Words! Words! Words!

On this day in 1834, President Andrew Jackson was censured by Congress for refusing to turn over confidential documents dealing with his cabinet meetings. Jackson was the first president to suffer this formal disapproval from Congress. Take our vocab test and see if Merriam or Webster should censure you today.

On this day in 1871, journalist Henry Morton Stanley began his famous search through Africa for the missing British explorer Dr. David Livingstone. If you think you might be lost in the wilderness some day, be sure to pack a good pocket dictionary and magnifying glass in your pack. You can learn new words in your down time, and the pages will come in handy for starting signal fires with the glass. Meanwhile, let’s see how much of an explorer you are when it comes to strange, new words.

On March 14, 1879, Albert Einstein was born. It’s also Pie Day. One day, little Albert came home from school and his papa asked “What did you learn today?” “In my geometry class, I learned pi r squared,” answered Albert. “Dumbkopf!” said his papa, “pie are round. Cornbread’s square.” Make mine blueberry and we’ll eat it at the speed of light while you try today’s vocabulary quiz.

Aristotle, the ancient Greek, is still considered the greatest teacher and philosopher of all time. He died on this date in 322 B.C. Or did he? Take our word quiz and see if Aristotle still lives on…in you.

On February 28, 1861, with the region’s population booming because of the Pike’s Peak gold rush, Congress creates the new Territory of Colorado. When the United States acquired it after the Mexican War ended in 1848, the land that would one day become Colorado was nearly unpopulated by Anglo settlers. Ute, Arapaho, Cheyenne, and other Indians had occupied the land for centuries, but the Europeans who had made sporadic appearances there since the 17th century never stayed for long. It was not until 1851 that the first permanent non-Indian settlement was established, in the San Luis Valley.

Try your mountaineering and prospecting word skills out today. 

On this date in 1948, NASCAR was founded. Contrary to the thinking of some, “NASCAR” is not how you say “Nice car” in Southernese. It’s short for National Association of Stock Car Racing. Let’s see how fast you can make it around the track in today’s vocabulary quiz.

Supposedly on this date in A.D. 278, a priest named Valentine lost his head to Emperor Claudius the Cruel for conducting marriage ceremonies in Rome. How’s your love…for words? Take our vocab test and see if Merriam or Webster should have sent you a card today.