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
22241
The 'Pax Britannica' refers to:
Answer:
A period of relative peace in Europe and the world policed by the British Royal Navy
Pax Britannica (British Peace) refers to the period (roughly 1815–1914) when the British Empire became the global hegemon and the Royal Navy suppressed piracy and major conflicts.
22242
Who was the last Emperor (Tsar) of Russia?
Answer:
Nicholas II
Nicholas II was the last Tsar of Russia, ruling until his forced abdication in 1917 during the Russian Revolution. He and his family were later executed.
22243
Who was the French engineer responsible for the construction of the Suez Canal?
Answer:
Ferdinand de Lesseps
Ferdinand de Lesseps developed the Suez Canal, which opened in 1869, connecting the Mediterranean and the Red Sea.
22244
Who sponsored the voyages of Christopher Columbus?
Answer:
King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella of Spain
After being rejected by Portugal, Columbus secured funding from the 'Catholic Monarchs' of Spain, Ferdinand and Isabella, for his 1492 voyage.
22245
The massacre at Jallianwala Bagh (1919) took place in which Indian city?
Answer:
Amritsar
British troops under General Dyer fired on a peaceful crowd in the Jallianwala Bagh garden in Amritsar, killing hundreds and inflaming the Indian independence movement.
22246
The Battle of Isandlwana (1879) was a shock defeat for the British Empire against:
Answer:
The Zulu Kingdom
At Isandlwana, a Zulu force armed mainly with spears and shields overwhelmed and defeated a well-equipped British army column.
22247
Which territory was established as a British penal colony in 1788?
Answer:
New South Wales (Australia)
After losing the American colonies, Britain established a penal colony at Botany Bay (Sydney) in New South Wales to transport convicts.
22248
Kwame Nkrumah led which British colony to become the first sub-Saharan African nation to gain independence (as Ghana)?
Answer:
Gold Coast
The Gold Coast gained independence from Britain in 1957 and was renamed Ghana, led by Kwame Nkrumah.
22249
The Fashoda Incident (1898) was a diplomatic standoff between which two nations in Africa?
Answer:
France and Britain
The Fashoda Incident was the climax of imperial territorial disputes between Britain and France in Eastern Africa; France eventually withdrew, averting a war.
22250
The 'Boxer Rebellion' in China was primarily aimed against:
Answer:
Foreign imperialist influence and Christianity
The Boxers were a secret society that launched a violent uprising in 1900 to drive out 'foreign devils' and Christians, leading to an intervention by an Eight-Nation Alliance.