Why Is January 1 the Beginning of a New Year

Who introduced the 365-day calendar with a leap day every four years?

• Pope Gregory XIII

• Ptolemy III Euergetes

• Julius Caesar

• Sosigenes

What did the Romans use as a tool to manipulate the calendar and extend the terms of their political allies?

• Ides of April

• Mercedonius

• Leap year

• Saturnalia festival

Which country was one of the last to adopt the Gregorian calendar in 1918?

• China

• Greece

• Saudi Arabia

• Russia

What did Pope Gregory XIII remove from the calendar in 1582 to correct its alignment with the solar year?

• 10 days

• Days of the week

• Leap years

• Hours

What is the significance of Janus in the context of the Roman New Year's celebration on January 1?

• A. God of war
• C. God of love
• D. God of harvest
• B. God of beginnings

Which event in 154 B.C. led to January 1 becoming the standard New Year's Day in the Roman calendar?

• Ides of March
• Mercedonius introduction

• Akitu festival
• Consulship election

What was the primary fault of the Julian calendar that caused it to drift over the centuries?

• Incorrect leap day calculation
• Incorrect day names
• Incorrect solar year length assumption
• Incorrect month names

What does the term "equinox" mean in Latin?

• Equal night

• Equal month

• Equal year

• Equal day

Which ancient civilization celebrated the New Year with an 11-day festival on the vernal equinox?

• Babylonians

• Vikings

• Aztecs

• Romans

Why did some cultures, including the Greeks, prefer to celebrate their New Year on the winter solstice (December 21/22)?

• Winter solstice

• Summer solstice

• Cultural rebirth

• Longer daylight