Misc: what sort of animal is a merganser?

Questions

In 1990, the children's classic --------------- was pulled from the optional reading lists for 5th- and 6th-graders in Clay County, Florida, because the book reportedly used objectionable language.?

In 625 B.C., metal coins were introduced in --------. They replaced grain - usually barley - as the medium of exchange. Stamped with a likeness of an ear of wheat, the new coins were lighter and easier to transport than grain, and did not get moldy.?

The one-foot measurement is based on one-third of the length of the arm of ------------ (1068-1135) of England.?

On June 16, 1456, King Charles VII of France annulled a judgment of heresy against -------------, 25 years after she had been burnt at the stake.?

The ------------------ were the first Asian colony to become independent following World War II. Today the country's population is approximately 60,000,000, and is comprised of many ethnicity. Many citizens are of Malay, Chinese, or Spanish descent.?