The Big History Quiz — printable worksheet

In what year did this happen: Washington Crossing the Delaware?

D — 1776

Washington Crossing the Delaware — 1776. Washington crossed in a nor'easter storm on Christmas night 1776, surprising Hessian forces at Trenton when the Continental Army was near collapse.

Which of these events happened first?

D — Battle of the Alamo

Battle of the Alamo came first, in 1836. All 189 Texan defenders perished, but their sacrifice delayed Santa Anna's army long enough for Sam Houston to win the war six weeks later.

In what year did this happen: Ford Model T Assembly Line, Dearborn?

B — 1920

Ford Model T Assembly Line, Dearborn — 1920. Ford's moving assembly line cut Model T production time from 12 hours to 90 minutes, making cars affordable for millions of Americans.

Which of these events happened first?

D — Brooklyn Bridge Grand Opening

Brooklyn Bridge Grand Opening came first, in 1883. Chief engineer John Roebling died before construction began; his son Washington was paralyzed by decompression sickness—Washington's wife Emily became the de facto engineer and completed the bridge.

In what year did this happen: Wall Street Crash of 1929?

B — 1929

Wall Street Crash of 1929 — 1929. On Black Tuesday, investors traded a record 16.4 million shares in a single day, wiping out billions of dollars in wealth.

Which of these events happened first?

C — First Modern Olympic Games, Athens

First Modern Olympic Games, Athens came first, in 1896. Only 14 nations and 241 athletes (all male) competed in the first modern Olympics—the marathon wasn't standardized to 26.2 miles until 1921.

In what year did this happen: Lindbergh's Arrival in Paris After Transatlantic Flight?

C — 1927

Lindbergh's Arrival in Paris After Transatlantic Flight — 1927. Lindbergh stayed awake for 33.5 hours by flying close to waves and opening the window for cold air—150,000 people mobbed him at landing.

Which of these events happened first?

A — Cortés Arrives in Tenochtitlan

Cortés Arrives in Tenochtitlan came first, in 1519. Tenochtitlan had 200,000-400,000 residents on an island with canals—conquistadors compared it to Venice before destroying it to build Mexico City.

In what year did this happen: The Beatles' Rooftop Concert?

B — 1969

The Beatles' Rooftop Concert — 1969. The impromptu 42-minute performance was stopped by police due to noise complaints—it became the climactic finale of the Let It Be documentary.

Which of these events happened first?

B — Washington Monument Nearing Completion

Washington Monument Nearing Completion came first, in 1884. Construction halted for 23 years, which is why the monument's lower and upper portions are different shades—they came from different quarries.

In what year did this happen: Burj Khalifa and Dubai Skyline Under Construction?

C — 2008

Burj Khalifa and Dubai Skyline Under Construction — 2008. The world's tallest building at 2,717 feet required special high-pressure pumps to move concrete nearly half a mile into the sky.

Which of these events happened first?

B — Statue of Liberty's Arm on Display in Manhattan

Statue of Liberty's Arm on Display in Manhattan came first, in 1882. The statue's arm and torch were displayed in Madison Square Park for six years to raise funds—visitors climbed inside for city views.

In what year did this happen: Los Angeles Summer Olympics?

B — 1984

Los Angeles Summer Olympics — 1984. The 1984 LA Olympics were the first profitable Games, making a $200 million surplus without government funding.

Which of these events happened first?

C — Zheng He's Treasure Fleet Expedition

Zheng He's Treasure Fleet Expedition came first, in 1420. Zheng He's 400-foot treasure ships dwarfed Columbus's ships 70 years later—his fleet of 300 vessels reached East Africa decades before European explorers.

In what year did this happen: Opening of the Metropolitan Railway, World's First Underground?

B — 1863

Opening of the Metropolitan Railway, World's First Underground — 1863. The world's first underground railway used steam locomotives designed to condense exhaust—stations were still notoriously smoky until electrification in 1890.

Which of these events happened first?

C — Wright Brothers' First Powered Flight

Wright Brothers' First Powered Flight came first, in 1903. Orville Wright's first flight lasted 12 seconds and covered 120 feet—shorter than a Boeing 747's wingspan.

In what year did this happen: San Francisco Earthquake and Fire?

B — 1906

San Francisco Earthquake and Fire — 1906. The earthquake lasted 45 seconds but subsequent fires burned for three days, destroying 80% of the city and displacing 250,000 people.

Which of these events happened first?

A — Eiffel Tower Construction for World's Fair

Eiffel Tower Construction for World's Fair came first, in 1889. Parisian intellectuals called the Eiffel Tower an 'eyesore' and 'metal asparagus'—it was only meant to stand for 20 years.

In what year did this happen: Opening of the Liverpool and Manchester Railway?

B — 1830

Opening of the Liverpool and Manchester Railway — 1830. Opening day saw the first railway passenger fatality when MP William Huskisson was struck by the Rocket locomotive despite revolutionizing transportation.

Which of these events happened first?

B — Gutenberg's Print Shop, Mainz

Gutenberg's Print Shop, Mainz came first, in 1455. Before 1450, Europe had 30,000 books; by 1500, over 9 million. Gutenberg ironically died penniless after losing a lawsuit to his financial backer.