The 10 quiz questions
Question 1 : In 1815, Napoleon I escaped from the island of Elba aboard a ship. What was the name of that vessel?
Possible answers:
- The Fearless
- The Intrepid
- The Inconstant
- The Thunderer
Explanation: L'Inconstant was a French brig of war that allowed Napoleon to leave the island of Elba with around 1,000 men. This escape marked the beginning of the Hundred Days, which ended with the defeat at Waterloo in June 1815.
Question 2 : On February 26, 1606, Willem Janszoon's expedition became the first European expedition to set foot on which continent, mistakenly confused with New Guinea?
Possible answers:
- Antarctica
- Australia
- New Zealand
- Borneo
Explanation: Willem Janszoon, a Dutch navigator, landed on the Cape York Peninsula in Australia. He believed he had reached New Guinea. Australia was officially mapped later by Abel Tasman and James Cook.
Question 3 : On February 26, 1790, France was divided into 83 departments. What major historical event was behind this administrative reorganization?
Possible answers:
- The First Empire
- The French Revolution
- The Monarchical Restoration
- The Hundred Years' War
Explanation: The creation of the 83 departments was part of the French Revolution. This reform aimed to erase the old provinces and rationalize the administration of the territory. The number of departments has since increased to reach 101 today, including overseas territories.
Question 4 : In 1935, Robert Watson-Watt gave the first demonstration of radar. What was this inventor's nationality?
Possible answers:
- American
- German
- British
- French
Explanation: Robert Watson-Watt was a Scottish physicist. His invention of radar played a decisive role during the Second World War, particularly during the Battle of Britain in 1940, allowing the British to detect enemy aircraft from a distance.
Question 5 : On February 26, 1986, Corazon Aquino was proclaimed president of the Philippines after which authoritarian leader went into exile?
Possible answers:
- Imelda Marcos
- Ferdinand Marcos
- Joseph Estrada
- Benigno Aquino
Explanation: Ferdinand Marcos ruled the Philippines with an iron fist from 1965 to 1986, imposing martial law in 1972. His exile came as a result of the People Power Revolution, a non-violent civil resistance movement. He died in Hawaii in 1989.
Question 6 : On February 26, 1995, Barings Bank went bankrupt due to the speculation of one of its employees on the Singaporean derivatives market. What is the name of this employee?
Possible answers:
- Jerome Kerviel
- Nick Leeson
- Bernie Madoff
- Michael Milken
Explanation: Nick Leeson, a trader in Singapore for Barings Bank, accumulated losses estimated at 827 million pounds sterling by speculating on the futures markets. Barings, founded in 1762, was bought for a symbolic pound by the Dutch group ING.
Question 7 : Born on 26 February 1802, Victor Hugo is one of the greatest French writers. Among his major works, which one is NOT by him?
Possible answers:
- Les Misérables
- Notre-Dame de Paris
- Germinal
- Hernani
Explanation: Victor Hugo is the author of Notre-Dame de Paris (1831), Les Misérables (1862) and Hernani (1830), but not Germinal, which is a novel by Émile Zola published in 1885, part of the Rougon-Macquart series.
Question 8 : In 1871, Adolphe Thiers signed the preliminary peace treaty with Bismarck at Versailles. In what context was this treaty concluded?
Possible answers:
- At the end of World War I
- Following the Franco-Prussian War
- After the Paris Commune
- At the end of the Crimean War
Explanation: This preliminary treaty ended the Franco-Prussian War (1870-1871), which had seen France's defeat and the capture of Napoleon III at Sedan. It announced the loss of Alsace-Lorraine and the payment of a heavy war indemnity of 5 billion francs.
Question 9 : In 1885, the Berlin Conference ended on February 26. What was the main objective of this conference bringing together the European powers?
Possible answers:
- Establish rules for maritime trade in the Mediterranean
- Organize the partition and colonization of Africa by European powers
- Delimit the borders between Germany and France
- Formalize a military alliance against the Ottoman Empire
Explanation: The Berlin Conference (1884-1885), chaired by Bismarck, organized the partition of Africa among the European colonial powers. It established the rules for colonization and trade in Africa, without consulting the African populations. This process is often called the "scramble for Africa".
Question 10 : On February 26, 1914, the Britannic was launched. What famous ocean liner was it the sister ship of?
Possible answers:
- The Lusitania
- The Titanic
- The Normandie
- The Mauretania
Explanation: The Britannic was the third of the White Star Line's Olympic-class ocean liners, after the Olympic and the Titanic. Requisitioned as a hospital ship during World War I, it sank in the Aegean Sea in November 1916 after hitting a mine, less than two years after its launch.