Thursday, November 24, 2011

2011-2012 Challenges. Number 10

This week´s challenge includes some questions related to the French national anthem and Napoleon Bonaparte.

QUESTION 1
What is the name of the French National anthem and where does its name come from? Who was his author? In what context was the anthem composed?

QUESTION 2
Napoleon Bonaparte studied in the Military School in Paris. In his graduation exam to become an artillery officer, he was examined by a prominent mathematician and astronomer. Who was this scientist?

QUESTION 3
Napoleon´s campaign in Egypt in 1798 had an important cultural side. The French army was accompanied by numerous scientist and  scholars. Many of the Egyptian  antiques in the Louvre Museum were collected during this campaign. But the most important result of this expeditions was the discovery of a decisive object for the history of languages. What was this object and why was it so important?

QUESTION 4
In 1803 Napoleon decided to sell an important territory in the Americas, because he thought it would be very difficult to defend. What was this territory? What was the total price of this commercial operation?

QUESTION 5
When Napoleon Bonaparte crowned himself Emperor, a very famous musician scratched out the dedication he had written to Napoleon in one of the symphonies he composed. Who was this musician? What was the symphony he had dedicated to Napoleon?




Napoleon in his study, Jacques-Louis David, 1812


QUESTION 6
What was Napoleon´s contribution to the treatment to Jews in Europe? 

QUESTION 7
Where did Napoleon die? Where is he buried?  How did his corpse arrive to this place?

This challenge is very easy. You don´t have any excuse!

2 comments:

Unknown said...

Hello! I’ll try this week’s challenge!

Question 1:
Its name is “La Marseillaise” it was composed by Rouget de Lisle in 1792 the same year in which the war against Austria was declared, The Mayor of Strasbourg told him to compose it.

Question 2:
He was Pierre-Simon Laplace
Question 3:
The object was the “Rosetta Stone” it was very important because it provided the key to the modern understanding of Egyptian hieroglyphs.

Question 4:
The territory was Louisiana, the total prize was $23,213,568.

Question 5:
The musician was Ludwig van Beethoven. The symphony was “Symphony No. 3 in E flat major”.

Question 6:
He authorized the open of synagogues in the states under French authority and this led in some states to the uptake of Jews as free men.

Question 7:
Napoleon died in St. Helena Island. Now he’s buried in “Les Invalides” in France, his corps arrived there because in 1840 Louis Philippe I obtained permission from the British to return Napoleon's remains to France, his remains were taken on a ship called Belle-Poule.

See you tomorrow!

Paqui Pérez Fons said...

Well done, Javi!

All your answers are correct. I only want to explain where the title of the French national anthem comes from. It´s original name was "War song of the army of the Rhine", but it´s called "La Marseillaise" because it was first sung in the streerts by volunteers from Marseille. It was declared the French National anthem in 1795. But it wasn´t the national anthem during Napoleon I, Louis XVIII and Napoleon III´s rules. It became the definitive French anthem in 1879.

At least there is one person interested in these challenges. Have a good night.