Which came first? · Counterintuitive
Which came first: the death of Hans Christian Andersen or the Suez Canal?
The Suez Canal came first, in 1869 (opened). The death of Hans Christian Andersen followed 6 years later, in 1875.
- Second1875
The death of Hans Christian Andersen
person · diesHans Christian Andersen, who wrote The Little Mermaid, died in 1875.
- First1869
The Suez Canal
landmark · openedThe Suez Canal opened in 1869, letting ships skip the long trip around Africa.
More pairs that fool people
- Which came first: Radium or the Suez Canal?
- Which came first: the death of Hans Christian Andersen or Princeton University?
- Which came first: the death of Hans Christian Andersen or Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Seas?
- Which came first: The 1812 Overture or the Suez Canal?
- Which came first: In the Hall of the Mountain King or the Suez Canal?
- Which came first: Basketball or Heinz?
- Which came first: the Eiffel Tower or Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Seas?
- Which came first: the Moulin Rouge or Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Seas?
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.
