Historical Figures Trivia Questions
Total Questions: 1307
Who unexpectedly started a new church when he posted his '95 Theses' in 1517 expecting a debate?
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martin luther
What was the sex of the Dionne quintuplets, born in Canada in 1934?
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female
Who became the archbishop of Cape Town and head of the Anglican Church in South Africa in 1986?
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desmond tutu
Who was the San Diego airport named after, known for flying the 'Spirit of St. Louis'?
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charles lindbergh
Who is the father of relativity described as the 'Creator and Rebel' in a biography by Banesh Hoffmann?
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albert einstein
Who dictated an account of his visit to the court of Kublai Khan while imprisoned in Genoa during the Middle Ages?
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marco polo
Who was Senator Mike Mansfield referring to when he said, 'A piece of each of us has died' on November 24, 1963?
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john f. kennedy
Who became the governor of Virginia in 1776 and is known for his powerful oratory skills?
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patrick henry
Who was the youngest person ever elected to the position held by John XII at about 18 years old?
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pope
Which Civil War general and former U.S. President died on July 23, 1885, just four days after finishing his memoirs?
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ulysses s. grant
Which emperor, who passed away on January 7, 1989, had millions of pardons issued to commemorate his death?
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hirohito
Which Boston silversmith has at least 3 surviving complete sets of his tea sets?
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paul revere
Who cast the first church bell made in Boston in 1792?
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paul revere
Which emperor's black silk socks, worn on St. Helena, are featured in the Bata Shoe Museum in Toronto?
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napoleon
Which North American country did Georges Vanier become the first Roman Catholic Governor General of in 1959?
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canada
Which frontiersman began blazing the Wilderness Road on March 10, 1775?
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daniel boone
Which historical figure, known as a traitor, was demoted from major general in the U.S. Army to brigadier general in the British Army during the American Revolution?
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benedict arnold
Which Native American leader escaped to Canada after the Battle of Little Bighorn and later toured with Buffalo Bill's Wild West Show?
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sitting bull
Who was buried at Mark Antony's side in 30 B.C. as requested?
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cleopatra
In 1699, William Penn made his second trip to Pennsylvania; which William was arrested as a pirate that year?
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william kidd
Which Alamo hero is known for the motto 'Be always sure you're right --- then go ahead'?
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davy crockett
What item did the Duke of Wellington carry six of to ensure he was never late for an appointment?
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watch
Which First Lady led to Mount Vernon starting the tradition of free admittance to women named Martha on her birthday in 1992?
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martha washington
Who was referred to as Mahatma, meaning 'Great Soul,' and Bapu, meaning 'Father' by his people?
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mahatma gandhi
Which industrialist chartered a 'peace ship' and built his millionth car in 1915?
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henry ford
After divorcing Daniel Patterson, who married Asa Gilbert Eddy as her third husband?
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mary baker eddy
Which notable figure worked in the Dept. of Internal Medicine at Vienna's General Hospital before transitioning to work at the psychiatric clinic?
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sigmund freud
Who was the teen who kept a diary detailing the minutiae of his life and later became the first director of the FBI?
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j. edgar hoover
Who insisted on omitting the word 'obey' from her marriage vows when she married Henry Stanton in 1840?
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elizabeth cady stanton
Who is the editor that is buried near her first husband and former brother-in-law at Arlington National Cemetery?
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jacqueline kennedy onassis
Which emperor, known for constructing a famous wall, built a magnificent villa at Tivoli near Rome?
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hadrian
Who published a 'History of the Red Cross' in 1883?
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clara barton
Who is the former first lady of the Philippines who ran for congress and won in 1995?
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imelda marcos
In which country is Francisco Franco buried inside a mountain?
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spain
Which ex-Marine received an honorary degree from Liberty University in 1988 during the Iran-Contra investigation?
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oliver north
Which Black American agriculturist wrote the 1894 college thesis titled 'Plants as Modified by Man'?
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george washington carver
Which explorer is commemorated with a statue atop a 167-foot column near Barcelona's harbor, pointing towards the sea?
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christopher columbus
What Californian settler, who discovered gold at his mill in 1848, was bankrupt by 1852?
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john sutter
Which sailor's name is the origin of the word meaning a long, adventurous voyage?
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odysseus
In which city were both Helen Hunt Jackson and Emily Dickinson born, with Emily known as the 'Belle'?
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amherst, massachusetts
Who was a military and political wife determined not to look 'Dowd'y?
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mamie eisenhower
Who was crowned Emperor of the Romans at St. Peter's Church on Christmas Day in the year 800?
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charlemagne
Who installed the first large central electric power station on NYC's Pearl Street in 1882?
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thomas edison
Which Soviet leader was featured on the cover of TIME magazine as Man of the Year in 1957?
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nikita khrushchev
Whose salary was increased by Chicago's city council from $25,000 to $35,000 a year in 1959?
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richard j. daley
Who was the 13th-century Scottish knight whose story was told by Henry the Minstrel in the 15th century and later depicted in the film 'Braveheart'?
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william wallace
Which historical figure, known for his involvement in the fur trade, sold all his fur interests in 1834 after growing tired of the business?
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john jacob astor
Which historical figure, also the second First Lady of the United States, was married to the future president by her minister father?
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abigail adams
Which pirate was pardoned after assisting the U.S. during the Battle of New Orleans?
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jean lafitte
Which great king of the Franks did the biographer Einhard say had a surprisingly high-pitched voice?
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charlemagne
As a young man, what instrument did Thomas Jefferson often play in a chamber group organized by the governor?
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violin
Which mother of a president was named a 'Papal Countess' by the Vatican in 1951 and passed away in 1995?
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rose kennedy
In which country was Andrew Carnegie born?
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scotland
Who is known by the nicknames 'The Father of Protestantism' and 'The Father of the Reformation'?
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martin luther
Who stated in 1858, 'I believe this government cannot endure permanently half slave and half free'?
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abraham lincoln
Which frontiersman, adopted by Shawnee Chief Blackfish and named 'Big Turtle,' is known for his exploration of Kentucky?
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daniel boone
Which Czech president, known for his plays, formerly had his works banned in his homeland?
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havel
Which Ugandan leader was estimated by Amnesty International in 1977 to have been responsible for as many as 300,000 deaths during his rule?
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idi amin
Which philosopher instructed Alexander the Great in subjects such as rhetoric, literature, science, and philosophy?
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aristotle
Who served as the U.S. Surgeon General from 1981 to 1989?
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c. everett koop