General Awareness ยท History

Historical Dates and Firsts

2,390 Questions

Historical dates and firsts questions test your memory of significant global milestones in sports, science, technology, and literature. These factual questions appear regularly in SSC, banking, and state PSC general awareness papers. Use these questions to quickly memorize important historical events and their exact years.

Inventions and launchesSports world firstsHistorical prize awardsTechnology milestones

Historical Dates and Firsts Questions

Multiple choice

When was popcorn first introduced to the United States?

  1. 15th century

  2. 16th century

  3. 17th century

  4. 18th century
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
B Correct answer
Explanation

Popcorn was first introduced to the United States by European settlers in the 16th century.

Multiple choice

When was the first COVID-19 vaccine approved for use?

  1. December 2020

  2. January 2021

  3. February 2021

  4. March 2021
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
A Correct answer
Explanation

The first COVID-19 vaccine was approved for use in the United States in December 2020.

Multiple choice

When was the gold standard first adopted?

  1. 18th century

  2. 19th century

  3. 20th century

  4. None of the above
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
B Correct answer
Explanation

The gold standard was first adopted in the 19th century. The United Kingdom adopted the gold standard in 1821, and most other countries followed suit in the late 19th century.

Multiple choice

In which year was the first Petrarchan Sonnet Competition held?

  1. 1300

  2. 1350

  3. 1400

  4. 1450
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
B Correct answer
Explanation

The first Petrarchan Sonnet Competition was held in 1350.

Multiple choice

In which year was the first National Sonnet Competition held?

  1. 1922

  2. 1925

  3. 1928

  4. 1931
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
A Correct answer
Explanation

The first National Sonnet Competition was held in 1922.

Multiple choice

In which year was the first Academy Sonnet Competition held?

  1. 1934

  2. 1937

  3. 1940

  4. 1943
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
A Correct answer
Explanation

The first Academy Sonnet Competition was held in 1934.

Multiple choice

In which year was the first Poetry Foundation Sonnet Competition held?

  1. 1947

  2. 1950

  3. 1953

  4. 1956
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
A Correct answer
Explanation

The first Poetry Foundation Sonnet Competition was held in 1947.

Multiple choice

In which year was the first Folger Shakespeare Sonnet Competition held?

  1. 1959

  2. 1962

  3. 1965

  4. 1968
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
A Correct answer
Explanation

The first Folger Shakespeare Sonnet Competition was held in 1959.

Multiple choice

When was cuneiform first developed?

  1. Around 3500 BC

  2. Around 2500 BC

  3. Around 1500 BC

  4. Around 500 BC
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
A Correct answer
Explanation

Cuneiform was first developed around 3500 BC in ancient Mesopotamia.

Multiple choice

What year did the first swing dance competition take place?

  1. 1920

  2. 1930

  3. 1940

  4. 1950
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
B Correct answer
Explanation

The first swing dance competition was held in 1930 at the Savoy Ballroom in New York City.

Multiple choice

In which year was the inaugural CONCACAF Men's Under-17 Championship held?

  1. 1983

  2. 1985

  3. 1987

  4. 1989
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
A Correct answer
Explanation

The inaugural CONCACAF Men's Under-17 Championship was held in 1983.

Multiple choice

When did the first community college open in the United States?

  1. 1901

  2. 1910

  3. 1920

  4. 1930
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
A Correct answer
Explanation

Joliet Junior College, established in 1901 in Joliet, Illinois, is widely recognized as the first community college in the United States.

Multiple choice

When did burlesque reach its peak of popularity?

  1. 1890s

  2. 1920s

  3. 1950s

  4. 1980s
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
B Correct answer
Explanation

Burlesque reached its peak of popularity in the 1920s, during the Prohibition era.

Multiple choice

The Metropolitan Opera House, located in New York City, was inaugurated in which year?

  1. 1883

  2. 1907

  3. 1920

  4. 1931
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
A Correct answer
Explanation

The Metropolitan Opera House opened its doors in 1883 and has been a prominent venue for opera and ballet performances.

Multiple choice

The Bolshoi Theatre, located in Moscow, Russia, was founded in which century?

  1. 17th century

  2. 18th century

  3. 19th century

  4. 20th century
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
B Correct answer
Explanation

The Bolshoi Theatre was established in the 18th century and has a rich history of ballet and opera performances.