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Catherine the Great Trivia Questions

How much do you really know about Catherine the Great? Below are 8 true or false statements. Click each one to reveal the answer and explanation.

1.

Catherine the Great corresponded with Enlightenment thinkers like Voltaire and Diderot.

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Easy
✓ TRUE

She exchanged letters with Voltaire for 15 years and even bought Diderot's library when he needed money, letting him keep the books for life.

2.

Catherine the Great was an avid collector of art and founded the Hermitage Museum.

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Easy
✓ TRUE

She purchased massive art collections, including works by Rembrandt and Rubens. Her private collection became the core of the Hermitage in St. Petersburg.

3.

Catherine the Great died while trying to have sex with a horse.

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Medium
✗ FALSE

This is a persistent myth. She actually died of a stroke in her bed. The rumor was spread by her political enemies to discredit her.

4.

Catherine the Great was born a German princess, not a Russian.

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Medium
✓ TRUE

She was born Sophie of Anhalt-Zerbst in Prussia. She changed her name and converted to Russian Orthodoxy after marrying into the Romanov family.

5.

Catherine the Great had a secret tunnel built from the Winter Palace to her lover's home.

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Medium
✗ FALSE

No such tunnel existed. She was known for her many lovers, but they lived openly in the palace, not in secret underground passages.

6.

Catherine the Great banned serfdom because she believed in equality for all people.

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Medium
✗ FALSE

Despite her Enlightenment ideals, she actually expanded serfdom, giving nobles more power over peasants to secure their political support.

7.

Catherine the Great was the first ruler to be inoculated against smallpox in Russia.

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Hard
✓ TRUE

In 1768, she secretly brought an English doctor to inoculate her and her son, setting an example that dramatically increased vaccination rates.

8.

Catherine the Great legalized abortion in Russia during her reign.

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Hard
✗ FALSE

Abortion was not legalized under Catherine. She did, however, expand education and founded the first state-run school for girls.

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