FREE! Click here to Join FunTrivia. Thousands of games, quizzes, and lots more!
Quiz about Cape to Cairo Historical Figures
Quiz about Cape to Cairo Historical Figures

Cape to Cairo Historical Figures Quiz


This quiz travels from South Africa to Egypt, and test your knowledge of significant historical figures in African history. Enjoy!

A multiple-choice quiz by zenaccident. Estimated time: 4 mins.
  1. Home
  2. »
  3. Quizzes
  4. »
  5. People Trivia
  6. »
  7. People by Country

Author
zenaccident
Time
4 mins
Type
Multiple Choice
Quiz #
301,808
Updated
Dec 03 21
# Qns
10
Difficulty
Average
Avg Score
7 / 10
Plays
629
Awards
Top 35% Quiz
- -
Question 1 of 10
1. "Cape to Cairo" was actually a British imperial dream. The idea is that British colonies would form a continuous territory from Cape Town in the south, to Cairo in the north. Who was a main proponent of this idea? Hint


Question 2 of 10
2. Which South African writer died in exile in Botswana in 1986? Major works of this writer include "When Rain Clouds Gather", "Maru", and "A Question of Power". Hint


Question 3 of 10
3. Robert Mugabe was the hero of Zimbabwe's liberation movement, ZANU-PF. He became president in 1980; some would say, a de facto dictator through rigging elections. Who was his main opposition in the 2000s?
Hint


Question 4 of 10
4. Zambia, since its independence in 1964, had a state of emergency proclaimed due to political conflict, which remained until 1991. Who was Zambia's president during this time? Hint


Question 5 of 10
5. Tanzania's president until 1985, Julius Nyerere, promulgated the idea of "Ujamaa" as the basis for economic and social development. What does the word mean? Hint


Question 6 of 10
6. Kenya's soils have yielded significant archaeological treasures that advanced our modern understanding of human evolution. Which paleoanthropologist led the team that discovered the Turkana Boy skeleton in 1984? Hint


Question 7 of 10
7. The 2006 film, "The Last King of Scotland", though fictional, is a vivid portrayal of the Ugandan dictator Idi Amin, who was all too real. In which country did he settle after he lost power in 1979? Hint


Question 8 of 10
8. In Sudan in the late 1800s, Muhammad Ahmad al-Mahdi led a revolt against the Egyptian ruler and the British overlords. The Mahdist regime - an early nationalist Sudan in modern times - was short lived. Who brought it to an end? Hint


Question 9 of 10
9. Which Egyptian city is named after a Macedonian conqueror? Hint


Question 10 of 10
10. Imhotep was a much revered chancellor to the pharaoh Djoser in ancient Egypt. Which one of the following achievements has not been ascribed to him? Hint



(Optional) Create a Free FunTrivia ID to save the points you are about to earn:

arrow Select a User ID:
arrow Choose a Password:
arrow Your Email:




Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts
1. "Cape to Cairo" was actually a British imperial dream. The idea is that British colonies would form a continuous territory from Cape Town in the south, to Cairo in the north. Who was a main proponent of this idea?

Answer: Cecil John Rhodes

Rhodes amassed a fortune from the mines in South Africa, and actively sought to enlarge British holdings in southern Africa. The territories of Northern and Southern Rhodesia (now Zambia and Zimbabwe) were named after him. His legacy continues today in the well-known Rhodes Scholarship, but his name is also a vivid reminder of the scourge of imperialism.
2. Which South African writer died in exile in Botswana in 1986? Major works of this writer include "When Rain Clouds Gather", "Maru", and "A Question of Power".

Answer: Bessie Head

Bessie Head was born in Pietermaritzburg, South Africa, in a mental asylum - in a country where inter-racial affairs were not only considered insane, but illegal. She eventually settled in Serowe, Botswana.
3. Robert Mugabe was the hero of Zimbabwe's liberation movement, ZANU-PF. He became president in 1980; some would say, a de facto dictator through rigging elections. Who was his main opposition in the 2000s?

Answer: Morgan Tsvangirai

Tsvangirai heads the Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) which has been the only effective opposition to ZANU-PF. In 2002 he lost the presidential elections to Mugabe with 41.9%. In 2008 he got just under 48%, more votes than Mugabe got. But violence ensued and Mugabe remained in power.
4. Zambia, since its independence in 1964, had a state of emergency proclaimed due to political conflict, which remained until 1991. Who was Zambia's president during this time?

Answer: Kenneth Kaunda

By the 1970s, Kaunda had enforced a one-party system in Zambia. However Zambia had inherited a barely modern economy, and the pressures of the 1970s and 80s made it increasingly difficult for Kaunda to hold onto power. In 1991, after losing in a multiparty election, he handed power over to Chiluba.
5. Tanzania's president until 1985, Julius Nyerere, promulgated the idea of "Ujamaa" as the basis for economic and social development. What does the word mean?

Answer: family

"Ujamaa" is a Swahili word for extended family. The philosophy is that a person becomes significant and worthwhile through being part of a community. To simplify it, ujamaa can mean: "I am because we are." Nyerere hoped to stimulate local economy through collective efforts, to wean Tanzanians off dependency on the west. But as with most political programmes, the ideal was never achieved.
6. Kenya's soils have yielded significant archaeological treasures that advanced our modern understanding of human evolution. Which paleoanthropologist led the team that discovered the Turkana Boy skeleton in 1984?

Answer: Richard Leakey

The Leakey family, of course, has produced generations of paleoanthropologists who made important discoveries.

Robert Broom discovered Mrs Ples (australopithicus africanus) in South Africa. Donald Johanson discovered Lucy (australopithicus afarensis) in Ethiopia. Philip Tobias is a famous and popular paleoanthropologist in South Africa who helped name homo habilis.

Turkana Boy belongs in the homo erectus species.
7. The 2006 film, "The Last King of Scotland", though fictional, is a vivid portrayal of the Ugandan dictator Idi Amin, who was all too real. In which country did he settle after he lost power in 1979?

Answer: Saudi Arabia

Idi Amin never really had to account for his actions. As many as 500,000 deaths resulted from his dictatorship.

Forest Whitaker's portrayal of Amin in "The Last King of Scotland" is exceptional; it sends chills down one's spine.
8. In Sudan in the late 1800s, Muhammad Ahmad al-Mahdi led a revolt against the Egyptian ruler and the British overlords. The Mahdist regime - an early nationalist Sudan in modern times - was short lived. Who brought it to an end?

Answer: Britain's Herbert Kitchener

Muhammad Ahmad was a 'holy man'. Claiming to be the Mahdi ('Guided One'), the regime he established was a theocracy. But its troubles were mainly political, with its aggressions against neighbouring Ethiopia and Italian Eritrea not meeting with success. Eventually the British, led by Herbert Kitchener, led an Anglo-Egyptian force and secured the region, adding another link to the Cape to Cairo chain.
9. Which Egyptian city is named after a Macedonian conqueror?

Answer: Alexandria

Alexander the Great founded this famous ancient city in 334 B.C., which was a small town before his conquest.
10. Imhotep was a much revered chancellor to the pharaoh Djoser in ancient Egypt. Which one of the following achievements has not been ascribed to him?

Answer: Invention of hieroglyphics

Imhotep, millennia after his death, was deified and associated with healing, wisdom, poetry, astrology as well as architecture. A man of many talents - he rose above his commoner roots and became immortalised through numerous statues and inscriptions.
Source: Author zenaccident

This quiz was reviewed by FunTrivia editor bloomsby before going online.
Any errors found in FunTrivia content are routinely corrected through our feedback system.
3/28/2024, Copyright 2024 FunTrivia, Inc. - Report an Error / Contact Us