Since the earliest days of human civilization, exploration has driven the great leaps and bold risks that shaped the world. From ancient sea crossings and medieval overland journeys to daring expeditions across deserts, mountains, and polar ice, the urge to seek the unknown remains timeless. In this challenging quiz, we’ll journey across centuries to test your knowledge of the people, places, and moments that defined the spirit of discovery. Set sail, saddle up, or strap in — it’s time to explore history’s greatest adventures!
Which Portuguese explorer was the first European to reach India by sea?
Vasco da Gama
Ferdinand Magellan
Amerigo Vespucci
Bartolomeu Dias
Which Norse explorer is widely believed to have reached North America around 1000 AD?
Leif Erikson
Olaf Tryggvason
Harald Hardrada
Erik the Red
Who led the first successful expedition to the South Pole in 1911?
Roald Amundsen
Ernest Shackleton
Robert Falcon Scott
Richard Byrd
What was the name of Christopher Columbus’s flagship on his 1492 voyage?
Pinta
Santa Maria
Niña
Victoria
The Lewis and Clark Expedition was commissioned by which U.S. president?
Thomas Jefferson
George Washington
John Adams
James Madison
Which of the following explorers was killed in the Philippines during his circumnavigation voyage?
Ferdinand Magellan
Hernando de Soto
Jacques Cartier
Francis Drake
Which desert did Marco Polo famously cross during his travels?
Gobi Desert
Sahara Desert
Kalahari Desert
Atacama Desert
What was the main goal of Henry Hudson’s final expedition?
Find gold in South America
Find a southern route to India
Map the African coast
Discover a Northwest Passage
Alexander the Great’s campaigns reached as far as which modern-day country?
India
Ethiopia
Vietnam
Russia
Which famous female explorer traveled extensively in Africa and wrote "Travels in West Africa"?
Mary Kingsley
Alexandra David-Néel
Isabella Bird
Gertrude Bell
The voyage of HMS Beagle famously carried which future naturalist around the world?
Charles Darwin
Joseph Banks
James Cook
Alfred Russel Wallace
The first successful expedition to summit Mount Everest in 1953 was led by which mountaineer?
Edmund Hillary
Reinhold Messner
George Mallory
John Hunt
Amateur Explorer
You may have taken a few wrong turns, but remember: every great explorer got lost once or twice! You've made a good start, and with a bit more study, you’ll be ready to boldly go into history’s rich tales of courage and discovery.
You've got a good compass for history’s grand adventures! While a few details may have been lost in the mist, your sense of the explorers’ spirit remains strong. A little more digging, and you’ll be ready to chart your own course through history’s most daring deeds.
You have the spirit of a true explorer! Your deep knowledge of history’s great adventures shows a keen mind and an intrepid soul. Whether it’s the Age of Discovery or polar quests, you would have felt right at home among the world's bravest. Well done!
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Shai K.
4/29/2025
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