History Guild General History Quiz 199
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The stories behind the questions
1. Which Empire ruled Yemen until 1918?
Ottoman – Taking power in 1538 to to safeguard the Islamic holy cities of Mecca and Medina and their trade route with India, the Ottomans ruled at least significant parts of Yemen until 1918. Britain ruled part of Yemen as the Aden Protectorate from 1839 to 1963.
2. Which English monarch was the last to claim that they were also the monarch of France?
George III – The first English monarch to claim the title was Edward III in 1340. Henry VI of England was the only English monarch to actually rule as a French monarch, as Henry II of France. George III chose the 1800 Act of Union which joined the Kingdom of Great Britain with the Kingdom of Ireland to drop his claim to the now defunct French throne.
3. When was ‘Quotations From Chairman Mao Zedong’, also known as the little red book, first published?
1964 – Illustrating the core ideals of the Communist Party, over 1 billion copies were printed. The book was not only popular in China but also became required reading among socialist and communist groups across the globe.
4. When was the ‘Pax Britannica’?
1815-1914 – Pax Britannica (Latin for “British Peace,” modeled after Pax Romana) was the period of relative peace in Europe (1815–1914) during which the British Empire became the global hegemonic power and adopted the role of a global police force.
5. How many laws were included in the Code of Hammurabi, the world’s oldest known law code?
282 – Major laws covered in the Code include slander, trade, slavery, the duties of workers, theft, liability, and divorce. Nearly half of the code focused on contracts, and a third on household relationships.
6. Which side did Serbia fight on during WW1?
Fought against Germany – Serbia’s Black Hand terrorist group is thought to be responsible for the June 1914 assassination of Austrian Archduke Franz Ferdinand in Sarajevo, carried out by Gavrilo Princip. This led to Austria-Hungary’s invasion of the Kingdom of Serbia in August 1914, Russia supporting Serbia and the snowballing beginnings of WW1.
7. Which historical assassin did John Wilkes Booth compare himself to?
Brutus – After Booth shot President Lincoln he jumped from the President’s box to the stage, where he raised his knife and shouted “Sic semper tyrannis” which is Latin for ‘Thus always to tyrants’, and is attributed to Brutus at Caesar’s assassination. Booth had played Brutus on stage and called it his favorite Shakespearean role.
8. When was the Hollywood sign unveiled?
1923 – Originally Hollywoodland, the sign was created to advertise a nearby housing development.
9. Who made this artwork around 1500?
Hieronymus Bosch – Part of the early Netherlandish painting school, one of his most famous triptychs is The Garden of Earthly Delights. The Garden of Eden depicted on the left panel and the Last Judgment depicted on the right panel, with the centre panel showing a scene that combines both fantasy and reality. Art historians are divided as to the meaning of the centre panel, with interpretations ranging from a playground of corruption to revelling in an innocent, self-absorbed joy.
10. Which period is considered the ‘Heroic Age of Antarctic Exploration’?
1897-1922 – This period saw 17 major Antarctic expeditions launched from ten countries, with the first reaching the South Pole in 1911. 22 men died throughout the course of these expeditions.
