It is a common adage that if you do not learn about history, you will end up repeating it, to the detriment of all. Not only does history help us learn from the past mistakes of our ancestors, but it also helps us understand what steps people took that led to the world we currently live in. Many people have a fascination with history, and everyone has to learn at least some history in school.
There are some caveats with history since the victors get to tell it. In some cases, there is not even any way to tell for sure that a historic event took place exactly as we believe it did, particularly in the case of those from centuries and centuries ago. There are some historical facts that are a given and accepted as true, but others require a critical eye.
Where does your history knowledge fit into the facts that the general public knows? Most people fail this quiz, but if you have a high IQ and education level, you may be one of the rare few who pass with flying colors. At the very least, you will likely refresh your memory on some historical facts and learn some new ones along the way.
1. Close to the end of the 18th century, the United States gained independence from which country?
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The American colonies fought the American Revolution against Great Britain from 1776-1783.
2. Which of these countries was part of the Axis in World War II?
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The main members of the Axis were Japan, Germany, and Italy.
3. Which president was in office during the American Civil War?
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Lincoln was president from 1861-1865, for the entirety of the conflict.
4. What is the name of the general that rose to the title of emperor of France following the French Revolution?
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As Emperor, Napoleon oversaw the greatest expansion of French territory in history.
5. What is the name of the explorer who is (inaccurately) frequently credited with the discovery of North America, which he reached in 1492?
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"In 1492, Columbus sailed the ocean blue," as goes the schoolyard rhyme. Among Western European explorers, though, Amerigo Vespucci actually discovered the North American continent.
6. The “Virgin Queen” was the nickname for which queen?
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Elizabeth I, daughter of Henry VIII, never married, and thus was believed to have passed on a virgin.
7. During the United States Civil War, who was commander of Northern Virginia’s Confederate Army?
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Lee's command of the Army of Northern Virginia kept the Confederacy in the conflict for far longer than it otherwise would have been.
8. Who was the writer of the United States Declaration of Independence?
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Jefferson would later serve as the third president of the United States.
9. Which president was killed on Nov. 22, 1963?
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Lee Harvey Oswald was picked up by police for the attack on JFK (though never found guilty, since he died before trial), though conspiracy theories surrounding the tragedy have abounded in the decades since.
10. What year did the Spanish Armada take place?
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In 1588, the British utterly decimated the Spanish Armada, firmly establishing Britain as a formidable naval power for the next 400 years.
11. In 1933, which famous man entered power in Germany?
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Hitler became Chancellor after the National Socialist Party became the largest elected party in the German Reichstag.
12. The murder of whom was the spark that began World War I?
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Ferdinand's passing didn't directly cause the conflict — the reasons are much more complex than that — but it was the proverbial straw that broke the camel's back and plunged Europe into chaos.
13. The creation of Protestantism stems from when a man posted a copy of the “Ninety-Five Theses” onto a church door. What is his name?
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Lutheranism is named after him.
14. Which Roman Emperor did Shakespeare write a play about?
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Julius Caesar specifically centers around Caesar's passing and the subsequent political upheaval.
15. True or False: Socrates, the ancient Greek philosopher, had to drink hemlock as punishment for corrupting youths’ minds.
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Basically, Socrates had the wrong opinions, and his political opponents didn't like that about him.
16. What is the name of the British king with a reputation for executing or divorcing the majority of his wives?
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Henry VIII had six wives — two of whom he divorced (or had the marriage annulled), one of whom passed from complications from childbirth and two of whom he famously had separated from their heads.
17. So far, only a single country has used an atomic bomb to attack an enemy. What country is it?
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American dropped two atomic bombs on Japan during WWII, leading to Japan's immediate surrender.
18. The 1917 Bolshevik Revolution took place in which country?
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Vladimir Lenin became the leader of Russia in the wake of the Russian Revolution.
19. What ancient civilization built the Great Sphinx and the pyramids?
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The Egyptian Pharaohs built numerous great architectural works.
20. The most recent time any foreign army conquered Britain was in 1066, nearly 1,000 years ago. Who was responsible for this conquering?
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William of Normandy, AKA William the Conqueror, successfully invaded and took over England in 1066.
21. In 1929, the stock market crashed and was one of the factors leading to what period?
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Isolationism, laissez-faire economics, and overconsumption led to the almost total worldwide collapse of the economy in the late 1920s. The world wouldn't truly recover from it until WWII.
22. What is the name of the Scottish rebel that the movie “Braveheart” was about?
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Wallace staged the largest rebellion against the English crown in Scotland's history and though he perished, his allies ultimately succeeded in gaining some measure of independence from Great Britain.
23. What is the name of the organization that was created following World War II to stop similar events in the future?
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The UN, based in New York City, still serves in that capacity to this day.
24. What name describes Europe’s period of artistic resurgence and enlightenment during the 1400s and 1500s?
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The Renaissance began in Italy in the 15th century and kept going across Europe (Great Britain notably had their Renaissance later than most countries) for almost 200 years.
25. Which Empire has conquered more of the known world?
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Though Rome was considered a tremendous military power, its size was dwarfed by that of the Mongolian Empire. At its height, Mongolia laid claim to central Asia, Russia, China, northern India, and the entire Middle East.
26. Who served as the United States president at the beginning of World War II?
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FDR was president from 1933 until he passed on in 1945, the only US president ever elected to more than two terms (he was elected to four).
27. In 1969, which man took mankind’s first steps on the moon?
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Armstrong's famous quote — "One small step for man, one giant leap for mankind" — was actually a line flub. He was supposed to say "one small step for a man, one giant leap for mankind."
28. Following World War II, there was a period filled with diplomatic conflict between the USSR and America. What is this period called?
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Though the two powers came to the brink of nuclear destruction multiple times during the second half of the 20th century, the Cold War thankfully never became hot with actual direct military conflict.
29. What is the name of the Greek general who conquered vast amounts of land in North Africa and the Middle East?
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Alexander the Great was actually one of Aristotle's pupils.
30. What year did ratification of the United States Constitution occur?
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Though the revolution ended in 1783, it took the US six years to get its act together and ratify the Constitution. In the meantime, the country was presided over by the Articles of Confederation.
31. Which of the following religions is older?
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Judaism's roots come from the Bronze Age, and it is by far the oldest of the three Judeo-Christian religions.
32. History reports that a Roman emperor fiddled during the burning of Rome. Which Emperor is this anecdote about?
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Though the story probably isn't true, Nero was despised enough that historians were able to make the claim stick.
33. This city used to be the capital of ancient Rome and now goes by the name of Istanbul. Its historic name was:
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The city was known as Constantinople under the Roman and Byzantine Empires, but had its name changed to Istanbul when the Ottomans conquered it.
34. The following term refers to the first 10 Amendments made to the United States Constitution.
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The first ten amendments are widely considered the most incontrovertible, though several extremely important ones (such as the 13th, abolishing the practice of owning humans, and the 19th, which granted women the right to vote) came later.
35. This British document was signed in 1215 and is credited as the basis for modern Western law.
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King John was forced to sign the Magna Carta by unhappy lords, effectively putting the first-ever limits on absolute British monarchy and establishing legal codes such as habeas corpus.
36. Genghis Khan’s grandson was able to conquer China, which his grandfather wanted to achieve but could not. What is the grandson’s name?
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Khubilai Khan conquered China largely by turning the peasants against the ruling dynasty and helping lead a popular revolt.
37. What is the name of the wars during the Middle Ages when Arabic armies from the Middle East and European powers fought?
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There were Four Crusades from near the end of the 11th century to the beginning of the 13th century.
38. President Andrew Jackson forced this Native American migration that caused thousands of deaths. What was the migration called?
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2,000-6,000 Cherokees perished as a result of the relocation.
39. Which war was NOT fought because of Communism?
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Communism wasn't even theorized until several decades after 1812, so the war definitely couldn't have been fought over it.
40. This French figure is known for the phrase “Let them eat cake.”
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Though the quote has typically been portrayed as a callous disregard for the lives of peasants, it's more probably Queen Antoinette was so clueless she actually thought starving commoners should be given cake.
41. Which group did the Third Reich NOT try to exterminate during World War II?
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Italy was actually part of the Axis during WWII, so it wouldn't have made a whole lot of sense for the Germans to target Italians.
42. When the first Confederate state seceded from the Union, this led to the United States Civil War. Which state seceded first?
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Montana did not secede at all during the Civil War — this would've been extremely difficult, as Montana did not exist as a state until 1889, roughly 25 years after hostilities ended.
43. This Japanese megalopolis was a tiny fishing village named Edo in its early days.
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Tokyo's rise occurred shortly after it was chosen as the home base of Tokugawa Ieyasu, first shogun of the last of the Japanese shogunates.
44. This battle during WWII took place in Russia and is when the German tide was turned back.
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The long urban fight that was Stalingrad eventually helped turn back Hitler's advance into Russia.
45. In 1920, this group was finally allowed to vote in the United States.
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The Nineteenth Amendment to the US Constitution, finally granting women the right to vote, was passed in 1920.
46. Karl Marx is known as the father of what system of government?
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Marx was all about the rights of the worker, and wrote both The Communist Manifesto and Das Kapital.
47. What is the name of the organization that forced non-Catholics, including Jews, to convert to Catholicism based on the Spanish crown’s authority?
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Amazingly, the Inquisition wasn't formally abolished until 1834.
48. What is the name of the Roman Emperor who was Julius Caesar’s adopted child?
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Born "Gaius Octavius," Augustus is considered the second of the legendary Roman leaders, after his maternal great uncle (and adopted father) Julius.
49. During the second half of the 1900s, the United States fought a conflict against this Southeast Asian country.
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The US got involved at the behest of the French during the 1950s, and it eventually became a quagmire that consumed Lyndon Johnson's presidential administration.
50. At which major battle was Napoleon Bonaparte defeated by the Duke of Wellington?
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Arthur Wellesley, better-known to history as the Duke of Wellington, defeated Napoleon after his return from exile at the Battle of Waterloo in 1815.
51. Which foreign power helped the United States win the American Revolutionary War?
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It is extraordinarily unlikely America would have won its independence without French aid. Also, Germany didn't exist as a political entity until the late 19th century.
52. During the Dark Ages, this group had a reputation for pillaging Western and Northern Europe.
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Nordic invaders known as "vikings" were known for pillaging the coastlines of numerous European countries, particularly those of England, Scotland, and Ireland.
53. During the late 1700s and early 1800s, the British banished its outlaws to this country.
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Australia's existence began as a penal colony after the Dutch were the first to discover its existence in 1606.
54. In 1439, Johannes Gutenberg introduced what invention to Europe?
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Gutenberg's introduction of movable type to Europe is widely regarded as the most important invention of the second millennia. We're honestly more surprised he didn't invent beard oil with that magnificent mane.
55. What other name do you likely know for Edward Teach?
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Variously known as "Teach" and "Thatch," whatever his name was, he was widely regarded as the most fearsome pirate ever.
56. What was the location of the biggest battle in the American Civil War?
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The three-day Battle of Gettysburg was the largest and costliest engagement in the conflict, and is widely regarded as the turning point for the North.
57. True or False: The most recent conflict in which the United States and Great Britain fought each other is the American Revolution.
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The British and Americans squared off again in the War of 1812, which ultimately ended in essentially a draw.
58. France fought the Hundred Years War with which country?
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Germany didn't actually exist until the late 19th century, and since the Hundred Years War was fought from 1337 to 1453, that would've made it somewhat difficult for France to have squared off against the Germans.
59. This Renaissance painter is also known as perhaps the greatest inventor in all of history.
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Leonardo had the misfortune of being born several centuries too early; as it was, he sketched ideas for things like helicopters and tanks. He's probably best-known for painting the Mona Lisa.
60. Shortly after WWII ended, what conflict was the United States a part of?
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The Korean War, fought from 1950-53, has never technically ended; North Korea signed an armistice, but never an official peace treaty with the US.
61. The warrior caste in Japan traditionally went by this name.
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For all intents and purposes, samurai ruled Japan for hundreds of years until their decline following the Meiji Restoration of 1868.
62. Where did the European Renaissance begin?
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Though we tend to remember the Northern Renaissance of England during the mid-to-late 16th century, the Italian Renaissance actually began much earlier, in the late 15th century, in Italian cities like Florence and Venice.
63. Following India getting its independence from Great Britain, which nation split from India?
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India and Pakistan have had a tense relationship ever since, driven in part by religious conflict; India is majority-Hindu, while Pakistan is majority-Muslim.
64. This American Army officer made a huge mistake during the Battle of Little Bighorn and is best-known for this error.
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Custer completely underestimated the size of the Native American forces arrayed against him, and he and his entire force were wiped out. What a doofus.
65. This Scottish revolutionary participated in the First War of Scottish Independence, fighting the British.
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Though Wallace was ultimately defeated, Robert the Bruce continued fighting and eventually won official independence from Great Britain in 1328.
66. This South African leader created an empire within South Africa in the early 1800s.
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Shaka is considered a revolutionary figure in part for his guerilla warfare techniques which were well ahead of their time.
67. True or False: The United States has never had a president serve non-consecutive terms.
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One, and only one President, served nonconsecutive terms of office: Grover Cleveland, the 22nd and 24th President of the United States.
68. This Indian leader achieved independence in 1947 from Great Britain.
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Gandhi is revered for his philosophy of nonviolent resistance.
69. This victim of World War II lived in Amsterdam in hiding from the Germans and famously wrote a diary while in hiding.
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The Diary of Anne Frank is considered one of the most important primary documents of WWII.
70. During the United States Civil War, Union forces burnt down this Southern American city.
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Miami did not see combat during the conflict, but Atlanta sure did — after taking the city, General William Tecumseh Sherman ordered all remaining resources and a good portion of the city torched to the ground.
71. True or False: During Imperial times, a female empress ruled China.
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Wu Zetian, the only Empress in Chinese history, ruled the country during the Zhou Dynasty from 690-705.
72. What is the name of the African-American Civil Rights leader that used the nonviolent resistance strategies of Mohandas Gandhi in the 1960s?
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King was widely revered as a charismatic leader of the downtrodden and a deeply moving orator.
73. This man invented the first telephone that worked.
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Scottish-born Alexander Graham Bell was awarded the first patent for the telephone in 1876, though another inventor by the name of Elisha Gray claimed he had actually invented the same device earlier that day.
74. True or False: A U.S. president has gone on to serve as the U.S. Supreme Court’s chief justice.
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William Howard Taft, the President (1909-1913) best-known for once being so fat he got trapped in the White House bathtub, served as Chief Justice of SCOTUS from 1921-1930.
75. This famous Russian author wrote “Anna Karenina” and “War and Peace.”
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Tolstoy is often regarded as one of the greatest realist novelists ever.
76. This English scientist created the law of gravity.
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Newton is also responsible for the invention of calculus, so if you want to blame someone for your high school classes, he's the guy.
77. In 1949, when the communist partisans took over China, to what country did Chiang Kai-Shek’s loyalist forces flee?
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China still refuses to acknowledge that Taiwan is a sovereign country for this exact reason.
78. True or False: Texas in the United States has previously been its own independent republic.
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From 1836-1846, the Republic of Texas was an independent country (though Mexico refused to acknowledge its sovereignty). This explains a lot about the mindset of modern-day Texans, to be honest.
79. What animal did Carthaginian General Hannibal Barca lead over the Swiss Alps during his efforts to attack Rome?
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Hannibal's elephant forces were considered unstoppable until Roman General Scipio Africanus used trumpets to confuse them into attacking their own troops. We swear the preceding sentence is 100% true.
80. On Aug. 6, 1945, the atomic bomb was used in warfare for the first time. Where was it dropped?
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Up to 150,000 people perished as a result of the atomic bomb dropped on Hiroshima.
81. Prior to Queen Elizabeth II breaking the record in 2015, which British monarch had held the record for having the longest reign?
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Victoria ruled from 1837 until her passing in 1901, and was considered so iconic that the era during which she reigned is named after her.
82. What is the name of the man who shot and killed President Lincoln, doing so on April 15, 1865?
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John Wilkes Booth, the younger brother of famed actor Edwin Booth, ended the life of President Abraham Lincoln.
83. In 1803, President Thomas Jefferson made this purchase of land from France’s Napoleon Bonaparte.
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Jefferson secured the purchase of the Louisiana Territory, an amount of land that makes up roughly 1/3 of the continental United States, for the equivalent of a quarter-billion 2016 dollars in 1803.
84. During the Cold War, this barrier separated Western Europe from the Eastern Communist bloc.
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The Berlin Wall was finally demolished beginning in 1990.
85. Marie Curie is a Polish-born French chemist famous for discovering what?
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Curie was the first woman to win the Nobel Prize and the only person ever to win two Nobels in different sciences. Her discovery of radium, for which she's best-known, ultimately caused her passing from radiation poisoning.
86. The research that led to the creation of the atomic bomb went by what codename?
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The Project was led by nuclear physicist J. Robert Oppenheimer, who, upon the first successful bomb test, quoted the Bhagavad Gita: "Now I am become Death, the destroyer of worlds."
87. This daughter of a French farmer showed her skill as an army leader. Eventually, she became canonized in the form of a Catholic saint.
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Known as the Maid of Orleans, Joan of Arc led a successful military campaign against the British during the Hundred Years War until her capture, after which she was eventually burned at the stake.
88. This invention was known for revolutionizing the United States slave trade, making it one of the causes of the U.S. Civil War.
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Eli Whitney's creation made cotton production significantly easier, leading to a tremendously increased demand for slaves. As a result of his invention, the Southern economy became so dependent on slave labor they were willing to fight a tremendous conflict to preserve it.
89. During pre-Columbian times, this South American empire was the biggest in the area.
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Many aspects of Incan culture survive today through modern Peru.
90. What is the name of the duo that explored the western portion of North America in the early 1800s?
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Meriwether Lewis and William Clark made it all the way to the Pacific Ocean from St. Louis after their expedition was commissioned by President Thomas Jefferson.
91. This treaty ended World War II and has been referred to as a document of “German humiliation.”
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The treaty's harsh sanctions on Germany eventually helped pave the way for WWII. Thanks for that, France.
92. What is the name of the organization that preceded the United Nations?
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Ironically, though President Woodrow Wilson had pushed hard for the creation of the League of Nations, the US ultimately did not join the organization.
93. This hero during the War of 1812 went on to become a U.S. president.
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Since Lincoln was 3 years old when the conflict broke out, it would've been somewhat difficult for him to be a hero of it.
94. This empire conquered the Byzantines, going on to hold sway in the Middle East for almost 500 years.
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The Ottoman Empire finally dissolved in the wake of WWI.
95. This slave is famous for making numerous trips along the underground railroad, during which she was able to save hundreds of slaves.
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Tubman will soon replace President Andrew Jackson on the $20 bill.
96. This Chinese military thinker is also the author of “The Art of War.”
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The principles laid out in The Art of War are still cited today as some of the most bedrock military ideas.
97. Before the U.S. Constitution, what U.S. governing document existed?
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The Articles of Confederation held sway over the US government from 1781-1788.
98. What was NOT part of the 13 colonies of the United States?
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California didn't become a US state until 1850, when it became the 31st state.
99. This man led the Chinese Communist insurgency responsible for changing the country and leading to the creation of the People’s Republic of China.
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Chairman Mao remained in control of China until his passing in 1976.
100. What was the location of the first shots to be fired during the United States Civil War?
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The Confederacy commenced the conflict by firing on Fort Sumter in Charleston harbor.
101. This British King was commonly associated with the Crusades.
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Richard I, king of England from 1189-1199, was also known as Richard the Lionheart for his supposed valiance in battle.
102. Non-Muslims consider this prophet to be the founder of Islam.
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The Quran tells the story of the prophet Muhammad's life and teachings.
103. Who wrote the United States Constitution and went on to be a United States president?
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Madison might be best-known for being a tiny, tiny man, but he was also the primary author of the main document of the US government.
104. This Russian leader is known for helping to modernize Russia in the 1700s
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Unlike most Russian leaders, Peter was fascinated with foreign cultures and was determined to drag Russia kicking and screaming into the modern age.
105. True or False: During World War II, no portion of France worked with Germany.
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Headed by Philippe Petain, the Vichy government capitulated to Hitler and was a puppet state of Germany until the allies occupied all of France in 1944.
106. What country would you visit to see the Great Sphinx and the Pyramid of Khufu?
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There are either 118 or 138 pyramids in Egypt, depending on which source you trust.
107. This event occurred during 1929 and helped lead to the Great Depression.
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The Wall Street Crash of 1929 occurred after a long period of US economic growth during the 1920s.
108. Which country remained neutral in World War II?
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Despite being located smack dab in the middle of Europe (and bordering Germany), the Swiss were neutral during the conflict (as they generally are in all wars).
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