Events by Month: November - Questions and Answers

A general knowledge quiz on historical events - each of which occurred on a different day in November. Check out the October edition here.

Events by Month: November - Questions

1st November 1512) Which artist's work, on the roof of the Sistine Chapel in Rome, is exhibited to the public for the first time?

2nd November 1983) President Ronald Reagan signs a bill creating a national holiday around the birthday of which famous civil rights activist, to be observed on the third Monday of January?

3rd November 1957) What was Laika - the first animal to be launched into space aboard Sputnik 2?

4th November 1922) Howard Carter and his team find the entrance to which young Pharaoh's tomb in the Egyptian Valley of the Kings?

5th November 1605) Which English Catholic and anarchist was arrested after trying to blow up the Palace of Westminster, including King James I?

6th November 1913) Which famous activist and leader was arrested whilst in charge of an Indian miner's march in South Africa?

7th November 1944) Which US President - though he would die the following year - was elected for a record fourth term in office?

8th November 1519) Hernán Cortés is greeted by emperor Moctezuma as he is welcomed into the capital of which pre-Columbian empire in Mexico?

9th November 1620) Pilgrims aboard which ship sight land at Cape Cod, Massachusetts?

10th November 1871) Henry Morton Stanley *presumably* locates which fellow explorer near the shores of Lake Tanganyika in East Africa?

11th November 1880) Which Australian bushranger is hanged to the death at Melbourne gaol?

12th November 1912) The frozen bodies of which explorer and his men are found on the Ross Ice Shelf in Antarctica, after they became the second group the reach the South Pole?

13th November 1970) Bhola, the deadliest tropical cyclone in recorded history dissipates, leaving over 500,000 dead in India and which other modern-day country on the Ganges-Brahmaputra delta?

14th November 1851) Which Hermann Melville novel was published, accounting the journey of Captain Ahab and his vengeful hunt for a white whale which previously bit off his leg?

15th November 1889) Which South American nation is declared a republic after Emperor Pedro II is deposed in a military coup?

16th November 2001) The first instalment of which magical 8-part film (though, 7-book) series is released, earning $975m at the box office?

17th November 1603) Which English explorer and former favourite of Elizabeth I was imprisoned in the Tower of London for the second time, on the account of being involved in a plot against James I?

18th November 1928) Steamboat Willie is released by Walt Disney, marking the first appearance of which famous animated character?

19th November 1969) Which Brazilian footballer - considered by many to be the greatest of all time - scored his 1000th career goal?

20th November 1992) A fire breaks out in which of Queen Elizabeth II's royal residences in Berkshire, marking another event of her Annus horribilis?

21st November 2017) Which man resigns as leader of Zimbabwe after ruling for the entire 37 years since the country's independence from the UK?

22nd November 1986) Which New York man becomes the youngest ever heavyweight boxing champion, aged 20 after defeating Trevor Berbick in the second round?

23rd November 1924) Astronomer Edwin Hubble announces in the New York Times that Andromeda was not a nebula as previously believed, but what form of celestial system?

24th November 1859) Which Shropshire-born naturalist fully outlines his theory of natural selection in The Origin of Species?

25th November 2016) Which communist revolutionary and leader dies, 8 years after he handed the presidency of Cuba to his younger brother Raúl?

26th November 2000) Despite losing the popular vote, which man is confirmed by Secretary of the State of Florida to have won the US Presidential Election?

27th November 1978) Which openly-gay political figure is assassinated in San Francisco - he would be the focus of an Academy Award-winning 2007 film starring Sean Penn?

28th November 1990) Who resigned as leader of the Conservative Party, and as such the Prime Minister of the UK after 11 years, to be succeeded by John Major?

29th November 1877) Which inventor demonstrated his phonograph - the predecessor to gramophones and record players - for the first time?

30th November 1982) Which album - Michael Jackson's 6th and the best-selling of all time until it was surpassed by the Eagles: Greatest Hits - is released?

Events by Month: November - Answers

1st November 1512) Which artist's work, on the roof of the Sistine Chapel in Rome, is exhibited to the public for the first time? Michelangelo

2nd November 1983) President Ronald Reagan signs a bill creating a national holiday around the birthday of which famous civil rights activist, to be observed on the third Monday of January? Martin Luther King

3rd November 1957) What was Laika - the first animal to be launched into space aboard Sputnik 2? A dog

4th November 1922) Howard Carter and his team find the entrance to which young Pharaoh's tomb in the Egyptian Valley of the Kings? Tutankhamun

5th November 1605) Which English Catholic and anarchist was arrested after trying to blow up the Palace of Westminster, including King James I? Guy Fawkes

6th November 1913) Which famous activist and leader was arrested whilst in charge of an Indian miner's march in South Africa? Mohandas Gandhi

7th November 1944) Which US President - though he would die the following year - was elected for a record fourth term in office? Franklin D. Roosevelt

8th November 1519) Hernán Cortés is greeted by emperor Moctezuma as he is welcomed into the capital of which pre-Columbian empire in Mexico? Aztec Empire

9th November 1620) Pilgrims aboard which ship sight land at Cape Cod, Massachusetts? The Mayflower

10th November 1871) Henry Morton Stanley *presumably* locates which fellow explorer near the shores of Lake Tanganyika in East Africa? Dr. David Livingstone

11th November 1880) Which infamous Australian bushranger is hanged to the death at Melbourne gaol? Ned Kelly

12th November 1912) The frozen bodies of which explorer and his men are found on the Ross Ice Shelf in Antarctica, after they became the second group the reach the South Pole? Robert Falcon Scott

13th November 1970) Bhola, the deadliest tropical cyclone in recorded history dissipates, leaving over 500,000 dead in India and which other modern-day country on the Ganges-Brahmaputra delta? Bangladesh (then East Pakistan)

14th November 1851) Which Hermann Melville novel was published, accounting the journey of Captain Ahab and his vengeful hunt for a white whale which previously bit off his leg? Moby Dick

15th November 1889) Which South American nation is declared a republic after Emperor Pedro II is deposed in a military coup? Brazil

16th November 2001) The first instalment of which magical 8-part film (though, 7-book) series is released, earning $975m at the box office? Harry Potter 

17th November 1603) Which English explorer and former favourite of Elizabeth I was imprisoned in the Tower of London for the second time, on the account of being involved in a plot against James I? Sir Walter Raleigh

18th November 1928) Steamboat Willie is released by Walt Disney, marking the first appearance of which famous animated character? Mickey Mouse

19th November 1969) Which Brazilian footballer - considered by many to be the greatest of all time - scored his 1000th career goal? Pele

20th November 1992) A fire breaks out in which of Queen Elizabeth II's royal residences in Berkshire, marking another event of her Annus horribilis? Windsor Castle

21st November 2017) Which man resigns as leader of Zimbabwe after ruling for the entire 37 years since the country's independence from the UK? Robert Mugabe

22nd November 1986) Which New York man becomes the youngest ever heavyweight boxing champion, aged 20 after defeating Trevor Berbick in the second round? Mike Tyson

23rd November 1924) Astronomer Edwin Hubble announces in the New York Times that Andromeda was not a nebula as previously believed, but what form of celestial system? A Galaxy

24th November 1859) Which Shropshire-born naturalist fully outlines his theory of natural selection in The Origin of Species? Charles Darwin

25th November 2016) Which communist revolutionary and leader dies, 8 years after he handed the presidency of Cuba to his younger brother Raúl? Fidel Castro

26th November 2000) Despite losing the popular vote, which man is confirmed by Secretary of the State of Florida to have won the US Presidential Election? George W. Bush

27th November 1978) Which openly-gay political figure is assassinated in San Francisco - he would be the focus of an Academy Award-winning 2007 film starring Sean Penn? Harvey Milk

28th November 1990) Who resigned as leader of the Conservative Party, and as such the Prime Minister of the UK after 11 years, to be succeeded by John Major? Margaret Thatcher

29th November 1877) Which inventor demonstrated his phonograph - the predecessor to gramophones and record players - for the first time? Thomas Edison

30th November 1982) Which album - Michael Jackson's 6th and the best-selling of all time until it was surpassed by the Eagles: Greatest Hits - is released? Thriller