Forgotten Footnotes: A Challenging Quiz on Obscure World History

History isn’t just about kings, wars, and revolutions — it’s filled with strange alliances, forgotten empires, and overlooked events that shaped the modern world in silent, yet powerful ways. From mysterious ancient civilizations to little-known political blunders, the lesser-known corners of history are often the most fascinating.

This 10-question quiz is not for the faint of heart. It dives deep into obscure facts from world history — the kind you won’t find in most textbooks. Each question comes with five options, but only one is correct. Answers are at the bottom, so scroll wisely!

Do you have what it takes to master history’s hidden chapters?

🧠 Obscure World History Quiz

1. Which ancient empire built the city of Persepolis?
A) Assyrian
B) Roman
C) Persian
D) Macedonian
E) Phoenician

2. What language was primarily spoken by the Hittite civilization?
A) Greek
B) Sumerian
C) Akkadian
D) Indo-European Hittite
E) Egyptian

3. The “Dancing Plague” of 1518 occurred in which present-day country?
A) Germany
B) France
C) Belgium
D) Switzerland
E) Austria

4. Which country was known as Abyssinia until the mid-20th century?
A) Libya
B) Egypt
C) Ethiopia
D) Sudan
E) Yemen

5. What was the name of the war fought between Paraguay and the Triple Alliance of Brazil, Argentina, and Uruguay?
A) Chaco War
B) War of the Pacific
C) Cisplatine War
D) War of the Triple Alliance
E) South American Revolution

6. Who was the ruler of the Mali Empire during its peak in the 14th century?
A) Sundiata Keita
B) Askia Muhammad
C) Mansa Musa
D) Idris I
E) Shaka Zulu

7. What was the name of the failed 1961 U.S.-backed invasion of Cuba?
A) Cuban Crisis
B) Operation Mongoose
C) Bay of Pigs Invasion
D) Havana Push
E) Silent Dagger

8. Which ancient civilization used quipus (knotted strings) as a record-keeping system?
A) Aztecs
B) Mayans
C) Incas
D) Olmecs
E) Toltecs

9. Which monarch established the short-lived Austro-Hungarian Compromise of 1867?
A) Emperor Wilhelm I
B) Emperor Franz Joseph I
C) King Ludwig II
D) Napoleon III
E) Tsar Alexander II

10. Who led the Taiping Rebellion in China (1850–1864), one of the deadliest conflicts in history?
A) Mao Zedong
B) Sun Yat-sen
C) Hong Xiuquan
D) Li Zicheng
E) Yuan Shikai