World History MCQs

Notes:
In 1529, when Emperor Charles V revoked the decision to the princes to choose their own religion, the German princes drew up a protest and they came to be known as “Protestants”.

Notes:
In January 1776, Thomas Paine came to America from England and issued a pamphlet “Common Sense”. It attacked the idea of hereditary monarchy and advocated democratic government. More than one lakh copies of this 50 page booklet were distributed throughout the thirteen colonies. It inculcated the fighting spirit among the Americans.

Notes:
On the first of May 1890, millions of workers all over Europe and America struck work and held massive demonstrations. Since then the first of May is observed as the international working class day all over the world.

Notes:
By the middle of 1918, banks and insurance companies, large industries, mines, water transport and railways were nationalised. Foreign debts were refused and foreign investments were confiscated. A Declaration of the Rights of Peoples was issued conferring the right of self-determination upon all nationalities. A new government, called the Council of People’s Commissars, headed by Lenin was founded. These first acts of the new government began the era of socialism.

Notes:
In 1912 Benito Mussolini started the editing of Avanti!, a socialist journal. He was a bitter opponent of the Church.

Notes:
Mussolini, who was a staunch opponent of Bolshevism, decided to start a new party to fight Communism. In march 1919 the Fascist Party was established under his leadership. The members wore black shirts and were equipped with arms. The party had its own flag. The members were well disciplined and Mussolini was their chief commander.

Notes:
Mussolini was an action oriented Prime Minister. He took the following steps for the reorganization of administration.

• The dacoits living in the interiors of Naples and Sicily were crushed.
• The economic and social conditions of the labourers were improved.
• Trade Unions were abolished.
• The entire powers of the Parliament were snatched.
• Members faithful to the leader alone were appointed as ministers and officers.

Notes:
In April 1940, Germany captured Denmark and Norway. In May 1940, Holland and Belgium were conquered. Germany attacked France and captured it in June 1940. Italy fought against the British forces in North Africa. Mussolini attacked Greece and captured it with German support. Yugoslavia and Crete were occupied by the Germans.

Notes:
The end of the Second World War saw the rise of the U.S.A. and U.S.S.R. as Super Powers. The strained relationship between these two countries till the collapse of the U.S.S.R is known as the Cold War. The term ‘Cold War’ was used for the first time by Bernard Baruch. Thereafter this term gained popularity through the journalist Walter Lippman.

Notes:
Mikhail Gorbachev became the President of the Soviet Union in March 1985. He instituted a number of political reforms under the name of “glasnost”.