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. The Treaty of Portsmouth brought an end to a war in 1905 fought between?
[A] Russia & Japan
[B] Romania & Bulgaria
[C] Russia & Turkey
[D] Russia & USA
Show Answer
Correct Answer: A [Russia & Japan]
Notes:
Treaty of Portsmouth ended the Russo-Japanese War in 1905. The treaty was signed on September 5, 1905 at the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard in Kittery, Maine. The treaty was signed by Japanese and Russian diplomats after negotiations from August 6 to August 30. The treaty ended the war that began in 1904. The war was caused by Russian and Japanese expansionism in the Far East. The war contributed to domestic unrest in both countries, which led to the Russian revolution of 1905. U.S. President Theodore Roosevelt was instrumental in the negotiations and won the Nobel Peace Prize for his efforts.
2. The term “two-state solution", sometimes seen in news, would settle dispute between:
[A] India and Pakistan
[B] Israel and Palestine
[C] China and Taiwan
[D] Ukraine and Russia
Show Answer
Correct Answer: B [Israel and Palestine]
Notes:
The two-state solution refers to a solution of Israeli-Palestinian conflict which calls for “two states for two groups of people.” The two-state solution envisages independent State of Palestine as a single democratic country alongside the State of Israel.
3. Which one of the following time-periods is associated with the infamous “Armenian Genocide”?
[A] 1914-1923
[B] 1936-1943
[C] 1948-1951
[D] 1989-1991
Show Answer
Correct Answer: A [1914-1923]
Notes:
Armenian Genocide or Armenian Holocaust is the mass murder of 15 lakhs of ethnic Armenians carried out in Turkey by the then Ottoman Empire between 1914 and 1923. The genocide involved physical destruction, deportation and displacement of the civilian population.
4. The “Nagorno-Karabakh Conflict” is a territorial dispute between which among the following nations?
[A] Armenia and Russia
[B] Armenia and Azerbaijan
[C] Azerbaijan and Russia
[D] Azerbaijan and Iran
Show Answer
Correct Answer: B [Armenia and Azerbaijan]
Notes:
Nagorno-Karabakh Conflict is a territorial dispute between Armenia and Azerbaijan. This region is legally recognized under the control of Azerbaijan. The conflict further leads to a full-scale war between 1988 and 1994.
5. Identify the infamous “Slave Coast” of the African continent from the following:
[A] Gulf of Aden coast from Somalia to the Indian Ocean coast of Mozambique.
[B] Bight of Benin coast of Gulf of Guinea between Volta River and Lagos lagoon.
[C] South African coast to the coast of St. Helena Bay.
[D] Coast of western North Atlantic Ocean from Western Sahara to Liberia.
Show Answer
Correct Answer: B [Bight of Benin coast of Gulf of Guinea between Volta River and Lagos lagoon.]
Notes:
“Slave Coast” lies in the Western African Bight of Benin coast of Gulf of Guinea located between Volta River and Lagos Lagoon. This region witnessed massive Atlantic Slave Trade from the early 16t century to the late 19th century. Germans, Danes, French, Portuguese, Swedish and Spanish made all efforts to enforce their supremacy in this coast to get a larger chunk of the slave trade.
6. Which nation’s army unit was the “Caravan of Death”?
[A] Iraq
[B] Libya
[C] Chile
[D] Cuba
Show Answer
Correct Answer: C [Chile]
Notes:
The Caravan of Death was the Chilean army death squad during the 1970s. It was largely in action following the Chilean Coup of 1973. This death squad targeted the country’s communist and opposition leaders. This death squad was sanctioned by the then ruler of Chile Augusto Pinochet.
7. The “Kuomintang’s” were the political group of which nation?
[A] People’s Republic of China
[B] Socialist Republic of Vietnam
[C] Democratic People’s Republic of Korea
[D] Republic of Korea
Show Answer
Correct Answer: A [People’s Republic of China]
Notes:
Kuomintang’s were in political power in mainland China from 1912 to 1949. Sun Yat-Sen was its founder President. Kuomintang’s lost to the Communist Party of China in the Chinese Civil War ended in 1949. Kuomintang’s lost the control of mainland China and they retreated themselves to Taiwan and formed “Republic of China”. Communist Party of China instead took control of mainland China and proclaimed the establishment of the People ‘s Republic of China in 1949.
8. The “Cultural genocide of Uyghurs” happened in which nation?
[A] Turkey
[B] Myanmar
[C] China
[D] Iraq
Show Answer
Correct Answer: C [China]
Notes:
China is associated with the Cultural genocide of Uyghurs. In 21st century, the Chinese Government adopted a policy of sinicization to propagate among the Xinjiang regions. This particular policy subjects Uyghurs to participate in state-sponsored re-education camps, suppression of Uyghur religious practices and forced sterilization and contraception of Uyghurs.
9. Which city was the capital of “Free France” between 1940 and 1943?
[A] London
[B] Algiers
[C] Brazzaville
[D] Paris
Show Answer
Correct Answer: C [Brazzaville]
Notes:
Brazzaville was the capital of “Free France” between 1940 and 1943 during the period of World War II when France was under the occupation of Germany, under Axis Powers. It was the decision of the Empire Defence Council to designate Brazzaville, the capital of French Equatorial Africa, as the administrative seat of Free France. It was ratified by the Barzaville Manifesto.
10. The “Cuban Thaw” was the normalisation and restoration of friendly relations between the governments of Cuba and which other nation?
[A] United Kingdom
[B] United States of America
[C] Russia
[D] Germany
Show Answer
Correct Answer: B [United States of America]
Notes:
The “Cuban Thaw” was the term used to manifest the normalisation and restoration of friendly relations between the governments of Cuba and the United States of America. This peaceful gesture ended a 54-year stretch of hostility between two nations. This happened on 20 July 2015 and Barack Obama became the first USA president to visit Cuba since 1928. It was mediated by the Pope Francis of the Holy See and the Government of Canada. This restored the diplomatic relations between the two governments.