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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.
201.In which year was the Act of Union agreed?
- A1801
- B1689
- C1707
- D1714
1707 brought the Act of Union — Scotland calls it the Treaty of Union — and with it the Kingdom of Great Britain. (The Act of Union and the first Prime Minister)
202.What did the Act of Union of 1707 create?
- AThe Kingdom of Great Britain
- BThe Kingdom of England and Wales
- CThe United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland
- DThe Commonwealth
1707 brought the Act of Union — Scotland calls it the Treaty of Union — and with it the Kingdom of Great Britain. (The Act of Union and the first Prime Minister)
203.What is the Act of Union known as in Scotland?
- AThe Declaration of Rights
- BThe Act of Settlement
- CThe Statute of Rhuddlan
- DThe Treaty of Union
1707 brought the Act of Union — Scotland calls it the Treaty of Union — and with it the Kingdom of Great Britain. (The Act of Union and the first Prime Minister)
204.Which THREE things did Scotland keep after the Act of Union?
- AIts own monarch, its flag and its navy
- BIts own parliament, its currency and its army
- CIts own legal and education systems and Presbyterian Church
- DIts own taxes, its courts and its coinage
Scotland kept its own legal and education systems and Presbyterian Church after the Act of Union. (The Act of Union and the first Prime Minister)
205.Who were the Huguenots?
- ACatholic settlers in Ireland
- BJewish refugees from Russia
- CGerman merchants in London
- DProtestant refugees from France
Between 1680 and 1720 many refugees called Huguenots came from France. (The Act of Union and the first Prime Minister)
206.In which year did the first Jews since the Middle Ages settle in London?
- A1720
- B1680
- C1707
- D1656
London received Britain's first Jewish settlers since the Middle Ages in 1656. (The Act of Union and the first Prime Minister)
207.Why was George I chosen as king in 1714?
- AHe was elected by Parliament from several candidates
- BHe was Queen Anne’s nearest Protestant relative
- CHe was Charles II’s legitimate heir
- DHe was the son of Queen Anne
When Queen Anne died in 1714 Parliament chose George I to be the next king because he was her nearest Protestant relative. (The Act of Union and the first Prime Minister)
208.Who was the first man to be called Prime Minister?
- AWilliam Pitt
- BThe Duke of Wellington
- CSir Robert Walpole
- DSir Christopher Wren
The first man to be called Prime Minister was Sir Robert Walpole, who was Prime Minister from 1721 to 1742. (The Act of Union and the first Prime Minister)
209.For which years was Sir Robert Walpole Prime Minister?
- A1707 to 1714
- B1689 to 1702
- C1721 to 1742
- D1760 to 1783
The first man to be called Prime Minister was Sir Robert Walpole, who was Prime Minister from 1721 to 1742. (The Act of Union and the first Prime Minister)
210.By what name is Charles Edward Stuart known?
- AThe Iron Duke
- BThe Young Chevalier of York
- CThe Bard
- DBonnie Prince Charlie
In 1745 Charles Edward Stuart, known as Bonnie Prince Charlie, landed in Scotland to put a Stuart king back on the throne. (The rebellion of the clans and the Enlightenment)
211.Whose grandson was Bonnie Prince Charlie?
- AWilliam III
- BGeorge I
- CCharles II
- DJames II
Bonnie Prince Charlie was the grandson of James II. (The rebellion of the clans and the Enlightenment)
212.At which battle was Bonnie Prince Charlie defeated?
- ACulloden
- BKilliecrankie
- CNaseby
- DBannockburn
Culloden in 1746 was where George II's army beat Bonnie Prince Charlie. (The rebellion of the clans and the Enlightenment)
213.In which year was the Battle of Culloden?
- A1715
- B1745
- C1746
- D1707
Culloden in 1746 was where George II's army beat Bonnie Prince Charlie. (The rebellion of the clans and the Enlightenment)
214.What were the Highland Clearances?
- AThe removal of Jacobite supporters from Scotland
- BThe eviction of English settlers from the highlands
- CThe clearing of forests for shipbuilding
- DLandlords destroying small farms to make space for sheep and cattle
Small farms called crofts were destroyed by Scottish landlords in the Highland Clearances, to clear space for large flocks of sheep and cattle. (The rebellion of the clans and the Enlightenment)
215.What were the small Scottish farms destroyed in the Clearances called?
- ABarrows
- BCrofts
- CAllotments
- DBoroughs
Small farms called crofts were destroyed by Scottish landlords in the Highland Clearances, to clear space for large flocks of sheep and cattle. (The rebellion of the clans and the Enlightenment)
216.Who is known in Scotland as ‘The Bard’?
- ASir Walter Scott
- BDylan Thomas
- CRobert Burns
- DRobert Louis Stevenson
Robert Burns was a Scottish poet known in Scotland as The Bard. (The rebellion of the clans and the Enlightenment)
217.What is Robert Burns’ best-known work?
- AAuld Lang Syne
- BThe Bruce
- CParadise Lost
- DThe Daffodils
Robert Burns' best-known work is probably the song Auld Lang Syne. (The rebellion of the clans and the Enlightenment)
218.When is Auld Lang Syne traditionally sung?
- AAt Christmas
- BAt New Year
- COn Burns Night
- DOn St Andrew’s Day
Auld Lang Syne is sung when people celebrate the New Year, called Hogmanay in Scotland. (The rebellion of the clans and the Enlightenment)
219.What is Hogmanay?
- AA Scottish harvest festival
- BScotland's name for Bonfire Night
- CScotland's name for 31 December
- DA Highland dance festival
Auld Lang Syne is sung when people celebrate the New Year, called Hogmanay in Scotland. (The rebellion of the clans and the Enlightenment)
220.What was the Enlightenment?
- AThe spread of Protestant ideas across Europe
- BThe rapid development of industry in Britain
- CA period of new ideas about politics, philosophy and science
- DThe expansion of the British Empire
The Enlightenment was a period in the 18th century when new ideas about politics, philosophy and science were developed. (The rebellion of the clans and the Enlightenment)
221.Which Scottish thinker developed ideas about economics?
- AJames Watt
- BAdam Smith
- CRobert Burns
- DDavid Hume
Adam Smith developed ideas about economics which are still referred to today. (The rebellion of the clans and the Enlightenment)
222.Whose ideas about human nature continue to influence philosophers?
- ADavid Hume
- BJames Watt
- CAdam Smith
- DSir Isaac Newton
David Hume's ideas about human nature continue to influence philosophers. (The rebellion of the clans and the Enlightenment)
223.Whose work on steam power helped the Industrial Revolution?
- AGeorge Stephenson
- BJames Watt
- CRichard Arkwright
- DIsambard Kingdom Brunel
Steam power, worked on by James Watt, sped the Industrial Revolution along. (The rebellion of the clans and the Enlightenment)
224.Which principle of the Enlightenment remains important in the UK today?
- AThat only owners of property should have the vote
- BThat everyone has the right to their own political and religious beliefs
- CThat the state should own the major industries
- DThat the monarch should rule without Parliament
A central Enlightenment principle: political and religious belief belongs to the individual, and the state should not dictate it. (The rebellion of the clans and the Enlightenment)
225.What was the Industrial Revolution?
- AThe rapid development of industry in Britain in the 18th and 19th centuries
- BThe mechanisation of agriculture in the 20th century
- CThe growth of the British Empire in the Victorian age
- DThe expansion of the railways after 1945
Industry developed rapidly across Britain's 18th and 19th centuries — the Industrial Revolution. (The Industrial Revolution)
226.What was the biggest source of employment in Britain before the 18th century?
- AMining
- BManufacturing
- CAgriculture
- DShipbuilding
Agriculture employed more people than anything else in Britain before the 18th century. (The Industrial Revolution)
227.What were cottage industries?
- AFarms that spun their own wool alongside farming
- BWhere people worked from home to produce goods such as cloth and lace
- CSmall factories built alongside the new canals
- DVillage workshops owned and run by the gentry
Cloth, lace and similar goods made at home were the work of cottage industries. (The Industrial Revolution)
228.Which country was the first to industrialise on a large scale?
- AThe United States
- BBritain
- CGermany
- DFrance
Britain was the first country to industrialise on a large scale. (The Industrial Revolution)
229.Which TWO developments made the Industrial Revolution possible?
Choose two
- AThe use of steam power
- BThe repeal of the Corn Laws
- CThe building of the railways
- DThe development of machinery
Machinery and steam power together made the Industrial Revolution possible. (The Industrial Revolution)
230.What did the Bessemer process allow?
- AThe generation of electricity
- BThe spinning of cotton by machine
- CThe mass production of steel
- DThe refining of coal gas
Steel mass-produced by the Bessemer process gave rise to shipbuilding and to the railways. (The Industrial Revolution)
231.Which industries did the Bessemer process lead to?
- ATextiles and lace-making
- BCoal mining and canal building
- CBanking and insurance
- DShipbuilding and the railways
Steel mass-produced by the Bessemer process gave rise to shipbuilding and to the railways. (The Industrial Revolution)
232.What is Richard Arkwright particularly remembered for?
- ABuilding the Great Western Railway out of London
- BDeveloping the Bessemer process for making steel
- CThe efficient and profitable way he ran his factories
- DInventing the steam engine used in the mills
Efficient, profitable factory management is what Richard Arkwright is chiefly remembered for. (The Industrial Revolution)
233.What did Richard Arkwright originally train and work as?
- AAn engineer
- BA miner
- CA barber
- DA weaver
Richard Arkwright improved the original carding machine and developed horse-driven spinning mills. (The Industrial Revolution)
234.Why were canals built during the Industrial Revolution?
- ATo carry passengers between cities
- BTo supply drinking water to cities
- CTo link factories to towns, cities and ports
- DTo drain farmland for crops
Canals connected the factories to towns, to cities and to the ports. (The Industrial Revolution)
235.What were working conditions like during the Industrial Revolution?
- AWell regulated by Parliament
- BLimited to ten hours a day by law
- CVery poor, with no laws to protect employees
- DBetter than in other countries
Working conditions during the Industrial Revolution were very poor and there were no laws to protect employees. (The Industrial Revolution)
236.Who mapped the coast of Australia?
- ASir Francis Drake
- BSir Francis Chichester
- CCaptain James Cook
- DSir Walter Raleigh
Captain James Cook mapped the coast of Australia. (The Industrial Revolution)
237.Which company gained control of large parts of India?
- AThe East India Company
- BThe Virginia Company
- CThe Royal Africa Company
- DThe Hudson’s Bay Company
Large parts of India fell under the East India Company, first established for trade. (The Industrial Revolution)
238.Who set up the first formal anti-slavery groups in Britain?
- AThe Chartists
- BThe Church of England
- CThe Quakers
- DThe Methodists
Quakers formed Britain's first formal anti-slavery groups in the late 1700s. (The slave trade and its abolition)
239.Which member of Parliament played an important part in abolishing the slave trade?
- AWilliam Wilberforce
- BWilliam Beveridge
- CWilliam Wordsworth
- DSir Robert Walpole
William Wilberforce was an evangelical Christian and a member of Parliament who played an important part in changing the law. (The slave trade and its abolition)
240.In which year did it become illegal to trade slaves in British ships?
- A1789
- B1833
- C1846
- D1807
Trading slaves in British ships, or out of British ports, was outlawed in 1807. (The slave trade and its abolition)
241.Which Act abolished slavery throughout the British Empire?
- AThe Reform Act
- BThe Habeas Corpus Act
- CThe Emancipation Act
- DThe Bill of Rights
In 1833 the Emancipation Act abolished slavery throughout the British Empire. (The slave trade and its abolition)
242.In which year was slavery abolished throughout the British Empire?
- A1846
- B1833
- C1807
- D1867
In 1833 the Emancipation Act abolished slavery throughout the British Empire. (The slave trade and its abolition)
243.Where did slaves primarily come from?
- AWest Africa
- BThe Caribbean
- CEast Africa
- DIndia
Slaves came primarily from West Africa and were taken to America and the Caribbean. (The slave trade and its abolition)
244.What did the Royal Navy do about slave ships from other countries?
- AEscorted them to British ports
- BTaxed their cargo
- CRefused them entry to British harbours
- DStopped them, freed the slaves and punished the traders
Slave ships of other countries were stopped by the Royal Navy, which freed those aboard and punished the traders. (The slave trade and its abolition)
245.Who was employed to replace the freed slaves after 1833?
- A2 million Indian and Chinese workers
- BIrish and Scottish labourers
- CFreed slaves on paid contracts
- DConvicts transported from Britain
Freed slaves were replaced after 1833 by 2 million Indian and Chinese workers. (The slave trade and its abolition)
246.What phrase did the American colonists use to object to being taxed?
- ANo king but the law and no lord but Parliament
- BNo taxation without representation
- CRule Britannia over the seas and the colonies
- DLiberty or death for the thirteen colonies
The American colonists argued there should be no taxation without representation in the British Parliament. (The American War of Independence and war with France)
247.In which year did thirteen American colonies declare independence?
- A1789
- B1783
- C1805
- D1776
In 1776 thirteen American colonies declared their independence. (The American War of Independence and war with France)
248.In which year did Britain recognise American independence?
- A1789
- B1783
- C1815
- D1776
Britain recognised the independence of the American colonies in 1783. (The American War of Independence and war with France)
249.Which battle did the British navy win in 1805?
- AThe Battle of Trafalgar
- BThe Battle of Waterloo
- CThe Battle of the Boyne
- DThe Battle of Culloden
Britain's navy won the Battle of Trafalgar in 1805 against combined French and Spanish fleets. (The American War of Independence and war with France)
250.Who commanded the British fleet at Trafalgar?
- ACaptain James Cook
- BThe Duke of Wellington
- CAdmiral Nelson
- DSir Francis Drake
Command of the British fleet at Trafalgar belonged to Admiral Nelson, who died in the battle. (The American War of Independence and war with France)
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.