Table Of Content

THE BIG BOOK OF FAC TS Terri Schlichenmeyer book of facts.qxp 5/10/21 7:26 AM Page ii book of facts.qxp 5/10/21 7:26 AM Page iii book of facts.qxp 5/10/21 7:26 AM Page iv book of facts.qxp 5/10/21 7:26 AM Page v ABOUT THE AUTHOR Terri Schlichenmeyer has been reading since she was three years old, and she took that even further when she started re- viewing books as The Bookworm Sez. Terri’s book reviews are read in dozens of newspapers and magazines around the world. Terri collects nonfiction books (especially trivia books), un- usual bookends, unique bookmarks, and dust. She lives on a Wisconsin prairie with one ever-patient man, two not spoiled little dogs, and 15,000 books. DEDICATION To Mark Moen. Every girl needs her own Great American Redheaded Goofball. I’m lucky I got mine, and now your name is in this book, too. To Carol Munk, ever my Fearless Leader. And to Marty. Thanks for the ideas. Ha! book of facts.qxp 5/10/21 7:26 AM Page vi ALSO FROM VISIBLE INK PRESS The Handy American Government Answer Book: How Washington, Politics, and Elections Work by Gina Misiroglu ISBN: 978-1-57859-639-3 The Handy Anatomy Answer Book, 2nd edition by Patricia Barnes-Svarney and Thomas E. Svarney ISBN: 978-1-57859-542-6 The Handy Answer Book for Kids (and Parents), 2nd edition by Gina Misiroglu ISBN: 978-1-57859-219-7 The Handy Astronomy Answer Book, 3rd edition by Charles Liu, Ph.D. ISBN: 978-1-57859-419-1 The Handy Biology Answer Book, 2nd edition by Patricia Barnes-Svarney and Thomas E. Svarney ISBN: 978-1-57859-490-0 The Handy Chemistry Answer Book by Ian C. Stewart and Justin P. Lamont ISBN: 978-1-57859-374-3 The Handy Civil War Answer Book by Samuel Willard Compton ISBN: 978-1-57859-476-4 The Handy Dinosaur Answer Book, 2nd edition by Patricia Barnes-Svarney and Thomas E. Svarney ISBN: 978-1-57859-218-0 The Handy Geography Answer Book, 3rd edition by Paul A. Tucci ISBN: 978-1-57859-576-1 The Handy Geology Answer Book by Patricia Barnes-Svarney and Thomas E. Svarney ISBN: 978-1-57859-156-5 book of facts.qxp 5/10/21 7:26 AM Page vii The Handy History Answer Book: From the Stone Age to the Digital Age by Stephen A. Werner, Ph.D. ISBN: 978-1-57859-680-5 The Handy Math Answer Book, 2nd edition by Patricia Barnes-Svarney and Thomas E. Svarney ISBN: 978-1-57859-373-6 The Handy Physics Answer Book, 3rd edition by Charles Liu, Ph.D. ISBN: 978-1-57859-695-9 The Handy Presidents Answer Book, 2nd edition by David L. Hudson Jr. ISBN: 978-1-57859-317-0 The Handy Science Answer Book, 5th edition by The Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh, James Bobick, and Naomi Balaban ISBN: 978-1-57859-691-1 The Handy Technology Answer Book by Naomi Balaban and James Bobick ISBN: 978-1-57859-563-1 The Handy Weather Answer Book, 2nd edition by Kevin Hile ISBN: 978-1-57859-221-0 PLEASE VISIT US AT WWW.VISIBLEINKPRESS.COM. book of facts.qxp 5/10/21 7:26 AM Page viii The Copyright © 2022 by Visible Ink Press® BIG This publication is a creative work fully protected by all applicable copyright laws, as well as by misappropriation, trade secret, unfair competition, and other applicable BOOK laws. OF No part of this book may be reproduced in any form without permission in writing from the publisher, except by a reviewer who wishes to quote brief passages in con- FACTS nection with a review written for inclusion in a magazine, newspaper, or website. All rights to this publication will be vigorously defended. Visible Ink Press® 43311 Joy Rd., #414 Canton, MI 48187-2075 Visible Ink Press is a registered trademark of Visible Ink Press LLC. Most Visible Ink Press books are available at special quantity discounts when pur- chased in bulk by corporations, organizations, or groups. Customized printings, special imprints, messages, and excerpts can be produced to meet your needs. For more infor- mation, contact Special Markets Director, Visible Ink Press, www.visibleinkpress.com, or 734-667-3211. Managing Editor: Kevin S. Hile Cover Design: Graphikitchen Page Design: Cinelli Design Typesetting: Marco Divita Proofreaders: Christa Gainor and Shoshana Hurwitz Indexer: Larry Baker ISBN: 978-1-57859-732-4 Cataloging-in-Publication data is on file at the Library of Congress. Printed in the United States of America. book of facts.qxp 5/10/21 7:26 AM Page ix TABLE OF CONTENTS Photo Sources … xiii Introduction … xv HISTORY AMERICAN HISTORY Hey, Can I Borrow a Stamp? … 2 Did You Know? … 8 A Penny Saved, Part I … 15 You’ve Got My Vote! … 20 Flippin’ Burgers … 31 Can You Hear Me OKay? … 50 A Penny Saved, Part II … 100 Chugga-Chugga-Choo-Choo … 103 Read All About It! … 109 Jigsaw Houses … 116 Born Here … 143 Sit. Down. Stay in the Oval Office … 148 ANIMALS My Dinner with Fido … 10 One Potato, Two Potatoooooo … 24 The Bear Facts about Fire … 96 My Dinner with Fido, Redux … 170 British History The Royal Family, Part I … 28 Stick a Fork in It … 54 The Royal Family, Part II … 119 Go Directly to Jail … 137 BRITISH AND AMERICAN HISTORY I Love You, I Hate You … 44 The Write Stuff … 63 CANADIAN HISTORY A Moving Event … 22 CULTURE Don’t Smile, Don’t Say “Cheese” … 26 Go Wash Your Hands … 33 It’s No Barrel of Laughs … 41