General Knowledge MCQs
Topic Notes: General Knowledge
MCQs and preparation resources for competitive exams, covering important concepts, past papers, and detailed explanations.
Plato
- Biography: Ancient Greek philosopher (427–347 BCE), student of Socrates and teacher of Aristotle, founder of the Academy in Athens.
- Important Ideas:
- Theory of Forms
- Philosopher-King
- Ideal State
22121
Who was the last Aztec Emperor, defeated by Cortés?
Answer:
Moctezuma II (and later Cuauhtémoc)
Moctezuma II was the ruler when Cortés arrived; he was killed during the initial occupation. His successor Cuauhtémoc was the last to surrender Tenochtitlan.
22122
The 'Dreyfus Affair' was a political scandal involving antisemitism in:
Answer:
France
The wrongful conviction of Jewish army officer Alfred Dreyfus for treason divided French society and exposed deep antisemitism in the French Third Republic.
22123
Which conflict is often called the 'First World War' because it was fought on five continents?
Answer:
The Seven Years' War
Fought between 1756 and 1763, the Seven Years' War involved every European great power and spanned Europe, the Americas, West Africa, India, and the Philippines.
22124
The 'Mayflower Compact' (1620) was an early example of:
Answer:
Self-government in the English colonies
Signed by the Pilgrims aboard the Mayflower, it established a crude government based on majority rule for the Plymouth Colony.
22125
The 'Koh-i-Noor' is a famous diamond that became part of:
Answer:
The British Crown Jewels
The Koh-i-Noor was ceded to Queen Victoria after the British annexation of the Punjab in 1849 and remains a controversial part of the British Crown Jewels.
22126
Which explorer was killed by natives in Hawaii in 1779?
Answer:
James Cook
Captain Cook was killed during a skirmish with Hawaiians during his third voyage to the Pacific.
22127
The 'Triangular Trade' connected which three regions?
Answer:
Europe, Africa, Americas
Manufactured goods went from Europe to Africa; enslaved people went from Africa to the Americas (Middle Passage); and raw materials (sugar, cotton) went from the Americas to Europe.
22128
Who was the British Prime Minister who purchased the controlling shares of the Suez Canal for Britain?
Answer:
Benjamin Disraeli
In 1875, Disraeli secured funding from the Rothschilds to buy the Khedive of Egypt's shares, securing the strategic route to India for Britain.
22129
The 'Herero and Namaqua Genocide' was committed by which colonial power?
Answer:
Germany
Considered the first genocide of the 20th century, German forces in South West Africa (Namibia) brutally suppressed uprisings, driving populations into the desert to die.
22130
The 'Quit India Movement' was launched in which year?
Answer:
1942
Mahatma Gandhi launched the Quit India Movement during WWII, demanding an immediate end to British rule in India.