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History: Middle School: Grades 6, 7 and 8 Quiz - Famous Texts in History 2 (Questions)

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So many important texts have been written or produced through the centuries. Many of them have had a significant impact on events in history and are still affecting the world today. From the Magna Carta to the American Declaration of Independence, from Shakespeare to the treaty of Versailles, we would not be where we are today without these important historical texts. This is the second of two quizzes looking at texts of the past which are still affecting the world today.

Try this quiz to see how much you know about famous historical texts.

1. The Declaration of Independence, written in 1776, saw the beginning of the forming of which country?
[ ] New Zealand
[ ] The United States of America
[ ] China
[ ] Sweden
2. On February 24th, 1582, Pope Gregory XIII wrote something which we still use today. What was it?
[ ] The Bible
[ ] The newspaper
[ ] The calendar
[ ] The instruction manual
3. Signed in the French Palace on June 28th, 1919, what was the Treaty of Versailles supposed to stop?
[ ] Taxes
[ ] Conflict and war
[ ] Wasting electricity
[ ] Things getting lost
4. What does the American Bill of Rights do?
[ ] Gives money to right-handed people
[ ] Favors people called Bill
[ ] Gives instructions on tent-making
[ ] Gives citizens rights and freedoms
5. Charles Darwin was a scientist who explained his ideas in a book. What was it called?
[ ] What I Think About Science
[ ] Why We Need Science
[ ] Where Man Came From
[ ] On the Origin of Species
6. Shakespeare wrote many plays which had a lot of influence. What else did he do?
[ ] Gave us a lot of new words
[ ] Had an extra job cleaning windows
[ ] Tried to burn all his plays
[ ] Wrote the Bible
7. A 14th century collection of stories by Chaucer is one of the most popular works ever known. What is it called?
[ ] The Suffolk Stories
[ ] The York Diary
[ ] The Oxfordshire Dictionary
[ ] The Canterbury Tales
8. The term 'Big Brother' was first used in a story by George Orwell. What was it called?
[ ] 2001
[ ] 1456
[ ] 1272
[ ] 1984
9. One man's writing is credited with saving Christmas. Who was he?
[ ] Charles Dickens
[ ] George Orwell
[ ] Arthur C. Clarke
[ ] Karl Marx
10. One series of books by J. K. Rowling has had a huge impact on readers, both young and old. What were the books about?
[ ] Peter Rabbit
[ ] Horrid Henry
[ ] Harry Potter
[ ] Just William
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History: Middle School: Grades 6, 7 and 8 Quiz - Famous Texts in History 2 (Answers)
1. The Declaration of Independence, written in 1776, saw the beginning of the forming of which country?
[ ] New Zealand
[x] The United States of America
[ ] China
[ ] Sweden
The first states rebelled and declared that they were no longer part of the British Empire
2. On February 24th, 1582, Pope Gregory XIII wrote something which we still use today. What was it?
[ ] The Bible
[ ] The newspaper
[x] The calendar
[ ] The instruction manual
It is known as the Gregorian calendar. It adapted the Julian Calendar - which had 10 extra days floating around!
3. Signed in the French Palace on June 28th, 1919, what was the Treaty of Versailles supposed to stop?
[ ] Taxes
[x] Conflict and war
[ ] Wasting electricity
[ ] Things getting lost
It was signed after the First World War but unfortunately didn't stop the Second World War from starting 20 years later
4. What does the American Bill of Rights do?
[ ] Gives money to right-handed people
[ ] Favors people called Bill
[ ] Gives instructions on tent-making
[x] Gives citizens rights and freedoms
The rights granted to all Americans are powerful and sometimes controversial
5. Charles Darwin was a scientist who explained his ideas in a book. What was it called?
[ ] What I Think About Science
[ ] Why We Need Science
[ ] Where Man Came From
[x] On the Origin of Species
The basic idea behind his theory of evolution is that all the different species have evolved from simple life forms
6. Shakespeare wrote many plays which had a lot of influence. What else did he do?
[x] Gave us a lot of new words
[ ] Had an extra job cleaning windows
[ ] Tried to burn all his plays
[ ] Wrote the Bible
Words like 'fashionable' and 'softhearted' first appeared in his plays and writings
7. A 14th century collection of stories by Chaucer is one of the most popular works ever known. What is it called?
[ ] The Suffolk Stories
[ ] The York Diary
[ ] The Oxfordshire Dictionary
[x] The Canterbury Tales
The stories bring the characters to life and are studied all over the world
8. The term 'Big Brother' was first used in a story by George Orwell. What was it called?
[ ] 2001
[ ] 1456
[ ] 1272
[x] 1984
The book is about the state spying on the people and was set in the future when it was written in 1948
9. One man's writing is credited with saving Christmas. Who was he?
[x] Charles Dickens
[ ] George Orwell
[ ] Arthur C. Clarke
[ ] Karl Marx
The traditions of Christmas were fading when Dickens wrote 'A Christmas Carol'
10. One series of books by J. K. Rowling has had a huge impact on readers, both young and old. What were the books about?
[ ] Peter Rabbit
[ ] Horrid Henry
[x] Harry Potter
[ ] Just William
The books still sell in their thousands around the world and have had films made of them