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May 13th Throughout History Trivia Quiz

This quiz will test your knowledge of events that occurred on May 13th (my birthday). Best of luck!

A multiple-choice quiz by Triviaballer. Estimated time: 4 mins.

Author
Triviaballer

Time
4 mins

Type
Multiple Choice

Quiz #
378,940

Updated
Dec 03 21

# Qns
10

Difficulty
Average

Avg Score
8 / 10

Plays
872

Last 3 plays: Guest 107 (8/10), Guest 93 (6/10), hellobion (9/10).

One at a Time - Single Page - Timed Game

Question 1 of 10

1. On May 13, 609 a famous Roman building was converted into a Christian church. Which building, renown for its massive concrete dome and oculus, was this? Hint

Pantheon

Colosseum

Vatican Museum

St. Peter's Basilica

NEXT>

Question 2 of 10

2. Which Dutch politician, influential in his country's push to independence from Spain, was executed on May 13, 1619 after a kangaroo court convicted him of treason?

Hint

William the Silent

Philip de Montmorency

Maurice of Orange

Johan van Oldenbarnevelt

3. A particularly influential preacher in Florence, Italy was excommunicated by Pope Alexander VI on May 13, 1497. Closely associated with bonfires of the vanities, who was this preacher that sought to reform the Catholic church? Hint

John Calvin

Martin Luther

Girolamo Savonarola

Bernardino of Siena

NEXT>

Question 4 of 10

4. The nation of Chile is particularly prone to a natural disaster due to its location. What disaster hit the country on May 13, 1647 near the city of Santiago? Hint

Tornado

Earthquake

Mudslide

Flood

NEXT>

Question 5 of 10

5. On May 13, 1787 Captain Arthur Phillip left Portsmouth, England for Australia with eleven ships. Which of the following was true regarding nearly 800 of the passengers on these ships? Hint

They were members of the same family.

They were convicts.

They were women.

They were members of parliament.

NEXT>

Question 6 of 10

6. The national anthem "Maamme" was composed by Fredrik Pacius and it was first performed on May 13, 1848. Which country, the site of the 1952 Summer Olympics, has "Maamme" as its national anthem? Hint

Greece

Finland

Germany

Norway

NEXT>

Question 7 of 10

7. The ending date of the American Civil War is often said to be April 9, 1865 when General Robert E. Lee surrendered in Appomattox, Virginia. However, a battle was fought over a month later on May 13, 1865 between Union and Confederate forces. What was the name of this engagement that was fought on the banks of the Rio Grande east of the city of Brownsville, Texas? Hint

Battle of Hoke's Run

Battle of Palmito Ranch

Battle of Hampton Roads

Battle of Secessionville

NEXT>

Question 8 of 10

8. A famous speech was made on May 13, 1940 in which a world leader proclaimed that he had nothing to offer but "blood, toil, tears and sweat". Who was the individual that uttered these words that helped motivate fellow politicians to follow his leadership? Hint

Franklin Roosevelt

Winston Churchill

Joseph Stalin

Charles De Gaulle

NEXT>

Question 9 of 10

9. On May 13, 1981 an influential world leader was shot four times in St. Peter's Square. Who was this individual that survived the assassination attempt and later famously forgave the man that tried to kill him? Hint

Pope John Paul II

Anwar Sadat

Ronald Reagan

John Major

NEXT>

Question 10 of 10

10. A famous mountaineer reached the summit of Mount Everest on May 13, 1995 becoming the first woman to accomplish the feat alone without supplementary oxygen or help from sherpas. Who was this woman who would die three months later while descending from the summit of K2? Hint

Alison Hargreaves

Wanda Rutkiewicz

Phyllis Munday

Arlene Blum

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Most Recent Scores

Nov 26 2024 : Guest 107: 8/10
Nov 21 2024 : Guest 93: 6/10
Nov 08 2024 : hellobion: 9/10
Nov 08 2024 : Guest 136: 10/10

Score Distribution

Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts

1. On May 13, 609 a famous Roman building was converted into a Christian church. Which building, renown for its massive concrete dome and oculus, was this?

Answer: Pantheon

The Pantheon was constructed between 118-128 CE under the leadership of the Roman emperor Hadrian. Pope Boniface IV dedicated the Pantheon to St. Mary and the Martyrs in 609 after the building was gifted to the papacy by Byzantine emperor Phocas. Of all the ancient Roman buildings, the Pantheon has been one of the best preserved because of its constant use in church services.

2. Which Dutch politician, influential in his country's push to independence from Spain, was executed on May 13, 1619 after a kangaroo court convicted him of treason?

Answer: Johan van Oldenbarnevelt

Johan van Oldenbarnevelt was one of the main supporters politically of William the Silent in the revolt against Spain and he also fought in the Dutch army. After the Dutch independence from Spain in 1581 religious and political conflicts were pervasive and Johan van Oldenbarnevelt had many enemies.

These enemies arrested him and his main supporters and then stacked the court with judges who shared their enmity. The court found Johan van Oldenbarnevelt guilty of treason and pronounced a death sentence on him.

Answer: Girolamo Savonarola

Savonarola was a very influential friar of the Dominican Order and he was outspoken about corruption in the church, exploiting the poor, and destroying secular works of art. After Savonarola was excommunicated he was tortured and forced to deny his prophecies and visions that he had. On May 23, 1498 Savonarolla and two other friars were hanged and burned to death at the main square in Florence.

4. The nation of Chile is particularly prone to a natural disaster due to its location. What disaster hit the country on May 13, 1647 near the city of Santiago?

Answer: Earthquake

Unfortunately the 1647 Santiago earthquake is just one of the many earthquakes that have hit Chile. In 1960 the first recorded earthquake in human history to reach a 9.5 magnitude battered the city of Valdivia in Chile.

5. On May 13, 1787 Captain Arthur Phillip left Portsmouth, England for Australia with eleven ships. Which of the following was true regarding nearly 800 of the passengers on these ships?

Answer: They were convicts.

The 1787 voyage led by Arthur Phillip was intended to establish a penal colony in Australia and it has become known as the 'First Fleet'. The journey took around 250 days before landing in Botany Bay. Male convicts outnumbered female convicts nearly three to one. Shortly after landing Arthur Phillip was named Governor of New South Wales and he helped transform the area from a prison camp to a functioning settlement.

Answer: Finland

The title "Maamme" translates as "our land" and the lyrics to the song were written by Johan Ludvig Runeberg. Runeberg may be best known for "The Tales of Ensign St�l" which is an epic poem that is well-known throughout Scandinavia and from which many songs have been derived.

Answer: Battle of Palmito Ranch

Although the Union army outnumbered the Confederate army 500 to 300 the battle is typically credited as a Confederate victory under the leadership of Col. John Salmon Ford. John J. Williams who was killed during the battle on May 13, 1865 is considered to be the last solider killed in the American Civil War.

Answer: Winston Churchill

This famous speech was delivered to the British House of Commons just three days after Churchill had become Prime Minister. Throughout World War II Churchill provided many motivating speeches and he was awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1953 for "mastery of historical and biographical description as well as for brilliant oratory in defending exalted human values".

Answer: Pope John Paul II

In addition to the attempted assassination of John Paul II, Mehmet Ali A�ca murdered a journalist named Abdi �pek�i in 1979. A�ca was released from prison in 2010 and in 2014 he visited the Vatican and paid his respects to the tomb of John Paul II.

Answer: Alison Hargreaves

In addition to this accomplishment, Hargreaves was also the first person to climb the six great north faces of the Alps alone in a single climbing season. In total six climbers died on August 13, 1995 from a storm that ravaged the mountain K2. One of the climbers that survived was Peter Hillary, son of Sir Edmund Hillary, because he had turned back before the summit after he felt the weather was going to get worse.

Source: Author Triviaballer

This quiz was reviewed by FunTrivia editor gtho4 before going online.
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