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
C
Correct answer
Explanation
The Soviet Union launched Sputnik 1, the world's first artificial satellite, on October 4, 1957, marking the beginning of the Space Age. 1953 (A) is Stalin's death year, while 1969 (B) is the moon landing.
D
Correct answer
Explanation
Hitler wrote Mein Kampf in 1923 while imprisoned in Landsberg Castle after the failed Beer Hall Putsch. The book outlines his political ideology and plans for Germany.
A
Correct answer
Explanation
The Winter Olympic Games were officially established in 1924 with the first games held in Chamonix, France. This marked the beginning of separate winter and summer Olympic cycles.
B
Correct answer
Explanation
1964 ( the 8 bit byte become the standard the with the IBM Standard computer 360
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20th August 1921
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20th August 1922
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20th August 1923
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20th August 1924
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1 November, 1967
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1 November, 1969
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1 November, 1971
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1 November, 1975
A
Correct answer
Explanation
The commercial service of AIR started on November 1, 1967. This service allowed for advertisements and sponsored content on radio, marking a shift from purely public service broadcasting to including commercial revenue generation.
B
Correct answer
Explanation
Albert Hofmann, the Swiss chemist who discovered LSD, was born on January 11, 1906. Option B is correct. Options A (1905), C (1908), and D (1915) are all incorrect birth years.
D
Correct answer
Explanation
Victor Hugo, the French author of Les Misérables and The Hunchback of Notre-Dame, was born on February 26, 1802. Option D is correct. Options A (1830), B (1810), and C (1868) are all incorrect.
D
Correct answer
Explanation
Harry Houdini, the famous magician and escape artist, was born on March 24, 1874 (as Erik Weisz). Option D is correct. Options A (1879), B (1876), and C (1875) are all incorrect.
A
Correct answer
Explanation
Lee Iacocca (note spelling: Iacocca, not Lacocca), the American automobile executive, was born on October 6, 1924. Option A is correct. Options B (1908), C (1904), and D (1902) are all incorrect.
C
Correct answer
Explanation
Tahar Ben Jelloun (note spelling: Jelloun, not Jalloun), the Moroccan writer, was born in 1944. Option C is correct. Options A (1956), B (1967), and D (1942) are all incorrect.
A
Correct answer
Explanation
Thomas Jefferson, third U.S. President and principal author of the Declaration of Independence, was born on April 13, 1743. Option A is correct. Options B (1760), C (1749), and D (1745) are all incorrect.
C
Correct answer
Explanation
Pope John Paul II (Karol Józef Wojtyła) was born on May 18, 1920, in Wadowice, Poland. He became one of the most influential religious leaders of the 20th century, serving as Pope from 1978 until his death in 2005. The other dates (1909, 1906, 1905) are incorrect.
B
Correct answer
Explanation
Christiaan Huygens, the Dutch mathematician, physicist, and astronomer, was born on April 14, 1629. He is famous for his work on pendulum clocks, wave theory of light, and discovering Titan (Saturn's largest moon). The other years (1614, 1616, 1639) are incorrect.