Geography and General History
Geography and General History tests the earth's physical features, map skills, climate, and major world events. Expect continent and ocean facts, rivers, mountains, time zones, and turning points such as the Renaissance, the Industrial Revolution, and the World Wars.
Core rules
- Earth rotates 360° in 24 hours, so 15° of longitude equals one hour.
- Latitude measures north–south; longitude measures east–west. The Prime Meridian is 0° at Greenwich.
- The Pacific is the largest and deepest ocean; the Nile and Amazon are the two longest rivers by common measures.
- Antarctica is the largest desert by area; the Sahara is the largest hot desert.
- The Industrial Revolution began in Britain in the late 18th century; the UN was founded in 1945.
Worked example
If it is 12:00 GMT, what is the local time at 45°E? 45° ÷ 15° = 3 hours ahead. So the time is 15:00. At 45°W it would be 09:00.
Traps
- Reversing latitude and longitude.
- Calling the Sahara the largest desert overall.
- Mixing the Prime Meridian with the International Date Line.
- Confusing the start of World War I (1914) with World War II (1939).
- Ignoring the date line when crossing 180°.