It's History Now Trivia Quiz

Answer: Botticelli

Primavera is a sumptuous example of secular Florentine art, greatly influenced by the style and grace of Greek and Roman sculpture. It was painted circa 1478 and can be seen in the Uffizi Museum in Florence. It is also called "The Allegory of Spring."

Answer: Bologna

This university was established in 1088. All teaching was done in Latin, the universal language of church and state in medieval Europe. In those days universities usually had only four faculties: arts, theology, medicine, and law.

Answer: Netherlands

This was a long narrow ship with three masts. It did not employ a big crew, and had great cargo space. It gave the Netherlands the edge over other European trading countries especially in Asia.

Answer: Mexico

In the beginning of the 20th. century there was considerable unrest and instability in Mexico and other countries in South America.
Landowners, peasants and townspeople united to challenge the ruling classes. Such a combination of opposites could not last long and most revolutionary groups fragmented.

Answer: Japan

He was a commodore in the US Navy who led an expedition to Japan in 1853-54. This forced Japan to end her isolation and trade with the rest of the world.

Answer: New Zealand

In 1985 French agents sank the Greenpeace boat "Rainbow Warrior" in Auckland Harbour. The background to this event was opposition to French nuclear testing in the Pacific.

Answer: Virginia

This event happened back in the 17 century, when a planter called Nathaniel Bacon was denounced as a rebel by the governor for wanting to expand into what was called "Indian territory." Bacon turned his forces against the governor and for a time had control of much of Virginia. He died however of "bloody flux and lousey disease." Ugh! The governor regained control.

Answer: Peter the Great

This expedition (1733-1742) was led by Vitus Bering, after whom the Bering Sea is named. Its job was to explore and chart the coast of Siberia. Brrrrrr!

Answer: no

They were the followers of the German religious reformer Jan Hus. He spoke out against clerical abuse of power, was excommunicated, and later executed in 1415.

Answer: Milestone

Medieval maps were not accurate,and this made getting to your destination rather difficult. Ships sailed quite close to the coastline, so milestones in the form of stone pillars, were built along the African coast. In this way, mariners could keep track of their progress.

Answer: Cape Horn

He was a Dutch navigator, who sailed round the world in 1616. He called the area Cape Horn after his hometown, Hoorn. What an outstanding achievement to get around those treacherous seas without radio, radar, sonar or longitude!

Answer: Baghdad

Arab countries were very advanced in science. The Caliph Al Ma'mun (813-833) ordered that an observatory be built in Baghdad. Astronomers came to work and study, and compiled maps of the stars. Some of the Arab names are still used today.

Answer: Wurzberg

Wurzberg was the capital of medieval Franconia. The cathedral takes its name from an Irish monk who was martyred there in the seventh century.

Answer: Silver Mine

Both the Spaniards and Portuguese believed that South America held vast resources of both gold and silver. In the 1540's the Spaniards discovered silver at Potosi in the Andes. They took a fortune back to Europe from there.

Answer: 1930's

Jarrow, in England, depended on shipbuilding. During the Great Depression there was terrible unemployment. It rose to 73% in the area. In an effort to draw attention to their plight 200 workers marched to London to Downing Street, a journey of 300 miles.
Sources: "Timelines World of History," "People of the Past," and "Footsteps in Time."