Question 1

In which year was the Indian National Congress founded, and who was its first President?

Accepted Answer

The Indian National Congress was founded in 1885 by Allan Octavian Hume, and Womesh Chandra Bonnerjee was elected as its first President at the inaugural session held in Bombay.

Question 2

Which of the following was the immediate trigger for the Revolt of 1857?

Accepted Answer

The immediate trigger for the 1857 Revolt was the introduction of cartridges greased with animal fat (beef and pork) for the new Enfield rifles, which violated the religious sentiments of both Hindu and Muslim soldiers.

Question 3

The Jallianwala Bagh massacre occurred in which city, and in which year?

Accepted Answer

The Jallianwala Bagh massacre took place in Amritsar, Punjab, on 13 April 1919, when British troops under General Reginald Dyer fired on unarmed Indian civilians.

Question 4

Which British Viceroy introduced the Doctrine of Lapse, a policy that led to widespread discontent among Indian rulers?

Accepted Answer

Lord Dalhousie, who served as Viceroy from 1848 to 1856, introduced the Doctrine of Lapse. This policy allowed the British to annex Indian princely states whose rulers died without a direct heir.

Question 5

Which session of the Indian National Congress passed the 'Purna Swaraj' (Complete Independence) resolution?

Accepted Answer

The Purna Swaraj resolution was passed at the Lahore Session of the Indian National Congress on 19 December 1929, with Jawaharlal Nehru as President.

Question 6

The Salt March (Dandi March) was undertaken by Mahatma Gandhi in which year, and what was its primary objective?

Accepted Answer

The Salt March was undertaken in 1930 to protest the British monopoly on salt production and to demonstrate civil disobedience against British colonial rule.

Question 7

Who led the Quit India Movement, and in which year was it launched?

Accepted Answer

The Quit India Movement was launched by Mahatma Gandhi on 8 August 1942. It was a mass civil disobedience campaign demanding immediate British withdrawal from India.

Question 8

In which year did the Indian National Congress hold its first session?

Accepted Answer

The first session of the Indian National Congress was held in Bombay (now Mumbai) in December 1885. It was founded by A.O. Hume, and Womesh Chandra Bonnerjee presided over the first session.

Question 9

The Salt March (Dandi March) led by Mahatma Gandhi began on which date and from which location?

Accepted Answer

The Salt March began on 12 March 1930 from Sabarmati Ashram in Ahmedabad and concluded at Dandi (a coastal village in Gujarat) on 6 April 1930. This 240-mile march was a pivotal act of civil disobedience against the British Salt Monopoly and marked the beginning of the Civil Disobedience Movement.

Question 10

The Jallianwala Bagh Massacre occurred on 13 April 1919. Who was the British military officer responsible for ordering the firing on the unarmed crowd?

Accepted Answer

Brigadier-General Reginald Dyer ordered the firing on unarmed civilians gathered at Jallianwala Bagh in Amritsar on 13 April 1919, resulting in the deaths of approximately 379–1,000 people. This act became a turning point in India's freedom struggle.

Question 11

Which of the following statements about the Quit India Movement is CORRECT?

Accepted Answer

The Quit India Movement was launched by Mahatma Gandhi on 8 August 1942 at the All-India Congress Committee session held in Bombay. It demanded immediate British withdrawal from India and marked a turning point in the independence struggle.

Question 12

At which session of the Indian National Congress was the demand for 'Purna Swaraj' (Complete Independence) officially adopted?

Accepted Answer

The Lahore Session of the Indian National Congress (December 1929), presided over by Jawaharlal Nehru, formally adopted the resolution of Purna Swaraj (Complete Independence). January 26, 1930 was declared as the first Independence Day, which later became Republic Day.

Question 13

The Revolt of 1857 began at which military cantonment, and which sepoy fired the first shot?

Accepted Answer

The Revolt of 1857 began at Meerut cantonment on 10 May 1857. While the exact identity of the sepoy who fired the first shot is historically debated, the revolt spread rapidly from Meerut to Delhi and other regions. The uprising is also known as the Sepoy Mutiny or Indian Rebellion of 1857.

Question 14

The Khilafat Movement in India (1919–1924) was primarily led to support which entity?

Accepted Answer

The Khilafat Movement was launched to support the Ottoman Caliphate (Khilafat), which was threatened by the post-World War I partition of the Ottoman Empire. Indian Muslims, led by Ali Brothers (Muhammad Ali and Shaukat Ali) and supported by Gandhi, organized this movement to preserve the Islamic Caliphate.

Question 15

The Quit India Movement was launched on which date, and which session of the Indian National Congress passed the resolution?

Accepted Answer

The Quit India Movement was launched on 8 August 1942 following the resolution passed at the All-India Congress Committee (AICC) session held in Bombay. The resolution, drafted by Jawaharlal Nehru and Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, demanded immediate British withdrawal from India.

Question 16

Which of the following statements about the Khilafat Movement is CORRECT?

Accepted Answer

The Khilafat Movement (1919–1924) was a pan-Islamic movement led by Indian Muslims to restore the Ottoman Caliphate after World War I. It was supported by Mahatma Gandhi and the Indian National Congress, representing a rare Hindu-Muslim unity. The movement declined after the Turkish government abolished the Caliphate in 1924.

Question 17

The Revolt of 1857 began in Meerut on 10 May 1857. Which regiment's sepoys were the first to rebel against British rule?

Accepted Answer

The 3rd Bengal Cavalry (also referred to as the 3rd Light Cavalry) stationed at Meerut was the first regiment to openly rebel on 10 May 1857, refusing to use the greased cartridges and subsequently revolting against British authority.

Question 18

The 'Doctrine of Lapse' was formally abolished by which Act/Proclamation, and in which year?

Accepted Answer

The Doctrine of Lapse, introduced by Lord Dalhousie, was formally abolished by Queen Victoria's Proclamation of 1858 (also known as the Queen's Proclamation or the Government of India Act 1858). This proclamation transferred power from the East India Company to the British Crown and guaranteed the rights of Indian princes to adopt heirs, effectively ending the Doctrine of Lapse.

Question 19

The Khilafat Movement (1919–1924) was primarily led by which two prominent Muslim leaders, and what was its immediate trigger?

Accepted Answer

The Khilafat Movement was a pan-Islamic campaign by Indian Muslims to protect the Ottoman Caliphate. It was led by Ali Brothers (Muhammad Ali and Shaukat Ali) and supported by Gandhi, making it a unique Hindu-Muslim unity effort.

Question 20

Which of the following statements about the Chauri Chaura incident of 1922 is CORRECT?

Accepted Answer

The Chauri Chaura incident occurred on 5 February 1922 in Chauri Chaura village (present-day Uttar Pradesh). During a peaceful protest against British rule, a confrontation between protesters and police escalated, leading protesters to set fire to a police station, killing 22 policemen. This incident deeply shocked Gandhi, who called off the Non-Cooperation Movement in response and undertook a 5-day fast as penance. The incident marked a turning point in the freedom struggle, demonstrating the risks of mass mobilization without strict non-violence discipline.

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