World History MCQs
World History Multiple Choice Quiz Questions (MCQs) on Ancient World History, Medieval World History and Modern World History for various UPSC, PCS and other Competitive Examinations.
41. Consider the following statements with respect to the Sykes-Picot Agreement:
- It was signed between Britain and France.
- It was related to the West Asian territories of Ottoman Empire.
- It contained a declaration of intent to constitute a Jewish Homeland in the Palestine area.
Which of the above is / are correct?
[A] Only 1
[B] Only 1 and 2
[C] Only 1 and 3
[D] Only 2 and 3
Show Answer
Correct Answer: B [Only 1 and 2]
Notes:
During the WWI, Britain and France, were fomenting the dormant Arab nationalism in West Asia, which was under the control of Ottoman Turks at the time. They made promises that if the Arabs helped in war, they will be rewarded with a separate nation of their own. But, Britain and France arrived at a secret arrangement between themselves regarding the future division of Ottoman West Asia territories between themselves after the war. This arrangement is known as the Sykes-Picot agreement which was decided in 1916. So, statement 1 is correct. Under this agreement, Transjordan, Iraq and Palestine were to go to Britain and Syria and Lebanon were to be awarded to France under the guise of ‘Mandate’ system. So, statement 2 is also correct. In a separate case, British government also committed itself to the establishment in Palestine of a national home for the Jewish people. This pledge was contained in a letter famously known as the ‘Balfour Declaration.’ So, statement 3 is incorrect.
42. The ‘Atlantic Charter’ was signed between which of the following countries?
- USA
- Britain
- USSR
- Japan
Select the correct answer from the codes given below:
[A] Only 1, 2, and 3
[B] Only 1 and 2
[C] Only 2 and 3
[D] Only 1 and 4
Show Answer
Correct Answer: B [Only 1 and 2]
Notes:
‘Atlantic Charter’ was a declaration issued jointly by the Prime Minister of Britain, Winston Churchill, and the President of USA, Franklin D. Roosevelt, in August 1941. It was an important document, even though, it did not imply any direct military commitment on the part of the US to take part in the war. The Charter set out certain common principles on which to base ‘a better future for the world’. The two parties committed themselves to these principles, and they became, in a sense, a statement of war aims. The two countries stated that they did not seek any territorial aggrandizement or any territorial changes that do not accord with the freely expressed wishes of the people concerned. The Charter also implicitly accepted the principle of ‘self-determinism’ for the colonies. So, option b is the correct answer.
43. Opium wars were fought between the British and:
[A] China
[B] Bhutan
[C] Myanmar (Burma)
[D] Afghanistan
Show Answer
Correct Answer: A [China]
Notes:
The first Opium War (1839–42) was fought between China and Britain, and the second Opium War (1856–60), also known as the Arrow War or the Anglo-French War in China, was fought by Britain and France against China. In each case the foreign powers were victorious and gained commercial privileges and legal and territorial concessions in China.
44. Name the country where the first Industrial Revolution took place.
[A] America
[B] Great Britain
[C] Germany
[D] France
Show Answer
Correct Answer: B [Great Britain]
Notes:
The Industrial Revolution was the transition to new manufacturing processes in the period from about 1760 to sometime between 1820 and 1840. It began in Great Britain and then spread to Western Europe and the United States.
45. Which country emerged as the biggest colonial power at the end of the nineteenth century?
[A] France
[B] Spain
[C] Britain
[D] Germany
Show Answer
Correct Answer: C [Britain]
Notes:
Britain emerged as the biggest colonial power at the end of the nineteenth century.
46. Which U.S. President announced the “New Deal” for economic recovery in the aftermath of the Great Depression?
[A] Abraham Lincoln
[B] Benjamin Franklin
[C] Roosevelt
[D] J.F. Kennedy
Show Answer
Correct Answer: C [Roosevelt]
Notes:
The New Deal was a series of domestic programs enacted in the United States between 1933 and 1938, and a few that came later. They included both laws passed by Congress as well as presidential executive orders during the first term (1933–37) of President Franklin D. Roosevelt.
47. The first Atom bomb was dropped on Hiroshima on:
[A] August 6, 1945
[B] August 9, 1945
[C] August 9, 1946
[D] August 6, 1942
Show Answer
Correct Answer: A [August 6, 1945]
Notes:
A uranium gun-type atomic bomb (Little Boy) was dropped on Hiroshima on August 6, 1945. It was followed by a plutonium implosion-type bomb (Fat Man) on the city of Nagasaki on August 9, 1945. The twin bombings led to Japan’s surrender in the Second War.
48. Who advocated Nazism in Germany?
[A] Fedrick William IV
[B] Adolf Hitler
[C] Bismark
[D] William III
Show Answer
Correct Answer: B [Adolf Hitler]
Notes:
German dictator Adolf Hitler (1889-1945) advocated Nazism in Germany. led the extreme nationalist and racist Nazi party and served as chancellor-president of Germany from 1933 to 1945. Nazism advocated militant nationalism, war and aggressive imperialism and precipitated the outbreak of the Second World War. Nazism under Hitler led to the extermination of approximately 6 million Jews.
49. Who became the first President of the Chinese Republic?
[A] Yuan Shih Kai
[B] Joan Min Ho
[C] Sung Kamin Chu
[D] Yung Hin Kai
Show Answer
Correct Answer: A [Yuan Shih Kai]
Notes:
Dr. Sun Yat Sen mobilized young revolutionaries and started the 1911 Revolution in China. This revolution ended the Manchu rule in China. New flag, new calendar were adopted. China for the first time became a republic. Yuan Shih Kai became the President of the Chinese Republic.
50. When did the Philippines gain independence from American colonial rule?
[A] 1898
[B] 1912
[C] 1946
[D] 1965
Show Answer
Correct Answer: C [1946]
Notes:
The Philippines attained full sovereignty from American colonial oversight on July 4, 1946, through the Treaty of Manila. This transition ended a period of American rule that began in 1898, ushering in a new era of independence for the Philippines.