World History Made Simple: 1215-1500 Quiz

Answer: Genghis Khan

The Mongol leader Temujin was pronounced Genghis Khan in 1206, and at the time of his death his empire included much of northern China, Korea and Persia. His grandson, Kublai Khan, completed the conquest of China to create the largest empire in history, stretching from China to Arabia and Eastern Europe.

Answer: China

The Chinese were the first to use rockets in battle. Thereafter, the military use of gunpowder spread rapidly throughout the world.

Answer: Ottoman

For nine years the forces of the Osmali Turks, under the leadership of Osman, laid siege to Bursa. Osman died shortly after the fall of the Byzantine fortress and was succeeded by his son Orkhan who ruled until 1360.

Answer: Sicily

The bubonic plague was spread by infected fleas carried by infested rats aboard cargo ships from the East. The tiny insects were responsible for the worst natural disaster in European history.

Answer: King Henry V

English archers were largely responsible for the defeat of the numerically superior French army. Five French counts, ninety barons and over 5,000 French knights perished in battle, crushing the French nobility and destroying the feudal system.

Answer: France

Joan was taken prisoner by the English in Compiegne in northern France. She was later turned over to Bishop Pierre Cauchon, who assured them that she would be convicted of treason against God and executed.

Answer: Peru

Thought to have been founded by Pachacutec, the Inca Dynasty spread rapidly and ruled Peru until 1553.

Answer: Printing

Printing by the use of movable type revolutionized both communications and education and lead the way for the development of newspapers. Of course, as most everyone knows, the first book off Gutenberg's presses was the Bible.

Answer: Constantinople

With some 70 ships carried overland and a quarter of a million troops, Muhammad II captured Constantinople. The city fell after Muhammad's 1,200 pound cannon breached the city's wall, ending a thousand years of Byzantine rule.

Answer: Giovanni Caboto

Giovanni Caboto, or, as he is known in English, John Cabot, was an Italian navigator and explorer. With a grant from King Henry VII of England, Cabot is generally credited as the first European to discover the North American mainland. Colombo, or Columbus, did not find the mainland until his third voyage in 1498. Letters claiming a 1497 voyage by Vespucci are generally believed to have been forgeries or fabrications.