There’s a saying, “Those who do not learn history are doomed to have it show up on the MAT.” To prepare for analogies involving history on the MAT, you should familiarize yourself with important events in history. The following historical events give you a good history foundation for the MAT.
  • 1970s energy crisis: Shortages of petroleum caused by Arab Oil Embargo and Iranian Revolution

  • American Civil War: Period in 1861–1865 when the North (Union states) and South (Confederate states) fought over slavery and the Confederates’ desire to secede from the Union

  • American Revolution: Thirteen colonies in North America that broke free from British rule

  • Apollo 11: First manned landing on the moon, in July 1969

  • Assassination of Abraham Lincoln: April 14, 1865, in Washington DC. Lincoln was shot by John Wilkes Booth

  • Attack on Pearl Harbor: Surprise Japanese attack on Hawaii, on December 7, 1941, which led to the United States’ involvement in WWII

  • Bay of Pigs Invasion: Failed attempt by the CIA to overthrow Fidel Castro

  • Chernobyl disaster: Nuclear accident in the Ukraine on April 26, 1986

  • Crusades: Religious wars by the Catholic Church to take back the Holy Lands

  • Easter Rising: Irish insurrection in 1916 that tried to end British rule in Ireland

  • Fall of the Berlin Wall: On November 9, 1989, East Germany announced that citizens could visit West Gemany; this led to German reunification

  • Holocaust: Genocide of six million Jews and millions of others during World War II in Europe

  • Hundred Years’ War: Conflicts between England and France between 1337 and 1453

  • Louisiana Purchase: The purchase of the vast Louisiana Territory by the United States from France in 1803

  • Manhattan Project: The program by the United States, United Kingdom, and Canada that developed the first atomic bomb

  • Russian Revolution: 1917 revolutions in Russia that ended the Russian Empire

  • September 11 attacks: Four hijacked planes attacked targets in the New York City and Washington, D.C., areas in 2001

  • Thirty Years’ War: Series of wars fought in Europe between 1618 and 1648, one of the longest and most destructive wars in European history

About This Article

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About the book authors:

Vince Kotchian is a full-time standardized test tutor specializing in the MAT, SSAT, ISEE, ACT, GRE, and GMAT. He teaches a GRE prep course at the University of California, San Diego, and has an extensive understanding of analogies and the MAT.

Edwin Kotchian is a MAT tutor and freelance writer who has contributed to a variety of test-prep material.

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