The Ultimate Trivia Quiz

Summary: Knowledge of Little Consequence

• Trivia is a term used to describe information and data that is of little value and can be contrasted with general knowledge and common sense.
• The word trivia is derived from the Latin word triviae, meaning a place where a road split into two, creating a three-way intersection.
• The term trivia dates back to the 1960s, when college students introduced question-and-answer contests to their universities.
• A board game, Trivial Pursuit, was released in 1982 in the same vein as these contests.
• Trivia contests have been established at various academic levels, as well as casual venues such as bars and restaurants.
• The ancient Romans used the word triviae to describe where one road split or forked into two roads.
• Trivia was used as a title by Logan Pearsall Smith in 1902, followed by More Trivia and All Trivia in 1921 and 1933, respectively, collections of short "moral pieces" or aphorisms.
• The largest current trivia contest is held in Stevens Point, Wisconsin, at the University of Wisconsin–Stevens Point's college radio station WWSP 89.9 FM.
• The two longest continuous trivia contests in the world are the Great Midwest Trivia Contest at Lawrence University and the Williams Trivia Contest.
• Many bars and restaurants host weekly trivia nights in an effort to draw in more patrons, especially during weeknights.
• The University of Colorado Trivia Bowl was a mostly student contest featuring a single-elimination tournament based on the GE College Bowl.
• Trivia has been popularized in recent years, with many online trivia quizzes and games available.