UK Politicians After 1721 Trivia Quiz

Answer: Winston Churchill

The British Churchill worked as a journalist during the same time period which led to confusion. The British Churchill said he would use his middle initial S for Spencer to differentiate. They met a few times in their careers. The American Churchill quit writing in 1919 and did not publish another novel until 1949, although he did adaptations of his novels for the stage and some non-fiction.

The British Churchill published only one novel and 71 journalistic or historical works.

Answer: Spencer Perceval

Mr. Perceval was shot dead on May 11, 1812 by John Bellingham, a British trade merchant who had been imprisoned in Russia. Bellingham felt that the government should give him compensation, but when they didn't, he snapped and decided to kill the Prime Minister.

Answer: Charles Grey

Charles Grey (2nd Earl Grey), was a British statesman best known for being the namesake of Earl Grey Tea. Grey and his wife Mary Elizabeth Ponsonby led a fruitful life, producing 10 sons and 6 daughters. Only one, a daughter, didn't survive until adulthood, being a stillborn baby.

Answer: Margaret Thatcher

She was called the "Iron Lady" due to her resolve on issues. She was the first female Prime Minister. During her time in office she led efforts to privatize government-owned industries while decreasing the power of unions. Along with Mikhail Gorbachev and Ronald Reagan she was a key mover in ending the decades long Cold War with the USSR.

Answer: Robert Walpole

The Whigs dominated English politics. Parliament was under Whig control from 1721 to 1762. John Stuart had a brief turn as PM as a Tory in 1762-63. However, seven of the next eight PMs were Whigs.

Walpole is given credit for making the role of Prime Minister significant and a move from a monarchy to a democratic nation. Walpole is reported to be very much an informal man referred to by his contemporaries as the "fat old Squire of Norfolk". He was one of the longest serving PMs.

Answer: Benjamin Disraeli

Although born into a Jewish family Benjamin Disraeli was baptized into the Anglican faith at the age of 12 years old. Disraeli was later known not only for having served the British government for over 30 years, but also for his social and literary accomplishments. Seemingly at odds with his no nonsense political career, his novels tended to be of a romantic nature.

In particular, the novel "Vivien Grey" has been cited as a fictionalized account of Disraeli's personal involvement in starting up a new newspaper and its ultimate failure.

Answer: William Gladstone

William Gladstone served the British government for over 60 years and all he got was a lousy suitcase named after him! This statement is of course only accurate if one disregards the social and monetary compensations one gains through holding such offices.

Answer: Neville Chamberlain

In September 1938 Chamberlain had a series of meetings in Munich with German leader Adolf Hitler. He came out with an pact signed by Hitler agreeing to a non-aggression policy. He was greeted with a triumphal return. Meanwhile, Hitler was not deterred by a 'piece of paper' and continued invading adjoining states. England then called forth a 'war time leader' Winston Churchill. Chamberlain's appeasement policy had failed and he was a subject of ridicule to his naivety and died shortly after.

Historians, who have studied internal documents of Chamberlains era, have made a more gentler assessment of Chamberlain.

Answer: American Revolution

Ironically, the Stamp Act of 1765 was passed as a measure for paying for the large British peacetime army. The British government had decided that there was too much opposition to raising taxes in Britain, so the colonies were targeted for taxation to raise the needed revenue.

The colonies had never experienced direct taxation for such purposes prior to the Stamp Act of 1765 and it was extremely unpopular. The opposition it engendered played a major part in fomenting the unrest that led to the American Revolution of 1775.

Answer: Herbert Henry Asquith

Asquith was the last Liberal Leader of the British Government, which was due to a falling out with David Lloyd George which caused the downfall of the Liberals. It is generally decided that he was two different Asquiths- the urbane and conciliatory Asquith (who was a successful peacetime leader) and the hesitant and increasingly exhausted Asquith of World War I.