Cumulative PM-based History Quiz

[Knight-Dragon]

Answers...

1) Name 2 important plants contributed by the Americas to the world.
I'm thinking mainly of potato, rubber and tobacco but will take in the rest as well...

2) Which Chinese city served as the capital of the Han and Tang empires (original name)?
Chang'an.

3) The Great Wall, as can be seen near Beijing today, was built by which dynasty?
The Ming. The Wall built by the Qin was made of packed earth and had long worn down to nothing. Besides it's way north of the later Ming Wall.

4) Which faction fought the Umayyid Caliphate and replaced it (i.e. name of the succeeding caliphate)?
The Abbasids.

5) Who was the great Persian leader who virtually turned Persia into a superpower overnight (or at least thru the term of his reign)?
Cyrus the Great. Overthrew the Medes, took over Babylonia and Lydia, expanded to the east.

6) Name the capital of Mauryan India.
Pataliputra.

7) Explain the origin of the Normans.
Vikings or Norsemen given Normandy by the French king (the guy who controlled Paris at any rate) and charged with guarding against their brethren Vikings.

8) Name the last Moorish stronghold to fall to Christian Spain in Iberia.
Grenada.

9) Did Sicily ever fall to the Arabs/Muslims?
Yes. For 260 or 280 years.

10) What was the significance of the battle of Tai'erzhuang, for the Chinese?
Only battle in early phase of the Sino-Japanese War (1937 till merged with WW2) where the Nationalist Chinese defeated a Japanese force. Increased morale, and most importantly secured US aid.

Up next will be Mongoloid Cow...

 

[Mongoloid Cow]

Edit: DP.

 

[Mongoloid Cow]

My turn (again). Remembering how hard it was I'tt try to make it so there are some easy questions (and some evilly hard questions )...

1) Which pharoah is credited with the construction of the Great Pyramid in Giza?

2) Which people overthrew the Juan Juan (also known as the Ru Ruan) Empire?

3) Why did the Aztecs build their capital city where they did?

4) Why is 'Encounter Bay' in Australia called that?

5) What was the capital of Genghis khan's Empire (after it was built)?

6) What ethnicity was Saladdin?

7) The Sumerians believe that their version of 'Noah' built an ark and landed on the island of Dilmun. In which modern country would you find Dilmun?

8) During the Persian Wars, the Persians landed in mainland Greece, and after encountering no opposition or enemy armies, they sacked this part of Greece for five days. They then got on their boats and started leaving. After the bulk of the Persians had gotten on their boats and left, the Greeks attacked and after massacring the Persians left behind, they heralded it a great military victory. Which battle am I talking about?

9) Which tribe overthrew the Second Gok Turkish Empire?

10) Who succeeded Mongke Khan?

 

[LouLong]

Originally posted by XIII
Answers...

1) Name 2 important plants contributed by the Americas to the world.
I'm thinking mainly of potato, rubber and tobacco but will take in the rest as well...

I really understood that question wrongly, didn't I ?

 

[Mongoloid Cow]

Present scores:

Aamninion00: 2
LouLong: 6 1/2
RegentMan: 1
Stefan Haertel: 4
XIII: 5 1/2

You've got two more days if you want to have a go. Nothing to lose by doing it

 

[Mongoloid Cow]

Present scores:

Aamninion00: 2
Alex994: 3 1/2
LouLong: 6 1/2
RegentMan: 1
Serutan: 4 1/2
Stefan Haertel: 4
XIII: 5 1/2

One day left.

 

[Mongoloid Cow]

Just remembered that I'm not going to have enough time to post the answers and stuff tomorrow, so I'll give them now:

Aamninion00: 2
Alex994: 3 1/2
LouLong: 6 1/2
Redtooth: 1
RegentMan: 1
SeleucusNicator: 5 1/2
Serutan: 4 1/2
Stefan Haertel: 4
XIII: 5 1/2

1) Which pharoah is credited with the construction of the Great Pyramid in Giza?
Pharoah Khufu (in Greek Cheops) (89% got this right)

2) Which people overthrew the Juan Juan (also known as the Ru Ruan) Empire?
The Gok Turks (33% got this right)

3) Why did the Aztecs build their capital city where they did?
Because they were told to build their capital by one of their gods where they see an eagle eating a snake on a cactus. On a side note, an eagle eating a snake on a cactus appears on the Mexican flag. (44% got this right)

4) Why is 'Encounter Bay' in Australia called that?
It's called Encounter Bay because during the Napoleonic Wars, the French (led by Nicholas Baeudan or something like that) and English (led by Matthew Flinders) were mapping and categorising the southern coast of Australia. Instead of fighting, they met at Encounter Bay and traded notes. (0% got this right)

5) What was the capital of Genghis khan's Empire (after it was built)?
Qaraqorum. There's a reason why it's the Mongol capital in Civ 2 and Civ 3 (but in Civ 1 it was Samarqand) (56% got this right)

6) What ethnicity was Saladdin?
Kurdish (56% got this right)

7) The Sumerians believe that their version of 'Noah' built an ark and landed on the island of Dilmun. In which modern country would you find Dilmun?
Bahrain (11% got this right)

8) During the Persian Wars, the Persians landed in mainland Greece, and after encountering no opposition or enemy armies, they sacked this part of Greece for five days. They then got on their boats and started leaving. After the bulk of the Persians had gotten on their boats and left, the Greeks attacked and after massacring the Persians left behind, they heralded it a great military victory. Which battle am I talking about?
Battle of Marathon (44% got this right)

9) Which tribe overthrew the Second Gok Turkish Empire?
The Basmyls (0% got this right)

10) Who succeeded Mongke Khan?
Well, when Mongke Khan died, Kublai was named Khan. But he failed to go to Qaraqorum and do it so his succession was illegitimate, so Arigh Boke went to Qaraqorum and was also named Khan. Eventually Arigh Boke stepped aside, but in order to have gotten full marks, you needed to have said both Kublai Khan and Arigh Boke. (0% got this right, though 44% got half marks)

LouLong, step right up. It's your turn

 

[LouLong]

1/ Two Celtic warlords with the same name raided Rome and Greece (at different times). What was their name ?

2/ The Papal States are made up of two parts, one around Rome and the other along the Adriatic. Who was the first owner of this second part ? Bonus : what was its name under that owner ?

3/ An English general fought for the Chinese against the Muslim tribes of Chinese Turkestan before dying famously in a war for the Egyptians before the end of the XIXth century. What was his name ?

4/ What happened to German colonies in Africa after WWI ?

5/ Pitt said once : "We won the Canada in ..... ". Complete the sentence. Hint : around 1758.

6/ Name one of the two Spanish explorators who explored first the inner North America. Bonus : name the other too ! Hint : around 1540.

7/ What was the name of the 8 political/military organisations developped by Nuhra-Chi (Mandchu) prior to and instrumental in the conquest of China ?

8/ What was the name of the ancient Siamese capital city ?

9/ Why did Finland side with Germany during WWII ?

10/ From what ethnic background were the first Roman kings ?
Bonus : name them.

 

[LouLong]

Well, seems my quizz aren't really popular since I got only 4 answers. Anyway are the answers and the results :

1/ Two Celtic warlords with the same name raided Rome and Greece (at different times). What was their name ?

Brennus attacked Rome while Brennos was a Galate leader.
Ending is latin in the first case, Greek in the later but basically the name was Bren or Brenn. I accepted all names.

2/ The Papal States are made up of two parts, one around Rome and the other along the Adriatic. Who was the first owner of this second part ? Bonus : what was its name under that owner ?
It belonged to Byzantium and was called the exarchat of Ravenne. Rome sorted things out to have it granted to it by the Carolingians. Another name was Pentapole (the five cities)

3/ An English general fought for the Chinese against the Muslim tribes of Chinese Turkestan before dying famously in a war for the Egyptians before the end of the XIXth century. What was his name ?

Gordon who died at Khartum.

4/ What happened to German colonies in Africa after WWI ?

I got funny answers for this one, telling me about German colonies in the Pacific .... Anyway : German African colonies were split among the allies. Togo and eastern Cameroon became English, such as Tanganyka (future Tanzania). France got the largest part of Cameroon, Belgium got Rwanda-Urundi, and the South African Union got Namibia. I did not expect the full listing though.

5/ Pitt said once : "We won the Canada in ..... ". Complete the sentence. Hint : around 1758.

... in Silesia. England mostly helped Prussia with funds and diplomacy but France wanted peace so badly after that war they accepted to give up Canada in exchange for islands in the West Indies.

6/ Name one of the two Spanish explorators who explored first the inner North America. Bonus : name the other too ! Hint : around 1540.

Since I gave the time period, the only two were De Soto and Coronado.

7/ What was the name of the 8 political/military organisations developped by Nuhra-Chi (Mandchu) prior to and instrumental in the conquest of China ?

The banners.

8/ What was the name of the ancient Siamese capital city ?

I granted to some even though spelling was wrong because since it is an Asian language, spelling in Latin alphabet is more or less a joke anyway. I was thinking of Ayuthia, not far from preesent day Bangkok actually.

9/ Why did Finland side with Germany during WWII ?

Most got that right. Finland did not so much side with Germany as attacked the Soviets to get back the territory (Karelia) they had lost during the Winter War.

10/ From what ethnic background were the first Roman kings ?
Bonus : name them.

Etruscan : Tarquin the Ancient, Tarquin the Superb (or anotehr English translation) and Servius Tullius (who erected the Servian Wall).
There were other kings before that but they were either not as important or not historically well-known. So the ethnic difference was to make you think of the Etrucans.

XIII : 6.5

Redtooth : 5.5
Serutan : 5
aaminion00 : 2.5

So it is XIII's turn.

 

[Knight-Dragon]

A bit tired.

Is Redtooth willing to do the next quiz?

 

[Serutan]

Originally posted by LouLong

4/ What happened to German colonies in Africa after WWI ?

I got funny answers for this one, telling me about German colonies in the Pacific .... Anyway : German African colonies were split among the allies. Togo and eastern Cameroon became English, such as Tanganyka (future Tanzania). France got the largest part of Cameroon, Belgium got Rwanda-Urundi, and the South African Union got Namibia. I did not expect the full listing though.

There were German colonies in the Pacific;
you make it sound as if there weren't. Japan was given the
mandate over them as reward for joining the Allies.

 

[Redtooth]

wow, I'm quite happy I managed to get so many of those right =D. and now I get a chance to do a quiz, and I really wish I could, but I'm leaving on vacation in like 30 minutes for the rest of the week so I don't think it's going to be possible. Hopefully I'll get a chance to do a quiz again, but for the moment I'll have to respectfully decline from the offer =/.

btw, vacation could be the reason why you didn't get very many answers.

 

[LouLong]

Originally posted by Serutan

There were German colonies in the Pacific;
you make it sound as if there weren't. Japan was given the
mandate over them as reward for joining the Allies.

Sorry. That's not what I meant. But my question was precisely about German colonies in Africa, not in the rest of the world.
It is true Japan, Australia and the US got these colonies or spheres of influence but with all due respect, it was kind of irrelevant here.

 

[Serutan]

Just because I can't read....

 

[aaminion00]

I contest the answer to #8. While the answer you gave might be right as well, the sources I know have told me that Sukhothai was the capital of Siam...

Could someone who knows of Sukhothai explain this to me?

 

[Mongoloid Cow]

The capital changed over time, like in other countries. Ayuthaya was for the most part the most important of all of Siam's capital cities.

 

[Pangur Bán]

Originally posted by LouLong

Brennus attacked Rome while Brennos was a Galate leader.
Ending is latin in the first case, Greek in the later but basically the name was Bren or Brenn. I accepted all names.

In Welsh, Brenin means king. The chances are, this was just the title rather than a personal name, even though Graeco-Roman sources present it like one!

 

[aaminion00]

Ah, Welsh. The language of no vowels. Grywzoryztyazwth megryzadorazydtyth erzymzya.

 

[Mongoloid Cow]

Aren't Czech and Bosnian the true languages of no vowels? (In Welsh, IIRC both 'y' and 'w' are vowels) Likewise isn't Ethiopian the language of no consonents? Anyway, someone better come up with a quiz soon

 

[Knight-Dragon]

Alright, I'll whip one up... Let me think...