40 History Quiz Questions and Answers

History is the story of everything that came before now — and it's full of drama, irony, and jaw-dropping moments. These 40 history quiz questions range from ancient civilisations to the 21st century, making them perfect for a well-rounded quiz round.

Ancient History

1. Which ancient civilisation built the pyramids at Giza? Egyptian
2. What was the name of the Greek city-state famous for its warrior culture? Sparta
3. Julius Caesar was assassinated in which year? 44 BC
4. What language did the Romans speak? Latin
5. Who was the first Roman Emperor? Augustus (Caesar Augustus)

Medieval History

1. The Black Death killed approximately what fraction of Europe's population in the 14th century? One third
2. Who won the Battle of Hastings in 1066? William the Conqueror (William I)
3. The Crusades were fought over control of which city? Jerusalem
4. Which dynasty ruled China for most of the medieval period? The Tang and Song dynasties
5. Joan of Arc was burned at the stake in which city? Rouen

The Age of Exploration & Empires

1. Who is credited with "discovering" America in 1492? Christopher Columbus
2. The British Empire was, at its peak, the largest empire by area — true or false? True
3. Which explorer circumnavigated the globe for the first time? Ferdinand Magellan (his expedition completed it)
4. The Mughal Empire was based in which modern-day country? India
5. What was the main commodity traded in the Transatlantic Slave Trade? Enslaved African people

Revolutions & Nation-Building

1. The American Declaration of Independence was signed in which year? 1776
2. The Bastille was stormed at the start of which revolution? The French Revolution
3. Simón Bolívar is known as the liberator of which region? South America
4. The Meiji Restoration modernised which country? Japan
5. Russia's Tsar Nicholas II abdicated in which year? 1917

World War I

1. WWI began in which year? 1914
2. The assassination of which Archduke triggered WWI? Archduke Franz Ferdinand
3. What were the two main opposing alliances in WWI? The Triple Entente and the Triple Alliance
4. The Treaty of Versailles was signed in which year? 1919
5. Which country suffered the highest military casualties in WWI? Russia

World War II

1. Germany invaded Poland on which date to start WWII? 1 September 1939
2. The D-Day landings took place in which year? 1944
3. Who was the British Prime Minister during most of WWII? Winston Churchill
4. The atomic bombs were dropped on which two Japanese cities? Hiroshima and Nagasaki
5. WWII ended in which year? 1945

Post-War & Modern History

1. The United Nations was founded in which year? 1945
2. In what year did India gain independence from Britain? 1947
3. The Cuban Missile Crisis occurred in which decade? The 1960s (1962)
4. The Berlin Wall was built in which year? 1961
5. Nelson Mandela became President of South Africa in which year? 1994

21st Century

1. The September 11 attacks occurred in which year? 2001
2. The Arab Spring began in which country? Tunisia
3. The COVID-19 pandemic was declared a global emergency by the WHO in which year? 2020
4. Who was the first Black President of the United States? Barack Obama
5. The UK formally left the European Union on which date? 31 January 2020

Challenge Yourself

How many did you get right? History quizzes are one of the best ways to identify gaps in your knowledge and learn something new. Browse our full collection of history quizzes on DoQuizzes and challenge your friends to beat your score.