History for grades 5–6: questions with answers
The History questions for grades 5–6 from the game, with the correct answers and an explanation for each.
In which year did the French Revolution begin?
- 1789
- 1799
- 1815
- 1830
Correct answer: 1789 — The storming of the Bastille on 14 July 1789 is the symbolic start; 14 July is still France's national day.
Who led the first expedition to sail around the world?
- Christopher Columbus
- Ferdinand Magellan
- Francis Drake
- James Cook
Correct answer: Ferdinand Magellan — Magellan set out from Spain in 1519 and was killed in the Philippines; one ship of five returned in 1522 under Elcano.
Which city was the capital of the Byzantine Empire?
- Rome
- Athens
- Alexandria
- Constantinople
Correct answer: Constantinople — Constantinople (today's Istanbul) was the capital from 330 until the Ottomans took it in 1453.
The Great Fire of 1666 destroyed much of which city?
- Paris
- Rome
- Lisbon
- London
Correct answer: London — The fire burned for four days and destroyed some 13,000 houses; Christopher Wren rebuilt St Paul's Cathedral afterwards.
Which explorer first sailed from Europe to India around Africa?
- Marco Polo
- Bartolomeu Dias
- Vasco da Gama
- Amerigo Vespucci
Correct answer: Vasco da Gama — Da Gama reached Calicut in 1498, opening Portugal's sea route to Asian spices.
Which empire did Hernán Cortés conquer for Spain?
- Olmec
- Maya
- Inca
- Aztec
Correct answer: Aztec — Cortés took the Aztec capital Tenochtitlan in 1521; Mexico City stands on its site.
In which year did the United States declare independence?
- 1765
- 1776
- 1783
- 1789
Correct answer: 1776 — The Declaration of Independence was adopted on 4 July 1776; the war with Britain lasted until 1783.
Who led the Bolsheviks in the Russian Revolution of 1917?
- Lenin
- Trotsky
- Stalin
- Kerensky
Correct answer: Lenin — Lenin's Bolsheviks seized power in October 1917 (November by the modern calendar) and founded the Soviet Union in 1922.