World History III Trivia Quiz

Answer: Macbeth

Macbeth seized the Scottish throne by killing Duncan I in battle, but was himself defeated and killed by Duncan's son, who reigned as Malcolm III.

Answer: Tartars

Originally a nomadic tribe from East Central Asia, the Tartars intermixed with Mongols who were the subjects of Genghis Khan, and the term Tartars came to mean invaders under Mongol leadership.

Answer: 1347-50

The Black Death, or Bubonic plague of 1347-50, devastated much of Europe in what was perhaps the greatest crisis the Continent has ever faced. The death rate in Western Europe is estimated at between 30% and 50%. Bubonic plague returned to Europe several times before mysteriously disappearing in the 18th century, only to be replaced by cholera.

Answer: England and France

England and France fought from 1337-1453 in a territorial dispute.

Answer: Portugal

In 1497, at the order of Manuel I, da Gama commanded four vessels, reached Calicut, and opened up a lucrative spice trade. This was the beginning of the Portuguese empire. He returned with 20 ships in 1502, and established Portuguese power in India and Africa.

Answer: Incas

The Incas used terracing to turn the steep slopes of the mountains into arable land.

Answer: 14th century

Though the height wasn't until the 15th and 16th centuries, many historians believe the birth of the Renaissance occurred around 1325 in Italy. (Many older schoolbooks date the Renaissance from the fall of Byzantium in 1453 and the westward flight of Greek scholars. However, long before 1453 Byzantium had been in decline and Greek migration, especially to Italy, had begun much earlier).

Answer: Normans

The Normans were led by William the Bastard (later known as William the Conqueror).

Answer: bank

Casa di San Giorgio was one of the very first public banks.

Answer: Hapsburg

The dynasty of the Hapsburgs began when Pope Gregory X, in order to find support for a new crusade and to secure a counterweight to the king of Sicily, persuaded the German princes to elect Count Rudolph of Habsburg emperor in 1273.

Answer: Cathedral

Construction on the Cathedral began in 1068. The Tower of Pisa is the bell tower of the Cathedral. Its construction began in August of 1173, and continued (with two long interruptions) for about two hundred years. Who the original architect was is still uncertain.

Answer: John Wycliffe

Wycliffe attacked orthodox church doctrine, especially that of transubstantiation, and held that the Scriptures were the supreme authority. Condemned (1380, 1382) as a heretic, he was left undisturbed in his retirement. Wycliffe brought about the first English translation of the Latin Bible.

Answer: Bahamas

In 1492, Columbus landed on Watling Island in the Bahama Group and later touched Cuba and the island of Hispaniola (Haiti and Dominican Republic). It wasn't until 1493 that he explored Puerto Rico.

Answer: Yuan

During this period, there was growing contact with the West, Confucianism was discouraged, and it was a time of great Chinese playwriting. The Mongols were expelled by revolts in Mongolia and South China. This led to the Ming Dynasty.

Answer: Oxford University

Oxford is the oldest university in the English speaking world. The date of foundation is unclear, although, there was some advanced teaching at Oxford dating to 1096. King Henry II banned English students from attending the University of Paris in 1167 spurring the founding of Oxford University. Oxford and Paris were founded in the 12th century, Cambridge early in the 13th century and Prague in 1348.

Answer: Tenochtitlan

Late in the 12th century, the Aztecs traveled south and began settling in the Valley of Mexico. Until their capital, Tenochtitlan, was founded (about 1325), the Aztecs were a poor, nomadic tribe absorbing the culture of nearby states. They then maintained political autonomy for the next century by paying tribute to neighboring states. During the 15th and 16th centuries, however, through alliance, treachery, and conquest, they became a central power both politically and culturally.

Answer: King John

The purpose of the document was to insure feudal rights and to guarantee that the king could not encroach on baronial privileges. The document also guaranteed the freedom of the church and the customs of the towns. It also had implied laws protecting the rights of subjects and communities, which the king was compelled to observe. To later generations, it vaguely suggested that there was a guarantee of trial by jury and Habeas Corpus.

Answer: Thomas Becket

In an attempt to curb the growing power of the church, the King nominated his friend as archbishop of Canterbury. Foreseeing trouble, Thomas was reluctant to accept, but in 1163 he was ordained priest and consecrated archbishop. On Dec. 29, 1170, Thomas was murdered in Canterbury cathedral by Henry's partisans.

The Christian world was shocked by Thomas's death, and in 1174, the King was forced to do penance at the saint's tomb in Canterbury, which became the greatest of English shrines.

Answer: Hundred Years' War

Called the Maid of Orleans, Joan of Arc was captured and burned at the stake for heresy in 1431. She was canonized in 1920.

Answer: Ivan III (the Great)

Ivan the Great ruled Russia until 1505 and was succeeded by his son, Vasily III.

Answer: Marco Polo

Venetian Marco Polo's accounts of his travels have been of great value to historians. Khan's court was located in present day Beijing.

Answer: 1453

The Ottoman Empire was founded by Turkish tribes in Anatolia in the late 13th century. The empire was ruled by the descendants of Osman I until 1918 at the end of World War I when the empire was dissolved.
Modern Turkey forms only part of the empire, but the terms 'Turkey' and 'Ottoman Empire' are often used interchangeably.

Answer: Mali Kingdom

Mansa Musa captured the neighboring kingdom of Songhai and made its' major city, Timbuktu, an important trading center in North Africa.

Answer: York and Lancaster

Given the name 'War of the Roses' due to each sides badge of a rose (Lancaster's rose was red, York's was white), the struggle for the throne of England raged from 1455-1485. The houses were united by the marriage of Henry VII and Elizabeth (Edward IV's daughter), and the house of Tudor was founded.

Answer: Robin Hood

Robin is famous for his gallantry, robbing the rich to feed the poor and fighting against injustice and tyranny. The names of Little John, Friar Tuck, Maid Marion, Allan a Dale, Will Scarlet, Much the Miller and the evil Sheriff of Nottingham are as much a part of the legend as Robin Hood himself.