Since last weekend was Canada Day, it was time for the annual "OMG! Canadains don't know ANYTHING about Canadian history! Whatever shall we do?" quiz. (The quiz itself starts on page 10.)
The problem with some of these questions is that they cover events that they expect the quiz-taker to have memory of. The questions are about things that people would remember but might not make it into history class (or might only be mentioned in passing). The problem is that while the quiz is for people age 18 and up, questions requiring memory focus more on the boomer era. The average 18-year-old was born in 1987, so they wouldn't really remember political or historical events from before the mid-90s. (Aside: have you ever noticed that some grownups seem to have the implicit attitude that "Young people are stupid because they don't remember stuff we remember!")
So, for general amusement, here are the questions I could and could not answer:
1. I would have said "Gold Rush" because it wouldn't have occurred to me to specify which gold rush in a Canadian quiz. So if the word Klondike was necessary I would have gotten it wrong.
2. AGEIST: Requires memory of the 1970s.
3. **cough cough** product placement.
4. I knew this one.
5. I didn't know this one.
6. I knew this one.
7. I knew this one.
8. I knew this one.
9. I knew this one.
10. I could not have given the correct answer, but if they had asked me "What was the Pacific Scandal," I could have described it reasonably well.
11. AGEIST: Requires memory of the 1970s.
12. I would have guess this one correctly.
13. AGEIST: I knew this one, but it requires memory of 1987.
14. AGEIST: Requires memory of the Trudeau era.
15. I know I was taught this in grade 10 history, but I don't know whether I would have answered correctly or not. I do have the word "reciprocity" mentally linked to "Laurier", but I don't know whether I would have remembered what it is.
16. I knew this one.
17. I knew this one.
18. I knew this one.
19. I knew this one.
20. I would have guessed this one correctly.
Total for all questions: 13/20 = 65%
Number where I knew the fact in question but could not have answered the question as posed: 15/20=75%
Total for all non-ageist questions: 12/16 = 75%
Total for all non-ageist questions where I knew the fact in question but could not have answered the question as posed: 14/16 = 87.5%
So we're left with the following facts:
- I don't know details of politics that occurred shortly before I was born and hadn't made it to the history books by the time I was in school.
- I don't know what percentage of Canadian goods were exported to the US in 1900, which is normal for me because I suck at remember percentages in general.
- Sometimes I can't recall every detail of what I was taught in history class ten years ago, but if presented with the full facts can remember being taught it.
- I can sometimes make good guesses using logic and conventional wisdom.
- I suck at recognizing product placement opportunities.
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