First known slaves in the New World

The first slaves in British America were twenty Africans brought to Jamestown by a Dutch ship in 1619. (At least, they're the first that we know of for certain.)

King Tiridates III of Armenia proclaimed Christianity to be his nation's sole religion in 301 (after repenting of his previous persecution), making Armenia the first officially Christian nation on Earth.

The Expedition Act (or Expediting Act) was passed by Theodore Roosevelt in 1903. It broke up steel, railroad and meat packing industry trusts. What a trustbuster Teddy was!

El Salvador is the smallest country in North America and the only country in Central America without an eastern coastline (on the Caribbean). It is bordered on the west by the Pacific. It is called "the Tom Thumb of the Americas."

Dr Pepper, created by pharmacist Charles Alderton in 1885, is named for... Who? "The origin of the name is unclear," according to the company. One story is that drugstore owner Wade Morrison named it after the father of a girl he dated. Another story is that a Dr. Charles T. Pepper was Morrison's employer back in Virginia.

The Bay Bridge in California is a toll bridge over San Francisco Bay that links the cities of San Francisco and Oakland. It is part of Interstate 80.

The word "xylophone" comes from the Greek words for 'wood' and 'sound.'

The Bay of Plenty, called Te Moana-a-Toi in Maori, is a region on the North Island of New Zealand. It was named by James Cook for its rich food supply.

The bomb Little Boy was dropped on Hiroshima; the bomb Fat Man was dropped on Nagasaki three days later. Here is a mnemonic: "Little Hero, Fat Nag."

Explorer Hernando de Soto is regarded as the first white man to see the Mississippi River, in 1541. He called it Rio de Espiritu Santo.

Culp's Hill is in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. During the 1863 battle, the hill was part of the Union defensive line, like neighboring Cemetery Hill.

Cuba abolishes slavery

Cuba did not abolish slavery until October 7, 1886.

When Moses died in Moab, the Israelites mourned him not for 3 or 7 or 40 days, as you might expect, but thirty days.

The first crossword puzzle appeared in the 'New York World' in 1913. It was created by Arthur Wynne.

Lagos, Nigeria, is the second most populous city in Africa after Cairo, with 8,000,000 residents. It may in fact be the most populous.

James Denver was a 19th-century California politician and the Governor of the Kansas Territory. Denver, Colorado, is named for him.

"Hamlet" is Shakespeare's longest play, at 4,042 lines and 29,551 words. The role of Prince Hamlet is Shakespeare's largest speaking part, at 1507 lines and around 11,600 words. It was probably originally intended for Richard Burbage.

Catherine of Aragon was Henry VIII's first wife. Their annulment after 24 years of marriage set off the English Reformation. She died while under "castle arrest."

Edmund G. Brown, known as "Pat," was governor of California, 1959-67. Supposedly called Pat because of his youthful propensity to quote Patrick Henry. He was the father of later governor Jerry Brown (whose birth name is also Edmund).

George Vancouver was an 18th century English explorer of the lands that would become British Columbia, Alaska, Washington, Oregon, and southwest Australia. He died in obscurity at the age of 40.

The Odeon, also known as the Odeion or Odeum, was an ancient theater in Sparta, built in the 6th century BC. Musical performances were given there. Later the name was used to refer to any ancient Greek theater.

Venus' surface temperature is 460 degrees Celsius (860 degrees F), making it the hottest planet. Its temperature far exceeds the melting point of lead.

McDonald's opened the world's first "ski-through" fast-food restaurant in Lindvallen ski resort in Sweden in 1996.

White blood cells, or leukocytes, are cells of the immune system that defend the body against both infectious disease and foreign materials.

Mark Geragos is an American criminal defense attorney who has defended Michael Jackson, Winona Ryder (for shoplifting), Congressman Gary Condit, Susan McDougal, and Scott Peterson (for the murder of his wife).

The Philippines' two official languages are Filipino (a standardized version of Tagalog), and English.

David, the 1504 sculpture by Michelangelo, is displayed in the Accademia di Belle Arti Firenze in Florence. It is installed in the Tribuna, a room specially designed to house the David.

The 1939 film 'Gone with the Wind' had three directors: George Cukor was the first, and was replaced after three weeks because of his unhappiness with the script and Clark Gable. Victor Fleming was brought in but several weeks later. He was temporarily replaced by Sam Wood while he recovered from exhaustion. Victor Fleming received screen credit.

Martinism was a form of mystical Christianism that had its heyday in 19th-century France. It envisioned Christ as the Repairer who helps individuals attain a prelapsarian ideal. It is also called Elus Cohen.

Bruce Johnston was a former Beach Boy who won a Grammy for his song "I Write the Songs." The composition was covered by hundreds of artists, but Barry Manilow made it a number one hit.

Passover (Pesach) is a Jewish celebration that begins on the 15th day of the month of Nisan. It lasts for seven days.