Maltese History and National Heritage
This domain tests chronology - which event happened when, and which monument belongs to which era - plus the heritage sites and the events that shaped the national identity.
Prehistory and antiquity
The Maltese megalithic temples, including Ġgantija on Gozo, Ħaġar Qim, Mnajdra and Tarxien, are among the oldest free-standing stone structures in the world (roughly 3600–2500 BC) and form a UNESCO World Heritage site. The Ħal Saflieni Hypogeum, a rock-cut underground complex, is inscribed separately. Rome took the islands in 218 BC; Arab rule began around 870 and left a lasting mark on the language and place names.
The Knights and after
In 1091 the Normans took Malta. In 1530 Charles V granted the islands to the Knights of St John, who survived the Great Siege of 1565 and founded Valletta in 1566. The French arrived in 1798; the British took over in 1800 and confirmed possession by the Treaty of Paris in 1814. Malta's civilian population was awarded the George Cross in 1942 for endurance under bombardment.
Nationhood
Malta became independent on 21 September 1964, a republic on 13 December 1974, joined the European Union on 1 May 2004 and adopted the euro on 1 January 2008.
Worked example
"What does the George Cross on the flag commemorate?" Not the Great Siege of 1565 - it was awarded by King George VI in 1942 for the collective bravery of the island during the Second World War, and it appears in the upper hoist of the white band.
Traps
Swapping the independence and republic dates; dating the Knights' arrival to 1529; confusing 1565 (siege) with 1566 (foundation of Valletta); mixing up Norman and Arab dates.