10 British History for Kids Questions | For Children Trivia Quiz

Answer: Alfred

At the time Alfred was king, between 871 and 899, England was not a united nation. He was only king of the region known as Wessex, which was the south western part of England. King Ethelred was known as 'the Unready' and King Richard I as 'Lionheart'. Edward I was called 'Longshanks' because he was taller than most men of his time.

Answer: Hastings

Harold II had already fought a battle at Stamford Bridge, where he defeated the invaders from Norway earlier in 1066. William invaded from Normandy, which is now France, and won the Battle of Hastings. He became known as William the Conqueror and was king until he died in 1087. The other battles were all fought in the UK, but much later in history.

Answer: France

The Hundred Years War lasted from 1337 until 1453, which is 116 years. The fighting was not continuous, though, and there were truces at some stages. The war began as a dispute between the English and French kings regarding who should really be king of France. Because William I had come from France, his successors in England believed that they had a claim to the French throne as well.

Answer: Elizabeth I

Elizabeth I ruled England from 1558 until 1603. She was the daughter of Henry VIII and his second wife, Anne Boleyn. Because she never married, Elizabeth was also called 'The Virgin Queen'. She was also called 'Good Queen Bess' and her reign is remembered for being more peaceful and prosperous than usual.

Answer: Guy Fawkes

Guy Fawkes tried to blow up Parliament and kill King James I of England by hiding gunpowder underneath the building. The plot did not succeed, as the planners were discovered. The event is celebrated on November 5 as Bonfire Night, with firework displays. St. Valentine is remembered on February 14 and St. George on April 23. Dick Whittington was a Lord Mayor of London, and there is a procession each year called The Lord Mayor's Show.

Answer: Oliver Cromwell

Oliver Cromwell came to power after the English Civil War, which was a battle between supporters of the monarchy (kings and queens) and those who believed the people, through Parliament, should have control. King Charles I refused to pass over any of his powers, and was executed in 1649. Cromwell ruled as 'Lord Protector' and his son followed him, but not for long.

In 1660, Britain returned to having a king when Charles II came to the throne.

Answer: London

The Great Fire of London lasted from Sunday until Wednesday in September 1666. The fire began at a bakery in Pudding Lane, and spread quickly because of high winds and because most houses were built of wood. The fire was brought under control when the winds died down, but much of the city had been destroyed and had to be rebuilt.

Answer: Nelson

The Battle of Trafalgar was fought at sea between the forces of Great Britain and those of France and Spain. Horatio, Lord Nelson, was commander of the British fleet and won a decisive victory. He was badly injured and died from his wounds. Wellington won the Battle of Waterloo, ten years later, and both these battles were part of the Napoleonic Wars. Jellicoe and Kitchener were leaders from the First World War which lasted from 1914 until 1918.

Answer: Winston Churchill

Sir Winston Churchill became Prime Minister in 1940 and remained in his post until 1945, when the war was over. He is remembered for his speech making, and some of his most famous words are still quoted today. Among them are 'I have nothing to offer but blood, toil, tears and sweat' and 'We shall never surrender'. Asquith and Lloyd George were Prime Ministers during World War One and Tony Blair was leader during the Iraq War of 2003.

Answer: Margaret Thatcher

Margaret Thatcher was the first woman to become British Prime Minister and stayed in power until 1990, when her own party voted to replace her as leader. She was the longest serving Prime Minister of the twentieth century. Nancy Astor was the first woman to take her seat in the House of Commons, in 1919. Betty Boothroyd became the first female Speaker of the House of Commons. Bernadette Devlin was the youngest person to be elected to Parliament in 1969, when she was aged only twenty-one.