🏛️ A. Meaning, Scope & Objectivity in History
1. The word “History” is derived from which Greek term?
A) Historia
B) Historica
C) Historiographia
D) Historium
Answer: A
Explanation: The Greek word Historia means “inquiry” or “investigation.”
2. Who is known as the “Father of History”?
A) Herodotus
B) Aristotle
C) Thucydides
D) Tacitus
Answer: A
Explanation: Herodotus (5th century BCE) wrote Histories — earliest systematic record of human events.
3. Who called history “Philosophy teaching by examples”?
A) Cicero
B) Aristotle
C) Livy
D) Machiavelli
Answer: A
Explanation: Roman philosopher Cicero defined history as a moral guide that teaches lessons through examples.
4. The primary function of history is to:
A) Preserve legends
B) Study the past objectively
C) Promote myths
D) Defend religion
Answer: B
Explanation: History aims to understand the human past through facts, evidence, and interpretation.
5. Objectivity in history means:
A) Neutral and evidence-based interpretation
B) Religious justification
C) Personal imagination
D) National glorification
Answer: A
Explanation: Objectivity means judging events without personal, political, or emotional bias.
6. Which statement best defines bias in history writing?
A) Use of reliable data
B) Distortion due to personal or ideological influence
C) Dependence on verified sources
D) Chronological accuracy
Answer: B
Explanation: Bias occurs when a historian’s personal beliefs or background shape interpretation of facts.
7. “Facts are sacred, opinions are free.” Who said this?
A) Lord Acton
B) C.P. Scott
C) Ranke
D) Gibbon
Answer: B
Explanation: C.P. Scott emphasized objectivity — historians must separate facts from personal views.
🔍 B. Historical Method — Heuristics, Criticism & Synthesis
8. The process of collecting and identifying historical sources is called:
A) Heuristics
B) Hermeneutics
C) Criticism
D) Synthesis
Answer: A
Explanation: Heuristics refers to the systematic collection and classification of source materials.
9. Checking the authenticity of a source is called:
A) Internal criticism
B) External criticism
C) Source evaluation
D) Verification
Answer: B
Explanation: External criticism ensures the document’s genuineness — author, date, and form.
10. Evaluating the credibility or truthfulness of a document’s content is called:
A) External criticism
B) Internal criticism
C) Heuristics
D) Synthesis
Answer: B
Explanation: Internal criticism judges reliability — motives, consistency, and bias of the author.
11. The final stage of historical research is:
A) Hypothesis
B) Criticism
C) Synthesis and Presentation
D) Source collection
Answer: C
Explanation: After analyzing sources, historians synthesize and present findings logically.
12. Which of the following is not an auxiliary science of history?
A) Archaeology
B) Chemistry
C) Numismatics
D) Epigraphy
Answer: B
Explanation: Chemistry is not a direct auxiliary; others aid in reconstructing the past.
13. Numismatics deals with the study of:
A) Coins
B) Inscriptions
C) Manuscripts
D) Monuments
Answer: A
Explanation: Numismatics helps date events and understand trade, kingship, and economy.
14. Epigraphy is the study of:
A) Coins
B) Scripts and inscriptions
C) Maps
D) Architecture
Answer: B
Explanation: Epigraphy provides direct written records — decrees, donations, and edicts.
15. Which science helps to fix the time and sequence of events?
A) Geography
B) Chronology
C) Sociology
D) Anthropology
Answer: B
Explanation: Chronology arranges historical events in their proper order of occurrence.
⚖️ C. Nature of History — Science, Art, or Social Science
16. History is regarded as a science because:
A) It uses laboratory experiments
B) It studies human behavior
C) It uses systematic evidence and methods
D) It predicts the future
Answer: C
Explanation: History follows systematic methods — evidence collection and logical reasoning.
17. History is also called an art because:
A) It uses poetic imagination
B) It involves creative expression and interpretation
C) It ignores facts
D) It glorifies rulers
Answer: B
Explanation: Historians must interpret data imaginatively while remaining factual.
18. History is considered a social science because it:
A) Deals with stars and planets
B) Studies nature
C) Studies human society and its evolution
D) Ignores human activity
Answer: C
Explanation: History examines social, political, and cultural changes — core of social sciences.
19. The causal relationship in history means:
A) A series of unrelated events
B) Cause and effect analysis
C) Chronological listing
D) Moral lessons
Answer: B
Explanation: Causation explains why events happened, not just what happened.
20. Imagination in history should be:
A) Unlimited
B) Based on evidence
C) Purely emotional
D) Avoided entirely
Answer: B
Explanation: Imagination connects facts meaningfully but must remain evidence-based.
🗺️ D. Regional History & New Trends
21. Regional history helps in understanding:
A) Global politics only
B) Local aspects of historical change
C) European colonialism only
D) Mythology
Answer: B
Explanation: Regional studies reveal local patterns, diversity, and grassroots history.
22. Recent trends in Indian historiography include:
A) Dynastic glorification
B) Subaltern and gender studies
C) Colonial documentation
D) Religious interpretations
Answer: B
Explanation: New trends emphasize common people, marginalized groups, and gender perspectives.
23. The Subaltern Studies school focuses on:
A) Elites and rulers
B) Common people and marginalized voices
C) Religious leaders
D) British administrators
Answer: B
Explanation: Subaltern historians (e.g., Ranajit Guha) emphasized people excluded from elite narratives.
24. Environmental history studies:
A) Nature only
B) Relationship between humans and environment over time
C) Religious texts
D) Political parties
Answer: B
Explanation: It analyzes how natural and human factors interact in historical development.
🧪 E. Research Methodology
25. The first step in historical research is:
A) Hypothesis
B) Topic selection
C) Data analysis
D) Bibliography
Answer: B
Explanation: Research begins with selecting a relevant and researchable topic.
26. A hypothesis in historical research is:
A) Final conclusion
B) Tentative assumption to be tested
C) Proven theory
D) Literary description
Answer: B
Explanation: Hypothesis guides research and is tested against historical evidence.
27. Primary sources include:
A) Research articles
B) Textbooks
C) Original documents, diaries, letters
D) Commentaries
Answer: C
Explanation: Primary sources are firsthand evidence of historical events.
28. Secondary sources refer to:
A) Unverified reports
B) Later interpretations of primary data
C) Oral history only
D) Myths
Answer: B
Explanation: They include analysis, books, and articles interpreting original data.
29. The act of evaluating and verifying evidence is called:
A) Heuristics
B) Criticism
C) Hypothesis
D) Narration
Answer: B
Explanation: Criticism ensures historical accuracy and authenticity of sources.
30. Footnotes are used to:
A) Decorate the text
B) Explain difficult terms
C) Cite sources of information
D) Add new chapters
Answer: C
Explanation: Footnotes acknowledge sources and prevent plagiarism.
31. A bibliography includes:
A) Only books used
B) All sources consulted for research
C) Unrelated references
D) Quotations
Answer: B
Explanation: It lists every book, article, or document referred to in research.
32. Plagiarism means:
A) Quoting properly
B) Borrowing ideas with acknowledgment
C) Copying without credit
D) Paraphrasing fairly
Answer: C
Explanation: Plagiarism is intellectual dishonesty — using others’ work without attribution.
🏺 F. Historiography: Evolution of History Writing
33. Greek historians emphasized:
A) Divine control
B) Human actions and inquiry
C) Supernatural causes
D) National pride
Answer: B
Explanation: Greeks like Herodotus and Thucydides stressed rational investigation of human events.
34. Roman historians wrote history mainly to:
A) Entertain
B) Teach moral and political lessons
C) Praise gods
D) Record trade
Answer: B
Explanation: Romans like Livy and Tacitus viewed history as a moral and patriotic guide.
35. Medieval Church historians saw history as:
A) Random events
B) Divine plan of God
C) Secular progress
D) Political conflict
Answer: B
Explanation: Christian writers interpreted history as unfolding of God’s will.
36. Renaissance historians introduced:
A) Supernaturalism
B) Critical and secular approach
C) Church dominance
D) Mythological writing
Answer: B
Explanation: The Renaissance revived critical, humanist, and rational history writing.
37. Machiavelli’s The Prince reflects:
A) Divine history
B) Political realism
C) Religious morality
D) Romantic idealism
Answer: B
Explanation: Machiavelli used history for practical political lessons — realism over morality.
38. Auguste Comte’s Positivism inspired:
A) Romantic history
B) Scientific or factual history
C) Religious historiography
D) Postmodernism
Answer: B
Explanation: Comte’s positivism influenced historians to use scientific methods and verified data.
39. Leopold von Ranke emphasized:
A) Philosophy in history
B) To tell history “as it really happened”
C) Political propaganda
D) Mythical traditions
Answer: B
Explanation: Ranke promoted objectivity and primary source-based history.
40. Von Ranke is associated with which city’s intellectual movement?
A) Oxford
B) Paris
C) Berlin
D) Rome
Answer: C
Explanation: The “Berlin Revolution” in historiography began under Ranke’s influence.
41. Marx’s historical materialism focuses on:
A) Religion
B) Economy and class struggle
C) Ideology
D) Geography
Answer: B
Explanation: Marx saw history as shaped by economic forces and conflicts between classes.
42. According to Marx, society evolves through:
A) Wars and peace
B) Economic stages
C) Religious reforms
D) Cultural diffusion
Answer: B
Explanation: Human history progresses through economic systems — feudalism to socialism.
43. The concept of “Base and Superstructure” was given by:
A) Max Weber
B) Karl Marx
C) Ranke
D) Toynbee
Answer: B
Explanation: Economic base (production) determines superstructure (politics, culture, ideas).
44. Oswald Spengler’s theory is known as:
A) Challenge and Response
B) Cyclical Theory of History
C) Evolutionary Theory
D) Economic Determinism
Answer: B
Explanation: In The Decline of the West, Spengler viewed civilizations as cyclic organisms.
45. According to Toynbee, civilization develops through:
A) War
B) Climate
C) Challenge and creative response
D) Religion
Answer: C
Explanation: Toynbee’s Challenge and Response theory explains growth through adaptability.
46. “History repeats itself in cycles” — whose idea is this?
A) Ranke
B) Spengler
C) Marx
D) Toynbee
Answer: B
Explanation: Spengler viewed history as cyclical, not linear progress.
47. Toynbee’s major work is:
A) The Decline of the West
B) A Study of History
C) Das Kapital
D) The Prince
Answer: B
Explanation: Toynbee’s A Study of History analyzes rise and fall of civilizations.
🌀 G. Modern & Postmodern Historiography
48. Postmodernists argue that history is:
A) Objective fact
B) A constructed narrative
C) Pure science
D) Religion-based
Answer: B
Explanation: Postmodernism denies absolute truth — history is shaped by language and perspective.
49. “Power and knowledge are interconnected” — who said this?
A) Ranke
B) Foucault
C) Marx
D) Derrida
Answer: B
Explanation: Michel Foucault emphasized how knowledge systems reflect power structures.
50. The linguistic turn in history refers to:
A) Emphasis on political narratives
B) Study of language’s role in shaping historical understanding
C) Focus on military events
D) Use of new documents
Answer: B
Explanation: It stresses that historical meaning depends on language and discourse.
51. Hayden White is known for:
A) Marxist historiography
B) Narrative and literary interpretation of history
C) Cyclical theory
D) Archaeology
Answer: B
Explanation: White argued that history is written as narrative, blending fact and fiction.
52. Which historian coined the term “Subaltern”?
A) Ranajit Guha
B) D.D. Kosambi
C) Irfan Habib
D) R.C. Majumdar
Answer: A
Explanation: Ranajit Guha initiated the Subaltern Studies Group in 1982 focusing on marginalized voices.
53. The main aim of Marxist historiography is:
A) To glorify rulers
B) To study economic structure and class relations
C) To emphasize divine intervention
D) To describe myths
Answer: B
Explanation: Marxist historians explain change through material and economic causes.
54. Postmodernism rejects:
A) Evidence
B) Absolute or universal truths
C) Use of narrative
D) Cultural interpretation
Answer: B
Explanation: Postmodernists argue there is no single truth — only multiple interpretations.
55. Rankean objectivity was criticized by:
A) Marxists and Postmodernists
B) Greek historians
C) Toynbee
D) Church historians
Answer: A
Explanation: They argued Ranke ignored social and ideological contexts.
56. D.D. Kosambi’s approach combined:
A) Mythology and religion
B) Marxism and scientific analysis
C) Philosophy and art
D) Sociology and fiction
Answer: B
Explanation: Kosambi applied Marxist methods to Indian socio-economic history.
57. Who wrote The Wonder That Was India?
A) A.L. Basham
B) Romila Thapar
C) Irfan Habib
D) V.D. Savarkar
Answer: A
Explanation: A.L. Basham’s work presents India’s ancient civilization in scholarly, cultural context.
58. Who defined history as “a science, no less and no more”?
A) Ranke
B) Seeley
C) Marx
D) Gibbon
Answer: B
Explanation: Sir John Seeley highlighted that history uses methods of science but studies human society.
59. Intellectual honesty in history means:
A) Following ideology
B) Quoting without credit
C) Acknowledging sources and being truthful
D) Using imagination freely
Answer: C
Explanation: Intellectual honesty demands evidence-based and transparent scholarship.
60. The main challenge for modern historians is:
A) Lack of technology
B) Maintaining objectivity amid diverse interpretations
C) Refusing interdisciplinary research
D) Ignoring regional studies
Answer: B
Explanation: Balancing multiple perspectives while maintaining evidence-based neutrality is the modern challenge.