History MCQ Quiz - Objective Question with Answer for History - Download Free PDF

The correct answer is 1853.

Key Points

• The first railway line in India was operationalized on 16 April 1853, connecting Mumbai (formerly Bombay) to Thane.
• The distance covered by this inaugural railway line was 34 kilometers.
• This historic journey was completed by a train consisting of 14 carriages and hauled by three locomotives named Sahib, Sultan, and Sindh.
• The railway project was initiated by the Great Indian Peninsula Railway Company with financial backing from the British government.
• The introduction of railways marked a significant milestone in India’s transportation and industrial development during the British colonial period.

Additional Information

• Locomotive Names:
  • The first train was powered by three locomotives named Sahib, Sultan, and Sindh, highlighting the importance of rail technology during the era.
• Railway Expansion:
  • Post-1853, railway lines expanded rapidly across India, becoming a key mode of transportation and economic integration.
  • By 1900, India had an extensive railway network, which was critical to British administration and trade.
• Impact on Society:
  • The railways facilitated faster movement of goods and people, revolutionizing trade and commerce.
  • It also played a role in unifying disparate regions of colonial India.
• Railway Administration:
  • The railway network was administered by the British government and private companies during the colonial period.
  • It later became a state-owned entity post-Independence, under Indian Railways.

The correct answer is '12 August 1765, Mughal Emperor'

Key Points

• Diwani Rights:
  • The Diwani rights refer to the authority to collect revenue, administer civil justice, and manage the finances of a region.
  • On 12 August 1765, the Mughal Emperor Shah Alam II granted the Diwani rights of Bengal, Bihar, and Orissa to the East India Company after the Treaty of Allahabad.
  • These rights marked a significant turning point as they allowed the East India Company to control the economic resources of these regions.
  • The agreement was made after the Company’s victory in the Battle of Buxar (1764), where the forces of the Mughal Emperor and his allies were defeated.
• Impact of Diwani Rights:
  • By acquiring Diwani rights, the East India Company effectively became the administrative authority in Bengal, Bihar, and Orissa.
  • This paved the way for the consolidation of British power in India and the transition from a trading entity to a territorial authority.
  • It allowed the Company to collect taxes and gain immense financial resources, which were used to strengthen its military and administrative framework.
  • The granting of Diwani rights is considered a foundational moment in the establishment of British colonial rule in India.

Additional Information

• Historical Context:
  • The Treaty of Allahabad (1765) was signed after the Battle of Buxar, where the East India Company defeated the combined forces of the Mughal Emperor Shah Alam II, Nawab Shuja-ud-Daula of Awadh, and Mir Qasim, the Nawab of Bengal.
  • The treaty formalized the Company’s acquisition of Diwani rights, granting them control over revenue collection in Bengal, Bihar, and Orissa.
  • This marked the beginning of the dual administration system, where the Company controlled revenue collection while the Nawabs retained nominal authority over criminal justice.
• Significance:
  • The acquisition of Diwani rights allowed the East India Company to amass wealth and consolidate its position in India.
  • It laid the foundation for the British colonial administration and further territorial expansion in the Indian subcontinent.

Important Points

• The Diwani rights were a key factor in the transformation of the East India Company from a commercial enterprise to a political power.
• The financial resources obtained through revenue collection were used to fund military campaigns and expand British influence in India.
• The Treaty of Allahabad is considered a landmark event in Indian history, marking the beginning of formal British rule in the country.

The correct answer is 21 days.
Key Points

• In the Harijan Andolan of 1933, Mahatma Gandhi fasted for 21 days.
• This was a self-purification fast to support the movement against untouchability, and he urged Hindus to open temples and wells to Harijans. 
• Harijan, which means Hari Ka Jan, the man of God, was given by Gandhi Ji in 1933 to Dalit and all other depressed classes after Puna Pact.
• Gandhi Ji decided for an untouchable prevention movement, he was always against untouchability.
• In 1933 he started a movement against it.
• He started traveling all over India from Wardha Ashram to fight against untouchability and for a social demand of socioeconomic and political support to Dalits by fellow Indians and the Government.
• His movement was known as Harijan Yatra which was a long journey that takes 9 months.
• In connection with Harijan upliftment work, Mahatma Gandhi visited Hyderabad on 9 March 1934.

Additional Information

• Mahatma Gandhi
  • Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi was an Indian lawyer, anti-colonial nationalist, and political ethicist.
  • He was known as the Father of the Nation and commonly called Bapu.
  • His birthday on 2 October is commemorated in India as Gandhi Jayanti, a national holiday.
  • He was a prolific writer. One of Gandhi's publications Hind Swaraj published in Gujrati in 1909.
  • He was the leader of various movements (Satyagraha, Champaran Movement, Kheda Movement, Quit India Movement).

Jyotirao Phule wrote 'The Cultivator’s Whipcord'.

Key Points

• Jyotirao Phule was one of the pioneers of social reforms in western India.
• He campaigned against untouchability and the pathetic condition of low castes, terming them as Dalits.
• Jyotirao Phule was born in a low caste Mali family at Pune in Maharashtra.
• He was aggrieved by Brahmanical domination over rest of the society.
• Jyotirao Phule founded the Satyashodhak Samaj in 1873 at Pune, Maharashtra.
• The main task of Phule's organisation was to work for the upliftment of the oppressed classes.
• He also endorsed the girl's education in and around Pune with his wife Savitribai Phule.
• In 1873, Phule wrote a book named Gulamgiri, meaning slavery. 

• In 1883 he published a collection of his speeches under the title Jhetkaryarlcha Asud (The cultivator's whip-cord) where he has analyzed how peasants were being exploited in those days.

Therefore, the correct answer is - Jyotirao Phule.

The correct answer is Tipu Sultan 
Key Points

• Tipu Sultan (1751-1799)
  • Also known as Tiger of Mysore 
  • Ruler of kingdom Mysore (South India)
  • Pioneer of rocket artillery, coinage system, calendar, and new land revenue system
  • Tipu Sultan and his father Hyder Ali French-trained trained army to fight against the invasion of the British

Important Points

• Anglo-Mysore Wars: 

Additional Information

The correct answer is Third.Key Points

• The Anglo-Maratha War that resulted in merging the Peshwas' territories with the Bombay Presidency was the Third Anglo-Maratha War.
• This war took place between 1817 and 1819 and was fought between the British East India Company and the Maratha Empire.
• The British won the war and as a result, the Peshwas' territories, which included Pune, were annexed by the British and merged with the Bombay Presidency.
• This war was significant in the history of India as it marked the end of the Maratha Empire's power and paved the way for British dominance in India.

Additional Information

• The First Anglo-Maratha War took place between 1775 and 1782 and was fought between the British East India Company and the Maratha Empire.
  • The British were unable to defeat the Marathas and the war ended with the Treaty of Salbai.
• The Second Anglo-Maratha War took place between 1803 and 1805 and was fought between the British East India Company and the Maratha Empire.
  • The British won the war and as a result, the Marathas lost a significant amount of territory.
• The third Anglo-Maratha War took place between 1817 and 1819 and was fought between the British East India Company and the Maratha Empire.
  • The British were successful in defeating the Marathas and the war ended with the Treaty of Mandsaur.

The correct answer is Civil Disobedience.

Key Points

• The Gandhi-Irwin Pact was associated with the civil disobedience movement of India.
  • The agreement was signed by Mahatma Gandhi and Lord Irwin.
  • The pact was signed on 5^th March 1931.
  • Arranged before the second round table conference in London.
  • As per Gandhi-Irwin Pact, Gandhiji discontinued the Civil Disobedience movement and agreed to attend the second round table conference.
• Proposed conditions of the Gandhi-Irwin Pact are:
  1. Participation by the Indian National Congress in the Second Round Table Conference.
  2. Removal of the tax on salt.
  3. Withdrawal of all ordinances imposing curbs on the activities of the Indian National Congress issued by the Government of India.
  4. Discontinuation of Salt March.
• Non-Co-operation movement was the first mass political movement led by Gandhiji.
  • Started in 1920.
  • Main goal: The attainment of Swaraj.
• Rowlatt Act was passed on 6^th February 1919.
  • Gandhiji called this act as 'The Black Act'.
  • Lord Chelmsford was the British viceroy during the Rowlatt Act.
• Quit India resolution was passed on 8^th August 1942.
  • The failure of the Crips mission was the immediate cause of the Quit India movement.
  • "Quit India" was the famous slogan raised during this movement.

The correct answer is Relation to soil and prosperity.

Key PointsNational Flag:

• The national flag is a horizontal tricolour of deep saffron at the top, white in the middle, and dark green at the bottom in equal proportion.
  • Saffron stands for courage.
  • White stands for truth and purity.
  • Green is the symbol of life, abundance, relation to soil, and prosperity.
• The ratio of the width of the flag to its length is 2:3.
• Its design is that of the wheel which appears on the abacus of the Sarnath Lion Capital of Ashoka.
• Its diameter approximates the width of the white band and it has 24 spokes.
• The design was given by Pingali Venkaiya.
• The design of the National Flag was adopted by the Constituent Assembly of India on 22 July 1947.
• It is our Fundamental Duty to abide by the Constitution and respect its ideals and institutions, the National Flag and the National Anthem.

The correct answer is Durgabhai Deshmukh. 

Key Points

• Durgabhai Deshmukh was the founder of the Andhra Mahila Sabha.
• She was popularly known as “Iron Lady”.
• She organized Salt Satyagrah during the Civil disobedience movement in Madras and was imprisoned.
• She was the founder of AMS (Andhra Mahila Sabha) institutions and other important social welfare organizations. he, with the help of two other prominent nationalists (A. K. Prakasam and Desodharaka Nageswararao), started the movement in Madras.
• She was arrested and imprisoned for her involvement in a movement that had been banned.
• She also edited a journal known as Andhra Mahila and inspired women to rebel against meaning­less social constraints imposed on them.
• She was a member of the Constituent Assembly.
• She was awarded the Tamrapatra and Paul Hoffman Award after independence in recognition of her service to society.

Additional Information

• Sarojini Naidu:
  • Popularly known as the “Nightingale of India”, was a nationalist and poetess.
  • She was married to Dr. Govindarajulu Naidu in 1898​.
  • Under the guidance of Gopal Krishna Gokhale, she became the first woman to participate in India's struggle for independence.
  • She participated in the Dandi March with Gandhiji and presided over the Kanpur Session of Congress in 1925.
  • She was the first woman to become the Governor of Uttar Pradesh State.

The correct answer is Kushans.

• Kushans were the first kings to issue the largest hoards of gold coins in India.

Key Points

• Kushanas Coins:
  • Kushanas issued mostly gold coins and numerous copper coins which have been found in most parts of North India up to Bihar.
  • The Gold Dinara's or Suvarnas were based on the Roman denarius and were of 124 grains (8.04 grams).
    • Double and quarter Dinaras were also issued. The copper coins were large, from 26 to 28 Masas or 240 to 260 grains (15.55 to 16.85) grams.
  • The coins of Vima Kadphises bear the figure of Siva standing beside a bull.
  • In the legend on these coins, the king calls himself Maheshwara, i.e. devotee of Siva.
    • Kanishka, Huvishka and Vasudeva etc. all have this depiction on their coins.
  • Many Indian gods and goddesses are depicted on Kushana coins besides many Persian and Greek deities.

Additional Information

• Indo-Greek Coins:
  • The Indo-Greek coins show beautiful artistic features them.
  • The portrait or bust of the king on the obverse side appears to be a real portrait.
  • On the reverse, some deity is depicted.
  • We know that more than forty Indo-Greek rulers ruled in a small north-western region of India from these coins.
• Pre-Guptan and Guptan Coins:
  • Gupta kings issued the most Gold coins.
  • The Satavahanas issued coins of lead and potin (base silver).
  • Satavahanas’ copper coins with the Ujjain symbol bearing a ship were abundant in Avanti.
  • The gold coins of the Guptas (Dinara) originally approximated to the Kushana standard, but in the middle of the 5th century rose in weight to 144 grains, thus returning to the Indian standard of the copper Karsapana.

Mistake Points

• Gupta kings issued the most number of Gold coins whereas Kushans were the first kings to issue the largest hoards of gold coins in India.
• Solution Source:-  https://ncert.nic.in/textbook/pdf/lehs102.pdf  (Pg No. 44)

The correct answer is Robert Clive.

Key Points

• Robert Clive was the governor of Bengal during 1757-1760 and again during 1765-1767.
• He led the Company’s army against Sirajuddaulah at Plassey in 1757.
• The dual government system in India was introduced by Robert Clive.
• He introduced the dual government system in Bengal in 1765.
  • It was continued till 1772.
• The administration of Bengal was divided into Diwani and Nizamat as a result of the dual government system.
• Robert Clive is known as the 'Babur of British India'.

Additional Information

• Warren Hastings is the only governor who was impeached by the British government in India.
  • Warren Hastings abolished the dual government system in 1772.
• The system of Permanent Settlement and civil services were introduced by Lord Cornwallis.
• The Subsidiary Alliance System in India was introduced by Lord Wellesley.

The correct answer is Yajurveda.

Vedas

• The Vedas are the earliest surviving literature of the Indian subcontinent.
• There are four Vedas: the Rig Veda, the Sama Veda, the Yajur Veda, and the Atharva Veda.

Important Points Yajurveda:

• Stands to mean ‘Worship Knowledge’, Yajurveda dates back to 1100-800 BCE; corresponding with Samaveda.
• It compiles ritual-offering mantras/chants. These chants were offered by the priest alongside a person who used to perform a ritual (in most cases yajna fire.)
• It has two types – Krishna (Black/Dark) & Shukla (White/Bright)
• Krishna Yajurveda has an un-arranged, unclear, motley collection of verses
• Shukla Yajurveda has arranged and clear verses.

Thus, we can say that the veda which deals with the rituals is known as Yajurveda.

Additional Information

• Rigveda:
  • The oldest Veda is the Rigveda. It has 1028 hymns called ‘Suktas’ and is a collection of 10 books called ‘Mandalas.’ 
  • It is the oldest form of Veda and the oldest known Vedic Sanskrit text(1800 – 1100 BCE)
  • The meaning of the word ‘Rigveda’ is Praise Knowledge
  • It has 10600 verses
• Samaveda:
  • Known as the Veda of melodies and chants, Samaveda dates back to 1200-800 BCE. This Veda is related to public worship. 
  • There are 1549 verses (except 75 verses, all have been taken from Rigveda)
  • There are two Upanishads embedded in Samaveda – Chandogya Upanishad and Kena Upanishad
  • The Samaveda is considered the root of Indian classical music and dance
  • It is considered as the storehouse of the melodious chants.
• Atharvaveda:
  • Stands to mean a tatpurusha compound of Atharvan, an ancient sage, and knowledge (atharvan+knowledge), it dates back to 1000-800 BCE.
  • The daily procedures of life are very well enumerated in this Veda
  • It has 730 hymns/suktas, 6000 mantras, and 20 books
  • Paippalada and the Saunakiya are two surviving recensions of Atharvaveda
  • Called a Veda of magical formulas, it includes three primary Upanishads – Mundaka Upanishad, the Mandukya Upanishad, and the Prashna Upanishad.

The correct answer is Annie Besant.

Key Points

• Annie Besant was the first woman President of the Indian National Congress.
• She presided over the Indian National Congress at the Calcutta session of 1917.
• She was a leading member of INC.
• She established the Home Rule League in 1916 at Madras.
• She first visited India in 1893 and was involved in the Indian National Movement.

Additional Information

• Sarojini Naidu:
  • She was the first Indian woman president of the Indian National Congress.
  • She became the president of the Indian National Congress in the Kanpur session in 1925.
  • She was given the title of "Nightingale of India" for her contributions in the field of poetry writing.
  • She was called 'Bharat Kokila'.
  • She is the first woman to hold the office of governor in the dominion of India.
  • She became the governor of the United Provinces in 1947.

Important Points

• Chittaranjan Das became the president of the Indian National Congress in the Gaya session in 1922.
• Motilal Nehru became the president of the Indian National Congress in the Calcutta session in 1928.
• Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel became the president of the Indian National Congress in the Karachi session in 1931.

At the Surkotda site traces of horses have been found.

Important Points

• Surkotda is located in Rapar Taluka of Kutch district of Gujarat.
• Here, the remains of Horse bones and some related artifacts have been found.
• J.P. Joshi and A.K. Sharma reported the findings of horse bones during 2100-1700 BCE.
• The horse did not play an important role during the Indus Valley Civilisation.

Additional Information

• The Harappans established the settlement at Surkotda towards the end of the civilization.
• It was occupied for 400 years.
• It is a small fortified site with an area of 3.5 acres.

The correct answer is Shahjahan.

Key Points

• Shahjahan's reign (1628-1658) is known as the golden age of Mughal architecture.
• Reasons:-
  • He erected several large monuments like the Taj Mahal, the Red fort etc.
  • There was peace during his reign.
  • There were no foreign threats.
  • He also did a lot of welfare work like constructing roads, canals.
  • Trade and commerce flourished.
• Shah Jahan (1628 - 1658)
  • Shah Jahan transferred his capital from Agra to Delhi in 1638.
  • He created Shahjahanabad.
  • He constructed the Jama Masjid and the Moti Masjid.
  • He also built the famous Peacock throne.
  • Aurangzeb imprisoned him in 1658.

Additional Information

• Akbar (1556-1605)- Akbar was 13 years old when he became emperor. His reign can be divided into three periods.
  • 1556-1570 – Akbar became independent of the regent Bairam Khan and other members of his domestic staff.
    • Military campaigns were launched against the Suris and
      other Afghans, against the neighbouring kingdoms of
      Malwa and Gondwana, and to suppress the revolt of his
      half-brother Mirza Hakim and the Uzbegs.
    • In 1568 the Sisodiya capital of Chittor was seized and in 1569 Ranthambhor.
  • 1570-1585 – military campaigns in Gujarat were followed by campaigns in the east in Bihar, Bengal and Orissa. These campaigns were complicated by the 1579-1580 revolt in support of Mirza Hakim.
  • 1585-1605 – expansion of Akbar’s empire. Campaigns
    were launched in the north-west.
    • Qandahar was seized from the Safavids, Kashmir was annexed, as also Kabul, after the death of Mirza Hakim.
    • Campaigns in the Deccan started and Berar, Khandesh and parts of Ahmadnagar were annexed.
    • In the last years of his reign Akbar was distracted by the rebellion of Prince Salim, the future Emperor Jahangir.
• Jahangir (1605-1627)
  • Military campaigns started by Akbar continued.
  • The Sisodiya ruler of Mewar, Amar Singh, accepted Mughal service.
  • Less successful campaigns against the Sikhs, the Ahoms and Ahmadnagar followed. Prince Khurram, the future Emperor Shah Jahan, rebelled in the last years of his reign.
  • The efforts of Nur Jahan, Jahangir’s wife, to marginalise him were unsuccessful.
• Humayun (1530-1540, 1555-1556)
  • Humayun divided his inheritance according to the will of his father. His brothers were each given a province.
    • The ambitions of his brother Mirza Kamran weakened Humayun’s cause against Afghan competitors.
    • Sher Khan defeated Humayun at Chausa (1539) and Kanauj (1540), forcing him to flee to Iran.
  • In Iran Humayun received help from the Safavid Shah.
    • He recaptured Delhi in 1555 but died the next year after an accident in this building.