#81

What is the ancient Mayan city in Mexico known for its El Castillo pyramid?

(a) Chichén Itzá

(b) Tulum

(c) Palenque

(d) Uxmal

Explanation: **Chichén Itzá**, located in the Yucatán Peninsula of Mexico, is a New Seven Wonder famous for its prominent structure, the **Temple of Kukulkan**, commonly known as **El Castillo**. This ancient city was a major hub of Mayan civilization and features other important ruins like the Great Ball Court.

#82

Who established the Umayyad Dynasty?

(a) Marwan I

(b) Yazid I

(c) Ameer Muawiya (R.A)

(d) Walid I

Explanation: Ameer Muawiya (R.A) founded the Umayyad Dynasty in 661 CE after the end of the Rashidun Caliphate, moving the capital to Damascus.

#83

The 'Mayflower Compact' (1620) was an early example of:

(a) A declaration of war

(b) Self-government in the English colonies

(c) A trade agreement with Native Americans

(d) A constitution for Canada

Explanation: Signed by the Pilgrims aboard the Mayflower, it established a crude government based on majority rule for the Plymouth Colony.

#84

The 'May Fourth Movement' (1919) in China was a protest against:

(a) The Qing Dynasty

(b) The Treaty of Versailles

(c) Communist Rule

(d) The Cultural Revolution

Explanation: Students gathered in Beijing to protest the Treaty of Versailles, which transferred German concessions in Shandong to Japan instead of returning them to China.

#85

Who is the current Supreme Leader of North Korea (as of 2025)?

(a) Kim Il-sung

(b) Kim Jong-il

(c) Kim Jong-un

(d) Kim Yo-jong

Explanation: Kim Jong-un assumed leadership in 2011 following the death of his father, Kim Jong-il.

#86

Who is the current President of China (as of 2025)?

(a) Hu Jintao

(b) Jiang Zemin

(c) Xi Jinping

(d) Li Keqiang

Explanation: Xi Jinping has been the paramount leader of China since 2012.

#87

Who is the current Prime Minister of India (as of 2025)?

(a) Manmohan Singh

(b) Narendra Modi

(c) Rahul Gandhi

(d) Amit Shah

Explanation: Narendra Modi has been the Prime Minister of India since 2014.

#88

Mayotte is an overseas department of France claimed by:

(a) Madagascar

(b) Comoros

(c) Seychelles

(d) Mauritius

Explanation: Comoros claims Mayotte as one of its islands, but Mayotte voted to remain French in referendums.

#89

Who founded the Umayyad Dynasty?

(a) Marwan I

(b) Yazid I

(c) Ameer Muawiya (R.A)

(d) Abdul Malik

Explanation: Ameer Muawiya (R.A) established the Umayyad Caliphate in 661 CE following the assassination of Hazrat Ali and the abdication of Hazrat Hasan.

#90

What was the capital of the Umayyad Caliphate?

(a) Madina

(b) Kufa

(c) Damascus

(d) Baghdad

Explanation: The Umayyads established Damascus (in Syria) as their imperial capital.

#91

Which Umayyad Caliph constructed the Dome of the Rock in Jerusalem?

(a) Muawiya I

(b) Abdul Malik bin Marwan

(c) Walid I

(d) Hisham

Explanation: Abdul Malik bin Marwan commissioned the construction of the Dome of the Rock, completed around 691 CE.

#92

The Abbasid Revolution which overthrew the Umayyads was led by:

(a) Abu Muslim Khorasani

(b) Tariq bin Ziyad

(c) Salahuddin Ayyubi

(d) Hulagu Khan

Explanation: Abu Muslim Khorasani was the key general and propagandist who rallied support in Khorasan to overthrow the Umayyads in 750 CE.

#93

Which Spanish city was known as the 'Ornament of the World' under the Umayyads?

(a) Seville

(b) Toledo

(c) Granada

(d) Cordoba

Explanation: Under the Umayyad Caliphate, Cordoba became one of the most advanced and populous cities in the world, known for its Great Mosque and libraries.

#94

The 'Umayyad Mosque' in Cordoba was later converted into a:

(a) Museum

(b) Synagogue

(c) Cathedral

(d) Library

Explanation: After the Reconquista, the Great Mosque of Cordoba was converted into a Catholic Cathedral (Mezquita-Catedral).

#95

The Mayan calendar system, which includes the complex Long Count, is characterized by its reliance on which mathematical concept?

(a) Decimal system (base 10)

(b) Quaternary system (base 4)

(c) Vigesimal system (base 20)

(d) Hexadecimal system (base 16)

Explanation: The **Mayan** civilization utilized a sophisticated number system based on the number **20** (vigesimal). This system was crucial for their extremely accurate and complex calendars, including the **Long Count**, which tracked time from a mythological starting date.

#96

Which of these structures from the Maya civilization served primarily as a massive, stepped platform for religious rituals and astronomical observation?

(a) Aqueduct

(b) Pyramid-temple

(c) Colosseum

(d) Ziggurat

Explanation: The Maya, as well as the Aztecs and other Mesoamerican cultures, built massive **pyramid-temples** (like El Castillo at Chichen Itza) that were used for religious ceremonies, sacrifices, and were often aligned with astronomical events. A Ziggurat is a stepped tower structure from Mesopotamia, while the Colosseum is Roman, and an aqueduct is an elevated waterway.

#97

In the early medieval Frankish kingdoms, the Mayor of the Palace held significant power. Which Mayor of the Palace defeated the Muslim forces at the Battle of Tours in 732 AD, halting their advance into Western Europe?

(a) Pepin the Short

(b) Charles Martel

(c) Charlemagne

(d) Clovis I

Explanation: Charles Martel, the grandfather of Charlemagne, was the de facto ruler of the Frankish kingdoms as the Mayor of the Palace. His victory at the Battle of Tours (or Poitiers) in 732 AD over an invading Umayyad army is considered a crucial moment in European history, stopping the Muslim expansion from the Iberian Peninsula.

#98

Who was the founder of the Umayyad Dynasty?

(a) Yazid I

(b) Marwan I

(c) Ameer Muawiyah (RA)

(d) Walid I

Explanation: Ameer Muawiyah (RA) founded the Umayyad Caliphate (بنو امیہ) in 661 AD, moving the capital from Kufa to Damascus.

#99

Which Ummayad Caliph is known as the 'Falcon of Andalus' (Saqr Quraish)?

(a) Hisham ibn Abd al-Malik

(b) Abd al-Rahman I

(c) Al-Hakam I

(d) Abd al-Rahman III

Explanation: Abd al-Rahman I escaped the Abbasid massacre and founded the Umayyad Emirate in Spain, earning the title Saqr Quraish (عقاب قریش).

#100

The 'Abbasid Revolution' which overthrew the Umayyads occurred in:

(a) 700 AD

(b) 750 AD

(c) 800 AD

(d) 850 AD

Explanation: The Abbasid Revolution culminated in the Battle of the Zab in 750 AD, leading to the fall of the Umayyads.

May 2025 Current Affairs MCQs & Solutions