General Knowledge 4: Fun Trivia for Ages 9–12

General Knowledge 4: 50 Must-Know FactsGeneral knowledge is a broad tapestry of facts that connects history, science, geography, culture, and current affairs. For students, trivia fans, or anyone preparing for quizzes, a curated set of high-value facts can sharpen recall and build confidence. Below are 50 must-know facts organized by topic with brief explanations and a quick tip for remembering each where helpful.

1–10: Geography & Earth

1. The Earth rotates once every ~24 hours.
   Tip: Think “day and night” cycles.

2. The largest ocean is the Pacific Ocean.
   Tip: Pacific = peaceful; vast and deep.

3. Mount Everest is the highest point above sea level (~8,848.86 m).
   Tip: Everest = the “ever” high mountain.

4. The longest river by length is the Nile (disputed with the Amazon).
   Tip: Remember both South America (Amazon) and Africa (Nile) claim records.

5. Russia is the largest country by area.
   Tip: Spans Europe and Asia.

6. Vatican City is the smallest country by both area and population.
   Tip: City-state inside Rome.

7. The equator passes through 13 countries.
   Tip: Imagine a belt around the middle of Earth.

8. Antarctica is the coldest continent and contains about 90% of the world’s ice.
   Tip: Antarctica = ice reservoir.

9. The Sahara is the largest hot desert; Antarctica is the largest desert overall.
   Tip: Desert = low precipitation, not just sand.

10. Greenland is the world’s largest island (not a continent).
    Tip: Remember Australia is a continent, Greenland is an island.

11–20: Science & Nature

1. Water’s chemical formula is H2O.
   Tip: Two hydrogens, one oxygen.

2. Photosynthesis converts sunlight into chemical energy in plants.
   Tip: Plants are solar-powered.

3. DNA carries genetic information in almost all living organisms.
   Tip: DNA = blueprint of life.

4. Light travels at ~299,792 km/s in a vacuum.
   Tip: Speed limit of the universe.

5. Humans have 206 bones in adulthood.
   Tip: Babies have more; some bones fuse with age.

6. The periodic table arranges elements by atomic number.
   Tip: Atomic number = number of protons.

7. Sound needs a medium (air, water, solid) to travel.
   Tip: No sound in space vacuum.

8. A species is considered extinct when no living individuals remain.
   Tip: Example: dodo bird.

9. Gravity is a force that attracts two masses.
   Tip: Earth’s gravity keeps us grounded.

10. Vaccination helps the immune system recognize and fight pathogens.
    Tip: Think “training” the immune system.

21–30: History & Politics

1. The Magna Carta (1215) limited the power of the English monarch.
   Tip: Early step toward constitutional law.

2. The American Declaration of Independence was adopted on July 4, 1776.
   Tip: U.S. Independence Day.

3. World War I lasted from 1914 to 1918; World War II from 1939 to 1945.
   Tip: Two global conflicts in the 20th century.

4. The United Nations was founded in 1945 to promote international cooperation.
   Tip: Successor to the League of Nations.

5. Nelson Mandela became South Africa’s first Black president in 1994.
   Tip: Symbol of anti-apartheid movement.

6. The Industrial Revolution began in the late 18th century in Britain.
   Tip: Shift from hand production to machines.

7. The Roman Empire fell in 476 AD (Western Roman Empire).
   Tip: Marks transition to the Middle Ages in Europe.

8. The French Revolution began in 1789.
   Tip: Liberty, equality, fraternity.

9. India gained independence from Britain in 1947.
   Tip: Partition created India and Pakistan.

10. The Cold War was a geopolitical tension between the USA and USSR after WWII.
    Tip: Primarily fought via ideology, arms race, and proxy wars.

31–40: Culture & Society

1. Shakespeare is often called England’s national poet and wrote plays like Hamlet and Romeo & Juliet.
   Tip: Many common English phrases originate from his works.

2. The Nobel Prizes were established by Alfred Nobel and first awarded in 1901.
   Tip: Categories include Peace, Literature, Physics, Chemistry, Medicine, and Economics.

3. The Internet evolved from ARPANET in the late 1960s and 1970s.
   Tip: Began as a defense/research network.

4. The Olympic Games originated in ancient Greece around 776 BC.
   Tip: Modern Olympics revived in 1896.

5. Democracy is a system where power rests with the people, often via elected representatives.
   Tip: Representative vs. direct democracy.

6. The largest religion by number of adherents is Christianity, followed by Islam.
   Tip: Both have diverse denominations.

7. English is one of the most widely spoken languages worldwide, but Mandarin Chinese has the most native speakers.
   Tip: Global vs. native-speaker counts differ.

8. Classical music often refers to Western art music from roughly the 11th century to present, with key periods like Baroque, Classical, and Romantic.
   Tip: Think Bach (Baroque), Mozart (Classical), Beethoven (Romantic).

9. The novel “Don Quixote” by Miguel de Cervantes is considered one of the first modern novels.
   Tip: Spanish Golden Age literature.

10. Public holidays often mark historical events, religious observances, or national celebrations.
    Tip: Dates vary by country.

41–50: Miscellaneous & Practical Facts

1. The seven continents are Africa, Antarctica, Asia, Europe, North America, Australia (Oceania), and South America.
   Tip: “Asia and Europe share a landmass called Eurasia.”

2. One kilogram equals 2.20462 pounds.
   Tip: Roughly 2.2 lb for quick conversion.

3. Boiling point of water at sea level is 100°C (212°F).
   Tip: Higher altitude lowers boiling point.

4. A leap year has 366 days and occurs roughly every 4 years.
   Tip: Century years not divisible by 400 are not leap years.

5. The human heart has four chambers: two atria and two ventricles.
   Tip: Right side pumps to lungs; left side pumps to body.

6. A palindrome reads the same backward and forward (e.g., “level”).
   Tip: Word play and puzzles.

7. The fastest land animal is the cheetah; the fastest bird in a dive is the peregrine falcon.
   Tip: Cheetah for sprint; falcon for dive speed.

8. The currency of Japan is the yen (¥).
   Tip: Major global currency.

9. A light-year is the distance light travels in one year (~9.46 trillion km).
   Tip: Unit of distance, not time.

10. First aid basics: check responsiveness, call emergency services, and begin CPR if needed.
    Tip: Learn certified first aid/CPR for real situations.

Remembering approach: group facts by theme, use mnemonic devices, quiz yourself verbally, and teach others — teaching is one of the fastest ways to retain knowledge.