Which came first? · Counterintuitive
Which came first: the death of Galileo or Harvard University?
Harvard University came first, in 1636 (founded). The death of Galileo followed 6 years later, in 1642.
- Second1642
The death of Galileo
person · diesGalileo died in January 1642, aged 77, after spending his last years under house arrest following his heresy trial.
- First1636
Harvard University
university · foundedHarvard was founded in 1636; it only took the name Harvard College in 1639, after its first benefactor John Harvard.
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All which-came-first pairs · About Older Than You Think · Quiz games
Years from Wikidata, each checked against the item’s English Wikipedia article on 2026-10-18. A year stands for what its label says: a founding, a first patent, a premiere.