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A long and illustrious history questions
There are 415 a long and illustrious history practice questions here, each with its correct answer and an explanation, written from Life in the UK: A Guide for New Residents (3rd edition). The real Life in the UK Test is 24 questions in 45 minutes and you need 18 correct to pass. Reading is free and needs no account.
You will learn more by taking a timed test than by reading answers.
1.What were the first people to live in Britain?
- AHunter-gatherers
- BTraders
- CMetalworkers
- DFarmers
The first people to live in Britain were hunter-gatherers in the Stone Age. (Early Britain)
2.About how long ago did Britain become permanently separated from the continent?
- AAbout 4,000 years ago
- BAbout 2,000 years ago
- CAbout 10,000 years ago
- DAbout 6,000 years ago
About 10,000 years ago the Channel cut Britain off from the continent for good. (Early Britain)
3.How long ago did the first farmers arrive in Britain?
- A6,000 years ago
- B4,000 years ago
- C2,000 years ago
- D10,000 years ago
The first farmers arrived in Britain 6,000 years ago. (Early Britain)
4.In which English county does Stonehenge stand?
- ADorset
- BSuffolk
- COrkney
- DWiltshire
Stonehenge in Wiltshire was probably a special gathering place for seasonal ceremonies. (Early Britain)
5.What was Stonehenge probably used for?
- AA royal burial ground
- BA trading post
- CSeasonal ceremonies
- DA hill fort
Stonehenge in Wiltshire was probably a special gathering place for seasonal ceremonies. (Early Britain)
6.What is Skara Brae?
- AA Roman fort standing on Hadrian’s Wall
- BAn Iron Age hill fort in the county of Dorset
- CThe best preserved prehistoric village in northern Europe
- DA Bronze Age burial mound in Wiltshire
Skara Brae on Orkney is the best preserved prehistoric village in northern Europe. (Early Britain)
7.Where is Skara Brae?
- AAnglesey
- BOrkney
- CWiltshire
- DDorset
Skara Brae on Orkney is the best preserved prehistoric village in northern Europe. (Early Britain)
8.What kind of homes did people live in during the Bronze Age?
- ALonghouses
- BHill forts
- CRoundhouses
- DRound barrows
Bronze Age homes were roundhouses, and the dead went into tombs called round barrows. (Early Britain)
9.What were Bronze Age tombs called?
- AHill forts
- BRoundhouses
- CCairns
- DRound barrows
Bronze Age homes were roundhouses, and the dead went into tombs called round barrows. (Early Britain)
10.Which Iron Age hill fort does the handbook name?
- AMaiden Castle in Dorset
- BStonehenge in Wiltshire
- CEdinburgh Castle
- DThe Tower of London
Maiden Castle in Dorset is an impressive Iron Age hill fort. (Early Britain)
11.Which language family did Iron Age people in Britain speak?
- ALatin
- BGermanic
- CNorse
- DCeltic
The language of the Iron Age was part of the Celtic language family. (Early Britain)
12.What marks the beginning of British history?
- AThe Roman invasion of AD 43
- BThe first coins minted in Britain
- CThe building of Stonehenge
- DThe arrival of the first farmers
The first coins to be minted in Britain were made in the Iron Age. (Early Britain)
13.Who led the first Roman invasion of Britain?
- ABoudicca
- BJulius Caesar
- CThe Emperor Claudius
- DThe Emperor Hadrian
Julius Caesar led a Roman invasion of Britain in 55 BC, which was unsuccessful. (The Romans)
14.In which year did Julius Caesar invade Britain?
- AAD 43
- B55 BC
- CAD 410
- DAD 122
Julius Caesar led a Roman invasion of Britain in 55 BC, which was unsuccessful. (The Romans)
15.Which emperor led the successful invasion of Britain?
- AClaudius
- BJulius Caesar
- CHadrian
- DAugustus
The Emperor Claudius led a new Roman invasion in AD 43. (The Romans)
16.In which year did the Romans successfully invade Britain?
- A55 BC
- BAD 410
- CAD 600
- DAD 43
See "The Romans" in the official study guide.
17.Who was Boudicca?
- AA Pictish leader in Scotland
- BAn Anglo-Saxon queen of Northumbria
- CThe queen of the Iceni who fought the Romans
- DA Roman emperor who invaded Britain
Boudicca was the queen of the Iceni in what is now eastern England and fought against the Romans. (The Romans)
18.Where is there a statue of Boudicca?
- AIn Trafalgar Square
- BAt the Tower of London
- CAt Hadrian’s Wall
- DOn Westminster Bridge in London
There is a statue of Boudicca on Westminster Bridge in London. (The Romans)
19.Why did the Emperor Hadrian build a wall in the north of England?
- ATo keep out the Picts
- BTo protect a trade route
- CTo mark the edge of the Empire’s farmland
- DTo defend against Viking raids
To keep the Picts out, the Emperor Hadrian walled the north of England. (The Romans)
20.Who were the Picts?
- AA Roman legion stationed in Britain
- BTribes from northern Europe
- CEarly Christian missionaries
- DAncestors of the Scottish people
The Picts were the ancestors of the Scottish people. (The Romans)
21.Which TWO forts on Hadrian’s Wall can still be seen?
Choose two
- AHousesteads
- BVindolanda
- CSutton Hoo
- DMaiden Castle
Hadrian's Wall included the forts of Housesteads and Vindolanda and is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. (The Romans)
22.For how long did the Romans remain in Britain?
- A600 years
- B400 years
- C43 years
- D100 years
The Romans remained in Britain for 400 years. (The Romans)
23.Which part of Britain did the Romans never conquer?
- AWales
- BCornwall
- CScotland
- DEastern England
Areas of what is now Scotland were never conquered by the Romans. (The Romans)
24.When did the first Christian communities appear in Britain?
- AAfter the Norman Conquest
- BDuring the Reformation
- CIn 55 BC
- DDuring the 3rd and 4th centuries AD
The first Christian communities began to appear in Britain during the 3rd and 4th centuries AD. (The Romans)
25.In which year did the Roman army leave Britain?
- AAD 600
- BAD 43
- CAD 410
- DAD 122
The Roman army left Britain in AD 410 and never returned. (The Anglo-Saxons)
26.Which three tribes invaded Britain after the Romans left?
- AThe Normans, the Franks and the Jutes
- BThe Danes, the Norwegians and the Swedes
- CThe Picts, the Scots and the Celts
- DThe Jutes, the Angles and the Saxons
The Jutes, Angles and Saxons came to Britain after the Romans left. (The Anglo-Saxons)
27.Which modern language is based on the languages of the Jutes, Angles and Saxons?
- AGaelic
- BEnglish
- CLatin
- DWelsh
The languages of the Jutes, Angles and Saxons are the basis of modern-day English. (The Anglo-Saxons)
28.By about which year were Anglo-Saxon kingdoms established in Britain?
- AAD 410
- BAD 1066
- CAD 600
- DAD 789
By about AD 600 Anglo-Saxon kingdoms were established in Britain, mainly in what is now England. (The Anglo-Saxons)
29.What was found at Sutton Hoo?
- AA Roman fort with a bath house, barracks and a granary
- BThe burial place of an Anglo-Saxon king, with treasure and armour in a ship
- CA Viking longship burial on the coast of Scotland
- DA Bronze Age stone circle surrounded by round barrows
The Anglo-Saxon king at Sutton Hoo was buried with treasure and armour in a ship covered by a mound of earth. (The Anglo-Saxons)
30.In which modern county is Sutton Hoo?
- ADorset
- BSuffolk
- CWiltshire
- DKent
Sutton Hoo in modern Suffolk was the burial place of an Anglo-Saxon king. (The Anglo-Saxons)
31.Who became the patron saint of Ireland?
- ASt Augustine
- BSt Patrick
- CSt Columba
- DSt Andrew
St Patrick became the patron saint of Ireland. (The Anglo-Saxons)
32.Who founded a monastery on the island of Iona?
- ASt Patrick
- BSt Columba
- CSt David
- DSt Augustine
St Columba founded a monastery on the island of Iona. (The Anglo-Saxons)
33.Who became the first Archbishop of Canterbury?
- ASt Columba
- BSt Patrick
- CSt Augustine
- DSt George
St Augustine became the first Archbishop of Canterbury. (The Anglo-Saxons)
34.Where did St Augustine spread Christianity?
- AIn the north of Britain
- BIn Scotland
- CIn the south of Britain
- DIn Ireland
St Augustine led missionaries from Rome and spread Christianity in the south. (The Anglo-Saxons)
35.Which countries did the Vikings come from?
- ASweden, Finland and Russia
- BGermany, Denmark and the Netherlands
- CDenmark, Norway and Sweden
- DNorway, Iceland and Ireland
The Vikings came from Denmark, Norway and Sweden. (The Vikings)
36.In which year did the Vikings first visit Britain?
- AAD 410
- BAD 1066
- CAD 600
- DAD 789
AD 789 brought the first Viking visit, raiding coastal towns for goods and slaves. (The Vikings)
37.Why did the Vikings first come to Britain?
- ATo raid coastal towns and take goods and slaves
- BTo spread Christianity among the kingdoms
- CTo trade wool and timber with the Anglo-Saxons
- DTo settle peacefully as farmers in the east
AD 789 brought the first Viking visit, raiding coastal towns for goods and slaves. (The Vikings)
38.Which king united the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms and defeated the Vikings?
- AHarold
- BKenneth MacAlpin
- CCnut
- DAlfred the Great
Alfred the Great united England's Anglo-Saxon kingdoms and beat the Vikings. (The Vikings)
39.What was the area of Viking settlement in England called?
- AThe Danelaw
- BThe Marches
- CThe Pale
- DThe Danelands
The Danelaw was the name for the eastern and northern area where many Viking invaders settled. (The Vikings)
40.Which TWO place names come from the Viking languages?
Choose two
- AGrimsby
- BWinchester
- CCanterbury
- DScunthorpe
Place names such as Grimsby and Scunthorpe come from the Viking languages. (The Vikings)
41.Who was the first Danish king to rule what is now England?
- AWilliam the Conqueror
- BCnut
- CKenneth MacAlpin
- DAlfred the Great
The first Danish king to rule what is now England was Cnut, also called Canute. (The Vikings)
42.Which king did the people in the north unite under?
- AAlfred the Great
- BRobert the Bruce
- CCnut
- DKenneth MacAlpin
In the north the threat of Viking attack encouraged the people to unite under one king, Kenneth MacAlpin. (The Vikings)
43.In which year was the Battle of Hastings?
- A1215
- B1066
- C1485
- D1415
In 1066 William, Duke of Normandy, defeated Harold, the Saxon king of England, at the Battle of Hastings. (The Norman Conquest)
44.Who defeated Harold at the Battle of Hastings?
- ARobert the Bruce
- BCnut of Denmark
- CAlfred the Great
- DWilliam, Duke of Normandy
In 1066 William, Duke of Normandy, defeated Harold, the Saxon king of England, at the Battle of Hastings. (The Norman Conquest)
45.What happened to Harold at the Battle of Hastings?
- AHe fled to Normandy
- BHe was killed in the battle
- CHe agreed to share the throne
- DHe was captured and imprisoned
Harold was killed at the Battle of Hastings. (The Norman Conquest)
46.By what name is William, Duke of Normandy, known?
- AWilliam the Great
- BWilliam of Orange
- CWilliam the Conqueror
- DWilliam the Lion
William became king of England and is known as William the Conqueror. (The Norman Conquest)
47.What was significant about the Norman Conquest?
- AIt ended four centuries of Roman occupation
- BIt brought Christianity to Britain for the first time
- CIt united England and Scotland under one crown
- DIt was the last successful foreign invasion of England
The Norman Conquest was the last successful foreign invasion of England. (The Norman Conquest)
48.What commemorates the Battle of Hastings?
- AThe Cenotaph
- BThe Bayeux Tapestry
- CNelson’s Column
- DThe Domesday Book
The Battle of Hastings is commemorated in the Bayeux Tapestry, which can still be seen in France. (The Norman Conquest)
49.Where can the Bayeux Tapestry be seen today?
- AIn France
- BIn London
- CIn Edinburgh Castle
- DIn Normandy Cathedral in Kent
The Battle of Hastings is commemorated in the Bayeux Tapestry, which can still be seen in France. (The Norman Conquest)
50.What was the Domesday Book?
- AA survey of the Scottish borders
- BThe first English translation of the Bible
- CA record of Norman military victories
- DLists of all the towns and villages of England
The Domesday Book listed all the towns and villages of England, who lived there, who owned the land and what animals they owned. (The Norman Conquest)
Common questions
- How many questions are in the Life in the UK Test?
- The real test is 24 multiple-choice questions with 45 minutes to answer them, and you need 18 correct to pass. This page lists 415 practice questions drawn from the same official material, which is far more than any single sitting will ask you.
- Are these the real Life in the UK Test questions?
- No, and nobody has them. No government publishes its live exam questions. These are written from Life in the UK: A Guide for New Residents (3rd edition), the official study guide the real questions are drawn from, so the facts being tested are the same even though the wording is ours.
- Do I need an account to read the questions and answers?
- No. Every question, its correct answer and its explanation is on this page with no signup and no payment. An account only matters if you want your progress saved across devices.
- How should I use the question bank?
- Reading answers is the weakest form of revision. Sit a timed test first to find out which chapters you are losing marks on, then come back here and read only those. Recognition feels like knowledge and is not the same thing.