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.
1. Which country was known as Gold Coast in past?
[A] Burkina Faso
[B] Togo
[C] Ghana
[D] Mali
Show Answer
Correct Answer: C [Ghana]
Notes:
Gold Coast was a region in West Africa that is now known as the country Ghana. The region was named the Gold Coast because of its large supplies of gold and the market for it during the transatlantic slave trade. The Gold Coast was also a trade hub for slaves.
The Portuguese named the area Mina, which means “mine”, after finding so much gold between the Ankobra and Volta rivers in the 15th century. The English colonists later adopted the name Gold Coast.
The Gold Coast was a British colony. In 1957, the Gold Coast gained independence from Britain and became the country Ghana. Kwame Nkrumah led the independence movement and became Ghana’s first prime minister and president.
2. From which one of the following nations Armenia got its independence in 1991?
[A] United Kingdom
[B] Portugal
[C] Soviet Union
[D] Netherlands
Show Answer
Correct Answer: C [Soviet Union]
Notes:
Armenia became independent in 1991 during the dissolution of Soviet Union. On 21 September 1991, Armenians voted a referendum favouring independence of Armenia from the Soviet Union or USSR. Armenia gained independence formally on 26 December 1991.
3. Which one of the following was the “immediate cause” or the “spark” for the start of World War I?
[A] Imperialistic tendencies and competition among the European countries.
[B] Militarism of Germany and Russia.
[C] Assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria-Hungary.
[D] Annexation of Bosnia and Herzegovina by Austria-Hungary.
Show Answer
Correct Answer: C [Assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria-Hungary.]
Notes:
The immediate cause of World War I was the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria-Hungary. In June 1914, a Serbian nationalist Gavrilo Princip assassinated Archduke and his wife to take revenge against the occupation of Bosnia-Herzegovina by Austria-Hungary. immediately, after the assassination, Austria-Hungary declared the war over Serbia. This further leads to alliance nations declaring war between themselves, caused WW I.
4. Which two nations were involved in “Ping-pong Diplomacy”?
[A] China and North Korea
[B] North Korea and United States of America
[C] China and United States of America
[D] Japan and United States of America
Show Answer
Correct Answer: C [China and United States of America]
Notes:
The diplomatic relations between China and the United States of America of the early 1970s were known as “Ping-pong Diplomacy”. Ping-pong is the Chinese word of Table Tennis. It involves the exchange of table tennis players between the United States of America and China in the early 1970s. This particular gesture boosted the Sino-American Relations with the visit of President Richard Nixon to Beijing in 1972.
5. Which nation’s revolutionary organization was “26th of July Movement”?
[A] Iran
[B] North Korea
[C] Cuba
[D] Vietnam
Show Answer
Correct Answer: C [Cuba]
Notes:
26th of July Movement was a revolutionary organisation and a political party of Cuba led by Fidel Castro. It was active from 1955 to 1965. It was widely remembered as an attack against army barracks on 26th July 1953 to overthrow the rule of dictator Fulgencio Batista. It supported anti-imperialism and left-wing nationalism. Its area of operations was in the Caribean Sea.
6. The “Velvet Revolution”, also known as the “Gentle Revolution”, happened in which nation/s?
[A] Italy
[B] Austria-Hungary
[C] Czech Republic-Slovakia
[D] Russia
Show Answer
Correct Answer: C [Czech Republic-Slovakia]
Notes:
The Velvet Revolution was a series of peaceful protests and political changes that took place in Czechoslovakia in 1989. It began with a student demonstration in Prague on November 17th and quickly spread throughout the country, leading to the downfall of the communist government and the transition to a democratic, multiparty political system. The name “Velvet Revolution” comes from the non-violent nature of the protests, which were marked by a lack of bloodshed and violence. This peaceful transition of power is widely seen as one of the most successful examples of nonviolent resistance in history.
7. “The Pharaoh was all” was the official title of the king of which of the following civilizations?
[A] Chinese Civilization
[B] Mesopotamian Civilization
[C] Egyptian Civilization
[D] Indus-Valley Civilization
Show Answer
Correct Answer: C [Egyptian Civilization ]
Notes:
“The Pharaoh was all” was the official title of the king of Egyptian Civilization. His position was so much above the common people and the nobbles, that he was regarded as the son of the chief of their Gods.
8. Rome fought the Punic Wars with which of the following?
[A] Alexandria
[B] Greeks
[C] Gauls
[D] Carthage
Show Answer
Correct Answer: D [Carthage]
Notes:
Rome fought the Punic Wars with Carthage. The Punic Wars were a series of three wars fought between 264 and 146 BC. The First Punic War broke out in Sicily in 264 BC.
9. Which of the following was the father of Mohammed?
[A] Abu Talib
[B] Abdullah
[C] Abdul-Motalib
[D] None of the above
Show Answer
Correct Answer: B [Abdullah ]
Notes:
Prophet Muhammad was the son of Abdullah ibn Abd al-Muttalib and Fatimah bint Amr of the Makhzum clan. Muhammad’s father, Abdullah, died almost six months before he was born, leaving him in the care of his paternal grandfather Abd al-Muttalib.
10. Which of the following was the central theme of most Renaissance art and literature?
[A] People
[B] God
[C] Jesus
[D] None of the above
Show Answer
Correct Answer: A [People]
Notes:
The central theme of most Renaissance art and literature was the ‘Person’. The new Renaissance person was viewed as the maker of his own destiny rather than being a helpless plaything in the hands of supernatural forces.