World history is an enormous and loose field (it would take a while to chart a history of the entire globe, after all), but there are plenty of famous stories, memorable vignettes, and legendary events to capture the imagination. If you’re ready to test your knowledge of this global panorama, try this world history trivia quiz.
Whether you know Ming Dynasty politics like the back of your hand, are intimately familiar with the ins and outs of twelfth-century Sub-Saharan African politics, or simply have some Roman roots and are proud of it, there’s something for everybody in world history. After all, you’re living it right now!
As a result, it’s your duty as a global citizen and human being to know your stuff. So what are you waiting for? Test your historical acumen with these world history trivia questions and answers.
When you’ve finished, expand your historical knowledge with these quizzes on the Royal Family, Greek mythology, and the medieval world.
Which country adopted the Weimar Constitution in 1919?
Norway
United Kingdom
France
Germany
In Victorian Britain, what was a Jacquard?
Bicycle
Lady’s bustle
Waistcoat
Horse drawn carriage
In which century was the Magna Carta signed?
13th
15th
14th
12th
In which country did bridge originate?
Egypt
India
Greece
Turkey
Who was known as The Lady with the Lamp?
Juliet Bravo
Elizabeth Royal
Florence Nightingale
Jane Seymour
Ă–tzi was a man from which age discovered in 1991?
Bronze
Iron
Dark
Copper
What was the name of the policy to try to contain WW2 by agreeing to some of Hitler’s demands?
Aggravation
Accordant
Appeasement
Alliteration
On what type of paper did the Egyptians write?
Vellum
Papyrus
Paper
Tissue
In which century was the Wall Street Crash?
18th
20th
17th
19th
Which European island was awarded the George Cross for bravery in 1942?
Mallorca
Crete
Malta
Sicily
The Battle of Kursk was part of which larger conflict?
American Civil War
Spanish Civil War
World War 1
World War 2
Sunni and Shia are the two major branches in which world religion?
Hinduism
Islam
Christianity
Judaism
Maximilien Robespierre led which country at the end of the 18th century?
Italy
France
Spain
Greece
Great Train robber Ronnie Biggs escaped from prison and fled to which country?
Brazil
Italy
Mexico
China
Who fought the 100 years war?
France and Spain
America and Russia
England and Scotland
England and France
In the past, who or what was an ‘anchoress’?
Religious hermit
Ship’s prostitute
Wet nurse
Cart horse
In what year did the Mayan Long-count calendar end?
1982
2012
1992
2002
Who led the 1745 Jacobite rebellion?
Catherine the Great
Boudica
Bonnie Prince Charlie
George III
In what year did the Tudor Age begin?
1665
1485
1575
1795
In China, what color does a bride traditionally wear?
Black
Blue
Red
White
Interpol was founded in 1923 in which city?
Geneva
Berne
Vienna
Paris
How many ancient wonders of the world were there?
9
5
7
8
Which explorer had ships called Pinta, Santa Maria and Niña?
John Cabot
Amerigo Vespucci
Christopher Columbus
Marco Polo
The Khmer Rouge were the communist forces of which Asian country?
Japan
China
Burma
Cambodia
Explorer Francisco Pizarro defeated the Inca Empire and founded which modern day city?
Lima
New Orleans
Buenos Aires
Mexico City
In which European country have the most major land battles been fought?
France
Belgium
Holland
Netherlands
In which country did the rumba originate?
Brazil
Cuba
Ecuador
Peru
How many writing Bronte sisters were there?
3
2
4
5
Who was the last Tsar of Russia?
Alexander IV
Peter V
Ivan VIII
Nicholas II
Victorian killer Jack the Ripper haunted the streets of which city?
Paris
New York
London
Dublin
Who was the last of the British Stuart monarchs?
Henry VIII
William II
Anne
Elizabeth I
In what century were post boxes invented?
19th
18th
16th
17th
Paul Revere was famous for warning the residents of which US city that the British were coming?
New York
Chicago
Boston
Washington DC
Who was US President during the First World War?
Herbert Hoover
Woodrow Wilson
William Taft
Calvin Coolidge
In Tudor times, Venetians were another name for which item of clothing?
Breeches
Boots
Gloves
Socks
What was the name of the investment plan to help Europe recover from WW2?
Marshall
Melbourne
Montgomery
McDonald
Alexander the Great of which country conquered Egypt in 332 BC?
Ethiopia
India
Venice
Greece
The Battle of Midway was a sea battle during which war?
World War 1
Crimean War
American Civil War
World War 2
In ancient times, which country was known as Gaul?
France
Norway
China
Italy
In which century did the Titanic sink?
18th
17th
19th
20th
Blogs were originally called what?
Weblogs
Beta Logs
Online Diaries
Web Journals
Former UN Secretary General Javoer Perez de Cuellar was from which South American country?
Mexico
Peru
Brazul
Venezuela
In what year was UNESCO founded?
1956
1945
1936
1966
In which country was the longbow invented?
Ireland
Scotland
Wales
England
In what year was the laser printer invented?
1995
1975
1985
1969
What was Hillary Clinton’s profession before going into politics?
Actress
Teacher
Doctor
Lawyer
How many km long was the Berlin Wall?
155 km
122 km
82 km
97 km
What was the occupation of Spartacus in ancient Rome?
Philosopher
Lawyer
Gladiator
Doctor
In which century did the Boston Tea Party occur?
17th
20th
18th
19th
In which century did Henry V fight at Agincourt?
17th
15th
19th
21st
In what year was US President Zachary Taylor born?
1791
1784
1776
1804
For how many years was Leonid Brezhnev leader of the Soviet Union?
38 years
8 years
28 years
18 years
In what year did the Rainbow Warrior sink?
1984
1987
1986
1985
In olden times, what did a ‘colporteur’ sell?
Ice
Books
Fish
Fabric
In which country was Leon Trotsky murdered?
Mexico
Russia
Brazil
USA
1980 saw shipyard workers in Gdansk in which country go on strike?
Poland
Germany
Russia
Netherlands
Alexander the Great was an ancient ruler of which country?
Macedonia
Egypt
Spain
Italy
Josephine, vicomtesse de Beauharnais, married which famous leader?
Horatio Nelson
Napoleon
Duke of Wellington
General de Gaulle
In what year was US President Abraham Lincoln born?
1809
1813
1800
1822
Dionysus was the Greek god of which drink?
Cider
Beer
Wine
Rum
The Princes in the Tower were supposedly murdered in which London building?
Westminster Abbey
Tower of London
Hampton Court Palace
Houses of Parliament
In February 1990, 160 million bottles of what were withdrawn from sale?
Beer
Water
Wine
Soda
In which harbor did the Mary Rose sink in 1545?
Portsmouth
Plymouth
Southampton
Dover
In which decade was Dolly the Sheep cloned?
1980s
1970s
1990s
2000s
In Stalin’s USSR, what was as ‘kolkhoz’?
Member of the KGB
Peasant worker
Collective farm
Governing body
In which country were antibiotics first used?
Italy
Persia
Egypt
China
Shaka was a 19th century leader of which famous African tribe?
Berbers
Shona
Maasai
Zulu
How many ponies did the Pony Express use weekly?
100
None
300
200
Who was the first wife of King Henry VIII?
Catherine of Aragon
Jane Seymour
Anne of Cleeves
Anne Boleyn
In 1958, Fidel Castro overthrew President Batista in which country?
Cuba
Peru
Jamaica
Argentina
In which century was the Norman Conquest of England?
11th
17th
15th
13th
In what year was US President Millard Fillmore born?
1791
1809
1804
1800
Mikhail Gorbachev became leader of the Soviet Union in which decade?
1980s
1990s
1960s
2000s
Of which ancient people was Attila the leader?
Vikings
Huns
Romans
Egyptians
The Tamil Tigers were an extremist group from which country?
China
Australia
Sri Lanka
Libya
Marco Polo was a citizen of which city?
Venice
Rome
Florence
Naples
Which Duke beat Napoleon at Waterloo?
Cornwall
Nelson
Buckingham
Wellington
The Great Wall of China was built to keep which people from invading?
Egyptians
Vikings
Mongols
Phoenicians
In which century did Nelson triumph at Trafalgar?
18th
20th
19th
17th
The territory of the ancient kingdom of Mesopotamia is located in which modern day country?
Iraq
India
Egypt
Japan
What was the codename given to the project to develop the atomic bomb?
Massachusetts
Brooklyn
Baltimore
Manhattan
What was the surname of sufragette campaigners Emmeline, Christabel and Sylvia?
Parkhurst
Packhorse
Pockmann
Pankhurst
In which century was the Great Depression?
17th
19th
18th
20th
Israel, France and which other country led a military attack on Egypt during the Suez Crisis?
West Germany
Italy
United Kingdom
Soviet Union
What was the name for military leaders of Japan between the 12th and 19th centuries?
Meiji
Kanji
Shogun
Nippon
In what year did Germany occupy Austria?
1942
1945
1933
1938
In Tudor times, what was a farthingale?
Tax on farmers
Horse drawn carriage
Small castle
Skirt
Sirimavo Bandaranaike of which country became the world’s first female Prime Minister?
Sri Lanka
New Zealand
Singapore
Malaysia
Ariel Sharon was a former politician from which country?
Russia
Egypt
India
Israel
In what year was St Paul’s Cathedral completed?
1811
1611
1710
1911
In which decade did John Glenn become the first American in space?
1960s
1950s
1970s
1940s
In which country was Bonnie Prince Charlie born?
France
Italy
Scotland
England
In December 1989 the Brandenburg Gate reopened, uniting two halves of which city?
Berlin
Prague
Moscow
Athens
In what year did Russian troops occupy Afghanistan?
1969
1979
1949
1959
In the past, who or what were Tommy’s?
Soldiers in World War I
Miners
Policemen
Chimney sweeps
In Roman Numerals what does LXX stand for?
60
120
70
1200
In the past, what was a ‘jakes’?
Toilet
Mangle
Saucepan
Tunic
The Dalai Lama fled from Tibet to which nearby country in 1959?
India
Russia
Japan
China
In his lifetime, Louis XVI of France had two what?
Shaves
Baths
Haircuts
Marriages
In what year was Facebook founded?
2006
2004
2008
2002
In which century was Joan of Arc burned at the stake?
14th
16th
15th
17th
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