The destruction of the Second Temple occurred in which year?

• A. 476 C.E.
• B. 70 C.E.
• C. 1066
• D. 1492

Answer: (B)

The event being dated is the destruction of the Second Temple, a pivotal moment in Jewish history. It occurred in 70 CE when Roman forces besieged Jerusalem and destroyed the Temple, marking the end of the Temple era and beginning a long diaspora that shaped how Judaism developed—moving away from temple-centered worship toward study and prayer in synagogues and other communities.

The other years correspond to different historical moments in different parts of the world and do not describe what happened in Jerusalem at that time: 476 CE is the fall of the Western Roman Empire, 1066 is the Norman conquest of England, and 1492 is Columbus’s voyage (along with other major events in Spain).