International History Bee Study Guide 2024-2025

A 264-241 BCE conflict between Rome and Carthage, signifying the start of their rivalry for Mediterranean dominance.

A 490 BCE battle where the Greeks decisively defeated the Persians, giving its name to the modern 26-mile race.

A vibrant green gemstone used extensively in creating ancient Chinese artifacts.

The earliest known Mesoamerican civilization inhabiting present-day Mexico, laying the foundation for later cultures in the region.

A formal writing system used by ancient Egyptians, featuring intricate symbols that represent words, sounds, and concepts.

The first leader of North Korea, he is considered a deified figure by the state after his death in 1994.

An Indian Ocean island nation known for its diverse flora and fauna, including the sadly extinct dodo.

The first female Prime Minister of India and the daughter of Jawaharlal Nehru, she served two terms in this role.

The leader of the Khmer Rouge who ruled Cambodia from 1975 to 1979, known for his brutal regime.

A vast complex in Beijing, it served as the residence of Chinese emperors for over 500 years, starting with the Yongle Emperor.

A Tamil rebellion in Sri Lanka during the late 20th and early 21st centuries, led by the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam.

The first known ruling dynasty of China, preceding the semi-legendary Xia dynasty.

A Muslim-majority ethnic group living in Myanmar, known for facing significant persecution and discrimination.

The longest-lived dynasty in Korean history, ruling from 1392 until the establishment of the Korean Empire in 1897.

A British East India Company official who founded the port city of Singapore in 1819.

A German-Jewish banking family influential in international finance, often targeted by anti-Semitic conspiracy theories.

Three Baltic states that declared independence in 1990, after the fall of the Soviet Union.

The Norwegian leader of the first successful expedition to the South Pole in 1911.

An 1815 battle where Napoleon Bonaparte was decisively defeated by a unified force under the Duke of Wellington.

The capital city of Poland, known for the namesake pact signed in 1955, which served as the Eastern bloc's equivalent to NATO.

A French composer famous for his impressionist piano pieces, including La mer and Clair de Lune.

A Conservative Prime Minister of the United Kingdom known for his rivalry with William Gladstone.

The Soviet leader known for his policy of de-Stalinization, which aimed to reduce the influence of Stalin's legacy.

The current President of the Russian Federation and the leader of the United Russia Party.

The Conservative Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1979-1990, known for her strong leadership and conservative policies.

The first wife of Henry VIII, her inability to produce a male heir sparked the English Reformation.

A medieval confederation of market towns and trade guilds that dominated the economy of northern Europe.

A Russian author famous for his novels, including Crime and Punishment and The Brothers Karamazov.

The German admiral who became the second and final Fuhrer of Nazi Germany for a week before the end of World War II.

A Paris cathedral in the Ile de la Cite, where Napoleon Bonaparte was crowned Emperor of France.

A French military leader during the Hundred Years' War, she is also a Catholic saint known for her courage.

A lawless civil war in England during the 12th century, caused by a power struggle following the death of King Henry I.

The military leader who ruled as Lord Protector and de facto dictator of England from 1653 to 1658.

A staged arson of the German parliament building in 1933, which allowed Hitler to consolidate his power.

The Empress of Russia from 1762 to 1796, known for her reforms and expansionist policies.

The Inca Empire's historical center, located in modern Peru, it was later conquered by Francisco Pizarro.

The dictator of Chile from 1973 to 1990, he overthrew Salvador Allende in a military coup.

A Venezuelan soldier who played a key role in liberating six South American nations from Spanish rule.

Mexico's first President of indigenous ancestry, he served from 1858 to 1872.

A historical region located in the south of Argentina and Chile, known for its vast landscapes and the Strait of Magellan.

The President of Venezuela from 2002 until his death in 2013, known for his socialist policies.

The only country in Central America with English as its official language, it was a British colony for nearly 200 years.

The leader of Cuba from 1959 until 2008, he oversaw a communist revolution and a long-lasting period of political and economic change.

An 1890 massacre of Lakota people by the U.S. Army soldiers, a tragic event in American history.

An American author whose experiences in the whaling industry inspired his most famous novel, Moby-Dick.

A 1944 World War Two battle that was the final German offensive of the war, marking a turning point.