History Guild General History Quiz 81
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The stories behind the questions
1. Which of the mutinies against William Bligh occurred first?
The Mutiny on the Bounty – 1789
The New South Wales Rum Rebellion – 1808
2. The Great Pyramid of Giza was the tallest structure in the world when it was constructed in 2560 BCE. How long did it hold this record?
Until 1311 CE – The Great Pyramid of Giza was 146m high and retained the record until the construction of Lincoln Cathedral in England in 1311 CE, which was 160m high. No structure that was significantly higher was built until the 300m high Eiffel tower was constructed in 1889.
3. Which of the following people made an appeal for national self determination at the 1919 Paris Peace Conference?
Ho Chi Minh, leader of the anti-colonial movement in Vietnam – Ho Chi Minh petitioned for recognition of the civil rights of the Vietnamese people in French Indochina to the Western powers, but was ignored. In 1920 Ho was a founding committee member of the French Communist Party. He tried to draw his comrades’ attention towards people in French colonies including Indochina, but his efforts were not successful.
4. Which shipping line operated The Titanic?
White Star – The White Star Line was established in 1845 and was a major competitor of Cunard. They lost a significant number of major vessels including the Atlantic in 1873, the Republic in 1909, the Titanic in 1912 and the wartime sinking of HMHS Britannic in 1916. The company survived these tragedies, but was crippled by the Great Depression and was acquired by Cunard in 1934.
5. Who was the first Holy Roman Emperor?
Charlemagne – On Christmas Day 800 CE the Pope crowned Charlemagne Imperator Romanorum (“Emperor of the Romans”) in Saint Peter’s Basilica, Rome. In so doing, the Pope rejected the legitimacy of Empress Irene of Constantinople. This led to war in 802, and for centuries to come, the Emperors of both West and East would make competing claims of sovereignty.
6. Who wrote Silent Spring, which instigated the modern environmental movement in 1962?
Rachel Carson – Silent Spring detailed the adverse environmental effects caused by the indiscriminate use of pesticides. Carson accused the chemical industry of spreading disinformation, and public officials of accepting the industry’s marketing claims unquestioningly. The book helped to inspire an environmental movement that led to the creation of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, among other successes.
7. The Nina, Pinta and Santa Maria were part of the expedition lead by which explorer?
Christopher Columbus – Each of the ships were 50 to 70 feet long and carried between 24 and 40 crew each.
8. What type of aircraft is this?
Vickers Vimy – A WW1 heavy bomber. A Vimy made the first non-stop crossing of the Atlantic Ocean, flown by Alcock and Brown in June 1919. Also in 1919 Keith and Ross Smith became the first people to fly from England to Australia in a Vimy.
9. How long did the Wars of the Roses Last?
32 years – A series of civil wars fought between the houses of Lancaster and York in the period 1455 to 1487. It resulted in the deaths of the male lines of the two dynasties, leading to the Tudor family inheriting the Lancastrian claim.
10. Which of these regions were first colonised by Europeans?
The Philippines, by Spain in 1521.
Democratic Republic of the Congo, by King Leopold II of Belgium in 1885.
New Zealand by Britain in 1835.
Alaska by Russia in 1741.
