Show What You Know (Episode 7: Modern History)

Announcer (00:06):
It’s time for Show What You Know, the podcast from Encyclopaedia Britannica, where kids get to test their knowledge and match their wits to win cool prizes! And now, all the way from Great Britain, here is the editor of the Britannica All New Kids’ Encyclopedia, and the host of Show What You Know, Christopher Lloyd.

Christopher Lloyd (00:22):
Hello, everyone! Welcome to Show What You Know. My name is Christopher Lloyd and like many of you out there, I'm a firm believer that the real world is far more amazing than anything you can make up. And today we're going on a very important journey. Our journey starts about 500 years ago, back in the middle ages and ends in the present day. During this time, exploration to new lands led to an era of rapidly expanding empires, colonialism altered, or even destroyed the lives of countless native peoples. Revolutions and World Wars rocked every corner of the globe, but we also saw great leaps in art, medicine and technology. Yes, it's been a bumpy ride, but knowing the events of the past is how we make better decisions for tomorrow. So, everybody buckle up! Because our next stop is modern history!

Now, before we get to our first quiz, let's review the ground rules. Each of our three contestants has received a chapter about modern history from the Britannica All New Kids’ Encyclopedia: What We Know & What We Don’t. They've each had 24 hours to study the chapter and prepare for the quiz. So now let's meet our three contestants and see what they've learned.

Announcer (01:45):
Contestant number one.

Cannon (01:47):
Hello. My name is Cannon. I'm nine, and I live in Darien, Illinois,

Announcer (01:54):
Contestant number two.

Julia (01:56):
Hi, I'm Julia. I'm nine years old, and I'm from Newton, Massachusetts.

Announcer (02:01):
Contestant number three.

Duncan (02:03):
Hi, my name is Duncan. I'm 10 years old, and I'm from Chicago, Illinois.

Christopher Lloyd (02:11):
If our contestants' names sound familiar, it's because they've all been on the show before! Cannon, Julia, and Duncan each scored a lot of points the last time they were here, but not enough to win the grand prize. But now they're back to take another run at a top spot. So here's the big question: Are you guys ready to play Show What You Know one more time?

Contestants (02:34):
Yes!

Christopher Lloyd (02:34):
Okay! Our first quiz is called: True or False! Now you remember how this works. I'm going to give you all a series of statements, and you have to tell me which ones are true and which ones are false. The first contestant to hit the buzzer and give the right answer gets one point. But if you give the wrong answer, you lose a point.

Alright, here we go.

Today's world is made up of 125 countries that are recognized by the United Nations. Julia, you were first on the buzzer that was quick. Was that statement true or false?

Julia (03:18):
It was false.

Christopher Lloyd (03:20):
Brilliant. Fantastic. Exactly right! Okay. Here's the next question. Canada was the first country to give women the right to vote. Duncan. You were first on the buzzer. Congratulations. Is that true or false?

Duncan (03:34):
It is false. The first country to give women the right to vote was New Zealand.

Christopher Lloyd (03:39):
Excellent. New Zealand, I know, isn't that fantastic? All right, here we go. Next question. It is estimated that by 2050, more than two thirds of the world's population will be living in cities. Julia razor, sharp on the buzzer. Was that true or false?

Julia (03:58):
True?

Christopher Lloyd (04:00):
Excellent. You're absolutely right. And now the final question in this round: So many rebellions took place in 1848, that it has been called the year of revolutions. Duncan, that was fast on the buzzer. Is that true or false?

Duncan (04:17):
That's true.

Christopher Lloyd (04:19):
Very good. Indeed. You get one point we're off to a great start. Let's give a big hand to our three contestants. [large band sound effect] No, I didn't say a big band. I said a big hand. [audience clapping] That's what I'm talking about! Now, the next quiz is called:

Female V.O. (04:46):
Listified!

Christopher Lloyd (04:48):
Just like the last time you were here, I'm going to read a list. And one of the things on that list doesn't belong there. So after I finished reading the list, the first contestant to hit the buzzer and tell us what shouldn't be on the list wins the quiz. A correct answer is worth four points. So, here we go.

Five modern countries have a communist system of government. Although each embraces elements of capitalism, which of the following is not currently a communist country: China, Vietnam, North Korea, Germany, Cuba, or Laos?

Cannon. I believe you are first on the buzzer. Tell me which of those countries does not belong on the list?

Cannon (05:34):
Germany.

Christopher Lloyd (05:37):
Germany! Very good, indeed. You get four points!

Cannon (05:42):
Thank you.

Christopher Lloyd (05:42):
Okay. So we're at the end of the second quiz and it's time to tally the scores. In first place. We have Canon with four points and in second place tied with two points are Julia and Duncan. Now we have to take a short break here, but don't go anywhere because we'll be right back with more of Show What You Know after this word from our sponsor.

Male V.O. (06:08):
The following is a public service announcement from the North American Compass Association.

Betty (06:16):
Oh Harold. I knew it. We're lost.

Harold (06:19):
No, Betty, we are not lost. We're just taking a little detour through a very dark forest.

Betty (06:24):
Well, why didn't you stop and ask for directions?

Harold (06:27):
Because I know where I'm going! We just keep on heading south and stay as far away as possible from that great big cliff.

Betty (06:34):
But how do you know we're going south?

Harold (06:36):
Because I don't see the cliiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii......

Betty (06:43):
Harold? Harold?

Harold (06:44):
Hey, I'm sopping wet. Anyone have a towel?

Male V.O. (06:52):
Poor Harold, if only he'd had a compass compass, it contains a magnetized needle that responds to the Earth's magnetic field. So they always point North. Chinese explorers were using them back in 1100 and they're still being used on jets today. So don't be like Harold, the next time you go on a hike, make sure to bring your trusty compass and you'll never get lost again!

Christopher Lloyd (07:18):
You know, that ad reminded me of something. The invention of the compass shaped the modern world. Without the compass, the European explorers could only have used the stars to guide them. But think about this, the indigenous peoples of the Pacific made long voyages exploring and settling on islands in Oceana starting in 1500 BCE. And that's more than two and a half thousand years before compasses were invented. So how did they do it? Their knowledge and skills simply boggles the mind! I mean, we could talk about this all day, but our contestants are waiting. So it's onto the next quiz.

Male V.O. (07:57):
Phony Baloney.

Christopher Lloyd (08:00):
I'm sure you guys remember this quiz. We call it Phony Baloney because there are four incorrect things in the sentences I'm about to read to each of you. And when you hear the wrong thing, what do you shout?

Contestants (08:14):
"Baloney!"

Christopher Lloyd (08:14):
Great! Now after you shout "Baloney," you can get an extra point if you tell me what the correct answer is. So we'll start with contestant number one, Canon. Canon, if you hear something that doesn't sound right, what do you shout?

Cannon (08:32):
"Baloney!"

Christopher Lloyd (08:32):
Okay. Cannon, are you ready? Yes. Your subject is African empires. Here we go.

Africa has been home to many empires and kingdoms. The Mali Empire stretched from the Atlantic coast of West Africa into the Gobi desert.

Cannon (08:55):
"Baloney!"

Christopher Lloyd (08:55):
Oh, okay. What's the problem with that Cannon?

Cannon (08:57):
It's not the Gobi desert, it's the Sahara desert.

Christopher Lloyd (09:01):
Oh, fantastic. You know your deserts well, that's brilliant. Okay. I'm going to carry on: the Mongolian Empire occupied modern day Ethiopia and Eritrea.

Cannon (09:12):
"Baloney!"

Christopher Lloyd (09:12):
What's the problem, Cannon?

Cannon (09:14):
It's not the Mongolian Empire, it's the Ethiopian Empire.

Christopher Lloyd (09:18):
Well spotted! Fantastic. You get another two points. Here we go: The Ashanti Kingdom occupied what is now southern Ghana on the South African coast.

Cannon (09:30):
"Baloney!"

Christopher Lloyd (09:30):
Okay. What's the problem Cannon?

Cannon (09:31):
It's not South, it's West.

Christopher Lloyd (09:34):
Oh, very good! Of course, it's the West African coast, that's where Ghana is. Okay. And our last sentence, here we go: For a time, the coast of West Africa was named the Money Coast because of all the gold mines there.

Cannon (09:48):
"Baloney!"

Christopher Lloyd (09:48):
What's the problem?

Cannon (09:49):
It's actually the Gold Coast.

Christopher Lloyd (09:52):
Oh, very good. It's not the money coast. It's called the Gold Coast! Cannon, that was amazing. You spotted all the four "Baloneys," and you gave me the correct answers, giving you a total of eight points!

Cannon (10:06):
Thank you.

Christopher Lloyd (10:07):
All right. Next up is Julia, our contestant number two. Julia, are you ready for your "Baloneys?"

Julia (10:13):
Yes!

Christopher Lloyd (10:14):
Your subject is the Aztecs and the Incas. Here we go.

Among the major civilizations of the Americas were the Aztecs in what is now Canada.

Julia (10:25):
"Baloney!"

Christopher Lloyd (10:27):
What's the problem, Julia?

Julia (10:28):
It's now Mexico, not Canada.

Christopher Lloyd (10:31):
Very good. Of course the Aztecs weren't in Canada, they were in Mexico! Okay, here we go. Another civilization was the Incas, whose territories were found in what is now called North America.

Julia (10:44):
"Baloney!"

Christopher Lloyd (10:44):
What's the problem, Julia?

Julia (10:45):
It's South America, not North America.

Christopher Lloyd (10:48):
It's South America! Yes, it is. Well spotted! Fantastic. Okay. Here we go. Archeologists have discovered a huge sunstone the Aztecs used as an alarm clock.

Julia (11:00):
"Baloney!"

Christopher Lloyd (11:00):
What's the problem, Julia?

Julia (11:02):
They used it as a calendar, not an alarm clock.

Christopher Lloyd (11:05):
You don't think they had alarm clocks in the days of the Aztecs? [cuckoo clock sound effect] You're absolutely right, but they did have calendars. Here is our last sentence. Let's get ready. The Incas were skilled engineers and built bamboo bridges that help them transport goods thousands of miles.

Okay. Well done, Julia. At the end of that round, you noticed three out of the four "Baloneys," and you gave me three correct answers. But the last one slipped through your net because I said that the Incas were skilled engineers and built bamboo bridges, but actually they were rope bridges. So at the end of that round, Julia, you score six points!

Julia (11:50):
Thank you.

Christopher Lloyd (11:50):
Last, but definitely not least is contestant number three - Duncan. Now Duncan, your subject is Japan's Great Peace. Okay, Duncan, are you ready?

Duncan (12:00):
Yes!

Christopher Lloyd (12:01):
Okay. Here we go. From the early 1600's until the mid 1800's, a series of warrior leaders called Kabuki ruled Japan.

Duncan (12:12):
"Baloney!"

Christopher Lloyd (12:12):
What's the problem Duncan?

Duncan (12:14):
They're not Kabuki. They're Shogun.

Christopher Lloyd (12:17):
Oh, fantastic. Very good knowledge. Indeed. Of course. They're called Shoguns. Okay, here we go. Following what is now known as a celebration policy, they had limited-

Duncan (12:25):
"Baloney!"

Christopher Lloyd (12:28):
What's the problem Duncan?

Duncan (12:30):
It wasn't celebration policy. It was seclusion policy.

Christopher Lloyd (12:33):
Oh, fantastic. What genius knowledge you have. Seclusion policy. Absolutely right. Okay. I'm going to carry on now.... They had limited foreign relations and traded with only a few other countries. Japan closed itself to trade with all Europeans except the French in 1639-

Duncan (12:53):
"Baloney!"

Christopher Lloyd (12:53):
Oh, what's the problem Duncan?

Duncan (12:54):
They didn't trade with the French. They traded with the Dutch.

Christopher Lloyd (12:57):
Yes, that's absolutely right. Well done. Congratulations. Okay. Let's carry on. During this time, Japan had a strict social hierarchy or order and as many as 7% of the population were warriors called salami who also worked as government-

Duncan (13:16):
"Baloney!"

Christopher Lloyd (13:16):
What's the problem?

Duncan (13:17):
They weren't called salami. They were called shogun.

Christopher Lloyd (13:20):
Oh, okay. Good try. They were not called salami, you're right. But they were actually called samurai. I'm sorry, Duncan. But you did really well at the end of that round, you've noticed all four "Baloneys," you've got three correct answers, which gives you a total of seven points!

Duncan (13:35):
Thank you.

Christopher Lloyd (13:35):
Okay. Let's take a moment to check the scores. So we have Cannon in first place with 12 points, and in second place is Duncan with nine points, and only just behind it's Julia in third place with eight points!

Now, remember we still have two more quizzes to go. So all of these points are going to change, but before we get to our next quiz, we're going to take a short trip to the past and check in with our roving reporter, Emily Miller, Emily, what have you got for us?

Emily Miller (14:14):
Well, Chris, it’s the year 1844, and I’m standing in a room in Baltimore, Maryland, where we’re receiving the first telegraph message sent on the first telegraph line in the United States. As you know, Samuel Morse invented the telegraph, which communicates by using a series of dots and dashes. That’s the sound you hear in the background.

Christopher Lloyd (14:33):
They call it Morse Code, isn't that right? Named after Samuel Morse.

Emily Miller (14:38):
Yes, that's right, Chris. Morse Code marked the dawn of modern communications. It greatly increased the speed at which people could send messages across long distances. The first message has arrived and the telegraph operator is writing it down.

Christopher Lloyd (14:54):
What did Samuel Morse say?

Emily Miller (14:56):
He said, "What hath God wrought?" My sources tell me that this phrase from the Bible was suggested to Samuel Morse by Annie Ellsworth, the young daughter of a friend. Oh wait! Here comes a second message from Samuel Morse.

Christopher Lloyd (15:10):
That's exciting. I never heard about a second message!

Emily Miller (15:12):
Me either. This is big news. Let's see what he said. "Where... is... my.. lunch?" Huh? I guess he must've built up quite an appetite with all that tapping on the telegraph key. Okay, Chris, this is Emily Miller reporting from the year 1844. Back to you.

Christopher Lloyd (15:35):
Thank you for your report, Emily. I'm not so sure about the second message, but the first message Samuel Moore sent is absolutely true. And as Emily said, his invention of the telegraph changed the world. You could even say it planted the seeds of the internet. Okay! Moving on to our next quiz.

Female V.O. (15:57):
FACTastic!

Christopher Lloyd (15:58):
I'm going to ask each of you a series of ten rapid fire questions. Every time you answer a question correctly, you get one point. But if you don't know the answer, just say "pass" or "don't know" and we'll move on. Now you each have 45 seconds to get through the questions. So let's begin.

Julia, we're going to start with you. Your first question starts...now. What Indian empire was founded by Emperor Babur?

Julia (16:29):
The Mughal Empire.

Christopher Lloyd (16:30):
Excellent. Kabuki is a traditional Japanese form of what art?

Julia (16:34):
Musical theater.

Christopher Lloyd (16:34):
Brilliant. The group of people known as the pilgrims landed at Plymouth, Massachusetts in what famous ship?

Julia (16:42):
The Mayflower.

Christopher Lloyd (16:45):
Wonderful. In what year were the first captive Africans brought to America?

Julia (16:49):
1502.

Christopher Lloyd (16:51):
Good try. Actually it was 1619. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Gave his famous "I Have a Dream" speech during what 1963 march?

Julia (17:02):
The March on Washington.

Christopher Lloyd (17:04):
Fantastic. What country experienced the "Reign of Terror" after its famous revolution?

Julia (17:11):
I don't know.

Christopher Lloyd (17:11):
Okay, that's no problem- There's the buzzer! Well, actually, the answer to that one, Julia, was France, but you did extremely well in that round. You answered a total of five questions and you had one pass and you correctly answered four questions, giving you a total of four points!

Julia (17:27):
Thank you.

Christopher Lloyd (17:27):
Duncan. You're up next. Are you ready?

Duncan (17:33):
Yes.

Christopher Lloyd (17:33):
Okay. Your first question starts...now. Mughal emperor Akbar the Great owned 101 of what giant animal?

Duncan (17:43):
Elephant.

Christopher Lloyd (17:45):
Which U.S. state was the first to be settled by English?

Duncan (17:48):
Virginia.

Christopher Lloyd (17:50):
Fantastic. The country of Bolivia is named after which South American revolutionary?

Duncan (17:55):
Simon Bolivar.

Christopher Lloyd (17:57):
Brilliant. What birds were used to deliver messages during World War I.

Duncan (18:02):
Pigeons.

Christopher Lloyd (18:03):
Great. During the Cold War, which two countries competed over space exploration?

Duncan (18:09):
Soviet Union and the U.S.

Christopher Lloyd (18:11):
Excellent. Which scientists discovered penicillin?

Duncan (18:14):
Alexander Fleming.

Christopher Lloyd (18:16):
Brilliant. In what year did the Great Depression start?

Duncan (18:20):
1930s.

Christopher Lloyd (18:21):
Ah, there's the buzzer. It actually started-

Duncan (18:22):
1929.

Christopher Lloyd (18:25):
1929, I know! So close. Okay. Well, congratulations Duncan. You gave some wonderful answers there, and you answered seven questions, and at the end of the round, you got six points!

Duncan (18:39):
Thank you!

Christopher Lloyd (18:39):
Here's the last set of questions for Cannon. Cannon, are you ready?

Cannon (18:43):
Yes!

Christopher Lloyd (18:44):
Okay. Your first question starts....now. What name would the leaders of the Spanish conquest in America called?

Cannon (18:52):
Conquistadors.

Christopher Lloyd (18:54):
What famous building in India is the mausoleum of Emperor Shah Jahan and his favorite wife?

Cannon (19:00):
Taj Mahal.

Christopher Lloyd (19:01):
Brilliant. What's the world's first global currency?

Cannon (19:04):
Piece of eight.

Christopher Lloyd (19:04):
Very good. Which famous indigenous chieftains daughter was originally named Matoaka?

Cannon (19:14):
Pocahontas.

Christopher Lloyd (19:14):
Wonderful. What country became the world's first independent black Republic in 1804?

Cannon (19:22):
Haiti.

Christopher Lloyd (19:23):
Haiti, brilliant. What engine was famously improved by James Watt during the industrial revolution?

Cannon (19:29):
Steam.

Christopher Lloyd (19:29):
Brilliant, steam engine! What political economist and philosopher wrote the Communist Manifesto?

Cannon (19:34):
Karl Marx.

Christopher Lloyd (19:37):
Yes! You got to just as the buzzer came through! Karl Marx. Well, and that was brilliant. Your general knowledge is just fantastic. You answered seven questions, you got all the answers, correct. Giving you a total of seven points!

Cannon (19:51):
Thank you.

Christopher Lloyd (19:55):
Well, I don't know about you, but it's time for me to take a break. It's perfect timing too, because this is the part of the show where the contestants get to ask some questions. And today we have the pleasure of welcoming Mr. Michael Ray to the show. Mr. Ray is currently an editor at Britannica where he oversees coverage of European history, military offense, and comic books. He also covers arts and culture, geography and travel, history and society for the Britannica.com homepage. Mr. Ray, welcome to Show What You Know.

Mr. Michael Ray (20:30):
Hello, Chris. Thanks for inviting me.

Christopher Lloyd (20:32):
Well, it's great to have you and I don't want to keep our contestants waiting. So let's get right to the questions. Canon, why don't we start with you? What would you like to ask Mr. Ray?

Cannon (20:43):
What event in history had the biggest positive effect on life as we know it today?

Mr. Michael Ray (20:48):
Biggest positive effect... I would have to say probably sanitation. The invention of sanitation, because that made life a lot easier in cities, and it made it a lot less dangerous for people to get together in big groups. Before you had pipes that could take pee and poop away from your house, that meant that the streets were full of it. And that was a really great way to spread disease.

Christopher Lloyd (21:15)
Fantastic. Isn't it interesting that something we take so for granted - indoor plumbing and washing our hands - has had the biggest positive effect on life as we know it today. Okay. So Julia, what would you like to ask Mr. Ray?

Julia (21:29):
How many people were on the Mayflower?

Mr. Michael Ray (21:33):
That's a great question. It actually wasn't that many, it was only a few dozen people that were on that first ship. And a lot of people believe that they were all pilgrims. They actually weren't all pilgrims. There were some people that were coming with just to get passage to - before it became the United States - what was the New World, North America. And when they got here, a lot of those people were indentured servants. They were people that were serving the families that were on the Mayflower. And they would work for those families for a few years and then they would get their freedom and they would usually get a little patch of land that they could farm for themselves.

Christopher Lloyd (22:07):
Wow. So there weren't that many people on the Mayflower, maybe a little over a hundred passengers, but think of the enormous impact they have had on history. Okay. To our last contestant, Duncan, what would you like to ask Mr. Ray?

Duncan (22:22):
What was the first article you edited and what was your favorite?

Mr. Michael Ray (22:27):
That's a very interesting question. The very first article that I edited for Britannica was a biography of a Japanese animator and director named Hayao Miyazaki, and he is one of the most famous directors in Japan. He's seen as one of their Walt Disney's. There are a few.

Um, my favorite article that I've written for Britannica is probably on the Harlem Hellfighters. They were an all African American, mostly all African-American, uh, unit in World War I that ended up fighting for the French army because the American army wouldn't let black troops fight as part of their units. So they had to fight for a foreign army during World War I.

Christopher Lloyd (23:13):
What a fascinating story about the Harlem Hellfighters. Mr. Ray, thank you so much for coming on Show What You Know, and we hope you can stick around, because we're coming up to the last question of the game!

Announcer (23:25):
Bonus Round!

Christopher Lloyd (23:27):
Right now, Cannon you're in the lead with 19 points, whilst Duncan is in second place with 15 points, and Julia you're in third place with 12 points. But each of you can double your score if you give the right answer to this next question. Now who can tell me what happens next?

Duncan (23:48):
You're going to play a song.

Christopher Lloyd (23:49):
Oh, that's absolutely right! Yes. Brilliant. I am going to ask you to listen to a song. And as you're listening to the song, I want you to send me a secret message telling me who or what you think the song is about. So everyone listen carefully. Here's the song.

SONG (24:11):
There’s a time that came after the middle ages,
A turning point in history too.
A revival of interest in Greek and Roman culture,
From our two philosophical views.

It’s referred to as a rebirth,
And knowledge was a pivotal theme.
It spread from Italy to Europe,
And the answer’s not as hard as it seems.

So show that you know what you know.
Yes, you know what you know!

Christopher Lloyd (24:52):
Wow. I think that was one of my favorite songs so far. Now I hope you've all been typing in your answer telling me what you think this song was about. And after you hear me count to three, I want you to press your buzzers and show me your answers. Are you ready?

Contestants (25:09):
Yes!

Christopher Lloyd (25:09):
Okay. One, two, three, fantastic! Cannon and Duncan, you both gave the right answers. And the answer is... the Renaissance.

The final scores are in! Julia is in third place with 12 points. And Duncan is in second place with 30 points. And Cannon is in first place with a total of 38 points, which makes Cannon the winner of today's game!

Cannon (25:47):
Thank you!

Christopher Lloyd (25:52):
Before we hand out the prizes, I want to thank our returning contestants for playing Show What You Know. Cannon, Julia, and Duncan, it was great to have you back on the show again. And I hope you enjoyed being here as much as I enjoyed having you. Kurt, why don't you tell our contestants what they won?

Announcer (26:11):
Thanks, Chris. Our returning contestants have already received a copy of the Britannica All New Kids’ Encyclopedia: What We Know & What We Don’t, and for their encore appearance they’ve just won a copy of Chris’s own book Absolutely Everything! A History of Earth, Dinosaurs, Rulers, Robots and Other Things Too Numerous to Mention. And today’s grand-prize winner will be receiving a six-month subscription to KiwiCo, the company that empowers kids to explore, create, and have fun with hands-on building kits delivered monthly to their home.

Christopher Lloyd (26:46):
Thank you everyone for joining us today as we explored modern history. We hope you can join us next time for our final episode, when our topic will be: today's world. Until then, this is Christopher Lloyd reminding all of you that the real world is far more amazing than anything you can make up.

Announcer (27:07):
Sound engineer and editor for Show What You Know, is Ryan Staples. Our Q&A researchers are Alison Eldridge, Joan Lackowski and Fia Bigelow. Our production assistant is Emily Goldstein. Chris’s guests today were Cannon, Julia, and Duncan. The music was by Jacob Denny. Original songs were by Dennis Scott. Show What You Know was written, directed and produced by Rick Siggelkow. Our executive producer is Rick Livingston, and I’m your announcer, Kurt Heintz. This program is copyrighted by Encyclopaedia Britannica, Incorporated. All rights reserved.