Answer: Michael Bublé

Context: While most artists became established in other formats before moving to adult contemporary, Michael Bublé and Josh Groban started out as AC artists. Throughout this decade, artists such as Nick Lachey, James Blunt, John Mayer, Bruno Mars, Jason Mraz, Kelly Clarkson, Adele, Clay Aiken and Susan Boyle have become successful thanks to a ballad heavy sound. Much as some hot AC and modern rock artists have crossed over into each other, so too has soft AC crossed with country music in this decade. Country musicians such as Faith Hill, Shania Twain, LeAnn Rimes and Carrie Underwood have had success on both charts.

Question: Along with Josh Groban, what notable pop artist started out his career on adult contemporary radio?


Answer: ballad heavy

Question: What sort of sound does the music of Susan Boyle have?


Answer: Carrie Underwood

Question: Along with Faith Hill, Shania Twain and LeAnn Rimes, what country artist has had adult contemporary hits?


Answer: country

Question: What genre of music has soft AC found common ground with?


Answer: indie rock

Context: Since the mid-2000s, the mainstreaming of bands like Wilco and Feist have pushed indie rock into the adult contemporary conversation. In the early 2010s, indie musicians like Imagine Dragons, Mumford & Sons, Of Monsters & Men, The Lumineers and Ed Sheeran also had indie songs that crossed over to the adult contemporary charts.

Question: What genre of music are bands like Feist and Wilco?


Answer: Imagine Dragons

Question: Along with Mumford & Sons, Of Monsters & Men, Ed Sheeran and The Lumineers, what indie artist has had adult contemporary success?


Answer: 2000s

Question: In what decade did indie musicians first began getting attention from the adult contemporary audience?


Answer: the 2005-2007 economic downturn

Context: The consolidation of the "hot AC" format contrasted with the near-demise of most other AC formats: Beginning with the 2005-2007 economic downturn and eventual recession most stations went for the more chart-based CHR, along with the top 40, urban and even Latino formats. Diminishing physical record sales also proved a major blow to the AC genre.

Question: Along with the recession, what broad economic trend marked the decline of adult contemporary radio stations?


Answer: urban

Question: Along with CHR, Top 40 and Latino, what format have former AC stations transitioned to?


Answer: hot AC

Question: What AC format is still viable?


Answer: physical record

Question: Declining sales of what items harmed the adult contemporary genre?


Answer: 1960s

Context: The "soft" AC format has reinvented in the late 2000s/early 2010s as a result of its declining relevance, adopting a more upmarket, middle-of-the-road approach, with a selection of "oldies" (usually from the 1960s/70s onwards), primarily rock, jazz, R&B and pop music. Newer songs are more often (but not limited to) "easy listening" fare, this amount varying depending on the age of the station's target demographic.

Question: Generally speaking, what is the earliest decade represented by the "oldies" on soft AC stations?


Answer: jazz

Question: Along with R&B, pop and rock, what genre of music is represented on modern soft AC stations?


Answer: "easy listening"

Question: What genre of music do new songs on soft AC stations often belong to?


Answer: the late 2000s/early 2010s

Question: During what period did soft AC stations attempt to reinvent themselves?


Answer: soft adult contemporary

Context: Termed "the acoustic equivalent to Prozac", soft adult contemporary, a more adult-oriented version of AC, was born in the late 1970s and grew in the early 1980s. WEEI-FM in Boston was the first station to use the term "soft rock", with ad slogans such as, "Fleetwood Mac ... without the yack" and "Joni ... without the baloney". The vast majority of music played on soft AC stations is mellow, more acoustic, and primarily solo vocalists.

Question: What radio format was described as being "the acoustic equivalent to Prozac"?


Answer: 1970s

Question: What decade saw the birth of the soft adult contemporary format?


Answer: WEEI-FM

Question: What radio station introduced the term "soft rock"?


Answer: Boston

Question: Where was the station that introduced the term "soft rock" based?


Answer: baloney

Question: What processed meat, featured in WEEI-FM's ad slogan, rhymes with Joni?


Answer: Canada

Context: Other popular names for the format include "Warm", "Sunny", "Bee" (or "B") and (particularly in Canada) "EZ Rock". The format can be seen as a more contemporary successor to and combination of the middle of the road (MOR), beautiful music, easy listening and soft rock formats. Many stations in the soft AC format capitalize on its appeal to office workers (many of them females aged 25–54, a key advertiser demographic), and brand themselves as stations "everyone at work can agree on" (KOST originated that phrase as a primary tagline, and other soft AC stations have followed suit).

Question: In what country is soft adult contemporary called "EZ Rock"?


Answer: beautiful music

Question: Along with MOR, easy listening and soft rock, what format is soft adult contemporary a successor to?


Answer: office workers

Question: What occupation is stereotypical held by soft adult contemporary listeners?


Answer: females aged 25–54

Question: What advertising demographic is soft adult contemporary marketed towards?


Answer: KOST

Question: What station first introduced the tagline "everyone at work can agree on"?


Answer: raising children

Context: A large portion of music played on this format are either considered oldies or recurrent. It often deals with modern romantic and sexual relationships (and sometimes other adult themes such as work, raising children, and family) in a thoughtful and complex way. Soft AC, which has never minded keeping songs in high rotation literally for years in some cases, does not appear necessarily to be facing similar pressures to expand its format. Soft AC includes a larger amount of older music, especially classic R&B, soul, and 1960s and 1970s music, than hot AC.

Question: Along with romantic and sexual relationships, family and work, what do soft adult contemporary songs sometimes discuss?


Answer: 1960s and 1970s

Question: Music from what two decades is notably featured on the soft AC format?


Answer: soul

Question: Along with classic R&B, what genre is notably featured on soft AC stations?


Answer: hot AC

Question: What radio station format is soft AC often contrasted with?


Answer: jazz and big band

Context: The soft AC format may soon be facing the demographic pressures that the jazz and big band formats faced in the 1960s and 1970s and that the oldies format is starting to face today, with the result that one may hear soft AC less on over-the-air radio and more on satellite radio systems in coming years. Much of the music and artists that were traditionally played on soft AC stations have been relegated to the adult standards format, which is itself disappearing because of aging demographics. Some soft AC stations have found a niche by incorporating more oldies into their playlists and are more open to playing softer songs that fit the "traditional" definition of AC.

Question: What radio station formats faced demographic pressures in the 1960s and 70s?


Answer: oldies

Question: What radio station format is facing demographic pressures in the present day?


Answer: adult standards

Question: What radio station format have many of the former soft AC artists moved to?


Answer: incorporating more oldies

Question: Certain soft AC stations have found a niche on the radio by doing what?


Answer: aging demographics

Question: Why are adult standards format radio stations declining?


Answer: Frank Sinatra

Context: Artists contributing to this format include mainly soft rock/pop singers such as, Andy Williams, Johnny Mathis, Nana Mouskouri, Celine Dion, Julio Iglesias, Frank Sinatra, Barry Manilow, Engelbert Humperdinck, and Marc Anthony.

Question: Along with Andy Williams, Johnny Mathis, Nana Mouskouri, Celine Dion, Julio Iglesias, Barry Manilow, Engelbert Humperdinck, and Marc Anthony, what notable artist is featured on the soft AC format?


Answer: contemporary mainstream music

Context: Hot adult contemporary radio stations play a variety of classic hits and contemporary mainstream music aimed at an adult audience. Some Hot AC stations concentrate slightly more on pop music and alternative rock to target the Generation Z audience, though they include the more youth-oriented teen pop, urban and rhythmic dance tracks.

Question: Along with classic hits, what type of music do hot adult contemporary stations feature?


Answer: adult

Question: What is the primary audience of hot adult contemporary format stations?


Answer: Generation Z

Question: What demographic do hot AC stations featuring more pop and alternative rock focus on?


Answer: teen pop

Question: Along with urban and rhythmic dance tracks, what genre is featured on hot AC stations with a younger audience?


Answer: dance-pop

Context: This format often includes dance-pop (such as upbeat songs by Madonna, Cher, Gloria Estefan and Kylie Minogue), power pops (mainly by boybands such as Backstreet Boys and Westlife), and adult-oriented soft rock music that are ballad-driven (typically by Aerosmith[citation needed], The Eagles, Sting, Toto and The Moody Blues). Generally, Hot AC radio stations target their music output towards the 18-54 age group and a demographic audience of both men and women.

Question: Madonna, Cher, Gloria Estefan and Kylie Minogue are artists in what genre of music?


Answer: boybands

Question: What type of band are Backstreet Boys and Westlife?


Answer: power pops

Question: What genre of music is played by Westlife?


Answer: soft rock

Question: What genre of music is played by The Eagles?


Answer: 18-54

Question: What is the target age range of Hot AC stations?


Answer: KMXB

Context: Modern adult contemporary can be a variation of hot AC, and includes modern rock titles in its presentation. In 1997, Mike Marino of KMXB in Las Vegas described the format as reaching "an audience that has outgrown the edgier hip-hop or alternative music but hasn't gotten old and sappy enough for the soft ACs." The format's artists included Alanis Morissette, Counting Crows, Gin Blossoms, Bon Jovi, Train, No Doubt, The Script, The Cranberries, Lifehouse, Sarah McLachlan, Sara Bareilles, John Mayer, Jewel, and Ingrid Michaelson. Unlike modern rock, which went after 18-34 men, this format appealed to women.

Question: What station did Mike Marino work for in 1997?


Answer: Las Vegas

Question: Where was the radio station KMXB based in 1997?


Answer: 18-34

Question: What age demographic is modern rock radio focused on?


Answer: men

Question: What is the sex of the listeners modern rock radio is geared towards?


Answer: women

Question: Unlike modern rock radio, what sex is adult contemporary radio said to appeal to?


Answer: adult

Context: Urban AC is a form of AC music geared towards adult African-American audiences, and therefore, the artists that are played on these stations are most often black, such as Des'ree, whose album I Ain't Movin' was massively popular amongst both African American audience as well as the wider national audience.

Question: What age group is Urban AC focused towards?


Answer: African-American

Question: What race is the target demographic of Urban AC radio?


Answer: Des'ree

Question: Who is an example of an artist played on Urban AC format radio stations?


Answer: I Ain't Movin'

Question: What is the name of the popular album released by Des'ree?


Answer: black

Question: What is the ethnicity of artists commonly played on urban adult contemporary radio?


Answer: soft AC

Context: The urban AC stations resemble soft AC rather than hot AC; they play predominantly R&B and soul music with little hip-hop. This is reflected in many of the urban AC radio stations' taglines, such as "Today's R&B and classic soul", "The best variety of R&B hits and oldies" and "(City/Region)'s R&B leader". Urban AC's core artists include Luther Vandross, Trey Songz, Patti LaBelle, Toni Braxton, Whitney Houston, Aretha Franklin, Frank Ocean, Craig David and Mariah Carey.

Question: What other adult contemporary radio format is urban AC similar to?


Answer: hip-hop

Question: What genre of music is not played frequently on urban AC?


Answer: R&B and soul music

Question: What two genres of music are popular on urban AC?


Answer: Luther Vandross

Question: Along with Trey Songz, Patti LaBelle, Toni Braxton, Whitney Houston, Aretha Franklin, Frank Ocean, Craig David and Mariah Carey, who is a well-known urban AC artist?


Answer: hot AC

Question: What adult contemporary radio format is urban AC not similar to?


Answer: rhythmic oldies

Context: A more elaborate form of urban AC is the rhythmic oldies format, which focuses primarily on "old school" R&B and soul hits from the 1960s to the 1990s, including Motown and disco hits. The format includes soul or disco artists such as ABBA, The Village People, The Jackson 5, Donna Summer, Tina Charles, Gloria Gaynor and the Bee Gees. Rhythmic oldies stations still exist today, but target African-Americans as opposed to a mass audience.

Question: What radio format is similar to urban AC but features older soul and R&B songs?


Answer: 1960s

Question: What is the earliest decade of music typically featured on the rhythmic oldies format?


Answer: 1990s

Question: What is the most recent decade music from which music can be heard on a rhythmic oldies station?


Answer: African-Americans

Question: What is the target demographic of the rhythmic oldies format?


Answer: quiet storm

Context: A format called quiet storm is often included in urban adult contemporary, and is often played during the evening, blending the urban AC and soft AC styles of music. The music that is played is strictly ballads and slow jams, mostly but not limited to Black and Latino artists. Popular artists in the quiet storm format are Teena Marie, Freddie Jackson, Johnny Gill, Lalah Hathaway, Vanessa L. Williams, Toni Braxton, and En Vogue among others.

Question: What radio format consists of ballads and slow jams?


Answer: quiet storm

Question: What is the name of the radio format that is a mixture of urban and soft adult contemporary?


Answer: the evening

Question: At what time of day is the quiet storm format played?


Answer: Black and Latino

Question: What is the typical ethnicity of artists played on quiet storm stations?


Answer: Vanessa L. Williams

Question: Along with Freddie Jackson, Johnny Gill, Teena Marie, Lalah Hathaway, Toni Braxton, and En Vogue, what artist is popular on quiet storm stations?


Answer: mainstream AC

Context: Anita Baker, Sade, Regina Belle, and Luther Vandross are other examples of artists who appeal to mainstream AC, urban AC and smooth jazz listeners. Some soft AC and urban AC stations like to play smooth jazz on the weekends. In recent years, the Smooth Jazz format has been renamed to Smooth AC, as an attempt to lure younger listeners.

Question: Along with urban adult contemporary and smooth jazz, what station format might feature music from Sade?


Answer: smooth jazz

Question: What other format is sometimes played on urban AC stations?


Answer: the weekends

Question: When might you hear smooth jazz on a soft AC station?


Answer: Smooth AC

Question: What is a more recent name for the smooth jazz format?


Answer: to lure younger listeners

Question: What was the smooth jazz format renamed?


Answer: urban AC

Context: Adult contemporary R&B may be played on both soft AC stations and urban AC. It is a form of neo soul R&B that places emphasis on songcraft and sophistication. As the use of drum machines, synthesizers, and sequencers dominates R&B-rooted music, adult contemporary R&B tends to take most of its cues from the more refined strains of 1970s soul, such as smooth soul, Philly soul and quiet storm. Classic songwriting touches and organic-leaning instrumentation, often featuring string arrangements and horn charts, were constants.

Question: Along with soft AC, on what station format might adult contemporary R&B be featured?


Answer: songcraft and sophistication

Question: What features are emphasized in adult contemporary R&B music?


Answer: Philly soul

Question: Along with smooth soul and quiet storm, what genre influenced adult contemporary R&B?


Answer: 1970s

Question: During what decade was smooth soul popular?


Answer: sequencers

Question: Along with drum machines and synthesizers, what electronic instruments are often found in modern R&B-based music?


Answer: jazz-R&B fusion

Context: In the 1980s, lush jazz-R&B fusion (George Benson, Patti Austin, Al Jarreau) and stylish crossover R&B (Anita Baker and Luther Vandross, New Edition and Keith Sweat) were equally successful within the mainstream. In the 1990s and early 2000s (decade), artists as sonically contrasting as R. Kelly, Leona Lewis (mainly ballads) and Jill Scott both fit the bill, provided the audience for the material was mature. By riding and contributing to nearly all of the trends, no one has exemplified the style more than Babyface, whose career thrived over 20 years as a member of the Deele (Two Occasions), a solo artist (Whip Appeal, When Can I See You), and a songwriter/producer (Toni Braxton's Breathe Again, Boyz II Men's I'll Make Love to You).

Question: What genre of music did Patti Austin perform?


Answer: crossover R&B

Question: Of what genre was the musician Keith Sweat?


Answer: 1980s

Question: During what decade were musicians like Al Jarreau and Luther Vandross notably successful?


Answer: ballads

Question: What type of songs was Leona Lewis known for?


Answer: Babyface

Question: Who wrote Boyz II Men's I'll Make Love to You?


Answer: Contemporary Christian music

Context: Contemporary Christian music (CCM) has several subgenres, one being "Christian AC". Radio & Records, for instance, lists Christian AC among its format charts. There has been crossover to mainstream and hot AC formats by many of the core artists of the Christian AC genre, notably Amy Grant, Michael W. Smith, Kathy Troccoli, Steven Curtis Chapman, Plumb, and more recently, MercyMe.

Question: What is CCM an acronym of?


Answer: Christian AC

Question: What genre of music is performed by MercyMe?


Answer: Radio & Records

Question: What publication includes Christian AC with its format charts?


Answer: hot AC

Question: Along with mainstream AC, what format has also featured Christian AC artists on a crossover basis?


Answer: soft AC

Context: In recent years it has become common for many AC stations, particularly soft AC stations, to play primarily or exclusively Christmas music during the Christmas season in November and December. While these tend mostly to be contemporary seasonal recordings by the same few artists featured under the normal format, most stations will also air some vintage holiday tunes from older pop, MOR, and adult standards artists – such as Nat King Cole, Bing Crosby, Dean Martin, The Carpenters, Percy Faith, Johnny Mathis and Andy Williams – many of whom would never be played on these stations during the rest of the year.

Question: What AC format is especially known for playing Christmas music in the Christmas season?


Answer: November and December

Question: During what two months does the Christmas season take place?


Answer: Johnny Mathis

Question: Along with Bing Crosby, Dean Martin, Nat King Cole, The Carpenters, Percy Faith and Andy Williams, who is an artist played on AC stations around Christmastime but not otherwise?


Answer: the week before Thanksgiving Day

Context: These Christmas music marathons typically start during the week before Thanksgiving Day and end after Christmas Day, or sometimes extending to New Year's Day. Afterwards, the stations usually resume their normal music fare. Several stations begin the holiday format much earlier, at the beginning of November. The roots of this tradition can be traced back to the beautiful music and easy listening stations of the 1960s and 1970s.

Question: When does Christmas music on AC format stations usually begin?


Answer: after Christmas Day

Question: When is the earlier of the two times that Christmas music on adult contemporary stations typically ends?


Answer: New Year's Day

Question: When is the later of the two times that Christmas music on adult contemporary stations usually ends?


Answer: the beginning of November

Question: When is the earliest an AC station will switch to a Christmas format?


Answer: beautiful music and easy listening

Question: What two formats pioneered the Christmas music tradition in the 1960s?


Answer: 20th

Context: Before the 20th century, the term matter included ordinary matter composed of atoms and excluded other energy phenomena such as light or sound. This concept of matter may be generalized from atoms to include any objects having mass even when at rest, but this is ill-defined because an object's mass can arise from its (possibly massless) constituents' motion and interaction energies. Thus, matter does not have a universal definition, nor is it a fundamental concept in physics today. Matter is also used loosely as a general term for the substance that makes up all observable physical objects.

Question: In what century was the term matter defined excluding energy phenomena like light and sound?


Answer: matter

Question: What term is used for the substance that composes all observable physical objects?


Answer: interaction energies

Question: The mass of an object can come from the motion of its constituents or what other source?


Answer: universal

Question: What term is used to describe the type of definition that matter would have if all scientists could agree on its definition?


Answer: at rest

Question: Prior to the 20th century, the definition of matter included any object that had mass even when it was in what state?


Answer: atoms

Context: All the objects from everyday life that we can bump into, touch or squeeze are composed of atoms. This atomic matter is in turn made up of interacting subatomic particles—usually a nucleus of protons and neutrons, and a cloud of orbiting electrons. Typically, science considers these composite particles matter because they have both rest mass and volume. By contrast, massless particles, such as photons, are not considered matter, because they have neither rest mass nor volume. However, not all particles with rest mass have a classical volume, since fundamental particles such as quarks and leptons (sometimes equated with matter) are considered "point particles" with no effective size or volume. Nevertheless, quarks and leptons together make up "ordinary matter", and their interactions contribute to the effective volume of the composite particles that make up ordinary matter.

Question: What kind of particles make up every object in the world that can be touched?


Answer: subatomic

Question: The smaller particles that make up atoms, like protons and neutrons, are what kind of particles?


Answer: photons

Question: What subatomic particle has no volume or rest mass?


Answer: point particles

Question: What kind of particles are quarks and leptons?


Answer: volume

Question: Despite not having size or volume themselves, quarks and leptons contribute to what measure of composite particles in matter?


Answer: four

Context: Matter commonly exists in four states (or phases): solid, liquid and gas, and plasma. However, advances in experimental techniques have revealed other previously theoretical phases, such as Bose–Einstein condensates and fermionic condensates. A focus on an elementary-particle view of matter also leads to new phases of matter, such as the quark–gluon plasma. For much of the history of the natural sciences people have contemplated the exact nature of matter. The idea that matter was built of discrete building blocks, the so-called particulate theory of matter, was first put forward by the Greek philosophers Leucippus (~490 BC) and Democritus (~470–380 BC).

Question: How many phases of matter are there?


Answer: quark–gluon plasma

Question: What new phase of matter can be considered with a focus on elementary particles?


Answer: particulate theory of matter

Question: What is the theory that matter is made up of discrete building blocks called?


Answer: Leucippus

Question: What colleague of Democritus, also a Greek philosopher, helped him propose the particulate theory of matter?


Answer: natural sciences

Question: People have been wondering about the nature of matter for the entire history of what branch of science?


Answer: mass

Context: Matter should not be confused with mass, as the two are not quite the same in modern physics. For example, mass is a conserved quantity, which means that its value is unchanging through time, within closed systems. However, matter is not conserved in such systems, although this is not obvious in ordinary conditions on Earth, where matter is approximately conserved. Still, special relativity shows that matter may disappear by conversion into energy, even inside closed systems, and it can also be created from energy, within such systems. However, because mass (like energy) can neither be created nor destroyed, the quantity of mass and the quantity of energy remain the same during a transformation of matter (which represents a certain amount of energy) into non-material (i.e., non-matter) energy. This is also true in the reverse transformation of energy into matter.

Question: What similar term is often used interchangeably with matter, although the two differ slightly in modern physics?


Answer: closed

Question: Being a conserved quantity means that the value of mass doesn't ever change as long as it's in what kind of system?


Answer: energy

Question: Special relativity says matter can disappear by conversion into what state?


Answer: Earth

Question: What planet isn't a closed system but sometimes appears to be because of the approximate conservation of matter?


Answer: matter

Context: Different fields of science use the term matter in different, and sometimes incompatible, ways. Some of these ways are based on loose historical meanings, from a time when there was no reason to distinguish mass and matter. As such, there is no single universally agreed scientific meaning of the word "matter". Scientifically, the term "mass" is well-defined, but "matter" is not. Sometimes in the field of physics "matter" is simply equated with particles that exhibit rest mass (i.e., that cannot travel at the speed of light), such as quarks and leptons. However, in both physics and chemistry, matter exhibits both wave-like and particle-like properties, the so-called wave–particle duality.

Question: What term does science not have a universally-accepted scientific definition for?


Answer: mass

Question: Sometimes scientific terms were historically considered in ways we know now aren't compatible because scientists didn't need to distinguish matter from what other term?


Answer: matter

Question: What word do physicists sometimes consider to be defined as particles exhibiting rest mass?


Answer: wave–particle duality

Question: What duality describes the conflicting properties of matter in the fields of chemistry and physics?


Answer: the speed of light

Question: Quarks and leptons are sometimes considered matter because they can't travel at what speed?


Answer: Collegiate Church of St Peter at Westminster

Context: Westminster Abbey, formally titled the Collegiate Church of St Peter at Westminster, is a large, mainly Gothic abbey church in the City of Westminster, London, located just to the west of the Palace of Westminster. It is one of the most notable religious buildings in the United Kingdom and has been the traditional place of coronation and burial site for English and, later, British monarchs. Between 1540 and 1556 the abbey had the status of a cathedral. Since 1560, however, the building is no longer an abbey nor a cathedral, having instead the status of a Church of England "Royal Peculiar"—a church responsible directly to the sovereign. The building itself is the original abbey church.

Question: What was Westminster Abbey's original name?


Answer: Gothic

Question: What style architecture is the Westminster Abbey considered?


Answer: City of Westminster, London

Question: In what city is Westminster Abbey located?


Answer: Between 1540 and 1556

Question: In what years was the Abbey considered a cathedral?


Answer: Royal Peculiar

Question: What type of building is the Abbey now considered?


Answer: the Collegiate Church of St Peter at Westminster

Question: What is the formal name of Westminster Abbey?


Answer: City of Westminster, London

Question: Where is Westminster Abbey located?


Answer: Between 1540 and 1556

Question: When was Westminster Abbey a cathedral?


Answer: Church of England "Royal Peculiar"

Question: What has been the status of Westminster Abbey since 1560?


Answer: 1245

Context: According to a tradition first reported by Sulcard in about 1080, a church was founded at the site (then known as Thorn Ey (Thorn Island)) in the 7th century, at the time of Mellitus, a Bishop of London. Construction of the present church began in 1245, on the orders of King Henry III.

Question: What year did the construction of the church begin?


Answer: King Henry III

Question: Who commissioned the Abbey to be built?


Answer: Thorn Ey (Thorn Island)

Question: What was the area previously named?


Answer: 7th century

Question: In what century was the church established at the location?


Answer: Mellitus, a Bishop of London

Question: Who was the Bishop in this time frame?


Answer: Thorn Island

Question: What is the meaning of Thorn Ey?


Answer: 7th century

Question: When was a church first founded at the site?


Answer: a Bishop of London

Question: Who was Mellitus?


Answer: 1245

Question: When was construction of the present church started?


Answer: King Henry III

Question: Who ordered the construction of the church?


Answer: Aldrich

Context: The first reports of the abbey are based on a late tradition claiming that a young fisherman called Aldrich on the River Thames saw a vision of Saint Peter near the site. This seems to be quoted to justify the gifts of salmon from Thames fishermen that the abbey received in later years. In the present era, the Fishmonger's Company still gives a salmon every year. The proven origins are that in the 960s or early 970s, Saint Dunstan, assisted by King Edgar, installed a community of Benedictine monks here.

Question: What was the name of the fisherman in lore that saw a vision of Saint Peter near the Abbey?


Answer: salmon

Question: What type of fish did the Abbey receive from Thames fisherman?


Answer: Benedictine

Question: What kind of monks lived at the Abbey?


Answer: Fishmonger's Company

Question: Who, till this day still gives the Abbey a fish?


Answer: Saint Dunstan

Question: Who along with the King Edgar established the monks at the Abbey?


Answer: Aldrich

Question: Who supposedly had a vison of Saint Peter on the River Thames?


Answer: Thames fishermen

Question: Who first gifted salmon to the abbey?


Answer: Fishmonger's Company

Question: Who still gives salmon to the abbey today?


Answer: 960s or early 970s

Question: When was the monk community installed?


Answer: Romanesque style

Context: Between 1042 and 1052 King Edward the Confessor began rebuilding St Peter's Abbey to provide himself with a royal burial church. It was the first church in England built in the Romanesque style. The building was not completed until around 1090 but was consecrated on 28 December 1065, only a week before Edward's death on 5 January 1066. A week later he was buried in the church, and nine years later his wife Edith was buried alongside him. His successor, Harold II, was probably crowned in the abbey, although the first documented coronation is that of William the Conqueror later the same year.

Question: What architectural design was St Peter's abbey considered?


Answer: 1090

Question: What year was the building finished?


Answer: 28 December 1065

Question: What was the date of the Abbey's coronation?


Answer: William the Conqueror

Question: Who was the first recorded coronation at the Abbey?


Answer: King Edward the Confessor

Question: What King restored the Abbey in the years 1042 and 1052?


Answer: King Edward the Confessor

Question: Who rebuilt the abbey for a burial church?


Answer: Romanesque

Question: What style was the church rebuilt in?


Answer: 28 December 1065

Question: When was the building consecrated?


Answer: 5 January 1066

Question: When did King Edward the Confessor die?


Answer: William the Conqueror

Question: Who was the first documented coronation?


Answer: Harold Godwinson and William the Conqueror

Context: Since 1066, when Harold Godwinson and William the Conqueror were crowned, the coronations of English and British monarchs have been held there. There have been at least 16 royal weddings at the abbey since 1100. Two were of reigning monarchs (Henry I and Richard II), although, before 1919, there had been none for some 500 years.

Question: Who were the first monarchs crowned at Westminster Abbey?


Answer: 1066

Question: Since when have coronations been held at Westminster Abbey?


Answer: 16

Question: How many royal weddings have occurred at the abbey?


Answer: Henry I and Richard II

Question: Which two reigning monarchs had weddings at the abbey?


Answer: 1100

Question: When did royal weddings begin at the church?


Answer: Bayeux Tapestry

Context: The only extant depiction of Edward's abbey, together with the adjacent Palace of Westminster, is in the Bayeux Tapestry. Some of the lower parts of the monastic dormitory, an extension of the South Transept, survive in the Norman undercroft of the Great School, including a door said to come from the previous Saxon abbey. Increased endowments supported a community increased from a dozen monks in Dunstan's original foundation, up to a maximum about eighty monks, although there was also a large community of lay brothers who supported the monastery's extensive property and activities.

Question: Where is the only existant depiction of Edward's abbey?


Answer: a dozen

Question: What was the original size of Dunstan's original monk community?


Answer: endowments

Question: How was the community able to increase?


Answer: Palace of Westminster

Question: What is adjacent the abbey?


Answer: The abbot and monks

Context: The abbot and monks, in proximity to the royal Palace of Westminster, the seat of government from the later 12th century, became a powerful force in the centuries after the Norman Conquest. The abbot often was employed on royal service and in due course took his place in the House of Lords as of right. Released from the burdens of spiritual leadership, which passed to the reformed Cluniac movement after the mid-10th century, and occupied with the administration of great landed properties, some of which lay far from Westminster, "the Benedictines achieved a remarkable degree of identification with the secular life of their times, and particularly with upper-class life", Barbara Harvey concludes, to the extent that her depiction of daily life provides a wider view of the concerns of the English gentry in the High and Late Middle Ages.[citation needed]

Question: Who became a powerful force after the Norman Conquest?


Answer: government

Question: The Palace of Westminster was the seat of what from the later 12th century?


Answer: The abbot

Question: Who was employed on royal service?


Answer: secular

Question: With what kind of life were the Benedictines allowed to identify?


Answer: Cluniac

Question: To what movement was the task of spiritual leadership passed?


Answer: Lord of the Manor of Westminster

Context: The proximity of the Palace of Westminster did not extend to providing monks or abbots with high royal connections; in social origin the Benedictines of Westminster were as modest as most of the order. The abbot remained Lord of the Manor of Westminster as a town of two to three thousand persons grew around it: as a consumer and employer on a grand scale the monastery helped fuel the town economy, and relations with the town remained unusually cordial, but no enfranchising charter was issued during the Middle Ages. The abbey built shops and dwellings on the west side, encroaching upon the sanctuary.[citation needed]

Question: What did the abbot remain as a town built around the abbey?


Answer: the town economy

Question: What did the monastery help fuel?


Answer: shops and dwellings

Question: What did the abbey build on the west side?


Answer: shops and dwellings

Question: What encroached upon the sanctuary?


Answer: coronation site

Context: The abbey became the coronation site of Norman kings. None were buried there until Henry III, intensely devoted to the cult of the Confessor, rebuilt the abbey in Anglo-French Gothic style as a shrine to venerate King Edward the Confessor and as a suitably regal setting for Henry's own tomb, under the highest Gothic nave in England. The Confessor's shrine subsequently played a great part in his canonisation. The work continued between 1245 and 1517 and was largely finished by the architect Henry Yevele in the reign of Richard II. Henry III also commissioned unique Cosmati pavement in front of the High Altar (the pavement has recently undergone a major cleaning and conservation programme and was re-dedicated by the Dean at a service on 21 May 2010).

Question: What was the abbey to Norman kings?


Answer: Henry Yevele

Question: What architect continued work on the abbey?


Answer: Richard II

Question: Who was reigning when Henry Yevele finished his work on the abbey?


Answer: Cosmati

Question: What kind of pavement was commissioned for in front of the High Altar?


Answer: The Confessor's shrine

Question: What played a large role in King Edward the Confessor's canonisation?


Answer: Henry VII

Context: Henry VII added a Perpendicular style chapel dedicated to the Blessed Virgin Mary in 1503 (known as the Henry VII Chapel or the "Lady Chapel"). Much of the stone came from Caen, in France (Caen stone), the Isle of Portland (Portland stone) and the Loire Valley region of France (tuffeau limestone).[citation needed]

Question: Who added a Perpendicular style chapel?


Answer: Blessed Virgin Mary

Question: Who was the Perpendicular style chapel dedicated to?


Answer: Caen

Question: What part of France did the Caen stone come from?


Answer: Isle of Portland

Question: Where did the Portland stone come from?


Answer: 1503

Question: When was the Lady Chapel added?


Answer: 1535

Context: In 1535, the abbey's annual income of £2400–2800[citation needed] (£1,310,000 to £1,530,000 as of 2016), during the assessment attendant on the Dissolution of the Monasteries rendered it second in wealth only to Glastonbury Abbey.

Question: When was the abbey's annual income £2400–2800?


Answer: £1,310,000 to £1,530,000

Question: What was the abbey's annual income as of 2016?


Answer: Glastonbury Abbey

Question: To which other abbey was Westminster Abbey second in wealth?


Answer: the assessment attendant on the Dissolution of the Monasteries

Question: During what was the abbey made second in wealth?


Answer: 1539

Context: Henry VIII assumed direct royal control in 1539 and granted the abbey the status of a cathedral by charter in 1540, simultaneously issuing letters patent establishing the Diocese of Westminster. By granting the abbey cathedral status Henry VIII gained an excuse to spare it from the destruction or dissolution which he inflicted on most English abbeys during this period.

Question: When did Henry VIII take direct royal control?


Answer: Henry VIII

Question: Who gave the abbey status of a cathedral in 1540?


Answer: destruction

Question: What did the cathedral status save the abbey from?


Answer: the Diocese of Westminster

Question: What did changing the status of the abbey create?


Answer: 1550

Context: Westminster diocese was dissolved in 1550, but the abbey was recognised (in 1552, retroactively to 1550) as a second cathedral of the Diocese of London until 1556. The already-old expression "robbing Peter to pay Paul" may have been given a new lease of life when money meant for the abbey, which is dedicated to Saint Peter, was diverted to the treasury of St Paul's Cathedral.

Question: When was Westminster Diocese dissolved?


Answer: a second cathedral of the Diocese of London

Question: The abbey was recognised as what until 1556?


Answer: Saint Peter

Question: Who is the abbey dedicated to?


Answer: Mary I of England

Context: The abbey was restored to the Benedictines under the Catholic Mary I of England, but they were again ejected under Elizabeth I in 1559. In 1560, Elizabeth re-established Westminster as a "Royal Peculiar" – a church of the Church of England responsible directly to the Sovereign, rather than to a diocesan bishop – and made it the Collegiate Church of St Peter (that is, a non-cathedral church with an attached chapter of canons, headed by a dean.) The last of Mary's abbots was made the first dean.

Question: The abbey was regiven to the Benedictines under whom?


Answer: Elizabeth I

Question: Who ejected the Benedictines again in 1559?


Answer: Collegiate Church of St Peter

Question: What was the new name of the abbey when Elizabeth I reestablished it?


Answer: The last of Mary's abbots

Question: Who was made the first dean of the new church?


Answer: 1640s

Context: It suffered damage during the turbulent 1640s, when it was attacked by Puritan iconoclasts, but was again protected by its close ties to the state during the Commonwealth period. Oliver Cromwell was given an elaborate funeral there in 1658, only to be disinterred in January 1661 and posthumously hanged from a gibbet at Tyburn.

Question: When did the abbey suffer damage?


Answer: Puritan iconoclasts

Question: Who attacked the abbey?


Answer: ties to the state during the Commonwealth

Question: What protected the abbey?


Answer: Oliver Cromwell

Question: Who had a fancy funeral at the abbey in 1658?


Answer: January 1661

Question: When was Oliver Cromwell disinterred?


Answer: between 1722 and 1745

Context: The abbey's two western towers were built between 1722 and 1745 by Nicholas Hawksmoor, constructed from Portland stone to an early example of a Gothic Revival design. Purbeck marble was used for the walls and the floors of Westminster Abbey, even though the various tombstones are made of different types of marble. Further rebuilding and restoration occurred in the 19th century under Sir George Gilbert Scott.

Question: When were the western towers built?


Answer: Nicholas Hawksmoor

Question: Who built the western towers of the abbey?


Answer: Purbeck

Question: What kind of marble was used for the walls and floors of the abbey?


Answer: Sir George Gilbert Scott

Question: Under whom did the 19th century rebulding occur?


Answer: Portland stone

Question: What were the two western towers built from?


Answer: A narthex

Context: A narthex (a portico or entrance hall) for the west front was designed by Sir Edwin Lutyens in the mid-20th century but was not built. Images of the abbey prior to the construction of the towers are scarce, though the abbey's official website states that the building was without towers following Yevele's renovation, with just the lower segments beneath the roof level of the Nave completed.

Question: What was designed for the west front of the abbey but not built?


Answer: mid-20th century

Question: When was the narthex designed?


Answer: Yevele

Question: The abbey was without towers following the renovation by whom?


Answer: Oxford and Cambridge

Context: Until the 19th century, Westminster was the third seat of learning in England, after Oxford and Cambridge. It was here that the first third of the King James Bible Old Testament and the last half of the New Testament were translated. The New English Bible was also put together here in the 20th century. Westminster suffered minor damage during the Blitz on 15 November 1940.

Question: Westminster Abbey was the third highest place of learning after which two places?


Answer: King James Bible Old Testament

Question: The first third of what was translated at the abbey?


Answer: New Testament

Question: The last half of what was also translated at the abbey?


Answer: 20th century

Question: The New English Bible was composed at the abbey during what time?


Answer: the Blitz

Question: Westminster Abbey suffered damage during what on 15 November 1940?


Answer: Sergei Fyodorov

Context: In the 1990s two icons by the Russian icon painter Sergei Fyodorov were hung in the abbey. On 6 September 1997 the funeral of Diana, Princess of Wales, was held at the Abbey. On 17 September 2010 Pope Benedict XVI became the first pope to set foot in the abbey.

Question: Who painted the icons hung in the abbey in the 1990s?


Answer: funeral of Diana, Princess of Wales

Question: What was held at the abbey on 6 September 1997?


Answer: Pope Benedict XVI

Question: Who was the first pope to set foot in the abbey?


Answer: 17 September 2010

Question: On what date did the first pope set foot in the abbey?


Answer: Russian

Question: What nationality was Sergei Fyodorov?


Answer: Gloucester Cathedral

Context: Since the coronations in 1066 of both King Harold and William the Conqueror, coronations of English and British monarchs were held in the abbey. In 1216, Henry III was unable to be crowned in London when he first came to the throne, because the French prince Louis had taken control of the city, and so the king was crowned in Gloucester Cathedral. This coronation was deemed by the Pope to be improper, and a further coronation was held in the abbey on 17 May 1220. The Archbishop of Canterbury is the traditional cleric in the coronation ceremony.[citation needed]

Question: Where was Henry III crowned?


Answer: 1216

Question: When was Henry III crowned?


Answer: French prince Louis

Question: Who had taken control of London when Henry III was to be crowned?


Answer: the Pope

Question: Who deemed Henry III's coronation to be improper?


Answer: The Archbishop of Canterbury

Question: Who is the usual cleric for coronation ceremonies?


Answer: King Edward's Chair

Context: King Edward's Chair (or St Edward's Chair), the throne on which English and British sovereigns have been seated at the moment of coronation, is housed within the abbey and has been used at every coronation since 1308. From 1301 to 1996 (except for a short time in 1950 when it was temporarily stolen by Scottish nationalists), the chair also housed the Stone of Scone upon which the kings of Scots are crowned. Although the Stone is now kept in Scotland, in Edinburgh Castle, at future coronations it is intended that the Stone will be returned to St Edward's Chair for use during the coronation ceremony.[citation needed]

Question: What is the name of the throne used for coronation?


Answer: St Edward's Chair

Question: What is another name for King Edward's Chair?


Answer: the Stone of Scone

Question: Upon what are kings of Scots coronated?


Answer: Scottish nationalists

Question: Who had stolen the Stone of Scone?


Answer: collegiate church

Context: Westminster Abbey is a collegiate church governed by the Dean and Chapter of Westminster, as established by Royal charter of Queen Elizabeth I in 1560, which created it as the Collegiate Church of St Peter Westminster and a Royal Peculiar under the personal jurisdiction of the Sovereign. The members of the Chapter are the Dean and four canons residentiary, assisted by the Receiver General and Chapter Clerk. One of the canons is also Rector of St Margaret's Church, Westminster, and often holds also the post of Chaplain to the Speaker of the House of Commons.

Question: What kind of church is Westminster Abbey?


Answer: Queen Elizabeth I

Question: Who created Westminster Abbey as the Collegiate Church of St Peter Westminster?


Answer: the Dean and Chapter of Westminster

Question: Who governs the church?


Answer: the Dean and four canons residentiary

Question: Who are the members of the chapter of Westminster?


Answer: the Receiver General and Chapter Clerk

Question: Who assist the chapter of Westminster?


Answer: 12

Context: In addition to the Dean and canons, there are at present two full-time minor canons, one is precentor, and the other is sacrist. The office of Priest Vicar was created in the 1970s for those who assist the minor canons. Together with the clergy and Receiver General and Chapter Clerk, various lay officers constitute the college, including the Organist and Master of the Choristers, the Registrar, the Auditor, the Legal Secretary, the Surveyor of the Fabric, the Head Master of the choir school, the Keeper of the Muniments and the Clerk of the Works, as well as 12 lay vicars, 10 choristers and the High Steward and High Bailiff.

Question: How many lay vicars are there?


Answer: 10

Question: How many choristers are there at the abbey?


Answer: 1970s

Question: When was the office of Priest Vicar created?


Answer: Edward the Confessor

Context: Henry III rebuilt the abbey in honour of a royal saint, Edward the Confessor, whose relics were placed in a shrine in the sanctuary. Henry III himself was interred nearby, as were many of the Plantagenet kings of England, their wives and other relatives. Until the death of George II of Great Britain in 1760, most kings and queens were buried in the abbey, some notable exceptions being Henry VI, Edward IV, Henry VIII and Charles I who are buried in St George's Chapel at Windsor Castle. Other exceptions include Richard III, now buried at Leicester Cathedral, and the de facto queen Lady Jane Grey, buried in the chapel of St Peter ad Vincula in the Tower of London. Most monarchs and royals who died after 1760 are buried either in St George's Chapel or at Frogmore to the east of Windsor Castle.[citation needed]

Question: Henry III rebuilt the abbey in honour of whom?


Answer: 1760

Question: When did George II of Great Britain die?


Answer: a royal saint

Question: Who was Edward the Confessor?


Answer: St George's Chapel at Windsor Castle

Question: Where was Henry VI buried?


Answer: Leicester Cathedral

Question: Where was Richard III buried?


Answer: inside chapels

Context: From the Middle Ages, aristocrats were buried inside chapels, while monks and other people associated with the abbey were buried in the cloisters and other areas. One of these was Geoffrey Chaucer, who was buried here as he had apartments in the abbey where he was employed as master of the King's Works. Other poets, writers and musicians were buried or memorialised around Chaucer in what became known as Poets' Corner. Abbey musicians such as Henry Purcell were also buried in their place of work.[citation needed]

Question: Where were aristocrats buried from the Middle Ages?


Answer: master of the King's Works

Question: Geoffrey Chaucer was employed as what?


Answer: in the abbey

Question: Henry Purcell was buried where?


Answer: Admiral Robert Blake

Context: Subsequently, it became one of Britain's most significant honours to be buried or commemorated in the abbey. The practice of burying national figures in the abbey began under Oliver Cromwell with the burial of Admiral Robert Blake in 1657. The practice spread to include generals, admirals, politicians, doctors and scientists such as Isaac Newton, buried on 4 April 1727, and Charles Darwin, buried 26 April 1882. Another was William Wilberforce who led the movement to abolish slavery in the United Kingdom and the Plantations, buried on 3 August 1833. Wilberforce was buried in the north transept, close to his friend, the former Prime Minister, William Pitt.[citation needed]

Question: Oliver Cromwell began buring national figures in the abbey starting with whom?


Answer: Isaac Newton

Question: Who was buried in the abbey on 4 April 1727?


Answer: Charles Darwin

Question: Who was buried in the abbey on 26 April 1882?


Answer: William Wilberforce

Question: Who was buried in the abbey on 3 August 1833?


Answer: William Pitt

Question: Who was buried next to William Wilberforce?


Answer: cremated

Context: During the early 20th century it became increasingly common to bury cremated remains rather than coffins in the abbey. In 1905 the actor Sir Henry Irving was cremated and his ashes buried in Westminster Abbey, thereby becoming the first person ever to be cremated prior to interment at the abbey. The majority of interments at the Abbey are of cremated remains, but some burials still take place - Frances Challen, wife of the Rev Sebastian Charles, Canon of Westminster, was buried alongside her husband in the south choir aisle in 2014. Members of the Percy Family have a family vault, The Northumberland Vault, in St Nicholas's chapel within the abbey.

Question: In the early 20th century it became more common to bury what kind of remains?


Answer: 1905

Question: In what year was Sir Henry Irving cremated?


Answer: Frances Challen

Question: Who was buried in the south choir aisle in 2014?


Answer: Percy Family

Question: What family has the Northumberland Vault?


Answer: 11 November 1920

Context: In the floor, just inside the great west door, in the centre of the nave, is the tomb of The Unknown Warrior, an unidentified British soldier killed on a European battlefield during the First World War. He was buried in the abbey on 11 November 1920. This grave is the only one in the abbey on which it is forbidden to walk.[citation needed]

Question: When was The Unknown Warrior buried?


Answer: At the east end of the Lady Chapel

Context: At the east end of the Lady Chapel is a memorial chapel to the airmen of the RAF who were killed in the Second World War. It incorporates a memorial window to the Battle of Britain, which replaces an earlier Tudor stained glass window destroyed in the war.

Question: Where is the memorial chapel of the airmen of the RAF?


Answer: the Battle of Britain

Question: The memorial chapel of the airmen of the RAF has a window for what?


Answer: Tudor stained glass window

Question: The window for the Battle of Britain replaced what that was destroyed?


Answer: Saturday September 6, 1997

Context: On Saturday September 6, 1997 the formal, though not "state" Funeral of Diana, Princess of Wales, was held. It was a royal ceremonial funeral including royal pageantry and Anglican funeral liturgy. A Second Public service was held on Sunday at the demand of the people. The burial occurred privately later the same day. Diana's former husband, sons, mother, siblings, a close friend, and a clergyman were present. Diana's body was clothed in a black long-sleeved dress designed by Catherine Walker, which she had chosen some weeks before. A set of rosary beads was placed in her hands, a gift she had received from Mother Teresa. Her grave is on the grounds of her family estate, Althorp, on a private island.[citation needed]

Question: When was the formal funeral of Diana, Princess of Wales?


Answer: Sunday

Question: When was a second public service held for Princess Diana?


Answer: Catherine Walker

Question: Who designed Diana's dress?


Answer: Mother Teresa

Question: Who gave Diana the rosary beads?


Answer: Westminster School and Westminster Abbey Choir School

Context: Westminster School and Westminster Abbey Choir School are also in the precincts of the abbey. It was natural for the learned and literate monks to be entrusted with education, and Benedictine monks were required by the Pope to maintain a charity school in 1179. The Choir School educates and trains the choirboys who sing for services in the Abbey.

Question: What are also in the precincts of Westminster Abbey?


Answer: the Pope

Question: Who required the Benedictine monks to maintain a charity school?


Answer: 1179

Question: When were the Benedictine monks required to maintain a charity school?


Answer: Westminster Abbey Choir School

Question: The choirboys of the abbey are trained where?


Answer: Harrison & Harrison

Context: The organ was built by Harrison & Harrison in 1937, then with four manuals and 84 speaking stops, and was used for the first time at the coronation of King George VI. Some pipework from the previous Hill organ of 1848 was revoiced and incorporated in the new scheme. The two organ cases, designed in the late 19th century by John Loughborough Pearson, were re-instated and coloured in 1959.

Question: Who built the organ?


Answer: 1937

Question: When was the organ built?


Answer: the coronation of King George VI

Question: When was the organ first used?


Answer: pipework

Question: What was included in the new organ from the previous Hill organ of 1848?


Answer: John Loughborough Pearson

Question: Who designed the two organ cases?


Answer: the Celestial Organ

Context: In 1982 and 1987, Harrison and Harrison enlarged the organ under the direction of the then abbey organist Simon Preston to include an additional Lower Choir Organ and a Bombarde Organ: the current instrument now has five manuals and 109 speaking stops. In 2006, the console of the organ was refurbished by Harrison and Harrison, and space was prepared for two additional 16 ft stops on the Lower Choir Organ and the Bombarde Organ. One part of the instrument, the Celestial Organ, is currently not connected or playable.

Question: What part of the organ is not connected or playable?


Answer: 1971

Context: The bells at the abbey were overhauled in 1971. The ring is now made up of ten bells, hung for change ringing, cast in 1971, by the Whitechapel Bell Foundry, tuned to the notes: F#, E, D, C#, B, A, G, F#, E and D. The Tenor bell in D (588.5 Hz) has a weight of 30 cwt, 1 qtr, 15 lb (3403 lb or 1544 kg).

Question: When were the bells overhauled?


Answer: Ten

Question: How many bells make up the abbey ring?


Answer: 1971

Question: When were the ten bells cast?


Answer: Whitechapel Bell Foundry

Question: Who cast the abbey bells?


Answer: Robert Mot

Context: In addition there are two service bells, cast by Robert Mot, in 1585 and 1598 respectively, a Sanctus bell cast in 1738 by Richard Phelps and Thomas Lester and two unused bells—one cast about 1320, by the successor to R de Wymbish, and a second cast in 1742, by Thomas Lester. The two service bells and the 1320 bell, along with a fourth small silver "dish bell", kept in the refectory, have been noted as being of historical importance by the Church Buildings Council of the Church of England.

Question: Who cast the two service bells?


Answer: 1585 and 1598

Question: When were the two service bells cast?


Answer: 1738

Question: When was the Sanctus bell cast?


Answer: Richard Phelps and Thomas Lester

Question: Who cast the Sanctus bell?


Answer: in the refectory

Question: Where is the "dish bell" kept?


Answer: Henry III

Context: The chapter house was built concurrently with the east parts of the abbey under Henry III, between about 1245 and 1253. It was restored by Sir George Gilbert Scott in 1872. The entrance is approached from the east cloister walk and includes a double doorway with a large tympanum above.

Question: Under whom was the chapter house built?


Answer: Sir George Gilbert Scott

Question: Who restored the chapter house in 1872?


Answer: Geometrical Gothic style

Context: Inner and outer vestibules lead to the octagonal chapter house, which is of exceptional architectural purity. It is built in a Geometrical Gothic style with an octagonal crypt below. A pier of eight shafts carries the vaulted ceiling. To the sides are blind arcading, remains of 14th-century paintings and numerous stone benches above which are innovatory large 4-light quatre-foiled windows. These are virtually contemporary with the Sainte-Chapelle, Paris.

Question: What style is the octagonal chapter house?


Answer: crypt

Question: There is an octagonal what below the chapter house?


Answer: vaulted

Question: What kind of ceiling is in the chapter house?


Answer: 4-light quatre-foiled windows

Question: What kind of windows are in the chapter house?


Answer: the Sainte-Chapelle, Paris

Question: The architecture of the chapter house is contemporary with what?


Answer: mid-13th-century

Context: The chapter house has an original mid-13th-century tiled pavement. A door within the vestibule dates from around 1050 and is believed to be the oldest in England.[citation needed] The exterior includes flying buttresses added in the 14th century and a leaded tent-lantern roof on an iron frame designed by Scott. The Chapter house was originally used in the 13th century by Benedictine monks for daily meetings. It later became a meeting place of the King's Great Council and the Commons, predecessors of Parliament.

Question: What kind of tiled pavement is in the chapter house?


Answer: 1050

Question: A door in the vestible dates back to when?


Answer: the 14th century

Question: When were the exterior flying buttresses added?


Answer: King's Great Council and the Commons

Question: Who else met in the chapter house?


Answer: The Pyx Chamber

Context: The Pyx Chamber formed the undercroft of the monks' dormitory. It dates to the late 11th century and was used as a monastic and royal treasury. The outer walls and circular piers are of 11th-century date, several of the capitals were enriched in the 12th century and the stone altar added in the 13th century. The term pyx refers to the boxwood chest in which coins were held and presented to a jury during the Trial of the Pyx, in which newly minted coins were presented to ensure they conformed to the required standards.

Question: What formed the undercroft of the monks' dormitory?


Answer: the late 11th century

Question: When does the Pyx Chamber date to?


Answer: the Trial of the Pyx

Question: When were newly minted coins presented to ensure they met standards?


Answer: English Heritage

Context: The chapter house and Pyx Chamber at Westminster Abbey are in the guardianship of English Heritage, but under the care and management of the Dean and Chapter of Westminster. English Heritage have funded a major programme of work on the chapter house, comprising repairs to the roof, gutters, stonework on the elevations and flying buttresses as well as repairs to the lead light.

Question: The Pyx Chamber and chapter house are under guardianship of whom?


Answer: the Dean and Chapter of Westminster

Question: Who cares for and manages the Pyx Chamber and chapter house?


Answer: repairs

Question: English Heritage has funded what for the chapter house?


Answer: The Westminster Abbey Museum

Context: The Westminster Abbey Museum is located in the 11th-century vaulted undercroft beneath the former monks' dormitory in Westminster Abbey. This is one of the oldest areas of the abbey, dating back almost to the foundation of the church by Edward the Confessor in 1065. This space has been used as a museum since 1908.

Question: What is located in the vaulted undercroft beneath the monks' dormitory?


Answer: 1065

Question: The area the museum occupies dates back to when?


Answer: 1908

Question: The vaulted undercroft beneath the monks' dormitory has been a museum since when?


Answer: funeral saddle, helm and shield

Context: The exhibits include a collection of royal and other funeral effigies (funeral saddle, helm and shield of Henry V), together with other treasures, including some panels of mediaeval glass, 12th-century sculpture fragments, Mary II's coronation chair and replicas of the coronation regalia, and historic effigies of Edward III, Henry VII and his queen, Elizabeth of York, Charles II, William III, Mary II and Queen Anne.

Question: What belonging to Henry V is in the museum?


Answer: panels of mediaeval glass

Question: What kind of panels are in the museum?


Answer: sculptor Patience Wright

Context: Later wax effigies include a likeness of Horatio, Viscount Nelson, wearing some of his own clothes and another of Prime Minister William Pitt, Earl of Chatham, modelled by the American-born sculptor Patience Wright.[citation needed] During recent conservation of Elizabeth I's effigy, a unique corset dating from 1603 was found on the figure and is now displayed separately.[citation needed]

Question: Who modelled the effigies in the museum?


Answer: wax

Question: What are the effigies made of?


Answer: some of his own clothes

Question: What is the effigy of Viscount Nelson wearing?


Answer: 13th-century Westminster Retable

Context: A recent addition to the exhibition is the late 13th-century Westminster Retable, England's oldest altarpiece, which was most probably designed for the high altar of the abbey. Although it has been damaged in past centuries, the panel has been expertly cleaned and conserved.

Question: What was recently added to the museum exhibit?


Answer: England's oldest altarpiece

Question: What is the Westminster Retable?


Answer: high altar of the abbey

Question: What was the altarpiece designed for?


Answer: altarpiece

Question: What was damaged but cleaned and then conserved?


Answer: major building work

Context: In June 2009 the first major building work at the abbey for 250 years was proposed. A corona—a crown-like architectural feature—was intended to be built around the lantern over the central crossing, replacing an existing pyramidal structure dating from the 1950s. This was part of a wider £23m development of the abbey expected to be completed in 2013. On 4 August 2010 the Dean and Chapter announced that, "[a]fter a considerable amount of preliminary and exploratory work", efforts toward the construction of a corona would not be continued. In 2012, architects Panter Hudspith completed refurbishment of the 14th-century food-store originally used by the abbey's monks, converting it into a restaurant with English Oak furniture by Covent Garden-based furniture makers Luke Hughes and Company.

Question: What was proposed for the abbey in June 2009?


Answer: 4 August 2010

Question: On what date did the Dean and Chapter announce that work would not be continued?


Answer: a restaurant

Question: Panter Hudspith refurbished a 14th-century foodstore into what?


Answer: English Oak

Question: What kind of furniture is in the restaurant?


Answer: Luke Hughes and Company

Question: Who supplied the furniture for the restaurant?


Answer: The Queen's Diamond Jubilee Galleries

Context: A project that is proceeding is the creation of The Queen's Diamond Jubilee Galleries in the medieval triforium of the abbey. The aim is to create a new display area for the abbey's treasures in the galleries high up around the abbey's nave. To this end a new Gothic access tower with lift has been designed by the abbey architect and Surveyor of the Fabric, Ptolemy Dean. It is planned that the new galleries will open in 2018.

Question: What will be created in the medieval triforium?


Answer: Gothic access tower with lift

Question: What has been designed to help with the gallery?


Answer: 2018

Question: When will the new galleries open?


Answer: ks

Context: Nanjing ( listen; Chinese: 南京, "Southern Capital") is the city situated in the heartland of lower Yangtze River region in China, which has long been a major centre of culture, education, research, politics, economy, transport networks and tourism. It is the capital city of Jiangsu province of People's Republic of China and the second largest city in East China, with a total population of 8,216,100, and legally the capital of Republic of China which lost the mainland during the civil war. The city whose name means "Southern Capital" has a prominent place in Chinese history and culture, having served as the capitals of various Chinese dynasties, kingdoms and republican governments dating from the 3rd century AD to 1949. Prior to the advent of pinyin romanization, Nanjing's city name was spelled as Nanking or Nankin. Nanjing has a number of other names, and some historical names are now used as names of districts of the city, and among them there is the name Jiangning (江寧), whose former character Jiang (江, River) is the former part of the name Jiangsu and latter character Ning (寧, simplified form 宁, Peace) is the short name of Nanjing. When being the capital of a state, for instance, ROC, Jing (京) is adopted as the abbreviation of Nanjing. Although as a city located in southern part of China becoming Chinese national capital as early as in Jin dynasty, the name Nanjing was designated to the city in Ming dynasty, about a thousand years later. Nanjing is particularly known as Jinling (金陵, literally meaning Gold Mountain) and the old name has been used since the Warring States Period in Zhou Dynasty.

Question: k


Answer: Ch

Question: j


Answer: n

Question: n


Answer: b

Question: b


Answer: v

Question: v


Answer: Nanjing

Question: What is the legal capital of the Republic of China?


Answer: lower Yangtze River region

Question: What region is Nanjing in?


Answer: Ming dynasty

Question: When was the city given the name Nanjing?


Answer: Jin dynasty

Question: When did Nanjing become the Chinese national capital?


Answer: "Southern Capital"

Question: What does Nanjing mean?


Answer: East

Context: Located in Yangtze River Delta area and the center of East China, Nanjing is home to one of the world's largest inland ports. Nanjing is also one of the fifteen sub-provincial cities in the People's Republic of China's administrative structure, enjoying jurisdictional and economic autonomy only slightly less than that of a province. Nanjing has been ranked seventh in the evaluation of "Cities with Strongest Comprehensive Strength" issued by the National Statistics Bureau, and second in the evaluation of cities with most sustainable development potential in the Yangtze River Delta. It has also been awarded the title of 2008 Habitat Scroll of Honour of China, Special UN Habitat Scroll of Honour Award and National Civilized City. Nanjing boasts many high-quality universities and research institutes, with the number of universities listed in 100 National Key Universities ranking third, including Nanjing University. The ratio of college students to total population ranks No.1 among large cities nationwide. Nanjing is one of the three Chinese top research centres according to Nature Index.

Question: What part of China (North, East, South, West) is Nanjing located?


Answer: inland ports

Question: What does Nanjing have that is considered one of the world's biggest?


Answer: Yangtze River

Question: What river is Nanjing associated with?


Answer: Nanjing

Question: What city was awarded the 2008 Habitat Scroll of Honour of China?


Answer: over a thousand years

Context: Nanjing, one of the nation's most important cities for over a thousand years, is recognized as one of the Four Great Ancient Capitals of China, and had been the world's largest city aggregately for hundreds of years, enjoyed peace and prosperity and beared wars and disasters. Nanjing served as the capital of Eastern Wu, one of the three major states in the Three Kingdoms period (211-280); the Eastern Jin and each of the Southern Dynasties (Liu Song, Southern Qi, Liang and Chen), which successively ruled southern China from 317-589; the Southern Tang, one of the Ten Kingdoms (937-76); the Ming dynasty when, for the first time, all of China was ruled from the city (1368-1421); and the Republic of China (1927–37, 1945–49) prior to its flight to Taiwan during the Chinese Civil War. The city also served as the seat of the rebel Taiping Heavenly Kingdom (1851–64) and the Japanese puppet regime of Wang Jingwei (1940–45) during the Second Sino-Japanese War, and suffered appalling atrocities in both conflicts, including the Nanjing Massacre. It has been serving as the capital city of Jiangsu province after the China was established, and is still the nominal capital of Republic of China that accommodates many of its important heritage sites, including the Presidential Palace and Sun Yat-sen Mausoleum. Nanjing is famous for human historical landscapes, mountains and waters such as Fuzimiao, Ming Palace, Chaotian Palace, Porcelain Tower, Drum Tower, Stone City, City Wall, Qinhuai River, Xuanwu Lake and Purple Mountain. Key cultural facilities include Nanjing Library, Nanjing Museum and Art Museum.

Question: How long has Nanjing been important?


Answer: Four

Question: How many Great Ancient Capitals does China have?


Answer: Nanjing

Question: What city is considered to be the nominal capital of the Republic of China?


Answer: Sun Yat-sen Mausoleum

Question: What mausoleum is in Nanjing?


Answer: Nanjing

Question: What city was the capital of Eastern Wu during the Three Kingdoms era?


Answer: more than 500 thousand years ago

Context: Archaeological discovery shows that "Nanjing Man" lived in more than 500 thousand years ago. Zun, a kind of wine vessel, was found to exist in Beiyinyangying culture of Nanjing in about 5000 years ago. In the late period of Shang dynasty, Taibo of Zhou came to Jiangnan and established Wu state, and the first stop is in Nanjing area according to some historians based on discoveries in Taowu and Hushu culture. According to legend,[which?] Fuchai, King of the State of Wu, founded a fort named Yecheng (冶城) in today's Nanjing area in 495 BC. Later in 473 BC, the State of Yue conquered Wu and constructed the fort of Yuecheng (越城) on the outskirts of the present-day Zhonghua Gate. In 333 BC, after eliminating the State of Yue, the State of Chu built Jinling Yi (金陵邑) in the western part of present-day Nanjing. It was renamed Moling (秣陵) during reign of Qin Shi Huang. Since then, the city experienced destruction and renewal many times.[citation needed] The area was successively part of Kuaiji, Zhang and Danyang prefectures in Qin and Han dynasty, and part of Yangzhou region which was established as the nation's 13 supervisory and administrative regions in the 5th year of Yuanfeng in Han dynasty (106 BC). Nanjing was later the capital city of Danyang Prefecture, and had been the capital city of Yangzhou for about 400 years from late Han to early Tang.

Question: How long ago did "Nanjing Man" live?


Answer: Zun, a kind of wine vessel

Question: What vessel was found 5000 years ago?


Answer: 473 BC

Question: When was the the fort of Yuecheng built?


Answer: about 400 years

Question: How long had Nanjing been the capital city of Yangzhou?


Answer: the late period of Shang dynasty

Question: When was the Wu state created?


Answer: 229 AD

Context: Nanjing first became a state capital in 229 AD, when the state of Eastern Wu founded by Sun Quan during the Three Kingdoms period relocated its capital to Jianye (建業), the city extended on the basis of Jinling Yi in 211 AD. Although conquered by the Western Jin dynasty in 280, Nanjing and its neighbouring areas had been well cultivated and developed into one of the commercial, cultural and political centers of China during the rule of East Wu. This city would soon play a vital role in the following centuries.

Question: When did Nanjing become a state capital?


Answer: Sun Quan

Question: Who founded Eastern Wu?


Answer: during the Three Kingdoms period

Question: When was Eastern Wu founded?


Answer: the Western Jin dynasty

Question: Who defeated Nanjing and took over in 280?


Answer: 211 AD

Question: When was Nanjing extended?


Answer: the unification of the region

Context: Shortly after the unification of the region, the Western Jin dynasty collapsed. First the rebellions by eight Jin princes for the throne and later rebellions and invasion from Xiongnu and other nomadic peoples that destroyed the rule of the Jin dynasty in the north. In 317, remnants of the Jin court, as well as nobles and wealthy families, fled from the north to the south and reestablished the Jin court in Nanjing, which was then called Jiankang (建康), replacing Luoyang. It's the first time that the capital of the nation moved to southern part.

Question: What happened prior to the collapse of the Western Jin dynasty?


Answer: 317

Question: When did the Jin court head South?


Answer: Nanjing

Question: Where did the Jin court re-establish itself, after fleeing?


Answer: nobles and wealthy families

Question: Who fled with the Jin court to the South?


Answer: more than two and a half centuries

Context: During the period of North–South division, Nanjing remained the capital of the Southern dynasties for more than two and a half centuries. During this time, Nanjing was the international hub of East Asia. Based on historical documents, the city had 280,000 registered households. Assuming an average Nanjing household had about 5.1 people at that time, the city had more than 1.4 million residents.

Question: How long was Nanjing the capital of the Southern dynasties?


Answer: Nanjing

Question: During the time of the North–South division, what city was the center of East Asia?


Answer: 280,000 registered households

Question: During the time of the North–South division, how many households were in Nanjing?


Answer: more than 1.4 million residents

Question: What is the estimated population of Nanjing during that time?


Answer: historical documents

Question: Where did the information on registered households during that period originate?


Answer: A number of sculptural ensembles

Context: A number of sculptural ensembles of that era, erected at the tombs of royals and other dignitaries, have survived (in various degrees of preservation) in Nanjing's northeastern and eastern suburbs, primarily in Qixia and Jiangning District. Possibly the best preserved of them is the ensemble of the Tomb of Xiao Xiu (475–518), a brother of Emperor Wu of Liang. The period of division ended when the Sui Dynasty reunified China and almost destroyed the entire city, turning it into a small town.

Question: What has survived in Nanjing's suburbs?


Answer: Qixia and Jiangning District

Question: In what district are these sculptural pieces located?


Answer: the ensemble of the Tomb of Xiao Xiu

Question: Which piece is the best, in terms of preservation condition?


Answer: a brother of Emperor Wu of Liang

Question: Who was Xiao Xiu?


Answer: 475–518

Question: When did Xiao Xiu live?


Answer: during the Southern Tang (937–976)

Context: The city of Nanjing was razed after the Sui dynasty took over it. It renamed Shengzhou (昇州) in Tang dynasty and resuscitated during the late Tang. It was chosen as the capital and called Jinling (金陵) during the Southern Tang (937–976), a state that succeeded Wu state. It renamed Jiangning (江寧) in Northern Song dynasty and renamed Jiankang in Southern Song dynasty. Jiankang's textile industry burgeoned and thrived during the Song dynasty despite the constant threat of foreign invasions from the north by the Jurchen-led Jin dynasty. The court of Da Chu, a short-lived puppet state established by the Jurchens, and the court of Song were once in the city. Song was eventually exterminated by the Mongol empire under the name Yuan and in Yuan dynasty the city's status as a hub of the textile industry was further consolidated.

Question: When was Nanjing made a capital again?


Answer: the Song dynasty

Question: During what dynasty did Nanjing become a thriving textile city?


Answer: The court of Da Chu

Question: What was the name of the short-lived puppet court created by the Jurchens?


Answer: the Mongol empire

Question: Who defeated the court of Song?


Answer: Zhu Yuanzhang

Context: The first emperor of the Ming dynasty, Zhu Yuanzhang (the Hongwu Emperor), who overthrew the Yuan dynasty, renamed the city Yingtian, rebuilt it, and made it the dynastic capital in 1368. He constructed a 48 km (30 mi) long city wall around Yingtian, as well as a new Ming Palace complex, and government halls. It took 200,000 laborers 21 years to finish the project. The present-day City Wall of Nanjing was mainly built during that time and today it remains in good condition and has been well preserved. It is among the longest surviving city walls in China. The Jianwen Emperor ruled from 1398 to 1402.

Question: Who was the first emperor of the Ming dynasty?


Answer: the Yuan dynasty

Question: Who did Zhu Yuanzhang defeat?


Answer: long city wall

Question: What did Zhu Yuanzhang build around the city of Nanjing?


Answer: 21 years

Question: How long did it take to finish the wall?


Answer: 200,000

Question: How many workers worked on the wall?


Answer: from 1358 to 1425

Context: It is believed that Nanjing was the largest city in the world from 1358 to 1425 with a population of 487,000 in 1400. Nanjing remained the capital of the Ming Empire until 1421, when the third emperor of the Ming dynasty, the Yongle Emperor, relocated the capital to Beijing.

Question: When was Nanjing considered to be the biggest city in the world?


Answer: 487,000

Question: What was the number of people in Nanjing in 1400?


Answer: 1421

Question: When did Nanjing cease to be the capital?


Answer: Beijing

Question: Where was the capital moved to?


Answer: the Yongle Emperor

Question: Who was the third emperor of the Ming dynasty?


Answer: Ming Xiaoling Mausoleum

Context: Besides the city wall, other famous Ming-era structures in the city included the famous Ming Xiaoling Mausoleum and Porcelain Tower, although the latter was destroyed by the Taipings in the 19th century either in order to prevent a hostile faction from using it to observe and shell the city or from superstitious fear of its geomantic properties.

Question: What is the name of the famous mausoleum in Nanjing?


Answer: the Taipings

Question: Who decimated the Porcelain Tower?


Answer: in the 19th century

Question: When was the Porcelain Tower destroyed?


Answer: superstitious fear of its geomantic properties

Question: One possibility the Tower was destroyed was to prevent it's use by a hostile enemy. What is the other possibility?


Answer: 15–20 km (9–12 mi) east of the walled city

Context: A monument to the huge human cost of some of the gigantic construction projects of the early Ming dynasty is the Yangshan Quarry (located some 15–20 km (9–12 mi) east of the walled city and Ming Xiaoling mausoleum), where a gigantic stele, cut on the orders of the Yongle Emperor, lies abandoned, just as it was left 600 years ago when it was understood it was impossible to move or complete it.

Question: How far from Nanjing is the Yangshan Quarry?


Answer: a gigantic stele

Question: What large item is abandoned at the Quarry?


Answer: 600 years ago

Question: How long ago was the stele abandoned?


Answer: it was impossible to move or complete it

Question: Why was the stele abandoned?


Answer: the Yongle Emperor

Question: Who ordered the creation of the stele?


Answer: admiral Zheng He

Context: As the center of the empire, early-Ming Nanjing had worldwide connections. It was home of the admiral Zheng He, who went to sail the Pacific and Indian Oceans, and it was visited by foreign dignitaries, such as a king from Borneo (Boni 渤泥), who died during his visit to China in 1408. The Tomb of the King of Boni, with a spirit way and a tortoise stele, was discovered in Yuhuatai District (south of the walled city) in 1958, and has been restored.

Question: What Admiral called Nanjing his home?


Answer: (Boni 渤泥)

Question: What visiting king died in China in 1408?


Answer: Borneo

Question: What country did this visiting king come from?


Answer: a tortoise stele

Question: What stele is at Boni's tomb?


Answer: 1644

Context: Over two centuries after the removal of the capital to Beijing, Nanjing was destined to become the capital of a Ming emperor one more time. After the fall of Beijing to Li Zicheng's rebel forces and then to the Manchu-led Qing dynasty in the spring of 1644, the Ming prince Zhu Yousong was enthroned in Nanjing in June 1644 as the Hongguang Emperor. His short reign was described by later historians as the first reign of the so-called Southern Ming dynasty.

Question: When did Beijing lose to Li Zicheng's rebel forces and the Manchu-led Qing dynasty?


Answer: Zhu Yousong

Question: What Ming prince was enthroned in Nanjing?


Answer: in June 1644

Question: When was Zhu Yousong enthroned?


Answer: the Hongguang Emperor

Question: What was Zhu Yousong's title?


Answer: the so-called Southern Ming dynasty

Question: The Hongguang Emperor's reign was thought of as the first reign of what dynasty?


Answer: late May 1645

Context: Zhu Yousong, however, fared a lot worse than his ancestor Zhu Yuanzhang three centuries earlier. Beset by factional conflicts, his regime could not offer effective resistance to Qing forces, when the Qing army, led by the Manchu prince Dodo approached Jiangnan the next spring. Days after Yangzhou fell to the Manchus in late May 1645, the Hongguang Emperor fled Nanjing, and the imperial Ming Palace was looted by local residents. On June 6, Dodo's troops approached Nanjing, and the commander of the city's garrison, Zhao the Earl of Xincheng, promptly surrendered the city to them. The Manchus soon ordered all male residents of the city to shave their heads in the Manchu queue way. They requisitioned a large section of the city for the bannermen's cantonment, and destroyed the former imperial Ming Palace, but otherwise the city was spared the mass murders and destruction that befell Yangzhou.

Question: When did the Hongguang Emperor leave Nanjing, having been defeated?


Answer: Zhao the Earl of Xincheng

Question: Who surrendered Nanjing to invaders on June 6?


Answer: shave their heads

Question: What did the Manchu's make all the men in the city do?


Answer: 1644–1911

Context: Under the Qing dynasty (1644–1911), the Nanjing area was known as Jiangning (江寧) and served as the seat of government for the Viceroy of Liangjiang. It had been visited by the Kangxi and Qianlong emperors a number of times on their tours of the southern provinces. Nanjing was invaded by British troops during the close of the First Opium War, which was ended by the Treaty of Nanjing in 1842. As the capital of the brief-lived rebel Taiping Heavenly Kingdom (founded by the Taiping rebels in the mid-19th century, Nanjing was known as Tianjing (天京, "Heavenly Capital" or "Capital of Heaven").

Question: When was the Qing dynasty in power?


Answer: Jiangning

Question: What was Nanjing called during the Qing dynasty?


Answer: the Kangxi and Qianlong emperors

Question: What emperors visited Nanjing more than once?


Answer: 1842

Question: What year did the First Opium War end?


Answer: the Qing viceroy and the Taiping king

Context: Both the Qing viceroy and the Taiping king resided in buildings that would later be known as the Presidential Palace. When Qing forces led by Zeng Guofan retook the city in 1864, a massive slaughter occurred in the city with over 100,000 estimated to have committed suicide or fought to the death. Since the Taiping Rebellion began, Qing forces allowed no rebels speaking its dialect to surrender. This policy of mass murder of civilians occurred in Nanjing.

Question: Who lived in buildings that would later come to be known as the Presidential Palace?


Answer: 1864

Question: When did Qing troops regain Nanjing?


Answer: over 100,000

Question: How many people died during the Qing troops retaking of Nanjing?


Answer: Taiping

Question: Qing troops allowed no rebels who spoke what dialect to surrender?


Answer: Zeng Guofan

Question: Who was the leader of the Qing troops?


Answer: January 1912

Context: The Xinhai Revolution led to the founding of the Republic of China in January 1912 with Sun Yat-sen as the first provisional president and Nanking was selected as its new capital. However, the Qing Empire controlled large regions to the north, so revolutionaries asked Yuan Shikai to replace Sun as president in exchange for the abdication of Puyi, the Last Emperor. Yuan demanded the capital be Beijing (closer to his power base).

Question: When was the Republic of China founded?


Answer: Sun Yat-sen

Question: Who was the first president of the Republic of China?


Answer: Yuan Shikai

Question: Who moved the capital from Nanjing to Beijing?


Answer: 1927

Context: In 1927, the Kuomintang (KMT; Nationalist Party) under Generalissimo Chiang Kai-shek again established Nanjing as the capital of the Republic of China, and this became internationally recognized once KMT forces took Beijing in 1928. The following decade is known as the Nanking decade.

Question: When was Nanjing re-established as the capital of the Republic of China?


Answer: the Kuomintang (KMT; Nationalist Party)

Question: What party established Nanjing as the capital of the Republic of China?


Answer: Generalissimo Chiang Kai-shek

Question: Who was the leader of the Kuomintang (KMT; Nationalist Party)?


Answer: the Nanking decade

Question: What are the 1930's known as, in China?


Answer: 1928

Question: When did the Kuomintang (KMT; Nationalist Party) defeat and take over Beijing?


Answer: 1931

Context: In 1937, the Empire of Japan started a full-scale invasion of China after invading Manchuria in 1931, beginning the Second Sino-Japanese War (often considered a theatre of World War II). Their troops occupied Nanjing in December and carried out the systematic and brutal Nanking Massacre (the "Rape of Nanking"). Even children, the elderly, and nuns are reported to have suffered at the hands of the Imperial Japanese Army. The total death toll, including estimates made by the International Military Tribunal for the Far East and the Nanjing War Crimes Tribunal, was between 300,000 and 350,000. The city itself was also severely damaged during the massacre. The Nanjing Massacre Memorial Hall was built in 1985 to commemorate this event.

Question: When did Japan invade Manchuria?


Answer: 1937

Question: When did Japan invade all of China?


Answer: the Imperial Japanese Army

Question: Who killed innocent civilians in the Nanking Massacre?


Answer: between 300,000 and 350,000

Question: How many died in the Nanking Massacre?


Answer: 1985

Question: When was the Nanjing Massacre Memorial Hall built?


Answer: A few days before the fall of the city

Context: A few days before the fall of the city, the National Government of China was relocated to the southwestern city Chungking (Chongqing) and resumed Chinese resistance. In 1940, a Japanese-collaborationist government known as the "Nanjing Regime" or "Reorganized National Government of China" led by Wang Jingwei was established in Nanjing as a rival to Chiang Kai-shek's government in Chongqing. In 1946, after the Surrender of Japan, the KMT relocated its central government back to Nanjing.

Question: When was the National Government of China moved to Chungking?


Answer: 1940

Question: When was the Nanjing Regime established?


Answer: Wang Jingwei

Question: Who was the leader of the Nanjing Regime?


Answer: 1946

Question: When did the KMT move back to Nanjing?


Answer: "Reorganized National Government of China"

Question: What was another name for the Nanjing Regime?


Answer: 21 April

Context: On 21 April, Communist forces crossed the Yangtze River. On April 23, 1949, the Communist People's Liberation Army (PLA) captured Nanjing. The KMT government retreated to Canton (Guangzhou) until October 15, Chongqing until November 25, and then Chengdu before retreating to Taiwan on December 10. By late 1949, the PLA was pursuing remnants of KMT forces southwards in southern China, and only Tibet was left. After the establishment of the People's Republic of China in October 1949, Nanjing was initially a province-level municipality, but it was soon merged into Jiangsu province and again became the provincial capital by replacing Zhenjiang which was transferred in 1928, and retains that status to this day.

Question: When did the Communist troops cross the Yangtze River?


Answer: April 23, 1949

Question: When was Nanjing conquered by the Communist People's Liberation Army (PLA)?


Answer: Canton (Guangzhou)

Question: Where did the KMT government stay until October 15?


Answer: December 10

Question: When did the KMT government head to Taiwan?


Answer: October 1949

Question: When was the People's Republic of China formed?


Answer: 2,548 sq mi

Context: Nanjing, with a total land area of 6,598 square kilometres (2,548 sq mi), is situated in the heartland of drainage area of lower reaches of Yangtze River, and in Yangtze River Delta, one of the largest economic zones of China. The Yangtze River flows past the west side and then north side of Nanjing City, while the Ningzheng Ridge surrounds the north, east and south side of the city. The city is 300 kilometres (190 mi) west-northwest of Shanghai, 1,200 kilometres (750 mi) south-southeast of Beijing, and 1,400 kilometres (870 mi) east-northeast of Chongqing. The downstream Yangtze River flows from Jiujiang, Jiangxi, through Anhui and Jiangsu to East Sea, north to drainage basin of downstream Yangtze is Huai River basin and south to it is Zhe River basin, and they are connected by the Grand Canal east to Nanjing. The area around Nanjing is called Hsiajiang (下江, Downstream River) region, with Jianghuai (江淮) stressing northern part and Jiangzhe (江浙) stressing southern part. The region is also known as Dongnan (東南, South East, the Southeast) and Jiangnan (江南, River South, south of Yangtze).

Question: How large is Nanjing, in miles?


Answer: past the west side and then north side

Question: Where does the Yangtze River flow in Nanjing?


Answer: 190 mi

Question: How far is Nanjing from Shanghai, in miles?


Answer: 750 mi

Question: How far is Nanjing from Beijing?


Answer: Hsiajiang (下江, Downstream River) region

Question: What is the name of the area of land around Nanjing?


Answer: Yangzhou

Context: Nanjing borders Yangzhou to the northeast, one town downstream when following the north bank of the Yangtze, Zhenjiang to the east, one town downstream when following the south bank of the Yangtze, and Changzhou to the southeast. On its western boundary is Anhui province, where Nanjing borders five prefecture-level cities, Chuzhou to the northwest, Wuhu, Chaohu and Maanshan to the west and Xuancheng to the southwest.

Question: What city is northeast of Nanjing?


Answer: Changzhou

Question: What is southeast of Nanjing?


Answer: Anhui province

Question: What province is to the west of Nanjing?


Answer: five

Question: How many prefecture-size cities are in the province of Anhui?


Answer: Zhenjiang

Question: What city is on the border of Nanjing to the East?


Answer: Yangtze River

Context: Nanjing is the intersection of Yangtze River, an east-west water transport artery, and Nanjing–Beijing railway, a south-north land transport artery, hence the name “door of the east and west, throat of the south and north”. Furthermore, the west part of the Ningzhen range is in Nanjing; the Loong-like Zhong Mountain is curling in the east of the city; the tiger-like Stone Mountain is crouching in the west of the city, hence the name “the Zhong Mountain, a dragon curling, and the Stone Mountain, a tiger crouching”. Mr. Sun Yet-sen spoke highly of Nanjing in the “Constructive Scheme for Our Country”, “The position of Nanjing is wonderful since mountains, lakes and plains all integrated in it. It is hard to find another city like this.”

Question: What is the east-west waterway near Nanjing?


Answer: Nanjing–Beijing railway

Question: What is the railway that runs South to North called?


Answer: Zhong Mountain

Question: What mountain is in the East are of Nanjing?


Answer: Stone Mountain

Question: What mountain lies in the west of Nanjing?


Answer: tiger

Question: Stone Mountain is compared to what animal?


Answer: a humid subtropical climate

Context: Nanjing has a humid subtropical climate (Köppen Cfa) and is under the influence of the East Asian monsoon. The four seasons are distinct, with damp conditions seen throughout the year, very hot and muggy summers, cold, damp winters, and in between, spring and autumn are of reasonable length. Along with Chongqing and Wuhan, Nanjing is traditionally referred to as one of the "Three Furnacelike Cities" along the Yangtze River (长江流域三大火炉) for the perennially high temperatures in the summertime. However, the time from mid-June to the end of July is the plum blossom blooming season in which the meiyu (rainy season of East Asia; literally "plum rain") occurs, during which the city experiences a period of mild rain as well as dampness. Typhoons are uncommon but possible in the late stages of summer and early part of autumn. The annual mean temperature is around 15.46 °C (59.8 °F), with the monthly 24-hour average temperature ranging from 2.4 °C (36.3 °F) in January to 27.8 °C (82.0 °F) in July. Extremes since 1951 have ranged from −14.0 °C (7 °F) on 6 January 1955 to 40.7 °C (105 °F) on 22 August 1959. On average precipitation falls 115 days out of the year, and the average annual rainfall is 1,062 millimetres (42 in). With monthly percent possible sunshine ranging from 37 percent in March to 52 percent in August, the city receives 1,983 hours of bright sunshine annually.

Question: What type of climate does Nanjing enjoy?


Answer: the East Asian monsoon

Question: What monsoon affects Nanjing?


Answer: Chongqing and Wuhan

Question: Nanjing is one of three "Furnacelike" cities. What are the other two cities?


Answer: 115 days

Question: How many days of rain does Nanjing get a year, on average?


Answer: 1,983 hours

Question: How many hours of bright sunshine does Nanjing get each year?


Answer: 40

Context: Nanjing is endowed with rich natural resources, which include more than 40 kinds of minerals. Among them, iron and sulfur reserves make up 40 percent of those of Jiangsu province. Its reserves of strontium rank first in East Asia and the South East Asia region. Nanjing also possesses abundant water resources, both from the Yangtze River and groundwater. In addition, it has several natural hot springs such as Tangshan Hot Spring in Jiangning and Tangquan Hot Spring in Pukou.

Question: How many types of minerals are found in Nanjing?


Answer: iron and sulfur

Question: Which minerals comprise 40 percent of those in the province?


Answer: strontium

Question: For what mineral reserve does Nanjing rank first in both East Asia and the South East Asia areas?


Answer: the Yangtze River and groundwater

Question: What are Nanjing's main water sources?


Answer: Tangshan Hot Spring

Question: What hot spring is in Jiangning?