Can You Match These Famous World Leaders To Their Countries?

HISTORY

By: Bri O.

7 Min Quiz

Image: Wiki Commons

About This Quiz

"Let them eat cake." While Marie Antoinette wanted her French people to eat cake, this quiz isn't a piece of cake for everyone! With all the famous world leaders, quite a few people have trouble matching them to their country. Only 1 in 21 people can match all of these famous world leaders to their country. Can you?

While recent leaders like the United States' Barack Obama and Canada's Justin Trudeau might be easy to recognize, world leaders go back to the beginning of time. Alexander the Great was conquering most of the ancient world while King Tutankhamun is known for ancient Egypt. Centuries would go by, and the public would receive kings like Henry VIII and Louis XIV. 

While pharaohs, emperors, and kings ruled the ancient world, the modern day world would come to know presidents, prime ministers, and chancellors. Presidents like Abraham Lincoln and FDR would become known for their successes. Prime Minister Winston Churchill would become a prominent voice in the U.K. while Angela Merkel would become one of the most influential women in the political world.

All these names are instantly recognizable, but can you identify these world leaders' faces? More so, can you match them to their countries?

You might remember the faces of JFK and Ronald Reagan, but could you recognize Charlemagne or Mahatma Gandhi?

Only 1 in 21 people can match 100% of these famous world leaders. Are you that one? Let's find out!

George Washington was the leader of what country?

George Washington served as the first U.S. President from 1789 to 1797. John Adams served as his Vice President. Prior to this, he served as the commander in chief for the Continental Army during the American Revolution. At the time, the total US population size was only about 4 million people.

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Abraham Lincoln was the leader of what country?

Abraham Lincoln, fondly referred to as Honest Abe, was the 16th President of the United States. He lead the country through the American Civil War and was later assassinated for his efforts. He is credited for liberating US slaves through an executive order officially called Proclamation 95 and commonly referred to as the Emancipation Proclamation.

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Martin Luther King, Jr. lead a movement in what country?

Martin Luther King Jr. is remembered for his role in sparking and leading the civil rights movements of the 1960s. He was assassinated in 1968 shortly after delivering his famous "I Had A Dream" speech.

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Napoleon Bonaparte was the leader of what empire (1804-1814/15)?

Napoleon Bonaparte was the French Emperor from 1804 until 1814 and served for a short time again in 1815 before his permanent exile from France. It is believed he died from a suspected diagnosis of stomach cancer at the age of 51 (1821) while still in exile.

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Julius Caesar was a leader of what empire (44 B.C.)?

Julius Caesar was assassinated on the Ides of March (15th) 44 B.C. by a group of republican senators, lead by Brutus and Cassius. Between 49 B.C. and 44 B.C., Caesar ruled undisputed under the titles of Consul and Dictator of Rome.

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John F. Kennedy was the leader of what country?

John Fitzgerald Kennedy - JFK - was the 35th President and served the American public from 1961 until the time of his assassination in 1963. More than 50 years after his assassination, 59% of Americans continue to believe that it was the work of a conspiracy. There is graphic video footage of the moment President Kennedy was shot.

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Augustus Caesar was the leader of what empire (27 B.C. - 14 A.D.)?

Augustus was the first and arguably greatest ruler of the Roman empire. Julius Caesar was his great-uncle and adoptive parental figure. Augustus was also known as Octavius (though he never referred to himself by that name), a name specific to the time between 63 and 44 BCE, before he took over as Emperor following his uncle's assassination.

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Thomas Jefferson was the leader of what country?

Thomas Jefferson was the 3rd President and the primary author of the Declaration of Independence. Prior to his tenure as president, Jefferson served under the 2nd President of the United States, John Adams, as Vice President. He is the founder of the University of Virginia.

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Otto von Bismarck was the leader of what country?

Otto von Bismarck was the first Chancellor of Germany, responsible for uniting independent German states to form the German empire under Prussian rule. He served as chancellor from 1871 to 1890 and as the prime minister of Prussia from 1862 to 1890.

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Benjamin Franklin was a leader of what country?

Benjamin Franklin is an important leader in U.S. history for more than a few notable reasons, including being part of the five-member committee that drafted the Declaration of Independence and securing France as an ally during the American Revolution. He is perhaps most famous for his kite experiment, in which he flew a kite during a thunderstorm. The kite picked up ambient electrical charges from the storm (but was not struck by lightening), proving Franklin's theories about electricity.

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Alexander the Great was the leader of what empire?

Formally titled Alexander III of Macedon, Alexander the Great became king of Macedon in 336 BCE after his father's death. He began studying with the famous philosopher Aristotle by age 14. Aristotle's philosophies are believed to have influenced the way Alexander the Great ruled over the places he conquered in that he never pushed Greek culture onto his new subjects.

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Queen Elizabeth I was the leader of what countries?

Also known as the Virgin Queen, Elizabeth I reigned from 1558 until her death, against all odds. She was never supposed to take the thrown, even having been declared a bastard at a previous point in her life. But, a literal series of unfortunate events (sibling deaths) allowed her to ascend the throne.

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James Madison was the leader of what country?

James Madison was the 4th president, serving the American public from 1809 to 1817. Madison was the chief note taker during the Constitutional Convention. The convention was convened to amend the Articles of Confederation, but they ended up creating a while new constitution.

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James Monroe was the leader of what country?

James Monroe was the 5th president, serving the American public as such from 1817 to 1825. He's considered to be one of the "founding fathers" and was also good friends with former president Thomas Jefferson, going so far as to move to be close to him in Albemarle County, Virginia. James Madison completed the best buds trio, and he lived a short distance away in Orange County, Virginia.

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Thomas Paine was a leader of what country?

Thomas Paine is most famous for authoring "Common Sense," a pamphlet which is largely credited with inspiring colonists to support the revolutionary cause of independence. The work was written in plain English, making it accessible to everyday people and much more convincing than any scholarly work could be.

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Mahatma Gandhi was a leader of what country?

Gandhi was a social activist, lawyer, politician, writer, and philosopher. He believed in nonviolent protest and was considered the "father" of his country because of his protest against British rule over India.

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Joan of Arc was a leader of what country?

Joan of Arc's birth name is debated among scholars, with some believing it was Jehanne d’Arc, Jehanne Tarc, Jehanne Romée, or possibly Jehanne de Vouthon. She believed she was acting on God's will, which ending up with her leading the French army into victorious battle at Orleans.

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Peter the Great was the leader of what empire (1682-1725)?

His official title was Peter I, but he preferred to be called Peter the Great. This Russian Tsar is credited with pushing the empire into an era progression that lead to Russia becoming one of the most powerful European states.

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Patrick Henry was a leader of what country?

Patrick Henry was considered a gifted orator, which is someone who is good at public speaking. Today, he is most famously remembered for inspiring revolution in the hearts of Virginians by saying, "Give me liberty or give me death," back in 1775 during the second Virginia Convention.

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Martin Luther was a leader of what country?

Luther's work is believed to have been the catalyst for the Protestant Reformation of the 16th-century. He's considered one of Christianity's most influential leaders.

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Robert F. Kennedy was the leader of what country?

Otherwise known as "Bobby" Kennedy, Robert was considered an influential politician and lawyer until the time of his assassination in 1968. He served the state of New York as a junior senator from 1965 until his death.

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William the Conqueror was the leader of what country?

William was born a bastard to an unmarried French woman, fathered by the Duke of Normandy. He grew up being taunted by the nickname "William the Bastard." Despite all this, he managed to retain rule over a divided Normandy after his father's death and went on to rule as King of England.

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Charlemagne was the leader of what empires?

Charlemagne, also known as Charles the Great and the first of his name, built an empire that encompassed almost all of central and western Europe, which lead to the eventual emergence of modern-day Germany and France. At the time, the two countries were called East and West Francia.

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Constantine the Great was the leader of what empire (306 - 337 A.D.)?

Constantine the Great is believed to have been born sometime around the late 280s AD in the city Naissus of the province Moesia - in what is present day Niš, a city in southern Serbia. He is credited with reuniting the Roman Empire and was the first emperor to promote Christianity. He transformed the empire into a Christian state.

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Nelson Mandela was the leader of a movement in what country?

Nelson Mandela was an anti-apartheid revolutionary and activist in South Africa. One of his more famous quotes is: "Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world."

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Leif Erikson was a leader of what country?

As far as anyone can tell, Leif Erikson - not Christopher Columbus - was the first European to discover North America. He was also known as "Leif the Lucky" and was a Norse explorer.

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Otto the Great was the leader of what empire (962 - 973 A.D.)?

Formally known as Otto I and typically referred to as Otto the Great, this Holy Roman Emperor was the most powerful ruler western Europe had seen since Charlemagne.

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Mother Teresa was a leader of what country?

Mother Teresa entered a Roman Catholic convent at the age of 18 and spent a short time learning/training in Ireland before settling in India. She was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1979 for her charitable work.

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Richard I was the leader of what country?

Formally known as King Richard I and most commonly known as Richard the Lionheart, this King of England ruled from 1189 to 1199 and is remembered for his bravery on the battlefield and reputation as a great military leader. He killed his own father, King Henry II of England, during a surprise attack for the Third Crusade, also referred to as The Kings' Crusade.

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Alfred the Great was the leader of what country?

Alfred the Great was the ruler of Wessex, a southern kingdom of England. By the time of his death in 899 A.D., he was the most powerful ruler in England.

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Arminius was a leader of what country?

From 9 to 16 BCE, Arminius was responsible for leading the resistance against invading Roman troops in Germania. Once the Romans were out of the way, he had to tackle the next challenge - defeating Maroboduus, a competing power within Germania - and he successfully triumphed over his enemy, again, making himt he most powerful leader in Germania.

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Leonidas was a leader of what country?

Leonidas was King of a Greek city-state called Sparta. He led his soldiers to victory against all the odds at the Battle of Thermopylae in 480 BC. The movie "300" is based off this actual historic event, though it is loosely based and widely inaccurate about many key details.

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Winston Churchill was the leader of what country?

Winston Churchill served the British people as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1940 to 1945, during WWII, and again from 1951 to 1955. One of his more famous quotes is: "If you're going though hell, keep going."

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Catherine the Great was the leader of what country?

Catherine II of Russia is considered the country's longest reigning female ruler, holding power from 1762 to 1796. She rose to power by marrying Peter the Great - heir to the Russian throne - and then staged a coup, claiming the throne for herself in 1762.

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Moses was a leader of what country?

As a religious leader, Moses is an important figure in Judaism, Islam, Bahai and Christianity. Moses is most commonly remembered for the biblical story in which God appears to him on Mount Sinai and bestows upon him the Ten Commandments.

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John Locke was a leader of what country?

John Locke is considered the father of classical liberalism and was an influential figure during the Enlightenment age. He was a philosopher, medical researcher, and an Oxford-educated academic.

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John Hancock was a leader of what country?

John Hancock is considered one of the US founding fathers and was the first signer of the Declaration of Independence. He was elected the first governor of Massachusetts and served from 1780 to 1785 and then again from 1787 to 1789.

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Sultan Mehmed II was the leader of what empire?

Mehmed II, also known as Mehmed the Conqueror, was the 7th Ottoman Empire Sultan. He ruled from 1444 to 1446 and again later from 1451 to 1481.

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Nebuchadnezzar II was the leader of what empire?

Nebuchadnezzar II reigned as King of Babylon from 605 B.C to 562 B.C.. He is considered the greatest of all Babylonian kings. Babylon is now known as Iraq.

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Attila was the leader of what empire?

Attila the Hun attempted to negotiate a peace treaty with the Romans as soon as he rose to power, but after a few years, he claimed there had been a violation of the treaty and used this to justify launching devastating attacks on Eastern Roman cities. A nomadic people, the Huns were after money and agreed to cease attacks on Rome in exchange for a payment of 2,100 pounds of gold every year.

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Joseph Stalin was the leader of what country?

Stalin was a Soviet revolutionary who was born in Georgia and eventually rose to power, becoming dictator of the Soviet Union by 1929. He rules using methods of terror and destruction, purposefully causing famine in neighboring states and murdering his own people.

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Hannibal Barca was the leader of what empire?

Carthage was a Phoenician city-state and the capital city of the Carthaginian Empire. It was located in what is modern-day Tunisia of northern Africa. Carthaginian general Hannibal Barca is considered one of the greatest military leaders in history.

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Salah al-Din was the leader of what dynasty?

Salah al-Din, also known simply as Saladin, was Egypt's and Syria's first Sultan. He united the two states with Mesopotamia to form a single state, thereby founding the Ayyubid dynasty.

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Suleiman the Magnificent was the leader of what empire?

Suleiman the Magnificent reigned over the Ottoman Empire as its 10th Sultan from 1520 until 1566, making him the longest ruling Ottoman Sultan. Suleiman I is considered the greatest, most impressive ruler of the Ottoman Empire.

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Pericles was the leader of what empire?

Between the Persian and Peloponnesian wars, Athens experienced a Golden Age - also known as the Age of Pericles -, during which time Pericles held influence and led the Anthenian people as a statesman, orator, and military general. In 429 BCE, Pericles succumbed to the plague.

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William I was the leader of what country?

The king of Prussia and first emperor of Germany, William I was born and died in Berlin. He lived from 1797 to 1888 and ruled from 1861 until the time of his death.

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Gustavus Adolphus was the leader of what country?

Gustavus Adolphus ruled from 1611 to 1632 and is credited with pushing Sweden into competing as a world power. He played a role in the Thirty Years' War, Battle of Breitenfeld, Battle of Magdeburg, Treaty of Stolbovo, and the Battle of Lützen.

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Hammurabi was the leader of what dynasty?

The First Babylonian dynasty is also known as the Amorite dynasty, of which Hammurabi was the 6th and most notable king. He ruled from 1792 B.C. to 1750 B.C. He expanded the dynasty to include the entirety of Mesopotamia.

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Sun Tzu was a leader of what country?

Sun Tzu is best known for authoring the "Art of War," an important military treatise that outlines why the art of war was important to the Chinese state at the time - around 5 B.C.. Sun Tzu worked as a military specialist during the tail-end of the Chou dynasty.

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