General World History Multiple Choice Quiz

Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts

1. In 1274, Kublai Khan invaded Japan. After landing his troops, the weather got bad and he had to retreat. What did the Japanese call the weather that day?

Answer: Kamikaze

It is known as the "Divine Winds" in English. The winds sank two hundred of Kublai Khan's ships and killed 13,000 of his men. His invasion was the first attempt at taking Japan. No one dared try again until World War II.
http://campus.northpark.edu/history/WebChron/China/MongolJapan.CP.html

2. After the Battle of the Little Big Horn the Indians took all the horses that had survived, except for one. What was its name?

Answer: Comanche

Ridden by Lt. Myles Keogh. There are two stories why the Indians did not take him. One is that Keogh showed such respect for the horse in battle that the Indians wanted to leave it alone (Hollywood) and the other is that it was badly injured and of no use to them. Comanche traveled from post to post afterwards, as a pet and was never used in combat again. After Comanche died its body was stuffed and is on display at the University of Kansas.
http://www.custerslaststand.org/source/comanche.html
As for the other horses, Vic was Custer's horse and died with him, Marengo was ridden by Napoleon, and Cincinnati was Ulysses S. Grant's horse.

3. In 1946 the United States Marines were called to this island to help subdue a riot. Which was it?

Answer: Alcatraz

In May of 1946, prisoners attempting to escape had gained access to the weapons room and took over parts of the prison. The Marines were called in and in forty eight hours had the situation under control but only after all but two of the prisoners died along with a number of guards.
http://www.alcatrazhistory.com/battle2.htm

4. What is considered the worst defeat in the history of the British Army by native troops?

Answer: Battle of Isandlwana

The British could not keep a steady flow of ammunition to the soldiers in the front line. As a result the attacking Zulus (20,000 against 1800 British) quickly overran them and hand to hand fighting took place. Fewer than ten British soldiers survived.
http://schwartz.eng.auburn.edu/zulu/isandlwana.html

5. In Navy jargon the "head" is the bathroom. Why?

Answer: The bathroom was always at the head of the ship

The head had holes similar to an outhouse. Planks underneath the holes in the head of the ship was where the waste was collected. As the ship passed through the water, the ocean would wash off the planks. Also each hole had a hatch over it to keep the water from coming back into the compartment during rough weather. This may be the origin of the term "batten down the hatches".

6. After the Battle of Yorktown in 1781, Cornwallis did not surrender his sword to Washington but had his second-in-command, Charles O'Hara, surrender it. To whom did O'Hara give the sword?

Answer: General Lincoln

When Washington saw the sword being handed over by O'Hara, he immediately had his second-in-command, Lincoln, accept the sword in his place.
http://earlyamerica.com/earlyamerica/maps/yorkmap/

7. What is the French Admiral, Count de Grasse famous for?

Answer: Blockading the British at Yorktown during the American Revolution

Count de Grasse blockaded the Chesapeake Bay, preventing the British troops from escaping and at the same time cut off their provisions.
http://earlyamerica.com/earlyamerica/maps/yorkmap

8. What fort, built by the Portuguese in the late sixteenth century, is a National Museum in Kenya?

Answer: Fort Jesus

It was built in Mombasa to protect Portuguese trade routes. Its star shape design made it practically impenetrable and it was in use for over four hundred years. The Portuguese lost it to the Omani Arabs after a thirty month seige, got it back but then lost it to the Omani Arabs again. In 1895 the British gained control and turned it into a prison. In 1958, shortly before Kenyan independence, the British declared it a National Museum.
http://www.museums.or.ke/regftjes.html

9. What German cruiser passed itself off as a British warship in order to escape the British during World War I in the Indian Ocean?

Answer: Koenigsberg

Shortly before the war began the Germans sent her to the Indian Ocean to raid allied shipping in the event of war. The British, wary of her presence, found her in port and tried to corner her. The Koenigsberg managed a daring escape as war was being declared.

The captain apparently did not fly any colors after that so every one would mistake her for a British ship. She attacked one ship at night, who thought she was British warship, and allowed her crew to board with no resistance. She was eventually sunk and her guns taken and used by the British Army in Africa. Today the guns are outside the entrance to Fort Jesus in Mombasa, Kenya. http://www.richthofen.com/konigsberg/

10. Who was duped into becoming the Queen of England for nine days?

Answer: Lady Jane Grey

She was the focal point of a plot to usurp Queen Mary's right to the throne. The Duke of Northumberland arranged to have Jane crowned and marry his son, Guilford. Guilford would then be made regent, giving him and his father supreme power in England but Jane refused to make Guilford regent, merely making him a Duke instead. After this her council of advisors left her and proclaimed Mary Queen. Jane Grey was executed at the age of sixteen.
http://www.britannia.com/history/ladyjane/nineday.html

Source: Author blakey

This quiz was reviewed by FunTrivia editor bloomsby before going online.
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General World History Multiple Choice Quiz | World History

Some general historical trivia. Good luck!

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