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Discoverers of New Lands Trivia Quiz

Since the beginning of time there have been many explorers in world history, famous for discovering new lands. How many of these can you remember from your school days?

A multiple-choice quiz by aaronjunior. Estimated time: 3 mins.

Author
aaronjunior

Time
3 mins

Type
Multiple Choice

Quiz #
342,821

Updated
Dec 03 21

# Qns
10

Difficulty
Average

Avg Score
7 / 10

Plays
670

One at a Time - Single Page - Timed Game

Question 1 of 10

1. There are many people who suggest that Columbus may not have been the first person from the Old World to have set foot on American soil. Which of these is NOT regarded as possibly having discovered America? Hint

Leif Erikson

Magellan

Columbus

Unnamed 12th century Arab sailors

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Question 2 of 10

2. Several European explorers visited Australia prior to it being claimed for the British. Who was NOT one of the early European explorers to have visited Australia? Hint

Dirk Hartog

Willem Jansz

William Dampier

Alastair Cook

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Question 3 of 10

3. Which famous explorer did Marco Polo inspire? Hint

Ferdinand Magel

Kublai Khan

Leif Erikson

Christopher Columbus

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Question 4 of 10

4. Which European explorer first discovered New Zealand in 1642? Hint

James Cook

Nieuw Zeeland

Pakeha

Abel Tasman

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Question 5 of 10

5. Where was Captain James Cook killed? Hint

Australia

New Zealand

Hawaii

Cook Islands

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Question 6 of 10

6. Which of these is considered a famous explorer but was also considered a pirate by his enemies? Hint

Captain James Cook

Marco Polo

Sir Francis Drake

Sir Egmund Ranerty

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Question 7 of 10

7. Which of these explorers was beheaded for attacking the Spanish? Hint

Henry Hudson

Sir Francis Drake

Sir Walter Raleigh

William Dampier

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Question 8 of 10

8. Which Spanish treasure seeker and explorer discovered the Mississippi river in 1541? Hint

Ferdinand Magellan

Hernando de Soto

Christopher Columbus

Alejandro Mississippi

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Question 9 of 10

9. Which explorer claimed to have been the first to reach the North Pole? Hint

Vasco da Gama

Amundsen

Peary

Hawkins

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Question 10 of 10

10. Which of these was NOT a famous British explorer? Hint

Martin Frobisher

Gaspar Real

Richard Grenville

Henry Hudson

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Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts

Answer: Magellan

Magellan was only 12 when Columbus officially 'discovered' America. However there is considerable historical evidence that one of the other two explorers may well have beaten him to this.

The notion that Arab sailors reached America in the Middle Ages, though occasionally mentioned, is generally dismissed as fringe theory.

2. Several European explorers visited Australia prior to it being claimed for the British. Who was NOT one of the early European explorers to have visited Australia?

Answer: Alastair Cook

Dutchman Willem Jansz was the first European to visit Australia (26 February 1606). However, he did not believe that Australia was a new continent, independent of New Guinea.

Ten years later, on 25 October 1616 another Dutchman, Dirk Hartog, reached what is now West Australia.

In 1688 William Dampier was the first Englishman to set foot on Australian shores.

James Cook claimed Australia (then known as New South Wales) for Britain in 1770.

Alastair Cook is an English cricketer who was not born until 1984.

3. Which famous explorer did Marco Polo inspire?

Answer: Christopher Columbus

Marco Polo's book inspired Christopher Columbus to become an explorer himself.

Leif Erikson was a famous Viking, who was born before Marco Polo.

Ferdinand Magel is not the name of a famous explorer.

Kublai Khan was the founder of the Mongol Dynasty in China. He is not regarded as a great explorer but met Marco Polo in Cathay (China).

4. Which European explorer first discovered New Zealand in 1642?

Answer: Abel Tasman

New Zealand was first discovered by Polynesians around 700-800 years ago.

James Cook did not arrive in New Zealand until 1769-1770.

New Zealand's name comes from the Dutch words Nieuw Zeeland, named so after the Dutch province of Zeeland.

Pakeha is a native New Zealand (Maori) word for a New Zealander of European descent.

5. Where was Captain James Cook killed?

Answer: Hawaii

Following a confrontation with Hawaiian natives, Captain James Cook was killed on 14 February 1779.

6. Which of these is considered a famous explorer but was also considered a pirate by his enemies?

Answer: Sir Francis Drake

Sir Francis Drake circumnavigated the world in his ship the Golden Hind and is considered a great British explorer. He was also regarded as a pirate by the Spanish, having plundered their gold and silver.

Marco Polo and Captain Cook were not pirates. There is no one by the name of Sir Egmund Ranerty.

7. Which of these explorers was beheaded for attacking the Spanish?

Answer: Sir Walter Raleigh

Sir Walter Raleigh backed the first English colony in America, namely that of North Carolina. It was known as the Roanoke colony which was an attempt by the British to establish a permanent base in America.

8. Which Spanish treasure seeker and explorer discovered the Mississippi river in 1541?

Answer: Hernando de Soto

Searching for gold and also a shorter route to China, Hernando de Soto explored vast areas of land in what now is the South-East of the United States, including Florida, Georgia, Tennessee, The Carolinas, Alabama and Mississippi.

9. Which explorer claimed to have been the first to reach the North Pole?

Answer: Peary

Robert Peary claimed to have reached what is known as the geographic North Pole, on April 6, 1909. Roald Amundsen was the first to reach the South Pole on December 14, 1911.

10. Which of these was NOT a famous British explorer?

Answer: Gaspar Real

Gaspar Real was a Portuguese explorer, famous for his exploration of Greenland and Newfoundland.

Source: Author aaronjunior

This quiz was reviewed by FunTrivia editor bloomsby before going online.
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