History MCQ Quiz - Objective Question with Answer for History - Download Free PDF

The correct answer is - 'Drinking liquor'.

Key Points

• Birsa Munda's Social Reforms:
  • Reforming Tribal Society: Birsa Munda aimed to reform tribal society through various measures.
  • Urged to Give Up Drinking Liquor: One of his key reform efforts was urging the Mundas to give up drinking liquor as it was seen as a harmful practice.
  • Other Measures:
    • Cleaning their villages.
    • Stopping the belief in witchcraft and sorcery.

Additional Information

• Birsa Munda believed that drinking liquor and the adherence to superstitious practices were detrimental to the well-being and advancement of the Munda community.
• He sought to create a disciplined and self-sufficient society, which he believed was essential for regaining their ancestral rights and improving their social conditions.

The correct answer is - Non-Cooperation Movement

Key Points

• The Akali agitation in Punjab sought to remove corrupt mahants from their gurdwaras, who were supported by British authorities.
  • This movement emerged as a part of the broader struggle against British colonial rule.
• The agitation became closely identified with the Non-Cooperation Movement led by Mahatma Gandhi.
  • The Non-Cooperation Movement, which began in 1920, encouraged Indians to withdraw their cooperation from the British administration and boycott British goods.
• As part of this movement, the Akali agitation aligned with the principles of non-cooperation, seeking to regain control of religious institutions from British influence.
  • This alignment highlighted the interconnected struggle for political, social, and religious freedom in India during the early 20th century.

Additional Information

• Civil Disobedience Movement:
  • Launched by Mahatma Gandhi in 1930, this movement aimed to defy British laws and regulations through nonviolent resistance.
  • Focused on the refusal to obey certain laws, demands, and commands of the British government as a form of protest.
• Quit India Movement:
  • Initiated in 1942 during World War II, calling for an immediate end to British rule in India.
  • It was marked by mass protests and demands for complete independence.
• Swadeshi Movement:
  • Part of the Indian independence movement that emerged during the early 20th century, promoting Indian goods and boycotting British products.
  • Mostly associated with the movement following the partition of Bengal in 1905.

The correct answer is - Russian Revolution

Key Points

• Russian Revolution inspired Indian nationalists due to the following reasons:
  • The Russian Revolution of 1917 led to the overthrow of the Tsarist autocracy and the establishment of a communist state.
  • It showcased the successful overthrow of an imperial power and the establishment of a government led by workers and peasants.
  • News of the revolution circulated widely, inspiring Indian nationalists with ideas of socialism, workers' rights, and agricultural reforms.
  • It provided a powerful example of the possibility of radical change and the overthrow of oppressive regimes through collective action.

Additional Information

• American Revolution:
  • The American Revolution occurred in the late 18th century and was primarily about the American colonies breaking away from British rule.
  • While it inspired many freedom movements, it was not the contemporary event that influenced Indian nationalists in 1917.
• French Revolution:
  • The French Revolution took place in the late 18th century and was a period of significant social and political upheaval in France.
  • Though it provided historical lessons on revolution, it was not the recent event that galvanized Indian nationalists in the early 20th century.
• Japanese Industrialization:
  • The Meiji Restoration and Japanese industrialization transformed Japan into a modern industrial power in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.
  • While important, it did not have the same revolutionary impact or direct inspiration for Indian nationalists as the Russian Revolution did in 1917.

The correct answer is '46'.

Key Points

• Mahatma Gandhi's Arrival in India:
  • Mahatma Gandhi arrived in India from South Africa in 1915.
  • At the time of his arrival, Gandhi was 46 years old.
  • He was already an internationally respected leader due to his successful non-violent campaigns in South Africa.
• Initial Contributions to Indian Independence:
  • After his arrival, Gandhi spent his first year traveling across India to understand the people and their needs.
  • He involved himself in local movements such as those in Champaran, Kheda, and Ahmedabad.
  • In Champaran and Kheda, he supported farmers in their struggles against oppressive laws and taxes.
  • In Ahmedabad, Gandhi led a successful millworkers' strike in 1918, advocating for fair wages and better working conditions.
  • These early interventions established Gandhi as a mass leader and marked the beginning of his active involvement in India's struggle for independence.
• Gandhi's strategies of non-violent resistance and mass mobilization were instrumental in shaping the Indian independence movement.
• His ability to unite people across diverse backgrounds and regions played a crucial role in the nationwide struggle against British colonial rule.

The correct answer is - '1929'.

Key Points

• Child Marriage Restraint Act, 1929:
  • The Child Marriage Restraint Act was a significant legislative measure aimed at curbing the practice of child marriage in India.
  • Enacted in 1929, the Act made it illegal for a man below the age of 18 and a woman below the age of 16 to marry.
  • This was a progressive step towards safeguarding the rights and well-being of young individuals, particularly girls, who were often forced into early marriages.

Additional Information

• Subsequent Amendments:
  • In subsequent years, the age limits for marriage were raised to 21 for men and 18 for women, reflecting an evolving understanding of maturity and consent.
  • This change was part of continued efforts to address and eliminate child marriage, promoting education and better health outcomes for young women.
• Context of the Act:
  • The Act of 1929 was passed without the kind of bitter debates and struggles that earlier reform laws had faced, indicating a growing consensus on the issue among legislators and the public.
  • The passage of this Act demonstrated a milestone in the social reform movements of early 20th century India, driven by both Indian reformers and supportive legislative bodies.

The correct answer is Bengal.

Key Points

• Fa Xian boarded a ship owned by some merchants to start his voyage back home from Bengal.
• ​Faxian was a Chinese Buddhist monk and translator who walked on foot from China to India in search of Buddhist literature.
• He was also known by the names Fa-Hien, Fa-hsien, and Sehi.
• Between 399 and 412 CE, he began his gruelling journey at the age of roughly 60, visiting holy Buddhist places in Central, South, and Southeast Asia, with 10 of those years spent in India.

Additional Information

•  Bihar
  • ​Eastern India contains the state of Bihar.
  • It is the second most populous state in terms of people in 2019, has the 12th-largest size (94,163 km2) and the 14th-largest GDP in 2021.
  • Bihar shares borders with Jharkhand to the south, Uttar Pradesh to the west, Nepal to the north, and the northern portion of West Bengal to the east.
  • The Ganges River, which runs from west to east, divides the Bihar plain.
• Maharashtra
  • ​Maharashtra is a state in western India's peninsula that takes up a sizable chunk of the Deccan Plateau. Maharashtra is the second-most populous country subdivision in the world as well as the second-most populous state in India.
  • The bilingual Bombay State, which had been in existence since 1956, was divided on May 1 to create the majority-Marathi-speaking Maharashtra and the majority-Gujarati-speaking Gujarat.
• Odisha
  • Eastern India is home to the Indian state of Odisha. By area, it is the eighth-largest state, and by population, it is the eleventh-largest. The number of scheduled tribes in the state is the third highest in all of India.
  • It shares borders with the states of Andhra Pradesh to the south, Jharkhand to the north, West Bengal to the west, and Jharkhand to the north. Odisha's coastline stretches for 485 kilometres (301 mi) along the Indian Ocean's Bay of Bengal.

The correct answer is Andhra Pradesh.

Key Points

About Alluri Sitaram Raju:

• In 1922, Indian revolutionary Alluri Sitaram Raju led the Rampa Rebellion against the British raj for their imposition of the 1882 Madras Forest Act, which severely restricted the free movement of the tribal community within their own forests.
• Under the implications of this Act, the community was unable to fully carry out the traditional Podu agricultural system, which involved shifting cultivation.
• The armed struggle came to a violent end in 1924, when Raju was captured by police forces, tied to a tree, and shot by a firing squad. His heroics resulted in him being titled manyam veerudu, or ‘the hero of the jungle’.

Additional InformationKomaram Bheem:

• Born in Telangana’s Adilabad district in 1901, Bheem was a member of the Gond community and grew up in the populated forests of the Chanda and Ballalpur kingdoms.
• Komaram Bheem had escaped from prison to a tea plantation in Assam.
• Here, he heard about the rebellion being led by Alluri and found a new sense of inspiration to protect the Gond tribe to which he belonged.

The correct answer is Calcutta.

Key Points

•  Swaraj means self-rule or self-governance in Hindi.
• Dadabhai Naoroji was a prominent Indian nationalist leader and a member of the Indian National Congress (INC) who served as the President of the INC thrice.
• Dadabhai Naoroji made the declaration of Self-Government or Swaraj as the ultimate goal of the Indian National Congress in the Calcutta session of the INC in 1906.
• This session was significant as it marked the beginning of the Swadeshi movement which aimed at promoting Indian goods and boycotting foreign goods.

Additional Information

•  The Bombay session of the INC in 1885 was the first session of the INC, and Self-Government was not declared as the ultimate goal in this session.
•  Madras session of the INC in 1908 focused on the issue of untouchability and did not declare Swaraj as the ultimate goal.
•  The Bankipur session of the INC in 1912 was significant for the adoption of the resolution for Home Rule, but it did not declare Swaraj as the ultimate goal.

The correct answer is the Battle of Buxar.

Key Points

• The Battle of Buxar was fought in 1764.
• The Battle of Buxar (1764) was the battle which was fought between English Forces, and a combined army of Mir Qasim.
• The battle was the outcome of the misuse of Farman and Dastak, and also the trade expansionist aspiration of the English, Mir Qasim, the Nawab of Bengal, the Nawab of Oudh Shah Alam II, and the Mughal Emperor.
• The battle of Buxar proved itself to be a turning point in the history of India.
• In 1765, Shuja-ud-daulah and Shah Alam signed a treaty at Allahabad with Clive who had become the Governor of the company.
• Under these treaties, the English company secured the Diwani of Bengal, Bihar, and Odisha, which gave the company the right to collect revenue from these territories.

Additional Information

• Battle of Kirkee: This battle was fought between the British East India Company and the Maratha Empire in 1817. Mir Qasim was not involved in this battle as he had died more than 50 years earlier.
•  Battle of Plassey: The Battle of Plassey was on June 23, 1757, on the banks of the Hooghly River in Bengal, India. It marked a decisive victory for the British East India Company, led by Robert Clive, over the forces of Siraj-ud-Daulah, the Nawab of Bengal, and his French allies.
• Battle of Lahore: This battle was fought in 1849 between the British East India Company and the Sikh Empire. Mir Qasim was not involved in this battle as he had died more than 30 years earlier.

Uthiramerur is a panchayat town in Kancheepuram district in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. It is situated 90 kilometres southwest of Chennai, the capital of Tamilnadu.

The inscription lays down the following qualifications for a nominee:

• The temple inscriptions of Uthiramerur are notable for their historical descriptions of rural self-governance.
• They indicate that Uthiramerur had two village assemblies: Sabha and Ur.
• The Sabha was an exclusively Brahmin (priestly class) assembly, while the Ur was made up of people belonging to all the classes.
• Members of a Sabha should fulfil the following criteria:
  • Own a tax-paying land, sized at least one-fourth of a Veli (about an acre and a half).
  • The land-owning requirement was reduced to one-eighth Veli for people who had learned at least one Veda and one Bhashya.
  • Residence in a house built on self-owned land.
  • Age between 35 and 70 years was required.
  • Knowledge of mantras and the Brahmanas (Vedic literature) was a must.

Hence, those who have not submitted their accounts cannot be a member of a Sabha.

By the end of the 17th century, the Mughal Empire started facing multiple crises. Emperor Aurangazeb, who was the last powerful Mughal Emperor, had exhausted the military and the financial resources of his empire by fighting a long war in Deccan.

• The efficiency of the imperial administration broke down and Mughal Emperors were not able to keep a check on the powerful mansabdars. (mansabdar referred to an individual holding a mansab, meaning a position or rank.)
• Three Mughal provinces that stand out prominently are Awadh, Hyderabad, and Bengal.
• The Mansabdars of these provinces took advantage of the late 17th-century crisis.

In the 18th century, Bengal gradually broke away from the Mughal control under Murshid Quli Khan.

• He was appointed as naib of Bengal i.e. Deputy to the Governor of the province.
• He quickly grasped the power and commanded the revenue administration of the state.
• In order to reduce the influence of Mughals in Bengal, he transferred all Mughal jagirdars to Orissa and ordered a major reassessment of the revenues of Bengal.

Additional Information

• Nadir Shah was the ruler of Iran. In 1739, he sacked and plundered Delhi and carried away a huge amount of wealth. 
• Alivardi Khan was the Nawab of Bengal from 1740-1756. He came to the throne after Murshid Quli Khan. 
• Burhan-ul-Mulk was the Subadar of Awadh. He manages the political, financial, and military affairs of the province of Awadh. 

Hence, it becomes clear that in the 18th century, Bengal gradually broke away from the Mughal control under Murshid Quli Khan. 

The correct answer is bronze.

Key Points

• The Iron Age is a period in human history characterized by the widespread use of iron tools and weapons.
• This period began around 1200 BCE in the Middle East and gradually spread to other parts of the world.
• Before the Iron Age, bronze was the preferred material for making tools and weapons.
• Bronze is an alloy made from copper and tin.​

Additional Information

• The most significant development was the use of iron for tools, weapons, and agricultural implements.
• Iron is stronger and more durable than bronze, the dominant material of the preceding era.
• Iron led to advancements in agriculture, construction, and warfare. For example, iron plowshares improved farming efficiency, while iron weapons gave rise to powerful warrior classes.
• The Iron Age saw the transition from small tribal settlements to larger, more complex societies. This was likely facilitated by increased agricultural productivity and trade enabled by iron tools.
• The Painted Grey Ware culture, associated with the early Iron Age, is characterized by distinctive pottery and iron tools found across North India.
• In the later period, we witnessed the rise of powerful Mahajanapadas, competing states that laid the foundation for larger empires like the Mauryas and Guptas.

Mahatma Jyotirao Phule compared the conditions of Blacks in the United States to the Dalits in India about 150 years ago.​

Important Points

1. In 1873 Mahatma Jyoti Rao Phule wrote a book named  "Ghulamgiri" which means "Slavery".
2. Before 10 years of writing this book the American Civil War has been fought, leading to the end of slavery in America.
3. Mahatma Jyotirao Phule dedicated his book to all those Americans who had fought to free the Slaves.
4. Thus establishing a link between the lower caste of India "Dalits" and the black slaves "Negros" in America.

​Hence, Mahatma Phule compares oppressive condition of lowers castes of India to the black slavery of the united states.

Medieval India refers to a long period of the history of the Indian subcontinent between the "ancient period" and "modern period".

• At the time of the slave dynasty, there were four ministers: the Wazir, the Ariz-i-mamalik, the diwan-i-insha, and the diwan-i-rasalat. 
• Diwan-i-ariz was next to the Wazir and was the controller general of the military. He recruited troops and maintain the army men and horses.

Important Points

Firoz-Shah-Tughlaq:

• Firoz-Shah-Tughlaq established a department for his slaves called Diwan-I-Bandagan.
• The officer-in-charge of this department was the Wakil-i-dar.

• Firoz Shah Tughlaq increased the number of slaves by capturing the defeated soldiers and young persons during the war.

Hence, the correct answer is Firoz Shah Tughlaq set up a separate department of slaves.

Additional Information

Medieval Indian rulers:

Alauddin Khilji succeeded Jalal-ud-din Firoz Khilji and ascended the throne.

• Domestic Policies of Alauddin Khilji
  • ​Ala-ud-din followed the Divine Right Theory of Kingship.
  • He introduced four ordinances to prevent repeated revolts.
  • He impounded pious grants and free grants of lands
  • He restructured the spy system.
  • He banned social parties and wine.
  • He introduced a permanent standing army.
  • He started the system of branding of horses and a descriptive roster of individual soldiers to inhibit corruption.
  • He fixed the prices of necessary commodities which were below the normal market rates.
  • He strictly prohibited black marketing.
  • Revenue was collected in cash and not in kind.
  • He followed discriminatory policies towards the Hindus and imposed the Jizya, a grazing tax and a house tax on the Hindu community. 
• Marketing System
  • Officers called Diwan-i-Riyasat were appointed in the offices called Shahana-i-mandi to standardize the market.
  • Merchant s should have to register themselves in the office (Shahana-i-mandi) before selling their goods at the fixed rates.

Balban:

• Adopted two-pronged strategies against the Mongols.
• Firstly, he exchanged embassies by the Mongol courts.
• Secondly, he created two defence lines. The first across the region of Lahore, Multan, and Dipalpur under Prince Muhammad. The second line was laid in Sunam, Samana, and Bhatinda under his youngest son, Prince Buhgra Khan.
• He reorganized the central military department i.e. Diwan-i-Arz in order to strengthen the monarchy.

• He increased the power and prestige of Ariz-i-Mamalik.​

Mohammad-bin-Tughlaq:

• Muhammad bin Tughluq (also Prince Fakhr Malik Jauna Khan, Ulugh Khan; c. 1290 – 20 March 1351) was the Sultan of Delhi from 1325 to 1351.
• He was the eldest son of Ghiyas -ud -Din -Tughlaq, the founder of the Tughluq dynasty. His wife was the daughter of the Raja of Dipalpur.

• Muhammad ascended to the Delhi throne upon his father's death in 1325. 

Remarriage is the legal union after the dissolution of the previous marriage. In Hindu society, widows have not been permitted to remarry.

Important Points

Hindu Widow Remarriage Act, 1856

• The 1856 Act removed the obstacles in the path of remarriage of Hindu widows and legalized widow remarriage.

• The objective of the act was to promote the welfare of women.
• This act legalizes the Remarriage of Hindu widows and declares that any such issue of remarriage of women will not be considered illegitimate.

Hence, it is clear that the year 1856 was significant in the history of Indian Society because of Hindu Widow Remarriage Act was passed.

Additional Information

• An Act against female infanticide was passed in 1870.
• An Act against Sati System was passed in 1829.