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Quiz about 10 Famous People Who Were Slaves

10 Famous People Who Were Slaves Quiz

Despite their miserable luck of having been born or captured into slavery, all of these individuals were able to make a mark on history either while enslaved or after having gained freedom. Please enjoy and hopefully learn!

A multiple-choice quiz by thejazzkickazz. Estimated time: 6 mins.

Author
thejazzkickazz

Time
6 mins

Type
Multiple Choice

Quiz #
81,822

Updated
Dec 03 21

# Qns
10

Difficulty
Difficult

Avg Score
4 / 10

Plays
8179

Awards
Editor's Choice

Last 3 plays: Guest 82 (3/10), Guest 75 (2/10), heidi66 (7/10).

One at a Time - Single Page - Timed Game

Question 1 of 10

1. He was famous for some pithy but sagacious fables and was enslaved to a man named Iadmon, who was this ancient fellow?

Answer: (One word name)

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Question 2 of 10

2. Which of these famed ancient Roman writers was once a slave?
Hint

Terence

Ovid

Virgil

Menander

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Question 3 of 10

3. Perhaps the most famous slave of all time, he headed an ill-fated revolt against Rome in 71 BC, what was his name?

Answer: (Did he have a cleft chin like the actor who portrayed him?)

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Question 4 of 10

4. Which country was ruled by the 'slave' dynasty for most of the 13th century AD? Hint

Russia

China

India

Turkey

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Question 5 of 10

5. The author of which of these beloved European novels was captured and made a slave in north Africa for about 5 years?
Hint

Don Quixote

Madame Bovary

War and Peace

Robinson Crusoe

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Question 6 of 10

6. What was the autobiographical work of Booker T. Washington, a former slave, called?
Hint

From Slavery to Prosperity

Once Slave, Now Free

Up from Slavery

A Slave No More

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Question 7 of 10

7. Perhaps the most famous slavery abolitionist in American history, he was born a slave in Maryland in 1817 but escaped in 1838. Who was this author and politician?
Hint

George Washington Carver

W. E. B. Dubois

Frederick Douglass

Marcus Garvey

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Question 8 of 10

8. Which former slave was the most famous conductor of the 'Underground Railroad'?

Answer: (Last name or full name are acceptable)

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Question 9 of 10

9. Which of these famous American inventor's most well known invention was developed in large part by a slave named Jo Anderson?
Hint

Cyrus McCormick

Eli Whitney

Samuel Morse

Isaac Singer

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Question 10 of 10

10. A former slave, she is probably most famous for her 'Ain't I a Woman' speech at the 1851 Women's Rights Convention in Akron, Ohio. What was her name?
Hint

Carrie Catt

Sojourner Truth

Lucretia Mott

Harriet Beecher Stowe

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Most Recent Scores

Apr 08 2024 : Guest 82: 3/10
Apr 03 2024 : Guest 75: 2/10
Mar 20 2024 : heidi66: 7/10
Feb 29 2024 : Guest 175: 3/10

Score Distribution

Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts

1. He was famous for some pithy but sagacious fables and was enslaved to a man named Iadmon, who was this ancient fellow?

Answer: Aesop

Aesop, a Thracian, lived during the 6th century BC and according to Herodotus became a slave of Iadmon of Samos. Some people doubt whether or not he actually wrote all of the charming fables assigned to him...but I prefer to think of them as his!

2. Which of these famed ancient Roman writers was once a slave?

Answer: Terence

Terence, a Carthaginian citizen, was made a Roman slave upon Carthage's defeat in the 2nd Punic War. He eventually came under the patronage of the illustrious Scipio Africanus and was the writer of a bundle of clever comedies.

3. Perhaps the most famous slave of all time, he headed an ill-fated revolt against Rome in 71 BC, what was his name?

Answer: Spartacus

The Spartacan revolt began in 73 BC in Capua. It was eventually put down and Spartacus captured and crucified by Crassus in 71 BC, despite his Hollywoodish good looks (and cleft chin!)...

4. Which country was ruled by the 'slave' dynasty for most of the 13th century AD?

Answer: India

The Slave Dynasty was founded in India in 1206 AD by Qutbuddin, a Turkish slave. His slave, Iltutmish, became Sultan in 1211 and reigned until 1236, when his daughter Raziyah became the first female ruler of a Muslim country and the only Sultana of Delhi.

5. The author of which of these beloved European novels was captured and made a slave in north Africa for about 5 years?

Answer: Don Quixote

Cervantes was captured by Barbary pirates upon the Mediterranean and sold into slavery in 1575. He was fortunate enough to be ransomed in 1580, and it is said his experience in slavery spurred him to write his great works. I hope the choice 'Robinson Crusoe' (by Daniel Defoe) didn't fool anyone...it was the character Crusoe who found himself in similar bondage in Africa!

6. What was the autobiographical work of Booker T. Washington, a former slave, called?

Answer: Up from Slavery

Booker T. Washington, coming from miserably poor conditions following his release from slavery, went on to found the world famous Tuskegee Institute in Alabama. His book, especially the first half, is inspirational.

7. Perhaps the most famous slavery abolitionist in American history, he was born a slave in Maryland in 1817 but escaped in 1838. Who was this author and politician?

Answer: Frederick Douglass

Douglass's autobiography is called 'Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass' and his government posts included the position as minister to Haiti.

8. Which former slave was the most famous conductor of the 'Underground Railroad'?

Answer: Harriet Tubman

Tubman, like Washington, also escaped from slavery in Maryland, in 1849, and spent the rest of her life freeing slaves and advocating for the rights of former slaves.

9. Which of these famous American inventor's most well known invention was developed in large part by a slave named Jo Anderson?

Answer: Cyrus McCormick

Although McCormick received the patent for his reaping machine in 1831, and thus the accolades of history, it was actually Jo Anderson who did the key work in creating the automatic reaper. Even McCormick's descendants acknowledge Anderson's contribution to the invention.

10. A former slave, she is probably most famous for her 'Ain't I a Woman' speech at the 1851 Women's Rights Convention in Akron, Ohio. What was her name?

Answer: Sojourner Truth

Sojourner Truth was the adopted name of Isabella Baumfree (later Isabella Van Wagener) who lived from 1797-1883. Along with her famous speech, Truth was a well known slavery abolitionist and author.

Source: Author thejazzkickazz

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