Western Gen
Switzerland is globally famous for its long-standing national policy regarding military and political conflicts in Europe. What is this policy called?
Perpetual neutrality
The tragic assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand, which served as the immediate spark for World War I in 1914, took place in which Balkan city?
OR
Which major medieval nomadic group migrated from Central Asia into Europe in the late 9th century, eventually establishing the Kingdom of Hungary?
Sarajevo
OR
The Magyars
Between the 8th and 11th centuries, seafaring raiders and traders from Denmark, Norway, and Sweden expanded across Europe. What are these historic people commonly called?
Vikings
In 1498, which legendary Portuguese explorer became the first European to reach India by sailing all the way around the southern tip of Africa?
Vasco De Gamba
What is the name of the independent, walled city-state located entirely within the city of Rome that serves as the headquarters of the Roman Catholic Church?
Vatican City
Which event on July 14, 1789, involving a medieval fortress and prison, is widely celebrated today as France's national day?
The Storming of The Bastille
The famous mutual defense alliance formed in 1955 between the Soviet Union and seven other Eastern European communist satellite nations took its name from which Polish city?
Warsaw
For over a century before gaining full independence in 1917, Finland was governed as a Grand Duchy under the rule of which massive neighboring empire?
Russian Empire
The island nation of Cyprus is located at the historical crossroads of Europe, Asia, and Africa. In 1878, which major European empire took over the administration of Cyprus from the Ottomans?
The British Empire
In Arthurian legend, who is the mystical figure who presents King Arthur with his magical sword, Excalibur?
The Lady of the Lake
Which major historical event in November 1989 signaled the collapse of the Iron Curtain and paved the way for the reunification of Germany?
The Fall of the Berlin Wall
Which famous 18th-century Tsar founded the city of St. Petersburg and implemented sweeping Western European reforms to modernize Russia?
Peter the Great
Signed in 1397, which historic union joined the three kingdoms of Denmark, Norway, and Sweden under a single monarch?
Kalmar Union
Founded in the year 301 AD, the tiny microstate of San Marino is globally celebrated for holding which historic political distinction?
Being the world's oldest surviving republic
Which French theologian set up a strict, deeply religious government in Geneva, Switzerland, and taught the doctrine of predestination (the idea that God has already chosen who goes to heaven)?
John Calvin
Which influential royal dynasty ruled the Austrian Empire and central Europe for centuries until the end of World War I in 1918?
The Habsburg Dynasty
In 1989, approximately two million people joined hands across Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania to form an uninterrupted human chain demanding freedom from the Soviet Union. What was this peaceful protest called?
The Baltic Chain
Which highly influential 17th-century Swedish king—often called the "Father of Modern Warfare"—made Sweden a major European military superpower during the Thirty Years' War?
Gustavus Aldolphus (II)
Because of its highly strategic location in the center of the Mediterranean Sea, the island nation of Malta was famously ruled for centuries by which historic Catholic military order?
The Knights Hospitaller (the knights of Malta)
In 1517, Martin Luther sparked the Protestant Reformation by nailing a document criticizing the Catholic Church to a church door in Wittenberg, Germany. What is this famous document called?
95 theses
Which historic noble family has governed the Principality of Monaco since the late 13th century?
The House of Grimaldi
In 1993, the nation of Czechoslovakia peacefully dissolved and split into two separate independent countries. What was this event called?
The Velvet Divorce
Alfred Nobel was a wealthy Swedish inventor who established the famous Nobel Prizes. However, he specifically designated that the prestigious Nobel Peace Prize must be awarded by a committee in which neighboring Nordic capital city?
Olso, Norway
In 1860, which charismatic Italian general led the "Expedition of the Thousand" (the Redshirts) to conquer Sicily and Naples, ultimately handing Southern Italy over to King Victor Emmanuel II?
Giuspedde Garibaldi
In 1054, the theological dispute over the Filioque clause (whether the Holy Spirit proceeds from the Father alone, or the Father and the Son) led to a permanent split between which two major Christian bodies?
The Roman Catholic Church and Eastern Orthodox Church