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German Colonial History Trivia Quiz

This is a quiz about the German colonies overseas. They were short-lived, German colonial history lasted only from ca. 1880 to 1914. To make it more challenging many of the questions are fill in blanks.

A multiple-choice quiz by author. Estimated time: 8 mins.

Author
author

Time
8 mins

Type
Multiple Choice

Quiz #
234,390

Updated
Dec 03 21

# Qns
15

Difficulty
Difficult

Avg Score
7 / 15

Plays
634

One at a Time - Single Page - Timed Game

Question 1 of 15

1. German East Africa consisted of three units. Which were they? Hint

Tanganyika, Ruanda-Urundi, Congo

Tanganyika, Kenya, Uganda

Tanganyika, Ruanda, Urundi

Tanganyika, Zanzibar, Pemba

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Question 2 of 15

2. Germany gained two protectorates in West Africa by giving up German demands relating to Nigeria. Which were the protectorates? Hint

Togoland and Cameroon

Gold Coast and Ivory Coast

Gabon and Congo

Senegal and Guinea

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Question 3 of 15

3. In this protectorate there were Herero and Hottentot uprisings in 1889-1906.

Answer: (Three Words, English spelling)

4. The main colonial powers Britain and France were busy in another country. This is a main reason why Otto von Bismarck succeded in acquiring various protectorates after the Congo Conference 1884-85. In which country were Britain and France busy at the time? Hint

Algeria

Sudan

Egypt

Morocco

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Question 5 of 15

5. This protectorate was acquired by Germany from the New Guinea company in 1880.

Answer: (Three Words, named after a German leader)

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Question 6 of 15

6. After the Congo Conference 1884-1885 two more German protectorates were aquired in the South Seas. What was the (English) name of the group of islands that is today a part of Papua-New Guinea?

Answer: (Two Words, named after a German leader)

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Question 7 of 15

7. Also aquired by Germany in the South Seas 1884-85 was an island group that is today an independent state. It includes the islands of Kwajalein and Enewetak. Which island group is that?

Answer: (Two Words)

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Question 8 of 15

8. Germany purchased several islands in the South Seas from Spain in 1899. Which were they? Hint

Carolines, Marianas and Guam

Solomon Islands, Samoa and Tonga

Solomon Islands, Samoa and Nauru

Carolines, Marianas and Palau

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Question 9 of 15

9. Another South Sea island group was partitioned between Germany and USA in 1899. Which one?

Answer: (One word)

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Question 10 of 15

10. This island group which includes Bougainville and Buka Islands was divided between Germany and Britain in 1886. Which one?

Answer: (Two Words)

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Question 11 of 15

11. This island which today is the world�s smallest republic was annexed by Germany in 1888.

Answer: (One word)

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Question 12 of 15

12. The Germans named a city in Tanganyika 'Bismarckburg'. Which city? Hint

Dar es Salaam

Kasanga

Kigoma

Mwanza

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Question 13 of 15

13. The most short-lived of all German colonies was this sultanate, which was under German control 1885-1890. Hint

Uhehe

Pate

Witu

Hadimu (Jembe)

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Question 14 of 15

14. In 1911 Germany gave up its claims in this country in exchange for the French cession of New Cameroons. Which?

Answer: (One word)

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Question 15 of 15

15. This area in China was under German control 1898-1914. The chief town is Qingdao (Tsingtao). Hint

Kwangchowan

Canton

Kiaochow

Kowloon

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Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts

1. German East Africa consisted of three units. Which were they?

Answer: Tanganyika, Ruanda, Urundi

The explorer Karl Peters made treaties with native chiefs in the area, which came under German control in 1884-85. The Germans had several conflicts with the Sultan of Zanzibar who also claimed Tanganyika.

2. Germany gained two protectorates in West Africa by giving up German demands relating to Nigeria. Which were the protectorates?

Answer: Togoland and Cameroon

The colony existed as a unit for a few years (German West Africa) but was split due to the distance between the two parts.

3. In this protectorate there were Herero and Hottentot uprisings in 1889-1906.

Answer: South-West Africa

The country is today called Namibia. Walvis Bay, though, was never under German control but was an exclave under the Cape Province, South Africa.

Answer: Egypt

Britain and France were having problems in the Suez Canal area. The countries shared control of the canal 1879-1882, but Britain occupied it in 1882. The Fashoda crisis in Sudan (between France and Britain) was in 1898, the Morocco crises in 1905 and 1911. The latter also involved Germany.

5. This protectorate was acquired by Germany from the New Guinea company in 1880.

Answer: Kaiser-Wilhelms Land

Kaiser Wilhelm Land is the north east part of New Guinea. Along with the Bismarck Archipelago it constituted German New Guinea.

6. After the Congo Conference 1884-1885 two more German protectorates were aquired in the South Seas. What was the (English) name of the group of islands that is today a part of Papua-New Guinea?

Answer: Bismarck Archipelago

The Bismarck Archipelago was occupied by Australia during WW1 which gained it as a mandate after the war.

7. Also aquired by Germany in the South Seas 1884-85 was an island group that is today an independent state. It includes the islands of Kwajalein and Enewetak. Which island group is that?

Answer: Marshall Islands

Japan occupied the islands in WW1 and gained it as a mandate after the war.

8. Germany purchased several islands in the South Seas from Spain in 1899. Which were they?

Answer: Carolines, Marianas and Palau

Except for Guam Germany controlled the Mariana Islands. Guam was ceded to USA (by Spain) in 1898. The Carolines is today a part of Federated States of Micronesia and Palau. Both the Marianas (except Guam), the Carolines and Palau were mandated to Japan after WW1. Part of the Solomon Islands, part of Samoa and all of Nauru also belonged to Germany before WW1.

9. Another South Sea island group was partitioned between Germany and USA in 1899. Which one?

Answer: Samoa

Samoa was divided between USA and Germany in 1899 after a series of conflicts between Germany, Britain and USA. Britain ceded its interests to Germany in exchange for territory elsewhere, German Samoa was mandated to New Zealand after WW1.

10. This island group which includes Bougainville and Buka Islands was divided between Germany and Britain in 1886. Which one?

Answer: Solomon Islands

Of these islands only Bougainville and Buka remained under German control until WW1. The other islands were ceded to Britain in 1893-1900. All of the islands came under British control after WW1.

11. This island which today is the world�s smallest republic was annexed by Germany in 1888.

Answer: Nauru

Nauru became an Australian mandate after WW1.

12. The Germans named a city in Tanganyika 'Bismarckburg'. Which city?

Answer: Kasanga

Kasanga is situated on Lake Tanganyika.

13. The most short-lived of all German colonies was this sultanate, which was under German control 1885-1890.

Answer: Witu

Witu was a sultanate in what is today Kenya. It came under British control in 1890. The same year Zanzibar became a British protectorate.

14. In 1911 Germany gave up its claims in this country in exchange for the French cession of New Cameroons. Which?

Answer: Morocco

The German Emperor Wilhelm II visited Tangiers in 1905 to express his support to the Moroccan sovereign. Germany denied the French claims of Morocco. This almost resulted in a war in 1911.

15. This area in China was under German control 1898-1914. The chief town is Qingdao (Tsingtao).

Answer: Kiaochow

Kiaochow (German: Kiautschou) is situated in the Shandong province. The lease of the area to Germany was followed by an all-European scramble for concessions. The area came to China after WW1. Modern spelling of the area is Jiao Xian.
Kwangchowan is a territory which was leased by France 1898-1945.
Britain leased the New Territories (Hong Kong) in 1898. Then they had already been ceded both central Hong Kong (1842) and Kowloon (1860).

Source: Author author

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