Beyond the answers - interesting background to this quiz

A vice presidency that led all the way to the top

George H. W. Bush served as Ronald Reagan's vice president throughout the 1980s before winning the presidency himself in 1988. He was also a decorated naval aviator in the Second World War, and later served as director of the CIA. Few vice presidents have arrived at the office with such a varied resume.

The railway that changed how people travelled

George Stephenson's Stockton and Darlington Railway, opened in 1825, is widely regarded as the first public railway to use steam locomotives. Stephenson, a self-taught engineer from a mining family, also designed the famous Rocket locomotive. The line carried coal and passengers, and it helped launch the railway age that transformed industry and everyday life in Britain.

The Colosseum: Rome's great survivor

The Colosseum in Rome was completed in AD 80 under the emperor Titus. It could hold tens of thousands of spectators for gladiatorial contests and public spectacles. Despite earthquakes and centuries of stone being quarried away, it remains the most recognisable symbol of ancient Roman engineering.

Dan Brown and the lure of hidden symbols

Dan Brown's The Lost Symbol, published in 2009, is the third novel featuring Harvard professor Robert Langdon. The plot unfolds over a single night in Washington, D.C., and explores Freemasonry and symbols hidden in the city's architecture. Brown's mix of art, history and conspiracy has made the Langdon series a global publishing phenomenon.

Australia's purpose-built capital

Canberra became the capital of Australia as a compromise between Sydney and Melbourne, the two largest cities, which both wanted the honour. The site was chosen in 1908, and American architect Walter Burley Griffin won the competition to design the city. Today Canberra is home to Parliament House and many of the country's national institutions.