This Day in History Quiz: September 13

Question: Which president of Costa Rica and Nobel Prize laureate, known for his peace plan for military conflicts in Central America, was born on September 13, 1941?

Answer: Óscar Arias Sánchez, president of Costa Rica in 1986–90 and 2006–10, received a Nobel Peace Prize for his efforts in negotiating peace in Central America. He was born on September 13, 1941, in Heredia, Costa Rica.

Question: What iconic Japanese video game featuring an Italian plumber was launched on September 13, 1985?

Answer: Japanese video game company Nintendo released Super Mario Bros. on September 13, 1985. Based on an earlier console game, Super Mario Bros. went on to become one of the best-selling game series of all time.

Question: Which NBC television show about law enforcement debuted on September 13, 1990, and became one of the longest-running U.S. prime-time television shows?

Answer: Law & Order made its debut on NBC on September 13, 1990. It is the longest-running series in U.S. television history about law enforcement.

Question: Who led South Africa’s largest anti-apartheid march, which happened in Cape Town on September 13, 1989?

Answer: Desmond Tutu led a peaceful march of some 30,000 participants on September 13, 1989, making it the largest anti-apartheid march to ever occur in South Africa.

Question: Which monarch was crowned as the ruler of both Spain and Portugal on September 13, 1598?

Answer: King Philip III of Spain (known as Phillip II in Portugal) was crowned on September 13, 1598, succeeding his father, Philip II of Spain.

Question: In which American prison did an inmate-led revolt end on September 13, 1971, resulting in the deaths of 29 inmates and 10 hostages after state police stormed the facility?

Answer: The Attica prison revolt ended on September 13, 1971, after inmates staged an insurrection to demand better living conditions. State police stormed the facility after four days of negotiations.