World History MCQs

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.

Notes:
The British took over the administration of Burma after three Anglo-Burmese Wars in the 19th century. On 4 January 1948, Burma (now known as Myanmar) got independence from Britain, under the terms of the Burma Independence Act 1947. The new country was named the Union of Burma, with Sao Shwe Thaik as its first President and U Nu as its first Prime Minister.

Notes:
The policy of racial discrimination followed in South Africa was called Apartheid.

Notes:
The Russian Revolution is the collective term for a series of revolutions in Russia in 1917, which dismantled the Tsarist autocracy and led to the creation of the communist government. The Emperor was forced to abdicate and replaced by a provisional government during the first revolution of February 1917. In the second revolution, during October, the Provisional Government was replaced with a Bolshevik (Communist) government.

Notes:
The Wall Street Crash of 1929 led to the beginning of the 10-year Great Depression that affected all Western industrialized countries. Also known as Black Tuesday, the Great Crash, or the Stock Market Crash of 1929, it began on October 24, 1929 (“Black Thursday”), and was the most devastating stock market crash in the history of the United States.

Notes:
In 1497, John Cabot was sent by Henry VII of England to explore the seas. He discovered the Newfoundland. In his next expedition, he reached North America and explored it.

Notes:
John Wycliffe (1330-1384) from England criticized the Pope for his authority and misdeeds. He translated the Bible into English. He is considered “the Morning Star of the Reformation. Erasmus (1466-1536) attacked the superstitions followed by the clergy in his book In Praise of Folly. It was published in 1509.

Notes:
In 1773, a new Tea Act was passed imposing a tax on import of tea. It was a symbol to show that the British Parliament had the right to tax the colonies. But Americans showed their protest. A group of Americans dressed as Red Indians, climbed on the ships and threw away the tea bundles into the sea at the Boston harbour. This event took place on 16th December 1773 and it was known as the Boston Tea Party. The offenders were punished. In 1774, the British Parliament passed the Intolerable Acts against the Americans in order to prevent such protests.

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:
The U.S.A., Canada, Britain, France, Holland, Belgium and Luxemburg, Portugal, Denmark, Italy and Norway became NATO’s members. They had agreed to mutually extend military help in case of an attack on any one of them. It was formed against the Soviet Union.