Women in Power Quiz

Question: Who rose from concubinage to become empress of China during the Tang dynasty?

Answer: Wuhou rose from concubinage to become empress of China during the Tang dynasty. She did so by eliminating her female rivals in the palace, including the sitting empress. She would eventually become sole ruler of China and brought many reforms.

Question: Which queen of England attempted to restore Roman Catholicism in England while persecuting Protestants?

Answer: Mary I, sometimes referred to as “Bloody Mary,” attempted to restore Roman Catholicism in England. She executed many Protestants and heretics, including some 300 that were burned at the stake. She was ultimately unsuccessful.

Question: Which queen of the United Kingdom wore black for 40 years, mourning the death of her husband?

Answer: After the death of her husband, Prince Albert, Victoria wore black for 40 years. She restored her subjects’ respect for the monarchy, though it was during her reign that the British monarchy took on its modern, largely ceremonial role.

Question: Which ruler of the Holy Roman Empire led Austria through the War of the Austrian Succession and the Seven Years’ War?

Answer: Maria Theresa, from the house of Habsburg, led Austria through the War of the Austrian Succession and the Seven Years’ War. Despite facing militarily superior opponents, she maintained the bulk of Habsburg territory.

Question: She was the first woman to serve as chancellor of Germany, and she kept the country’s borders open during one of Europe’s biggest refugee crises.

Answer: Angela Merkel was the first female chancellor of Germany. She kept Germany''s borders open during a refugee crisis, and, as a result, more than one million migrants entered Germany in 2015 alone.

Question: Which British prime minister gained the nickname “Iron Lady”?

Answer: British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher had a strong anti-communism stance that earned her the nickname “Iron Lady” in the Soviet press. She was the first woman to serve as a prime minister in Europe.

Question: Which Egyptian queen helped to change Egypt''s traditional polytheistic religion to one that was monotheistic, worshipping the sun god Aton?

Answer: Nefertiti is known for helping her husband Akhenaten change Egypt’s traditional religion into one that was monotheistic. Some believe (though disputed) that she was a co-pharaoh alongside her husband.

Question: She was one of the last pharaohs of Egypt, well known for her relationships with Julius Caesar and Mark Antony.

Answer: Cleopatra was one of the last pharaohs of Egypt. The charismatic, intelligent, and ruthless ruler is well known for her involvement in Roman politics, especially with Julius Caesar and Mark Antony.

Question: Which Byzantine empress was married to Justinian and was one of the first rulers to recognize the rights of women?

Answer: Theodora, empress of the Byzantine Empire, was one of the first rulers to recognize the rights of women. She passed strict laws to prohibit the traffic in young girls and altered the divorce laws to give greater benefits to women. Theodora held great power alongside her husband, the emperor Justinian.

Question: Which British warrior-queen led an unsuccessful rebellion against the Romans?

Answer: Boudicca was a British warrior-queen, and in 60 CE she led a rebellion against the Romans. Although her forces massacred some 70,000 Romans and their supporters, they were ultimately defeated.

Question: Christopher Columbus made his expedition to the Americas under the sponsorship of Ferdinand II and which queen?

Answer: Isabella I and Ferdinand II sponsored Christopher Columbus''s expeditions to the Americas. The couple ruled Aragon and Castile jointly, and their rule effected the permanent union of Spain. The couple also established the Spanish Inquisition.

Question: This Liberian president was the first woman to be elected head of state of an African country.

Answer: In 2006 Ellen Johnson Sirleaf became the president of Liberia and the first woman to be elected head of state of an African country. She was in office until 2018, and she won a Nobel Prize for Peace in 2011 for her effort to further women’s rights.

Question: Which Egyptian ruler undertook extensive building projects, including the construction of the Dayr al-Baḥrī temple, a funerary monument for herself?

Answer: Hatshepsut undertook extensive building projects during her peaceful reign. She attained unprecedented power for a woman of her time, adopting the full titles and regalia of a pharaoh. The Dayr al-Baḥrī temple was her supreme achievement.

Question: Which queen of England is known as the “Virgin Queen?”

Answer: Elizabeth I is known as the “Virgin Queen.” With no offspring, the Tudor dynasty ended with her death. King James VI of Scotland was designated as the next in line to the English throne.

Question: Which Russian empress led a successful rebellion against her husband, Peter III, to come to power?

Answer: Catherine the Great led a rebellion against Peter III and forced him to abdicate the throne. She was the empress of Russia for 34 years, expanding and Westernizing the empire.

Question: Who was the first female vice president of the United States?

Answer: Kamala Harris was the first woman to be elected vice president of the United States. She took office alongside President Joe Biden in 2021. She had previously served in the U.S. Senate (2017–21) and as attorney general of California (2011–17).

Question: Which American first lady took over some of the administrative duties of the president after he suffered a stroke?

Answer: First lady Edith Wilson took over some of the administrative duties of U.S. President Woodrow Wilson after he suffered a stroke in 1919, but how much she actually did is disputed. The stroke left the president incapacitated for five months.

Question: Which member of the Qing dynasty began to modernize China in the late 19th century?

Answer: Cixi began to modernize China in the late 19th century. Acting as regent for two young emperors, she led China to become more open to the West. Chinese schools were created for the study of foreign languages, and the first Chinese foreign service office was installed under her influence.

Question: Who is the longest-reigning monarch in British history?

Answer: Queen Elizabeth II became the longest-reigning monarch in British history in 2015. She took the throne in 1952, although her power was very limited compared with that of past monarchs.

Question: Which queen of France is said to have remarked “Let them eat cake”?

Answer: Marie-Antoinette, queen of France from 1774 to 1793, may be best known for the phrase, “Let them eat cake.” While she probably never said this, the queen was certainly oblivious to the poor conditions her people were living in while she lived in luxury. Her resistance to the French Revolution led to the overthrow of the French monarchy.