Geographical People Trivia Quiz

Answer: Vitus Bering

Though born in Denmark, Vitus Bering (1681-1741) spent most of his life away from his native country. Having traveled extensively in his teens and early twenties when serving on various ships, and completed naval training in Amsterdam, at the age of 23 he became a sub-lieutenant in the Russian Navy - at the time rapidly expanding under the rule of Peter the Great. He reached the rank of second captain in 1720, conducting various support missions rather than engaging in direct combat. In 1724, Bering decided to retire after failing to obtain a promotion: however, just a few months later he reentered active service with the rank of first captain.

At the end of 1724, Bering was appointed commander of the first Kamchatka expedition, whose main purpose was mapping the lands between Russia's eastern boundary and North America. The expedition, which was partly conducted by land and lasted nearly 6 years, concluded that Asia and America were two distinct landmasses separated by the sea. Energized by the insights gained, Bering proposed a second, much more ambitious expedition, which took three years to set up. Although he and his companions sighted the southern coast of Alaska, spotted Mount Saint Elias, and discovered Kodiak Island, the expedition was plagued by problems - ultimately claiming Bering's life, as well as the lives of many other members of that ill-fated endeavour.

In spite of this tragic ending, Bering is remembered for his noteworthy achievements - even though he was not the first Russian to sight North America, nor the first Russian to pass through the strait separating North America from Asia. That strait, the sea south of it, and the island where he died all bear Bering's name. Bering Glacier lies in south-central Alaska, while the Bering Land Bridge is a prehistoric landmass that lay between Asia and North America.

Answer: Peter I of Russia

Commonly referred to as Peter the Great, Peter I of the House of Romanov (1672-1725) was Tsar of Russia from 1682 to 1721 (ruling jointly with his half-brother, Ivan V, until 1696), and Emperor of all Russia from 1721 to his death. A larger-than-life man both literally and metaphorically, he was highly educated and influenced by Western culture, science and philosophy. In spite of fierce internal opposition, he implemented a sweeping programme of reforms that dragged Russia - still stuck in the Middle Ages in many respects - into the modern age.

Though his methods were often extremely harsh, Peter did manage in his goal of modernizing his vast kingdom. One of his key achievements was the establishment of the Imperial Russian Navy, which by the early 19th century became one of Europe's most powerful. His war against the Swedish Empire (Great Northern War, 1700-1721) expanded Russia's power in the Baltic Sea region, while his engagements against the Ottoman Empire in 1710-1711 ended in defeat.

Russia's former capital, St Petersburg, was named after St Peter rather than its founder Peter the Great. However, in 1914 Nicholas II renamed the city Petrograd - this time after his predecessor on the Russian throne; the name was used until 1924. On the other hand, the city of Petrozavodsk, the capital of the Republic of Karelia, also founded during Peter the Great's reign, was named after him: its name means "Peter's factory". Peter the Great Gulf is the largest gulf on the Sea of Japan, on which the city of Vladivostok is located.

Answer: Alexander von Humboldt

Born in a well-to-do Prussian family, Alexander von Humboldt (1769-1859) showed a keen interest in nature since childhood. In 1790, while still a student at the University of Göttingen, he travelled to England, where he met Sir Joseph Banks, the naturalist who had taken part in James Cook's first voyage. The two struck a friendship that lasted until Banks' death. Upon his return to Prussia, Humboldt focused on pursuing a career as a scientific explorer, attending courses in various scientific disciplines, as well as foreign languages and commerce. In the following years, Humboldt became a true polymath, engaging in literary as well as scientific pursuits, and becoming part of the circle of intellectuals of Weimar Classicism.

At the very end of the 18th century, Humboldt was finally able to dedicate himself entirely to exploration. His first expedition (1799-1804) took him to Central and South America, then part of the; Spanish Empire. His extremely detailed description of the journey (containing plenty of illustrations by Humboldt himself) was later published in 21 volumes: he was one of the first people to propose that Africa and South America once formed a single landmass, and also introduced concepts that led to the development of environmentalism. In 1829, Humboldt's second major expedition took him to Russia, when he was already 60 years old. Sponsored by the Russian government, who was interested in using Humboldt's expertise in mineralogy to gain insights into the country's resources, the expedition reached the Yenisei River in Siberia.

Both during his life and after his death Humboldt was honoured with having geographical and astronomical features, plant and animal species, places, and institutions named after him. The Humboldt Current flows along the western coast of South America; the Humboldt Glacier is found in Greenland, and Humboldt Bay in California. The three mountain ranges named after Humboldt are in Antarctica, New Zealand, and the US state of Nevada; Pico Humboldt is in Venezuela, Humboldt Peak in Colorado, and Mount Humboldt in New Caledonia.

Answer: James Cook

Born in a family of modest condition, James Cook (1728-1799) joined the British merchant navy as a teenager, and the Royal Navy in 1755. Though not formally educated, he learned many of the subjects that would be useful to him in his naval career during his apprenticeship in the merchant navy. His talent as a surveyor and cartographer, deployed during his service in the Seven Years' War (1756-1763), brought him to the attention of the Admiralty. Promoted lieutenant at the age of 39, in 1768 Cook was commissioned to command a scientific voyage to the Pacific Ocean to record the transit of Venus across the sun. The voyage of the ship HMS Endeavour lasted nearly three years, reaching as far south as New Zealand. The crew also included noted botanists Joseph Banks and Daniel Solander.

Promoted commander upon his return to England, in 1772 Cook was commissioned to lead a second expedition to search for the fabled "Terra Australis". Though it crossed the the Antarctic Circle, the expedition did not make it to mainland Antarctica. Cook's third, fateful voyage, whose main goal was the search for the elusive Northwest Passage, took him to the coast of Alaska, then through the Bering Strait to the Siberian coast, and finally to the Sandwich Islands (present-day Hawaii) - where, on 14 February 1779, he was killed during a dispute with a group of natives.

Cook's three Pacific voyages contributed enormously to Europeans' knowledge of that vast geographical area. It is, therefore, not surprising that a large number of places in the Pacific region bear his name. The Cook Islands, visited by Cook twice in the 1770s, are part of Polynesia, while Cook Strait separates the North and South Islands of New Zealand, and Cook Inlet is located in south-central Alaska. Mount Cook (Aoraki in Māori) is New Zealand's highest peak; another Mount Cook is part of the Saint Elias Mountains of northwestern North America. There are also a number of towns, islands and rivers named after Cook.

Answer: Otto von Bismarck

A member of the Prussian landed nobility, Otto von Bismarck (1815-1898) became involved in politics in his early 30s. Prussia's status as a major European power was consolidated by his skillful handling of foreign relations, while his forceful rule as Prime Minister and Chancellor (which earned him the nickname of "Iron Chancellor") during most of the reign of Emperor William I paved the way for German unification in 1871. Among his many achievements there was also the creation of the first modern welfare state, with the introduction of early forms of social security, health insurance and workers' compensation meant to counteract the growing influence of Socialism. Bismarck's tenure lasted from 1862 to 1890: he eventually fell out with Emperor William II, and was forced to resign from his position.

Bismarck's geographical associations are due to his role in building a German overseas empire. Though he was initially against colonial acquisitions - which, in his opinion, were not truly worth the effort in terms of benefits - the pressure of public opinion led him to reverse his position almost overnight. In the space of a few years, Germany acquired colonial possessions in Africa and the South Pacific. The first of these territories, annexed in 1884, was German New Guinea, consisting of the northeastern part of the island and several nearby island groups.

Some geographical features of that part of the world were named after the Chancellor: the Bismarck Archipelago (now part of Papua New Guinea), the Bismarck Sea (where the archipelago is located), and the Bismarck Range in mainland Papua New Guinea. The Bismarck Strait (in Antarctica) and Cape Bismarck (in Greenland) were named by German explorers in the 1870s, while the capital of the US state of North Dakota was named after Bismarck by the Northern Pacific Railway, in the hope of attracting German settlers and investments to the area.

Answer: David Livingstone

Born in a poor Scottish family, David Livingstone (1813-1873) joined the Congregational Church at the age of 15. Through this religious affiliation, he was able to attend medical school in Glasgow - with a view to becoming a missionary. Accepted by the London Missionary Society in 1839, Livingstone was able to complete his studies, and was also ordained as a minister the following year. During his clinical training, he developed a keen interest in Africa, where he hoped he could contribute to the end of the slave trade, which he vehemently opposed. In November 1840 he left England for South Africa. With the exception of a brief return to Britain in the late 1850s, Livingstone spent the rest of his life in Africa, dying of malaria at the age of 60.

Livingstone's expeditions in Southern Africa, though unable to find the sources of the Nile that had become almost an obsession for him, identified a number of major geographical features, in particular Victoria Falls. Though the missions Livingstone set up in Southern Africa were largely unsuccessful, his discoveries helped Europeans gain an understanding of the geography of Africa - which, unfortunately, was instrumental to the invasion and colonization of the continent in the late 19th century known as the "Scramble for Africa".

Hailed in Britain as a national hero after his death, Livingstone is still revered in Africa, unlike other Europeans. A city in Zambia (Livingstone) and a town in Malawi (Livingstonia) are named after him; Malawi's second-largest city, Blantyre, bears the name of Livingstone's Scottish home town. The city of Livingston in California was also named after the explorer. Livingstone Falls, a series of huge rapids on the Congo River, were named by Henry Morton Stanley in honour of his fellow explorer, who never reached that part of the river. The Livingstone Range, named when the explorer was still alive, is located in Alberta, Canada.

Answer: Simón Bolívar

Simón Bolívar Palacios Ponte y Blanco (1783-1830) is known as "El Libertador" (the Liberator) for his role in achieving independence from the Spanish Empire for the countries of Colombia, Venezuela, Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia and Panama. He was born in Caracas, Venezuela, from a wealthy family of "criollos" (Spaniards born in the Americas), and educated in Europe, where he came into contact with the ideals of the Enlightenment. When he returned to Venezuela in his early 20s, he embarked on a military career in the Venezuelan War of Independence - which, however, ended in defeat for the republican forces. Exiled in Jamaica, Bolěvar befriended various revolutionary leaders in the Caribbean, and was soon ready to launch another attack against Spain. In the years between 1817 and 1825, he defeated the Spanish in New Granada (now Colombia), Venezuela, Panama, Ecuador, Peru and Bolivia (then known as Charcas).

In 1819, Bolívar became President of the Republic of Gran Colombia (consisting of New Granada, Panama, Ecuador and Venezuela), holding the office until his death. He was also President of Peru in 1824-1827, and President of Bolivia - which was named after him - for a few months in 1825. However, the last five years of his life were troubled by various revolts, as well as an assassination attempt in 1828. Depressed, disillusioned and ill, Bolívar resigned from the presidency of New Granada in January 1830, planning to leave for England, but died of tuberculosis at the end of the year.

in spite of this sad ending, Simón Bolívar left an indelible mark on the history of South America, and also outside the continent. His name is honoured in the names of Bolivia and his own native country, officially named Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela; Venezuela's currency is also called bolívar. A sizable number of provinces, districts, cities and towns in the Americas (including the US) also bear Bolívar's name, as do Venezuela's highest mountain and Colombia's second-highest mountain.

Answer: Abel Tasman

Abel Tasman (ca. 1603-1659) was born in a small village in the Netherlands. He started his career as a merchant seaman as a young man. In 1633, at the age of around 30, he joined the Dutch East India Company (VOC), and sailed from the island of Texel (one of the West Frisian Islands) to Batavia (present-day Jakarta). He spent four years in the Dutch East Indies, where he decided to return soon after his return to Amsterdam, taking his wife with him. In 1939 he took part to an expedition in the North Pacific as second-in-command. Tasman's first major voyage, however, came in 1642, when the Council of the Indies sent him on a voyage of exploration that had the main objective of finding the elusive (and fictional) "Terra Australis", a landmass believed to be rich in gold that had appeared on European maps since the 15th century.

In November 1642, Tasman reached the west coast of an island in the South Pacific Ocean, which he named Van Diemen's Land - after Antonio Van Diemen, Governor-General of the Dutch East Indies. The island, now one of the states of Australia, was renamed Tasmania, in honour of the explorer, in 1856. In spite of the unfavourable weather, Tasman pushed on, reaching the coast of the South Island of New Zealand - the first European to do so. His second voyage, in 1644, took him to the northern coast of mainland Australia - which he named New Holland. Tasman spent the rest of his life in Batavia; the detailed journal of his expedition was published in 1898.

Besides the island of Tasmania, the sea that separates it from the North Island of New Zealand also bears Tasman's name - as do a number of geographical features in New Zealand, including the country's second-highest mountain, a glacier, a river, a lake and a bay.

Answer: Charles I of England

Charles I of the House of Stuart (1600-1649) enjoys the dubious distinction of being the only UK monarch to have been executed - for high treason no less. The second son of James I, he became his father's heir after the untimely death of his elder brother, Henry Frederick. A staunch advocate of the divine right of kings, he set himself at odds with the English Parliament; in addition, a series of unpopular measures turned the people against him. The main cause of his downfall, however, were his religious policies - as well as his marriage with devout Catholic Henrietta Maria of France - which created enmity between him and Protestant groups. This disastrous record led to the outbreak of the English Civil War in 1642, and the king's own arrest, trial and execution in 1649.

In spite of his evident shortcomings as a ruler, his reign was a favourable period for the arts, literature, theatre, science and philosophy - as well as colonial developments. The colonies of New England saw a large influx of migrants, many of them Puritans who opposed the king's religious policies. In 1629, Charles I granted a patent to his attorney-general, Sir Robert Heath, for the lands around the Cape Fear River, on the Atlantic coast of North America. Those lands were to be called Carolana, in honour of the king - whose name, translated into Latin, was Carolus. However, the Province of Carolina was established only in 1663, during the reign of Charles II. The division between North and South Carolina dates from 1712: both were among the original Thirteen Colonies that rebelled against the British government in the 1770s.

The Charles River in Massachusetts was also named after Charles I - by the King himself. The colony of Maryland, founded by English Catholics, was named after his queen, Henrietta Maria of France.

Answer: Charles Darwin

Charles Robert Darwin (1809-1882) came from a wealthy family: his father was a doctor, and his maternal grandfather was potter and entrepreneur Josiah Wedgwood. His interest in natural history began at an early age. Later, when attending the University of Edinburgh, he neglected his medical studies in favour of natural sciences - which led his father to send him to Cambridge to pursue a Bachelor of Arts degree. There he met and befriended several scientists: one of them, John Stevens Henslow, proposed him for a position as a naturalist for the second survey expedition of HMS Beagle. The ship sailed on 27 December 1831: its voyage round the world lasted five years.

Darwin took extremely detailed notes of his explorations on land, which were published in 1839 as "The Voyage of the Beagle", and made him popular as an author. His findings formed the basis for his revolutionary theory of natural selection, first presented in 1858 in joint papers by Darwin and naturalist Alfred Russel Wallace, and then elaborated in Darwin's 1959 book "On the Origin of Species". The book was received with a mixture of interest and criticism, often verging on condemnation; it was, however, translated into many languages, and became a cornerstone of scientific thought. His intense dedication to study and research took its toll on Darwin's health, causing him recurring bouts of an illness whose nature is still unclear. When he died in 1882, he was honoured by burial in Westminster Abbey.

Not surprisingly, many places and geographical features have been named after Charles Darwin - some of them during the voyage of the Beagle. The city of Darwin is the capital of Australia's Northern Territory, while the Cordillera Darwin (whose highest peak is also named after the scientist) is located in the Chilean part of Tierra del Fuego. One of the Galápagos Islands, where Darwin conducted such a major part of his research, bears his name - as does the largest of the Danger Islands in Antarctica. Darwin Glacier is in California' Sierra Nevada, on one side of one of the mountains named after the scientist.