Logo

History Quiz - British Pioneers (Questions)

This quiz addresses the requirements of the National Curriculum KS1 History for children aged 5, 6 and 7 in years 1 and 2. Specifically this quiz is aimed at the section dealing with historical figures and understanding the lives and achievements of significant people in history.

Studying the lives and achievements of historical figures is a key part of the KS1 history curriculum. Children must understand how the achievements of yesterday's pioneers have changed and influenced our lives today.

1. What is a pioneer?
[ ] A rare stamp
[ ] A type of animal
[ ] A kind of chocolate bar
[ ] The first person to develop, use, make, explore or settle
2. Charles Darwin was a pioneer in the world of science. What was his most famous work?
[ ] The Big Bang Theory
[ ] The Theory of Everything
[ ] The Theory of Evolution
[ ] The Theory of Dreams
3. Sir Isaac Newton was a great scientific pioneer. He famously 'discovered' gravity when he saw...
[ ] A ball flying up into the air
[ ] A feather floating to the ground
[ ] An apple falling from an apple tree
[ ] A bird flying overhead
4. Emmeline Pankhurst was a pioneer and campaigner for women's right to do what?
[ ] Read
[ ] Drive
[ ] Swim
[ ] Vote
5. Trevor Baylis pioneered technology which led to the invention of what?
[ ] The water powered torch
[ ] The clockwork or wind up radio
[ ] The wind powered television
[ ] The solar powered pillow
6. Edward Jenner was a physician and pioneer who saved countless lives by developing what?
[ ] The modern sticking plaster
[ ] A vaccine for smallpox
[ ] Cough medicine
[ ] Suncream
7. Pioneering work from William Kennedy Laurie Dickson lead to the invention of the Kinetoscope. What might this be?
[ ] A machine to wash pets
[ ] A device to light a room
[ ] A machine for warming your feet
[ ] An early device for capturing motion pictures
8. Robert Cocking was a professional watercolour artist who pioneered what?
[ ] A cone-shaped parachute
[ ] A finer paintbrush
[ ] A brush cleaning device
[ ] A folding easel
9. Sir George Cayley was an engineer who pioneered a safety device in all of our cars today. What was it?
[ ] The airbag
[ ] The head light
[ ] The indicator
[ ] The seatbelt
10. Around 1870, English inventor James Starley pioneered a design which revolutionised which method of transport?
[ ] Boats
[ ] Cycles
[ ] Trains
[ ] Cars

You can find more about this topic by visiting BBC Bitesize - Significant people

Logo
History Quiz - British Pioneers (Answers)
1. What is a pioneer?
[ ] A rare stamp
[ ] A type of animal
[ ] A kind of chocolate bar
[x] The first person to develop, use, make, explore or settle
Without the discoveries of pioneers throughout history, our lives, country and homes would be very different
2. Charles Darwin was a pioneer in the world of science. What was his most famous work?
[ ] The Big Bang Theory
[ ] The Theory of Everything
[x] The Theory of Evolution
[ ] The Theory of Dreams
Darwin thought that we all evolved from common ancestors
3. Sir Isaac Newton was a great scientific pioneer. He famously 'discovered' gravity when he saw...
[ ] A ball flying up into the air
[ ] A feather floating to the ground
[x] An apple falling from an apple tree
[ ] A bird flying overhead
Newton also built the first practical reflecting telescope
4. Emmeline Pankhurst was a pioneer and campaigner for women's right to do what?
[ ] Read
[ ] Drive
[ ] Swim
[x] Vote
She was part of the Suffragette Movement. Some women died during their campaigns for equal rights for women
5. Trevor Baylis pioneered technology which led to the invention of what?
[ ] The water powered torch
[x] The clockwork or wind up radio
[ ] The wind powered television
[ ] The solar powered pillow
The radio was invented to help people in the poorer parts of Africa to access information
6. Edward Jenner was a physician and pioneer who saved countless lives by developing what?
[ ] The modern sticking plaster
[x] A vaccine for smallpox
[ ] Cough medicine
[ ] Suncream
Some people say that his work has saved more lives than the work of any other human
7. Pioneering work from William Kennedy Laurie Dickson lead to the invention of the Kinetoscope. What might this be?
[ ] A machine to wash pets
[ ] A device to light a room
[ ] A machine for warming your feet
[x] An early device for capturing motion pictures
Dickson invented his machine with the help of Thomas Edison, who developed the first modern light bulb
8. Robert Cocking was a professional watercolour artist who pioneered what?
[x] A cone-shaped parachute
[ ] A finer paintbrush
[ ] A brush cleaning device
[ ] A folding easel
He watched a parachutist land awkwardly and decided to design a better version of the parachute
9. Sir George Cayley was an engineer who pioneered a safety device in all of our cars today. What was it?
[ ] The airbag
[ ] The head light
[ ] The indicator
[x] The seatbelt
Among the many other things that he developed are self-righting lifeboats, tension-spoke wheels and automatic signals for railway crossings
10. Around 1870, English inventor James Starley pioneered a design which revolutionised which method of transport?
[ ] Boats
[x] Cycles
[ ] Trains
[ ] Cars
He was described as the father of the bicycle industry and championed the Penny Farthing bicycle