Key Dates in U.K. History Trivia Quiz

Answer: 1066

1066 was a busy year in the history of England, with multiple people trying to claim the throne. The reigning king was Harold II, an Anglo-Saxon, and he managed to defend against the Norwegian claimant Harald Hardrada in September. However, Harold was subsequently overthrown by the invading forces from Normandy, led by the man that would become known as William the Conqueror.

Answer: 2014

Although the legislation was passed by the Parliament of the United Kingdom in July 2013, it only came into effect (and same-sex marriage actually became legal) in England and Wales in March 2014, with the first ceremonies on March 29th. Scotland soon followed suit, with the first same-sex marriages on December 31st 2014.

Answer: 1509

King Henry VIII is one of the most famous monarchs in the history of the United Kingdom. One reason for his fame is the fact that he had six wives, two of which he beheaded. His first wife was the Spanish Catherine of Aragon, a marriage he had annulled to marry his second wife, Anne Boleyn.

Answer: 1707

Although both England and Scotland were ruled by the same monarch before the 1707 Act of Union, they were still separate countries. In 2014, a referendum was held in Scotland to decide if they wanted to leave the United Kingdom. The result was 55% no and 45% yes, meaning that Scotland remained part of the U.K.

Answer: 1939

Although tensions had been building on the continent of Europe for years, World War II is typically thought to have begun with Germany's invasion of Poland on September 1, 1939. Both the United Kingdom and France declared war two days later, with the conflict continuing until 1945.

Answer: 1215

The Magna Carta is praised as one of the earliest examples of a monarch conceding 'power to the people'. However, the agreement was actually only between the current king, John, and a group of barons who were not happy with his power. It gave more power to the barons, including protection from illegal imprisonment.

Answer: 1649

The execution of King Charles I came about as a result of the English Civil War, meaning a war between groups of people within a country. It was largely fought between those that believed the country should be led by a parliament (Parliamentarians) and those who preferred the traditional monarch system (Royalists). For a short while (1653-1658), England was led by a Lord Protector named Oliver Cromwell.

Answer: 1833

The Slavery Abolition Act of 1833 made it illegal to own slaves anywhere in the British Empire, and it came into effect in 1834. It built on the Slave Trade Act of 1807, which made large steps towards abolishing slavery but did not fully outlaw it. The abolition act was repealed in 1998, largely to be replaced with the Human Rights Act of the same year.

Answer: 1979

The first Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, Robert Walpole, first came into power in 1721 - more than 250 years before the first female PM! Margaret Thatcher was Prime Minister from 1979-1990, making her the longest serving PM of the 20th century. The second female Prime Minister, Theresa May, came into power in 2016.

Answer: 1415

Despite the name of the Hundred Years' War, the conflict between England and France lasted 116 years, from 1337 to 1453. Despite many major battles throughout the war, the Battle of Agincourt in 1415 is one of the best remembered, perhaps because it was portrayed by Shakespeare in his play 'Henry V'.