History: CBSE Sample Question Paper with Solutions - 1 | Sample Papers for Class 11 Humanities - Humanities/Arts PDF Download

Q.1. Multiple Choice Questions.
(i) What is meant by the term Shogun?
(a) In American history, the hereditary Commander-in Chief of the army.
(b) In Japanese history, the hereditary Commander-in Chief of the army.
(c) In Chinese history, the hereditary Commander-in Chief of the army.
(d) In French history, the hereditary Commander-in Chief of the army.

Correct Answer is Option b.

(ii) What defined the ‘identity ’ of the USA?
(a) The democratic spirit
(b) A nation of diversity
(c) A nation of tribes
(d) A nation of blacks

Correct Answer is Option a.

(iii) Which were the principal materials for mechanization that were available in plenty in England
(a) Coal and Steel
(b) Iron and Steel
(c) Coal and Iron
(d) Coal and Magnesium

Correct Answer is Option c.

(iv) How have the sedentary societies characterized nomads?
(a) Herdsmen
(b) Pastorals
(c) Mongols
(d) Primitive Barbarians

Correct Answer is Option d.

(v) Which of these factors was responsible for the 14th century crisis?
(a) Policy changes
(b) Environmental changes
(c) Growth of new ideas
(d) Both  (A) & (C)

Correct Answer is Option b.

(vi) What was the name of Charles Darwin’s book?
(a) On the origin of species
(b) The story of fossils
(c) Survival of the fittest
(d) The new species

Correct Answer is Option a.

(vii) The civilization of Mesopotamia is known:
(a) For prosperity and urban life
(b) For the rich and rich literature
(c) For mathematics and astronomy
(d) All of the above

Correct Answer is Option d.

(viii) Which of these is a source for the reconstruction of the history of the Mesopotamians
(a) Water resources
(b) Mathematical texts
(c) Archaeological remains
(d) None of these

Correct Answer is Option c.

(ix) Mesopotamia is widely known due to:
(a) Availability of sources including clay tablets in abundance
(b) Availability of records in English
(c) Records of Literature and Poetry
(d) All of above

Correct Answer is Option a.

(x) When did the Roman Empire become a Republic?
(a) 100 BCE
(b) 505 BCE
(c) 905 BCE
(d) 509 BCE

Correct Answer is Option d.

Q.2. Fill in the blanks.
(i) The Theory of Rome being a republican state was given by _________.
(ii) A Muslim writer ________, was regarded as a man of wisdom in the Italian world.
(iii) Fukuzawa Yukichi was born in an impoverished _______ family.
(iv) The King and Chiefs of Mesopotamia built _______ to offer their booty to the gods.
(v) The ‘Trail of Tears’ incident occur in ______.

(i) Diocletian
(ii) Ibn Sina
(iii) Samurai
(iv) Temples
(v) 1830-40

Q.3. State whether true or false.
(i) Ethnography is the study of contemporary ethnic groups.
(ii) Cuneiform was the script of the Nigerians.
(iii) Dome of the Rock was built by Abd al-Malik.
(iv) Cotton weavers destroyed power looms as they found their jobs threatened by the new machines.
(v) The beginning of modern China can be traced from its encounter with the west in the 14th and the 15th centuries.

(i) True
(ii) False
(iii) True
(iv) True
(v) False

Q.4. What Mesopotamian tradition shares similarities with the story of the flood as mentioned in the Bible?

The Bible tells the story of a catastrophic flood that was intended to wipe out all life on earth. However, God chose Noah to safeguard the continuation of life by building a massive ark and saving a pair of every known species of animals and birds. Interestingly, a similar tale can be found in Mesopotamian tradition, where the hero, known as Ziusudra or Utnapishtim, plays a comparable role in surviving a great flood by building an ark and rescuing animals.

Q.5. What were the impacts on the economy and society in Europe resulting from long-term changes in population levels?

The long-term changes in population levels in Europe had significant impacts on the economy and society, including:
(i) an increase in agricultural production and improved quality of food, resulting in higher life expectancies;
(ii) the emergence of new towns that became important trade and commerce centers, where peasants sold their surplus grains and purchased tools and cloth;
(iii) the creation of a fourth social order as the need for specialized skills like bankers and lawyers grew.

Q.6. How was the kingdom of Mari able to achieve exceptional prosperity despite its lack of military strength?

The capital of Mari experienced exceptional prosperity after 2000 BCE due to various factors. Firstly, its location in the agriculturally productive southern plain allowed for successful crop cultivation. Additionally, animal rearing was a profitable occupation in the region. Secondly, the kingdom's advantageous position on the Euphrates River facilitated trade with neighboring regions in Turkey, Syria, and Lebanon, resulting in economic gains from both upstream and downstream commerce. Thirdly, the exchange of agricultural produce for essential metals like tin, which were necessary for producing bronze, contributed significantly to the kingdom's prosperity, as evidenced by clay tablets.

Q.7. Read the passage carefully and answer the questions that follow.
‘Soon afterward the City Prefect, Lucius Pedanius Secundus, was murdered by one of his slaves.
After the murder, ancient custom required that every slave residing under the same roof must be executed. But a crowd gathered, eager to save so many innocent lives; and rioting began. The senate-house was besieged. Inside, there was feeling against excessive severity, but the majority opposed any change (....) [The senators] favouring execution prevailed. However, great crowds ready with stones and torches prevented the order from being carried out. Nero rebuked the population by edict, and lined with troops the whole route along which those condemned were taken for execution.’

(i) Roman society—was it a society of slaves? Provide two examples to back up your claim.

While slaves were present in various sectors of the Roman economy, including agriculture, handicrafts production, and mining, it is not accurate to describe Roman society as a slave society. This is because, during the Republican period, most of the labor in large parts of Italy was performed by slaves, but this was not necessarily true for the empire as a whole. Additionally, other forms of labor existed, such as peasants, small freeholders, laborers, tenants, and sharecroppers, which suggests that Roman society was not entirely dependent on slave labor. Therefore, while slavery was a significant institution in Roman society, it does not necessarily define it as a whole.

(ii) Which era or monarch was in power during the incident described, and what does the passage reveal about the treatment of slaves?

The incident in question took place during the reign of Emperor Nero. The passage suggests that during this time, slaves were considered the property of their masters, and the masters held absolute authority over them. Slaves were legally deprived and lacked any identity of their own, leaving them without a place in society. This reflects a wider attitude towards slavery at the time, where people were treated as commodities and lacked basic rights and freedoms.

(iii) Why did the slave labour decline after the first century?

The decline of slave labor after the first century was due to a variety of factors, including a period of relative peace during this time. As war prisoners were typically made into slaves, a decrease in warfare led to a decrease in the number of war prisoners available to be enslaved. This, in turn, led to a decline in the overall use of slave labor.

Q.8. Read the passage carefully and answer the questions that follow.
‘Kathy my sister with the torn heart,
I don’t know how to thank you
For your Dreamtime stories of joy and grief
Written on paperbark.
You were one of the dark children
I wasn’t allowed to play with–
Riverbank campers, the wrong colour
(I couldn’t turn you white.)
So it was late I met you,
Late I began to know
They hadn’t told me the land I loved
Was taken out of your hands.’

(i) What did the natives refer to as "Dreamtime"?

According to Indigenous Australian tradition, their ancestors did not migrate to Australia but had always inhabited the continent. The ancestral era, spanning thousands of years of Indigenous history and spirituality, is commonly referred to as the 'Dreamtime.' This concept was often challenging for Europeans to comprehend due to their differing cultural beliefs and experiences.

(ii) Judith Wright, who was she?

Judith Wright was an Australian poet, environmentalist, and campaigner for Indigenous Australian land rights. She was also a feminist and an advocate for social justice.

(iii) When and how did conditions for Australian indigenous change?

Starting in the 1970s, significant changes took place for Indigenous Australians. In 1974, Australia adopted a policy of multiculturalism, which eliminated the 'white Australia' policy and promoted equal respect for diverse cultures, including Indigenous cultures. As a result, Indigenous Australians began to receive greater recognition and support for their communities and cultural heritage.

Q.9. Read the passage carefully and answer the questions that follow:
From  the  ninth  century,  there  were  frequent  localized  wars  in  Europe.  The  amateur  peasant soldiers  were  not  sufficient,  and  good  cavalry  was  needed.  This  led  to  the  growing  importance  of  a  new  section  of  people  –  the  knights. They were linked to the lords, just as the latter was linked to the king. The Lord gave the knight a piece of  land  (called  ‘fief ’)  and  promised  to  protect  it.  The  fief  could  be  inherited.  It  extended  to  anything  between  1,000 and 2,000 acres or more, including a house for the knight and his family, a church and other establishments to house his dependants, besides a watermill and a wine-press. As in the feudal manor,the land of the fief was cultivated by peasants. In exchange, the knight paid his lord a regular fee and promised to fight for him in war. To keep up their skills, knights spent time each day fencing and practicing tactics with dummies. A knight might serve  more  than  one  lord,  but  his  foremost  loyalty  was  to  his  own  lord.  In  France,  from  the  twelfth  century,  minstrels travelled from manor to manor, singing songs which told stories – partly historical, partly invented – about brave kings and knights. In an age when not too many people could read and manuscripts were few, these travelling bards were very popular. Many manors had a narrow balcony above the large hall where the people of the manor gathered for meals. This was the minstrels’ gallery, from where singers entertained nobles while they feasted.

(i) Who were the Knights? What were their responsibilities?

Knights were highly skilled, mounted warriors who were contracted to serve a lord in exchange for a piece of land, known as a "fief." This arrangement created a relationship of loyalty between the knight and their lord, similar to the one between a king and their lord. The primary responsibilities of the knight included protecting the fief from any threats, paying a regular fee to the lord, and participating in warfare on behalf of the lord when required.

(ii) Who is the author of these lines?

The line in question refers to the Knights, a group of warriors who were the subject of a 13th-century epic poem written by French poet Doon de Mayence. The poem chronicles the heroic adventures of the Knights and their various duties and responsibilities as defenders of their lord or king.

(iii) Who is the person being referred to by the term "the Knight"?

The term "the Knight" in this context is a reference to a specific knight who is speaking about his lord, the person who holds authority over him. This quote comes from a 13th-century French epic poem by Doon de Mayence that recounts the heroic adventures of knights and their loyalty to their lords.

Q.10.  What did you mean by the Great Proletarian Cultural Revolution? What were the results?

 The Great Proletarian Cultural Revolution was a period of political and social upheaval in China initiated by Mao Zedong in 1965. It arose due to conflicts among Mao's supporters who aimed to create a socialist society and those who opposed his emphasis on ideology. Mao used the Red Guards, consisting mainly of students and the army, to launch a campaign against old customs and habits, leading to disruption in the economy and educational system. The revolution resulted in the prioritization of communist ideology over professional knowledge and rational debates. However, by the late 1960s, the situation began to change, and the party once again emphasized strict social discipline and the need to build a strong nation by 1975.

Q.11. What factors led to the emergence of Renaissance in Italy? How did it transform the daily lives of people during that time?

The Renaissance first appeared in Italy due to several factors, including the fall of Constantinople which led to an influx of learned Christian scholars with new literary ideas, the decline of feudalism which allowed the emergence of new towns and cities based on trade and commerce, and Italy's geographical location as a centre of prosperous trade and commerce.
The Renaissance brought about significant changes to the daily lives of people during that time. It marked a shift from religious superstitions to a humanistic outlook, with new ideas and a rational, scientific perspective being adopted. It inspired artists, writers, and philosophers to focus on the accomplishments of humanity, and many new universities were established that taught humanism. The spread of knowledge was facilitated by the printing press, which also helped in the dissemination of information to the masses.

Q.12. Provide a succinct description of Genghis Khan's military structure.

Genghis Khan, the founder of the Mongol Empire, implemented a sophisticated military structure that allowed him to conquer vast territories. Some distinguishing characteristics of his military system include:
(i) Erasing old tribal identities by dividing members into new military units.
(ii) Ensuring strict discipline within the units by administering harsh punishments on any individual who tried to move from his original or allotted group without permission.
(iii) Integrating different lineages and clans to provide the military system with a new identity.
(iv) Insuring the allegiance of the armed forces by deriving the new identity from Genghis Khan himself.
(v) Requiring the new military contingents to serve under his four sons and specially chosen captains of his army units called 'noyan'.
(vi) Honouring those who served Genghis Khan loyally through adversities for many years as his blood brothers 'anda'.
(vii) Giving free men of humbler rank special ranking as his bandsmen (naukar), marking their close relationship with their master and setting them apart from the rest.
(viii) Establishing a new aristocracy that derived its status from a close relationship with the Great Khan.
Overall, Genghis Khan's military structure was designed to be flexible, efficient, and loyal to the central leadership, allowing him to build and maintain one of the largest empires in world history.

Q.13. What were some distinguishing characteristics of the Late Roman Empire that differentiated it from the Early Roman Empire?

The Late Roman Empire, which began in the 3rd century AD and ended in the 5th century AD, was characterized by several distinguishing features that set it apart from the Early Roman Empire. Some of these features include:
(i) Political Instability: The Late Empire was marked by political instability due to frequent civil wars, usurpations, and coups. The emperorship became an object of contestation, with different generals and aristocrats fighting for control of the empire.
(ii) Economic Decline: The Late Empire was also marked by economic decline, with reduced agricultural productivity, population decline, inflation, and a shrinking tax base. This led to a decline in trade and commerce, as well as an inability to fund the military.
(iii) Military Reorganization: The Late Empire saw a major reorganization of the military, with a shift from the professional standing army of the Early Empire to a reliance on mobile, frontier armies made up of Germanic and other tribal allies.
(iv) Increased Military Threats: The Late Empire faced increased military threats from barbarian invasions and raids, as well as from the Persian Sassanid Empire in the east.
(v) Religious Change: The Late Empire saw a major shift in religious beliefs, with the rise of Christianity and its eventual adoption as the official religion of the empire. This led to religious conflict and the suppression of pagan beliefs.
(vi) Administrative Changes: The Late Empire saw changes in administrative structure, with the emergence of a separate eastern and western empire, each with its own bureaucracy, court, and army.
Overall, the Late Roman Empire was characterized by a decline in political stability, economic prosperity, and military power, as well as significant changes in religious and administrative structures.

Q.14. Make the following marks on the provided map:
(a) Taiwan
(b) Australia
(c) Canberra
(d) Nagasaki

(i)

(ii)
(a) London
(b) Sheffield