Showing posts with label HISTORY. Show all posts
Showing posts with label HISTORY. Show all posts

Wednesday, April 18, 2012

Indian States And Their Folk Dances

JharkhandChhau, Sarahul, Jat-Jatin, Karma, Danga, Bidesia, Sohrai.
UttarakhandGadhwali, Kumayuni, Kajari, Jhora, Raslila, Chappeli
Andhra PradeshKuchipudi (Classical), Ghantamardala, Ottam Thedal, Mohiniattam, Kummi, Siddhi Madhuri, Chhadi.
ChhattisgarhGoudi, Karma, Jhumar, Dagla, Pali, Tapali, Navrani, Diwari, Mundari.
Arunachal PradeshMask dance, War dance etc.
Himachal PradeshJhora, Jhali, Chharhi, Dhaman, Chhapeli, Mahasu, Nati, Dangi, Chamba, Thali, Jhainta, Daf, Stick dance etc.
GoaMandi, Jhagor, Khol, Dakni, etc.
AssamBihu, Bichhua, Natpuja, Maharas, Kaligopal, Bagurumba, Naga dance, Khel Gopal Tabal Chongli, Canoe, Jhumura Hobjanai etc.
West BengalKathi, Gambhira, Dhali, Jatra, Baul, Marasia, Mahal, Keertan, etc.
KeralaKathakali (Classical), Rakhal, Nat Rash, Maha Rash, Raukhat etc.
MeghalayaLaho, Baagla, etc.
ManipurManipuri (Classical), Rakhal, Nat Rash, Maha Rash, Raukhat, etc.
NagalandChong, Khaiva, Lim, Nuralim, etc.
OrissaOdissi (Classical), Rakhal, Nat Rash, Maha Rash, Raukhat etc.
MaharashtraLavani, Nakata, Koli, Lezim, Gafa, Dahikala Dasavtar or Bohada, Tamasha, Mauni, Powara, Gouricha etc.
KarnatakaYakshagan, Huttari, Suggi, Kunitha, Karga, Lambi etc.
GujaratGarba, Dandiya Ras, Tippani Juriun, Bhavai, etc.
PunjabBhangra, Giddha, Daff, Dhaman etc.
RajasthanGhumar, Chakri, Ganagor, Jhulan Leela, Jhuma, Suisini, Ghapal, Panihari, Ginad etc.
MizoramKhanatm, Pakhupila, Cherokan etc.
Jammu & KashmirRauf, Hikat, Mandjas, Kud Dandi Nach, Damali.
Tamil NaduBharatnatyam, Kumi, Kolattam, Kavadi
Uttar PradeshNautanki, Raslila, Kajri, Jhora, Chappeli, Jaita.
BiharJata-Jatin, Bakho-Bakhain, Panwariya, Sama-Chakwa, Bidesia, Jatra, etc.
HaryanaJhumar, Phag Dance, Daph, Dhamal, Loor, Gugga, Khor, Gagor etc.

Important Foreign Travellers / Envoys

  • Megasthenes (302-298 BC) : An ambassador of Selecus Nikator, who visited the court of Chandragupta Maurya and wrote an interesting book ‘Indica’ in which he gave a vivid account of Chandragupta Maurya’s reign.
  • Fa-Hien (405-411 AD) : He came to India during the reign of Chandragupta II Vikramaditya. He was the first Chinese pilgrim to visit India to collect Buddhist texts and relics
  • Hiuen-Tsang (630-645 AD) : He visited India during the reign of Harshavardhana.
  • I-tsing (671-695 AD) : A Chinese traveller, he visited India in connection with Buddhism.
  • Al-Masudi (957 AD) : An Arab traveller, he has given an extensive account of India in his work ‘Muruj-ul-Zehab’.
  • Al-beruni (1024-1030 AD) : He came to India along with Mahmud of Ghazni during one of his Indian raids. He travelled all over India and wrote a book ‘Tahqiq-i-Hind’.
  • Macro Polo (1292-1294 AD) : A Venetian traveller, visited South India in 1294 A.D. His work ‘The Book of Sir Marco Polo’ gives an account of the economic history of India.
  • Ibn Batuta (1333-1347 AD) : A Morrish traveller, his book ‘Rehla’ (the Travelogue) throws a lot of light on the reign of Muhammad-bin-Tughlaq and the geographical, economic and social conditions of that time.
  • Shihabuddin al-Umari (1348 AD) : He came from Damascus and he gives a vivid account of India in his book, ‘Masalik albsar fi-mamalik al-amsar’.
  • Nicolo Conti (1420-1421 AD) : A Venetian traveller, gives a comprehensive account of the Hindu kingdom of Vijaynagar.
  • Abdur Razzaq (1443-1444 AD) : He was a Persian traveller, came to India and stayed at the court of the Zamorin at Calicut. He has given a vivid account of the Vijaynagar empire.
  • Athanasius Nikitin (1470-1474 AD) : He was a Russian merchant, describes the condition of the Bahmani kingdom under Muhammad III (1463-82).
  • Durate Barbosa (1500-1516 AD) : He was a Portuguese traveller, has given a valuable narrative of the government and the people of the Vijaynagar empire.
  • Dominigo Paes (1520-1522 AD) : He was Portuguese traveller, visited the court of Krishnadeva Raya of the Vijaynagar Empire.
  • Fernao Nuniz (1535-1537 AD) : A Portuguese merchant, He wrote the history of the empire from its earliest times of the closing years of Achyutdeva Raya’s reign.
  • John Hughen Von Linschotten (1583 AD) : He was a Dutch traveller, has given a valuable account of the social and economic life of South India.
  • William Hawkins (1608-1611 AD) : He was an English ambassador of British King James I to the court of Jahangir (1609).
  • Sir Thomas Roe (1615-1619 AD) : He was an ambassador of James I, King of England, at the court of Jahangir, (the Mughal Emperor).
  • Fransciso Palsaert (1620-1627 AD) : He was a Dutch traveller, stayed at Agra and gave a vivid account of flourishing trade at Surat, Ahmedabad, Broach Cambay, Lahore, Multan, etc.
  • Peter Mundy (1630-34 AD) : He was an Italian traveller to the Mughal empire in the reign of Shahjahan, he gives valuable information about the living standard of the common people in the Mughal Empire.
  • John Albert de Mandesto (1638 AD) : He was German traveller, who reached Surat in 1638.
  • Jeen Baptiste Travernier (1638-1663 AD) : He was a French traveller, his account covers the reign of Shahjahan and Aurangzeb.
  • Nicolao Manucci (1653-1708 AD) : He was an Italian traveller, got service at the court of Dara Shikoh.
  • Francois Bernier (1656-1717 AD) : He was French physician and philosopher. Danishamand Khan, a noble of Aurangzeb, was his patron.
  • Jean de Thevenot (1666 AD) : He was French traveller, has given a good account of cities like Ahmedabad, Cambay, Aurangabad and Goloconda.
  • John Fryer (1672-1681 AD) : He was an English traveller, has given a vivid account of Surat and Bombay.
  • Gemelli Careri (1693 AD) : He was an Italian traveller, his remarks on the Mughal emperor’s military organisation and administration are important.

Sunday, April 1, 2012

Haryana Public Service Commission HCS (Executive Branch) & Other Allied Services Preliminary Exam

 Indian History  Solved Paper 
(Exam held on: 25-03-2012)

1.  The tribal leader who was regarded as an incarnation of God and Father of the world (Dharti Aba) was:
     a) Kanhu Santha
     b) Rupa Naik
     c) Birsa Munda
     d) None of the above
2.  Which of the following was leader of Waliullahi (Wahabi) movement ?
     a) Syed Ahmed of Rae Bareily
     b) Waliulla
     c) Muhammad Abdul Wahab
     d) None of the above
3.   In which of the following battles with the Sikhs did the Partisans of the holy was suffer a terrible defeat in which Syed Ahmad lost his life ?
     a) The battle of Amritsar
     b) The battle of Charsadda
     c) The battle of Balkot
     d) None of the above
4.  The most fearless and bold woman leader of the Peasant movement, who sacrificed her life to protect peasants rights was :
     a) Ambika Chakraborthy
     b) Snehlata Wadekar
     c) Veera Gunamma
     d) None of the above
5.  Which of the following statements about “Lokahitwadi” is not correct?
     a) He attributed the social decline and decay of India to the neglect of the Sciences and learning
     b) He attacked traditional religious beliefs and customs
     c) He attributed to the poverty of India to the Laziness and decline in the morals of the Indians
     d) Not any specific list
6.  Which of the following theistic philosophy did MG Ranade approve of ?
     a) Mysticism
     b) Vedanism
     c) Bhakticult
     d) None of the above
7.  Which of the following tasks was closest to the heart of Syed Ahmad Khan ?
     a) Religious reinterpretation
     b) Social reform
     c) Promotion of modern education
     d) None of the above
8.  Two greatest Pioneers in the cause of widow’s education were :
     a) D.K. Karve and Pandita Ramabai
     b) M.G. Ranade and R.G. Bahndrarkar
     c) Ishwar Chand Vidyasagar and Keshav Chandra Sen
     d) None of the above
9.  After the Surat Split in 1907, the second in the Congress took place in 1918 on the issue of :
     a) Lucknow Pact
     b) Montagu declaration
     c) Election of Mrs. Annie Besant as President of the INC (1917)
     d) None of the above
10. Which of the following revolutionary and terrorist organizations had a large number of young women revolutionaries?
      a) Yugantar
      b) Anushilan Samiti
      c) Bharat Mata Society
      d) None of the above
11. Under whose leadership was the Chittagong Armoury Raid organised ?
      a) Jatin Das
      b) Surya Sen
      c) Ganesh Ghosh
      d) None of the above
12. Proficiency in which of the following games was rewarded and recognised by state of Vijayanagar?
      a) Chess
      b) Wrestling
      c) Gymnastics
      d) None of the above
13. The first Mughal emperor to organise some sorts of Distress relief during famines was?
      a) Akbar
      b) Jahangir
      c) Shahjahan
      d) None of the above
14. The only son of Ashoka found mentioned in his inscriptions is :
      a) Tivara
      b) Mahendra
      c) Kunala
      d) None of the above
15. During the Mauryan times the royal Houses were mostly built of:
      a) Baked bricks
      b) Wood
      c) Mud & Tile
      d) None of the above
16. The status of which of the following could be said to have somewhat improved during the Mauryan Period ?
      a) Kshatriyas
      b) Vaishyas
      c) Shudras
      d) None of the above
17. The largest single source of income to the chola state was:
      a) Land tax
      b) Toll on trade
      c) Taxes on professions, mines and forests
      d) None of the above
18. The theory of economic drain of India during British imperialism was pronounced by:
      a) J.L. Nehru
      b) Dadabhai Naoroji
      c) R.C. Dutt
      d) None of the above
19. The Vijaynagar King, Krishnadev Raya’s work ‘Amuktamalyada’ was in :
      a) Telgu
      b) Sanskrit
      c) Tamil
      d) None of the above
20. The victories of Karikala are well portrayed in :
      a) Palamoli
      b) Aruvanad
      c) Pattinappaalai
      d) None of the above
21. Todarmal was associated with :
      a) Music
      b) Literature
      c) Land Revenue Reforms
      d) None of the above
22. Two of the Great Mughals wrote their own memories. They were :
      a) Babar and Humayun
      b) Jahangir and Shahjahan
      c) Babar and Jahangir
      d) None of the above
23. To which king belongs to the Lion Capital of Sarnath ?
      a) Chandragupta
      b) Ashoka
      c) Kanishka
      d) None of the above
24. The Zamindari in Mughal India was not :
      a) Hereditary
      b) A saleable right
      c) Morgageable
      d) None of the above
25. The term Khalisa in Mughal Administration signified the :
      a) Land owned by emperor himself
      b) Religion land grants
      c) Entire imperial establishment
      d) None of the above
26. Tulsidas the author of ‘Ramcharitmanas’ was a contemporary of which of the following rulers?
      a) Shahjahan
      b) Akbar
      c) Shershah Suri
      d) None of the above
27. The text of the document called ‘Mazhar’ by which Akbar assumed the role of Supreme arbiter in the matter of religion found on :
      a) Arif Quandahari’s ‘Tarikh-i-Alfi’
      b) Abul Fazal’s Akbarnama
      c) Nazamuddin’s ‘Tabaqat-i-Akbari’
      d) None of the above
28. Tolkappiyam is associated with the:
      a) First Sangam Period
      b) Second Sangam Period
      c) Third Sangam Period
      d) None of the above
29. The Vijayanagar king who employed skilled archers of the Turkish clan and raised the fighting
      capacity of hid bowmen was :
      a) Bukka I
      b) Devaraya I
      c) Ramaraya
      d) None of the above
30. The uprising of 1857 was described as first Indian war of Independence by:
      a) V. D. Savarkar
      b) B. G. Tilak
      c) R. C. Mazumdar
      d) None of the above
31. Which independent nawab of Bengal was defeated and killed by forces of East India company?
      a) Siraj – ud -daula
      b) Shuja – ud -daula
      c) Shah Alam II
      d) None of the above
32. Who introduced the system of permanent settlement also called permanent settlement in Bengal for effective agricultural methods and productivity?
      a) Lord Wellesley
      b) Lord Cornwallis
      c) Warren Hastings
      d) None of the above
33. Which of the following newspaper was launched by Pandit Madan Mohan Malviya in 1909?
      a) Free India
      b) Leader
      c) Independent
      d) None of the above
34. Who of the following advised British East India company to seek from the Mughal Emperor Shah Alam, a ‘sanad’ for the Diwani of Bengal?
      a) Maharaja Raj Ballabh
      b) Raja Daulat Ram
      c) Manik Chand
      d) None of the above
35. The first India ruler who joined the subsidary alliance was:
      a) Nawab of Awadh
      b) King of Trivancore
      c) Nizam of Hyderabad
      d) None of the above
36. The first Indian ruler to organize Haj Pilgrimage at the expense of the state was:
      a) Alauddin Khilji
      b) Aurangzeb
      c) Akbar
      d) None of the above
 Hint: Emperor Akbar was the first ruler to organize the Haj pilgrimage at state expense and provide subsidies to pilgrims. He also founded a hospice for pilgrims in Makkah.
37. Which of the following territories was not affected by revolt of 1857?
      a) Jhansi
      b) Chittor
      c) Lucknow
      d) None of the above
38. The head of the committee formed by the Government to enquiry into Jallianwala bagh Massacre was:
      a) John Simon
      b) General Dyer
      c) Hunter
      d) None of the above
39. Whom did Mahatama Gandhi called “The Patriot of the Patriots”?
      a) Bhagat Singh
      b) Subhash Chandra Bose
      c) Sardar Patel
      d) None of the above
40. The term “Dosi Hatt” was used in early medieval india for :
      a) Animal Market
      b) Slave Bazar
      c) Kappas (Cotton) Market
      d) None of the above
41. Which contemporary Mughal historian of the age of Akbar had prepared a list of Charges calling him an enemy of Islam?
      a) Abbas Khan Sarwani
      b) Badauni
      c) Nizamuddin Ahmad
      d) None of the above
42. To whom did Sher Shah appoint to provide bed and food to Hindu travellers staying at ‘Sarais’
      (rest houses)?
      a) Muslims
      b) Low cast hindus
      c) Brahmans
      d) None of the above
43. When did Aurangzeb arrive in Deccan finally to quell revolt of Maratha?
      a) 1681
      b) 1689
      c) 1700
      d) None of the above
Hint: Aurangzeb’s son Akbar left the Mughal court and joined with Sambhaji, inspiring some Mughal forces to join the Marathas. In 1681, Aurangazeb arrives in the Deccan in search of his fugitive son. For nine years, Aurangzeb couldn’t win a single fort from the Marathas. But in 1689 Aurangzeb captured Sambhaji (son of Shivaji) and publicly tortured and killed him.
44. Which Maratha Saint is most importantly known for social reform, national regeneration and the rise of Maratha power?
      a) Samartha Ramdas
      b) Tukaram
      c) Vaman Pandit
      d) None of the above
45. On what condition Wellesly agreed to help Peshwas Bajirao II?
      a) An underhand transaction of Rs. 15 lakh
      b) His consent to the the subsidary alliance
      c) His agreeing to the abolition of the office of the Peshwa after his death
      d) None of the above
46. With whom did Raja Ranjit Singh conclude the treaty of Lahore in 1806 which gave him freedom to expand north of Sutlej ?
      a) Holkar of Indore
      b) Scindia of Gwalior
      c) East India Company
      d) None of the above
47. What was the grieviest cause of discontent among soldiers before the revolt of 1857?
      a) Non observation of caste distinctions
      b) Question of promotion and pay
      c) Absence of power and equitable procedure for discipline & control
      d) None of the above
48. Who was the mastermind of bomb attack on Lord Hardinge at Chandni Chowk, Delhi in 1912?
      a) Sachindranath Sanyal
      b) Rasbehari Bose
      c) Bhai Parmanand
      d) None of the above
49. When did Gandhiji go to fast unto death for the first time?
      a) At the time of riots in Delhi
      b) At the time of riots in Calcutta
      c) At the time of Jallianwala Bagh tragedy
      d) None of the above
Hint: Gandhiji’s first fast was in 1918 in connection with the strike of mill workers in Ahmedabad. Ahmedabad mill strikers demanded a 35% increase in wages. Gandhi undertook a fast unto death in support of the workers’ demands. The mill owners finally relented and worker got a 35% increase in their wages. Jallianwala bagh massacre – 1919   |   Calcutta Riot – 1946    |    Delhi Riot – 1948
50. Sir Thomas Roe was sent as the British Ambassador to the Court of :
      a) Aurangzeb
      b) Jahangir
      c) Shahjahan
      d) None of the above
51. In which of the following respects the various Harappan sites a marked uniformity?
     a) Agricultural Practices
     b) Crafts
     c) Town Planning
     d) None of the above
52.  The entry port for trade between the Indus trading centers and Mesopotamia was:
     a) Elam
     b) Oman
     c) Bahrain
     d) None of the above
Hint:  Trade between Mesopotamia (now Iraq) and Indus Valley (now in Pakistan and India) was facilitated by the small island Bahrain in the Persian Gulf.
53. The most common crime in Rigveda was:
     a) Murder
     b) Kidnapping
     c) Cattle-lifting
     d) None of the above
54. The ‘Jana’ during vedic period refers to:
      a) District
      b) Tribe
      c) Villages
      d) None of the above
55. What was the normal form of Government in Vedic Period ?
     a) Monarchy
     b) Oligarchy
     c) Republic
     d) None of the above
56.  Who of the following was the earliest known greek follower of Bhagavatism?
     a) Megasthenes
     b) Antialkidas
     c) Heliodorus
     d) None of the above
57. The earliest exposition of Saiva System was established by:
     a) Basava
     b) Lakula
     c) Sankaracharya
     d) None of the above
58.  Under the aegis of which of the following kings was the third Buddhist council held?
     a) Ashoka
     b) Kanishka
     c) Menander (Milinda)
     d) None of the above
Hint: The Third Buddhist council was convened in about 250 BCE at Asokarama in Patiliputta under the patronage of Emperor Asoka.
59. Which of the following was first great royal patron of Buddhism?
     a) Ajatashatru
     b) Udayayan
     c) Ashoka
     d) None of the above
60. Jainism has derived its metaphysical thoughts from:
      a) Buddhism
      b) Arivakas
      c) Samkhya Philosophy
      d) None of the above
61. Jainsim was propagated in South India by:
      a) Bhadrabahu
      b) Gautama
      c) Sudharaman
      d) None of the above
Hint: Jaina history in the South commences from the 3rd Century B.C. Jainism entered into Karnataka and south India during the days of Emperor Chandragupta Maurya when Bhadrabahu the distinguished leader of Jainas led the migration of the Jaina ‘Sangha’  to the South.
62. The Asokan inscriptions and their Brahmi Script were first deciphered by:
      a) Alexander Cunningham
      b) Max Mullar
      c) James Princep
      d) None of the above
          The Brahmi Script was deciphered in 1837 by James Princep, an archaeologist.
63. The key-note of Ashoka’s Policy of Dhamma was:
      a) Toleration and General Behaviour
      b) Charity
      c) Moderation
      d) None of the above
64. In the Mauryan Period tax evasion was punished with:
      a) Death
      b) Confiscation of goods
      c) Imprisonment
      d) None of the above
65. The famous Queen’s Edict (Minor Pillar Edict-IV) inscribed on a pillar at Allahabad was issued by Ashoka’s queen:
      a) Vedisa Mahadevi
      b) Asandhamitra
      c) Karuvaki
      d) None of the above
66. Kautilya’s Arthashastra’s chapter on Kantak-Shodhana is mostly devoted to:
      a) Regulation of profits, wages and prices
      b) Regulation against adulteration of goods
      c) Strict control of artisans and traders by the state
      d) None of the above
67. An early ancient Indian city, which was a nodal point for trade routes from east to west and from North to South, was:
      a) Mathura
      b) Vidisha
      c) Ujjain
      d) None of the above
68. In the Mauryan Government women could be employed as:
      a) Royal Bodyguards
      b) Superintendents of weaving establishments
      c) Intelligence agents & spices
      d) All the above
69. Which one of the following rulling dynasties of South India was the biggest rival of the Cholas?
      a) The Pandyas
      b) The Chalukyas of Kalyani
      c) The Gangas of Orissa
      d) None of the above
Correct Answer : Chalukyas of Vakataka
70. Who of the following Chola kings assumed the title of the Mummadi Chola?
      a) Vijayalaya
      b) Rajaraya
      c) Rajendra I
      d) None of the above
71. In the Chola kingdom, a very large village administered as a single unit was called:
      a) Nadu
      b) Kurram
      c) Kottram
      d) All the above
72. The first sultan of Delhi to issue regular currency and declare Delhi as the capital of his empire was:
      a) Aram Shah
      b) Iltumish
      c) Nasiruddin Mahmud
      d) None of the above
73. From the death of Iltumish till the accession of Balban the actual power was wielded by:
      a) The army
      b) The nobility
      c) The theologians
      d) None of the above
74. In a formal sense, which of the following correctly describes the nature of the state during
      sultanate period in India?
      a) Theocracy
      b) Democracy
      c) Autocracy
      d) None of the above
75. During Sultanate period, the nobility of the sultanate was largely composed of:
      a) Arabs
      b) Afghans
      c) Turks
      d) None of the above
76. Who were called barids?
      a) The spy reporters
      b) The king’s bodyguards
      c) The officers in-charge of accounts and receipts
      d) None of the above
77. The South India ruler whose kingdom could not be annexed to sultanate of Delhi by the Tughlaq?
      a) Yadavas of Devagiri
      b) Kakatiyas of Warangal
      c) Hoysalas of Dwarasumudra
      d) None of the above
78. Krishnadeva Raya belonged to the :
      a) Sangama dynasty
      b) Saluva dynasty
      c) Tuluva dynasty
      d) None of the above
79. Which of the following crops in Vijayanagar empire was widely exported?
      a) Black Pepper
      b) Tea
      c) Tobacco
      d) None of the above
80. With the construction of which of the following buildings of Mandu is the name of
      Mahmud Khilji not associated?
      a) Hindola Mahal
      b) Jahaz Mahal
      c) Jama Maszid
      d) None of the above
Hint: Hindola Mahal in Mandu is an ancient construction which was built under the rule of Ghiyasud-din Khilji’s reign.
81. Which of the following introduced Perso-Arabic melodies (ragas) into Indian Music?
      a) Firdausi
      b) Sadi
      c) Amir Khusrau
      d) None of the above
82. The sultan of Delhi who did not contribute to the development of composite Hindustani music was :
      a) Kaiqubad
      b) Alauddin Khilji
      c) Ghiyasuddin Tughlaq
      d) None of the above
83. Which one of the following territories was not under the possession of the Afghans at the time of Akbar’s accession?
      a) Malwa
      b) Bengal
      c) Mewat
      d) None of the above     
84. Which one of the following province in north-west proved to be most valuable of acquisition of Akbar?
      a) Kabul
      b) Kashmir
      c) Kandhar
      d) None of the above
85. The English governor in India who was expelled by Aurangzeb was :
      a) Aungier
      b) Sir Jhon Child
      c) Sir John Gayer
      d) None of the above
86. Who called the English in Bengal ‘a company of base , quarrelling people and foul dealers’?
      a) Aurangzeb
      b) Shayista Khan, Mughal Governor of Bengal
      c) Mir Jumla
      d) None of the above
87. The chief gain to shivaji from his two raids on surat in 1664 and 1670 was:
      a) Immense increase in his prestige
      b) Demoralisation of the Mughal Forces
      c) A loot of booty
      d) None of the above
88. The most important achievement of Madhav Rao was that :
      a) He stored Shah Alam II, the exiled Mughal emperor, to the Delhi throne
      b) He subdued the Bhonsles of Nagpur
      c) He improved the moral tone of the Marathon administration
      d) None of the above
89. The Maratha Chief who did not join the alliance against the English at first and took the field
      only when it was too late?
      a) Holkar
      b) Bhonsle
      c) Gaekwar
      d) None of the above
90. The Maratha navy in the Eighteenth century was developed by:
      a) The Sindhias
      b) The Gaikwars
      c) The Angrias
      d) None of the above
91. The backbone of the armies of the misls was the:
      a) Infantary
      b) Cavalary
      c) Artillery
      d) None of the above
92. In fourth Anglo Mysore war (1799), Tipu was defeated and killed, who of the following did not get share in tipu’s territories?
      a) The English
      b) The Marathas
      c) The Nizam
      d) None of the above
93. Who of the following Nawab/Governors of Bengal concluded a treaty with the Maratha and agreed to pay them an annual tribute as Chauth and ceded to them the revenues of a part of Orissa?
      a) Marshid Qulikhan
      b) Shuja-ud-din
      c) Alivardi Khan
      d) None of the above
94. Ahmad shah abdali or durrani was one of the nadir shah’s ablest generals. He invaded india several times between 1748-1767. During which one of his campaigns was he defeated and
      put to flight ?
      a) First
      b) Third
      c) Fifth
      d) None of the above
95. What was the prime mistake committed by siraj ud daula in his campaign against the English in june 1756?
      a) He failed to assess the real strength of the English in Bengal.
      b) He was ignorant of the treachery of men in his court.
      c) He let the English escape with their ships to Fulta.
      d) He failed to win the support of his cousin Shakut Jang
96. After Bengal, the English secured the rights of duty free trade in the dominions of :
      a) Raya of Benaras
      b) Nawab of Awadh
      c) The Nizam of Hyderabad
      d) None of the above
97. In 1775, who reffered to the nawab of Bengal as “a Phantom, a man of straw” ?
      a) Warren Hastings
      b) A member of the court of Directors
      c) A judge of the supreme court of Calcutta
      d) None of the above
98. The ryotwari settlement was primarily introduced by British Government in ?
      a) Bengal & Bihar
      b) United Provinces
      c) Madras & Bombay
      d) None of the above
99. The trade which was virtually monopolised by the European merchants in india, was :
      a) Import trade
      b) Textile export
      c) Export trade in Agriculture produce
      d) None of the above
100. India’s growing poverty under the British rule is confirmed by :
      a) Increasing frequency and Intensity of Famines
      b) Increasing indebtedness of the Peasantry
      c) Transfer of land from cultivating to non cultivating classes
      d) None of the above


                        Answers   
    1. c    2. a    3. c    4. c    5. c    6. c    7. c    8. a    9. b    10. b          
  11. b    12. b    13. b    14. a    15. b    16. c    17. a    18. b    19. a    20. c       
21. c    22. c    23. b    24. b    25. a    26. b    27. b    28. b    29. b    30. a            
31. a    32. b    33. b    34. a    35. c    36. c    37. b    38. c    39. b    40. c            
41. b    42. b    43. b    44. a    45. b    46. c    47. c    48. b    49. d    50. b            
51. c    52. c    53. c    54. b    55. a    56. c    57. b    58. a    59. c    60. c           
61. a    62. c    63. a    64. a    65. c    66. c    67. c    68. d    69. d    70. d           
71. c    72. b    73. b    74. c    75. d    76. a    77. c    78. c    79. a    80. a
81. c    82. c    83. c    84. c    85. b    86. b    87. c    88. c    89. a    90. c           
91. b    92. b    93. c    94. a    95. c    96. c    97. c    98. c    99. b    100. b   

Tuesday, September 6, 2011

INDIAN HISTORY MCQs

1. Which one of the following adumbrated principles and constitutional provisions which were later incorporated in the MontaguChelmsford Reforms?
(A) Nehru Report
 (B) Wavel Plan
 (C) Lucknow Pact 
(D) Poona Pact
 Ans. (C)

2. Nagarjuna’s Shunyavada is expounded in—
(A) Yogachara
(B) Vaibhashika
(C) Madhyamika
(D) Sautrantilca
Ans. (C)

3. The High Courts at Calcutta, Bombay and Madras to replace the Sadar Courts of Diwali and Nizamat were established in the year—
(A) 1793
(B) 1831
(C) 1833
(D) 1865
Ans. (D)

4. The celebrated author Kshemendra lived in—
(A) Bengal
(B) Kashmir
(C) Maharashtra
(D) Gujarat
Ans. (B)

5. The earliest-Indian coins are not earlier than—
(A) 7th century B.C.
(B) 5thcentury B.C.
(C) 3rdcenturyl3.C.
(D) 2nd century A. D.
Ans. (B)

6. Given below are two statements — One labelled as Assertion (A) : and the other labelled as Reason (R):
Assertion (A) : There are instances of rural resistance in early medieval Deccan and South India.
Reason (R) : Grants of agrahara and devadana rights to brahmanas and temples respectively undermined the rights of villagers.
In the context of the above two statements, which one of the following correct?
(A) Both (A) and (R) are true and (R) is the correct explanation of (A)
(B) Both (A) and (k) are true but R is not the correct explanation of (A)
(C) (A) is true but (R) is false
(D) (A) is false but (R) is true
Ans. (A)

7. In ancient Indian social structure the term aniravasita related to—
(A) BraInnanas and Kshatriyas
(B) Vaisyas and Sudras
(C) Sudras only
(D) People outside the Varna classification
Ans. (C)

8. Which of the following pair is not correctly matched?
(A) Udiyanjeral : Cheraking
(B) Nedunjeliyan : Pandya king
(C) Senganan : Chola king
(D) Pan : Pallava king
Ans. (D)

9. Biographies of Jaina Tirthankaras are found in—
(A) Bhagavati Sutra
(B) Kalpa Sutra
(C) Niryavali Sutra
(D) Uvasagadasao
Ans. (A)

10. Match List-I with List-II and select the correct answer by using the codes given below the lists:
List-I List-II
(Sources) (Information about Chandragupta Maurya, correct or incorrect, given sources mentioned in List-Il)
(a) Greek source 1. He was born in humble family
(b) Jam source 2. He was the sort of a Kshatriya chief
(c) Buddhist source 3. He was a Sudra
(d) Brahmanical source 4. He was the son of a village head man’s daughter
Codes:
(a) (b) (c) (d)
(A) 4 5 3 1
(B) 1 3 4 2
(C) 1 4 2 3
(D) 3 5 2 4
Ans. (C)

11. Match List-I with List-II and select the correct answer by using the codes given below the lists:
List-I List-II
(Books) (Authors)
(a) Iyar Danish 1. Abdul Hamid Lahori
(b) Humayunnama 2. Khwafi Khan
(c) Badshahnama 3. Gulbadan Begum
(d) Muntakhab-ul Luhab 4. Abul Fazl
Codes:
(a) (b) (c) (d)
(A) 1 2 4 3
(B) 4 3 1 2
(C) 4 1 3 2
(D) 1 4 3 2
Ans. (B)

12. The Polygars were—
(A) Horse-traders from Afghanistan during the Mughal period
(B) A famous caste of bankers of Marwar
(C) Chiefs subordinate to the nayakas in the Vijayanagar kingdom
(D) Agents of the European companies for purchase of silk and muslin in Bengal
Ans. (C)

13. Which one of the following Sultans extended agricultural loans called sondhars to the poor peasants for promoting cultivation?
(A) Balban
(B) Alauddin Khalji
(C) Mohd. Bin Tughlaq
(D) Firoze Tughlaq
Ans. (C)

14. This site was granted to French East-India Company in 1674 by Shaista Khan, a governor under the Mughal emperor Aurangzeb, During the Seven Years” War (1756—63) this town was captured (1757) by the John Company but later (1763) restored to the French. Recaptured by the English in 1778, after the outbreak of the American war of Independence (1776—84) it was restored to the French by the Treaty of Pairs ‘1785). Wrested again by the British in 1793, on the outbreak of the revolutionary wars in Europe, it was finally restored to the French in I15 and remained part of their overseas empire until its transfer to the Indian republic in 1951”.
The reference here is to—
(A) Pondicherry
(B) Karaikkal
(C) Chandernagore
(D) Mahe
Ans. (C)

15. The East-India Company began to use the term ‘Investments in India’ for—
(A) Their bullion imports to purchase Indian goods
(B) The loot from Buxar for purchasing Indian goods
(C) The profits made from duty free inland trade and the surplus from Diwani revenue
(D) The borrowed money from India moneylenders for purchases in India
Ans. (C)

16. The Theosophists advocated the revival and strengthening of—
(A) Hinduism, Zoroastrianism and Buddhism
(B) Hinduism, Buddhism and Islam
(C) Hinduism, Buddhism and Jainism
(D) Hinduism and Buddhism only
Ans. (D)

17. The Swaraj Party decided to take part in the Reforms Scheme under the Government of India Act, 1919 because—
(A) It wanted to gain political experience by forming government
(B) It wanted to expose the hallow ness of the reforms provided in the Act
(C) It wanted to co-operate with the government
(D) It wanted to curtail the influence of ‘No changers’
Ans. (B)

18. Which of the following newspapers advocated revolutionary terrorism during the freedom struggle?
1. The Sandhya
2. The Yugantar
3. The Kal
Select the correct answer from the codes given below:
(A) 1 and 2
(B) 1 and 3
(C) 2 and 3
(D) 1, 2 and 3
Ans. (D)

19. What was considered as Varna Samkara?
(A) Illegitimate birth
(B) Revolt against the Varna system
(C) Transgression of Varna boundaries for marriage
(D) Championing the Varnasrama dharma
Ans. (A)

20. Which one of the following rebellions began in 1816 and lasted till 1832?
(A) Kol uprising
(B) Khasi uprising
(C) Kutch rebellion
(D) Naikada rising
Ans. (C)

21. The Factory Act of 1881 was passed with a view to—
(A) Prohibit the employment of children below the age of 7 in any factory
(B) Allow the workers to trade unions
(C) Fix the wages of industrial workers
(D) Reduce the working hours for women employees
Ans. (A)

22. Match List-I with List-II and select the correct answer by using the codes given below the lists:
List-I List-II
(a) Merchants 1. Jithhaka
(b) Craftsmen 2. Setthis
(c) Federation of guilds 3. Satthavaha
(d) Caravan chief 4. Bhandagarika
Codes:
(a) (b) (c) (d)
(A) 2 1 4 3
(B) 2 1 3 4
(C) 1 2 3 4
(D) 1 2 4 3
Ans. (A)

23. The system of Itlaq a sort of draft enabling a royal soldier to collect his salary from the state revenue officials was introduced by—
(A) Iltutmish
(B) Balban
(C) Alauddin Khalji
(D) Feroze Shah Tughlaq
Ans. (D)

24. The Vijayanagar rulers are remembered for promoting agriculture by—
(A) Building dams, tanks, wells, etc.
(B) Reducing tax on cultivated land
(C) Providing market facilities for agricultural products
(D) Purchasing food grains for the army
Ans. (A)

25. Match List-I with List-II and select the correct answer by using the codes given below the lists:
List-I List-II
(Nationalist Authors) (Works)
(a) Krishnaji Prabhakar Khadilkar 1. Jhansi ki Rani
(b) Subhadra Kumari Chauhan 2. Kichaka Vadh
(c) Saadat Husan 3. Kali Salwar
(d) Vallathol Narayana Menon 4. Enpe Gurunathan
Codes:
(a) (b) (c) (d)
(A) 4 1 3 2
(B) 3 4 2 1
(C) 2 1 3 4
(D) 2 3 1 4
Ans. (A)

26. Of the four events mentioned below, which one was chronologically the last to take place?
(A) Simla conference
(B) Election of July 1946
(C) The offer of the Cabinet Mission Plan
(D) Muslim League joining the Interim Government
Ans. (D)

27. In the committee which prepared the Nehru Report (1928) the Liberal Federation was by—
(A) M.R.Jayakar
(B) Tej Bahadur Sapru
(C) V. S. Srinivasa Sastri
(D) M.S.Aney
Ans. (B)

28. Which one of the following was the most westerly outpost of the Harappan culture?
(A) Lothal
(B) Sutkagen Dor
(C) Rangpur
(D) Manda
Ans. (B)

29. Which one of the following places on the Western Coast of India had an English factory?
(A) Cochin
(B) Tellicherry
(C) Cannanore
(D) Calicut
Ans. (C)

30. Which one of the following statements is correct?
(A) The Permanent Settlement of Bengal, concluded in 1793 by Cornwallis, provided proprietary rights in the soil to class of aristocratic Zamindars
(B) The Zamindars emerged from the Permanent Settlement operations in a weaker position
(C) Thomas Munro developed a system of settlement under which the government did not deal directly with the individual peasant cultivator ‘
(D) The land policy and settlements did not lead to structural changes in control over land aid in the relations among classes associated with land-cultivation
Ans. (A)

31. The bill to cancel the exemption given to the European community from the jurisdiction of the Magistrates and the Criminal Courts established by the East-India Company was proposed in—
(A) 1849
(B) 1861
(C) 1879
(D) 1882
Ans. (D)

32. The term Nadukal mentioned in the Sangam literature—
(A) Is a reference to a velir chief
(B) Means memorial stone
(C) Was a tax on nadus
(D) Was an item of export in Indo-Roman trade
Ans. (A)

33. According to the Mahasanghikas, a being is composed of—
(A). Five Dharmas
(B) Seven Dharmas
(C) Nine Dharmas
(D) Eighteen Dharmas
Ans. (A)

34. Which of the following were important characteristics of early Bhagavatism?
1. Devotion
2. Action
3. Knowledge
4. Social rigidity
5. Self-sacrifice (Tyaga)
(A) 1 and3
(B) 1, 2,3and5
(C) 1, 2, 4 and 5
(D) 2,3and5
Ans. (A)

35. During the reign of Bind Sara there was unrest at—
(A) Ujjayani
(B) Pushkalavati
(C) Takshasila
(D) Rajagriha
Ans. (C)

36. During the Mauryan period Lakshanadhyaksha was
(A) An officer possessing knowledge of the characteristics of animals
(B) A professional astrologer
(C) An official in charge of road marks
(D) An official in charge of mint
Ans. (D)

37. Which one of following denoted a series of coins?
(A) Gajasataka
(B) Gadhiya
(C) Hiranyadama
(D) Katisama
Ans. (B)

38. Which one of the following statements correctly describes the - Dual Government arrangement made by the East-India Company in Bengal?
(A) Executive and judicial authority were separated
(B) Revenue collection was entrusted to the Deputy Nawab, while military affairs were retained by the Company
(C) Revenue administration and the administration of criminal justice were separated and were with the British and the Nawab respectively
(D) The new arrangement was made to encourage agriculture
Ans. (B)

39. Foreign capitalists were attracted by Indian industry for a variety of reasons. Which one of the following reasons was not one of them?
(A) Labour was extremely cheap
(B) Raw materials were readily and cheaply available
(C) Indian capitalist class wars well developed but unable to compete
(D) For many Indian products there was a ready demand the world over
Ans. (C)

40. The author who described the Revolt of 1857 as the ‘First War of Independence’ was—
(A) Ashok Mehta
(B) R.C. Mazumdar
(C) S. N. Sen
(D) V. D. Savarkar
Ans. (D)

41. The three methods of land revenue assessment-batai, khet batai and long batai-were related to—
(A) Ghallabakshi
(B) Masaq
(C) Kankut
(D) Zabt
Ans. (A)

42. Match List-I with List-II and select the correct answer by using the codes given below the lists
List-I List-II
(Royal personages) (Tombs at)
(a) Babur 1. Lahore
(b) Prince Khusrau 2. Kabul
(c) Nur Jahan 3. Allahabad
(d) Rabia-ud-Dauran 4. Aurangabad
Codes:
(a) (b) (c) (d)
(A) 2 3 1 4
(B) 2 1 4 3
(C) 4 2 3 1
(D) 1 4 2 3
Ans. (A)

43. The Mughal emperor who issued a firman to the English East-India Company in 1717 to trade freely in Bengal was —
(A) Bahadur Shah
(B) Shah Alam
(C) Farrukh Siyar
(D) Jahandar Shah
Ans. (C)

44. Who among the following were among those who caused major uprisings against Murshid Quli Khan?
1. Sitaram Ray
2. Udai Narayan
3. Ghulam Muhammad
4. Saadat Khan
Choose the correct answer from the codes given below—
(A) 1 and 2
(B) 2 and 4
(C) 1, 2 and 3
(D) 1 and 4
Ans. (A)

45. With whom was the Rayotwari settlement a made?
(A) Zamindars
(B) Cultivators
(C) Muqqadams
(D) Village Panchayats
Ans. (B)

46. Which of the following is Correct?
(A) The permanent zamindari settlement of Lord Cornwallis vested the ownership of land in the zamindars
(B) The permanent zamindari settlement of Lord Cornwallis vested the ownership of land in the individual pents
(C) The permanent zamindari settlement of Lord Cornwallis vested the ownership of land in the villages communities
(D) The permanent zamindari settlement of Lord Cornwallis vested the ownership of land in the state
Ans. (A)

47. Which agricultural product did not attract the British people?
(A) Indigo
(B) Tea
(C) Cotton
(D) Coffee
Ans. (C)

48. Which one was not a pioneer industry in India during British rule?
(A) Cotton
(B) Iron
(C) Jute
(D) Coal
Ans. (B)

49. Industrial Revolution was started in which country did—
(A) England
(B) France
(C) Germany
(D) U.S.A.
Ans. (A)

50. The First census in India was held in—
(A) 1861
(B) 1871
(C) 1881
(D) 1891
Ans. (C)

Sunday, August 7, 2011

Anglo Maratha wars

War with Marathas

1. First Anglo Maratha War (1775-82)
2. Second Anglo- Maratha War (1803-1806)
3. Third Anglo-Maratha War (1817-1818)

Anglo-Maratha Treaties

1. Treaty of Surat (1775)
2. Treaty of Purandhar (1776)
3. Treaty of Wadgaon (1779)
4. Treaty of Salbai (1782)
5. Treaty of Bassein (1802)
6. Treaty of Deogaon (1803)
7. Treaty of Surji Arjangaon (1803)
8. Treaty of Rajpurghat(1805)
9. Treaty of Poona (1817)
10. Treaty of Gwalior (1817)
11. Treaty of Mandasor (1818)

Poets in Ancient India in Ancient India

Saturday, August 6, 2011

Books and Authors in Ancient India

Tuesday, July 5, 2011

INDIAN HISTORY MCQs


1. The British Government declared to leave India in any case before June, 1948 in—
(A) 1946A.D.
(B) February 1947 A.D.
(C) April 1947 A.D.
(D) June 1947 A.D.
Ans. (A)
2. The Muslim league demanded a separate home land for the Indian Muslims openly for the first time at its annual session
held in Lahore in the year—
(A) 1938A.D.
(B) 1939A.D.
(C) 1940A.D.
(D) 1941A.D.
Ans. (C)
3. Match List—I with List—II and select the correct answer from the code given below the lists:
List—I
(Congress sessions)
(a) Lucknow session, 1916
(b) Lahore session, 1929
(c) Karachi session, 1931
(d) Faizpur session, 1936
List—II
(Ideological formulations)
1. Full Democracy
2. Congress-League Pact
3. Puma Swaraj Resolutions
4. Adoption of Fundamental Rights
Codes:
(a) (b) (c) (d)
(A) 3 2 4 1
(B) 2 3 4 1
(C) 2 4 1 3
(D) 4 3 2 1
Ans. (B)
4. Which of the following reasons intensified the labour movements in India in the Frist Quarter of the 20th Centuary?
1. Influenëe of British Labour Movement
2. Russian Revolution of 1917
3. Rise in cost of living
4. Legislative measures of the British against Indian labour
Select the correct answer from the codes given below:
Codes:
(A) 2 and 3
(B) 1 and 4
(C) 2 and 4
(D) 1 and 3
Ans. (A)
5. According to the Cabinet Mission an Interim National Government was formed at the Centre and the Constituent Assembly
held its First Session on—
(A) 9 December, 1946
(B) 8 December, 1946
(C) 7 December, 1946
(D) 6 December, 1946
Ans. (A)
6. Who among the following is considered to be the father of the Idea of Pakistan?
(A) Sir Mohammad Iqbal
(B) Rahmat Ali
(C) Mohammad Ali Jinnah
(D) Sir Syaid Ahmad Khan
Ans. (A)
7. Consider the following passage :
“His records proclaim him as a feudatory of the emperor Somesvara III. He was his capitals at Talakad in the South and Bankpura in
the North. It was in A. D. 1137 that he performed the great ceremony of Tulapurusha.”
The above passage refers to —
(A) Mayursarman
(B) Ananta Varman Chodaganga
(C) Yayati Mahashivgupta-I
(D) Vishnuvardhana
Ans. (D)
8. “Service was his portion in life”. This was applicable to —
(A) Buddhist Bhikshu
(B) Vaisya Varna
(C) Sudra Varna
(D) Chandala
Ans. (C)
9. Megasthenese States —”There was no slavery in India.” This statement must have been made because —
(A) There was absence of slavery in India
(B) Slavery was not prevalent in India in the extreme from as he be had seen in Greece
(C) He moved only with the king and elites in the capital
(D) He work this on hearsay
Ans. (B)
10. “Amongst his great nobles he (the king) was so predominant that none dare lift his head too high but with the humble classes he
was benevolent and debonair, willingly giving them audience and hearing their petitions. He was pleased to accept their presents,
taking them into his hands and holding them to his breast.”
Consider the question given above and indicate who it is attributed to and who was the king referred to in it —
(A) Monserrate — Akbar
(B) Tavernier — Jahangir
(C) Fitch — Shahjahan
(D) Hawkings — Aurangazeb
Ans. (A)
11. “Why should the neglected state of this land create uneasiness in our minds and why should we expend our money and time to
vender it fruitful ? We may be deprived of it in a single moment, and our exertions would benefit neither ourselves nor our
children.”
The above statement was made by —
(A) Akbar
(B) Monserrate
(C) Tavernier
(D) Bernier
Ans. (D)
12. The statement that “If by worshipping stones one can find God, I shall worship a mountain”, was made by —
(A) Ramananda
(B) Namdev
(C) Guru Nanak
(D) Kabir
Ans. (D)
13. “I issue such order to the people as I consider to be beneficial for them and the State. I do not know whether they are permitted by
the Shariat or not”. This was said by —
(A) Jalaluddin Khilji
(B) Alauddin Khilji
(C) Ghiyasuddin Tughluq
(D) Muhammad Tughluq
Ans. (B)
14. “No one is allowed to marry outside his own caste, or to exchange are profession or trade for another or to follow more than
business.” This observation was made by —
(A) Megasthenese
(B) Fa Hien
(C) Hiuen-Tsaing
(D) Alberuni
Ans. (D)
15. Every pearl in the Royal crown is but the crystallized drop of blood fallen from the tearful eyes of the Poor Peasant.
The above remark about the poverty of the Indian Peasants during the Delhi sultanate was made by —
(A) Ziauddin Barani
(B) Ibn Batuta
(C) Minhajuddin Siraj
(D) Amir Khusrau
Ans. (B)
16. “Decay is inherent in all component beings. Work out your own salvation with deligence.” These words are attributed to —
(A) Krishna
(B) Mahavira
(C) The Buddha
(D) Shankaracharya
Ans. (C)
17. “There was little sympathy in spite of loud professions of loyalty. Moderate and extremist alike learnt with satisfaction of German
Victories. There was no love for Germany of course, only the desire to see our rulers humbled.” Who among the following wrote
this?
(A) C.R.Das
(B) Jawahar Lal Nehru
(C) Gandhiji
(D) Ravindra Nath Tagore
Ans. (B)
18. Panchsheel was declared by India and China in—
(A) 1952A.D.
(B) 1953A.D.
(C) 1954A.D.
(D) 1955A.D.
Ans. (C)
`9. Who worked for the upliftment of Ezhavazas in Kerla in 20th century?
(A) Naicker
(B) Narayan Guru
(C) C .N. Annadurai
(D) C. Raju
Ans. (B)
20. The university Grants Commission was constituted in 1953 A.D. which among the followmg first recommended for it?
(A) The Hartog Committee 1929.A.D.
(B) Sargeant Plan of Education, 1944 AD.
(C) Radha Krishan Commission, 1948—49 AD.
(D) None of these
Ans. (C)
21. Which one was not a principle of the Panchsheel?
(A) World peace and International Co-operation
(B) Respect for each other’s Territory and Sovereignty
(C) Non-aggression
(D) Equality and Mutual benefit
Ans. (A)
22. The first tri-colour flag was hoisted on—
(A) 3lstJanauary, 1928
(B) 31st December, 1929
(C) 26th January, 1950
(D) 15th August, 1947
Ans. (B)
23. Who were the leaders of Khilafat Movement?
(A) Mohd. Ali
(B) Shaukat Ali
(C) Both of them
(D) Neither of them
Ans. (C)
24. What was the net gain of Non-co-operation Movement?
(A) Removed fear of the Britishers from the minds of the people
(B) Weakened the British government
(C) Brought National Unity
(D) None of these
Ans. (A)
25. How did the British Government react to the Wardha Resolution?
(A) They gave their counter proposals
(B) They banned the Congress party
(C) The leaders were arrested
(D) None of these
Ans. (C)
26. Which, among the following, Round Table Conferences held in London, was attended by M.K. Gandhi as the sole representative
of the Congress?
(A) 1st in 1930 A.D.
(B) 2nd in 193l A.D.
(C) 3rd in 1932 A.D.
(D) None of these
Ans. (B)
27. Who was the first Muslim to preside over the session of Indian National Congres?
(A) Badruddin Tyaibji
(B) Maulana Azad
(C) Liaqat Ali
(D) Sir Syaid Ahmed Khan
Ans. (A)
28. Which among the following, Indians Political parties, decided to co-operate with the working of the Simon Commission?
(A) The Hindu Mahasabha
(B) All India Muslim league
(C) National Liberal Federation
(D) None of these
Ans. (D)
29. On 23rd ‘March 1940. The Pakistan Resolution was passed by the All India Muslim League at its —
(A) Hyderabad session
(B) Karachi session
(C) Lahore session
(D) Lucknow session
Ans. (C)
30. The “call of deliverance day” was given by—
(A) The Muslim League
(B) The Congress
(C) The Hindu Mahasabha
(D) The Communist Party
Ans. (A)
31. In which year All India Muslim League was founded?
(A) 1904A.D.
(B) 1905A.D.
(C) 1906A.D.
(D) 1909A.D.
Ans. (C)
32. On 23rd March 1940, the Pakistan Resolution was passed by the All India Muslim League at its —
(A) Karachi session
(B) Hyderabad session
(C) Lahore session
(D) Lucknow session
Ans. (C)
33. 1951, Saw the biggest peasant guerrilla war so for the Modern Indian History—
(A) Bombay
(B) Noakhali
(C) Tebhaga
(D) Telengana
Ans. (D)
34. Who among the following was not a member of the Cabinet Mission?
(A) Lord Wavell
(B) Sir Stafford Cripps
(C) Lord Pethic-Lowrence
(D) A.V. Alexander
Ans. (A)
35. The Civil Disobedience Movement was started by Mahatma Gandhi in the year —
(A) 1932
(B) 1930
(C) 1932
(D) 1925
Ans. (B)

Wednesday, June 29, 2011

MODERN INDIAN HISTORY POINTS

The East India Company had established its control over almost all parts of India by the middle of the 19th century. There were numerous risings in the first hundred years of British rule in India. They were, however, local and isolated in character. Some of them were led by the nobility who were refusing to accept the changing patterns of the time and wanted the past to be restored. But the risings developed a tradition of resistance offoreign rule, culminating in the 1857 revolt.
The Revolt of 1857, which was called a Sepoy Mutiny by British historians and their imitators in India but described as "the First War of Indian Independence" by many Indian historians, shook the British authority in India from its very foundations.
The Revolt of 1857, an unsuccessful but heroic effort to eliminate foreign rule, had begun. The capture of Delhi and the proclamation of Bahadurshah as the Emperor of Hindustan are a positive meaning to the Revolt and provided a rallying point for the rebels by recalling the past glory of the imperial city.
On May 10, 1857, soldiers at Meerut refused to touch the new Enfield rifle cartridges. The soldiers along with other group of civilians, went on a rampage shouting 'Maro Firangi Ko'. They broke open jails, murdered European men and women, burnt their houses and marched to Delhi. The appearance of the marching soldiers next morning in Delhi was a'signal to the local soldiers, who in turn revolted, seized the city and proclaimed the 80-year old Bahadurshah Zafar, as Emperor of India.
 Within a month of the capture of Delhi, the Revolt spread to the different parts of the country. Kanpur, Lucknow, Benaras,  Allahabad, Bareilly, Jagdishpur and Jhansi. In the absence of any leader from their own ranks, the insurgents turned to the traditional leaders of Indian society. At Kanpur, NanaSaheb, the adopted son of last Peshwa, Baji Rao II, led the forces. Rani Lakshmi Bai in Jhansi, Begum Hazrat Mahal in Lucknow and .Khan Bahadur in Bareilly were in command. However, apart from a commonly shared hatred for alien rule, the rebels had no political perspective or a definite vision of the future. They were all prisoners of their own past, fighting primarily to regain their lost privileges. Unsurprisingly, they proved incapable of ushering in a new political order.
Government of India Act 1858
Queen Victoria issued a proclamation on November 1, 1858, placing India under direct government of the Crown, whereby:
(a) A viceroy was appointed in India
(b) Princes were given the right to adopt a son (abolition of Doctrine of Lapse)
(c) Treaties were honoured
(d) Religious freedom was restored and equality treatment promised to Indians
 The Proclamation was called the 'Magna Carta of Indian Liberty'. The British rule in India was strongest between 1858 and 1905. The British also started treating India as its most precious possession and their rule over India seemed set to continue for centuries to come. Because of various subjective and objective factors which came into existence during this era, the feeling of nationalism in Indians started and grow.
Indian National Congress (1885)
Although the British succeeded in suppressing the 1857 Revolt, they could not stop the growth of political awareness in India. The Indian National Congress was founded in December 1885. It was the visible embodiment of the national awakening in the country. Its founder was an Englishman, Allan Octavian Hume, a retired member of the Indian Civil Service. The Indian leaders, who cooperated with Hume in launching the Congress, were patriots of high character. The first President of the Congress was W.C. Bannerjee. 
The aims of the Congress were: promotion of friendship and cooperation amongst the nationalist political workers from the different parts of the country; the eradication of racial, creed or provincial prejudices and promotion of national unity; formulation of popular demands and their presentation before the Government; and, most important of all, the training and organisation of public opinion in the country.
Partition of Bengal (1905)
On December 30, 1898, Lord Curzon took over as the new Viceroy of India. The partition of Bengal came into effect on October 16, 1905, through a Royal Proclamation, reducing the old province of Bengal in size by creating a new province of East Bengal, which later on became East Pakistan and present day Bangladesh. The government explained that it was done to stimu­late growth of underdeveloped eastern region of the Bengal. But, actually, the main objective was to 'Divide and Rule' the most advanced region of the country at that time.

Muslim League (1906)
In 1906, All India Muslim League was set up under the leader­ship of Aga Khan, Nawab Salimul­lab of Dacca and Nawab Mohsin-ul-Mulk. The League supported the partition of Bengal, opposed the Swadeshi Movement, and demanded special safegurds for its community and a separate elec­torates of Muslims. This led to communal differences between Hindus and Muslims.

Swadeshi Movement (1905)
The Swadeshi movement has its genesis in the anti-partition move­ment which was started to oppose the British decision to divide Bengal. With the start of the Swadeshi movement at the turn of the century, the Indian National Movement took a major leap forward.
The Indian National Congress took up the Swadeshi call in Benaras Session, 1905, presided over by G.K. Gokhale, supported the Swadeshi and Boycott Movement of Bengal, Militant Nationalism spearheaded by Bal Gangadhar Tilak, Bipin Chandra Pal, Lala Lajpat Rai, and Aurobindo Ghosh was, however, in favour of extending the movement of the rest of India and carrying it beyond the programme of just Swadeshi and boycott of goods to full-fledged political mass struggle.
Morley-Minto Reforms (1909)
Morley-Minto Reforms were introduced in 1909 during the period when Lord Minto was the Governor­General of India. The reforms envisaged a separate electorate for Muslims besides other constitutional measures. The government thereby sought to create a rift within the Congress on the one hand by winning the support of the moderates, and on the other, to win favour of Muslims against Bindus. To achieve the latter objective, the reforms introduced the system of separate electorates under which Muslims could only vote for Muslim candidates. This was done to encourage the notion that the political, economic and cultural interests of Hindus and Muslims were separate and not common. Indian political leaders were however dissatisfied by these reforms.
Lucknow Pact (1916)
An important step forward in achieving Hindu-Muslim unity was the Lucknow Pact 1916. Anti­British feelings were generated among the Muslims following a war between Britain and Turkey which opened way for Congress and Mus­lim League unity. Both the Con­gress and the Muslim League held sessions at Lucknow in 1916 and concluded the famous Lucknow Pact. The Congress accepted the separate electorates, and both organizations jointly demanded dominion status for the country.
 Hindu-Muslim unity weakened the British attitude and forced the government to announce its future policy. In 1916 a British policy was announced whereby association of Indians was increased and there was to be a gradual development of local self-governing institutions.
Home Rule Movement (1915­-1916)
Dr. Annie Besant, inspired by the Irish rebellion, started a Home Rule Movement in India in September 1916. The movement spread rapidly and branches of the Rome Rule League were established all over India. Bal Gangadhar Tilak wholeheartedly supported this movement. Rejoined forces with Dr. Besant and persuaded the Muslim League to support this programme.

The Gandhian Era (1918-1947)
Mahatma Gandhi dominated the Indian political scene from 1918­1947. This period of the Indian National Congress is also referred to as the Gandhian Era. It was the most
intense and eventful phase of India's freedom struggle. Mahatma Gandhi provided the leadership of the highest order and his philosophy of non-violent Satyagraha became the most potent weapon to drive out .the British from the Indian soil.
Khilafat Movement (1920)
The Caliph, Sultan of Turkey, was looked upon by the Muslims as their religious head. During the First World War, when the safety and the welfare of Turkey were threatened by the British thereby weakening the Caliph's position, Indian Muslims adopted an aggressive anti-British attitude. The two brothers, Mohammed Ah and Shaukat Ali launched an anti­British movement in 1920-the Khilafat Movement for the restoration.

The Rowlatt Act (1919)
While trying to appease Indians, the British Government was following a policy of repression. Throughout the First World War, repression of freedom fighters had continued. The revolutionaries had been hunted down, hanged or im­prisoned. The Government now decided to arm itself with more powers in order to suppress the freedom fighters. In March 1919, it passed the Rowlatt Act. This Act authorised the government to detain any person without trial. The Rowlatt Act came like a sudden blow. The Indians had been promised extension of democracy during the war. They felt humiliated and were filled with anger when they found that their civil liberties were going to be curtailed still further. Unrest gripped the country and a powerful agitation against the Act started. During this agitation, Gandhiji took command of the nationalist movement. March and April 1919 witnessed a remarkable political awakening in the country. There were hartals, strikes and demonstrations at various places. The slogans of Hindu-Muslim unity filled the air.

Jallianwalla Bagh Massacre (1919)
The Government was bent on suppressing the mass agitation. In Bombay; Ahmedabad, Calcutta, Delhi and at other places demonstrators were lathi-charged and fired upon. Gandhiji gave a call for a general hartal on April 6, 1919. The call was responded to with great enthusiasm. The Government decided to resort to repression to suppress the agitation. At this time the British Government committed one of the worst political crimes in modem history. An unarmed but a large crowd had gathered in Jallianwalla Bagh, Amritsar (Punjab) on April, 13, 1919 for a meeting. General Dyer ordered his troops to open fire on them without warning. This massacre of unarmed people (hundreds died and thousands were wounded) in an enclosed place from which there was no exit, was fol­lowed by a reign of terror in several districts under martial law.

Non-Cooperation Movement (1920)
With the Congress support of the Khilafat movement, Hindu-Muslim unity was achieved which encouraged Gandhiji to launch his non-violent, non-cooperation movement. At the Calcutta Session in September 1920, the Congress resolved in favour of the non-violent, non-cooperation movement and defined Swaraj as its ultimate aim. The movement envisaged: (i) Surrender of titles and honorary officers; (ii) Resignation from nominated offices and posts in the local bodies; (iii) Refusal to attend government darbars and official functions and boycott of British courts by the lawyers; (iv) Refusal of general public to offer themselves for military and other government jobs, and boycott of foreign goods, etc.
 The non-cooperation movement also saw picketing of shops selling foreign cloth and boycott of the foreign cloth by the followers of Gandhiji.
Chauri Chaura Incident (1922)
The Congress session held at Ahmedabad in December 1921 decided to launch a Civil Disobedience Movement while reiterating its stand on the non-violent, non­cooperation movement of which Gandhiji was appointed the leader. Before Gandhiji could launch the Civil Disobedience Movement, a mob of countrymen at Chauri Chaura, a place near Gorakhpur in D.P., clashed with the police which opened fire. In retaliation the mob burnt the police-station and killed 22 policemen. This compelled Gandhiji to call off the Civil Disobedience Movement on February 12, 1922.
 Despite this Gandhiji was arrested and sentenced to six years imprisonment. The Chauri Chaura incident convinced Gandhiji that the nation was not yet ready for the mass-dis6bedience and he prevailed upon Congress Working Committee in Bardoli on February 12, 1922 to call off the Non-Cooperation Movement.
Swaraj Party (1922)
Gandhiji's decision to call off the agitation caused frustration among masses. His decision came in for severe criticism from his colleagues like Motilal Nehru, C.R. Das and N.C. Kelkar, who organized the Swaraj Party. The foundations of the 'Swaraj Party' were laid on January 1, 1923, as the 'Congress­Khilafat-Swarajya Patty'. It proposed then an alternative programme of diverting the movement from widespread civil disobedience programme to restrictive one which would encourage its member to enter into legislative councils (established under Montford Reforms of 1919) by contesting elections in order to wreck the legislature from within and to use moral pressure to compel the authority to concede to the popular demand for self-government.

Simon Commission (1927)
Under the 1919 Act, a statutory commission was to be appointed by the British Government at the end of ten years from the passing of the Act to inquire into the working of the system of government in the country and to recommend further reforms. Thus the commission was scheduled to be appointed in 1929. It was ac­tually appointed two years earlier in 1927. The commission consisted of seven members of the British Parliament. It was headed by Sir John Simon. As all its members were British, the Congress decided to boycott it. The Commission arrived in India in Feb. 1928. It was greeted with black flags and hostile demonstrations everywhere it went. In one such demonstration at Lahore, Lala Lajpat Rai was seriously injured in a wanton police lathi-charge on the demonstrators. Lalaji died soon after from wounds received during the demonstration.

Dandi March (1930)
Also called the 'Salt Satyagraha'. To achieve the goal of complete independence, Gandhiji launched another civil disobedience movement. Along with 79 followers, Gandhiji started his famous march from Sabarmati Ashram on March 20,1930, for the small village Dandi to break the Salt Law. While Gandhiji was marching to Dandi, Congress leaders and workers had been busy at various levels with the hard organizational tasks of enrolling volunteers and members, forming grassroot Congress Committees, collecting funds, and touring villages and towns to spread nationalist messages.
 On reaching the seashore on April 6, 1930, he broke the Salt Law by picking up salt from the seashore. By picking a handful of salt, Gandhiji inaugurated the Civil Disobedience Movement, a movement that was to remain unsurpassed in the history of the Indian National Movement for the countrywide mass participation it unleashed. The movement became so powerful that it sparked off partriotism even among the Indian soldiers in the Army. The Garhwal soldiers refused to fire on the people at Peshawar.
Gandhi-Irwin Pact (1931)
Early in 1931 two moderate statesmen, Sapru and Jayakar, initiated efforts to bring about rapprochement between Gandhiji and the government. Six meetings with Viceroy Lord Irwin finally led to the signing of a pact between the two on March 5, 1931, whereby the Congress called off the movement and agreed to join the Second Round Table Conference. The terms of the agreement included the immediate release of all political prisoners not convicted for violence, the remission of all fines not yet collected, the return of confiscated land not yet sold to third parties, and lenient treatment of all the government officials who had resigned.
 Gandhiji and other leaders were released from jail as Irwin agreed to release most political prisoners and to return the properties that had been seized by the governments. The government also conceded the right to make the salt for consumption of villages along the coast, and also the right to peaceful and non-aggressive picketing. The Congress on its part, agreed to discontinue the Civil Disobedience Movement and to participate in the next Round Table Conference.
The Government of India Act, 1935
The Simon Commission report submitted in 1930 formed the basis for the Government of India Act 1935. The new Government of India Act received the royal assent on August 4, 1935.
 The Act continued and extended all the existing features of the Indian constitution. Popular representation, which went back to 1892, dyarchy and ministerial responsibility, which dated from 1921, provincial autonomy, whose chequered history went back to eighteenth century presidencies, communal representation, which first received recognition in 1909, and the safeguards devised in 1919, were all continued and in most cases extended. But in addition there were certain new principles intro­duced. It provided for a federal type of government. Thus, the act:
(a) Introduced provincial autonomy
(b) Abolished dyarchy in provinces I
(c) Made ministers responsible to the legislative and federation at the centre
 The Act of 1935 was condemned by nearly all sections of Indian public opinion and was unanimously rejected by the Congress. The Congress demanded instead, the convening of a Constituent Assembly elected on the basis of adult franchise to frame a constitution for an independent India.
Quit India Movement (1942)
On August 8, 1942, the Congress in its meeting at Bombay passed a resolution known as 'Quit India' resolution, whereby Gandhiji asked the British to quit India and gave a call for 'Do or die' to his countrymen. On August 9, 1942, Gandhiji was arrested but the other leaders continued the revolutionary struggle. Violence spread throughout the country, several government officers were destroyed and damaged, telegraph wires were cut and communication paralyzed. The movement was, however, crushed by the government.
Cabinet Mission Plan (1946)
The struggle for freedom entered a decisive phase in the year 1945-46. The British Prime Minister, Lord Attlee, made a declaration on March 15, 1946, that British Cabinet Mission would visit India to make recommendations regarding constitutional reforms to be introduced in India. The Cabinet Mission which constituted of Lord Lawrence, Sir Stafford Cripps and A.V. Alexander visited India and met the representatives of different political parties but a satisfactory solution to the constitutional difficulties could not be found. The Mission envisaged the establishment of a Constituent Assembly to frame the Constitution as well as an interim government. The Muslim League accepted the plan on June 6, 1946, while maintaining its rights of striving for a separate Muslim state. The Congress also partially accepted the plan.
Interim Government (1946)
On September 2, 1946, an inter­im government was formed. Congress members led by Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru joined it but the Muslim League did not as it withdrew its earlier acceptance of the Cabinet Mission Plan.

Formation of Constituent Assembly (1946)
The Constituent Assembly met on December 9, 1946, and Dr. Rajendra Prasad was elected its President. The Muslim League did not join the Assembly.

Mountbatten Plan (1947)
In March 1947, Lord Mountbatten replaced Lord Wavell. He announced his plan on June 3, 1947. It offered a key to the political and constitutional deadlock created by the refusal of the Muslim League to join the Constituent Assembly formed to frame the Constitution of India. Mountbatten's formula was to divide India but retain maximum unity. The country would be partitioned but so would be Punjab and Bengal, so that the limited Pakistan that emerged would meet both the Congress and the League's position to some extent. The League's position on Pakistan was conceded in that it would be created, but the Congress position on unity would be taken into account to make Pakistan as small as possible. He laid down detailed principles for the partition of the country and speedy transfer of political powers in the form of dominion status to the newly formed dominions of India and Pakistan. Its acceptance by the Congress and the Muslim' League resulted in the birth of Pakistan.

 The Indian Independence Act, 1947
The Bill containing the provisions of the Mountbatten Plan of June 3, 1947, was introduced in the British Parliament and passed as the Indian Independence Act,
1947. The Act laid down detailed measures for the partition of India and speedy transfer of political powers to the new government of India and Pakistan.
 Partition of India (1947)
In accordance with the Indian Independence Act, 1947, India was partitioned on August 15, 1947 into India and Pakistan. The Act made India and Pakistan independent dominions. Bloodshed and violence marked the exodus of refugees. The state of Kashmir acceded to the Indian Union, after the raiders were helped by Pakistan, in October 1947. Lord Mountbatten was appointed the Governor-General of free1ndia and M.A. Jinnah the first Governor-General of Pakistan.