100+ Free EGE History Practice Questions

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The first major German strategic defeat of the Great Patriotic War, halting their advance and saving the Soviet capital in winter 1941-1942, was the:

Battle of Moscow

Battle of Stalingrad

Battle of Kursk

Battle of Berlin

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2026 Statistics

Key Facts: EGE History Exam

The EGE History 2026 is a 210-minute paper exam of 21 tasks (12 short-answer + 9 extended-answer), scored on a 100-point scale where 32 points is the minimum for a certificate and admission.

Sample EGE History Practice Questions

Try these sample questions to test your EGE History exam readiness. Each question includes a detailed explanation. Start the interactive quiz above for the full 100+ question experience with AI tutoring.

1According to the Primary Chronicle (Tale of Bygone Years), which Varangian prince was invited to rule and traditionally founded the Rurikid dynasty in Novgorod around 862?

A.Oleg

B.Askold

C.Igor

D.Rurik

Explanation: The Primary Chronicle records that in 862 the Varangian Rurik was called to rule over Novgorod, founding the dynasty that governed the Russian lands until 1598. His name became the basis for the Rurikid dynasty.

2In which year did Prince Oleg, according to tradition, move the center of power to Kiev, uniting Novgorod and Kiev and declaring it the 'mother of Russian cities'?

A.860

B.862

C.882

D.907

Explanation: In 882 Oleg captured Kiev, killed Askold and Dir, and united the northern and southern Slavic lands under one ruler, an event traditionally marking the formation of the Old Russian state with Kiev as its capital.

3Which prince of Kiev adopted Christianity from Byzantium and made it the state religion of Rus' in 988, an event known as the Baptism of Rus'?

A.Svyatoslav I

B.Yaroslav the Wise

C.Vladimir the Great

D.Vladimir Monomakh

Explanation: Vladimir Svyatoslavich (Vladimir the Great) was baptized and in 988 ordered the conversion of Kiev, adopting Orthodox Christianity from Byzantium as the state religion. This is considered a turning point in Russian civilization.

4The first written law code of Kievan Rus', associated chiefly with Yaroslav the Wise, is known as:

A.Sudebnik

B.Domostroy

C.Sobornoye Ulozheniye

D.Russkaya Pravda

Explanation: Russkaya Pravda ('Russian Justice/Truth') was the earliest codified legal collection of Kievan Rus', begun under Yaroslav the Wise and expanded by his successors. It regulated criminal penalties and replaced blood vengeance with fines.

5Which 1097 congress of princes proclaimed the principle 'let each keep his own patrimony,' effectively recognizing the political fragmentation of Rus'?

A.The Lyubech Congress

B.The Council of Florence

C.The Vladimir Assembly

D.The Zemsky Sobor

Explanation: At the Lyubech Congress of 1097, the princes agreed that each should hold his inherited domain ('otchina'), legitimizing the division of Rus' into separate principalities and accelerating feudal fragmentation.

6In 1240, the Novgorod prince Alexander defeated Swedish forces on the Neva River, earning the epithet 'Nevsky.' Two years later, in 1242, he defeated which order on the ice of Lake Peipus?

A.The Golden Horde

B.The Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth

C.The Teutonic (Livonian) Knights

D.The Ottoman Empire

Explanation: Alexander Nevsky defeated the German crusading Teutonic Order (Livonian branch) at the Battle on the Ice of Lake Peipus in 1242, halting Catholic expansion into Novgorodian lands. The victory became a symbol of defense of Orthodox Rus'.

7The Mongol invasion led by Batu Khan in 1237-1240 resulted in roughly which period of Mongol-Tatar domination over the Russian lands?

A.About 50 years

B.About 100 years

C.About 240 years

D.About 400 years

Explanation: The 'Tatar yoke' is conventionally dated from Batu's conquest (1237-1240) to the Great Stand on the Ugra River in 1480, lasting roughly 240 years. During this period Russian princes paid tribute and received patents (yarlyk) to rule.

8Which Moscow prince led the Russian forces to victory over the Golden Horde at the Battle of Kulikovo in 1380?

A.Ivan Kalita

B.Vasily II

C.Ivan III

D.Dmitry Donskoy

Explanation: Dmitry Ivanovich defeated the forces of Mamai at the Battle of Kulikovo in 1380, earning the title 'Donskoy' (of the Don). Though tribute resumed afterward, the victory greatly boosted Moscow's prestige as leader of the Russian lands.

9The Great Stand on the Ugra River in 1480, under which ruler, is traditionally regarded as the end of Mongol-Tatar domination over Russia?

A.Ivan III (the Great)

B.Vasily III

C.Ivan IV (the Terrible)

D.Dmitry Donskoy

Explanation: Under Ivan III the Russian and Horde armies faced each other across the Ugra River in 1480; the Horde withdrew without a major battle, ending tribute payments and Mongol overlordship. Ivan III also unified most Russian lands around Moscow.

10Ivan III issued the Sudebnik of 1497, which among other things introduced 'Yuriev Den' (St. George's Day), regulating what?

A.The right of peasants to move to another lord only around St. George's Day

B.The election of the tsar

C.The taxation of the boyars

D.The structure of the Orthodox Church

Explanation: The Sudebnik of 1497 restricted peasant movement to a one-week window around St. George's Day in autumn, an early step toward serfdom. Peasants could leave a landlord only after paying dues during this period.

About the EGE History Exam

The EGE (Yedinyy Gosudarstvennyy Ekzamen) in History is an elective Unified State Exam taken by Russian graduates applying to history, law, archaeology and related university programmes. The 2026 exam consists of 21 tasks in two parts: 12 short-answer tasks (Part 1) and 9 extended-answer tasks (Part 2) graded by expert commissions, for a maximum of 42 primary points converted to a 100-point test scale. It covers Russian history from ancient Rus' to the present, including ancient and medieval Rus', the Muscovite Tsardom, Imperial Russia, the revolutions of 1917, the Soviet period and the Russian Federation, with a mandatory task on the Great Patriotic War of 1941-1945. Candidates also work with historical documents, maps, images and key dates from both Russian and world history. About 83,000 students took the exam in 2025, with an average test score near 55.85.

Questions

100 scored questions

Time Limit

210 minutes (3 hours 30 minutes)

Passing Score

Minimum 32 test points out of 100 for the certificate and university admission; 100 is the maximum (42 primary points)

Exam Fee

Free for Russian school graduates as part of state final certification (no fee) (Rosobrnadzor / FIPI (Federal Institute of Pedagogical Measurements))

EGE History Exam Content Outline

18%

Ancient and Medieval Rus' (8th-15th c.)

Kievan Rus', Rurik dynasty, Baptism of Rus' 988, Yaroslav the Wise, Mongol invasion and the rise of Moscow

13%

Muscovite Tsardom (15th-17th c.)

Ivan III, Ivan IV the Terrible, Oprichnina, Time of Troubles, the Romanovs and serfdom

20%

Imperial Russia (18th-early 20th c.)

Peter the Great, Catherine the Great, 1812, the Great Reforms, abolition of serfdom 1861

12%

Revolutions and Civil War (1905-1922)

1905 Revolution, February and October 1917, Civil War and War Communism

22%

Soviet Period (1922-1991)

Formation of the USSR, Stalin, the Great Patriotic War, Cold War, Khrushchev, Brezhnev, Perestroika

Russian Federation (1991-present)

Collapse of the USSR, 1993 Constitution, the Yeltsin and Putin eras

Culture, Figures and Source Analysis

Historical figures, art and architecture, working with documents, maps and images, and world-history dates

How to Pass the EGE History Exam

What You Need to Know

Passing score: Minimum 32 test points out of 100 for the certificate and university admission; 100 is the maximum (42 primary points)
Exam length: 100 questions
Time limit: 210 minutes (3 hours 30 minutes)
Exam fee: Free for Russian school graduates as part of state final certification (no fee)

Keys to Passing

Complete 500+ practice questions
Score 80%+ consistently before scheduling
Focus on highest-weighted sections
Use our AI tutor for tough concepts

EGE History Study Tips from Top Performers

1Master the key dates: 862 (Rurik), 988 (Baptism), 1147 (Moscow), 1380 (Kulikovo), 1480 (Ugra), 1547, 1613, 1709, 1812, 1861, 1905, 1917, 1922, 1941-1945, 1991.

2Memorize the order and main acts of every ruler from Rurik through Putin; date-matching tasks depend on placing events under the correct reign.

3Devote extra time to the Great Patriotic War (1941-1945): Barbarossa, Moscow, Stalingrad, Kursk, Leningrad, Berlin, Victory Day and key commanders, since one task is mandatory.

4Practice working with historical sources, maps and images, which are central to Part 2; learn to attribute documents by ruler, period and events.

5Learn a core set of world-history dates (fall of Constantinople 1453, French Revolution 1789, World Wars) for the chronology tasks.

6Use FIPI demo versions and codifiers, and solve full timed papers to build stamina for the 210-minute exam.

Frequently Asked Questions

How is the EGE History exam structured in 2026?

It has 21 tasks in two parts: 12 short-answer tasks (Part 1) and 9 extended-answer tasks (Part 2). The maximum primary score is 42 points, converted to a 100-point test scale. Candidates have 210 minutes.

What is the minimum passing score for EGE History?

The minimum is 32 test points out of 100, which equals 8 primary points. This threshold is required both for the school certificate and for admission to most Russian universities.

Is EGE History mandatory?

No. History is an elective EGE subject. Only Russian language and mathematics are mandatory. Students choosing law, history, archaeology, international relations and similar programmes usually take it.

Does the exam cover world history as well as Russian history?

The exam focuses on Russian history but since 2016 also tests dates from world (general) history in chronology tasks, and it includes a mandatory task on the Great Patriotic War of 1941-1945.

Who administers and develops the EGE History exam?

Rosobrnadzor (the Federal Service for Supervision in Education and Science) administers the exam, while FIPI (the Federal Institute of Pedagogical Measurements) develops the test materials and codifier.

How much does the EGE History exam cost?

For Russian school graduates taking it as part of state final certification, the EGE is free of charge. There is no exam fee.