1. The 'Doctrine of Lapse' was a policy devised by which British Governor-General?
a) Lord Dalhousie
b) Lord Wellesley
c) Lord Cornwallis
d) Lord William Bentinck
Answer: a) Lord Dalhousie
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Explanation: The Doctrine of Lapse was an annexation policy aggressively applied by Lord Dalhousie (1848-1856). According to this doctrine, if a ruler of a princely state under British suzerainty died without a male heir, the state would "lapse" and be annexed by the British Empire. This policy led to the annexation of states like Satara, Jhansi, and Nagpur, causing widespread resentment and becoming a major cause of the Revolt of 1857.
2. Who founded the 'Indian Association' in Calcutta in 1876, a precursor to the Indian National Congress?
a) Dadabhai Naoroji
b) W.C. Bonnerjee
c) Surendranath Banerjee and Ananda Mohan Bose
d) A.O. Hume
Answer: c) Surendranath Banerjee and Ananda Mohan Bose
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Explanation: The Indian Association was one of the earliest nationalist organizations in India. It was founded in Calcutta in 1876 by Surendranath Banerjee and Ananda Mohan Bose . Its aims were to unite Indians on a common political platform and create a strong public opinion in the country. While A.O. Hume is credited with the idea of the INC, the Indian Association was a significant forerunner.
3. The 'Poona Pact' of 1932 was primarily an agreement between:
a) The Indian National Congress and the Muslim League
b) Mahatma Gandhi and B.R. Ambedkar
c) The British Government and the Indian National Congress
d) The Liberals and the Extremists
Answer: b) Mahatma Gandhi and B.R. Ambedkar
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Explanation: The Poona Pact was signed in 1932 between Mahatma Gandhi (representing upper-caste Hindus) and Dr. B.R. Ambedkar (representing the Depressed Classes). It was a result of Gandhi's fast unto death against the British Prime Minister Ramsay MacDonald's 'Communal Award', which granted separate electorates for Depressed Classes. The Pact resulted in reserved seats for Depressed Classes within the general Hindu electorate, which increased their political representation.
4. The slogan "Do or Die" is associated with which major movement of the Indian freedom struggle?
a) Non-Cooperation Movement
b) Civil Disobedience Movement
c) Quit India Movement
d) Swadeshi Movement
Answer: c) Quit India Movement
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Explanation: On August 8, 1942, Mahatma Gandhi gave the clarion call of "Do or Die" (Karo ya Maro) in his speech at the Gowalia Tank Maidan in Bombay, launching the Quit India Movement . This was a mass protest demanding an end to British rule in India, and it was characterized by widespread, though largely suppressed, popular rebellion.
5. The 'Cabinet Mission Plan' of 1946 was sent to India to:
a) Discuss India's membership in the British Commonwealth
b) Form the Interim Government and devise a constitution-making body
c) Transfer power to the Indian hands immediately
d) Divide the Indian Army
Answer: b) Form the Interim Government and devise a constitution-making body
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Explanation: The Cabinet Mission of 1946 was a three-member delegation sent by the British government to find a way to transfer power to a single Indian administration. Its key proposals were: the formation of a Constituent Assembly to draft a constitution, and the establishment of an Interim Government . While it initially failed to prevent Partition, its plan for a Constituent Assembly was implemented, and the body later became India's first Parliament after independence.
6. Who was the first Governor-General of independent India?
a) Lord Mountbatten
b) C. Rajagopalachari
c) Jawaharlal Nehru
d) Rajendra Prasad
Answer: a) Lord Mountbatten
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Explanation: Lord Mountbatten served as the last Viceroy of British India (overseeing the transfer of power) and became the first Governor-General of the Dominion of India from August 15, 1947, to June 21, 1948. C. Rajagopalachari was the first Indian Governor-General, succeeding Mountbatten and serving until India became a republic in 1950.
7. The 'Ilbert Bill Controversy' (1883) was related to the issue of:
a) Freedom of the press
b) Racial discrimination in the judiciary
c) Land revenue settlements
d) Rights of cotton farmers
Answer: b) Racial discrimination in the judiciary
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Explanation: The Ilbert Bill , introduced by Lord Ripon's law member, Sir Courtenay Ilbert, sought to allow Indian judges to try European British subjects in criminal cases. This provoked intense opposition and protests from the European community in India, exposing the deep-seated racial prejudice within the British administration. The bill was eventually passed in a severely diluted form.
8. The 'Partition of Bengal' was annulled in which year?
a) 1905
b) 1911
c) 1919
d) 1935
Answer: b) 1911
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Explanation: The Partition of Bengal was carried out by Lord Curzon in 1905 , sparking the massive Swadeshi and Boycott movements. Due to persistent nationalist agitation and its political unviability, the partition was annulled in 1911 by King George V during the Delhi Durbar. However, the annulment also sowed the seeds for future partition, as it included shifting the capital from Calcutta to Delhi.
9. The 'Ghadar Movement' was primarily associated with which region's overseas Indians?
a) South India
b) Punjab
c) Bengal
d) Gujarat
Answer: b) Punjab
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Explanation: The Ghadar Movement (1913) was an international political movement founded by expatriate Indians, predominantly Sikhs from the Punjab region , in the United States and Canada. Its aim was to secure India's independence through an armed revolt against British colonial rule. The movement was a significant early attempt at organized militant nationalism.
10. The 'Champaran Satyagraha' (1917) was related to the grievances of:
a) Industrial workers in Ahmedabad
b) Indigo planters in Bihar
c) Cotton farmers in Kheda, Gujarat
d) Tribal people in Rajasthan
Answer: b) Indigo planters in Bihar