1. When Israel’s first president died in 1952, this man was offered the position, but turned it down.
2. Australia, Brazil, and New Zealand all have this constellation on their national flags.
3. What state capital is named after a German chancellor?
4. Who was shot and killed William McKinley by on this date in 1901?
5. The title of what play do essentially all performers consider unlucky to say at the theatre
Answers and interesting facts about each after the jump.
1. Albert Einstein. Here’s a brief Time article from 1952 about the offer. Einstein gave a great answer as to why he couldn’t do it: “I have neither the natural ability nor the experience to deal with human beings.”
2. Southern Cross. Here’s what those flags look like.
3. Bismarck. The city was named after the chancellor in 1873, in an effort to attract German settlers. The campaign was unsuccessful, but gold was found the next year, bringing plenty of people to the city.
4. Leon Czolgosz. The anarchist, who was 28 at the time of the assassination (and keep in mind, this was the third presidential assassination in 36 years), is obviously nowhere near as infamous as Oswald or Booth. Here’s some more info about the crime, the trial, and his execution.
5. Macbeth. In theatre circles, it is merely called “The Scottish play.” Here is some background on why it is unlucky.