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. Who was the leader of England during World War II?
[A] Winston Churchill
[B] Benito Mussolini
[C] Emperor Hirohito
[D] None of these
[B] Benito Mussolini
[C] Emperor Hirohito
[D] None of these
Correct Answer: A [Winston Churchill]
Notes:
Winston Churchill was the leader of England during World War II. He was Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1940 to 1945, when he led the country to victory in World War II. He again became Prime Minister from 1951 to 1955.
Winston Churchill was the leader of England during World War II. He was Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1940 to 1945, when he led the country to victory in World War II. He again became Prime Minister from 1951 to 1955.
22. The “23rd July Revolution” happened in which country?
[A] Egypt
[B] Iran
[C] France
[D] Russia
[B] Iran
[C] France
[D] Russia
Correct Answer: A [Egypt]
Notes:
The Egyptian revolution of 1952, also known as the 1952 Coup d’état or 23 July revolution, began on 23 July 1952, by the Free Officers Movement, a group of army officers led by Mohammed Naguib and Gamal Abdel Nasser. The revolution was initially aimed at overthrowing King Farouk. However, the movement had more political ambitions and soon moved to abolish the constitutional monarchy and aristocracy of Egypt and Sudan, establish a republic, end the British occupation of the country, and secure the independence of Sudan (previously governed as an Anglo-Egyptian condominium). The revolutionary government adopted a staunchly nationalist, anti-imperialist agenda, which came to be expressed chiefly through Arab nationalism, and international non-alignment. The result of this revolution was that end of the rule of the Muhammad Ali dynasty, the establishment of the Republic of Egypt, end of British occupation of Egypt, beginning of the Nasser era, revolutionary wave across the Arab world, beginning of the Arab Cold War.
The Egyptian revolution of 1952, also known as the 1952 Coup d’état or 23 July revolution, began on 23 July 1952, by the Free Officers Movement, a group of army officers led by Mohammed Naguib and Gamal Abdel Nasser. The revolution was initially aimed at overthrowing King Farouk. However, the movement had more political ambitions and soon moved to abolish the constitutional monarchy and aristocracy of Egypt and Sudan, establish a republic, end the British occupation of the country, and secure the independence of Sudan (previously governed as an Anglo-Egyptian condominium). The revolutionary government adopted a staunchly nationalist, anti-imperialist agenda, which came to be expressed chiefly through Arab nationalism, and international non-alignment. The result of this revolution was that end of the rule of the Muhammad Ali dynasty, the establishment of the Republic of Egypt, end of British occupation of Egypt, beginning of the Nasser era, revolutionary wave across the Arab world, beginning of the Arab Cold War.
23. Which are the signatory countries of the “Tartu Peace Treaty”?
[A] Russia and Ukraine
[B] Russia and Estonia
[C] Russia and Belarus
[D] Russia and Latvia
[B] Russia and Estonia
[C] Russia and Belarus
[D] Russia and Latvia
Correct Answer: B [Russia and Estonia]
Notes:
In its early period, Estonia was under the colonial subjugation of Germans, Danes, Swedes, Poles and Russians. In 19th and early 20th centuries, Estonia witnessed a movement promoting and propagating “Estonian National Awakening” in which Estonians started acknowledging themselves as a nation deserving the right to govern themselves. This lead to the Estonian War of Independence from 1918 to 1920 which lead to the Estonian victory and the signing of the Tartu Peace Treaty, finally proclaiming the independence of Estonia from Russia. After independence, initially, Estonia followed a democratic political system which got culminated into an authoritarian rule post-Great Depression period from 1934 to 1940. This period was known as the Era of Silence. During World War II from 1939 to 1945, Estonia was under German and Soviet Union occupation, which finally ended with Soviet Union subjugation of Estonia through a puppet government, so as to continue the de jure status of Estonia. Annoyed with the subjugation of Soviet Rule, Estonians started “Singing Revolution” from 1987 to 1991 seeking the restoration of independence of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania from Soviet Rule. This lead to the formal restoration of independence of Estonia from the Soviet Union in 1991.
In its early period, Estonia was under the colonial subjugation of Germans, Danes, Swedes, Poles and Russians. In 19th and early 20th centuries, Estonia witnessed a movement promoting and propagating “Estonian National Awakening” in which Estonians started acknowledging themselves as a nation deserving the right to govern themselves. This lead to the Estonian War of Independence from 1918 to 1920 which lead to the Estonian victory and the signing of the Tartu Peace Treaty, finally proclaiming the independence of Estonia from Russia. After independence, initially, Estonia followed a democratic political system which got culminated into an authoritarian rule post-Great Depression period from 1934 to 1940. This period was known as the Era of Silence. During World War II from 1939 to 1945, Estonia was under German and Soviet Union occupation, which finally ended with Soviet Union subjugation of Estonia through a puppet government, so as to continue the de jure status of Estonia. Annoyed with the subjugation of Soviet Rule, Estonians started “Singing Revolution” from 1987 to 1991 seeking the restoration of independence of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania from Soviet Rule. This lead to the formal restoration of independence of Estonia from the Soviet Union in 1991.
24. Which were the two foreign countries fought each other in the Finnish Civil War by supporting Finnish Whites and Finnish Reds respectively?
[A] German Empire and Soviet Russia
[B] Ottoman Empire and Soviet Russia
[C] Ottoman Empire and German Empire
[D] Habsburg Empire and Soviet Russia
[B] Ottoman Empire and Soviet Russia
[C] Ottoman Empire and German Empire
[D] Habsburg Empire and Soviet Russia
Correct Answer: A [German Empire and Soviet Russia]
Notes:
Finnish Civil War was a civil war fought in Finland from 27 January 1918 to 15 May 1918 between Finnish Reds, supported by Soviet Russia, and Finnish Whites, supported by the German Empire to take leadership and control of Finland during the country’s transition from a Grand Duchy of the Russsian Empire to an independent state. Finally, Finnish Whites were victorious and lead to the hegemony of the German Empire over Finland which further leads to the division in Finnish society.
Finnish Civil War was a civil war fought in Finland from 27 January 1918 to 15 May 1918 between Finnish Reds, supported by Soviet Russia, and Finnish Whites, supported by the German Empire to take leadership and control of Finland during the country’s transition from a Grand Duchy of the Russsian Empire to an independent state. Finally, Finnish Whites were victorious and lead to the hegemony of the German Empire over Finland which further leads to the division in Finnish society.
25. Which of the following was the period of the “French Revolution”?
[A] 1784-1789
[B] 1789-1794
[C] 1779-1789
[D] 1789-1799
[B] 1789-1794
[C] 1779-1789
[D] 1789-1799
Correct Answer: D [1789-1799]
Notes:
The French Revolution was a period of social and political upheaval in France and its colonies beginning in 1789 and ending in 1799. The Revolution overthrew the monarchy, established a republic, catalyzed violent periods of political turmoil, and finally culminated in a dictatorship under Napoleon, who brought many of the revolution’s principles to areas he conquered in Western Europe and beyond. Inspired by liberal and radical ideas such as equality before the law, the Revolution influenced the decline of absolute monarchies while replacing them with republics and liberal democracies.
The French Revolution was a period of social and political upheaval in France and its colonies beginning in 1789 and ending in 1799. The Revolution overthrew the monarchy, established a republic, catalyzed violent periods of political turmoil, and finally culminated in a dictatorship under Napoleon, who brought many of the revolution’s principles to areas he conquered in Western Europe and beyond. Inspired by liberal and radical ideas such as equality before the law, the Revolution influenced the decline of absolute monarchies while replacing them with republics and liberal democracies.
26. The “War of the First Coalition” was fought by a group of European powers against which country?
[A] Russia
[B] Turkey
[C] France
[D] Germany
[B] Turkey
[C] France
[D] Germany
Correct Answer: C [France]
Notes:
The War of the First Coalition is the traditional name of wars that several European powers fought between 1792 and 1797 against initially the Kingdom of France and then the French Republic that succeeded it. They were only loosely allied and fought without much apparent coordination or agreement, each power had its eye on a deficient part of France it wanted to appropriate after a French defeat, which never occurred.
The War of the First Coalition is the traditional name of wars that several European powers fought between 1792 and 1797 against initially the Kingdom of France and then the French Republic that succeeded it. They were only loosely allied and fought without much apparent coordination or agreement, each power had its eye on a deficient part of France it wanted to appropriate after a French defeat, which never occurred.
27. Which are the countries involved in the “Triple Entente”?
[A] Russia, France, Great Britain
[B] Italy, Austria-Hungary, Germany
[C] United States of America, Canada, Great Britain
[D] Russia, Italy, Germany
[B] Italy, Austria-Hungary, Germany
[C] United States of America, Canada, Great Britain
[D] Russia, Italy, Germany
Correct Answer: A [Russia, France, Great Britain ]
Notes:
The Triple Entente describes the informal understanding between the Russian Empire, the French Third Republic and Great Britain. It built upon the Franco-Russian Alliance of 1894, the Entente Cordiale of 1904 between Paris and London, and the Anglo-Russian Entente of 1907. It formed a powerful counterweight to the Triple Alliance of Germany, Austria-Hungary, and Italy. The Triple Entente, unlike the Triple Alliance or the Franco-Russian Alliance itself, was not an alliance of mutual defence.
The Triple Entente describes the informal understanding between the Russian Empire, the French Third Republic and Great Britain. It built upon the Franco-Russian Alliance of 1894, the Entente Cordiale of 1904 between Paris and London, and the Anglo-Russian Entente of 1907. It formed a powerful counterweight to the Triple Alliance of Germany, Austria-Hungary, and Italy. The Triple Entente, unlike the Triple Alliance or the Franco-Russian Alliance itself, was not an alliance of mutual defence.
28. Which are the two countries involved in the “Entente Cordiale”?
[A] United Kingdom and France
[B] Germany and Italy
[C] Portugal and Spain
[D] France and Russia
[B] Germany and Italy
[C] Portugal and Spain
[D] France and Russia
Correct Answer: A [United Kingdom and France]
Notes:
The Entente Cordiale was a series of agreements signed on 8 April 1904 between the United Kingdom and the French Republic which saw a significant improvement in Anglo-French relations. Beyond the immediate concerns of colonial expansion addressed by the agreement, the signing of the Entente Cordiale marked the end of almost a thousand years of intermittent conflict between the two states and their predecessors and replaced the modus vivendi that had existed since the end of the Napoleonic Wars in 1815 with a more formal agreement. The Entente Cordiale was the culmination of the policy of Théophile Delcassé, France’s foreign minister from 1898, who believed that a Franco-British understanding would give France some security against any German system of alliances in Western Europe. Credit for the success of the negotiation belongs chiefly to Paul Cambon, France’s ambassador, and to the British foreign secretary Lord Lansdowne.
The Entente Cordiale was a series of agreements signed on 8 April 1904 between the United Kingdom and the French Republic which saw a significant improvement in Anglo-French relations. Beyond the immediate concerns of colonial expansion addressed by the agreement, the signing of the Entente Cordiale marked the end of almost a thousand years of intermittent conflict between the two states and their predecessors and replaced the modus vivendi that had existed since the end of the Napoleonic Wars in 1815 with a more formal agreement. The Entente Cordiale was the culmination of the policy of Théophile Delcassé, France’s foreign minister from 1898, who believed that a Franco-British understanding would give France some security against any German system of alliances in Western Europe. Credit for the success of the negotiation belongs chiefly to Paul Cambon, France’s ambassador, and to the British foreign secretary Lord Lansdowne.
29. Which country’s strategic naval plan was the “Naval Order of 24 October 1918”?
[A] United Kingdom
[B] France
[C] United States of America
[D] Germany
[B] France
[C] United States of America
[D] Germany
Correct Answer: D [Germany]
Notes:
Germany’s strategic naval plan was the “Naval Order of 24 October 1918”. The naval order of 24 October 1918 was a plan made by the German Admiralty at the end of World War I to provoke a decisive battle between the German High Seas Fleet and the British Grand Fleet in the southern North Sea. When the order to prepare for the sortie was issued on 29 October, a mutiny broke out aboard the German ships. Despite the operation being cancelled, these, in turn, led to the more serious Kiel mutiny, which was the starting point of the November Revolution and the proclamation of the Weimar Republic.
Germany’s strategic naval plan was the “Naval Order of 24 October 1918”. The naval order of 24 October 1918 was a plan made by the German Admiralty at the end of World War I to provoke a decisive battle between the German High Seas Fleet and the British Grand Fleet in the southern North Sea. When the order to prepare for the sortie was issued on 29 October, a mutiny broke out aboard the German ships. Despite the operation being cancelled, these, in turn, led to the more serious Kiel mutiny, which was the starting point of the November Revolution and the proclamation of the Weimar Republic.
30. Which religion was the target of “The Holocaust” genocide?
[A] Islam
[B] Judaism
[C] Zoroastrianism
[D] Confucianism
[B] Judaism
[C] Zoroastrianism
[D] Confucianism
Correct Answer: B [Judaism]
Notes:
Judaism was the target of “The Holocaust” genocide. The Holocaust, also known as the Shoah, was the genocide of the European Jews during World War II. Between 1941 and 1945, across German-occupied Europe, Nazi Germany and its collaborators systematically murdered some six million Jews, around two-thirds of Europe’s Jewish population. The murders were carried out in pogroms and mass shootings; by a policy of extermination through work in concentration camps; and in gas chambers and gas vans in German extermination camps. Germany implemented the persecution in stages.
Judaism was the target of “The Holocaust” genocide. The Holocaust, also known as the Shoah, was the genocide of the European Jews during World War II. Between 1941 and 1945, across German-occupied Europe, Nazi Germany and its collaborators systematically murdered some six million Jews, around two-thirds of Europe’s Jewish population. The murders were carried out in pogroms and mass shootings; by a policy of extermination through work in concentration camps; and in gas chambers and gas vans in German extermination camps. Germany implemented the persecution in stages.