General Awareness · History

Historical Dates and Firsts

2,518 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 did the Transatlantic Slave Trade officially end?

  1. 1807

  2. 1833

  3. 1865

  4. 1888
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
A Correct answer
Explanation

The Transatlantic Slave Trade officially ended in 1807, when the British Parliament passed the Abolition of the Slave Trade Act.

Multiple choice

When did the first hostels open?

  1. In the 19th century

  2. In the early 20th century

  3. In the 1950s

  4. In the 1970s
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
B Correct answer
Explanation

The first hostels opened in the early 20th century, with the first known hostel being the Internationales Jugendherbergswerk (International Youth Hostel Federation) in Germany in 1912.

Multiple choice

When was the first AFC Asian Cup held?

  1. 1956

  2. 1960

  3. 1964

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

The first AFC Asian Cup was held in Hong Kong in 1956.

Multiple choice

When did animal experimentation begin?

  1. 19th century

  2. 17th century

  3. 15th century

  4. 13th century
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
B Correct answer
Explanation

Animal experimentation has been practiced since the 17th century, when scientists began using animals to study anatomy, physiology, and disease.

Multiple choice

When was the first Met Gala held?

  1. 1948

  2. 1954

  3. 1960

  4. 1973
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
A Correct answer
Explanation

The first Met Gala was held in 1948.

Multiple choice

When was the Musée Christian Dior founded?

  1. 1997

  2. 2005

  3. 2013

  4. 2019
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
Correct answer
Explanation

The Musée Christian Dior was founded in 2017.

Multiple choice

When was the Coco Chanel Archive founded?

  1. 2003

  2. 2005

  3. 2007

  4. 2009
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
A Correct answer
Explanation

The Coco Chanel Archive was founded in 2003.

Multiple choice

In which year did the Great Depression begin in the United States?

  1. 1929

  2. 1930

  3. 1931

  4. 1932
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
A Correct answer
Explanation

The Great Depression began in the United States in 1929 with the stock market crash on October 29, 1929 (known as Black Tuesday).

Multiple choice

When did the Great Depression end?

  1. 1933

  2. 1935

  3. 1937

  4. 1939
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
D Correct answer
Explanation

The Great Depression ended in 1939 with the outbreak of World War II.

Multiple choice

In which year was the first World Sailing Championships held?

  1. 1962

  2. 1966

  3. 1970

  4. 1974
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
A Correct answer
Explanation

The inaugural World Sailing Championships took place in 1962 in Santander, Spain.

Multiple choice

When was the first PISA assessment conducted?

  1. 2000

  2. 2003

  3. 2006

  4. 2009
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
A Correct answer
Explanation

The first PISA assessment was conducted in 2000.

Multiple choice

When was the first presidential press conference held?

  1. 1892

  2. 1902

  3. 1912

  4. 1922
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
C Correct answer
Explanation

President William Howard Taft held the first presidential press conference on February 15, 1912.

Multiple choice

What was the name of the first Earth Day?

  1. Earth Day 1970

  2. Earth Day 1969

  3. Earth Day 1971

  4. Earth Day 1972
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
A Correct answer
Explanation

The first Earth Day was held on April 22, 1970.

Multiple choice

Which type of year is used to determine the calendar?

  1. Tropical year

  2. Sidereal year

  3. Both tropical and sidereal years

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

The tropical year is used to determine the calendar because it is the time it takes for the Earth to orbit the Sun with respect to the vernal equinox, which is the start of spring in the Northern Hemisphere.

Multiple choice

When was the Mathematical Association of America (MAA) founded?

  1. 1894

  2. 1900

  3. 1910

  4. 1920
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
A Correct answer
Explanation

The MAA was founded in 1894 by a group of mathematicians who were interested in promoting the teaching and learning of mathematics.