Considered by some art historians to be the beginning of the Renaissance, the Trecento was a 14th-century period in Italy that saw renewed focus on the arts, including painting, architecture, literature, and, especially, music. Influenced by troubadours and a type of polyphonic sacred music called the conductus, composers throughout the period pioneered new forms of expression, especially in secular songs written in the Italian vernacular. Who was the period’s most famous composer? Discuss
Source: The Free Dictionary
The enormously popular syndicated comic strip Peanuts was first published in 1950. It ran continuously for the next 50 years, ending shortly before the death of its creator, Charles Schulz. The strip chronicled the childhood travails of Charlie Brown and his friends, including Lucy and Linus, and his dog, Snoopy. Schulz’s characters also adorned hundreds of products, making him the world’s wealthiest cartoonist. Which of Charlie Brown’s friends appeared in the first strip? 
The Italian town of 
Turner was an American slave who believed that he had been chosen to lead the slaves out of bondage. He took a solar eclipse in 1831 as a sign and began his rebellion with a few trusted fellow slaves. They killed his master’s family and went from house to house, freeing slaves and killing the white people they found. The rebels grew to more than 70 before the state militia quashed the insurrection. Turner was tried and hanged along with 56 others. What laws were passed in response to the revolt? 
Mayakovsky, a Russian poet and playwright, was one of the foremost representatives of early 20th century Russian Futurism. A leader of the Futurist school in 1912, he went on to become the poetic voice of the Russian Revolution. His poetry is unique in its rhythm, rhyme, and imagery. Written almost entirely in metaphors, his 1915 poem The Cloud in Trousers describes the agony of unrequited love. Mayakovsky was one of the few Soviet writers allowed by the state to do what? 
California’s Stanford University is one of the most prestigious universities in the US. It has extensive research facilities and places a strong emphasis on scientific, technological, and social science research. It was established in 1891 by American railroad builder, politician, and philanthropist Leland Stanford and his wife, as a memorial to their son, Leland Stanford, Jr., who died of typhoid in 1884 at age 15. In fact, the official name of the school is still what?