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.
21. World War-II was fought during which of the following periods?
[A] 1939 to 1945
[B] 1945 to 1947
[C] 1930 to 1940
[D] 1914 to 1918
[B] 1945 to 1947
[C] 1930 to 1940
[D] 1914 to 1918
Correct Answer: A [1939 to 1945]
Notes:
World War II, also known as the Second World War, was a global war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world’s countries forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis.
World War II, also known as the Second World War, was a global war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world’s countries forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis.
22. The Treaty of Versailles was signed in which of the following year?
[A] 1917
[B] 1918
[C] 1919
[D] 1920
[B] 1918
[C] 1919
[D] 1920
Correct Answer: C [1919]
Notes:
The Treaty of Versailles was one of the most important peace treaties that brought World War I to an end. The Treaty of Versailles was signed on 28 June 1919. It ended the state of war between Germany and the Allied Powers.
The Treaty of Versailles was one of the most important peace treaties that brought World War I to an end. The Treaty of Versailles was signed on 28 June 1919. It ended the state of war between Germany and the Allied Powers.
23. Which of the following was the last battle of World War II?
[A] Battle of North Borneo
[B] Battle of Okinawa
[C] Battle of the Atlantic
[D] None of these
[B] Battle of Okinawa
[C] Battle of the Atlantic
[D] None of these
Correct Answer: B [Battle of Okinawa]
Notes:
The Battle of Okinawa was the last major battle of World War II, and it one of the bloodiest battle fought. The Navy’s Fifth Fleet and more than 180,000 U.S. Army and U.S. Marine Corps troops descended on the Pacific island of Okinawa for a final push towards Japan on April 1, 1945.
The Battle of Okinawa was the last major battle of World War II, and it one of the bloodiest battle fought. The Navy’s Fifth Fleet and more than 180,000 U.S. Army and U.S. Marine Corps troops descended on the Pacific island of Okinawa for a final push towards Japan on April 1, 1945.
24. The First Arab-Israeli War happened in which year?
[A] 1947
[B] 1948
[C] 1949
[D] 1950
[B] 1948
[C] 1949
[D] 1950
Correct Answer: B [1948]
Notes:
The “1948 (or First) Arab–Israeli War” was the second and final stage of the 1947–49 Palestine war. The Middle East region has probably suffered more rivalry and conflict than any other part of the world. The 1948 Arab-Israeli war was the first instance of a bloody and hostile battle, triggered by the declaration of Israel’s independence on 14 May 1948. The 1948 war was caused by a number of ‘international and intraregional factors’ intertwining to create a complex situation and catalyst for war. The war resulted in Israel’s victory, yet had significant consequences on not only regional politics of this area, but also international relations, which are still visible today. This war resulted in – Israeli victory, Jordanian partial victory, Palestinian Arab defeat, Egyptian defeat, Arab League strategic failure, 1949 Armistice Agreements; Israel keeps the area allotted to it by the Partition Plan and captures ~60% of the area allotted to Arab state; Jordanian rule of West Bank, Egyptian occupation of the Gaza Strip.
The “1948 (or First) Arab–Israeli War” was the second and final stage of the 1947–49 Palestine war. The Middle East region has probably suffered more rivalry and conflict than any other part of the world. The 1948 Arab-Israeli war was the first instance of a bloody and hostile battle, triggered by the declaration of Israel’s independence on 14 May 1948. The 1948 war was caused by a number of ‘international and intraregional factors’ intertwining to create a complex situation and catalyst for war. The war resulted in Israel’s victory, yet had significant consequences on not only regional politics of this area, but also international relations, which are still visible today. This war resulted in – Israeli victory, Jordanian partial victory, Palestinian Arab defeat, Egyptian defeat, Arab League strategic failure, 1949 Armistice Agreements; Israel keeps the area allotted to it by the Partition Plan and captures ~60% of the area allotted to Arab state; Jordanian rule of West Bank, Egyptian occupation of the Gaza Strip.
25. Which revolution was the theme for the famous painting “Liberty Leading the People”?
[A] Russian Revolution, 1917
[B] French Revolution, 1789
[C] French Revolution, 1830
[D] American Revolution, 1783
[B] French Revolution, 1789
[C] French Revolution, 1830
[D] American Revolution, 1783
Correct Answer: C [French Revolution, 1830]
Notes:
Liberty Leading the People is a painting by Eugene Delacroix commemorating the French Revolution of 1830, also known as the July Revolution of 1830, which toppled King Charles X of France. A woman of the people with a Phrygian cap personifying the concept of Liberty leads a varied group of people forward over a barricade and the bodies of the fallen, holding the flag of the French Revolution – the tricolour, which again became France’s national flag after these events – in one hand and brandishing a bayonetted musket with the other. The figure of Liberty is also viewed as a symbol of France and the French Republic known as Marianne.
Liberty Leading the People is a painting by Eugene Delacroix commemorating the French Revolution of 1830, also known as the July Revolution of 1830, which toppled King Charles X of France. A woman of the people with a Phrygian cap personifying the concept of Liberty leads a varied group of people forward over a barricade and the bodies of the fallen, holding the flag of the French Revolution – the tricolour, which again became France’s national flag after these events – in one hand and brandishing a bayonetted musket with the other. The figure of Liberty is also viewed as a symbol of France and the French Republic known as Marianne.
26. Which leader’s failed coup attempt was “Beer Hall Putsch”?
[A] Joseph Stalin
[B] Adolf Hitler
[C] Benito Mussolini
[D] Ernesto”Che”Guevara
[B] Adolf Hitler
[C] Benito Mussolini
[D] Ernesto”Che”Guevara
Correct Answer: B [Adolf Hitler ]
Notes:
The Beer Hall Putsch, also known as the Munich Putsch or the Hitlerputsch or the Hitler–Ludendorff-Putsch, was a failed coup d’etat by the Nazi Party (NSDAP) leader Adolf Hitler to seize power in Munich, Bavaria, which took place on 8–9 November 1923. Approximately two thousand Nazis were marching to the Feldherrnhalle, in the city centre, when they were confronted by a police cordon, which resulted in the deaths of 16 Nazi party members and four police officers. Hitler, who was wounded during the clash, escaped immediate arrest. After two days, he was arrested and charged with treason. The putsch brought Hitler to the attention of the German nation and generated front-page headlines in newspapers around the world. His arrest was followed by a 24-day trial, which was widely publicised and gave him a platform to express his nationalist sentiments to the nation. Hitler was found guilty of treason and sentenced to five years in Landsberg Prison, where he dictated Mein Kampf to his fellow prisoners Emil Maurice and Rudolf Hess. On 20 December 1924, having served only nine months, Hitler was released. Once released, Hitler redirected his focus towards obtaining power through legal means rather than revolution or force, and accordingly changed his tactics, further developing Nazi propaganda.
The Beer Hall Putsch, also known as the Munich Putsch or the Hitlerputsch or the Hitler–Ludendorff-Putsch, was a failed coup d’etat by the Nazi Party (NSDAP) leader Adolf Hitler to seize power in Munich, Bavaria, which took place on 8–9 November 1923. Approximately two thousand Nazis were marching to the Feldherrnhalle, in the city centre, when they were confronted by a police cordon, which resulted in the deaths of 16 Nazi party members and four police officers. Hitler, who was wounded during the clash, escaped immediate arrest. After two days, he was arrested and charged with treason. The putsch brought Hitler to the attention of the German nation and generated front-page headlines in newspapers around the world. His arrest was followed by a 24-day trial, which was widely publicised and gave him a platform to express his nationalist sentiments to the nation. Hitler was found guilty of treason and sentenced to five years in Landsberg Prison, where he dictated Mein Kampf to his fellow prisoners Emil Maurice and Rudolf Hess. On 20 December 1924, having served only nine months, Hitler was released. Once released, Hitler redirected his focus towards obtaining power through legal means rather than revolution or force, and accordingly changed his tactics, further developing Nazi propaganda.
27. Which were the four countries that occupied Germany, upon the defeat of Nazi Germany in World War II?
[A] United Kingdom, the United States, France and the Soviet Union
[B] United Kingdom, the United States, Italy and the Soviet Union
[C] United Kingdom, the United States, Netherlands and the Soviet Union
[D] United Kingdom, the United States, Belgium and the Soviet Union
[B] United Kingdom, the United States, Italy and the Soviet Union
[C] United Kingdom, the United States, Netherlands and the Soviet Union
[D] United Kingdom, the United States, Belgium and the Soviet Union
Correct Answer: A [United Kingdom, the United States, France and the Soviet Union]
Notes:
The United Kingdom, the United States, France and the Soviet Union were the four countries that occupied Germany, upon the defeat of Nazi Germany in World War II. Allied-occupied Germany was the state of Germany upon the defeat of Nazi Germany in World War II when the victorious Allies asserted joint authority and sovereignty over Germany as a whole, defined as all territories of the former German Reich west of the Oder–Neisse line, having declared the destruction of Nazi Germany at the death of Adolf Hitler. The four powers divided “Germany as a whole” into four occupation zones for administrative purposes under the United States, United Kingdom, France and the Soviet Union, respectively. This division was ratified at the Potsdam Conference (17 July to 2 August 1945). The four zones were as agreed in February 1945 by the United States, United Kingdom and the Soviet Union meeting at the Yalta Conference; setting aside an earlier division into three zones (excluding France) proposed by the London Protocol.
The United Kingdom, the United States, France and the Soviet Union were the four countries that occupied Germany, upon the defeat of Nazi Germany in World War II. Allied-occupied Germany was the state of Germany upon the defeat of Nazi Germany in World War II when the victorious Allies asserted joint authority and sovereignty over Germany as a whole, defined as all territories of the former German Reich west of the Oder–Neisse line, having declared the destruction of Nazi Germany at the death of Adolf Hitler. The four powers divided “Germany as a whole” into four occupation zones for administrative purposes under the United States, United Kingdom, France and the Soviet Union, respectively. This division was ratified at the Potsdam Conference (17 July to 2 August 1945). The four zones were as agreed in February 1945 by the United States, United Kingdom and the Soviet Union meeting at the Yalta Conference; setting aside an earlier division into three zones (excluding France) proposed by the London Protocol.
28. Which were the countries that participated in the military attack “Occupation of the Ruhr”?
[A] United Kingdom and United States
[B] Netherlands and Belgium
[C] France and Belgium
[D] United Kingdom and Netherlands
[B] Netherlands and Belgium
[C] France and Belgium
[D] United Kingdom and Netherlands
Correct Answer: C [France and Belgium ]
Notes:
France and Belgium were the countries that participated in the military attack “Occupation of the Ruhr”. The Occupation of the Ruhr happened as part of the Aftermath of World War I and political violence in Germany (1918–33), was a period of military occupation of the Ruhr region of Germany by France and Belgium between 11 January 1923 and 25 August 1925. France and Belgium occupied the heavily industrialized Ruhr Valley in response to Germany defaulting on reparation payments dictated by the victorious powers after World War I in the Treaty of Versailles. Occupation of the Ruhr worsened the economic crisis in Germany, and German civilians engaged in acts of passive resistance and civil disobedience, during which 130 were killed. France and Belgium, facing economic and international pressure, accepted the Dawes Plan to restructure Germany’s payment of war reparations in 1924 and withdrew their troops from the Ruhr by August 1925. The Occupation of the Ruhr contributed to German re-armament and the growth of radical right-wing movements in Germany.
France and Belgium were the countries that participated in the military attack “Occupation of the Ruhr”. The Occupation of the Ruhr happened as part of the Aftermath of World War I and political violence in Germany (1918–33), was a period of military occupation of the Ruhr region of Germany by France and Belgium between 11 January 1923 and 25 August 1925. France and Belgium occupied the heavily industrialized Ruhr Valley in response to Germany defaulting on reparation payments dictated by the victorious powers after World War I in the Treaty of Versailles. Occupation of the Ruhr worsened the economic crisis in Germany, and German civilians engaged in acts of passive resistance and civil disobedience, during which 130 were killed. France and Belgium, facing economic and international pressure, accepted the Dawes Plan to restructure Germany’s payment of war reparations in 1924 and withdrew their troops from the Ruhr by August 1925. The Occupation of the Ruhr contributed to German re-armament and the growth of radical right-wing movements in Germany.
29. Which of the following was in synonymous with the term “Bonn Republic”?
[A] East Germany
[B] North France
[C] West Germany
[D] South France
[B] North France
[C] West Germany
[D] South France
Correct Answer: C [West Germany]
Notes:
West Germany was in synonymous with the term “Bonn Republic”. West Germany also known as the Federal Republic of Germany (FRG), retrospectively designated the Bonn Republic, in the period between its formation on 23 May 1949 and German reunification on 3 October 1990. During this Cold War period, the western portion of Germany was part of the Western Bloc. The FRG was created during the Allied occupation of Germany after World War II, established from eleven states formed in the three Allied zones of occupation held by the United States, the United Kingdom and France. Its provisional capital was the city of Bonn.
West Germany was in synonymous with the term “Bonn Republic”. West Germany also known as the Federal Republic of Germany (FRG), retrospectively designated the Bonn Republic, in the period between its formation on 23 May 1949 and German reunification on 3 October 1990. During this Cold War period, the western portion of Germany was part of the Western Bloc. The FRG was created during the Allied occupation of Germany after World War II, established from eleven states formed in the three Allied zones of occupation held by the United States, the United Kingdom and France. Its provisional capital was the city of Bonn.
30. Which of the following is correct regarding “Johannes Gutenberg” the inventor of the mechanical movable type printing press?
[A] A French printer
[B] A German printer
[C] A Spanish printer
[D] An Irish printer
[B] A German printer
[C] A Spanish printer
[D] An Irish printer
Correct Answer: B [A German printer]
Notes:
Johannes Gutenberg, the inventor of the mechanical movable type printing press, is a German printer. Johannes Gutenberg (1400–1468) was a German goldsmith, inventor, printer, and publisher who introduced printing to Europe with the introduction of the mechanical movable type printing press. His work started the Printing Revolution and is regarded as a milestone of the second millennium, ushering in the modern period of human history. It played a key role in the development of the Renaissance, Reformation, Age of Enlightenment, and Scientific Revolution, as well as laying the material basis for the modern knowledge-based economy and the spread of learning to the masses.
Johannes Gutenberg, the inventor of the mechanical movable type printing press, is a German printer. Johannes Gutenberg (1400–1468) was a German goldsmith, inventor, printer, and publisher who introduced printing to Europe with the introduction of the mechanical movable type printing press. His work started the Printing Revolution and is regarded as a milestone of the second millennium, ushering in the modern period of human history. It played a key role in the development of the Renaissance, Reformation, Age of Enlightenment, and Scientific Revolution, as well as laying the material basis for the modern knowledge-based economy and the spread of learning to the masses.