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1850s Decade Quiz

Do you have what it takes to answer these questions about the 1850s?
Quiz by Quizmaster
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Last updated: January 4, 2020
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First submittedMarch 16, 2017
Times taken23,836
Average score65.0%
Rating4.25
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Question
Answer
What became known as the “City of Light” after installing thousands of gas lamps?
Paris
What did abolitionists seek to abolish?
Slavery
What was the most populous city in the world during this decade?
London
Who wrote "On the Origin of Species"?
Charles Darwin
What war did Russia fight against the British, French, and Ottomans?
Crimean War
What profession was founded by war volunteer Florence Nightingale?
Nursing
What British poet wrote “Charge of the Light Brigade”?
Alfred, Lord Tennyson
What machine was introduced by Isaac Singer?
Sewing Machine
Who wrote "The Scarlet Letter"?
Nathaniel Hawthorne
What close relative of homo sapiens was discovered in a cave in Germany?
Neanderthals
What glass hall was built to house London's Great Exhibition?
Crystal Palace
What disease was studied by John Snow - who traced an outbreak to
a single well in London?
Cholera
What political party was founded in the United States in 1854?
Republican Party
What country was forcibly opened to foreign trade by the "black ships"
of Commodore Perry?
Japan
Who became emperor of the French in 1852?
Napoleon III
In what country did soldiers revolt after it was rumored that gun cartridges
were coated in beef or pork fat?
India
What simple device was built to demonstrate the rotation of the Earth?
Foucault's Pendulum
What country was created by the union of Moldavia and Wallachia?
Romania
In what country did tens of millions die in a war started by a cult leader
who claimed to be the brother of Jesus?
China
What bell atop Westminster Palace rang for the first time?
Big Ben
+2
Level 20
Mar 16, 2017
Good quiz!
+1
Level 75
Aug 25, 2017
That's an interesting way of asking about the Taiping Rebellion. I had forgotten about that.
+1
Level 82
Mar 16, 2017
First time I heard of Taiping Rebellion ...
+13
Level ∞
Mar 17, 2017
I had never heard of it either until about 5 years ago. And yet more people died than in WWI. For whatever reason, most Western education includes almost nothing about Chinese history.
+2
Level 43
Mar 17, 2017
'Neanderthal' not accepted? Did I really just need to type an 's'?
+1
Level 66
Mar 17, 2017
+1 *sigh*
+6
Level ∞
Mar 17, 2017
-1. Neanderthal would have worked! *inverse sigh*
+2
Level 81
Oct 8, 2020
Would that be a gasp?
+1
Level 54
Mar 17, 2017
Should be Commodore Perry not Admiral Perry...
+4
Level ∞
Mar 17, 2017
Fixed! Fun fact, the U.S. didn't have the rank of admiral at the time.
+1
Level 65
Mar 17, 2017
I can't believe Tennyson is the least well-known answer! :O
+10
Level 62
Aug 25, 2017
For whatever reason, most American education includes almost nothing about the outside world.
+6
Level 82
Aug 25, 2017
false
+10
Level 67
Aug 25, 2017
For whatever reason, people from places outside the US love to make ignorant comments about American culture, and then in the same breath comment that Americans are ignorant about other cultures.
+11
Level 83
Feb 26, 2018
I think historical education in most countries rejects a good deal of foreign history in favour of their own.
+2
Level 78
Oct 8, 2020
I guess that outside world = the UK, plus possibly Canada, Ireland, New Zealand and Australia?
+1
Level 81
Oct 8, 2020
But if they watched the Fresh Prince (yes dating myself) they could definitely quote part of it :)
+6
Level 86
Oct 9, 2020
Interesting. I vividly recall being taught about the Crimean War in my schoolroom in the United States. Must be a false memory since I'm sure you're right in your assumption.
+1
Level 44
Oct 9, 2020
for some reason my mind has been blanking on names all evening. I was so mad at myself that I couldn't remember the name. I couldn't remember Hawthorne's name either, and I own The Scarlet Letter.

hangs head in shame.

+2
Level 76
Mar 17, 2017
Fascinating quiz. Maybe use the yellow box for this quiz? I fluked two answers for "common" answers (London, China) that turned out to match other questions!
+1
Level ∞
Mar 17, 2017
Yeah, I figured that might happen. But I generally try to avoid using the yellow box. 1850s knowledge is hard enough already!
+1
Level 66
Mar 17, 2017
I love these quizzes. Always do really well on them.
+5
Level 62
Aug 25, 2017
You know quite a lot, John Snow.
+3
Level 67
Aug 25, 2017
The French emperor answer should require more--the Roman numerals, to be precise. Otherwise you let those who don't know the difference between the two to get an undeserved freebie.
+1
Level 67
Aug 25, 2017
I knew Napoleon Bonaparte was long dead by 1852...but I typed it anyway just because I had no idea who else it could be. Lucky me.
+3
Level 71
Nov 11, 2017
And we must not at any cost let a jetpunker get an underserved freebie....... how sad
+1
Level 81
Oct 8, 2020
France had had so many emperors, you see.
+1
Level 88
Apr 7, 2020
Why is Alfred Tennyson the only person to have a comma in the middle of his name?
+5
Level 67
Oct 8, 2020
Him and Tyler, the Creator. Birds of a feather.
+1
Level 56
Apr 10, 2022
Not the only person. See

https://english.stackexchange.com/questions/240339/why-is-lord-alfred-tennyson-often-written-as-alfred-lord-tennyson

+1
Level 57
Oct 8, 2020
One of the most magnificent decade to live in
+3
Level 89
Oct 8, 2020
Yeah unless you're African-American.
+3
Level 67
Oct 8, 2020
Or like to watch TV.
+2
Level 62
Oct 8, 2020
I'm not sure just "Napoleon" should be acceptable, given that that always refers to a different individual.
+1
Level 26
Jun 24, 2022
got 14/20 and im actually pretty proud of myself ngl
+1
Level 67
Feb 20, 2023
Ah right forgot about India
+1
Level 67
Feb 20, 2023
You know nothing Jon Snow