14 extra multiple-choice questions for The Age of Revolutions (12th Standard History, Samacheer Kalvi), beyond the ones printed in the textbook — each with the correct option highlighted and a clear, worked explanation. Free to read in English and Tamil.
Q1
Which British tax of 1765 forced the American settlers to use stamps on all legal documents and pay for them?
- A. Townshend Act
- B. Stamp ActCorrect
- C. Quebec Act
- D. Boston Port Bill
Explanation. In 1765 a new tax was introduced on stamps, which settlers had to use on all legal documents. They refused to buy them, British traders pressed for repeal, and the Stamp Act was abolished in 1766.
Q2
Arrange the following events of the American colonies in chronological order.
1. Boston Tea Party
2. Stamp Act
3. Tax on sugar and molasses
4. Boston Massacre
- A. 2, 3, 4, 1
- B. 3, 2, 1, 4
- C. 3, 2, 4, 1Correct
- D. 2, 3, 1, 4
Explanation. The tax on sugar and molasses came first in 1764, followed by the Stamp Act in 1765, the Boston Massacre in 1770 and the Boston Tea Party in 1773.
Q3
Which of the following statements about the Treaty of Paris (1783) are correct?
1. Britain recognised the freedom of the 13 colonies as the United States of America.
2. Spain obtained Florida from Great Britain.
3. France gained certain British territories in the West Indies, India and Africa.
4. Holland obtained the area bordered by the Mississippi River on the west.
- A. 1, 2 and 3 onlyCorrect
- B. 1 and 2 only
- C. 2, 3 and 4 only
- D. 1, 3 and 4 only
Explanation. Under the Treaty of Paris Britain recognised the USA, Spain got Florida and France gained some British territories. The area bounded by the Mississippi on the west went to the USA; Holland only kept the pre-war status quo.
Q4
Which Englishman wrote the pamphlet Common Sense (1776), which sold over 150,000 copies and justified the demands of the American colonists?
- A. Thomas PaineCorrect
- B. Thomas Jefferson
- C. John Locke
- D. Benjamin Franklin
Explanation. Thomas Paine, an Englishman, wrote Common Sense in 1776. He presented the libertarian ideas of Hobbes, Locke, Voltaire and Rousseau in simple language, and the pamphlet sold over 150,000 copies.
Q5
Match the terms of eighteenth-century France with their meanings.
(A) Tithe - 1. Old order
(B) Gabelle - 2. Salt tax
(C) Ancien regime - 3. Educated middle class
(D) Bourgeoisie - 4. Tax collected by the church
- A. 4 2 1 3Correct
- B. 2 4 1 3
- C. 4 2 3 1
- D. 1 2 4 3
Explanation. The tithe was a tax collected by the church, the gabelle was the salt tax, ancien regime meant the old order, and the bourgeoisie was the educated middle class of writers, doctors, teachers and lawyers.
Q6
Assertion (A): Robespierre opposed the Girondin plan to declare war on the foreign powers.
Reason (R): He argued that war would open the door to counter-revolution.
- A. Both A and R are correct, R explains ACorrect
- B. Both A and R are correct, R does not explain A
- C. A is correct but R is wrong
- D. A is wrong but R is correct
Explanation. All the revolutionaries except Robespierre believed a war against foreign powers would help. Robespierre argued that war would open the door to counter-revolution, but could not stop the Girondins declaring war in April 1792.
Q7
Arrange the following events of the French Revolution in chronological order.
1. September Massacres
2. Tennis Court Oath
3. Execution of Louis XVI
4. Adoption of the Declaration of the Rights of Man and the Citizen
- A. 2, 1, 4, 3
- B. 2, 4, 1, 3Correct
- C. 4, 2, 1, 3
- D. 2, 4, 3, 1
Explanation. The Tennis Court Oath was taken on 20 June 1789, the Declaration was adopted on 26 August 1789, the September Massacres began on 2 September 1792 and Louis XVI was guillotined on 21 January 1793.
Q8
Which one of the following was NOT a measure of the Jacobin-dominated government of 1793-94?
- A. Abolition of slavery in all French lands
- B. A maximum ceiling on wages
- C. Rationing of bread and meat
- D. Voting rights only for tax-paying men above 25 yearsCorrect
Explanation. The Jacobin Convention abolished slavery on 4 February 1794, capped wages, rationed bread and meat and fixed farm prices. Voting only by tax-paying men above 25 belonged to the National Assembly's constitution of 1791.
Q9
After Toussaint L'Ouverture was kidnapped and killed, who organised black resistance in Saint-Domingue and defeated Napoleon's army?
- A. Vincent Oge
- B. Sonthonax
- C. DessalinesCorrect
- D. Jose Antonia Paez
Explanation. Napoleon sent 12,000 troops to seize Saint-Domingue. After Toussaint was misled, kidnapped and killed, his former lieutenant Dessalines organised black resistance, defeated Napoleon's army, and Haiti became independent in 1804.
Q10
The congress convened at Angostura in 1819 named Simon Bolivar president of Gran Colombia. Which of the following present-day countries was NOT part of Gran Colombia?
- A. Venezuela
- B. Panama
- C. Ecuador
- D. PeruCorrect
Explanation. Gran Colombia was a union of what are today Venezuela, Colombia, Panama and Ecuador. Peru was freed by San Martin in 1820 and was not part of this union.
Q11
In which year did Brazil obtain independence from Portugal, with Pedro I becoming its first emperor?
- A. 1808
- B. 1822Correct
- C. 1824
- D. 1826
Explanation. When the Portuguese authorities ended Joao's reforms and recalled Dom Pedro, he declared Brazil's independence and stayed on. In 1822 Brazil became independent of Portugal with Pedro I as its first emperor.
Q12
Match the inventions with their inventors.
(A) Flying shuttle - 1. Abraham Darby
(B) Spinning Jenny - 2. John Kay
(C) Crompton's Mule - 3. Samuel Crompton
(D) Using coke for smelting iron - 4. James Hargreaves
- A. 2 4 3 1Correct
- B. 4 2 3 1
- C. 2 4 1 3
- D. 4 2 1 3
Explanation. John Kay invented the flying shuttle in 1733, James Hargreaves the spinning jenny in 1764 and Samuel Crompton the mule. About 1709 Abraham Darby of Derbyshire found that coke could be used for smelting.
Q13
Which of the following statements about the Industrial Revolution in Germany are correct?
1. The Zollverein, a union of states with free trade as common policy, was formed by Prussia.
2. The unification of Germany in 1871 made industrial development more rapid.
3. Companies like Bayer and Hoechst led the chemical industry of Germany.
4. By the end of the nineteenth century Germany still lagged far behind Britain in industry.
- A. 1 and 2 only
- B. 2, 3 and 4 only
- C. 1, 2 and 3 onlyCorrect
- D. 1, 3 and 4 only
Explanation. Prussia formed the Zollverein, unification in 1871 sped up industry, and Bayer and Hoechst led German chemicals. Statement 4 is wrong: by the end of the century Germany surpassed Britain as the most industrialised country.
Q14
Arrange the following events of the working-class movement in chronological order.
1. Haymarket Massacre in Chicago
2. Tolpuddle Prosecution
3. Peterloo Massacre
4. Great Railroad Strike in the USA
- A. 3, 2, 1, 4
- B. 3, 2, 4, 1Correct
- C. 2, 3, 4, 1
- D. 3, 4, 2, 1
Explanation. The Peterloo Massacre at Manchester took place in 1819, the six Tolpuddle labourers were convicted in 1834, the Great Railroad Strike broke out in 1877 and the Haymarket Massacre occurred on 4 May 1886.
