Final Jeopardy: 19th Century Americans (5-2-18)

Today’s Final Jeopardy question (5/2/2018) in the category “19th Century Americans” was:

On July 10, 1804 he wrote a letter of goodbye, just in case, to “my dearest Theodosia”; he lived until 1836.

New champ Geoff Brousseau, an epidemiologist from Colorado, won $7,599 yesterday. In his second game, he is up against these two players: Josh Hill, a network engineer from Arkansas; and Laura Buermann, a quality assurance analyst from Vermont.

Round 1 Categories: I Remember April – Surprising Musicians – Middle T – Newer Technology – Your Huddled Masses – Yearning to Breathe Free

Geoff found the Jeopardy! round Daily Double in “Surprising Musicians” under the $800 clue on the 10th pick of the round. He was in the lead with $1,200, $200 more than Josh in second place. He made it a true Daily Double and he was RIGHT.

A church organist, this Frenchman made symbols to help blind musicians read & write music. show

WHO IS LOUIS BRAILLE?

Josh and Geoff finished in a tie for the lead with $7,000 each. Laura was second with $2,600.

Round 2 Categories: Contemporary Composers – 6-Letter Words – Flipping Channels – Asian Capitals – Foundling Fathers – Unarmed Combat

Josh found the first Daily Double in “Asian Capitals” under the $2,000 clue on the 16th pick. He was in the lead with $14,200 at this point, $6,800 more than Geoff and Laura, tied in second place. He bet $7,000 and he was RIGHT.

In 1959 this city was designated to replace Karachi as the capital; its construction began 2 years later. show

WHAT IS ISLAMABAD?

Geoff found the last Daily Double in “Foundling Fathers” under the $1,600 clue, with 7 clues left after it. Tied with Laura at $9,400 now, they both had $15,000 less than Josh. He bet $6,000 and he was RIGHT.

When a shepherd found this abandoned son of Laius, King of Thebes, the prophecy was back on. show

WHO IS OEDIPUS?

Josh finished in the lead with $29,600. Geoff was next with $15,800 and Laura was in third place with $11,400.

NONE of the contestants got Final Jeopardy! right.

WHO IS AARON BURR?

The day before they were to face each other in that infamous July 11, 1804 duel in Weehawken, NJ, Aaron Burr wrote to his daughter, Theodosia, his deceased wife’s namesake, and Alexander Hamilton wrote a letter to his wife, Elizabeth. In the aftermath, it was Hamilton who perished.

In the Lin-Manuel Miranda musical “Hamilton,” both men sing to their ill-fated first-born in “Dear Theodosia.” Philip Hamilton died in a duel in 1801. Alexander Hamilton was survived by his wife and 7 other children. Theodosia disappeared at sea en route to New York in December 1812. Earlier that year, she and her husband, Joseph Alston, had lost their only child, 10-year-old Aaron Burr Alston. Aaron Burr was survived by two adopted sons, although it’s generally believed he was their biological father: Aaron Columbus Burr and Charles Burdett.

Laura had no response. She lost her $9,000 bet, dropping her down to $2,400.

Geoff came up with Lewis, who died in 1809 if he meant Meriwether. That cost him $15,000. He finished with $800.

Josh thought it was Lewis, too. He lost $6,000 but won the match with the remainder: $23,600. Josh Hill is the new Jeopardy! champ.

2 triple stumpers from the last round:

CONTEMPORARY COMPOSERS ($2000) This Finnish maestro composed “L.A. Variations” in 1996 when he was music director of the L.A. Philharmonic

FLIPPING CHANNELS ($1200) On MeTV, it’s this Steve McQueen western that shares its title with a Bon Jovi song

2 years ago: NONE of the players got this FJ in “The Solar System”

Its surface features include ones named for Margaret Mead, Josephine Baker & Cleopatra. show

WHAT IS VENUS?

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