Historical Figures Trivia Questions
Total Questions: 267
Who is the historical figure that surprised the world in 1859 with his publication 'On the Origin of Species'?
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charles darwin
In which state capital did Queen Liliuokalani serve as the organist at Kawaiahao Church?
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honolulu
Who was known by the nickname 'The Great Emancipator'?
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abraham lincoln
Who presented his Enterprise of the Indies plan to King John of Portugal in 1484?
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christopher columbus
In 1926, which industrialist helped pioneer the 40-hour work week by implementing it at his Michigan auto factories?
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henry ford
Who made a stop at Puerto Rico in 1493, forming the basis for the claim that he 'discovered America'?
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christopher columbus
Which Egyptian queen was married to two of her brothers, Ptolemy XII and Ptolemy XIII?
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cleopatra
In the 11th century, who rode naked through Coventry to protest her husband's taxes?
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lady godiva
Who was Raisa Titorenkos husband, whom she married in 1955?
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mikhail gorbachev
Who shouted, "Sic Semper Tyrannis! The South is avenged!" at Ford's Theater?
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john wilkes booth
Who used the name 'Monk' when dealing with the British during his 16 months of treasonous activities in the American Revolution?
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benedict arnold
What high holy office did Sylvester II become the first Frenchman to be elected to in 999?
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pope
In which country did Mohammad Naguib and Gamal Abdel Nasser share power from June 1953 to November 1954?
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egypt
Who was the Cuban revolutionary leader captured in Bolivia and executed in 1967?
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che guevara
Who was exiled from the USSR in 1929 and lived in Turkey, France, and Norway before finding asylum in Mexico?
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leon trotsky
Who is the legendary tax protester from England whose real name was probably Godgifu, meaning 'Gift of God'?
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lady godiva
Who is referred to by Encarta as 'the most renowned Hun leader'?
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attila
How many test tube babies did Michele L'Esperance have all at once to make the cover of People?
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5
Who was the future First Lady that appeared in the 1946 Broadway musical 'Lute Song' alongside Yul Brynner?
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nancy reagan
Which Venetian explorer provides a description of Kublai Khan and his palace at Shang-Tu through his writings?
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marco polo
Which famous Venetian explorer introduced the idea of fruit flavored ices upon returning from the Far East?
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marco polo
Whos famous last words were, 'Crito, I owe a cock to Aesculapius; do not forget to pay it'?
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socrates
Which U.S. President appears on both the front of the penny and has his memorial on the back?
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abraham lincoln
Who was born in 1731 and is nicknamed the 'Mother of Our Country'?
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martha washington
Who was the Philistine giant that lived in the city of Gath?
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goliath
Which man was Truman referring to when he said, 'I like old Joe! He is a decent fellow. But a prisoner of the Politburo'?
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joseph stalin
Who fled the Potala Palace in Tibet when Chinese forces invaded Lhasa in 1959?
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dalai lama
Which explorer mistakenly believed he had reached the Orient due to overestimating the size of Asia and underestimating the Earth's size?
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christopher columbus
In which state was Abraham Lincoln born?
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kentucky
Which Civil War photographer, who later became well-known for documenting the conflict, learned photography from Samuel F.B. Morse?
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mathew brady
Which silversmith, known for his midnight ride, briefly served in the militia and participated in the disastrous Penobscot Expedition during the American Revolution?
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paul revere
Who was the president of the Screen Actors Guild in 1959 and became the governor of California 10 years later?
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ronald reagan
Which inventor had an early steam warship commanded by Matthew Perry named after him?
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robert fulton
Which 20th-century woman addressed her diary entries to an imaginary friend named Kitty?
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anne frank
What is the name of the general associated with the horse that Traveller's Restaurant in Richmond, VA. is named after?
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robert e. lee
Who was the first U.S. First Lady known for her equestrian skills and for once riding a horse up the stairs of her uncle's house?
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martha washington
Which First Lady had a cousin named Dorothea Dandridge who became the second wife of Patrick Henry?
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martha washington
Which individual had an Ollieburger made in his honor at a Pasadena, California restaurant in 1987, which was made with shredded beef?
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oliver north
Who was the grandfather of Mahonri Young, the sculptor of Salt Lake City's 'This is the place' monument?
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brigham young
Who was the Philippine first lady stabbed in 1972?
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imelda marcos
Which Kentucky explorer, guide, and later state legislator was adopted by Chief Blackfish?
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daniel boone
Who did Julie Harris read the diary of, written while in hiding in WWII Amsterdam?
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anne frank
Which emperor did Talleyrand resign from in 1807 and subsequently began intriguing against?
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napoleon
Who completed volumes 2 and 3 of Karl Marx's 'Das Kapital'?
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friedrich engels
Which First Lady of the United States passed away 7 years before her son John Quincy Adams became president?
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abigail adams
Who was the Mormon leader who founded the school named after him in 1875?
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brigham young
Who, according to legend, was a swineherd before he conquered the Incas?
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francisco pizarro
Which U.S. president has a national memorial in Washington D.C., one in Indiana, and is also featured on Mount Rushmore?
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abraham lincoln
Who was known as Temujin in his childhood and was reputedly timid around dogs?
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genghis khan
Which famous actor, known for his extensive work in the early 20th century, passed away on May 29, 1942, with only his brother Lionel present at his bedside?
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john barrymore
Who was the prophet whose father-in-law, Abu Bakr, became the first Muslim caliph in 632?
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muhammad
Who did Henry VIII import an executioner from France to behead on May 19, 1536, his second wife?
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anne boleyn
Which naturalist began writing his notebooks on the transmutation of species in July 1837?
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charles darwin
Who, along with his wife Isabel, was elected president of Argentina in 1973?
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juan perón
Which lord and poet, known for his licentious behavior, kept a pet bear while at Cambridge?
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lord byron
Diane Sawyer served as a staff assistant to which president in the White House and continued working for him in San Clemente after his resignation?
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richard nixon
Which actor organized an attempt to abduct the president the year before he assassinated him?
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john wilkes booth
Which first lady ended her 2-week tour of 7 Caribbean and South American countries in June 1977?
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rosalynn carter
Who was the comet discoverer who took a ship called the Paramour Pink on the first purely scientific sea voyage in 1698?
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edmond halley
Which Italian explorer set sail for Kublai Khan's court at the age of 17 and didn't return home for 24 years?
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marco polo
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