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All questions of Class 11(Theme in World History) for UPSC CSE Exam

Britain recognised the USA as an independent country in 178_
  • a)
    1781
  • b)
    1782
  • c)
    1783
  • d)
    1784
Correct answer is option 'A'. Can you explain this answer?

Malavika Patel answered
As per the NCERT Textbook, the British Recognized the USA as an independent country in 1781. Hence, option A.

Zakat was an/a
  • a)
    agriculture tax
  • b)
    alms tax
  • c)
    religious tax
  • d)
    trade tax
Correct answer is option 'B'. Can you explain this answer?

Amit Kumar answered
The Muslim community survived on agriculture, trade and alms tax called zakat. Apart from these taxes, the Muslims organised expeditionary raids (ghazw) on Meccan caravans and nearby oases. These raids provoked reactions from the Meccans and caused a breach with the Jews of Medina.

The first blast furnace was invented by
  • a)
    Henry Cort
  • b)
    Abraham Darby III
  • c)
    Abraham Darby I
  • d)
    Abraham Darby II
Correct answer is option 'C'. Can you explain this answer?

Ojasvi Mehta answered
The first Abraham Darby invented the blast furnace in 1709. Coke was used in blast furnace to generate high temperatures. It was derived from coal by removing the sulphur and impurities. It replaced charcoal.

The woman-saint sufi who, in her poems, preached instense love for God by uniting with God was
  • a)
    Rabia.
  • b)
    Aisha
  • c)
    Fatima
  • d)
    Khadija
Correct answer is option 'A'. Can you explain this answer?

Amit Kumar answered
Sufis used musical concerts, known as sama, to induce ecstasy and stimulate emotions of love and passion. Rabia of Basra preached that Unity with God could be achieved through an intense love for God (ishq).

The last Ice Age ended around:
  • a)
    15,000 years ago.
  • b)
    14, 000 years ago.
  • c)
    10,000 years ago.
  • d)
    12,000 years ago.
Correct answer is option 'C'. Can you explain this answer?

Mira Sharma answered
The end of the Ice Age, around 13,000 years ago, led to creation of warmer, wetter conditions. These conditions were favourable for the growth of grasses like wild barley and wheat. ASimultaneously, both open forests and grasslands expanded and an increase in populations of certain animal species such as wild sheep, goat, cattle, pig and donkey.

Genghis Khan died in
  • a)
    1224 CE.
  • b)
    1225 CE.
  • c)
    1226 CE.
  • d)
    1227 CE.
Correct answer is option 'D'. Can you explain this answer?

Nidhi Solanki answered
He was the founder and emperor of Moñgol Empire which become the largest contigious empire in history after his death. He came to power by uniting many Nomadic tribes of North East Asia. He was born on 16April1162. and died on 18 August 1227.

A guild was an association of
  • a)
    monks.
  • b)
    farmers.
  • c)
    craft and industry.
  • d)
    lords.
Correct answer is option 'C'. Can you explain this answer?

Sounak Nambiar answered
Guild was a professional association that maintained formal guidelines for each craft. Guild was responsible to control the quality of the product, its price and its sale. Heads of all the guilds met formally at ‘guild-hall’. It was a building for ceremonial functions.

The term ‘pathological idiot’ has been used with reference to
  • a)
    Australopithecus.
  • b)
    Homo Habilis.
  • c)
    Homo Erectus.
  • d)
    Neanderthal.
Correct answer is option 'D'. Can you explain this answer?

Athul Chawla answered
The skull of the Neanderthal man, first discovered at Neander Valley in Germany, was initially rejected by scholars. Some of them, dismissing its antiquity, regarded it as 'brutish' or that of a 'pathological idiot'.

After the Arabs and Iranians, the group that was rising to power on the Islamic scene was the
  • a)
    Buyids.
  • b)
    Iranians.
  • c)
    Samanid.
  • d)
    Turks.
Correct answer is option 'D'. Can you explain this answer?

Vikram Verma answered
Turks were nomadic tribes from the Central Asian steppes of Turkistan (north-east of the Aral Sea upto the borders of China). They gradually converted to Islam.

The Roman silver coin, known as denarius, weighed _________ gm of pure silver.
  • a)
  • b)
  • c)
  • d)
Correct answer is option 'C'. Can you explain this answer?

Niti Basak answered
In the Roman currency system, the Denarius was a small silver coin, first minted in 211 BC. It was the most common coin produced for circulation but was slowly debased until its replacement by the Antoninianus.

The followers and non-followers of Ali were called
  • a)
    Arabs and Iranians.
  • b)
    Shias and Sunnis.
  • c)
    Umayyads and Abbasids.
  • d)
    Byzantines and Sasanids
Correct answer is option 'B'. Can you explain this answer?

Kabir Verma answered
Ali was the fourth Caliph, after the death of the third Caliph, Uthman. Ali established himself at Kufa and defeated an army led by Muhammad’s wife, Aisha, in the Battle of the Camel.

There was a growing uncertainty about the value and purpose of monasticism by the
  • a)
    thirteenth century.
  • b)
    fourteenth century.
  • c)
    fifteenth century.
  • d)
    sixteenth century.
Correct answer is option 'B'. Can you explain this answer?

The diminishing popularity of the monotheism could be seen in many of the writings. For example in England, Langland’s poem, 'Piers Plowman' contrasted the ease and luxury of the lives of some monks with the ‘pure faith’ of ‘simple ploughmen and shepherds and poor common labourers.’ Chaucer wrote the 'Canterbury Tales', which had comic portraits of a nun, a monk and a friar.

Saint Augustine was bishop of the North African city of
  • a)
    Annaba
  • b)
    Algeria
  • c)
    Hippo
  • d)
    Numidia
Correct answer is option 'C'. Can you explain this answer?

Kiran Sharma answered
Saint Augustine (354-430 CE) was the Bishop of Hippo, a North African city, from 396 CE, and a towering figure in the intellectual history of the Church. In AD 386, he had converted to Christianity.

Syngman Rhee, Korea’s first elected president had to resign, after the April Revolution because:
  • a)
    Rhee got himself elected as president, in 1948 CE, through illegal means.
  • b)
    Rhee extended his rule by illegally amending constitution.
  • c)
    Koreans protested against a rigged election, which took place in 1960 CE.
  • d)
    Koreans desired unification of North and South Korea, which Rhee was unwilling to accommodate.
Correct answer is option 'C'. Can you explain this answer?

Gayatri Yadav answered
South Korea’s first president, Syngman Rhee, had been democratically elected in 1948 CE. But, after the Korean War, he extended his rule, twice by passing illegal constitutional amendments. In April 1960 CE, Koreans protested against a rigged election during the April Revolution, ultimately forcing Rhee to resign.

The Mongols travelled with their herds to pasture lands and lived in tents called:
  • a)
    ‘Anda’
  • b)
    ‘Gers’
  • c)
    ‘Noyan’
  • d)
    ‘Yasa’
Correct answer is option 'B'. Can you explain this answer?

Mayank Goyal answered
The Mongols lived in the steppes of Central Asia, in a tract of land in the area of the modern state of Mongolia. Agriculture was possible in the pastoral regions, such as the steppes of Central Asia, during short parts of the year, but the Mongols did not take to farming.

The ruler who ascended the throne after a civil war was
  • a)
    Atahualpa
  • b)
    Cuatemoc
  • c)
    Montezuma
  • d)
    Manco Capac
Correct answer is option 'A'. Can you explain this answer?

Nikita Singh answered
In 1532, Atahualpa secured the throne of the Inca Empire after a civil war. Shortly thereafter, the Spanish, under Francisco Pizarro, captured and executed the king. Eventually, the Spanish occupied and subjugated the Incas.

In the Eastern Hadza community, the lands belonged to
  • a)
    Women.
  • b)
    Headmen.
  • c)
    Clan.
  • d)
    No one.
Correct answer is option 'D'. Can you explain this answer?

The Eastern Hadza people did not assert rights over land and its resources. Any individual may live wherever he likes and may hunt animals, collect roots, berries, and honey and draw water anywhere in Hadza country without any sort of restriction.

The emperor who made Christianity the official religion in the Roman Empire was
  • a)
    Alexander
  • b)
    Augustus
  • c)
    Constantine
  • d)
    Nero
Correct answer is option 'C'. Can you explain this answer?

Aniket Kapoor answered
Christianity is a monotheistic religion, centered on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth, as presented in the New Testament. The Christian faith is essentially a faith in Jesus as the Christ (or Messiah), the Son of God, the Saviour, the manifestation of God to humankind and himself.

According to French priests the basis of classification among the three orders was
  • a)
    education.
  • b)
    race.
  • c)
    wealth.
  • d)
    nature of work.
Correct answer is option 'D'. Can you explain this answer?

The three orders of society were the clergy, the nobility and the peasantry. The clergy or the religious people were at the top of the hierarchy, followed by the nobility, which constituted king and his courtiers, and lastly were the peasants and other masses.

In 1571, the Philippines was conquered by
  • a)
    Spain.
  • b)
    Portugal.
  • c)
    Holland.
  • d)
    England.
Correct answer is option 'A'. Can you explain this answer?

Nidhi Solanki answered
Philippines was conquered by King Philip II of Spain in 1571 and Manila was made the capital of the Philippines. Name of King Philip is still attached to the country(Philippines).

The first king who was declared the 'Holy Roman Emperor' was
  • a)
    Charlemagne.
  • b)
    Louis I.
  • c)
    Louis II.
  • d)
    Louis III.
Correct answer is option 'A'. Can you explain this answer?

Priya Menon answered
The French had strong links and mutual understandings with the Church. This relationship was further strengthened when, in 800 AD, the Pope gave King Charlemagne the title of ‘Holy Roman Emperor’ to ensure his support.

The main reason that led to a change from foraging to farming occupation was:
  • a)
    Domestication.
  • b)
    End of Ice Age.
  • c)
    Making of iron tools.
  • d)
    Warmer and wetter conditions.
Correct answer is option 'A'. Can you explain this answer?

Naina Sharma answered
Early people used to gather food and lived by hunting animals. Gradually, they came to know about the growth of plants. They then started growing plants and shifted to a settled life. The plants chosen by them gradually transformed and eventually appeared entirely different from the wild ones. Wild animals that were milder in behaviour turned to these settled areas to feed themselves. This led to the beginning of domestication of wild animals. This led to domestication and pastoralism becoming new ways of life.

Petrarch was given the title of ‘Poet Laureate’ in Rome in
  • a)
    1341.
  • b)
    1342.
  • c)
    1343.
  • d)
    1344.
Correct answer is option 'A'. Can you explain this answer?

Petrarch was an Italian scholar, poet and humanist. A major force in the development of the Renaissance, he was famous for his poems addressed to Laura. He was crowned as a poet laureate in Rome.

What was known as the ‘yam’?
  • a)
    Courier system
  • b)
    Army system
  • c)
    Cavalry system
  • d)
    Administration system
Correct answer is option 'A'. Can you explain this answer?

Komi Suden answered
Yam was a courier system which conveys
message and it was organised by Genguis Khan and Khan.It also provides the food and basic necessities to army.

Renaissance is best known for its
  • a)
    cultural developments.
  • b)
    social develoments.
  • c)
    political developments.
  • d)
    economic developments.
Correct answer is option 'A'. Can you explain this answer?

Anjali Khanna answered
Renaissance is a cultural movement that spanned roughly the 14th century to the 17th century. This movement began in Florence in the Late Middle Ages and later spread to the rest of the Europe. Although the Renaissance saw revolutions in many intellectual pursuits, as well as social and political upheavals, it is best known for its artistic developments.

The Ostrogoths established their kingdom in Italy in the year
  • a)
    493 CE
  • b)
    494 CE
  • c)
    495 CE
  • d)
    496 CE
Correct answer is option 'A'. Can you explain this answer?

Meera Singh answered
The Ostrogoths were a branch of the Goths, an East Germanic tribe that played a major role in the political events of the late Roman Empire. The other branch was the Visigoths.

The childhood name of Genghis Khan was:
  • a)
    Morin Khuur
  • b)
    Nominjin
  • c)
    Temujin
  • d)
    Tamujin
Correct answer is option 'C'. Can you explain this answer?

Maitri Singh answered
Genghis Khan was born in 1162 AD, near the Onon River, in the north of present-day Mongolia. He was the son of Yesugei, the chieftain of the Kiyat, i.e., a group of families related to the Borjigid clan.

Population pressure in some areas increased due to the
  • a)
    end of ice age.
  • b)
    change in climate.
  • c)
    increase in food availability.
  • d)
    domestication.
Correct answer is option 'C'. Can you explain this answer?

Rajat Iyer answered
Man’s ability to maintain knowledge helped him to transform himself from a mere nomad to a pastoral and further to a settled life. He learned to cultivate crops and was thus able to produce more than his requirement. Availability of food helped in the increase of population as more and more people took to settled lives.

The French Canadian rebellion occurred in the year:
  • a)
    1837
  • b)
    1838
  • c)
    1839
  • d)
    1840
Correct answer is option 'A'. Can you explain this answer?

Ruchi Joshi answered
The Rebellions of 1837 took place in both Upper and Lower Canada. In Lower Canada, the rebellion was, in large part, an expression of a resurgent French Canadian Nationalism. The French Canadian majority constituted the overwhelming majority in the locally elected Assembly, established by the Canada or Constitutional Act, 1791.

Timur, a Barlas Turk who rose to power between 1370-1405 CE, claimed descent from Genghis Khan, through the lineage of:
  • a)
    Chaghtay
  • b)
    Toluy
  • c)
    Jochi
  • d)
    Ogedei
Correct answer is option 'A'. Can you explain this answer?

Timur was a Barlas Turk. He claimed Genghis Khanid descent through the lineage of Chaghtay. He established a steppe empire that assimilated parts of the dominions of Toluy (excluding China), Chaghatay and Jochi. He proclaimed himself, ‘Guregen’ – ‘royal son-in-law’ – and married a princess of the Genghis Khanid lineage.

To drain mines, the Miner's Friend was invented, in 1698, by
  • a)
    James Watt.
  • b)
    Thomas Savery.
  • c)
    Thomas Newcomen.
  • d)
    Matthew Boulton.
Correct answer is option 'B'. Can you explain this answer?

He was an English inventor and engineer.He was born at Devon ,England.He invented the 1st commercially used steam powered device,steam pump which is often called as an engine , although technically it is not an engine .Savery's engine was a revolutionary method of pumping water which solved the problem of mine drainage and widespread public water supply practicable.

The Hominids survived for about:
  • a)
    1 Million years
  • b)
    2 Million years
  • c)
    3 Million years
  • d)
    4 Million years
Correct answer is option 'A'. Can you explain this answer?

Dishani Das answered
Hominids probably migrated from East Africa to Southern and Northern Africa, to Southern and North-eastern Asia, and probably to Europe, around between 2 and 1.5 million years ago. It survived for nearly a million years.

By 1850s, most of Britain was connected by
  • a)
    rivers.
  • b)
    railways.
  • c)
    canals.
  • d)
    roads.
Correct answer is option 'B'. Can you explain this answer?

Arka Sarkar answered
The invention of railways took the entire process of industrialisation to a second stage. Railroads called for the production of more goods. They put factory-made products within the reach of many more people at prices that they could afford to pay.

Dexterity of the hands refers to:
  • a)
    Roughness of the hands.
  • b)
    Shape of the hands.
  • c)
    Hardness of the hands.
  • d)
    Flexibility of the hands.
Correct answer is option 'D'. Can you explain this answer?

The flexibility of the hands increased from one specie of early humans to other specie. Increase in the flexibility allowed them to make tools, to hold tools and hunt animals.

The Western sciences such as astronomy and mathematics were introduced in China by
  • a)
    Biblical missionary
  • b)
    Jehovah missionary
  • c)
    Jesuit missionaries
  • d)
    Prophet missionary
Correct answer is option 'C'. Can you explain this answer?

Isha Kaur answered
The first attempt by the Society of Jesuits to reach China was made in 1552 by St. Francis Xavier, a Spanish priest and missionary and a founding member of the Society.

An archaeological site, which was used for quarrying limestone was:
  • a)
    Chesowanja, Kenya.
  • b)
    Schoningen, Germany.
  • c)
    Dolni Vestonice, Czech Republic.
  • d)
    Neander Valley, Germany.
Correct answer is option 'D'. Can you explain this answer?

Aravind Chawla answered
Neander Valley is a gorge in Germany. It is popular for the quarrying of limestone. Here, the evidence of early man was discovered by workers who were quarrying for limestone in August 1856.

Japanese borrowed their written script from
  • a)
    China
  • b)
    Russia
  • c)
    Korea
  • d)
    Taiwan
Correct answer is option 'A'. Can you explain this answer?

Sparsh Malik answered
Japanese had borrowed their written script from the Chinese in the sixth century. Japanese developed two phonetic alphabets – hiragana and katakana. Hiragana is considered feminine because it was used by many women writers in the Heian period. It was a a mixture of Chinese characters and phonetics.

The Mongolian and Chinese narratives on Genghis Khan were translated as The Secret History of the Mongols by -
  • a)
    Boris Yakovlevich Vladimirtsov
  • b)
    Igor de Rachewiltz
  • c)
    Marco Polo
  • d)
    Vasily Vladimirovich Bartold
Correct answer is option 'B'. Can you explain this answer?

Keerthana Sen answered
Igor de Rachewiltz is a prominent Mongolist working in Australia. He was born in Rome in 1929. The Mongolian and Chinese narratives were available in the title of Mongqol-un niuèa tobèa’an. Igor de Rachewiltz published the translation of The Secret History of the Mongols, in eleven volumes of Papers on Far Eastern History, from 1971 to 1985.

The Mesopotamian ruler who became the king of Akkad, in 2370 BCE, was
  • a)
    Enmerkar
  • b)
    Gilgamesh
  • c)
    Hamurabi
  • d)
    Sargon
Correct answer is option 'D'. Can you explain this answer?

Anand Kulkarni answered
Sargon was the ruler of Akkad around 2370 BCE. Several centuries later, a statue of Sargon, recovered by Babylonians, was repaired under the instructions of their then ruler, Nabonidus.

The families that gave more importance to women during the 15th century were those of
  • a)
    aristocrats.
  • b)
    artists.
  • c)
    merchants.
  • d)
    scholars.
Correct answer is option 'C'. Can you explain this answer?

The position of women in the families of merchants was somewhat different from that of aristocratic families. Shopkeepers were very often assisted by their wives in running their shops. In families of merchants and bankers, wives looked after the businesses when the male members were away on work.

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