There are many names for this day, just as there are many practical jokes to play on the unsuspecting. The simplest pranks usually involve children who, for example, tell each other that their shoelaces are undone and then cry “April Fool!” when the victims glance at their feet. Sometimes the media broadcast fictitious news items. British television, for example, once showed Italian farmers “harvesting” spaghetti from trees. The French call it Fooling the April Fish Day (the fool being the poisson d’avril) and try to pin a paper fish on someone’s back without getting caught. Discuss
Source: The Free Dictionary
Bismarck was a 19th-century Prussian and German statesman. Under his leadership, Prussia defeated Austria and France, and Germany was united. He was appointed premier in 1862 and became chancellor of the North German Confederation in 1867. When the new German Empire formed in 1871, he became its first chancellor, gaining almost complete control of foreign and domestic affairs and eventually earning the nickname “Iron Chancellor.” What was the Kulturkampf, and why did he encourage it? 
Our Lady of Fatima is the title given to the Virgin Mary by those who believe that she appeared to three shepherd children at Fátima, Portugal, in 1917, at a time when many young men, including relatives of the children, were fighting in WWI. She reportedly exhorted the children to do penance, and they wore tight cords around their waists and abstained from water on hot days. She also reportedly confided to them three secrets. One of these was a vision of Hell. What were the others? 
Among the most recognized and visited structures in the world, the Eiffel Tower was built beside the Seine River in Paris between 1887 and 1889 as the entrance arch for the Exposition Universelle, a World’s Fair marking the centennial celebration of the French Revolution. Named after its designer, engineer Gustave Eiffel, the tower was constructed by 300 workers who joined together 18,038 pieces of puddled iron using 2,500,000 rivets. How many people died during the tower’s construction? 
In 1814, 
René Descartes was a French mathematician, scientist, and philosopher who is considered the father of modern philosophy. Aiming to apply the rigor of mathematics to all fields of human knowledge, Descartes discards the authoritarian system of the scholastics and begins with universal doubt. His methodology was a major influence in the transition from medieval science and philosophy to the modern era. What is thought to be the meaning of his most famous statement, “Cogito ergo sum“? 
The Philly Cheesesteak is a sandwich of steak, cheese, and onions that is considered to be a city icon. Responsibility for its invention is claimed by Philadelphia’s Olivieri brothers, who began selling it at their hot dog stand near south Philadelphia’s Italian Market in the 1930s. Today, a number of long-running rival establishments each claim loyal followings, and Philadelphians enthusiastically debate the merits of each shop’s recipe. What types of cheese are commonly used on cheesesteaks? 
Just 69 days into his presidency, Ronald Reagan was shot in Washington, DC, along with three others. The would-be assassin, John Hinckley, Jr., was motivated by an obsession with actress Jodie Foster and the film Taxi Driver. Reagan soon recovered, and Hinckley was found not guilty by reason of insanity and confined to a psychiatric facility. While Reagan was hospitalized, Secretary of State Alexander Haig made a controversial statement about presidential succession. What did he say?