Pivotal Battles and Striking Contrasts

The 5 moments in this challenge

The scenes are shown below — tap a card to reveal its place and year.

1. 

   Round 1 · 1805

   Victory Breaks the Line at Trafalgar

   Off Cape Trafalgar, Spain

   Nelson's fleet attacked in two columns, cutting through the larger Franco-Spanish line. Britain won a decisive victory, but Nelson was fatally wounded aboard Victory, making Trafalgar both a national triumph and a personal tragedy.

   Show answers
2. 

   Round 2 · 1959

   The Guggenheim Opens Its Spiral

   Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum, New York City, United States

   Frank Lloyd Wright's spiraling museum opened six months after his death. Its continuous ramp challenged conventional gallery design, and critics argued almost immediately about whether the architecture overwhelmed the art.

   Show answers
3. 

   Round 3 · 1600

   Tokugawa Wins at Sekigahara

   Sekigahara, Gifu Prefecture, Japan

   Tokugawa Ieyasu's victory broke the coalition opposing him and paved the way for his shogunate. Kobayakawa Hideaki's change of sides became the battle's most famous turning point, helping shape Japan's next two centuries.

   Show answers
4. 

   Round 4 · 1966

   A Coal Tip Buries Aberfan

   Pantglas Junior School, Aberfan, Wales, United Kingdom

   A rain-saturated colliery spoil tip collapsed onto Pantglas Junior School and nearby homes, killing 144 people, including 116 children. The disaster exposed grave failures by the National Coal Board and transformed attitudes toward mining-waste safety.

   Show answers
5. 

   Round 5 · 1967

   Flowers Meet Rifles at the Pentagon

   Pentagon Mall entrance, Arlington, Virginia, United States

   After a rally at the Lincoln Memorial, tens of thousands marched to the Pentagon against the Vietnam War. Images of demonstrators offering flowers to armed troops helped make flower power a lasting symbol.

   Show answers