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Countries by Founding Story

Try to name each selected country based on a story or myth about how it was founded.
This quiz does NOT suggest that these are the only founding stories, that they have official status, or that they are true
Answer must correspond to the yellow box
Quiz by
Quizmaster
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Last updated: February 5, 2020
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First submittedFebruary 3, 2020
Times taken75,153
Average score72.2%
Rating4.95
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Story
Country
Seeking "life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness", 13 colonies declare
independence from Great Britain
United States
Clovis unites the Frankish tribes under a single king
France
The "First Fleet" arrives at Botany Bay carrying about 1,000 convicts
Australia
Emperor Jimmu, descended from the sun goddess Amaterasu, conquers the
main island before eventually dying at age 126
Japan
The Medes overthrow the Neo-Assyrian empire, uniting the plateau under their leadership
Iran
Ingólfr Arnarson arrives on the island in 874 A.D.
Iceland
Freed slaves and free-born blacks from the United States establish a democracy in Africa
Liberia
Separatists declare independence from Colombia after Colombia refuses to ratify a
canal-building treaty with the U.S.
Panama
Qin Shi Huang conquers the warring states to establish the first imperial dynasty
China
Menes unites the upper and lower parts of the river, founding the
First Dynasty around 3000 B.C.
Egypt
Saint Marinus founds a monestary on Monte Titano in AD 301
San Marino
Two kingdoms are united by the marriage of Ferdinand and Isabella
Spain
In the year 1307, three men take an oath to unite the cantons of Uri, Schwyz, and Unterwalden
Switzerland
Patrice Lumumba leads the country to independence from Belgium in 1960
D. R. Congo
Dom Pedro declares independence, separating the country from his father's empire
Brazil
The national government flees to an island, establishing a "temporary capital" in 1949
Taiwan
The UK, Russia, and France force the Ottoman Empire to relinquish control
of this Christian nation in 1832
Greece
Kinh Dương Vương founds the country in 2879 B.C., reigning for over 100 years before
dying at age 260
Vietnam
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57 Comments
dorindai
+17
Level 89
Feb 6, 2020
great quizz, last question whom dies at age 260
overtired
+107
Level 88
Feb 6, 2020
And began his reign at 160! Just shows that it's never too late to start a new career.
Xenobiologista
+4
Level 59
Sep 29, 2020
Who knew Mr. Magorium was outdone by the founder of Vietnam?
tshalla
+2
Level 78
Dec 4, 2023
The last of the Methuselans.
MDW
+2
Level 56
Feb 6, 2020
No country was established by colonists in 1788. Australia wan't established until January 1, 1901.
fitheach
+28
Level 58
Mar 4, 2020
But the process that led to the modern nation state of Australia started with the arrival of the First Fleet.
grantdon
+11
Level 74
Mar 4, 2020
Federation of the colonies occurred in 1901, but the modern nation had its origins or foundation starting from the arrival of the first fleet. The US didn't have its current political organisation until Hawaii was declared a state in 1959...
Pontifex
+14
Level 47
Jun 25, 2020
In the same vein you could hardly argue the continuity of the Achaemenid Persian empire to modern-day Iran. This quiz is more about where states trace their "national" origin point back to than anything else.
Peter954460
+1
Level 47
Nov 5, 2021
That colonised land they call of Australia, who haven't yet come to terms with fact that there had already been 20,000 years of indigenous habitation. Where's the treaty?
Abby
+9
Level 47
Nov 5, 2021
But the Aboriginals didn't call that land "Australia". So "Australia" was founded when the colonists first arrived.
sjj93gg
+3
Level 55
Nov 6, 2021
60,000+ years of habitation...
Gassu
+7
Level 69
Feb 6, 2020
Five stars for the fact that you've used the 1307 date instead of the mythical 1291 date :)
Gossguy
+3
Level 68
Mar 4, 2020
a real Bünzli
Nathaniel
+2
Level 77
Nov 19, 2020
Was ist ein Bünzli? Hab's jetzt nachgeschaut. Meinst du, dass Gassu ein Spießer (:D) ist oder Quizmaster?
kaderschaufel
+4
Level 72
Nov 5, 2021
Well, since this quiz is about the founding myth (and not necessarily the truth), I would have expected to see 1291, because that's how people traditionally tell the story. 1307 is the just the historically most likely date, i.e. the date given from the most trustworthy source (I'm not sure how certain we can be whether it's the real date - or even whether the oath itself was real).
TheLastFish
+6
Level 71
Feb 6, 2020
Love this one! Even though it is not that consistent. In 1821, were the Greeks talking in ancient greek or modern greek? But on the other hand Egypt, Iceland, and Vietnam always remained proud and free! :-P And China/Taiwan is of cource random choice.
Xenobiologista
+8
Level 59
Sep 29, 2020
Well, ancient Greece didn't have a common government. Unless you wish to argue that Macedonia was the first greek government.
BlackJohn
+1
Level 78
Dec 6, 2025
Ancient Greek is a very broad term, Greeks were speaking demotic (the people) and a more archaic form used in writing (the educated classes and merchants). The former is quite close and the latter remarkably close to Koine Greek, established during the time of Alexander. Less close to Attic Greek of Socrates and far less close to Homeric.

Still much closer than, say, modern English is to Shakespearean.

hwes
+2
Level 89
Feb 6, 2020
Surprised Persia wasn't accepted.
armood008
+4
Level 31
Mar 4, 2020
That's because "Persia" is actually called "Iran" and has been inside the country for a lot longer than you think.
jonh
+11
Level 58
Jul 21, 2021
Persia is actually an official name for Iran.
HBK97
+1
Level 78
Dec 4, 2023
No, it isn't. The country has always been called Iran. The Greeks called it Persia. Too bad many people believe that Iran is the muslim given name.
HyddenRizz
+5
Level 67
Dec 4, 2023
Have you met someone from Iran? Some of them definitely call it Persia.
NeirolVeritas
+1
Level 35
Jul 9, 2025
My classmate Aryan calls himself Persian, and will use an absurd amount of curse words at anyone who dares call him Iranian until he gets bored of it and keeps playing whatever video game he's playing during class.
Nucella
+11
Level 84
Feb 7, 2020
"Monestary"? Or monastery?
sulfuratus
+9
Level 71
Mar 4, 2020
People looking for a place to live see an eagle with a snake in its claws sitting on a cactus.
kalbahamut
+14
Level 79
Mar 4, 2020
If I saw that I'd consider it a good sign that I should keep moving.
Xenobiologista
+4
Level 59
Sep 29, 2020
Well, they were told to look for exactly that, so...
McKenzieFam
+1
Level 68
Jul 21, 2025
Can't believe they actually found it, but they must have. Because I can't think of another reason to build your capital city in a swamp
SaintCity
+16
Level 60
Mar 4, 2020
Suprised about the low knowage of San Marino since the founder is called Saint Marinus which is nearly literally the countries name.
Brollface
+3
Level 66
Apr 19, 2020
I guessed it because of Monte Titano and later read it again and found out about the name.
Nathaniel
+2
Level 77
Nov 19, 2020
Did you know that a beach on the island of Rab, Croatia also has the name San Marino because that is where Saint Marinus is from. And if I'm not mistaken the beach had the name first.
Karamchand
+1
Level 49
Mar 5, 2020
1:24. I really didn't expect names here, it makes this way too easy
ItzIngenious
+2
Level 66
Jul 7, 2021
I have one kind of like this about flag origins.
Newtgotbetter
+1
Level 52
Sep 24, 2021
An exiled prince, the grandson of a lion, lands his fleet on a beach that gleams of copper.
vermiciousknid
+1
Level 91
Dec 4, 2023
Sri Lanka?
Fishes
+1
Level 65
Nov 5, 2021
I would love to see more like this.
driehoek25
+1
Level 69
Nov 5, 2021
Communist China is not the true China, Republic of China is.

So the Republic of China's origin story is the story here refered to China. Communist China's origin story is the revolution. Do not call Communist China true China since it rejected it past and replaced it with a little commie book.

Dewot423
+12
Level 65
Nov 5, 2021
This is weapons-grade copium.

Neither the government of PRC or ROC has any political or ideological continuity with the dynastic governments of premodern China. Therefore, one with the territorial control and the lion's share of the popular support among Chinese people gets to claim the history, and Taiwan doesn't win on either of those counts.

VanillaMoment
+1
Level 68
Nov 5, 2021
Last one was too easy
Jato
+1
Level 70
Mar 15, 2022
Kinh Dương Vương did not live to be 260, not even close. According to Wikipedia, he lived from 2919-2792 BC, which is only 127 years, less than half as long as you claim to be.
BeigeDragon
+6
Level 65
Oct 22, 2022
Is it just me or do a lot of quizzes start with an American question?
Quizmaster
+10
Level ∞
Feb 20, 2023
We tend to start with an easy question. People like that and are more likely to continue.
tooch21
+4
Level 55
Dec 4, 2023
I was about to ask the same question. It's not an anti-US comment but almost every single quiz starts with an obvious answer being USA. I mean to us non-US people that enjoy this site, we get it, it's a US based website but wouldn't it be better to mix them up a bit? Negative gripe aside, still a great quiz.
HyddenRizz
+2
Level 67
Dec 4, 2023
When people say US-based website, I think they mean that Quizmaster is from the USA.
Koopa
+1
Level 88
Dec 4, 2023
You don't need those A.D.s. If it's not expressed as B.C./BCE, we know it's A.D./CE
Greatgull
+1
Level 46
Feb 28, 2024
Very enjoyable quiz, thank you.
Saintscat3
+3
Level 66
Aug 31, 2024
its monastery, not monestary.
Selmarya
+1
Level 67
Jul 8, 2025
ah yes i too have died at 260 years old
blaotand
+1
Level 37
Jul 21, 2025
Great quiz, took a little under 2 minutes !
wassallthatabout
+1
Level 65
Jul 21, 2025
How would you describe the origin story of Great Britain? I have no idea when Britain began...
partdavid
+2
Level 75
Jul 21, 2025
You could safely say it's 1707 and the Treaty of Union which united England and Scotland. Anything else (a deeper notional origin like Egypt's for example, which describes the origin of a kind of country which doesn't have a lot to do with the nation-state that is now Egypt, in the sense of successive states), is bound to be contentious, as the constituent countries have their own origins and you might squabble about each of them, anyway.
elzadra
+1
Level 69
Jul 21, 2025
monastery
okerrigan
+2
Level 66
Jul 21, 2025
Greece's description kind of underplays the independence war that Greeks fought in. There was foreign influence at play but it wasn't just an email treaty
BlackJohn
+1
Level 78
Dec 6, 2025
Westerners tend to downplay and/or ignore the entirety of Greek history after the ancient times.

Eastern Rome and Greece's role in WWII are typical examples, this is another.

eurotec
+1
Level 56
Dec 12, 2025
260 years?! Great quiz.
QuizMed1
+1
Level 46
Jan 14, 2026
Switzerland was founded in 1291, at least according to legend.
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