Right Place, Wrong Time Trivia Quiz

Answer: 20th July, 1969

On 16th July, 1969 the Apollo 11 mission was launched by a Saturn V rocket from NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida USA. On board were astronauts Neil Armstrong, Edwin Aldrin and Michael Collins. After separation from the launch rocket the astronauts travelled for three days before reaching lunar orbit and descending to the lunar surface on the 20th July, 1969.

Answer: 29th May, 1953

As part of the ninth British attempt to reach the summit of Mount Everest lead by John Hunt, Edmund Hillary and partner Tenzing Norgay achieved their objective on the 29th May, 1953.

Answer: 6th April 1909

After setting off from New York on the 6th July, 1908 on the SS Roosevelt commanded by Captain Robert Bartlett, Robert Peary and his expedition party spent the winter on Ellesmere Island, Canada. On the 6th April, 1909 Peary established a camp 8km from the North Pole. Unfortunately upon his return to civilization, Peary's claims were disputed and only ratified after a series of court cases. To this day there remains much academic discussion as to whether Peary's claim of reaching the North Pole is legitimate.

Answer: 14th December, 1911

Originally intending to take an expedition to the North Pole, Norwegian Roald Amundsen, switched his goal to the South Pole after news that Robert Peary had achieved the feat in 1909. Amundsen reached his goal a mere five weeks ahead of the ill-fated British expedition led by Robert Scott.

Answer: 17th December, 1903

Wright brothers first flight with a powered aircraft took place at Kitty Hawk, North Carolina USA on December 17, 1903. Although there were numerous other parties involved in early flight development, the fact that the Wright brothers used a system of aerodynamic controls was what set their invention apart.

Answer: 12th April, 1961

On April 12, 1961 the spacecraft Vostok 1 was launched from Baikonur Cosmodrome, U.S.S.R. with cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin on board. Gargarin thus became the first human to travel into space. Unfortunately Gagarin was killed in a flight training exercise in 1968.

Answer: 6th August, 1945

On Monday 6th August 1945 an atomic weapon was used in war. The nuclear bomb "Little Boy" was dropped from the American bomber Enola Gay killing approximately 70,000 people in Hiroshima, Japan.

Answer: 6th May, 1954

On the 6th May 1954 medical student Roger Bannister aged 25, ran first sub 4 minute mile in history in a time of 3:59:4. Bannister ran with two pacemakers until the final 200 yards before sprinting to the finish.

Answer: 30th April, 1789

On 30th April, 1789, George Washington became the first president of the USA. After leading the Continental Army in the American Revolution (1765-1783) against the British, George Washington was unanimously elected president by the Electoral College.

Answer: 12th October 1492

Although Leif Ericsson had been to the Americas before, Italian Christopher Columbus was contracted by Spain to find a western route to Asia, and is credited with discovering America in 1492. His voyage triggered the wave of European exploration and colonization of North and South America.