If 20th-century history were a Hollywood film, then Europe would be the star of the show. During the 1900s, no other place on Earth had such a profound impact on the course of humanity and the evolution – or regression – of our species. What do you know about the events and people of 20th-century Europe?
At the turn of the century, life on the European continent was fairly quiet. But Europe is, and will always be, a tangled mess of borders and political conflicts, and that was never more apparent than when a gunman named Gavrilo Princip murdered a star diplomat in Serbia. From there, a great war gripped all of Europe and then spilled over into the rest of the world. Do you think you know how this conflict played out?
A mangled Europe emerged from that war in an unsteady peace. No one really believed the bloodshed was over, and less than a generation later, war erupted all over again. Do you recall the details of this wide-ranging fighting?
There’s no doubt that warfare defined much of Europe for the 20th century, because tens of millions of people died and entire nations were ruined. But happier times were evident in the second half of the century, as new institutions were born and peaceful alliances gained power.
From Winston Churchill to Adolf Hitler, Margaret Thatcher to Vladimir Putin, great events and great people dominated the 1900s. Take a glimpse into the 20th century in our European quiz now!
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