Ultimate History Trivia Challenge: 250+ Fun and Fascinating Questions With Answers

Are you ready to test your knowledge of the past with some of the best history trivia questions and answers? From ancient civilizations to modern world events, this ultimate history trivia guide is packed with fun facts, brain-teasing questions, and surprising stories that shaped our world. Whether you’re curious about U.S. history, world history, or strange events that few people know, we’ve got questions for every era and interest.

Dive into ancient history trivia about Egypt, Rome, and Greece, or challenge yourself with modern history questions covering World Wars, famous leaders, and groundbreaking inventions. Explore U.S. history trivia by century—from the colonial days and revolution to the Civil War, the 1900s, and even recent events that defined America. Looking for something lighter? Our section on weird and random history facts will make you smile, while our kid-friendly history trivia makes learning fun for students and families.

This collection is perfect for history lovers, quiz nights, classrooms, or anyone who wants to brush up on fascinating moments from the past. Each trivia question is written in a simple, engaging way so you can enjoy learning without feeling overwhelmed.

Whether you want to impress friends at trivia night, teach your kids about history in a fun way, or just test your own memory, these history trivia questions and answers are here to spark curiosity and keep you entertained. Ready to time-travel through knowledge? Let’s begin!

General History Trivia Questions

Random History Facts and Surprising Events

1. Who is considered the first emperor to unify China and begin connecting walls that later became part of the Great Wall?

Answer: Qin Shi Huang

2. Which dynasty ruled in China around 1600 to 1046 BCE and is famous for oracle bones and early Chinese writing?

Answer: Shang Dynasty

3. The World Heritage archaeological site where thousands of life-size terracotta soldiers were discovered is associated with which emperor?

Answer: Qin Shi Huang

4. What Bronze Age archaeological site yielded what are possibly the world’s oldest known noodles?

Answer: Lajia

5. What is the name of the ritual bronze vessel from the Western Zhou era that bears the oldest known inscription meaning “Middle Kingdom” (or “China”)?

Answer: He zun

6. Which ancient city, capital of the Qi state, had its ruins excavated and featured a grid-pattern layout, sewer system, and a large academy for scholars?

Answer: Linzi

7. The philosophical system that became state philosophy during ancient China and emphasized moral order, family loyalty, and social harmony is called what?

Answer: Confucianism

8. The era when China was divided into multiple states (such as during the Spring and Autumn Period and Warring States Period) ended with the founding of which dynasty?

Answer: Qin Dynasty

9. What important trade route connected ancient China with Europe, the Middle East, and other parts of Asia?

Answer: The Silk Road

10. Which dynasty is known as a “golden age” of Chinese culture, poetry, and trade, flourishing from 618 to 907 CE?

Answer: Tang Dynasty

11. What invention, developed in ancient China, was first used for divination by using tortoise shells or animal bones?

Answer: Oracle bones

12. Which cultural‐political doctrine used in ancient China justified the emperor’s right to rule by claiming divine approval?

Answer: The Mandate of Heaven

Weird and Funny History Trivia

13. Which king tried to erase the record of falling off a horse, only to have recorders hide, copy, and preserve it anyway?

Answer: King Taejong

14. Who managed to sell the Eiffel Tower twice and still get away with it?

Answer: The con man who sold the Eiffel Tower

15. During the Napoleonic Wars, whose pet monkey was mistaken for a French spy and nearly executed?

Answer: The ship captain’s pet monkey

16. Which Persian king ordered the sea to be whipped and punished after a storm ruined his bridge?

Answer: King Xerxes

17. Whose parrot was removed from his funeral for swearing?

Answer: Andrew Jackson’s parrot

18. What city did General Patton report he had taken using only two divisions, when ordered not to take it at all?

Answer: Trier

19. What term, coined from a Gary Larson cartoon, is used for the tail spikes of a stegosaurus?

Answer: Thagomizer

20. In 1866, which small army came back with one more man than it left because they made a friend from the enemy side?

Answer: Liechtenstein’s army

21. Which U.S. President was attacked by a rabbit while rowing in a boat?

Answer: Jimmy Carter

22. Which army built fake wooden planes as a decoy during WWII, only to have a wooden‐bomb dropped on them?

Answer: German decoy planes in Holland

23. What was the “Kettle War” in 1784 known for being even more absurd than most battles?

Answer: Only a kettle full of soup was hit by a cannonball

24. During the Spanish Civil War, what bizarre object was attached to supply drops to slow them when they fell?

Answer: Live turkeys

U.S. History Trivia Questions

Early American History (1600s and Before)

25. Humans crossed the land bridge known as Beringia into the Americas roughly how many years ago?

Answer: About 27,000–12,000 years ago

26. What culture began around 11,500 BCE in North America known for its distinctive stone tools?

Answer: Clovis Culture

27. What is the name of the oldest verified painted object in North America, found in Texas?

Answer: Cooper Bison skull

28. The Woodland Period refers to Native American culture in which general locations?

Answer: Eastern America

29. The first permanent English settlement in the Americas was established in 1607. What was its name?

Answer: Jamestown

30. Which colony’s capital, founded by Samuel de Champlain, is one of the oldest in North America?

Answer: Quebec

31. Which 1620 event led to the founding of Plymouth Colony by English settlers?

Answer: Signing of the Mayflower Compact

32. What tragic event in Virginia in 1619 drastically reduced the Indigenous population there?

Answer: Smallpox

33. In the 1600s, which body of water was explored by Henry Hudson, giving rise to a famous river name?

Answer: Hudson River

34. What colonial law passed in 1632 led to the founding of Maryland?

Answer: Charter for the Province of Maryland

35. In 1692, which infamous trials involving accusations of witchcraft took place in Massachusetts?

Answer: Salem Witch Trials

36. In the mid-1700s, the French and Indian War began—this conflict is part of a larger global war known by what name?

Answer: Seven Years’ War

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Colonial & Revolutionary War Trivia (1700s)

37. When did the American Revolutionary War officially begin?

Answer: 1775

38. When was the Treaty of Paris signed, ending the war and recognizing U.S. independence?

Answer: September 3, 1783

39. What event marked the first military conflict of the war in April 1775?

Answer: Battles of Lexington and Concord

40. Which famous battle in 1781 is considered the decisive turning point leading to British surrender?

Answer: Siege of Yorktown

41. What are alternative names sometimes used for the American Revolutionary War?

Answer: American War of Independence or United States War of Independence

42. Who was the commander-in-chief of the Continental Army throughout the war?

Answer: George Washington

43. Which European country joined the colonists in 1778, strengthening their fight against Britain?

Answer: France

44. What were the names of the acts such as the Sugar Act (1764) and Stamp Act (1765) that raised taxes on colonists?

Answer: The Taxation Acts imposed by Britain

45. Approximate how many years did the Revolutionary War last?

Answer: 8 years (from 1775 to 1783)

46. What was the name of the document adopted by the Continental Congress declaring the colonies’ independence in 1776?

Answer: Declaration of Independence

47. What role did Hessian troops play in the war?

Answer: They were German soldiers hired by Britain to fight the colonists.

48. What was the significant effect of the Battles of Saratoga (1777)?

Answer: It persuaded France to formally ally with the colonists.

Civil War & Expansion (1800s)

49. When did the American Civil War begin?

Answer: April 12, 1861

50. Which event is considered the first battle of the Civil War?

Answer: The Battle of Fort Sumter

51. Who was the Commander-in-Chief of the Union during the Civil War?

Answer: Abraham Lincoln

52. What was the name of the President of the Confederate States during the war?

Answer: Jefferson Davis

53. Which 1863 battle is often considered the turning point of the Civil War?

Answer: Battle of Gettysburg

54. Which campaign gave the Union control of the Mississippi River?

Answer: Vicksburg Campaign

55. What proclamation did Abraham Lincoln issue on January 1, 1863?

Answer: The Emancipation Proclamation

56. Which General surrendered to Ulysses S. Grant at Appomattox Court House, effectively ending the Civil War?

Answer: Robert E. Lee

57. How many years did the American Civil War last?

Answer: Four years (1861-1865)

58. Approximately how many soldiers died during the American Civil War?

Answer: Between 750,000 and 850,000

59. What was one of the major causes of the American Civil War related to inequality?

Answer: Slavery and states’ rights disputes

60. What term describes the states that broke away from the Union to form their own government during the war?

Answer: The Confederate States of America

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Modern U.S. History (1900s–2000s)

61. Which U.S. President signed the Americans with Disabilities Act into law in 1990?

Answer: George H. W. Bush

62. In 1991, which war ended after just 42 days of combat?

Answer: The Gulf War

63. Who was elected as the 42nd President of the United States in 1992?

Answer: Bill Clinton

64. In 1993, which tragic event in Texas involved a standoff between the FBI and a religious group?

Answer: The Waco Siege

65. What major piece of U.S. legislation was signed in 1994 to address violence against women?

Answer: The Violence Against Women Act

66. In 1995, which domestic terrorist attack shocked the nation, killing 168 people?

Answer: The Oklahoma City bombing

67. Who became the first African American woman to travel into space in 1992?

Answer: Dr. Mae Jemison

68. What event in 1999 involved two students carrying out a tragic school shooting in Colorado?

Answer: The Columbine High School massacre

69. Which U.S. President was impeached in 1998 but later acquitted by the Senate?

Answer: Bill Clinton

70. In 2001, which terrorist attacks led to nearly 3,000 deaths and changed U.S. history forever?

Answer: The September 11 attacks

71. What major natural disaster struck New Orleans and the Gulf Coast in 2005?

Answer: Hurricane Katrina

72. Who was elected as the first African American President of the United States in 2008?

Answer: Barack Obama

Famous American Leaders & Presidents

73. Which U.S. president is most often ranked as the greatest in historical surveys?

Answer: Abraham Lincoln

74. Which president usually ranks among the worst for his leadership leading up to the Civil War?

Answer: James Buchanan

75. Who is frequently placed in the top three alongside Lincoln and FDR in presidential greatness rankings?

Answer: George Washington

76. Which president is often ranked last for undermining reconstruction and civil rights for freed slaves?

Answer: Andrew Johnson

77. Which 20th-century president is consistently in the top five due to leading during Great Depression and WWII?

Answer: Franklin D. Roosevelt

78. Which president is regularly praised for conservation, antitrust actions, and consumer protection?

Answer: Theodore Roosevelt

79. In modern rankings, which president’s presidency is often criticized for breaking longstanding norms like the peaceful transfer of power?

Answer: Donald Trump

80. Who are the other presidents beyond Lincoln and Washington that frequently appear in the top ten of scholar rankings?

Answer: Franklin D. Roosevelt, Theodore Roosevelt, Thomas Jefferson

81. Which presidents are commonly found in the bottom-ranked group in most scholar surveys?

Answer: Andrew Johnson, James Buchanan, Warren G. Harding

82. What is one factor used by scholars to rank presidents in these surveys?

Answer: Leadership during crisis

83. What is another factor used to rank presidents in these surveys?

Answer: Handling of the economy

84. Which survey group replicated the top five as “Mount Rushmore plus FDR” (Washington, Jefferson, Theodore Roosevelt, Lincoln, and FDR)?

Answer: Siena College presidential scholars survey

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World History Trivia

Ancient Civilizations (Egypt, Rome, Greece, etc.)

85. Which large ancient Egyptian sculpture has the body of a lion and the head of a pharaoh (Khafre)?

Answer: The Great Sphinx

86. What is the name of the intact ritual ship buried beside the Great Pyramid of Khufu, intended for use in the afterlife?

Answer: The Khufu ship

87. What is the Egyptian artifact, dating from about 3200-3000 BC, that shows one of the earliest hieroglyphic inscriptions and may depict the unification of Upper and Lower Egypt?

Answer: Narmer Palette

88. How many hieroglyphs did ancient Egyptians use in their writing system at certain periods?

Answer: Over 700

89. What is the name of the painted bust sculpted around 1345 BC, famous for its beauty, representing the queen married to Pharaoh Akhenaten?

Answer: The Nefertiti Bust

90. What was the name for the group of priestesses who kept Rome’s sacred hearth and were supported by the state?

Answer: Vestal Virgins

91. Approximately how many days of the year in Imperial Rome were devoted to religious festivals and games?

Answer: 135 days

92. Which practice involved interpreting the will of the gods by observing the flight of birds or other omens?

Answer: Augury

93. From which cultures did Ancient Rome borrow many of its gods, myths, and religious iconography?

Answer: Greek and Etruscan cultures

94. What term describes the Roman custom of absorbing and honoring the gods and cults of conquered peoples?

Answer: Religious syncretism

95. What Greek philosopher is often called the “father of medicine” for separating medicine from superstition?

Answer: Hippocrates

96. What famous war began when the Greeks defeated the Persian Empire at sea in 480 BC?

Answer: Battle of Salamis

97. Which ancient Greek mathematician wrote the Elements, one of the most influential works in geometry?

Answer: Euclid

98. During what period did Athens reach its cultural peak under Pericles, when the Parthenon was built?

Answer: The Classical Age (5th-4th century BC)

99. What was the political system in Athens where male citizens could take part in decisions directly, not through representatives?

Answer: Democracy

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Medieval & Renaissance History

100. What three main periods are usually referred to as the Medieval Renaissance?

Answer: The Carolingian Renaissance, the Ottonian Renaissance, and the Renaissance of the 12th century

101. During whose reigns did the Carolingian Renaissance mainly take place?

Answer: Charlemagne and Louis the Pious

102. Who was one of the key scholars involved in the Carolingian Renaissance, famous for education reforms and textbook creation?

Answer: Alcuin of York

103. What script, developed during the Carolingian Renaissance, became a model for later medieval handwriting?

Answer: Carolingian minuscule

104. What event or development helped bring about the Ottonian Renaissance?

Answer: Otto I’s marriage to Adelaide of Italy, and his imperial coronation in 962

105. In which century did the Renaissance of the 12th century occur in?

Answer: The 12th century

106. Which major European trading powers benefited hugely during the 12th-century Renaissance through trade and commerce?

Answer: Cities like Venice and Genoa

107. What league of northern European cities was formed in the 12th century to facilitate trade?

Answer: The Hanseatic League

108. Which courtly and artistic achievements were emphasized during the Ottonian Renaissance?

Answer: Illuminated manuscripts, cathedral schools, and renewed arts and architecture

109. What was one of the aims of the Carolingian Renaissance regarding the Latin language and texts?

Answer: To copy and preserve classical Latin texts and improve Latin writing

110. What philosophical or scientific roots began to be more widely studied during the 12th-century Renaissance?

Answer: Rediscovery and translation of ancient Greek philosophical and scientific works

111. The term “Medieval Renaissance” was coined by historians in which century?

Answer: The 19th century

Modern World Events (1800s–2000s)

112. Which 19th-century conflict was also called the Taiping Rebellion?

Answer: Taiping Rebellion

113. The Zulu War took place in which century?

Answer: 19th century

114. Which major war in South America during the 1800s involved Paraguay fighting against a coalition of Brazil, Argentina, and Uruguay?

Answer: Paraguayan War

115. What was the American war between the North and South states from 1861 to 1865?

Answer: American Civil War

116. Which European conflicts in the early 1800s were part of the larger Napoleonic Wars?

Answer: Wars of the Third Coalition, Fourth Coalition, etc.

117. Which war from 1998-2002 involved multiple African nations and is sometimes called the “Great War of Africa”?

Answer: Second Congo War

118. What was the name of the series of conflicts in Europe during the early 1990s following the breakup of Yugoslavia?

Answer: Yugoslav Wars

119. Which war over a territorial dispute between Peru and Ecuador took place in the 1990s?

Answer: Cenepa War

120. Which 19th-century uprising was against British colonial rule by a warrior nation in southern Africa?

Answer: Anglo-Zulu War

121. In the 1990s, which country underwent a civil war that started in 1992 and lasted for multiple years, located in Central Asia?

Answer: Tajikistan (Tajikistani Civil War)

122. Which 19th-century conflict was the First Boer War fought in southern Africa?

Answer: First Boer War

123. What war during the late 19th century was fought between France and Vietnam/Northern state remnants of the Nguyen dynasty?

Answer: Sino-French War

International Leaders & Wars

124. What is the anniversary number of the United Nations gathering mentioned in the article?

Answer: 80th

125. Name two conflicts that are described as ongoing at the time of this UN meeting.

Answer: Gaza and Ukraine

126. Who is the UN Secretary-General who urged leaders to move beyond promises toward real solutions during this Assembly?

Answer: António Guterres

127. Approximately how many of the 193 UN member nations are represented at the meeting?

Answer: About 150 nations

128. Which country’s president speaks via video after being denied a visa?

Answer: Palestine (Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas)

129. What percentage cut to the UN budget is mentioned in the article?

Answer: 15%

130. Which three topics did Richard Gowan say will dominate the high-level week?

Answer: The situation in Gaza, U.S. President Donald Trump’s renewed leadership, funding and staff cuts at the UN

131. What issue, besides wars, is highlighted as a growing global challenge at the meeting?

Answer: Hunger

132. What milestone related to women’s rights does the article say is being marked at the assembly?

Answer: The 30th anniversary of the Beijing Women’s Conference

133. What challenge is noted about new technologies during the Assembly?

Answer: They are advancing faster than how to manage them, lacking sufficient guardrails

134. Which UN goal year is referenced regarding ending poverty and ensuring quality education?

Answer: 2030

135. What is one of the major symptoms of the UN’s internal crisis described in the article?

Answer: Significant funding and staff reductions

Wars and Global Conflicts Trivia

World War I Trivia

136. When did World War I start?

Answer: 28 July 1914

137. When did World War I end?

Answer: 11 November 1918

138. Which event in 1914 is considered the spark that ignited World War I?

Answer: Assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand

139. What were the two opposing coalitions in World War I called?

Answer: The Allies (or Entente) vs. The Central Powers

140. Which new form of warfare became common on the Western Front involving deep ditches and barbed wire?

Answer: Trench warfare

141. What was one of the first battles of massive scale on the Western Front that started in 1916 and is remembered for huge casualties?

Answer: Battle of the Somme

142. Which country entered the war in 1917, marking a turning point?

Answer: United States

143. What type of weapon, first used in large scale in WWI, became one of the most feared due to its effects?

Answer: Chemical weapons

144. Which global pandemic overlapped with the final year of the war, worsening the death toll?

Answer: Spanish flu pandemic

145. What treaty officially ended the war between Germany and the Allies?

Answer: Treaty of Versailles

146. Which empires dissolved as a result of the war, leading to new countries being formed?

Answer: German, Austro-Hungarian, Ottoman, and Russian Empires

147. What international organization was formed after WWI in hope of maintaining peace?

Answer: League of Nations

World War II Trivia

148. On what date did World War II begin with Germany’s invasion of Poland?

Answer: 1 September 1939

149. Which two countries declared war on Germany after it invaded Poland?

Answer: United Kingdom and France

150. What was the name of the term for the early part of the war when there was little fighting in Western Europe?

Answer: The Phoney War

151. Which attack prompted the United States to enter World War II?

Answer: Attack on Pearl Harbor

152. What major battle in the Pacific turned the tide against Japan in 1942?

Answer: Battle of Midway

153. Which two cities were hit by atomic bombs in August 1945?

Answer: Hiroshima and Nagasaki

154. What coalition of countries fought against the Axis powers?

Answer: The Allies

155. Name one Axis power leader during World War II.

Answer: Adolf Hitler (others include Benito Mussolini or Emperor Hirohito)

156. Which weapon of mass destruction was used for the first time in war during World War II?

Answer: Nuclear weapons

157. What was the Holocaust?

Answer: The genocide of six million Jews and millions of others by Nazi Germany

158. Which new international organization was established after World War II to promote peace?

Answer: United Nations

159. What global conflict emerged soon after WWII between the US and the Soviet Union?

Answer: The Cold War

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Cold War & Space Race Trivia

160. What two superpowers competed in the Space Race?

Answer: The United States and the Soviet Union

161. What event is commonly seen as the start of the Space Race when a satellite was successfully launched in 1957?

Answer: Sputnik 1

162. Who was the first human to orbit Earth?

Answer: Yuri Gagarin

163. What major goal did U.S. President John F. Kennedy set for the U.S. in 1961?

Answer: To land a man on the Moon and return him safely to Earth before the end of the decade

164. Which U.S. agency was created in 1958 to coordinate civilian space activity?

Answer: NASA

165. What are the names of at least two animals sent into space before humans?

Answer: Dogs (such as Laika) and rhesus monkeys

166. What rocket family enabled the Soviet Union to launch Sputnik, Vostok, Voskhod, and Soyuz spacecraft?

Answer: The R-7 family

167. In what year did NASA’s Apollo 11 land humans on the Moon?

Answer: 1969

168. What Soviet space station program followed the robotic lunar and Venus/Mars probes after the U.S. moon landings?

Answer: Salyut

169. What was the first international cooperation project between the U.S. and USSR in space?

Answer: The Apollo–Soyuz Test Project

170. Which treaty governed activities in outer space, setting rules for satellites and other space activities?

Answer: International space treaties

171. What was one big legacy of the Space Race besides getting to the Moon?

Answer: Advances in satellite technology, space travel, and cooperation like the International Space Station

Historical Inventions, Science, and Technology

Ancient Inventions that Changed the World

172. What is considered one of the earliest tools made by early human ancestors in the Lower Paleolithic?

Answer: Stone tools

173. What invention allowed people in the Neolithic era to grow their own crops instead of only hunting and gathering?

Answer: Agriculture

174. Which invention from the Bronze Age helped people settle in cities and write early records?

Answer: Writing

175. Which device used in Ancient China allowed the measurement of earthquakes centuries ago?

Answer: Seismometer

176. What invention from the 9th century AD in China used explosions and was later used for celebrations?

Answer: Fireworks

177. What invention in Ancient China helped with long-distance navigation?

Answer: Compass

178. What invention from the Indus Valley was used for measuring angles and geometry?

Answer: Protractor

179. Which Ancient Greek machine used to raise water for irrigation was invented in Egypt?

Answer: Archimedes’ screw

180. What early form of printed technology appeared in the Han dynasty before movable type?

Answer: Woodblock printing

181. What invention from the 7th century in China helped merchants avoid carrying heavy coins?

Answer: Banknote

182. Which ancient invention was used to cut and shape food as early as 3400-3100 BC?

Answer: The wheel (wooden wheel)

183. Which invention used by the Ancient Egyptians and the Mesopotamians helped control water flow for cities?

Answer: Plumbing

Scientific Discoveries in Modern History

184. What extinct giant primate was reported to have mostly died out because it couldn’t adapt its diet to changing environments?

Answer: Gigantopithecus blacki

185. What new discovery in fossils involved skin estimated to be about 289 million years old?

Answer: The oldest known skin fossil, possibly from an ancient reptile

186. What is the name of the newer Tyrannosaurus species discovered that lived several million years before T. rex?

Answer: Tyrannosaurus mcraeensis

187. What percentage of mammal species in Brazil’s Caatinga region could be lost by 2060 under climate change, even in the best case?

Answer: Over 90%

188. What kind of implant was shown to record high-resolution neural activity in mouse brains in 2024?

Answer: A graphene-based implant

189. Which large-scale global climate confirmation happened in 2024 regarding temperature records?

Answer: 2023 was confirmed as the hottest year on record

190. What major astronomical mission was approved to launch in 2035 by the ESA in 2024?

Answer: The Laser Interferometer Space Antenna (LISA)

191. Which exoplanet was reported to have water vapor in its atmosphere and is about twice the size of Earth?

Answer: GJ 9827 d

192. What is the average lifespan of electric vehicles reported in early 2025 by a University of Birmingham study?

Answer: 18.4 years

193. What was the chance of an asteroid named 2024 YR4 impacting Earth in 2032, as announced in 2025?

Answer: 1 in 77 (about 1.3%)

194. What scientific breakthrough involved antibodies against malaria reported in January 2025?

Answer: Discovery of a class of anti-malaria antibodies targeting a cryptic epitope

195. What “first human brain implant” device was in the news around early 2025?

Answer: Neuralink’s first microchip implant in a human brain

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Fun & Educational History Trivia for Kids

Easy History Questions for Elementary Students

196. How many people were aboard the Mayflower when it left England for America?

Answer: 102 passengers

197. What was the name of the document the Mayflower settlers made together to agree on how they would govern themselves?

Answer: The Mayflower Compact

198. What name is given to the group of Separatists who sailed on the Mayflower because they wanted religious freedom?

Answer: The Saints

199. What name was given to those aboard the Mayflower who were not Separatists and were more focused on profit or other reasons?

Answer: Strangers

200. What native American man helped the Pilgrims by acting as an interpreter and teaching them how to survive in their new home?

Answer: Squanto

201. During the Age of Discovery, what famous explorer’s voyages from 1497-1502 created a sea route from Europe to India?

Answer: Vasco da Gama

202. What treaty divided the newly discovered lands between Spain and Portugal during the Age of Discovery?

Answer: Treaty of Tordesillas

203. What was the name of the explorer who sailed for Spain and is often credited with “discovering” the Americas in 1492?

Answer: Christopher Columbus

204. Which English explorer, under King Henry VII, sailed to North America in 1496 looking for a route to Asia?

Answer: John Cabot

205. During the Age of Discovery, which French explorer traveled into the St. Lawrence River region and helped found New France?

Answer: Jacques Cartier

206. Which European country was among the first to lead overseas explorations, establishing a stronghold in navigation and trade?

Answer: Portugal

207. What was one negative impact of the Age of Discovery mentioned in the article?

Answer: The spread of disease and devastation of native populations

Middle School History Fun Facts

208. Where was Alexander Fleming born?

Answer: Darvel, Scotland

209. What did Alexander Fleming discover that later became the first widely used antibiotic?

Answer: Penicillin

210. When did Fleming find the mold that killed bacteria in his petri dishes (leading to penicillin)?

Answer: 1928

211. What enzyme did Fleming discover before penicillin, which is found in tears, saliva, and other body fluids?

Answer: Lysozyme

212. In which hospital in London did Fleming study and later work as a researcher?

Answer: St. Mary’s Hospital Medical School

213. What title was given to Fleming in 1945 in recognition of his scientific achievement?

Answer: Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine

214. Which king is Charles II in relation to Charles I?

Answer: Charles II is the son of Charles I

215. What period is Charles II’s reign known by in English history?

Answer: The Restoration period

216. Who did Charles II marry?

Answer: Catherine of Braganza

217. What terrible event struck London during Charles II’s reign, causing many deaths and much destruction?

Answer: The Great Plague

218. What disaster happened in London in 1666 while Charles II was king?

Answer: The Great Fire of London

219. Which scientific society did Charles II help support, enhancing scientific advances in England?

Answer: The Royal Society

Teen-Friendly History Trivia

220. On which island was Alcatraz Penitentiary located?

Answer: Alcatraz Island

221. Between which years did Alcatraz serve as a federal prison?

Answer: 1934 to 1963

222. Name one famous inmate who was housed at Alcatraz.

Answer: Al “Scarface” Capone

223. How many known escape attempts happened during Alcatraz’s operation?

Answer: 14

224. What happened to two escapees who killed a correctional officer during the “Battle of Alcatraz”?

Answer: They were executed in California’s gas chamber

225. Why was Alcatraz eventually closed in 1963?

Answer: Because operating costs were too high

226. In which year was the American Woman Suffrage Association (AWSA) founded?

Answer: 1869

227. Who were two of the founders of the American Woman Suffrage Association?

Answer: Lucy Stone and Henry Blackwell

228. What publication did the AWSA launch in January 1870?

Answer: Woman’s Journal

229. What strategy did the AWSA use to advance women’s suffrage?

Answer: State-by-state campaigns

230. In what year did the AWSA merge with another organization to form NAWSA?

Answer: 1890

231. Where was the headquarters of the AWSA located?

Answer: Boston

Strange and Lesser-Known History Facts

Bizarre Laws and Customs from the Past

232. In Alabama, what kind of disguise is illegal in church if it causes laughter?

Answer: A fake mustache

233. In Arizona, which animal is not allowed to sleep in bathtubs?

Answer: Donkeys

234. What must pickles in Connecticut be able to do in order to be legally sold?

Answer: Bounce when dropped from one foot

235. What utensil is illegal to use when eating fried chicken in Gainesville, Georgia?

Answer: A fork

236. In Indiana, what kind of beer cannot grocery stores sell?

Answer: Cold/refrigerated beer

237. What must public officials in Kentucky swear that they have never done?

Answer: Participated in a duel involving deadly weapons

238. In New York, what action is prohibited—for fun—with a ball?

Answer: Throwing a ball at someone’s head

239. What animal-related contest is illegal in Minnesota?

Answer: Greased pig contests

240. Which state bans harvesting seaweed at night?

Answer: New Hampshire

241. In Virginia, at what age is trick-or-treating illegal without a curfew?

Answer: 14 and older

242. Which state law makes it illegal to transport a gorilla in the back seat of your car?

Answer: Massachusetts

243. What must you do to gates on someone else’s property in Wyoming to avoid fines?

Answer: Close them

You may also like this: 85+ Literature Trivia Questions and Answers [Most Famous]

Little-Known Historical Inventions

244. What does “scramjet” stand for or mean?

Answer: Supersonic combustion ramjet

245. Can a scramjet engine work at subsonic (slower than sound) speeds?

Answer: No — it only works when air is moving faster than the speed of sound

246. What is polyester most commonly made from?

Answer: Polyester is a synthetic polymer, often polyethylene terephthalate (PET)

247. Name one everyday item that is often made using polyester.

Answer: Clothes (shirts, jackets, etc.)

248. What is one property of polyester that makes it popular for fabric use?

Answer: It resists wrinkling and shrinking

249. What is holography?

Answer: A technique for making three-dimensional images using recording and reconstructing light waves

250. What kind of light source is usually needed to record holograms?

Answer: A laser

251. What additional information does a hologram store that a normal photograph does not?

Answer: Phase information (not just intensity of light)

252. Are synthetic polyesters biodegradable in most cases?

Answer: No — most synthetic polyesters are not

253. Why do scramjets not have complex moving parts like regular jet engines?

Answer: Because they rely on high speed airflow and engine geometry rather than turbines or compressors

254. What makes viewing a hologram appear to provide depth or change with viewpoint?

Answer: Because it records interference and the reproduced light field gives depth cues like parallax

255. Name one industrial use of polyester besides making clothing.

Answer: Consumer goods like bottles, ropes, safety belts, or upholstery padding

Random Oddities in World History

256. When and by whom was Amazon founded?

Answer: July 5, 1994, by Jeff Bezos

257. What was Amazon’s original business when it launched?

Answer: An online bookstore

258. Who became CEO of Amazon after Jeff Bezos stepped down in 2021?

Answer: Andy Jassy

259. What does capsule endoscopy use to inspect parts of the gastrointestinal tract?

Answer: A tiny swallowable capsule with a wireless camera

260. What is one main benefit of capsule endoscopy compared to traditional endoscopy?

Answer: It is less invasive and can see areas like the small intestine that standard endoscopes often cannot

261. When did the FDA approve the first capsule endoscope for use in patients?

Answer: 2001

262. What is a limitation of capsule endoscopy?

Answer: It cannot take biopsies or perform treatments—it’s only for imaging and diagnosis

263. What is Myriad Genetics best known for discovering or developing?

Answer: The BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes are related to hereditary breast and ovarian cancer risk

264. Where is Myriad Genetics headquartered?

Answer: Salt Lake City, Utah, USA

265. What Supreme Court case is Myriad Genetics associated with regarding gene patents?

Answer: Association for Molecular Pathology v. Myriad Genetics, Inc., which ruled that naturally occurring genes cannot be patented

266. What test does Myriad offer to assess risk across multiple cancers?

Answer: The MyRisk® germline test, which evaluates genes linked to hereditary cancer risk

267. What mission does Myriad Genetics promote today?

Answer: To use genetic testing and precision medicine to help detect, treat, and prevent disease, and to empower individuals with insights about their health

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