Famous Firsts

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Questions

  1.  Which Viking sailor from Iceland is believed to have become the first European to land in the Americas, nearly 500 years before Christophe Columbus?
  2.  In 1957, which Russian beat NASA to become the first human to orbit the Earth on Sputnik I?
  3.  In 19 who - in their own country - became the first team to lift the FIFA World Cup trophy?
  4.  In 1991, which man became the first democratically-elected leader of the Russian Federation following the dissolution of the USSR?
  5.  In 1804 - which state became the first Caribbean nation to gain independence from a European power - and the first to be founded by free slaves?
  6.  Who was the elected as the first Prime Minister of newly-independent India in August 1947?
  7.  Which state - in 1787 - became the first to ratify the constitution of the USA?
  8.  In 1927, who became the first person to fly non-stop across the Atlantic Ocean, from New York to Paris?
  9.  In 1954, who became the first person to run an official four-minute mile?
  10.  Born Gaius Octavian, who seized power following the death of Julius Caesar to become the first Roman Emperor?
  11.  At the start of the US Civil War in 1860, which state became the first to secede from the Union?
  12.  In 1947, who piloted the Bell X-1 rocket as it became the first manned vehicle to break the sound barrier?
  13.  In 1981, who became the first ever female Supreme Court Justice in the history of the USA?
  14.  In 2008, who became the first man to win 8 gold medals at a single modern Olympic games?
  15.  Who was the first (and currently only) US President to serve be elected for three terms?
  16.  Which 1959 film was the first to receive 11 Academy Awards - a feat only matched once since?
  17.  What was the name of the debut single released by the Beatles in 1962?
  18.  Which building, opened in 2010, was the first to pass 800m in height?

Questions & Answers

Interactive Quiz

  1.  Which Viking sailor from Iceland is believed to have become the first European to land in the Americas, nearly 500 years before Christophe Columbus?
    Leif Erikson
  2.  In 1957, which Russian beat NASA to become the first human to orbit the Earth on Sputnik I?
    Yuri Gagarin
  3.  In 19 who - in their own country - became the first team to lift the FIFA World Cup trophy?
    Uruguay
  4.  In 1991, which man became the first democratically-elected leader of the Russian Federation following the dissolution of the USSR?
    Boris Yeltsin
  5.  In 1804 - which state became the first Caribbean nation to gain independence from a European power - and the first to be founded by free slaves?
    Haiti
  6.  Who was the elected as the first Prime Minister of newly-independent India in August 1947?
    Jawaharlal Nehru
  7.  Which state - in 1787 - became the first to ratify the constitution of the USA?
    Delaware
  8.  In 1927, who became the first person to fly non-stop across the Atlantic Ocean, from New York to Paris?
    Charles Lindbergh
  9.  In 1954, who became the first person to run an official four-minute mile?
    Roger Bannister
  10.  Born Gaius Octavian, who seized power following the death of Julius Caesar to become the first Roman Emperor?
    Augustus
  11.  At the start of the US Civil War in 1860, which state became the first to secede from the Union?
    South Carolina
  12.  In 1947, who piloted the Bell X-1 rocket as it became the first manned vehicle to break the sound barrier?
    Chuck Yeager
  13.  In 1981, who became the first ever female Supreme Court Justice in the history of the USA?
    Sandra Day O'Connor
  14.  In 2008, who became the first man to win 8 gold medals at a single modern Olympic games?
    Michael Phelps
  15.  Who was the first (and currently only) US President to serve be elected for three terms?
    Franklin D. Roosevelt
  16.  Which 1959 film was the first to receive 11 Academy Awards - a feat only matched once since?
    Ben-Hur
  17.  What was the name of the debut single released by the Beatles in 1962?
    Love Me Do
  18.  Which building, opened in 2010, was the first to pass 800m in height?
    Burj Khalifa
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