The Ultimate British History Quiz: 100 Questions and Answers about the history of the UK

Last Updated on by Pauline

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Are you looking for an awesome British History Quiz? You’ve come to the right place!

There is a lot to know about the history of the UK and whether you are organising a pub quiz or planning a trivia night, this ultimate British History trivia quiz will be perfect for you!

I absolutely love putting together pub quizzes and the history of the UK is one of my favourite topics.

You will find several rounds including trivia, multiple choice and true or false.

We will touch upon all sorts of topics. British monarchs, WWII… there is a bit of everything!

So, grab a piece of paper and a pen, we are about to get started!

Questions about British History

In the first section, you will discover the 9 rounds of questions about British history. This includes a picture round as well.

Round 1: British History Trivia Questions – General Knowledge

  1. Who was defeated in the battle of Waterloo?
  2. How many wives did Henry VIII have?
  3. What was Richard I of England’s nickname?
  4. Which year was the Great Fire of London in?
  5. What is the name of the treaty that united England and Scotland?
  6. Who won the Battle of Hastings?
  7. Who founded the Church of England?
  8. What was the first major Roman city in Britain?
  9. Which houses were involved in the War of Roses? (1 point per house)
  10. What is the name of the government (still used today) established by the Vikings in AD 979 on the Isle of Man?

Round 2: British History General Knowledge Multiple Choice Quiz Questions

  1. When was the Battle of Hastings?
    1. 14 October 1066
    2. 24 October 1166
    3. 4 October 1266
    4. 14 October 1366
  2. When was the Battle of Waterloo?
    1. 18 June 1785
    2. 18 June 1795
    3. 18 June 1805
    4. 18 June 1815
  3. When did the UK declare war on Germany?
    1. 6th of June 1939
    2. 3rd of September 1939
    3. 14th of December 1939
    4. 2nd of January 1940
  4. When did Australia gain independence from Britain?
    1. 1891
    2. 1901
    3. 1911
    4. 1921
  5. Where was the Titanic built?
    1. Southampton
    2. Liverpool
    3. Belfast
    4. Plymouth
  6. Which union ended the Wars of the Roses and started the Tudor Dynasty?
    1. King Henry VII and Elizabeth of York
    2. Queen Victoria and Prince Albert of Saxe-Coburg
    3. Mary Queen of Scots and Lord Darnley
    4. Henry VIII and Anne Boleyn
  7. When was the London Underground built?
    1. 1843
    2. 1863
    3. 1883
    4. 1903
  8. Where did Princess Diana and Prince Charles go on their first official royal tour?
    1. Australia and New Zealand
    2. South Africa and Kenya
    3. India and Thailand
    4. Canada and the USA
  9. When did women get the right to vote in the UK?
    1. 1918
    2. 1928
    3. 1938
    4. 1948
  10. Who was caught with the gunpowder in 1605 (Gunpowder plot)?
    1. Thomas Percy
    2. John and Christopher Wright
    3. Robert Catesby
    4. Guy Fawkes

Round 3: British History – True or False

  1. Elizabeth I was the last monarch of the Tudor Dynasty.
  2. David Cameron served longer as Prime Minister than Tony Blair.
  3. Winston Churchill was against the D-Day landings.
  4. Stonehenge was built in several stages.
  5. The gunpowder plot was meant to blow up Buckingham Palace.
  6. William the Conqueror established French as the official language of England.
  7. Queen Victoria had 9 children.
  8. Winchester used to be the capital of England.
  9. Edinburgh has always been the capital of Scotland.
  10.  Queen Victoria’s first language was English.

Round 4: British Monarchs Quiz Questions

  1. Who was the first Tudor monarch?
  2. Who was the first protestant monarch?
  3. Who was the first-ever Queen of England to rule in her own right?
  4. What did Elizabeth I never do in her life?
  5. Who was Mary, Queen of Scots’ first husband?
  6. Who was the first monarch of the United Kingdom?
  7. Which house did Queen Victoria belong to?
  8. Which monarch took the British throne after Edward VIII’s abdication?
  9. In which country was William III of England born?
  10. Who is the longest-serving British monarch in history?

Round 5: British Prime Minister Quiz Questions

  1. When did Churchill become Prime Minister for the first time?
  2. What was the nickname given to Margaret Thatcher?
  3. How many female Prime Ministers did the UK have (+ bonus points for the names)?
  4. Which Prime Minister resigned after the Brexit Referendum?
  5. Which year did Boris Johnson become Prime Minister?
  6. Who is the longest-serving UK Prime Minister?
  7. Who was the first prime minister born after World War II?
  8. Which 10-week war happened while Margaret Thatcher was Prime Minister?
  9. Which party was Gordon Brown the leader of?
  10. Who was the Prime Minister before Margaret Thatcher?

Round 6: Industrial Revolution Quiz Questions

  1. In which century did the Industrial Revolution begin?
  2. Which UK city has a golden cotton ball at the top of its town hall, as a tribute to its industrial background?
  3. Between which two cities was the first passenger railway?
  4. Who invented the first steam engine?
  5. What was the first canal in Britain to be built without following an existing watercourse?
  6. In 1803, cotton became the UK’s biggest export. What was it before that?
  7. What was Belfast’s nickname in the 19th century?
  8. In which British city was the World’s first wet dock built?
  9. Which war led to the independence of the United States from Britain?
  10. Who wrote the book ‘The Condition of the Working Class in England’?

Round 7: The UK and WWII Quiz Questions

  1. Which German cipher device was cracked by Alan Turing?
  2. What was the name of the German bombing campaign against the United Kingdom in 1940 and 1941?
  3. Which operation was codenamed Operation Dynamo?
  4. Which country declared war on Germany on the same day that the UK?
  5. When was Victory in Europe Day?
  6. Which year was the Battle of Britain?
  7. Who was the UK Prime Minister when WWII started?
  8. In which year did rationing start in the UK?
  9. On which side was the UK during WWII?
  10. Which UK city was the most bombed during WWII outside of London?

Round 8: Modern British History Quiz Questions

  1. When was Elizabeth II coronated (1 point for the year, 2 points for the full date)?
  2. Who carried the bombings in Manchester in 1996?
  3. Which year was the Brexit Referendum in?
  4. Which UK Prime Minister sent troops to Iraq in 2003?
  5. Which year was the Scottish Independence referendum held?
  6. What is the name of the agreement signed in 1998 which ended the Troubles?
  7. Who was the first female first minister of Scotland?
  8. When did the United Kingdom leave the European Union?
  9. In which year did the UK cease all combat operations in Afghanistan and withdrew the last of its combat troops?
  10. When did Prince Charles and Princess Diana get married (1 point for the year, 2 points for the full date)?

Round 9: British Royalty Quiz

  1. Who was the first king of England?
  2. Who became the first Tudor King after winning the the battle of Bosworth in Leicestershire?
  3. King Henry VIII founded the Church of England so he could divorce his wife. Which one?
  4. In which year did King Charles III became King?
  5. Which king does Colin Firth portray in the movie ‘The King’s Speech’?
  6. George V was the first king of which dynasty?
  7. Which English monarch was the cousin of Mary, Queen of Scots?
  8. Who was the president of the United States when Queen Elizabeth II ascended the throne?
  9. Which King was known as ‘the Hammer of the Scots’?
  10. What was Queen Victoria’s first language?

Round 10: Historical landmarks in the UK Picture Quiz

Historical landmarks in the UK Picture Quiz

Questions and answers about British History

Congrats! You’ve made it through the entire quiz! Now is time to discover how many points you scored!

You will find below both the questions and answers to make it a bit easier for you to remember what the questions were.

Round 1: British History Trivia Answers – General Knowledge

  1. Who was defeated in the battle of Waterloo? Napoleon Bonaparte
  2. How many wives did Henry VIII have? Six
  3. What was Richard I of England’s nickname? Richard The Lionheart
  4. Which year was the Great Fire of London in? 1666
  5. What is the name of the treaty that united England and Scotland? Treaty of the Union
  6. Who won the Battle of Hastings? The Normans
  7. Who founded the Church of England? Henry VIII, so he could end his marriage with Catherine of Aragon.
  8. What was the first major Roman City in Britain? Colchester
  9. Which houses were involved in the War of Roses? (1 point per house) House of York and house of Lancaster
  10. What is the name of the government (still used today) established by the Vikings in AD 979 on the Isle of Man? Tynwald

Round 2: British History General Knowledge Multiple Choice Quiz Answers

  1. When was the Battle of Hastings? 14 October 1066
  2. When was the Battle of Waterloo? 18 June 1815
  3. When did the UK declare war on Germany? 3rd of September 1939
  4. When did Australia gain independence from Britain? 1901
  5. Where was the Titanic built? Belfast
  6. Which union ended the Wars of the Roses and started the Tudor Dynasty? King Henry VII and Elizabeth of York
  7. When was the London Underground built? 1863
  8. Where did Princess Diana and Prince Charles go on their first official royal tour? Australia and New Zealand
  9. When did women get the right to vote in the UK? 1918
  10. Who was caught with the gunpowder in 1605 (Gunpowder plot)? Guy Fawkes

Round 3: British History – True or False – Answers

  1. Elizabeth I was the last monarch of the Tudor Dynasty. True
  2. David Cameron served longer as Prime Minister than Tony Blair. False
  3. Winston Churchill was against the D-Day landings. True
  4. Stonehenge was built in several stages. True
  5. The gunpowder plot was meant to blow up Buckingham Palace. False, the house of lords.
  6. William the Conqueror established French as the official language of England. True
  7. Queen Victoria had 9 children. True.
  8. Winchester used to be the capital of England. True
  9. Edinburgh has always been the capital of Scotland. False.
  10.  Queen Victoria’s first language was English. False, it was German.

Round 4: British Monarchs Quiz Answers

  1. Who was the first Tudor monarch? Henry VII of England
  2. Who was the first protestant monarch? Edward VI of England
  3. Who was the first-ever Queen of England to rule in her own right? Mary I of England (Bloody Mary)
  4. What did Elizabeth I never do in her life? She never married.
  5. Who was Mary, Queen of Scots’ first husband? Francis II of France
  6. Who was the first monarch of the United Kingdom? Queen Anne
  7. Which house did Queen Victoria belong to? House of Hanover
  8. Which monarch took the British throne after Edward VIII’s abdication? George VI
  9. In which country was William III of England born? The Netherlands
  10. Who is the longest serving British monarch in history? Elizabeth II

Round 5: British Prime Minister Quiz Answers

  1. When did Churchill become Prime Minister for the first time? 1940
  2. What was the nickname given to Margaret Thatcher? The Iron Lady
  3. How many female Prime Ministers did the UK have (+ bonus points for the names)? Two. Margaret Thatcher and Theresa May
  4. Which Prime Minister resigned after the Brexit Referendum? David Cameron
  5. Which year did Boris Johnson become Prime Minister? 2019
  6. Who is the longest serving UK Prime Minister? Sir Robert Walpole
  7. Who was the first prime minister born after World War II? Tony Blair
  8. Which 10-week war happened while Margaret Thatcher was Prime Minister?  The Falklands War
  9. Which party was Gordon Brown the leader of? Labour Party
  10. Who was the Prime Minister before Margaret Thatcher? James Callaghan

Round 6: Industrial Revolution Quiz Answers

  1. In which century did the Industrial Revolution begin? 18th century
  2. Which UK city has a golden cotton ball at the top of its town hall, as a tribute to its industrial background? Manchester
  3. Between which two cities was the first passenger railway? Manchester and Liverpool
  4. Who invented the first steam engine? Thomas Newcomen
  5. What was the first canal in Britain to be built without following an existing watercourse? Bridgewater Canal
  6. In 1803, cotton became the UK’s biggest export. What was it before that? Wool
  7. What was Belfast’s nickname in the 19th century? Linenopolis
  8. In which British city was the World’s first wet dock built? Liverpool
  9. Which war led to the independence of the United States from Britain? The American Revolutionary War
  10. Who wrote the book ‘The Condition of the Working Class in England’? Friedrich Engels

Round 7: The UK and WWII Quiz Answers

  1. Which German cipher device was cracked by Alan Turing? Enigma
  2. What was the name of the German bombing campaign against the United Kingdom in 1940 and 1941? The Blitz
  3. Which operation was codenamed Operation Dynamo? The evacuation of Dunkirk
  4. Which country declared war on Germany on the same day that the UK? France
  5. When was Victory in Europe Day? 8th of May 1945
  6. Which year was the Battle of Britain? 1940
  7. Who was the UK Prime Minister when WWII started? Neville Chamberlain
  8. In which year did rationing start in the UK? 1940
  9. On which side was the UK during WWII? The Allies
  10. Which UK city was the most bombed during WWII outside of London? Liverpool

Round 8: Modern British History Quiz Answers

  1. When was Elizabeth II coronated (1 point for the year, 2 points for the full date)? 2nd of June 1953
  2. Who carried the bombings in Manchester in 1996? IRA
  3. Which year was the Brexit Referendum in? 2016
  4. Which UK Prime Minister sent troops to Iraq in 2003? Tony Blair
  5. Which year was the Scottish Independence referendum held? 2014
  6. What is the name of the agreement signed in 1998 which ended the Troubles? Belfast Agreement / Good Friday Agreement
  7. Who was the first female first minister of Scotland? Nicola Sturgeon
  8. When did the United Kingdom leave the European Union? 31st January 2020 but the transition period ended on the 31st of December 2020
  9. In which year did the UK cease all combat operations in Afghanistan and withdrew the last of its combat troops? 2014
  10. When did Prince Charles and Princess Diana get married (1 point for the year, 2 points for the full date)? 29th July 1981

Round 9: British Royalty Quiz Answers

  1. Who was the first king of England? Athelstan
  2. Who became the first Tudor King after winning the the battle of Bosworth in Leicestershire? King Henry VII
  3. King Henry VIII founded the Church of England so he could divorce his wife. Which one? Queen Catherine of Aragon
  4. In which year did King Charles III became King? 2022
  5. Which king does Colin Firth portray in the movie ‘The King’s Speech’? King George VI
  6. George V was the first king of which dynasty? Windsor
  7. Which English monarch was the cousin of Mary, Queen of Scots? Elizabeth I
  8. Who was the president of the United States when Queen Elizabeth II ascended the throne? Harry S. Truman
  9. Which King was known as ‘the Hammer of the Scots’? King Edward I of England
  10. What was Queen Victoria’s first language? German

Round 10: Historical landmarks in the UK Picture Quiz Answers

  1. Tower of London
  2. Stonehenge
  3. Edinburgh Castle
  4. Westminster Abbey
  5. Bridge of Sighs, Cambridge
  6. Roman Baths, Bath
  7. Big Ben, London
  8. Manchester Town Hall, Manchester
  9. Radcliffe Camera, Oxford
  10. St Paul’s Cathedral, London

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Pauline

Founder of Beeloved City, I am originally from France and have been living in the UK since 2016. I've travelled to 25 countries as a backpacker, travel coordinator and for holidays. I spent a year in Australia before eventually settling down in Manchester, England