111+ History Trivia Questions & Answers (Easy to Hard)

History trivia questions can be the best type of question to include in a quiz because everyone has a chance of knowing the answers to this type of question. If you’re stuck for questions to ask when planning a trivia night, you’ll find that there are lots of different options when you choose history trivia questions.

Unlike ice breaker questions, trivia questions give friends or acquaintances the chance to compete against each other to earn points or a reward by showing off how much they know. If you’re planning a quiz, including history-based trivia questions can help you find out who really knows about world history. For some awesome inspiration, check out the questions below.

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5 Best history trivia questions and answers

Skip the rest and go straight to the best – these history trivia questions are almost guaranteed to make the contestants being challenged in your quiz stop and think. They’re great for both and adults and kids, who can test their knowledge.

1. Which pioneer of hair products became America’s first black female millionaire?

2. Which great wonder of the Ancient World still stands today?

3. What French sculptor created the Statue of Liberty?

4. Victorians said this word before having their picture taken instead of the word “cheese”?

5. What is the best-selling novel of all time?

7 Random history trivia questions

While many history trivia questions fall into specific categories, many do not. These fun questions can be great to catch people out or to find out how much they really know about world history. Choose your favorites from the random trivia questions and answers below to see how much history knowledge your quiz contenders have.

6. What is the name of the first pizzeria to open in the US?

7. Who was the famous actor that became the Governor of California in 2003?

8. Rubber was discovered by?

9. How many words does Pablo Picasso’s real name have?

10. Which city is credited as the origin or birthplace of pop art?

11. What was the name of Alexander the Great’s horse?

12. Where was the first Disney park built?

7 History trivia questions for adults

Trivia questions for adults can often be specifically difficult. This is because kids’ history questions usually focus on easy topics that most people learn at school. However, history trivia, made specifically for adults is designed to be more difficult and even tricky enough to throw up red herrings or catch people out.

13. Who invented the vaccine for Polio?

14. What year did the Chernobyl disaster occur?

15. Who was the only one of Henry VIII’s wives to receive a Queen’s funeral?

16. What was the first cash crop in America?

17. A blunderbuss is an obsolete type of what?

18. Who was the first U.S. president to be impeached?

19. Jack the Ripper is the name given to an unidentified serial killer that terrorized what city in 1888?

6 Easy history trivia questions

If you want to make your quiz easy enough that even people who don’t know much history will be able to answer a couple of questions, this is the section for you. These easy trivia questions are good for all ages, particularly kids who don’t have a lot of historical knowledge.

20. How many US Presidents have there been?

21. What ship sank in 1912 and has a famous movie?

22. What is considered the world’s oldest writing system?

23. Who painted the 15th-century mural known as the “Last Supper”?

24. Who was the first man to set foot on the moon?

25. Who was the first African American to be elected President of the United States?

4 Hard history trivia questions

There are times when you’re in charge of organizing trivia night for a group of people who love to be challenged. When it comes to trivia, there are some people who love answering hard trivia questions and want the difficulty level to be super high. For those times, these hard history trivias are just what you need.

26. What was the name of the first computer?

27. How long did the Hundred Years’ War last?

28. The world’s first postage stamp was introduced in what year?

29. Which dictator composed six operas?

6 Fun history trivia questions

Fun trivia questions are usually based on pop culture and general knowledge, making them enjoyable to answer and a little easier to guess than some other categories. Throwing in a few fun questions can make history quizzes a bit more exciting and engaging.

30. In 1981, MTV showed its first music video. What was it?

31. When was the television invented?

32. When the first Burger King Restaurant opened in 1954, how much did a hamburger cost?

33. Which dung beetle was worshiped by the ancient Egyptians?

34. Which is the name of the first bridge that was built in London across the River Thames?

35. What does the Zip stand for, in the American Zip code?

6 Funny history trivia questions

While fun questions are engaging, funny questions are amusing. Lots of funny and ironic things have happened in history, meaning there are loads of funny trivia questions that you can ask as part of your quiz. Depending on the sense of humor of your contestants, you can choose a few of the fun questions below to add to the quiz.

36. When was Russia’s “Red October” revolution?

37. What war was triggered by the shooting of a pig?

38. Which politician likes dairy products so much that he made a giant ice cream shop?

39. Which famous Greek philosopher had a phobia of beans?

40. Who was the Roman Emperor who planned to make one of his favorite horses as a senator?

41. What was the largest living organism in the world?

5 History trivia questions for kids

It goes without saying that it’s best to ask different questions when planning a quiz for adults versus kids. When it comes to trivia for kids it’s best to stick to easy general questions that kids are likely to know. Below you’ll find some awesome questions that will challenge kids just the right amount.

42. What famous children’s party game that doesn’t involve balls was an Olympic event from 1900-1920?

43. What is the capital of America?

44. In which country are the ancient pyramids located?

45. What is the first letter on a typewriter?

46. Where did the Olympic games originate?

7 Thanksgiving history trivia questions

Do you usually plan a quiz for Thanksgiving? The holiday season is the perfect time of year for getting together with friends or family and having a fun trivia night. The Thanksgiving trivia questions below are perfect for adding into a seasonal game.

47. Who was the captain of the ship the “Mayflower”?

48. Under which president did Thanksgiving become an annual holiday?

49. How many Pilgrims were present at the First Thanksgiving?

50. Who wanted the turkey to be the US national bird?

51. How long did the first Thanksgiving celebration last?

52. In what year did the first Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade take place?

53. Three thousand years back, the Native Americans domesticated turkeys for what?

5 Christmas history trivia questions

Christmas trivia questions are best for seasonal quizzes, but they can be used all year round to add an extra category or dimension to history quizzes. Throwing in some Christmas-based questions will add some intrigue to your quiz.

54. The term “Xmas” was first used in which century?

55. What Christmas-themed ballet premiered in Saint Petersburg, Russia in 1892?

56. Which country started the tradition of putting up a Christmas tree?

57. What was the first company that used Santa Claus in advertising?

58. What well-known Christmas carol became the first song ever broadcast from space in 1965?

4 Bible history trivia questions

Bible questions can be easy to answer for those who have read the scriptures, but difficult for many people who haven’t studied this holy book. There can be many times when it is appropriate to use Bible trivia questions in a quiz, for example when quizzing kids who are studying religious education or adults at Christmas time. The bible questions below will offer food for thought in your next quiz.

59. In a deserted place of what city did the feeding of the 5,000 take place?

60. What type of insect did John the Baptist eat in the desert?

61. In the days of Noah, how long did it rain upon the Earth?

62. On which mountain did Moses receive the Ten Commandments?

5 History of Halloween trivia questions

Halloween is a popular holiday for kids but it’s also a fun time of year for adults too. Not everyone who takes part in Halloween celebrations knows about the history of this spooky holiday, so Halloween trivia questions can often catch them off guard.

63. What was the original purpose behind donning costumes and masks by the Ancient Celts?

64. Mexicans celebrate Día de Muertos instead of Halloween. The festivities are symbolized by what?

65. What was Jack O’Lanterns carved from before pumpkins were used?

66. In which country did Halloween originate?

67. In what American state is it illegal to dress up like a priest or a nun?

3 80s history trivia questions and answers

A lot of interesting things happened in the 80s, and you can answer these 80s trivia questions and answers to test your knowledge of this decade.

68. What was the name of the U.S. space shuttle that broke apart during take off on January 28, 1986 killing all those on board?

69. Who was shot dead by Mark Chapman on 8 December 1980?

70. In September 1986, a Japanese company released a video game console that played games such as “Duck Hunt” and “Super Mario Bros.” and within two years it was selling up to seven million systems a year. Which console was it?

3 animals in history trivia questions

While history is written by humans, animals have contributed to history in their own unique way. Test your knowledge with these animal trivia questions.

71. Name the oldest giant panda, which did in 2016 at the age of 38?

72. Which was the first animal to orbit Earth and paved the way for human spaceflight?

73. Who created The Endangered Species Act?

5 bar history trivia questions

The history of bar culture is quite interesting. Learning more about it is easy with these bar trivia questions.

74. What was the original name of Pabst Blue Ribbon before they won the Chicago World’s Fair in 1893?

75. In 1964 by an act of Congress, what was named an official native liquor of the U.S.?

76. Which president held a liquor license and operated several taverns?

77. What originally published The Guinness Book of Records as a reference for settling pub arguments?

78. Who took over and managed pubs in three parts of the UK for 50+ years to try and control binge drinking?

5 music history trivia questions and answers

Do you think you know everything about music history? Test your knowledge with these music trivia questions and answers..

79. What American singer-songwriter wrote and first recorded the song “Blue Suede Shoes” in 1955?

80. What famous US festival hosted over 350,000 fans in 1969?

81. What was the highest-selling album of the 1980’s?

82. Brothers Barry, Robin, and Maurice Gibb formed which successful pop group in the late 1950’s?

83. Jim Morrison was the lead singer of which prominent 1960’s rock band?

7 movie history trivia questions

The history of cinema is a thoroughly interesting subject and one that deserves its own set of movie trivia questions. Try them out if you think you’re a movie expert…

84. What year did Sean Connery star in the James Bond movie Dr. No?

85. Which actress has the longest TV career spanning over 80 years?

86. Who was the first solo female host of the Oscars?

87. In what year was the film Good Will Hunting released?

88. What is the first sports film to win an Academy Award for Best Picture?

89. What movie did Elvis Presley first appear in?

90. “Life is Beautiful” has been named one of the top-five favorite films of which prominent figure?

4 American history trivia

America is a country that has a lot of history as it has been involved in many civil and international wars. Lots of things have changed since the country was created and this means that there is a lot of American history trivia that can be used in quizzes to test the knowledge of the participants.

91. What decrypted secret message drove the U.S. to enter World War I?

92. Which Civil War battle climaxed with Pickett’s Charge?

93. Which president said, “Mr. Gorbachev, tear down this wall”?

94. Who gave a speech in 1775 proclaiming, “Give me liberty or give me death”?

5 90s history trivia

People who grew up in the 80s or 90s are bound to love questions about this decade. Adults enjoy 90s trivia because it reminds them of a time when they were younger and helps them recall the things they experienced during that decade.

95. Who was the imprisoned individual that became the president in the 90s?

96. Which animal was subject to cloning in the ’90s?

97. Which president was elected twice during the 90s.

98. Which dance craze had an accompanying song in the ’90s?

99. Which console was released in 1991?

6 sports history trivia

Sports fans really enjoy showing off how much they know about sports trivia, but how much do they really know about sports history? It can be one thing to know scores and team information from the last few years, but what about the history of the sports they love? These questions are sure to test their knowledge thoroughly.

100. What country won the first World Cup?

101. Who is the most decorated Olympian of all time?

102. What manager led the Boston Red Sox to their first championship in 86 years?

103. What was the first sport televised in the U.S.?

104. What sport did astronaut Alan Shepard play on the Moon in 1971?

105. What sport was officially banned in Scotland three times between 1457 and 1502?

6 Math history trivia

Do you know anyone who is obsessed with math trivia? If so, these math history trivia questions are just what you need if you want to find out whether their knowledge extends to math history. Some of these answers are well-known, while some of the questions are a little obscure.

106. What is the symbol used by Romans to represent 1000?

107. Who is the patron saint of mathematicians?

108. What was the nationality of Descartes?

109. What do we call the numbers we use today?

110. Which famous mathematician was born in Sicily around 287 BC?

111. Who developed calculus into a tool to push forward the study of nature?

How To Pick The Best history trivia questions

We all know that it can be difficult and time-consuming to pick questions for a great quiz, but it doesn’t need to be. Just follow the quick tips below and you’ll be able to pick some awesome questions in practically no time.

1. Does the quiz have a theme?

Themed quizzes are sometimes easier to compile because you know exactly the kind of questions you need to find. For example, you might be creating a quiz based on famous kings and queens from around the world, or your quiz might be based on Christmas. However, if there is no theme you can choose whichever questions you fancy.

2. How old are the contestants?

When creating a quiz for kids, it is customary to choose easy general questions that young people have a chance of answering. If the contestants are teenagers, they will probably be able to answer more difficult or specialized questions. When creating a quiz or trivia game for adults, you can pick questions of any difficulty level.

3. Is the quiz funny or serious?

Some history trivia questions have funny, naughty or ironic answers. Depending on the theme of the quiz and the sense of humor of the people playing, it might be fun to include some of these questions to amuse the contenders. If the quiz is very serious, it’s often best to stick to only serious questions and answers.

Downloadable and Printable List of History Trivia Questions

Here is the list of history trivia questions (right click the image and select Save Image As…):

More Awesome Ice Breaker Games And Fun Questions

If you’re hoping for even more help with questions that you can ask friends, family members, and loved ones, you’ll find lots of inspiration below:

1. If you’re getting to know friends, some fantastic truth or dare questions can help you bond with each other.
2. Need a game to play with a group that doesn’t know each other? These awesome fun ice breaker games are just the thing.
3. There’s nothing like a “would you rather” question to find out what someone is really like. Ask these great would you rather questions and you’ll never be stuck for something to talk about.
4. These super funny most likely to questions are perfect for times when you’re hanging out with a group of friends.
5. Find out the benefits of answering trivia questions.

In Conclusion

History trivia questions are great questions to ask as part of a quiz or trivia night. These trivia questions can be enjoyed by everyone. In contrast to ice breaker questions, quiz questions allow people to show off their knowledge and win points or awesome prizes.