210+ Best Worldwide History Trivia Questions & Answers

Question: In December 1989 the Brandenburg Gate reopened, uniting two halves of which city?

Answer: Berlin

Question: What was the name of the policy to try to contain WW2 by agreeing to some of Hitler's demands?

Answer: Appeasement

Question: The Battle of Kursk was part of which larger conflict?

Answer: World War 2

Question: What was the occupation of Spartacus in ancient Rome?

Answer: Gladiator

Question: What was the name of the investment plan to help Europe recover from WW2?

Answer: Marshall

Question: What was the codename given to the project to develop the atomic bomb?

Answer: Manhattan

Question: The Dalai Lama fled from Tibet to which nearby country in 1959?

Answer: India

Question: The Princes in the Tower were supposedly murdered in which London building?

Answer: Tower of London

Question: What was Hillary Clinton's profession before going into politics?

Answer: Lawyer

Question: What was the surname of sufragette campaigners Emmeline, Christabel and Sylvia?

Answer: Pankhurst

Question: 1980 saw shipyard workers in Gdansk in which country go on strike?

Answer: Poland

Question: Which Duke beat Napoleon at Waterloo?

Answer: Wellington

Question: The Battle of Midway was a sea battle during which war?

Answer: World War 2

Question: In 1958, Fidel Castro overthrew President Batista in which country?

Answer: Cuba

Question: Sirimavo Bandaranaike of which country became the world's first female Prime Minister?

Answer: Sri Lanka

Question: Victorian killer Jack the Ripper haunted the streets of which city?

Answer: London

Question: The Great Wall of China was built to keep which people from invading?

Answer: Mongols

Question: Who was the last Tsar of Russia?

Answer: Nicholas II

Question: In which decade did John Glenn become the first American in space?

Answer: 1960s

Question: Josephine, vicomtesse de Beauharnais, married which famous leader?

Answer: Napoleon

Question: Maximilien Robespierre led which country at the end of the 18th century?

Answer: France

Question: Which European island was awarded the George Cross for bravery in 1942?

Answer: Malta

Question: Sunni and Shia are the two major branches in which world religion?

Answer: Islam

Question: How many writing Bronte sisters were there?

Answer: 3

Question: Ariel Sharon was a former politician from which country?

Answer: Israel

Question: Which explorer had ships called Pinta, Santa Maria and Niña?

Answer: Christopher Columbus

Question: Who was the last of the British Stuart monarchs?

Answer: Anne

Question: What was the name for military leaders of Japan between the 12th and 19th centuries?

Answer: Shogun

Question: The Tamil Tigers were an extremist group from which country?

Answer: Sri Lanka

Question: Mikhail Gorbachev became leader of the Soviet Union in which decade?

Answer: 1980s

Question: Great Train robber Ronnie Biggs escaped from prison and fled to which country?

Answer: Brazil

Question: What name did Joseph Ratzinger take when he was elected Pope in 2005?

Answer: Benedict

Question: In which decade was the Yom Kippur war between Israel, Syria and Egypt?

Answer: 1970s

Question: Which US President admitted an inappropriate relationship with an intern called Monica?

Answer: Bill Clinton

Question: Who became monarch of Germany in 1888 and led the country into WW1?

Answer: Wilhelm

Question: In which year did the Falklands War take place?

Answer: 1982

Question: Inigo Jones was a pioneer in which field in the 17th century?

Answer: Architecture

Question: Which country experienced the 1896 Klondike gold rush?

Answer: Canada

Question: Which animal is thought to have brought the Bubonic Plague to Europe?

Answer: Rats

Question: The phrase 'let them eat cake' was attributed to which historical figure?

Answer: Marie Antoinette

Question: Corazon Aquino was sworn in as President of which country in 1986?

Answer: Philippines

Question: What was the first name of 20th century code breaker Mr Turing?

Answer: Alan

Question: What was the name of the bonnie Prince who led the Jacobite rebellion in the 18th century?

Answer: Charlie

Question: The Shang and Qing dynasties ruled which country in ancient times?

Answer: China

Question: The Mali Empire was a Middle Ages civilisation from which part of the world?

Answer: West Africa

Question: In 1948, the Soviets blocked off rail and road traffic to which city?

Answer: Berlin

Question: Which US President said 'Ich bin ein Berliner' in 1963?

Answer: Kennedy

Question: The Balkans war in the former Yugoslavia happened in which decade?

Answer: 1990s

Question: The euro became the new currency of 12 countries on the 1st January in which year?

Answer: 2002

Question: On which island was Napoleon Bonaparte born?

Answer: Corsica

Question: What was the name of the sheep which was the first mammal to be cloned in 1997?

Answer: Dolly

Question: Where did Ferdinand de Lesseps oversee the building of a canal?

Answer: Suez

Question: In which decade did the break-up of Yugoslavia cause war in the Balkans?

Answer: 1990s

Question: Medieval Dutch figure Erasmus was famous in which field?

Answer: Education

Question: The 'Tet Offenseive' was an important turning point in which 20th century conflict?

Answer: Vietnam War

Question: Alan Shepard became the first person to play golf where in 1971?

Answer: Moon

Question: Aviation engineer Barnes Wallis was best known for inventing which type of bomb?

Answer: Bouncing

Question: What was the code name for the Allied action in Iraq in 1991?

Answer: Desert Storm

Question: In January of which year was JFK sworn in as US President?

Answer: 1961

Question: What was the name of the West African state set up by freed American slaves?

Answer: Liberia

Question: Victorian playwright Oscar Wilde was born in which city?

Answer: Dublin

Question: The Battle of the Somme was part of which larger conflict?

Answer: World War 1

Question: Nelson Mandela was held in Robben Island prison, off the coast of which city?

Answer: Cape Town

Question: The French Revolution started with the storming of the Bastille in which city?

Answer: Paris

Question: The fall of which civilisation marked the start of the Dark Ages in Europe?

Answer: Romans

Question: The ancient trade route between Europe and China was known as what kind of road?

Answer: Silk

Question: Isabel Peron was sworn in as President of which country in 1974?

Answer: Argentina

Question: What was the name of the space station launched by the Soviet Union in 1986?

Answer: Mir

Question: Mary Seacole was a pioneer in which field?

Answer: Nursing

Question: What was the first name of 20th century British Prime Minister Chamberlain?

Answer: Neville

Question: Leon Trotsky was a revolutionary from which country?

Answer: Russia

Question: WH Auden was famous in the 20th century in which field?

Answer: Poetry

Question: The Cold War started in the period after which conflict?

Answer: World War 2

Question: In which month of 1939 did Germany invade Poland and spark off World War 2?

Answer: September

Question: People of which religion were driven out of Spain in the 15th century Reconquista?

Answer: Muslim

Question: In which month of 1961 did construction start on the Berlin Wall?

Answer: August

Question: What was the name of Nelson Mandela's first wife?

Answer: Winnie

Question: The Stasi were the state secret police in which country?

Answer: East Germany

Question: What was the first name of 20th century Italian leader Mussolini?

Answer: Benito

Question: Viktor Yushchenko led the 'Orange Revolution' to become leader of which country in 2004?

Answer: Ukraine

Question: Interpol was founded in 1923 in which city?

Answer: Vienna

Question: Who fought the 100 years war?

Answer: England and France

Question: Who was US President during the First World War?

Answer: Woodrow Wilson

Question: Israel, France and which other country led a military attack on Egypt during the Suez Crisis?

Answer: United Kingdom

Question: In which country was the longbow invented?

Answer: Wales

Question: Shaka was a 19th century leader of which famous African tribe?

Answer: Zulu

Question: Who was the first wife of King Henry VIII?

Answer: Catherine of Aragon

Question: In the past, what was a 'jakes'?

Answer: Toilet

Question: In Roman Numerals what does LXX stand for?

Answer: 70

Question: The territory of the ancient kingdom of Mesopotamia is located in which modern day country?

Answer: Iraq

Question: Who led the 1745 Jacobite rebellion?

Answer: Bonnie Prince Charlie

Question: The Khmer Rouge were the communist forces of which Asian country?

Answer: Cambodia

Question: In which country did bridge originate?

Answer: Turkey

Question: In what year did the Rainbow Warrior sink?

Answer: 1985

Question: Which country adopted the Weimar Constitution in 1919?

Answer: Germany

Question: In which century was the Great Depression?

Answer: 20th

Question: In which country were antibiotics first used?

Answer: Egypt

Question: In Tudor times, what was a farthingale?

Answer: Skirt

Question: Who was known as The Lady with the Lamp?

Answer: Florence Nightingale

Question: In which country did the rumba originate?

Answer: Cuba

Question: In what year was the laser printer invented?

Answer: 1975

Question: In which century was the Wall Street Crash?

Answer: 20th

Question: In olden times, what did a 'colporteur' sell?

Answer: Books

Question: In which country was Leon Trotsky murdered?

Answer: Mexico

Question: In what year was UNESCO founded?

Answer: 1946

Question: Former UN Secretary General Javoer Perez de Cuellar was from which South American country?

Answer: Peru

Question: In Victorian Britain, what was a Jacquard?

Answer: Waistcoat

Question: In February 1990, 160 million bottles of what were withdrawn from sale?

Answer: Water

Question: In which decade was Dolly the Sheep cloned?

Answer: 1990s

Question: Explorer Francisco Pizarro defeated the Inca Empire and founded which modern day city?

Answer: Lima

Question: In which century was the Magna Carta signed?

Answer: 13th

Question: Alexander the Great of which country conquered Egypt in 332 BC?

Answer: Greece

Question: In what year did the Tudor Age begin?

Answer: 1485

Question: For how many years was Leonid Brezhnev leader of the Soviet Union?

Answer: 18 years

Question: In the past, who or what was an 'anchoress'?

Answer: Religious hermit

Question: In what century were post boxes invented?

Answer: 17th

Question: Marco Polo was a citizen of which city?

Answer: Venice

Question: How many km long was the Berlin Wall?

Answer: 42

Question: In Stalin's USSR, what was as 'kolkhoz'?

Answer: Collective farm

Question: In which century did the Titanic sink?

Answer: 20th

Question: Blogs were originally called what?

Answer: Weblogs

Question: In the past, who or what were Tommy's?

Answer: Soldiers in World War I

Question: Paul Revere was famous for warning the residents of which US city that the British were coming?

Answer: Boston

Question: In what year was Facebook founded?

Answer: 2004

Question: Dionysus was the Greek god of which drink?

Answer: Wine

Question: In what year did Germany occupy Austria?

Answer: 1938

Question: Alexander the Great was an ancient ruler of which country?

Answer: Macedonia

Question: Who was the first President of the USA?

Answer: George Washington

Question: Hillary Clinton was which secretary of state?

Answer: 67th

Question: Muhammad Ali refused to fight in which war?

Answer: Vietnam

Question: In Ancient Egypt, what was papyrus used for?

Answer: Writing on

Question: In which country was Mother Teresa born?

Answer: Albania

Question: In what year did Queen Victoria die?

Answer: 1901

Question: In which century was World War II?

Answer: 20th

Question: Anne Frank was given her diary for which birthday?

Answer: 13th

Question: In which country did Mao Zedong rule?

Answer: China

Question: How many paces were there in a Roman league?

Answer: 1500

Question: In which decade did Joseph Stalin die?

Answer: 50s

Question: In what year was tea first grown in Ceylon?

Answer: 1867

Question: Tenochtitlán was the capital of which ancient civilisation?

Answer: Aztec

Question: How many people are there in a US Grand Jury?

Answer: 23

Question: In what year was Rajiv Gandhi assassinated?

Answer: 1991

Question: In Ancient Greece, what was a hoplite?

Answer: Foot soldier

Question: Germany signed the WW2 Pact of Steel with which other European nation?

Answer: Italy

Question: How old was the Biblical figure Methuselah?

Answer: 969

Question: In which century was the Gunpowder Plot?

Answer: 17th

Question: In Medieval times, what was a 'fletcher'?

Answer: Arrow maker

Question: Which city was the capital of the Byzantine Empire?

Answer: Constantinople

Question: Which city gives its name to the Convention setting out the accepted rules of warfare, written in 1864?

Answer: Geneva

Question: In which century was the battle of Minden?

Answer: 18th

Question: Owain Glyndwr proclaimed himself Prince of which country in 1400 AD?

Answer: Wales

Question: In what year was the revolver invented?

Answer: 1835

Question: In what year did Henry VIII die?

Answer: 1547

Question: In which continent did World War II start?

Answer: Europe

Question: Who was the Greek god of the underworld?

Answer: Hades

Question: In Tudor times, what was a 'pair of bodies'?

Answer: Corset

Question: King Henry VIII trained for which profession?

Answer: Priest

Question: In what year was the Ku Klux Klan formed?

Answer: 1866

Question: How many ponies did the Pony Express use weekly?

Answer: None

Question: In what year was US President Millard Fillmore born?

Answer: 1800

Question: How many ancient wonders of the world were there?

Answer: 7

Question: In which country was Bonnie Prince Charlie born?

Answer: Italy

Question: Of which ancient people was Attila the leader?

Answer: Huns

Question: In his lifetime, Louis XVI of France had two what?

Answer: Baths

Question: In which European country have the most major land battles been fought?

Answer: Belgium

Question: In which century was the Norman Conquest of England?

Answer: 11th

Question: In Tudor times, Venetians were another name for which item of clothing?

Answer: Breeches

Question: In China, what color does a bride traditionally wear?

Answer: Red

Question: In what year did the Mayan Long-count calendar end?

Answer: 2012

Question: In what year was US President Abraham Lincoln born?

Answer: 1809

Question: In what year was St Paul's Cathedral completed?

Answer: 1711

Question: In which century did Henry V fight at Agincourt?

Answer: 15th

Question: On what type of paper did the Egyptians write?

Answer: Papyrus

Question: In which century was Joan of Arc burned at the stake?

Answer: 15th

Question: In which century did the Boston Tea Party occur?

Answer: 18th

Question: In which century did Nelson triumph at Trafalgar?

Answer: 19th

Question: In what year did Russian troops occupy Afghanistan?

Answer: 1979

Question: Ötzi was a man from which age discovered in 1991?

Answer: Copper

Question: In which harbor did the Mary Rose sink in 1545?

Answer: Portsmouth

Question: In ancient times, which country was known as Gaul?

Answer: France

Question: In what year was US President Zachary Taylor born?

Answer: 1784

Question: In which century did the Great Fire of London occur?

Answer: 17th

Question: Napoleon Bonaparte was emperor of which country?

Answer: France

Question: In which country were the 'Carlist Wars' fought?

Answer: Spain

Question: In which country was the Boxer Rising of 1900?

Answer: China

Question: Who first claimed Australia for Britain in 1770?

Answer: Captain James Cook

Question: In which of these wars did the most people die?

Answer: World War II

Question: Iceland and the UK were caught up in which war?

Answer: Cod

Question: In what year was the infamous 'Black Sox' scandal?

Answer: 1919

Question: In what year did King Richard the Lionheart die?

Answer: 1199

Question: In which century was the US War of Independence?

Answer: 18th

Question: In which country were modern banknotes first used?

Answer: Sweden

Question: Why did Roger Bannister hit the headlines in 1954?

Answer: Ran a sub 4 minute mile

Question: In what year was US President Woodrow Wilson born?

Answer: 1856

Question: In England, what did you buy or get at a mop fair?

Answer: Servants

Question: In what year were the Salem witchcraft trials?

Answer: 1692

Question: In which decade did the Live Aid concert take place?

Answer: 1980s

Question: On which island was Captain Cook killed in 1779?

Answer: Hawaii

Question: From Anglo-Saxon times, who or what is Beowulf?

Answer: Epic poem

Question: Of these, who won the 1989 XXIII Super Bowl?

Answer: San Francisco 49ers

Question: In what year was Microsoft Office first released?

Answer: 1990

Question: In which modern day country is the city of Troy?

Answer: Turkey

Question: In which country was Greenpeace founded in 1971?

Answer: Canada

Question: In what year was South Sudan created as a country?

Answer: 2011

Question: Who was the United States' very first president?

Answer: George Washington

Question: In what year was US President Harry S. Truman born?

Answer: 1884

Question: How long did the General Strike in the 1920s last?

Answer: 9 days

Question: In what year was US President George Washington born?

Answer: 1732

Question: How many baths did Louis XIV take in his lifetime?

Answer: 3

Question: Of which country was Greenland a colony until 1981?

Answer: Denmark