History – MCQ – GK Questions

Answer: Meerut

The Revolt of 1857 began in Meerut on May 10, 1857, when Indian sepoys refused to use the new Enfield rifle cartridges. It quickly spread to Delhi, Kanpur, Lucknow, and other parts of North India. [[1]]

Answer: Famine Commission

The Famine Commission (1880) under Richard Strachey was appointed after the devastating famines of 1876-78. It recommended measures for famine relief and prevention, though implementation was inadequate. [[1]]

Answer: Dadabhai Naoroji

Dadabhai Naoroji propounded the 'Drain of Wealth' theory in his book 'Poverty and Un-British Rule in India' (1901), arguing that Britain systematically drained India's resources, causing poverty. [[30]]

Answer: Swami Vivekananda

Swami Vivekananda founded the Ramakrishna Mission in 1897 to propagate Vedanta philosophy and engage in social service. It was inspired by his guru, Sri Ramakrishna Paramahamsa. [[30]]

Answer: Dayanand Saraswati

Swami Dayanand Saraswati founded Arya Samaj in Bombay in 1875. It promoted Vedic values, opposed idol worship, caste discrimination, and advocated for women's education and widow remarriage. [[1]]

Answer: Permanent Settlement

The Permanent Settlement created a class of zamindars who often lived in cities and collected rent from peasants without investing in agriculture, leading to rural impoverishment and absentee landlordism. [[1]]

Answer: 1793

Lord Cornwallis introduced the Permanent Settlement in Bengal, Bihar, and Odisha in 1793. It fixed land revenue permanently and recognized zamindars as landowners, creating a new landlord class. [[30]]

Answer: Prithviraj Chauhan

Prithviraj Chauhan defeated Muhammad Ghori in the First Battle of Tarain (1191). However, Ghori returned and defeated Prithviraj in the Second Battle of Tarain (1192), establishing Muslim rule in North India. [[30]]

Answer: Harihara and Bukka

Harihara I and Bukka Raya I founded the Vijayanagara Empire in 1336 CE with guidance from sage Vidyaranya. Hampi was its magnificent capital, a UNESCO World Heritage Site today. [[1]]

Answer: Both B and C

Silappadikaram (by Ilango Adigal) and Manimekalai (by Sattanar) are the two great Tamil epics of the Sangam period, depicting social life, trade, and religious practices in ancient South India. [[1]]

Answer: Nalanda

Nalanda University (5th-12th century CE) in Bihar was a premier center for Buddhist learning, attracting scholars from China, Korea, and Central Asia. It was destroyed by Bakhtiyar Khilji in 1193. [[30]]

Answer: Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels

Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels published 'The Communist Manifesto' in 1848. It outlined class struggle and called for proletarian revolution, influencing global socialist movements. [[30]]

Answer: Italy

The Renaissance originated in 14th-century Italy (Florence), marking a revival of art, literature, science, and humanism. It later spread across Europe, influencing global culture. [[1]]

Answer: 8

The original Constitution (1950) had 8 schedules. Currently, there are 12 schedules after amendments. Schedules deal with administrative details like states, languages, and tribal areas. [[1]]

Answer: Lord Mountbatten

Lord Mountbatten served as the first Governor-General of independent India (August 1947 – June 1948). C. Rajagopalachari was the first and last Indian Governor-General (1948-1950). [[30]]

Answer: Government of India Act 1919

The Government of India Act 1919 (Montagu-Chelmsford Reforms) introduced dyarchy, dividing provincial subjects into 'Reserved' (controlled by Governor) and 'Transferred' (controlled by ministers). [[30]]

Answer: B.R. Ambedkar

Dr. B.R. Ambedkar chaired the Drafting Committee. The Constitution was adopted on November 26, 1949, and came into force on January 26, 1950. [[1]]

Answer: A.O. Hume

Allan Octavian Hume, a retired British civil servant, founded the Indian National Congress in December 1885 in Bombay. W.C. Banerjee was its first president. [[1]]

Answer: Dadabhai Naoroji

Dadabhai Naoroji was elected as a Liberal Party MP from Finsbury Central (London) in 1892. He was known as the 'Grand Old Man of India' and authored 'Poverty and Un-British Rule in India'. [[30]]

Answer: Lord Chelmsford

Lord Chelmsford was Viceroy during the Jallianwala Bagh massacre (April 13, 1919). General Dyer ordered troops to fire on unarmed civilians in Amritsar, killing hundreds. [[30]]