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History by Letter - R

Can you name these historical people, places, and things beginning with the letter R?
Quiz by Quizmaster
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Last updated: September 17, 2019
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First submittedJuly 31, 2014
Times taken87,724
Average score55.0%
Rating4.13
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Hint
Answer
Country that neither Napoleon
nor Hitler could conquer
Russia
Last name of two U.S. Presidents
Roosevelt
U.S. Supreme Court decision that
legalized abortion
Roe v. Wade
Where Hutus slaughtered
Tutsis in 1994
Rwanda
Dutch Golden Age painter
Rembrandt
Cultural "rebirth" that started in
14th century Italy
Renaissance
Capital of the Confederacy during
the U.S. Civil War
Richmond
Probably the most important city
in Western History
Rome
Former name of Zimbabwe
Rhodesia
Term for the British rule of India
British Raj
Hint
Answer
He broke baseball's color barrier
Jackie Robinson
Louis XIII's chief advisor
Cardinal Richelieu
Explorer and court favorite of
Queen Elizabeth
Sir Walter Raleigh
International Jewish banking family
Rothschild
Caesar said "The Die is Cast" when
he crossed this river into Italy
Rubicon
King who restored Scottish
independence in 1328
Robert the Bruce
German parliamentary building
burned in 1933
Reichstag
Oil baron and first dollar billionaire
John D. Rockefeller
Enemies of the Cavaliers during
the English Civil War
Roundheads
"Great" pharaoh also known
as Ozymandias
Ramesses II
+1
Level 68
Oct 7, 2014
Nice quiz! 100%
+2
Level 77
Oct 7, 2014
Pretty proud I got as close as "Rose vs. Wade" there. I guess I mixed up two different things.
+3
Level 75
Oct 7, 2014
Only missed the German building clue - got as far as Reich, but couldn't get the rest.
+7
Level 75
Aug 13, 2017
Woe is me, did the exact same thing again.
+12
Level 75
Jun 19, 2020
At least this time was different. Couldn't even remember Reich.
+15
Level 52
Jul 17, 2021
i expect to see you back here in 2023
+1
Level 37
Oct 7, 2014
is it bad that I only got the clue Ozymandias from The Watchmen?
+2
Level 72
Jun 19, 2020
What's bad is putting "The" in front of "Watchmen". :) That said, it did help a lot for that clue. (Check out the TV series, it's phenomenal!)
+2
Level 55
Dec 8, 2014
really nice set of general knowledge questions....a great mix of topics!
+6
Level 83
Jul 18, 2015
I really hope that at least most of the Brits doing this quiz got Roundheads. I was surprised to see that it was the least-known answer. I presume the English Civil War isn't taught outside of, well, England.
+6
Level 63
Aug 13, 2017
You had to learn it on your own. My mom was from Birmingham. I had to learn Disraeli's sock size.
+3
Level 75
Aug 13, 2017
American Midsomer Murder fan here - I got it because of the episode about the reenactment of the Cavaliers vs. Roundheads battle and all the furor that it wasn't being done accurately.
+1
Level 59
Aug 14, 2017
I know of some Americans who learned about it in High School - the English Civil War (often called Wars of the Three Kingdoms in academia now, as it was not confined to just England) had consequences on the American colonies and eventually the US constitution.
+2
Level 82
Oct 25, 2019
I learned about it in an American public school. I think in 9th grade.
+1
Level 70
Jun 19, 2020
Canadian here ... never heard of the roundheads nor the cavaliers
+1
Level 73
Oct 5, 2020
My wife's favorite episode of Keeping Up Appearances is when they do the historical pageant about the English civil war, so that's how I first learned about the roundheads and cavaliers. :-)
+3
Level 50
Jul 30, 2015
Last name of two U.S. Presidents: Bush ?
+10
Level 69
Mar 10, 2016
That'd work perfectly if their last name was actually "Rush".
+11
Level 76
Feb 5, 2019
We will also accept Radams, Rohnson, and Rharrison.
+4
Level 78
Jun 19, 2020
Andrew Rohnson is Andrew Johnson's non-impeached alter-ego.
+5
Level 80
Feb 12, 2017
I miss Rhodesia.
+6
Level 74
Nov 10, 2017
Rhodesians never die
+2
Level 80
Sep 5, 2022
What a time it was
+1
Level 77
Mar 9, 2023
Bernard62601, why do you miss Rhodesia? The name or the country? It was named after Cecil Rhodes, one of the biggest crooks that ever lived, responsible for the suffering and death of countless Africans. He deserves to have nothing named after him.
+2
Level 55
Aug 13, 2017
You know we've had two presidents named Adams, Harrison, Johnson and Bush, right?
+18
Level 82
Aug 13, 2017
You know the alphabet right? A,H,J and B aren't the same letter as R.
+19
Level 76
Aug 13, 2017
Something else that starts with R: Reading Comprehension.
+3
Level 63
Aug 13, 2017
Sorrrrrrrry............William Henry Rarisson and Benjamin Rarisson.
+1
Level 78
Jun 19, 2020
John Radams and John Q Radams are offended that you forgot about them. Andrew Rohnson, Lyndon B Rohnson, George HW Rush, and George W Rush are also offended.
+9
Level 89
Aug 13, 2017
So far I've seen four comments suggesting alternative answers to the two presidents question without realizing that there's only one pair of name-sharing presidents where the last name starts with R. That says quite a bit about the quality of their attention to detail.
+4
Level 63
Jun 25, 2020
I'm always amazed at the comments in these "by letter" quizzes. They are usually filled with complaints from people who didn't read the instructions.
+1
Level 55
Oct 17, 2017
Surely JD Rockefeller should be allowed?
+4
Level ∞
Sep 17, 2019
That will work now. In the future, you can save time by just typing last names.
+4
Level 72
Mar 22, 2018
Rotshild, Rotschild, Rotschield, Rothschield, Rothshild... And I never got the right combination.
+4
Level 62
Oct 21, 2019
They should accept Roffschild
+19
Level 70
May 15, 2018
Please also accept Regina, Saskatchewan as the most important city in Western history. But, seriously, not a big fan of subjective superlatives like "most important". You could make a great case that Rome is that, but I think Regina - hometown of former NBA player Steve Nash - has something to say about that. I must have received upwards of 5 or 6 coupons for free tacos at Taco Bueno when he was Maverick and the team scored 100+ points. What has Rome ever done for us "... apart from the sanitation, the medicine, education, wine, public order, irrigation, roads, the fresh-water system, and public health".
+2
Level 82
Nov 12, 2018
It says "probably." And that's probably right.
+9
Level 75
Jun 19, 2020
I'll cast my vote for Regina because that was the first name of the nurse who delivered my second child when the doctor didn't make it to the hospital in time. I don't remember the name of the doctor but I'll never forget Regina as she saved my baby's life when she wasn't breathing.
+2
Level 72
Aug 10, 2022
Romanes eunt domus. If that seems wrong, you're right. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IIAdHEwiAy8
+1
Level 55
Jun 20, 2018
ha ha, like it Martay
+3
Level 71
Mar 25, 2019
Pretty sure Hitler tried - and failed - to conquer the Soviet Union, not Russia.
+3
Level 82
May 10, 2019
basically the same thing
+9
Level 78
Jun 19, 2020
He did pretty well against the Baltic Republics, Belarus, and Ukraine. He ran into serious issues when he hit Russia.
+4
Level 59
Jan 9, 2020
Nice phrasing for the Jackie Robinson clue.

The first African-American player in professional baseball was Moses Fleetwood Walker (thank you, The Dollop podcast). Many of the "rules" banning non-white players were created especially for him. Jackie Robinson had to tear them all down.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moses_Fleetwood_Walker

+4
Level 63
Jan 24, 2020
Lucky me. Misspelled Rome and got #3.
+1
Level 58
Feb 28, 2020
How can you misspell Rome?
+3
Level 78
Jun 19, 2020
Since Carry got #3, I'm guessing the 'm' was omitted.
+1
Level 66
Jun 21, 2020
When you make typo's, I am sure they know they city is not spelled R O E
+2
Level 60
Aug 22, 2020
Roe is literally a type in for another question.
+1
Level 67
Jan 30, 2020
Got Richelieu
+1
Level 67
Jun 19, 2020
If my life depended on it and you asked me without context to tell you what the Reichstag was, I would have no idea, but I saw that clue and somehow it popped right into my head. Probably just scrolled through German terms starting with R, but it felt damn lucky.
+1
Level 82
Jun 19, 2020
I remember Dr. Buchanan talking about the fire in World Civ GT class. I got a picture of my car in front of the building here
+2
Level 60
Aug 22, 2020
When will Adolphus Gustavus get recognition, he also couldn’t conquer Russia.
+5
Level ∞
Aug 27, 2021
I haven't conquered Russia either, but it's only because I haven't seriously tried.
+2
Level 69
Aug 10, 2022
I'm sure if you apply yourself you'd do great...

But I'm sure you're currently busy with Belgium.

+1
Level 72
Aug 10, 2022
And let's not forget Bishop Hermann of Dorpat. I'm sure the current regime in Moscow would include him as well.
+1
Level 81
Jun 22, 2021
Renaissance started in the 15th century, I suppose the mistake comes due to the word Quattrocento in italian, but that's 15th century.
+1
Level 82
Aug 1, 2022
Nobody has tried to argue for Rehoboth Beach, Delaware being the most important city in Western history?
+4
Level 72
Aug 10, 2022
It could never escape the long shadow of Bethany Beach.
+3
Level 86
Aug 10, 2022
Really think that the hint for Rothschild should be reworded because the way it is currently worded it how antisemitic conspiracy theorists talk about the Rothschild family.

Just writing famous Jewish banking family and this being the letter R only should really be enough of a clue.

The "international" part of the clue I find concerning since that a common antisemitic dog-whistle term used towards to Jewish people. For example Henry Ford's antisemitic pamphlets "The International Jew" so I just the word international should at the very least be removed from the clue.

As I said before the clue can also be reworded as an option or worst case that clue be totally removed, but at bare minimum the word "international" should removed.

+2
Level 72
Aug 10, 2022
Agree--wish I had put it so well.
+5
Level 75
Aug 10, 2022
The family is famous for the group of brothers who went out to set up business dynasties in major financial centres around Europe. If that can''t be described as international then what can? It's something that's proudly referenced on their coat of arms, and I see "international" as a mark of achievement rather than something to be hushed up because of a few racists.
+1
Level 86
Aug 18, 2022
It is not about a "few racists" as you put it. It is about the many antisemitic conspiracy theories involving the Rothschild family and that the term 'International' is used as an antisemitic dog-whistle.

While you may view international as a neutral or even complimentary term that doesn't matter in the broader context.

The reality is these things exist, people believe them lots of people, and the amount of damage and harm that comes from that is very real and very dangerous.

Just look at the recent uptick in mass sh**ters at Jewish places of worship or events and huge rise in antisemitic hate crimes in the past several years.

So, yes even on quiz site like this the wording matters, the words matter, and what the words mean are important.

You might not get it because it is not your reality, but that doesn't change the facts or the reality for other people.

Fact is the way the clue is worded is problem and it needs to change.

+3
Level 88
Sep 26, 2022
E56, it isn't a fact that the clue is worded problematically; it's your opinion. In my opinion, you are choosing to find a neutral term problematic. Equating the use of "international" in this clue with violence-inciting antisemitic language is quite the stretch.
+1
Level 67
Aug 10, 2022
What happened to the Johnsons, Harrisons, Bushes and Adams?
+5
Level 76
Aug 10, 2022
They read the title, instructions, preceding comments, and URL, and realized that they didn't belong on this quiz.
+1
Level 71
Aug 10, 2022
The country Hitler could not conquer was the Soviet Union.
+1
Level 61
Aug 10, 2022
Strict with the spelling - Richleiu, Rokerfella/Rockafeller not accepted.
+1
Level 34
Aug 10, 2022
How do you make 7/20 questions on a history quiz about America when it barely has any history?
+3
Level 59
Aug 10, 2022
This quiz has subtle anti-Semitic tones by suggesting that the Rothchild's religious/ethic background has anything to do with whether or not they are in banking. It should be removed.
+3
Level 80
Sep 5, 2022
lol
+1
Level 51
Aug 10, 2022
I got sir Walter Raleigh by guessing the capital of the Confederacy.
+1
Level 57
Apr 17, 2023
I got Jackie Robinson because I watched the movie about him?!
+2
Level 68
Dec 21, 2023
I forgot Roosevelt, why?