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 of the following country’s government is known to impose Policy of Apartheid between 1948 and 1994 which curtailed rights of the black inhabitants and maintained rights of whites?
[A] Australia
[B] New Zea Land
[C] South Africa
[D] United States
Show Answer
Correct Answer: C [South Africa]
Notes:
Apartheid was a system of racial segregation that existed in South Africa and South West Africa (now Namibia) from 1948 to the early 1990s. The National Party governed South Africa from 1948 until 1994. During this time, South Africa was a partial democracy because non-white people were barred from voting after 1958.
The Anti-Apartheid Movement (AAM) was a British organization that opposed the South African apartheid system. The AAM supported South Africa’s non-white population who were persecuted by the policies of apartheid.
Nelson Mandela was sworn in as President of South Africa in 1994. He was known for his internal resistance to apartheid.
2. The first major effort to evolve rules of the game for international trade (or multilateral trade) was in the post-World War II era which resulted in the establishment which of the following?
[A] World Trade Organization
[B] WEF
[C] IMF
[D] GATT
Show Answer
Correct Answer: D [GATT]
Notes:
The General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade is a legal agreement between countries, whose overall purpose was to promote international trade by reducing or eliminating trade barriers such as tariffs or quotas. It is to evolve rules of game for international trade.
3. 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.
4. Which of the following is related to the North-South dialogue? (UPSC Prelims 1982)
[A] Developed and Developing countries
[B] Developing and Under-developed countries
[C] North and South countries of the world
[D] North and South America
Show Answer
Correct Answer: A [Developed and Developing countries]
Notes:
The North-South Dialogue refers to the process through which the developing and newly independent nations of the “third world,” engaged the industrialized countries of North America and Western Europe in negotiations over changes to the international economic system.
5. 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.
6. Which Pharaoh of Egypt is credited with construction of Great Pyramid of Giza?
[A] Unas
[B] Khufu
[C] Khafre
[D] Sahure
Show Answer
Correct Answer: B [Khufu]
Notes:
Pyramids were royal tombs with four triangle-shaped sides that meet in a point on top. The largest Pyramid was constructed for Pharaoh Khufu at Gizeh which is 481 feet in height and made of 23,00,000 blocks of limestone.
7. Which of the following had invented a type of water-clock to measure time?
[A] Sumerians
[B] Assyrian
[C] Akkadian
[D] Babylonian
Show Answer
Correct Answer: A [Sumerians]
Notes:
The Sumerians invented a type of water-clock which was used to measure time. They counted their twelve months of the year by observing the decrease and increase in the shadow of the moon.
8. Which of the following river is also called as the sorrow of China?
[A] Tsang po
[B] Yang-tse-kiang
[C] Yellow River
[D] None of the above
Show Answer
Correct Answer: C [Yellow River]
Notes:
The Yellow River or Huang He is the second-longest river in China. The ‘Yellow River’ passed through rich yellow soil and made the land very fertile. The river is sometimes called “Sorrow of China” because of the devastating floods.
9. Which of the following was also known as Mycenaean civilization?
[A] Mesopotamian
[B] Greek
[C] Chinese
[D] Harappan
Show Answer
Correct Answer: B [Greek]
Notes:
Greek civilization was named after the legendary king Minos of Crete (Minoan Civilization). Sometimes it was referred to as Mycenaean civilization, after a city called Mycenae, which the Cretans had built.
10. Which of the following is NOT a Greek deity?
[A] Zeus
[B] Apollo
[C] Athena
[D] Olympus
Show Answer
Correct Answer: D [Olympus]
Notes:
The Greeks worshipped a number of deities like Zeus, Apollo, Athena etc. Their religion was a sort of contact between the man and the God. In Greek mythology, Mount Olympus is the home of the Greek gods.
