A long and illustrious history. Practice questions
20 questions, no clock, with the answer explained as you go. Use the timed exams when you want to know if you are ready.
Free to read, always
All 20 questions and answers
Every question here was checked by hand against Life in the UK: A Guide for New Residents (3rd edition). How we check
1.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)
2.Where can Nelson’s ship HMS Victory be visited?
- APortsmouth
- BPlymouth
- CLiverpool
- DGreenwich
Nelson's ship HMS Victory can be visited in Portsmouth. (The American War of Independence and war with France)
3.How many counties in the north remained part of the UK?
- ANine
- BSix
- CFour
- DTwelve
Northern Ireland was the name kept by the six mainly Protestant northern counties that stayed British. (The partition of Ireland and the inter-war years)
4.How many Houses, called Estates, did the Scottish Parliament have?
- ATwo
- BThree
- CFour
- DOne
The Scottish Parliament had three Houses called Estates: the lords, the commons and the clergy. (Magna Carta and the rise of Parliament)
5.What was the symbol of the House of Tudor?
- AA white rose alone, taken from York
- BA red rose with a white rose inside it
- CA white rose with a red rose inside it
- DA red dragon on a green and white ground
Tudor's badge set a white rose inside a red one. (A distinct identity and the Wars of the Roses)
6.How many times did Henry VIII marry?
- AThree
- BFive
- CSix
- DFour
The six wives of Henry VIII were Catherine of Aragon, Anne Boleyn, Jane Seymour, Anne of Cleves, Catherine Howard and Catherine Parr. (The six wives of Henry VIII)
7.What did the Reform Act of 1867 do?
- AGave the vote to every man over the age of 21
- BGave the vote and the right to stand to women over 30
- CAbolished the pocket boroughs and the rotten boroughs
- DCreated more urban seats and reduced the property requirement for voting
Urban seats multiplied and the property bar for voting came down under the Reform Act of 1867. (Ireland in the 19th century and the right to vote)
8.Which economist published influential new theories between the wars?
- ADavid Hume
- BAdam Smith
- CJohn Maynard Keynes
- DWilliam Beveridge
The economist John Maynard Keynes published influential new theories of economics. (The partition of Ireland and the inter-war years)
9.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)
10.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)
11.Who was Henry VIII’s first wife?
- AJane Seymour
- BCatherine of Aragon
- CAnne Boleyn
- DCatherine Parr
The six wives of Henry VIII were Catherine of Aragon, Anne Boleyn, Jane Seymour, Anne of Cleves, Catherine Howard and Catherine Parr. (The six wives of Henry VIII)
12.Did the UK use the Euro currency?
- AOnly in Northern Ireland
- BYes, from 1993
- CYes, from 2002
- DNo
See "The 1970s onwards, Thatcher, Blair and Brexit" in the official study guide.
13.In which year was the structure of the DNA molecule discovered?
- A1953
- B1928
- C1996
- D1969
DNA's structure came to light in 1953, from work at universities in London and Cambridge. (British inventions of the 20th century)
14.Which title did Henry VIII take in relation to Ireland?
- ALord Lieutenant of Ireland
- BProtector of Ireland
- CKing of Ireland
- DGovernor of the Pale
Henry VIII took the title King of Ireland. (Ireland under Elizabeth I and James I)
15.In which year was Charles II invited back to become king?
- A1666
- B1660
- C1658
- D1649
Exile in the Netherlands ended for Charles II in May 1660, on Parliament's invitation. (The Restoration)
16.Which new social class of large landowners appeared after the Black Death?
- AThe nobility
- BThe gentry
- CThe clans
- DThe serfs
New social classes appeared after the Black Death, including owners of large areas of land later called the gentry. (Feudalism and the Black Death)
17.In which year did Queen Victoria become queen?
- A1851
- B1801
- C1837
- D1901
Aged 18, Victoria took the throne of the UK in 1837. (The Victorian Age and the British Empire)
18.When was the Crimean War?
- A1853 to 1856
- B1846 to 1851
- C1899 to 1902
- D1914 to 1918
Russia was the enemy in the Crimean War of 1853 to 1856, with Britain alongside Turkey and France. (Victorian trade, industry and the Crimean War)
19.About how many people lost their lives in the violence in Northern Ireland after 1969?
- ASome 30,000
- BSome 300,000
- CSome 3,000
- DSome 300
Northern Irish violence after 1969 cost some 3,000 lives over the following decades. (The 1970s onwards, Thatcher, Blair and Brexit)
20.What does the phrase ‘the Blitz spirit’ describe?
- ABritons pulling together in the face of adversity
- BThe rescue of soldiers from Dunkirk
- CThe bravery of RAF pilots
- DThe rebuilding of London after the war
Britons pulling together under adversity are still described by the phrase 'the Blitz spirit'. (The Second World War)