Blaugust 5/31: The Italian Question Strikes Back

Partly because it is a Blaugust tradition of mine to do a Wednesday quiz, and partly to get back at those amongst our readership that made a point of criticising "my new homepage" over the last year or so, today's post is a quiz about the History of Italy, as expressed in maps.

As always, the Wednesday quiz is surprise quiz on whatever floats the editors boat. To participate, lodge your answers in the comments. It is poor form to use references of any kind external to your own cybernetic brain. Remember to show your working, because everything is funnier that way.

Below are five very rough mud-maps that represent periods in the history of Italy. Rearrange the maps into the correct order and name the controlling power on each map labelled 'A' and 'B'. Points will be awarded for each map in the correct position in time and for each correctly labelled power.

Map 1:

Map 2: 

Map 3:

Map 4:

Map 5:

And for bonus points, which of these African regions was the first to come under Italian control in 1855, and which was the last to gain independence from Italy in 1951?

Don't be afraid to guess, there's a good chance that you'll do at least as well as I did this week in Mark's quiz. We'll mark the results in a week's time. See you then.

The Wednesday Quiz: The Italian Question(s)

What do you mean,there's been a suspicious lack of content around here lately? I have no idea what you're talking about. And look, over there...it's a quiz!

This is a map of modern Italy. Below are 8 different pictures relating somehow to regions of Italy. Match them to their region on the map, and of course, explain why. No cheating now.

1) I scream, you scream, we all scream for vaguely vexillological ice-cream!

2) Don't know this one? Take a blind guess. 

3) Famously one of the classic blunders, along with getting involved in a land war in Asia, is "Going in against a _____ when death is on the line"

4) It's a critical ingredient in many a stew

5) And for dessert!

6) I scream, you scream, we all scream because Audrey Hepburn has no idea how to ride one of these things!

7) That's a sixteenth century piece of field or naval artillery, isn't it? (It's only a model)

8) World's No.1 reason for Gameboy emulators.

Have fun and try your best!

The Wednesday Quiz II.II: Mappage

That's right, ladies and gentlemen of the internet. It is once again Wednesday, and that means it's time for another quiz, this week based around the world map. This weeks quiz is brought to you by the wonders of the internet, the gentlemanly rules of single quiz combat and the number ten.
Each of the maps below represents some aspect of the modern world, in diplomatic, sporting and demographic spheres of all colours, but it's up to you to work out what. Seriously, only you can save mankind.
Please put you answers to what each of the following maps represents in the comments to this post. Creativity earns points too, in case you're stuck, but not as many points as the correct answers.

i.
ii.
iii.
iv.
v.
vi.
vii.
viii.
ix.
x.
Don't be afraid, logical thinking, process of elimination and educated guessing will get you most of the way.

Last week's quiz answers are now up!