History for grades 9–10: questions with answers
The History questions for grades 9–10 from the game, with the correct answers and an explanation for each.
Which US president bought Louisiana from France in 1803?
- George Washington
- John Adams
- Thomas Jefferson
- James Madison
Correct answer: Thomas Jefferson — The Louisiana Purchase doubled the size of the United States for about 15 million dollars.
In which year did the Spanish Armada sail against England?
- 1492
- 1588
- 1605
- 1666
Correct answer: 1588 — Philip II's fleet was meant to invade England; storms and the English navy scattered it.
Akbar the Great ruled which empire?
- Mughal
- Ottoman
- Safavid
- Maratha
Correct answer: Mughal — Akbar ruled 1556–1605, expanded the empire across northern India and practised religious tolerance.
Which Roman emperor legalised Christianity with the Edict of Milan in 313?
- Nero
- Diocletian
- Constantine
- Theodosius
Correct answer: Constantine — The Edict of Milan ended the persecution of Christians; Constantine also founded Constantinople in 330.
The Treaty of Tordesillas of 1494 divided newly found lands between which two countries?
- England and France
- Spain and Portugal
- Spain and England
- Portugal and the Netherlands
Correct answer: Spain and Portugal — Spain and Portugal moved an earlier papal line westward: Portugal got Africa's coasts and, as it turned out, Brazil; Spain most of the Americas.
Who was the first European to sail around the Cape of Good Hope?
- Bartolomeu Dias
- Christopher Columbus
- Vasco da Gama
- Ferdinand Magellan
Correct answer: Bartolomeu Dias — Dias rounded the cape in 1488; ten years later Vasco da Gama followed the route to India.
Which battle in 1815 ended Napoleon's rule for good?
- Austerlitz
- Trafalgar
- Leipzig
- Waterloo
Correct answer: Waterloo — Wellington and Blücher defeated Napoleon near Brussels on 18 June 1815; he was exiled to Saint Helena.
Which pharaoh built the Great Pyramid of Giza?
- Djoser
- Khufu
- Tutankhamun
- Ramesses II
Correct answer: Khufu — The Great Pyramid, built around 2560 BC, was the tallest structure in the world for nearly 4,000 years.