become Under-Secretary-General for Political and General Assembly Affairs at the United Nations. The couple instead rented an apartment in Lowell, so that Kerry could run to succeed him.

Who had Kerry considered running against in 1970?

Democrat Philip J. Philbin

In which district had Kerry considered running in 1970?

Massachusetts's 3rd congressional district

Who ran against Philbin instead of Kerry?

Robert Drinan

Why did Morse retire?

to become Under-Secretary-General for Political and General Assembly Affairs at the United Nations

What political party was Morse in?

Republican


Including Kerry, the Democratic primary race had 10 candidates, including attorney Paul J. Sheehy, State Representative Anthony R. DiFruscia, John J. Desmond and Robert B. Kennedy. Kerry ran a "very expensive, sophisticated campaign", financed by out-of-state backers and supported by many young volunteers. DiFruscia's campaign headquarters shared the same building as Kerry's. On the eve of the September 19 primary, police found Kerry's younger brother Cameron and campaign field director Thomas J. Vallely, breaking into where the building's telephone lines were located. They were arrested and charged with "breaking and entering with the intent to commit grand larceny", but the charges were dropped a year later. At the time of the incident, DiFruscia alleged that the two were trying to disrupt his get-out-the vote efforts. Vallely and Cameron Kerry maintained that they were only checking their own telephone lines because they had received an anonymous call warning that the Kerry lines would be cut.

What was Paul Sheehy's job?

attorney

What was DiFruscia's position?

State Representative

Who did Kerry share a campaign headquarters with?

Anthony R. DiFruscia

Why was Kerry's brother messing with phone lines?

they had received an anonymous call warning that the Kerry lines would be cut

What is Kerry's younger brother's name?

Cameron


In the general election, Kerry was initially favored to defeat the Republican candidate, former State Representative Paul W. Cronin, and conservative Democrat Roger P. Durkin, who ran as an Independent. A week after the primary, one poll put Kerry 26-points ahead of Cronin. His campaign called for a national health insurance system, discounted prescription drugs for the unemployed, a jobs programme to clean up the Merrimack River and rent controls in Lowell and Lawrence. A major obstacle, however, was the district's leading newspaper, the conservative The Sun. The paper editorialized against him. It also ran critical news stories about his out-of-state contributions and his "carpetbagging", because he had only moved into the district in April. Subsequently released "Watergate" Oval Office tape recordings of the Nixon White House showed that defeating Kerry's candidacy had attracted the personal attention of President Nixon. Kerry himself asserts that Nixon sent operatives to Lowell to help derail his campaign.

What party did Durkin run as?

Independent

How far ahead of Cronin did Kerry poll?

What slant did The Sun have?

conservative

Who did Kerry say tried to stop his campaign?

President Nixon

How did Kerry want to create jobs?

a jobs programme to clean up the Merrimack River


The race was the most expensive for Congress in the country that year and four days before the general election, Durkin withdrew and endorsed Cronin, hoping to see Kerry defeated. The week before, a poll had put Kerry 10 points ahead of Cronin, with Dukin on 13%. In the final days of the campaign, Kerry sensed that it was "slipping away" and Cronin emerged victorious by 110,970 votes (53.45%) to Kerry's 92,847 (44.72%). After his defeat, Kerry lamented in a letter to supporters that "for two solid weeks, [The Sun] called me un-American, New Left antiwar agitator, unpatriotic, and labeled me every other 'un-' and 'anti-' that they could find. It's hard to believe that one newspaper could be so powerful, but they were." He later felt that his failure to respond directly to The Sun's attacks cost him the race.

How many votes did Cronin get against Kerry?

What percent of votes did Cronin get against Kerry?

How many votes did Kerry get against Cronin?

What percent of votes did Kerry get against Cronin?

What did Kerry think cost him the race against Cronin?

his failure to respond directly to The Sun's attacks


After Kerry's 1972 defeat, he and his wife bought a house in Belvidere, Lowell, entering a decade which his brother Cameron later called "the years in exile". He spent some time working as a fundraiser for the Cooperative for Assistance and Relief Everywhere (CARE), an international humanitarian organization. In September 1973, he entered Boston College Law School. While studying, Kerry worked as a talk radio host on WBZ and, in July 1974, was named executive director of Mass Action, a Massachusetts advocacy association.

Where did Kerry move after the 1972 election?

Belvidere, Lowell

What did Kerry's brother call the decade after 1972?

"the years in exile"

What did Kerry fundraise for?

the Cooperative for Assistance and Relief Everywhere

When did Kerry enter law school?

September 1973

Where was Kerry a talk radio host?

WBZ


In January 1977, Droney promoted him to First Assistant District Attorney, essentially making Kerry his campaign and media surrogate because Droney was afflicted with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS, or Lou Gehrig's Disease). As First Assistant, Kerry tried cases, which included winning convictions in a high-profile rape case and a murder. He also played a role in administering the office, including initiating the creation of special white-collar and organized crime units, creating programs to address the problems of rape and other crime victims and witnesses, and managing trial calendars to reflect case priorities. It was in this role in 1978 that Kerry announced an investigation into possible criminal charges against then Senator Edward Brooke, regarding "misstatements" in his first divorce trial. The inquiry ended with no charges being brought after investigators and prosecutors determined that Brooke's misstatements were pertinent to the case, but were not material enough to have affected the outcome.

When did Kerry become an ADA?

January 1977

What condition did Droney have?

amyotrophic lateral sclerosis

What is ALS's nickname?

Lou Gehrig's Disease

What senator did Kerry investigate in 1978?

Edward Brooke

Why was Brooke being investigated?

"misstatements" in his first divorce trial


Droney's health was poor and Kerry had decided to run for his position in the 1978 election should Droney drop out. However, Droney was re-elected and his health improved; he went on to re-assume many of the duties that he had delegated to Kerry. Kerry thus decided to leave, departing in 1979 with assistant DA Roanne Sragow to set up their own law firm. Kerry also worked as a commentator for WCVB-TV and co-founded a bakery, Kilvert & Forbes Ltd., with businessman and former Kennedy aide K. Dun Gifford.

When did Kerry consider running for president if Droney didn't?

When did Kerry leave the DA's office?

Who left the DA's office with Kerry?

Roanne Sragow

What bakery did Kerry co-found?

Kilvert & Forbes Ltd.

Who did Kerry start a bakery with?

K. Dun Gifford


The junior U.S. Senator from Massachusetts, Paul Tsongas, announced in 1984 that he would be stepping down for health reasons. Kerry ran, and as in his 1982 race for Lieutenant Governor, he did not receive the endorsement of the party regulars at the state Democratic convention. Congressman James Shannon, a favorite of House Speaker Tip O'Neill, was the early favorite to win the nomination, and he "won broad establishment support and led in early polling." Again as in 1982, however, Kerry prevailed in a close primary.

What was Paul Tsongas's job in 1984?

junior U.S. Senator from Massachusetts

When did Kerry run for Senate?

When did Kerry run for Lt Governor?

What was James Shannon's job?

Congressman

What was Tip O'Neill's job?

House Speaker


On April 18, 1985, a few months after taking his Senate seat, Kerry and Senator Tom Harkin of Iowa traveled to Nicaragua and met the country's president, Daniel Ortega. Though Ortega had won internationally certified elections, the trip was criticized because Ortega and his leftist Sandinista government had strong ties to Cuba and the USSR and were accused of human rights abuses. The Sandinista government was opposed by the right-wing CIA-backed rebels known as the Contras. While in Nicaragua, Kerry and Harkin talked to people on both sides of the conflict. Through the senators, Ortega offered a cease-fire agreement in exchange for the U.S. dropping support of the Contras. The offer was denounced by the Reagan administration as a "propaganda initiative" designed to influence a House vote on a $14 million Contra aid package, but Kerry said "I am willing..... to take the risk in the effort to put to test the good faith of the Sandinistas." The House voted down the Contra aid, but Ortega flew to Moscow to accept a $200 million loan the next day, which in part prompted the House to pass a larger $27 million aid package six weeks later.

When did Kerry visit Nicaragua?

April 18, 1985

Who did Kerry visit Nicaragua with?

Senator Tom Harkin

Where was Tom Harkin from?

Iowa

Who did Kerry visit in Nicaragua?

Daniel Ortega

What was criticized about Ortega's administration?

strong ties to Cuba and the USSR and were accused of human rights abuses


Meanwhile, Kerry's staff began their own investigations and, on October 14, issued a report that exposed illegal activities on the part of Lieutenant Colonel Oliver North, who had set up a private network involving the National Security Council and the CIA to deliver military equipment to right-wing Nicaraguan rebels (Contras). In effect, North and certain members of the President's administration were accused by Kerry's report of illegally funding and supplying armed militants without the authorization of Congress. Kerry's staff investigation, based on a year-long inquiry and interviews with fifty unnamed sources, is said to raise "serious questions about whether the United States has abided by the law in its handling of the contras over the past three years."

Who did Kerry's staff expose in an Oct 14 report?

Lieutenant Colonel Oliver North

Who had Oliver North been supporting?

right-wing Nicaraguan rebels (Contras)

Who were the Contras?

right-wing Nicaraguan rebels

What government agencies worked with North?

the National Security Council and the CIA

What crime had Kerry said North committed?

illegally funding and supplying armed militants without the authorization of Congress


The Kerry Committee report found that "the Contra drug links included..... payments to drug traffickers by the U.S. State Department of funds authorized by the Congress for humanitarian assistance to the Contras, in some cases after the traffickers had been indicted by federal law enforcement agencies on drug charges, in others while traffickers were under active investigation by these same agencies." The U.S. State Department paid over $806,000 to known drug traffickers to carry humanitarian assistance to the Contras. Kerry's findings provoked little reaction in the media and official Washington.

Who was the State Department giving money to?

drug traffickers

Where had the money given to drug traffickers come from?

funds authorized by the Congress for humanitarian assistance to the Contras

How much money did the State Department give the traffickers?

over $806,000

What was the response to Kerry's accusation of funding traffickers?

little reaction in the media and official Washington


During their investigation of Noriega, Kerry's staff found reason to believe that the Pakistan-based Bank of Credit and Commerce International (BCCI) had facilitated Noriega's drug trafficking and money laundering. This led to a separate inquiry into BCCI, and as a result, banking regulators shut down BCCI in 1991. In December 1992, Kerry and Senator Hank Brown, a Republican from Colorado, released The BCCI Affair, a report on the BCCI scandal. The report showed that the bank was crooked and was working with terrorists, including Abu Nidal. It blasted the Department of Justice, the Department of the Treasury, the Customs Service, the Federal Reserve Bank, as well as influential lobbyists and the CIA.

Where is the BCCI based?

Pakistan

What bank helped Noriega?

Bank of Credit and Commerce International

When was BCCI shut down?

Who collaborated in the report about BCCI?

Kerry and Senator Hank Brown

What was the BCCI report called?

The BCCI Affair


In 1996, Kerry faced a difficult re-election fight against Governor William Weld, a popular Republican incumbent who had been re-elected in 1994 with 71% of the vote. The race was covered nationwide as one of the most closely watched Senate races that year. Kerry and Weld held several debates and negotiated a campaign spending cap of $6.9 million at Kerry's Beacon Hill townhouse. Both candidates spent more than the cap, with each camp accusing the other of being first to break the agreement. During the campaign, Kerry spoke briefly at the 1996 Democratic National Convention. Kerry won re-election with 53 percent to Weld's 45 percent.

Who ran against Kerry in 1996?

William Weld

When Weld was re-elected governor, how much of the vote did he get?

When was Weld re-elected governor?

What did Kerry and Weld agree to limit their campaign spending to?

$6.9 million

Who broke the agreed-upon spending cap?

Both candidates


Kerry said that he had intended the remark as a jab at President Bush, and described the remarks as a "botched joke", having inadvertently left out the key word "us" (which would have been, "If you don't, you get us stuck in Iraq"), as well as leaving the phrase "just ask President Bush" off of the end of the sentence. In Kerry's prepared remarks, which he released during the ensuing media frenzy, the corresponding line was "... you end up getting us stuck in a war in Iraq. Just ask President Bush." He also said that from the context of the speech which, prior to the "stuck in Iraq" line, made several specific references to Bush and elements of his biography, that Kerry was referring to President Bush and not American troops in general.

What was Kerry supposed to say when he 'botched a joke'?

"... you end up getting us stuck in a war in Iraq. Just ask President Bush."

Who was Kerry saying was stuck in Iraq?

President Bush and not American troops in general

What mistake did Kerry make in the joke?

inadvertently left out the key word "us"


Kerry "has emerged in the past few years as an important envoy for Afghanistan and Pakistan during times of crisis," a Washington Post report stated in May 2011, as Kerry undertook another trip to the two countries. The killing of Osama bin Laden "has generated perhaps the most important crossroads yet," the report continued, as the senator spoke at a press conference and prepared to fly from Kabul to Pakistan. Among matters discussed during the May visit to Pakistan, under the general rubric of "recalibrating" the bilateral relationship, Kerry sought and retrieved from the Pakistanis the tail-section of the U.S. helicopter which had had to be abandoned at Abbottabad during the bin Laden strike. In 2013, Kerry met with Pakistan's army chief Gen. Ashfaq Parvez Kayani to discuss the peace process with the Taliban in Afghanistan.

Who did the Washington Post say Kerry was an envoy for?

Afghanistan and Pakistan

When did the Washington Post say Kerry was important envoy?

May 2011

How, in May 2011, did the WaPo describe Bin Laden's killing?

perhaps the most important crossroads yet

What did Kerry get from the Pakistanis?

the tail-section of the U.S. helicopter which had had to be abandoned at Abbottabad during the bin Laden strike

Who was Pakistan's army chief in 2013?

Gen. Ashfaq Parvez Kayani


Most analyses place Kerry's voting record on the left within the Senate Democratic caucus. During the 2004 presidential election he was portrayed as a staunch liberal by conservative groups and the Bush campaign, who often noted that in 2003 Kerry was rated the National Journal's top Senate liberal. However, that rating was based only upon voting on legislation within that past year. In fact, in terms of career voting records, the National Journal found that Kerry is the 11th most liberal member of the Senate. Most analyses find that Kerry is at least slightly more liberal than the typical Democratic Senator. Kerry has stated that he opposes privatizing Social Security, supports abortion rights for adult women and minors, supports same-sex marriage, opposes capital punishment except for terrorists, supports most gun control laws, and is generally a supporter of trade agreements. Kerry supported the North American Free Trade Agreement and Most Favored Nation status for China, but opposed the Central American Free Trade Agreement.[citation needed]

Who said Kerry was the 'top Senate liberal'?

the National Journal

When was Kerry called the 'top Senate liberal'?

What was Kerry's actual career voting rank for 'liberalness'?

11th most liberal

What trade agreement did Kerry support?

North American Free Trade Agreement

What trade agreement did Kerry oppose?

Central American Free Trade Agreement


In the lead up to the Iraq War, Kerry said on October 9, 2002; "I will be voting to give the President of the United States the authority to use force, if necessary, to disarm Saddam Hussein because I believe that a deadly arsenal of weapons of mass destruction in his hands is a real and grave threat to our security." Bush relied on that resolution in ordering the 2003 invasion of Iraq. Kerry also gave a January 23, 2003 speech to Georgetown University saying "Without question, we need to disarm Saddam Hussein. He is a brutal, murderous dictator; leading an oppressive regime he presents a particularly grievous threat because he is so consistently prone to miscalculation. So the threat of Saddam Hussein with weapons of mass destruction is real." Kerry did, however, warn that the administration should exhaust its diplomatic avenues before launching war: "Mr. President, do not rush to war, take the time to build the coalition, because it's not winning the war that's hard, it's winning the peace that's hard."

When did Kerry say he intended to support the Iraq War?

October 9, 2002

When did Bush declare the Iraq war?

Who did Kerry say we should disarm?

Saddam Hussein

When did Kerry speak at Georgetown University?

January 23, 2003


Kerry chaired the Senate Select Committee on POW/MIA Affairs from 1991 to 1993. The committee's report, which Kerry endorsed, stated there was "no compelling evidence that proves that any American remains alive in captivity in Southeast Asia." In 1994 the Senate passed a resolution, sponsored by Kerry and fellow Vietnam veteran John McCain, that called for an end to the existing trade embargo against Vietnam; it was intended to pave the way for normalization. In 1995, President Bill Clinton normalized diplomatic relations with the country of Vietnam.

What committee did Kerry chair in 1991-1993?

the Senate Select Committee on POW/MIA Affairs

What did the POW/MIA committee conclude about Vietnam POWs?

there was "no compelling evidence that proves that any American remains alive in captivity in Southeast Asia."

When did Kerry sponsor a resolution to reopen trade with Vietnam?

Who sponsored the resolution to reopen trade with Vietnam, along with Kerry?

John McCain

When did Bill Clinton normalize relations with Vietnam?


In the 2004 Democratic presidential primaries, John Kerry defeated several Democratic rivals, including Sen. John Edwards (D-North Carolina.), former Vermont Governor Howard Dean and retired Army General Wesley Clark. His victory in the Iowa caucuses is widely believed to be the tipping point where Kerry revived his sagging campaign in New Hampshire and the February 3, 2004, primary states like Arizona, South Carolina and New Mexico. Kerry then went on to win landslide victories in Nevada and Wisconsin. Kerry thus won the Democratic nomination to run for President of the United States against incumbent George W. Bush. On July 6, 2004, he announced his selection of John Edwards as his running mate. Democratic strategist Bob Shrum, who was Kerry's 2004 campaign adviser, wrote an article in Time magazine claiming that after the election, Kerry had said that he wished he'd never picked Edwards, and that the two have since stopped speaking to each other. In a subsequent appearance on ABC's This Week, Kerry refused to respond to Shrum's allegation, calling it a "ridiculous waste of time."

Where was John Edwards a senator?

North Carolina

Where was Howard Dean a governor?

Vermont

What was Wesley Clark's former job?

Army General

Who won the 2004 Iowa Democratic Caucus?

John Kerry

When did Kerry choose John Edwards to be his VP?

July 6, 2004


During his bid to be elected president in 2004, Kerry frequently criticized President George W. Bush for the Iraq War. While Kerry had initially voted in support of authorizing President Bush to use force in dealing with Saddam Hussein, he voted against an $87 billion supplemental appropriations bill to pay for the subsequent war. His statement on March 16, 2004, "I actually did vote for the $87 billion before I voted against it," helped the Bush campaign to paint him as a flip-flopper and has been cited as contributing to Kerry's defeat.

Who did Kerry criticize during the 2004 campaign?

President George W. Bush

Why did Kerry criticize Bush during the 2004 campaign?

for the Iraq War

What had Kerry voted against after supporting the initial Iraq authorization?

an $87 billion supplemental appropriations bill to pay for the subsequent war

What did Bush's campaign call Kerry for changing his mind about Iraq?

a flip-flopper


Kerry established a separate political action committee, Keeping America's Promise, which declared as its mandate "A Democratic Congress will restore accountability to Washington and help change a disastrous course in Iraq", and raised money and channeled contributions to Democratic candidates in state and federal races. Through Keeping America's Promise in 2005, Kerry raised over $5.5 million for other Democrats up and down the ballot. Through his campaign account and his political action committee, the Kerry campaign operation generated more than $10 million for various party committees and 179 candidates for the U.S. House, Senate, state and local offices in 42 states focusing on the midterm elections during the 2006 election cycle. "Cumulatively, John Kerry has done as much if not more than any other individual senator", Hassan Nemazee, the national finance chairman of the DSCC said.

What was Kerry's PAC?

Keeping America's Promise

What was the mission of Keeping America's Promise?

"A Democratic Congress will restore accountability to Washington and help change a disastrous course in Iraq"

How many down-ballot candidates did Kerry help support?

How many states' down-ballot candidates did Kerry help support?

Which election did Kerry's PAC focus on?

the midterm elections during the 2006 election cycle


On December 15, 2012, several news outlets reported that President Barack Obama would nominate Kerry to succeed Hillary Clinton as Secretary of State, after Susan Rice, widely seen as Obama's preferred choice, withdrew her name from consideration citing a politicized confirmation process following criticism of her response to the 2012 Benghazi attack. On December 21, Obama proposed the nomination which received positive commentary. His confirmation hearing took place on January 24, 2013, before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, the same panel where he first testified in 1971. The committee unanimously voted to approve him on January 29, 2013, and the same day the full Senate confirmed him on a vote of 94–3. In a letter to Massachusetts Governor Deval Patrick, Kerry announced his resignation from the Senate effective February 1.

When was it reported that Kerry would become SoS?

December 15, 2012

Who was Secretary of State before Kerry?

Hillary Clinton

Who backed out of becoming SoS after Hillary?

Susan Rice

Why did Rice withdraw?

a politicized confirmation process following criticism of her response to the 2012 Benghazi attack

When was Kerry's appointment confirmed?

January 29, 2013


In the State Department, Kerry quickly earned a reputation "for being aloof, keeping to himself, and not bothering to read staff memos." Career State Department officials have complained that power has become too centralized under Kerry's leadership, which slows department operations when Kerry is on one of his frequent overseas trips. Others in State describe Kerry as having "a kind of diplomatic attention deficit disorder" as he shifts from topic to topic instead of focusing on long-term strategy. When asked whether he was traveling too much, he responded, "Hell no. I'm not slowing down." Despite Kerry's early achievements, morale at State is lower than under Hillary Clinton according to department employees. However, after Kerry's first six months in the State Department, a Gallup poll found he had high approval ratings among Americans as Secretary of State. After a year, another poll showed Kerry's favorability continued to rise. Less than two years into Kerry's term, the Foreign Policy Magazine's 2014 Ivory Tower survey of international relations scholars asked, "Who was the most effective U.S. Secretary of State in the past 50 years?"; John Kerry and Lawrence Eagleburger tied for 11th place out of the 15 confirmed Secretaries of State in that period.

Who complained about how Kerry ran the State Dept?

Career State Department officials

What was the complaint about how Kerry ran the State Dept?

power has become too centralized under Kerry's leadership, which slows department operations when Kerry is on one of his frequent overseas trips

How had some State employees described Kerry?

having "a kind of diplomatic attention deficit disorder"

Who published the Ivory Tower Survey?

Foreign Policy Magazine

What was Kerry's ranking in the Ivory Tower Survey for effectiveness as SoS?

tied for 11th place out of the 15


In January 2014, having met with Secretary of State, Archbishop Pietro Parolin, Kerry said "We touched on just about every major issue that we are both working on, that are issues of concern to all of us. First of all, we talked at great length about Syria, and I was particularly appreciative for the Archbishop’s raising this issue, and equally grateful for the Holy Father’s comments – the Pope's comments yesterday regarding his support for the Geneva II process. We welcome that support. It is very important to have broad support, and I know that the Pope is particularly concerned about the massive numbers of displaced human beings and the violence that has taken over 130,000 lives".

Who met Kerry in Jan 2014?

Archbishop Pietro Parolin

What country did Kerry discuss with Parolin?

Syria

What did the Pope express support for in Jan 2014?

the Geneva II process

How many people did Kerry say had died in Syria as of Jan 2014?

over 130,000


Kerry said on September 9 in response to a reporter's question about whether Syrian President Bashar al-Assad could avert a military strike: "He could turn over every single bit of his chemical weapons to the international community in the next week. Turn it over, all of it, without delay, and allow a full and total accounting for that. But he isn't about to do it, and it can't be done, obviously." This unscripted remark initiated a process that would lead to Syria agreeing to relinquish and destroy its chemical weapons arsenal, as Russia treated Kerry's statement as a serious proposal. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said Russia would work "immediately" to convince Syria relinquish and destroy its large chemical weapons arsenal. Syria quickly welcomed this proposal and on September 14, the UN formally accepted Syria's application to join the convention banning chemical weapons, and separately, the U.S. and Russia agreed on a plan to eliminate Syria's chemical weapons by the middle of 2014. On September 28, the UN Security Council passed a resolution ordering the destruction of Syria's chemical weapons and condemning the August 21 Ghouta attack.

Who was Syria's president in 2014?

Bashar al-Assad

What did Kerry say Syria could do to avoid a military strike?

turn over every single bit of his chemical weapons to the international community in the next week

Which country convinced Syria to actually give up its chemical weapons?

Russia

What was Sergey Lavrov's position?

Russian Foreign Minister

When did the UN Security Council order Syria's chemical weapons be destroyed?

September 28


In a speech before the Organization of American States in November 2013, Kerry remarked that the era of the Monroe Doctrine was over. He went on to explain, "The relationship that we seek and that we have worked hard to foster is not about a United States declaration about how and when it will intervene in the affairs of other American states. It's about all of our countries viewing one another as equals, sharing responsibilities, cooperating on security issues, and adhering not to doctrine, but to the decisions that we make as partners to advance the values and the interests that we share."

Where did Kerry speak in Nov 2013?

the Organization of American States

What did Kerry say had ended, in the Nov 2013 speech?

the era of the Monroe Doctrine

When did Kerry speak to the OAS?

in November 2013


Kerry's paternal grandparents, shoe businessman Frederick A. "Fred" Kerry and musician Ida Lowe, were immigrants from the Austro-Hungarian Empire. Fred was born as "Fritz Kohn" before he and Ida took on the "Kerry" name and moved to the United States. Fred and Ida were born Jewish, and converted to Catholicism together in Austria. His maternal ancestors were of Scottish and English descent, and his maternal grandfather James Grant Forbes II was a member of the Forbes family, while his maternal grandmother Margaret Tyndal Winthrop was a member of the Dudley–Winthrop family. Margaret's paternal grandfather Robert Charles Winthrop served as the 22nd Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives. Robert's father was Governor Thomas Lindall Winthrop. Thomas' father John Still Winthrop was a great-great-grandson of Massachusetts Bay Colony Governor John Winthrop and great-grandson of Governor Thomas Dudley. Through his mother, John is a first cousin once removed of French politician Brice Lalonde.

Who was Kerry's paternal grandmother?

Ida Lowe

Who was Kerry's paternal grandfather?

Frederick A. "Fred" Kerry

What was Kerry's paternal grandmother's career?

musician

What was Kerry's paternal grandfather's career?

shoe businessman

Where did Kerry's paternal grandparents immigrate from?

the Austro-Hungarian Empire


Alexandra was born days before Kerry began law school. In 1982, Julia asked Kerry for a separation while she was suffering from severe depression. They were divorced on July 25, 1988, and the marriage was formally annulled in 1997. "After 14 years as a political wife, I associated politics only with anger, fear and loneliness" she wrote in A Change of Heart, her book about depression. Thorne later married Richard Charlesworth, an architect, and moved to Bozeman, Montana, where she became active in local environmental groups such as the Greater Yellowstone Coalition. Thorne supported Kerry's 2004 presidential run. She died of cancer on April 27, 2006.

When did Kerry and his wife separate?

When did Kerry and his wife divorce?

July 25, 1988

When did Kerry and his wife get an annullment?

What book did Kerry's ex-wife write?

A Change of Heart

Who did Kerry's ex-wife remarry?

Richard Charlesworth


Kerry and his second wife, Mozambican-born businesswoman and philanthropist Maria Teresa Thierstein Simões Ferreira (known as Teresa), the widow of Kerry's late Pennsylvania Republican Senate colleague Henry John Heinz III, were introduced to each other by Heinz at an Earth Day rally in 1990. Early the following year, Senator Heinz was killed in a plane crash near Lower Merion. Teresa has three sons from her previous marriage to Heinz, Henry John Heinz IV, André Thierstein Heinz, and Christopher Drake Heinz. Heinz and Kerry were married on May 26, 1995, in Nantucket, Massachusetts.

Who is Kerry's 2nd wife?

Maria Teresa Thierstein Simões Ferreira

What is Kerry's 2nd wife's nationality?

Mozambican

Who was Kerry's 2nd wife's previous husband?

Henry John Heinz III

When did Kerry and Teresa meet?

Where did Kerry and Teresa meet?

at an Earth Day rally


The Forbes 400 survey estimated in 2004 that Teresa Heinz Kerry had a net worth of $750 million. However, estimates have frequently varied, ranging from around $165 million to as high as $3.2 billion, according to a study in the Los Angeles Times. Regardless of which figure is correct, Kerry was the wealthiest U.S. Senator while serving in the Senate. Independent of Heinz, Kerry is wealthy in his own right, and is the beneficiary of at least four trusts inherited from Forbes family relatives, including his mother, Rosemary Forbes Kerry, who died in 2002. Forbes magazine (named for the Forbes family of publishers, unrelated to Kerry) estimated that if elected, and if Heinz family assets were included, Kerry would have been the third-richest U.S. President in history, when adjusted for inflation. This assessment was based on Heinz and Kerry's combined assets, but the couple signed a prenuptial agreement that keeps their assets separate. Kerry's financial disclosure form for 2011 put his personal assets in the range of $230,000,000 to $320,000,000, including the assets of his spouse and any dependent children. This included slightly more than three million dollars worth of H. J. Heinz Company assets, which increased in value by over six hundred thousand dollars in 2013 when Berkshire Hathaway announced their intention to purchase the company.

What was Teresa Heinz Kerry's net worth in 2004 according to Forbes?

$750 million

What range of estimates have been given for Teresa Heinz Kerry's net worth?

from around $165 million to as high as $3.2 billion

What was Kerry's mother's name?

Rosemary Forbes Kerry

When did Kerry's mother pass away?

Where would Kerry have ranked among richest US presidents, adjusted for inflation?

third-richest


Kerry is a Roman Catholic, and is said to carry a religious rosary, a prayer book, and a St. Christopher medal (the patron saint of travelers) when he campaigned. While Kerry is personally against abortion, he supports a woman's legal right to have one. Discussing his faith, Kerry said, "I thought of being a priest. I was very religious while at school in Switzerland. I was an altar boy and prayed all the time. I was very centered around the Mass and the church." He also said that the Letters of Paul (Apostle Paul) moved him the most, stating that they taught him to "not feel sorry for myself."

What religion is Kerry?

Roman Catholic

What religious items did Kerry bring with him while campaigning?

a religious rosary, a prayer book, and a St. Christopher medal

What is St. Christopher the patron saint of?

travelers

What did Kerry do in the church while living in Switzerland?

was an altar boy and prayed all the time

Which part of the Bible did Kerry find the most moving?

the Letters of Paul


Kerry told Christianity Today in October 2004 "I'm a Catholic and I practice, but at the same time I have an open-mindedness to many other expressions of spirituality that come through different religions... I've spent some time reading and thinking about religion and trying to study it, and I've arrived at not so much a sense of the differences, but a sense of the similarities in so many ways." He said that he believed that the Torah, the Qur'an, and the Bible all share a fundamental story which connects with readers.

Who interviewed Kerry in Oct 2004 about his religion?

Christianity Today

What did Kerry tell Christianity Today that he is open-minded to?

many other expressions of spirituality that come through different religions

What did Kerry say about major religious texts?

he believed that the Torah, the Qur'an, and the Bible all share a fundamental story


In addition to the sports he played at Yale, Kerry is described by Sports Illustrated, among others, as an "avid cyclist", primarily riding on a road bike. Prior to his presidential bid, Kerry was known to have participated in several long-distance rides (centuries). Even during his many campaigns, he was reported to have visited bicycle stores in both his home state and elsewhere. His staff requested recumbent stationary bikes for his hotel rooms. He has also been a snowboarder, windsurfer, and sailor.

Who said Kerry is an 'avid cyclist'?

Sports Illustrated

What type of bicycle does Kerry prefer?

a road bike

What are 'centuries' in bicycling?

long-distance rides

What bicycles did Kerry use while campaigning?

recumbent stationary bikes for his hotel rooms

What other sports does Kerry participate in?

snowboarder, windsurfer, and sailor


According to the Boston Herald, dated July 23, 2010, Kerry commissioned construction on a new $7 million yacht (a Friendship 75) in New Zealand and moored it in Portsmouth, Rhode Island, where the Friendship yacht company is based. The article claimed this allowed him to avoid paying Massachusetts taxes on the property including approximately $437,500 in sales tax and an annual excise tax of about $500. However, on July 27, 2010, Kerry stated he had yet to take legal possession of the boat, had not intended to avoid the taxes, and that when he took possession, he would pay the taxes whether he owed them or not.

What type of yacht did Kerry buy?

a Friendship 75

How expensive was Kerry's yacht?

$7 million

Where was Kerry's yacht built?

New Zealand

How much sales tax did Kerry owe on the yacht?

Which state received Kerry's yacht's sales tax?

Massachusetts


Rajasthan (/ˈrɑːdʒəstæn/ Hindustani pronunciation: [raːdʒəsˈt̪ʰaːn] ( listen); literally, "Land of Kings") is India's largest state by area (342,239 square kilometres (132,139 sq mi) or 10.4% of India's total area). It is located on the western side of the country, where it comprises most of the wide and inhospitable Thar Desert (also known as the "Rajasthan Desert" and "Great Indian Desert") and shares a border with the Pakistani provinces of Punjab to the northwest and Sindh to the west, along the Sutlej-Indus river valley. Elsewhere it is bordered by the other Indian states: Punjab to the north; Haryana and Uttar Pradesh to the northeast; Madhya Pradesh to the southeast; and Gujarat to the southwest. Its features include the ruins of the Indus Valley Civilization at Kalibanga; the Dilwara Temples, a Jain pilgrimage site at Rajasthan's only hill station, Mount Abu, in the ancient Aravalli mountain range; and, in eastern Rajasthan, the Keoladeo National Park near Bharatpur, a World Heritage Site known for its bird life. Rajasthan is also home to two national tiger reserves, the Ranthambore National Park in Sawai Madhopur and Sariska Tiger Reserve in Alwar.

How many square kilometers is Rajasthan?

What percentage of India's total area is Rajasthan?

What are alternative names the Thar Desert is known by?

the "Rajasthan Desert" and "Great Indian Desert"

What province in Pakistan does Rajasthan border on its north?

Punjab

The Dilwara Temples are a pilgrimage site for whom?

Jain

What is the area of the Jain Desert?

I'm not sure.

What percentage of total area does the Thar Desert take up in Punjab?

I'm not sure.

What is the literal meaning of Madhya Pradesh?

I'm not sure.

What is Uttar Pradesh known for?

I'm not sure.

What are the names of the two tiger reserves in Haryana?

I'm not sure.


The first mention of the name "Rajasthan" appears in James Tod's 1829 publication Annals and Antiquities of Rajast'han or the Central and Western Rajpoot States of India, while the earliest known record of "Rajputana" as a name for the region is in George Thomas's 1800 memoir Military Memories. John Keay, in his book India: A History, stated that "Rajputana" was coined by the British in 1829, John Briggs, translating Ferishta's history of early Islamic India, used the phrase "Rajpoot (Rajput) princes" rather than "Indian princes".

When was the first usage of the word Rajasthan?

In what publication did the name Rajasthan first appear?

Annals and Antiquities of Rajast'han or the Central and Western Rajpoot States of India

What is another name for the Rajasthan region?

Rajputana

In what year did George Thomas write the memoir known as Military Memories?

Who wrote the book entitled India: A History?

John Keay

When was the word Rajpoot first used?

I'm not sure.

What is another name for Islamic India?

I'm not sure.

What did John Keay write in 1829?

I'm not sure.

When was the word Ferishta coined by the British?

I'm not sure.

What phrase did James Tod use when translating ferishta's history of Islamic India?

I'm not sure.


Parts of what is now Rajasthan were part of the Indus Valley Civilization. Kalibangan, in Hanumangarh district, was a major provincial capital of the Indus Valley Civilization,. It is believed that Western Kshatrapas (405–35 BC) were Saka rulers of the western part of India (Saurashtra and Malwa: modern Gujarat, Southern Sindh, Maharashtra, Rajasthan). They were successors to the Indo-Scythians and were contemporaneous with the Kushans, who ruled the northern part of the Indian subcontinent. The Indo-Scythians invaded the area of Ujjain and established the Saka era (with their calendar), marking the beginning of the long-lived Saka Western Satraps state. Matsya, a state of the Vedic civilisation of India, is said to roughly corresponded to the former state of Jaipur in Rajasthan and included the whole of Alwar with portions of Bharatpur. The capital of Matsya was at Viratanagar (modern Bairat), which is said to have been named after its founder king Virata.

Some portions of Rajasthan were involved with what ancient civilization?

the Indus Valley Civilization

In what Indus Valley Civilization district was Kalibangan within?

Hanumangarh district

What were the Saka Rulers of Western India believed to be called?

Western Kshatrapas

Over what time period were the Western Kshatrapas in power?

405–35 BC

The Kushans ruled what part of the Indian subcontinent?

the northern part

During what time period were the Hanumangarh in power?

I'm not sure.

Who were the Hanumangarh successors to?

I'm not sure.

Over what area did the Sindh rule?

I'm not sure.

What area did the Saurashtra invade to establish the Saka era?

I'm not sure.

Who was the capital of Gujarat named after?

I'm not sure.


Traditionally the Rajputs, Jats, Meenas, Gurjars, Bhils, Rajpurohit, Charans, Yadavs, Bishnois, Sermals, PhulMali (Saini) and other tribes made a great contribution in building the state of Rajasthan. All these tribes suffered great difficulties in protecting their culture and the land. Millions of them were killed trying to protect their land. A number of Gurjars had been exterminated in Bhinmal and Ajmer areas fighting with the invaders. Bhils once ruled Kota. Meenas were rulers of Bundi and the Dhundhar region.

Members of what tribe were exterminated in Ajmer?

Gurjars

What tribe formerly ruled Kota?

Bhils

What was the name of the group that formerly ruled Bundi?

Meenas

What is another way to refer to the PhulMali?

Saini

The Jats assisted in building what state?

Rajasthan

What are three tribes that helped build the state of Gujars?

I'm not sure.

What did Rajasthan suffer in trying to protect its culture?

I'm not sure.

What area did Saini once rule?

I'm not sure.

What two areas did the Charans rule?

I'm not sure.

Members of what group were killed in Jats and Bhils fighting invaders?

I'm not sure.


The Gurjar Pratihar Empire acted as a barrier for Arab invaders from the 8th to the 11th century. The chief accomplishment of the Gurjara Pratihara empire lies in its successful resistance to foreign invasions from the west, starting in the days of Junaid. Historian R. C. Majumdar says that this was openly acknowledged by the Arab writers. He further notes that historians of India have wondered at the slow progress of Muslim invaders in India, as compared with their rapid advance in other parts of the world. Now there seems little doubt that it was the power of the Gurjara Pratihara army that effectively barred the progress of the Arabs beyond the confines of Sindh, their first conquest for nearly 300 years.

What empire stopped Arab invasions?

Gurjar Pratihar Empire

Arab attempted to invade the Gurjar Pratihar Empire beginning in what century?

What was the most notable accomplishment of the Gurjara Pratihara Empire?

its successful resistance to foreign invasions

Which historian claims that even the Arabs acknowledged the importance of the Gurjara Pratihara Empire in stopping invasions?

Historian R. C. Majumdar

Arab conquest was limited to what region?

Sindh

What did the Arab empire act as a barrier against?

I'm not sure.

For how long did the Arab empire stand?

I'm not sure.

What is the main accomplishment of the Arab empire?

I'm not sure.

What did Sindh note that Indian historians wondered about?

I'm not sure.

How long did it take the Gurjara Pratihara army to conquer Sindh?

I'm not sure.


Modern Rajasthan includes most of Rajputana, which comprises the erstwhile nineteen princely states, two chiefships, and the British district of Ajmer-Merwara. Marwar (Jodhpur), Bikaner, Mewar (Chittorgarh), Alwar and Dhundhar (Jaipur) were some of the main Rajput princely states. Bharatpur and Dholpur were Jat princely states whereas Tonk was a princely state under a Muslim Nawab. Rajput families rose to prominence in the 6th century CE. The Rajputs put up a valiant resistance to the Islamic invasions and protected this land with their warfare and chivalry for more than 500 years. They also resisted Mughal incursions into India and thus contributed to their slower-than-anticipated access to the Indian subcontinent. Later, the Mughals, through skilled warfare, were able to get a firm grip on northern India, including Rajasthan. Mewar led other kingdoms in its resistance to outside rule. Most notably, Rana Sanga fought the Battle of Khanua against Babur, the founder of the Mughal empire.

How many princely states of Rajputana contain?

nineteen

What is the name of the British district within Rajputana?

Ajmer-Merwara

Bharatpur is an example of what kind of state?

princely

Under a Muslim Nawab there was a princely state, what was its name?

Tonk

What families rose to power in the 6th century?

Rajput families

How many princely states are included in Alwar?

I'm not sure.

What is the name of the British district in Mewar?

I'm not sure.

During what era did Marwar familes become prominent?

I'm not sure.

How long did the Marwar resist Islamic invasions?

I'm not sure.

What did the Alwar acquire through skilled warfare?

I'm not sure.


Over the years, the Mughals began to have internal disputes which greatly distracted them at times. The Mughal Empire continued to weaken, and with the decline of the Mughal Empire in the 18th century, Rajputana came under the suzerainty of the Marathas. The Marathas, who were Hindus from the state of what is now Maharashtra, ruled Rajputana for most of the eighteenth century. The Maratha Empire, which had replaced the Mughal Empire as the overlord of the subcontinent, was finally replaced by the British Empire in 1818.

What group in the Rajasthan region started to have internal disputes?

Mughals

In what century did the Mughal Empire come into decline?

18th century

The Maratharas gained what over Rajputana?

suzerainty

Where were the Marathas from?

the state of what is now Maharashtra

In what year did the British Empire replace the Maratha Empire?

How long did the Mughal Empire rule Marantha?

I'm not sure.

When did the Mughal Empire replace the British Empire?

I'm not sure.

What did the British Empire gain over Rajputana?

I'm not sure.

What did the British Empire have over time that was distracting?

I'm not sure.

What century marked the decline of the British Empire?

I'm not sure.


The geographic features of Rajasthan are the Thar Desert and the Aravalli Range, which runs through the state from southwest to northeast, almost from one end to the other, for more than 850 kilometres (530 mi). Mount Abu lies at the southwestern end of the range, separated from the main ranges by the West Banas River, although a series of broken ridges continues into Haryana in the direction of Delhi where it can be seen as outcrops in the form of the Raisina Hill and the ridges farther north. About three-fifths of Rajasthan lies northwest of the Aravallis, leaving two-fifths on the east and south direction.

Which mountain range goes through Rajasthan?

the Aravalli Range

What is the length in miles of the Aravalli Range?

530 mi

What peak is at the southwestern part of the Aravalli Range?

Mount Abu

Which river separates the main Aravelli ranges?

West Banas River

What portion of Rajasthan is east and south of the Aravalli Range?

two-fifths

How long is the West Banas River?

I'm not sure.

How much of Mount Abu is northwest of Raisina HIll?

I'm not sure.

Where at the range does Delhi lie?

I'm not sure.

What continues into the Thar Desert in the direction of Delhi?

I'm not sure.

How far across Rajasthan does the Haryana run?

I'm not sure.


The northwestern portion of Rajasthan is generally sandy and dry. Most of this region are covered by the Thar Desert which extends into adjoining portions of Pakistan. The Aravalli Range does not intercept the moisture-giving southwest monsoon winds off the Arabian Sea, as it lies in a direction parallel to that of the coming monsoon winds, leaving the northwestern region in a rain shadow. The Thar Desert is thinly populated; the town of Jodhpur is the largest city in the desert and known as the gateway of thar desert. The desert has some major districts like Jodhpur, Jaisalmer, Barmer, Bikaner and Nagour. This area is also important defence point of view. Jodhpur airbase is Indias largest airbase and military, BSF bases are also situated here. A single civil airport is also situated in Jodhpur. The Northwestern thorn scrub forests lie in a band around the Thar Desert, between the desert and the Aravallis. This region receives less than 400 mm of rain in an average year. Temperatures can exceed 48 °C in the summer months and drop below freezing in the winter. The Godwar, Marwar, and Shekhawati regions lie in the thorn scrub forest zone, along with the city of Jodhpur. The Luni River and its tributaries are the major river system of Godwar and Marwar regions, draining the western slopes of the Aravallis and emptying southwest into the great Rann of Kutch wetland in neighboring Gujarat. This river is saline in the lower reaches and remains potable only up to Balotara in Barmer district. The Ghaggar River, which originates in Haryana, is an intermittent stream that disappears into the sands of the Thar Desert in the northern corner of the state and is seen as a remnant of the primitive Saraswati river.

Dry and sandy conditions are indicative of which region of Rajasthan?

The northwestern portion

Which desert is in the northwestern part of Rajasthan?

the Thar Desert

What is the most populous city in the Thar Desert?

Jodhpur

What are the names of the major districts of the Thar?

Jodhpur, Jaisalmer, Barmer, Bikaner and Nagour

Rainfall in the Thar Desert region is less than what amount each year on avarage?

400 mm

What part of Pakistan is sandy and dry?

I'm not sure.

In what area is the town of Nagour the largest city?

I'm not sure.

What town is the gateway to the Arabian Sea?

I'm not sure.

What are some major districts in Pakistan?

I'm not sure.

What is Pakistan's largest airbase?

I'm not sure.


The Aravalli Range and the lands to the east and southeast of the range are generally more fertile and better watered. This region is home to the Kathiarbar-Gir dry deciduous forests ecoregion, with tropical dry broadleaf forests that include teak, Acacia, and other trees. The hilly Vagad region, home to the cities of Dungarpur and Banswara lies in southernmost Rajasthan, on the border with Gujarat and Madhya Pradesh. With the exception of Mount Abu, Vagad is the wettest region in Rajasthan, and the most heavily forested. North of Vagad lies the Mewar region, home to the cities of Udaipur and Chittaurgarh. The Hadoti region lies to the southeast, on the border with Madhya Pradesh. North of Hadoti and Mewar lies the Dhundhar region, home to the state capital of Jaipur. Mewat, the easternmost region of Rajasthan, borders Haryana and Uttar Pradesh. Eastern and southeastern Rajasthan is drained by the Banas and Chambal rivers, tributaries of the Ganges.

What is a characteristic of the region to the east of the Aravalli range?

more fertile and better watered

What is the name of the ecoregion to the east and southeast of the Aravalli Range?

the Kathiarbar-Gir dry deciduous forests ecoregion

What are two examples of trees in the broadleaf forests east of the Aravalli's?

teak, Acacia

What is the name of the region which is home to Dungarpur?

Vagad region

What is the most heavily forested region in Rajasthan?

Vagad

Besides Gujarat, what is the wettest region in Rajasthan?

I'm not sure.

What is another characterisitic of the Gujarat region?

I'm not sure.

What region is north of Uttar Pradesh where Udaipur and Chittaurgarh are located?

I'm not sure.

What rivers are the Udaipur drained by?

I'm not sure.

What are the Haryana and Dhundhar tributaries of?

I'm not sure.