History

Historical Dates and Events

1,458 Questions

Historical Dates and Events form the core chronological framework for studying history. This practice hub includes questions on ancient civilizations, medieval empires, and major historical battles. Familiarity with these dates is essential for cracking the general awareness section of competitive exams.

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Historical Dates and Events Questions

Multiple choice

Which word in the passage means the same as 'empires'?

Directions: Read the following passage and answer the question that follows:

The year 842 BC may be considered the first accurate date in Chinese history, and in this year the Emperor had to flee from his capital on account of popular dissatisfaction with his tyrannical ways: he betook himself northward to an outlying settlement on the Tartar frontier, and the charge of imperial affairs was taken over by a regency or duumvirate.

At this time, the confederation of cultured princes called China — or, to use their own term, the Central Kingdom — was a very different region from the huge mass of territory familiar to us under those names at the present day. It is hardly an exaggeration to say that civilised China, even at that comparatively advanced period, consisted of little more than the modern province of Ho Nan. All outside this flat and comparatively riverless region inhabited by the "orthodox" was more or less barbaric, and such civilisation as it possessed was entirely the work of Chinese colonists, adventurers, or grantees of fiefs in partibus infidelium (so to speak). Into matters of still earlier ancient history, we may enter more deeply in another chapter, but for the present, we simply take China as it was when definite chronology begins.

The third of the great dynasties which had ruled over this limited China had, in 842 BC, already been on the imperial throne for practically three hundred years, and, following the custom of its predecessors, it had parcelled out all the land under its sway to vassal princes who were, subject to the general imperial law and custom, or ritual, together with the homage and tribute duty prescribed there under, all practically absolute in their own domains. Roughly speaking, those smaller fiefs may be said to have corresponded in size with the walled-city and surrounding district of our own times, so well known under the name of Hien. About a dozen of the larger fiefs had been originally granted to the blood relations of the dynastic founder in or after 1122 BC; but not exclusively so, for it seems to have been a point of honour, or of religious scruple, not to "cut off the sacrifices" from ruined or disgraced reigning families, unless the attendant circumstances were very gross; and so it came to pass that successive dynasties would strain a point in order to keep up the spiritual memory of decayed or rival houses.

  1. Hien

  2. Dynasties

  3. Customs

  4. Domains
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
B Correct answer
Explanation

'Dynasties' mean the same as 'empires'.

Multiple choice

Why did the Emperor flee from the capital?

Directions: Read the following passage and answer the question that follows:

The year 842 BC may be considered the first accurate date in Chinese history, and in this year the Emperor had to flee from his capital on account of popular dissatisfaction with his tyrannical ways: he betook himself northward to an outlying settlement on the Tartar frontier, and the charge of imperial affairs was taken over by a regency or duumvirate.

At this time, the confederation of cultured princes called China — or, to use their own term, the Central Kingdom — was a very different region from the huge mass of territory familiar to us under those names at the present day. It is hardly an exaggeration to say that civilised China, even at that comparatively advanced period, consisted of little more than the modern province of Ho Nan. All outside this flat and comparatively riverless region inhabited by the "orthodox" was more or less barbaric, and such civilisation as it possessed was entirely the work of Chinese colonists, adventurers, or grantees of fiefs in partibus infidelium (so to speak). Into matters of still earlier ancient history, we may enter more deeply in another chapter, but for the present, we simply take China as it was when definite chronology begins.

The third of the great dynasties which had ruled over this limited China had, in 842 BC, already been on the imperial throne for practically three hundred years, and, following the custom of its predecessors, it had parcelled out all the land under its sway to vassal princes who were, subject to the general imperial law and custom, or ritual, together with the homage and tribute duty prescribed there under, all practically absolute in their own domains. Roughly speaking, those smaller fiefs may be said to have corresponded in size with the walled-city and surrounding district of our own times, so well known under the name of Hien. About a dozen of the larger fiefs had been originally granted to the blood relations of the dynastic founder in or after 1122 BC; but not exclusively so, for it seems to have been a point of honour, or of religious scruple, not to "cut off the sacrifices" from ruined or disgraced reigning families, unless the attendant circumstances were very gross; and so it came to pass that successive dynasties would strain a point in order to keep up the spiritual memory of decayed or rival houses.

  1. Discontent of the people with his reign

  2. Invasion by the barbarians

  3. Inability to manage the affairs of the province

  4. Fear of assassination
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
A Correct answer
Explanation

It is given in the first passage. "Emperor had to flee from his capital on account of popular dissatisfaction with his tyrannical ways"  

Multiple choice

Why would successive dynasties "strain a point"?

Directions: Read the following passage and answer the question that follows:

The year 842 BC may be considered the first accurate date in Chinese history, and in this year the Emperor had to flee from his capital on account of popular dissatisfaction with his tyrannical ways: he betook himself northward to an outlying settlement on the Tartar frontier, and the charge of imperial affairs was taken over by a regency or duumvirate.

At this time, the confederation of cultured princes called China — or, to use their own term, the Central Kingdom — was a very different region from the huge mass of territory familiar to us under those names at the present day. It is hardly an exaggeration to say that civilised China, even at that comparatively advanced period, consisted of little more than the modern province of Ho Nan. All outside this flat and comparatively riverless region inhabited by the "orthodox" was more or less barbaric, and such civilisation as it possessed was entirely the work of Chinese colonists, adventurers, or grantees of fiefs in partibus infidelium (so to speak). Into matters of still earlier ancient history, we may enter more deeply in another chapter, but for the present, we simply take China as it was when definite chronology begins.

The third of the great dynasties which had ruled over this limited China had, in 842 BC, already been on the imperial throne for practically three hundred years, and, following the custom of its predecessors, it had parcelled out all the land under its sway to vassal princes who were, subject to the general imperial law and custom, or ritual, together with the homage and tribute duty prescribed there under, all practically absolute in their own domains. Roughly speaking, those smaller fiefs may be said to have corresponded in size with the walled-city and surrounding district of our own times, so well known under the name of Hien. About a dozen of the larger fiefs had been originally granted to the blood relations of the dynastic founder in or after 1122 BC; but not exclusively so, for it seems to have been a point of honour, or of religious scruple, not to "cut off the sacrifices" from ruined or disgraced reigning families, unless the attendant circumstances were very gross; and so it came to pass that successive dynasties would strain a point in order to keep up the spiritual memory of decayed or rival houses.

  1. To make the circumstances gross

  2. To keep up the spiritual memory of decayed or rival houses

  3. To parcel land to vassal princes

  4. None of these
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
B Correct answer
Explanation

The line '...it came to pass that successive dynasties would strain a point in order to keep up the spiritual memory of decayed or rival houses' suggests the answer.

Multiple choice

Whatever civilisation existed outside Ho Nan was the work of Chinese

Directions: Read the following passage and answer the question that follows:

The year 842 BC may be considered the first accurate date in Chinese history, and in this year the Emperor had to flee from his capital on account of popular dissatisfaction with his tyrannical ways: he betook himself northward to an outlying settlement on the Tartar frontier, and the charge of imperial affairs was taken over by a regency or duumvirate.

At this time, the confederation of cultured princes called China — or, to use their own term, the Central Kingdom — was a very different region from the huge mass of territory familiar to us under those names at the present day. It is hardly an exaggeration to say that civilised China, even at that comparatively advanced period, consisted of little more than the modern province of Ho Nan. All outside this flat and comparatively riverless region inhabited by the "orthodox" was more or less barbaric, and such civilisation as it possessed was entirely the work of Chinese colonists, adventurers, or grantees of fiefs in partibus infidelium (so to speak). Into matters of still earlier ancient history, we may enter more deeply in another chapter, but for the present, we simply take China as it was when definite chronology begins.

The third of the great dynasties which had ruled over this limited China had, in 842 BC, already been on the imperial throne for practically three hundred years, and, following the custom of its predecessors, it had parcelled out all the land under its sway to vassal princes who were, subject to the general imperial law and custom, or ritual, together with the homage and tribute duty prescribed there under, all practically absolute in their own domains. Roughly speaking, those smaller fiefs may be said to have corresponded in size with the walled-city and surrounding district of our own times, so well known under the name of Hien. About a dozen of the larger fiefs had been originally granted to the blood relations of the dynastic founder in or after 1122 BC; but not exclusively so, for it seems to have been a point of honour, or of religious scruple, not to "cut off the sacrifices" from ruined or disgraced reigning families, unless the attendant circumstances were very gross; and so it came to pass that successive dynasties would strain a point in order to keep up the spiritual memory of decayed or rival houses.

  1. artists alone

  2. masons alone

  3. colonists alone

  4. None of these
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
D Correct answer
Explanation

"such civilisation as it possessed was entirely the work of Chinese colonists, adventurers, or grantees of fiefs in partibus infidelium (so to speak). " 

Multiple choice

The Battle of Plassey was fought in

  1. 1757 AD

  2. 1857 AD

  3. 1761 AD

  4. 1556 AD
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
A Correct answer
Explanation

The Battle of Plassey was fought on June 23, 1757, between the British East India Company forces led by Robert Clive and the Nawab of Bengal, Siraj-ud-Daulah. The British victory marked the beginning of political dominance in India.

Multiple choice

Shivaji was born in

  1. 1627 AD

  2. 1556 AD

  3. 1612 AD

  4. 1710 AD
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
A Correct answer
Explanation

Shivaji was born in 1627 AD at Shivneri Fort in Maharashtra. He founded the Maratha Empire and was crowned as Chhatrapati in 1674. His birth year is well-documented in historical records and Maratha chronicles. 1627 AD is the accepted year in Indian history textbooks.

Multiple choice

The period of Shah Jahan was visited by terrible femine in

  1. 1627 A.D.

  2. 1628 A.D.

  3. 1630 A.D.

  4. 1631 A.D.
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
C Correct answer
Explanation

Shah Jahan's reign experienced a devastating famine in 1630-1632, known as the Deccan Famine, which caused widespread suffering and approximately 7.4 million deaths. This calamity occurred despite the general prosperity of his reign and is well-documented in contemporary accounts.

Multiple choice

The transfer of the company's Government to British Crown was done on

  1. 1st October, 1857

  2. 1st October, 1858

  3. 1st October, 1859

  4. 1st October, 1860
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
B Correct answer
Explanation

The Government of India Act was passed on August 2, 1858, and came into effect on October 1, 1858, transferring power from the East India Company to the British Crown. This followed the 1857 revolt.

Multiple choice

In which year did Taimur invade India?

  1. 1350

  2. 1399

  3. 1398

  4. 1361
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
C Correct answer
Explanation

Timur (Tamerlane), the Turko-Mongol conqueror, invaded northwestern India in 1398. He sacked Delhi, massacred its inhabitants, and looted the city before withdrawing. This invasion weakened the Tughlaq dynasty and contributed to its eventual decline.

Multiple choice

Alexander invaded India in the year

  1. 326 BC

  2. 400 BC

  3. 712 AD

  4. 847 BC
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
A Correct answer
Explanation

Alexander the Great invaded India in 326 BC, crossing the Indus River and defeating King Porus at the Battle of the Hydaspes. This event marked the easternmost point of his empire's expansion.