A long and illustrious history

1. Which of these countries did NOT fight on the side of the Allied Powers during the First World War?

• Italy
• Bulgaria
• Serbia
• USA

The Allies fought against the Central Powers - mainly Germany, the Austro-Hungarian Empire, the Ottoman Empire and later Bulgaria.

2. What is the 'King James' Bible?

• A new translation into English
• The First English Bible
• The Correct Version
• The Protestant Version

One achievement of King James' reign was a new translation of the Bible into English. This translation is known as the 'King James Version' or the 'Authorised Version'. It was not the first English Bible but is a version which continues to be used in many Protestant churches today.

3. The Chartists are associated with the Civil War which took place in the 17th century

• True
• False

In the 1830s and 1840s, a group called the Chartists campaigned for reform. They wanted six changes: for every man to have the vote; elections every year; for all regions to be equal in the electoral system; secret ballots; for any man to be able to stand as an MP; for MPs to be paid.

4. Which TWO of these are English civil war battles?

• Marston Moor
• Bannockburn
• Naseby
• Agincourt

During the civil war, the king's army was defeated at the Battles of Marston Moor and Naseby. By 1646, it was clear that Parliament had won the war. Charles was held prisoner by the parliamentary army. He was still unwilling to reach any agreement with Parliament and in 1649 he was executed.

5. Which TWO are facts about King William II of Scotland?

• He was defeated by King James II of England when the latter tried to take back the crown
• He was married to the young daughter of King James II of England, Wales and Ireland
• He was the Protestant rule of the Netherlands before he became King William II of Scotland
• He was William of Orange before he became King William III of England. Wales and Ireland

James II's elder daughter, Mary, was married to her cousin William of Orange, the Protestant ruler of the Netherlands. In 1688, important Protestants in England asked William to invade England and proclaim himself king. When William reached England, there was no resistance. James fled to France and William took over the throne, becoming William III in England, Wales and Ireland, and William II of Scotland.

6. Where can you find Boudicca, the Queen of the Iceni statue?

• London
• Portsmouth
• Kent
• Suffolk

One of the tribal leaders who fought against the Romans was Boudicca, the queen of the Iceni in what is now eastern England. She is still remembered today and there is a statue of her on Westminster Bridge in London, near the Houses of Parliament.

7. The Restoration' refers to the reestablishment of Roman Catholicism

• True
• False

In May 1660, Parliament invited Charles II to come back from exile in the Netherlands. He was crowned King Charles II of England, Wales, Scotland and Ireland. Charles II made it clear that he had 'no wish to go on his travels again'. There was a restoration of the monarchy.

8. What were the Canterbury Tales about?

• The stories people told each other
• People fighting near Canterbury
• Canterbury life
• Canterbury tales about the King

In the years leading up to 1400, Geoffrey Chaucer wrote a series of poems in English about a group of people going to Canterbury on a pilgrimage. The people decided to tell each other stories on the journey, and the poems describe the travellers and some of the stories they told. This collection of poems is called The Canterbury Tales.

9. Where did the ancestors of the first farmers come from?

• South-East Europe
• North Europe
• North-West Europe
• North-East Europe

The first farmers came to Britain 6,000 years ago. The ancestors of these first farmers probably came from south-east Europe.

10. Who led the Scottish, in 1314, to defeat the English at the Battle of Bannockburn?

• Robert Burns
• Robert the Bruce
• Oliver Cromwell
• William of Orange

In Scotland, the English kings were less successful. In 1314 the Scottish, led by Robert the Bruce, defeated the English at the Battle of Bannockburn, and Scotland remained unconquered by the English.

11. The Medieval Period is referred to the period after the Norman Conquest up until what year?

• 1385
• 1455
• 1485
• 1400

The period after the Norman Conquest up until about 1485 is called the Middle Ages (or the medieval period). It was a time of almost constant war.

12. Where can you see the 'Bayeux Tapestry' today?

• France
• England
• Scotland
• Wales

In 1066, an invasion led by William, the Duke of Normandy (in what is now northern France), defeated Harold, the Saxon king of England, at the Battle of Hastings. Harold was killed in the battle. William became king of England and is known as William the Conqueror. The battle is commemorated in a great piece of embroidery, known as the Bayeux Tapestry, which can still be seen in France today.

13. When King Charles I tried to impose a revised Prayer Book on the Presbyterian Church in Scotland, which TWO events occurred?

• A Scottish army was formed and it invaded England
• King Charles I formed his own army without asking for help from Parliament
• Parliament only gave the money to King Charles when the Scottish army invaded England
• King Charles I recalled Parliament to ask it for funds to form his own army

Charles I wanted the worship of the Church of England to include more ceremony and introduced a revised Prayer Book. He tried to impose this Prayer Book on the Presbyterian Church in Scotland and this led to serious unrest. A Scottish army was formed and Charles could not find the money he needed for his own army without the help of Parliament. In 1640, he recalled Parliament to ask it for funds. Many in Parliament were Puritans, a group of Protestants who advocated strict and simple religious doctrine and worship. They did not agree with the king's religious views and disliked his reforms of the Church of England. Parliament refused to give the king the money he asked for, even after the Scottish army invaded England.

14. When did the development of a free press happen?

• 1695
• 1755
• 1805
• 1832

From 1695, newspapers were allowed to operate without a government licence. Increasing numbers of newspapers began to be published.

15. Which tribes invaded Britain after the Romans had left?

• The Jutes and the Anglo-Saxons
• The Vikings
• The Normans
• The Celtics

The Roman army left Britain in AD 410 to defend other parts of the Roman Empire and never returned. Britain was again invaded by tribes from northern Europe: the Jutes, the Angles and the Saxons.

16. The Commonwealth is made up of countries which were once part of the British Empire only

• True
• False

The Commonwealth is an association of countries that support each other and work together towards shared goals in democracy and development. Most member states were once part of the British Empire, although a few countries which were not have also joined.

17. Who in 2002 was voted the greatest Briton of all time?

• Winston Churchill
• Clement Attlee
• Sir Robert Walpole
• Margaret Thatcher

In 2002, Winston Churchill was voted the greatest Briton of all time by the public.

18. When did people learn how to make bronze?

• 4,000 years ago
• 6,000 years ago
• 8,000 years ago
• 10,000 years ago

Around 4,000 years ago, people learned to make bronze

19. Which party formed the government in 2010?

• It was a coalition
• Liberal Democrats only
• Conservative Party only
• Labour Party only

In May 2010, and for the first time in the UK since February 1974, no political party won an overall majority in the General Election. The Conservative and Liberal Democrat parties formed a coalition and the leader of the Conservative Party, David Cameron, became Prime Minister.

20. Who sat in the House of Commons in the Middle Ages?

• Knights
• The Nobility
• Great Landowners
• Bishops

In the middle ages, the nobility, great landowners and bishops sat in the House of Lords. Knights, who were usually smaller landowners, and wealthy people from towns and cities were elected to sit in the House of Commons.

21. Who invented the World Wide Web?

• Sir Tim Berners-Lee
• James Goodfellow
• Alexander Fleming
• Florence Nightingale

World Wide Web was invented by Sir Tim Berners-Lee (1955-) who is British. Information was successfully transferred via the web for the first time on 25 December 1990.

22. Which TWO of these were introduced before the First World War in 1914?

• State retirement pension
• Free school meals
• National Health Service
• Child Benefit payments

Financial help for the unemployed, old-age pensions and free school meals were just a few of the important measures introduced.

23. For how long did England remain a republic?

• 11 years
• 10 years
• 12 years
• 14 years

Britain had been a republic for 11 years.

24. When did Scotland abolish the authority of the Pope?

• 1560
• 1600
• 1450
• 1501

Scotland had also been strongly influenced by Protestant ideas. In 1560, the predominantly Protestant Scottish Parliament abolished the authority of the Pope in Scotland and Roman Catholic religious services became illegal.

25. Which of the events is the landing of allied forces in Normandy?

• D-Day
• The Blitz
• The Battle of Britain
• The Dunkirk spirit

On 6 June 1944, allied forces landed in Normandy (this event is often referred to as 'D-Day').

26. What is the name given to the conflict between those wishing for full Irish independence and those wishing to remain loyal to the UK government?

• The Clearances
• The Great Depression
• The Problems
• The Troubles

The conflict between those wishing for full Irish independence and those wishing to remain loyal to the British government is often referred to as 'the Troubles'.

27. Robert Stephenson and George were famous pioneers of which industry?

• Agricultural
• Canal building
• Railway engines
• Automobile

Just before Victoria came to the throne, the father and son George and Robert Stephenson pioneered the railway engine and a major expansion of the railways took place in the Victorian period. Railways were built throughout the Empire.

28. Which battle did William the Conqueror fight in?

• The Battle of Hastings
• The Battle of Agincourt
• The Battle of Bannockburn
• The Battle of Bosworth Field

In 1066, an invasion led by William, the Duke of Normandy (in what is now northern France), defeated Harold, the Saxon king of England, at the Battle of Hastings. Harold was killed in the battle. William became king of England and is known as William the Conqueror. The battle is commemorated in a great piece of embroidery, known as the Bayeux Tapestry, which can still be seen in France today.

29. Who set up the first formal anti-slavery campaigns?

• The Quakers
• Jacobites
• Roundheads
• Cavaliers

The first formal anti-slavery groups were set up by the Quakers in the late 1700s, and they petitioned Parliament to ban the practice.

30. What did the Statute of Rhuddlan do?

• Annexed Wales to England
• Annexed Scotland to England
• Annexed Ireland to England
• Annexed Britain to England

In 1284 King Edward I of England introduced the Statute of Rhuddlan, which annexed Wales to the Crown of England.

31. Which process for the mass production of steel led to the development of the shipbuilding industry and the railways?

• Durrer process
• Decarburization
• Bessemer process
• Flodin process

The development of the Bessemer process for the mass production of steel led to the development of the shipbuilding industry and the railways. Manufacturing jobs became the main source of employment in Britain.

32. The Anglo-Saxons established Christianity when they invaded Britain

• True
• False

The Anglo-Saxons were not Christians when they first came to Britain but, during this period, missionaries came to Britain to preach about Christianity.

33. Why is 1969 a very important year in British history?

• Women were given the right to vote
• Women were given the right to vote at the age of 30
• Women were given the right to vote at the age of 21, same as men
• Women were given the right to vote at the age of 18

The voting franchise was also extended to women over 30, and then in 1928 to men and women over 21. In 1969, the voting age was reduced to 18 for men and women.

34. What did R. A. Butler introduce?

• Free primary education in Wales
• Free secondary education in England
• Free college education in Scotland
• Free university education in the UK

R.A. Butler oversaw the introduction of the Education Act 1944 (often called 'The Butler Act'), which introduced free secondary education in England and Wales.

35. In which year was there a major outbreak of plague in London?

• 1565
• 1465
• 1665
• 1765

During Charles II's reign, in 1665, there was a major outbreak of plague in London. Thousands of people died, especially in poorer areas. The following year, a great fire destroyed much of the city, including many churches and St Paul's Cathedral.

36. When did the first farmers start settling in Britain?

• 4000 years ago
• 6000 years ago
• 8500 years ago
• 10000 years ago

The first farmers arrived in Britain about 6,000 years ago. The ancestors of these first farmers probably came from south-east Europe. These people built houses, tombs and monuments on the land.

37. When were the last Welsh rebellions defeated?

• 15th century
• 16th century
• 17th century
• 14th century

By the middle of the 15th century the last Welsh rebellions had been defeated. English laws and the English language were introduced.

38. What was the system of land ownership used by the Normans known as?

• Feudalism
• Noble land
• The Magna Carta
• Democracy

The Normans used a system of land ownership known as feudalism. The king gave land to his lords in return for help in war. Landowners had to send certain numbers of men to serve in the army. Some peasants had their own land but most were serfs.

39. Who led a team of scientists to develop the atomic bomb?

• Ernest Rutherford
• Dylan Thomas
• Isaac Newton
• Sir John Lavery

Scientists led by Ernest Rutherford, working at Manchester and then Cambridge University, were the first to 'split the atom' and took part in the Manhattan Project in the United States, which developed the atomic bomb.

40. In year 1066, William the Conqueror invaded England in which battle?

• Battle of Hastings
• Battle of Agincourt
• Battle of Culloden
• Battle of Britain

In 1066, an invasion led by William, the Duke of Normandy (in what is now northern France), defeated Harold, the Saxon king of England, at the Battle of Hastings. Harold was killed in the battle. William became king of England and is known as William the Conqueror. The battle is commemorated in a great piece of embroidery, known as the Bayeux Tapestry, which can still be seen in France today.

41. How many crosses does the Union flag have?

• 2
• 3
• 4
• 5

The Union Flag consists of three crosses: The cross of St George, patron saint of England, is a red cross on a white ground; The cross of St Andrew, patron saint of Scotland, is a diagonal white cross on a blue ground; The cross of St Patrick, patron saint of Ireland, is a diagonal red cross on a white ground.

42. The band called Beatles was popular and some alteration to social laws occurred during which period?

• 1960s
• 1970s
• 1950s
• 1980s

The decade of the 1960s was a period of significant social change. It was known as 'the Swinging Sixties'. There was growth in British fashion, cinema and popular music. Two well-known pop music groups at the time were The Beatles and The Rolling Stones. It was also a time when social laws were liberalised, for example in relation to divorce and to abortion in England, Wales and Scotland. The position of women in the workplace also improved.

43. Who wrote the Canterbury Tales?

• William Caxton
• Geoffrey Chaucer
• John Barbour
• William Walton

In the years leading up to 1400, Geoffrey Chaucer wrote a series of poems in English about a group of people going to Canterbury on a pilgrimage.

44. Why was Mary known as 'Bloody Mary'?

• She persecuted Protestants
• She fought in numerous battles
• She killed her father
• She put her sister in prison

Mary was a devout Catholic and persecuted Protestants.

45. During the Middle Ages, which TWO wars were fought abroad?

• Crusaders
• Hundred Years War
• The War of the Roses
• Battle of Hastings

During the Middle Ages, the English kings also fought a number of wars abroad. Many knights took part in the Crusades, in which European Christians fought for control of the Holy Land. English kings also fought a long war with France, called the Hundred Years War (even though it actually lasted 116 years).

46. St Augustine led missionaries from Rome, who spread Christianity in the south. Who did he become?

• The first Archbishop of Canterbury
• The first prime minister
• The first King of England
• The first Viking invader

St Augustine led missionaries from Rome, who spread Christianity in the south. St Augustine became the first Archbishop of Canterbury (see the Archbishop of Canterbury and the Church in Britain today).

47. The Scottish Parliament (after the Magna Carta was established in England) was split into two estates: the Lords and the Commons

• True
• False

In England, the nobility, great landowners and bishops sat in the House of Lords. Knights, who were usually smaller landowners, and wealthy people from towns and cities were elected to sit in the House of Commons. Only a small part of the population was able to join in electing the members of the Commons. In Scotland, the parliament had three Houses, called Estates: the Lords, the Commons and the Clergy.

48. Which TWO developments are associated with the 'Swinging Sixties'?

• Children's Rights Law Reform
• Abortion Law Reform
• Establishment of the NHS
• Divorce Law Reform

The Swinging Sixties was also a time when social laws were liberalised, for example in relation to divorce and to abortion in England, Wales and Scotland. The position of women in the workplace also improved. It was quite common at the time for employers to ask women to leave their jobs when they got married, but Parliament passed new laws giving women the right to equal pay and made it illegal for employers to discriminate against women because of their gender.

49. Which TWO houses formed the House of Tudor?

• House of Lancaster
• House of Lords
• House of Commons
• House of York

King Richard III of the House of York was killed in the battle and Henry Tudor, the leader of the House of Lancaster, became King Henry VII. Henry then married King Richard's niece, Elizabeth of York, and united the two families. Henry was the first king of the House of Tudor. The symbol of the House of Tudor was a red rose with a white rose inside it as a sign that the Houses of York and Lancaster were now allies.

50. The process 'Highland Clearances' happened due to rebellion of slaves

• True
• False

A process began which became known as the 'Highland Clearances'. Many Scottish landlords destroyed individual small farms (known as 'crofts') to make space for large flocks of sheep and cattle. Evictions became very common in the early 19th century. Many Scottish people left for North America at this time.

51. What is Sir Isaac Newton's famous published work?

• Relativistic theory of light
• Quantum Photon Properties
• Mathematical Principles of Natural Philosophy
• Discovery of the God particle

His most famous published work was Philosophiae Naturalis Principia Mathematica ('Mathematical Principles of Natural Philosophy'), which showed how gravity applied to the whole universe. Newton also discovered that white light is made up of the colours of the rainbow

52. When did the English settlers first begin to colonise the eastern coast of America?

• In Elizabeth I's time
• In Mary I's time
• In Diana's time
• In William I's time

In Elizabeth I's time, English settlers first began to colonise the eastern coast of America. This colonisation, particularly by people who disagreed with the religious views of the next two kings, greatly increased in the next century.

53. Where did many of the Viking settle after they got defeated?

• Danelaw
• Dorset
• Lancashire
• Pale

The Anglo-Saxon kingdoms in England united under King Alfred the Great, who defeated the Vikings. Many of the Viking invaders stayed in Britain - especially in the east and north of England, in an area known as the Danelaw (many places names there, such as Grimsby and Scunthorpe, come from the Viking languages).

54. What was the 'Black Death'?

• A form of plague
• Lack of food
• A battle
• Lack of water

In 1348, a disease, probably a form of plague, came to Britain. This was known as the Black Death. One third of the population of England died and a similar proportion in Scotland and Wales.

55. The Battle of Hastings is commemorated in a piece of embroidery , known as the Bayeux Tapestry

• True
• False

The battle of Hastings is commemorated in a great piece of embroidery, known as the Bayeux Tapestry, which can still be seen in France today.

56. Who was the first Archbishop of Canterbury?

• St Augustine
• St Patrick
• St Columba
• St George

Missionaries from Ireland spread the religion in the north. The most famous of these were St Patrick, who would become the patron saint of Ireland, and St Columba, who founded a monastery on the island of Iona, off the coast of what is now Scotland. St Augustine led missionaries from Rome, who spread Christianity in the south. St Augustine became the first Archbishop of Canterbury.

57. What were the refugees that came from France between 1680 and 1720 called?

• Huguenots
• Quakers
• Chartists
• Sikhs

Between 1680 and 1720 many refugees called Huguenots came from France. They were Protestants and had been persecuted for their religion.

58. Robert the Bruce is associated with which country?

• Ireland
• England
• Scotland
• Wales

In 1314 the Scottish, led by Robert the Bruce, defeated the English at the Battle of Bannockburn, and Scotland remained unconquered by the English.

59. What was 'Shampooing' when it was first introduced?

• The Indian art of head massage
• The Indian art of washing
• Washing your head with soap
• Cleaning your hair

Mahomet and his wife also introduced 'shampooing', the Indian art of head massage, to Britain.

60. In which country was Charles II residing before he was invited to England by the Parliament?

• Netherlands
• Germany
• France
• Ireland

In May 1660, Parliament invited Charles II to come back from exile in the Netherlands. He was crowned King Charles II of England, Wales, Scotland and Ireland.

61. The Bill of Rights confirmed the rights of Parliament and the limits of the King's power

• True
• False

The Bill of Rights, 1689, confirmed the rights of Parliament and the limits of the king's power.

62. Which TWO of these are associated with Sir Francis Drake?

• Sailing around the world
• Building the Titanic
• The Spanish Armada invasion
• Invasion of Ireland

Sir Francis Drake, one of the commanders in the defeat of the Spanish Armada, was one of the founders of England's naval tradition. His ship, the Golden Hind, was one of the first to sail right around ('circumnavigate') the world.

63. What religion were Puritans?

• Buddhists
• Catholics
• Protestants
• Jews

Puritans, a group of Protestants who advocated strict and simple religious doctrine and worship.

64. Why was the Habeas Corpus Act (1679) so important?

• It gave women the right to vote
• It guaranteed that no one could be held prisoner unlawfully
• It limited the power of the monarch
• It gave women their property rights

The Habeas Corpus Act became law in 1679. This was a very important piece of legislation which remains relevant today. Habeas corpus is Latin for 'you must present the person in court'. The Act guaranteed that no one could be held prisoner unlawfully. Every prisoner has a right to a court hearing.

65. What was the Spanish Armada?

• A large fleet of ships
• A large army of people
• A French and Spanish army
• An illness

Elizabeth became one of the most popular monarchs in English history, particularly after 1588, when the English defeated the Spanish Armada (a large fleet of ships), which had been sent by Spain to conquer England and restore Catholicism.

66. Which novel is the satirical novelist Evelyn Waugh best known for?

• The Harry Potter Series
• Romeo and Juliet
• Lord of the Rings
• Brideshead Revisited

Evelyn Waugh (1903-66) wrote satirical novels, including Decline and Fall and Scoop. He is perhaps best known for Brideshead Revisited.

67. Who was Catherine of Aragon (the first of Henry VIII's six wives)?

• Swedish princess
• French princess
• Dutch princess
• Spanish princess

Catherine was a Spanish princess. She and Henry had a number of children but only one, Mary, survived. When Catherine was too old to give him another child, Henry decided to divorce her, hoping that another wife would give him a son to be his heir.

68. What was the main crop in Ireland in the 19th century?

• Potato
• Tomato
• Cucumber
• Wheat

In the 19th century, many people in Ireland depended on potatoes as a large part of their diet. In the middle of the century the potato crop failed, and Ireland suffered a famine. A million people died from disease and starvation.

69. To be or not to be' is a famous Shakespeare line from which play or poem?

• Henry V
• Hamlet
• Romeo and Juliet
• As you like it

Lines from Shakespeare's plays and poems which are often still quoted include: Once more unto the breach (Henry V); To be or not to be (Hamlet); A rose by any other name (Romeo and Juliet); All the world's a stage (As You Like It); The darling buds of May (Sonnet 18 'Shall I Compare Thee To a Summer's Day).

70. What were the people who supported the King known as in 1642?

• Cavaliers
• Roundheads
• Chartists
• Quakers

During the English Civil War (1642) the country split into those who supported the king (the Cavaliers) and those who supported Parliament (the Roundheads).

71. Which stories are associated with Geoffrey Chaucer?

• The Canterbury Tales
• The London Tales
• The Westend Tales
• The Eastend Tales

In the years leading up to 1400, Geoffrey Chaucer wrote a series of poems in English about a group of people going to Canterbury on a pilgrimage. The people decided to tell each other stories on the journey, and the poems describe the travellers and some of the stories they told. This collection of poems is called The Canterbury Tales.

72. Which one of the following is the most famous play written by Shakespeare?

• A Midsummer Night's Dream
• The Canterbury Tales
• The Jungle Book
• Under Milk Wood

Shakespeare was born in Stratford-upon-Avon, England. He was a playwright and actor and wrote many poems and plays. His most famous plays include A Midsummer Night's Dream, Hamlet, Macbeth and Romeo and Juliet.