Hard History Quiz

Why history gets harder the closer you look

The deeper you go into history, the more the famous headlines give way to tangled details. Wars end with treaties signed far from the battlefield, empires change names and borders, and cities can be known by several names over the centuries. Even familiar events often have a side story that most textbooks skip, and that's where the best brain-buster questions come from.

Calendars are a good example of how tricky dates can be. Britain and its American colonies switched from the Julian calendar to the Gregorian calendar in 1752, and to catch up they skipped 11 days, so September 2 was followed directly by September 14. That's why some founders' birthdays appear on two different dates in old records. Historians also argue about when eras begin and end, so a single date can be a matter of definition.

To tackle tough history questions, place each option in time first. Ask which century it belongs to and which region, then eliminate anything that doesn't fit the clue. Tempting wrong answers usually sit nearby in time or place, so look for the detail that rules them out. This quiz is meant to stump you, so every right answer is one to brag about.