CSS British History MCQs

This comprehensive set of MCQs on British History for the Central Superior Services (CSS) examination is meticulously designed to cover all key topics outlined in the CSS syllabus. Encompassing significant events, political developments, cultural movements, and the evolution of British society, these MCQs aim to provide aspiring CSS candidates with a thorough understanding of the historical contexts that have shaped modern Britain.

Who should practice CSS British History MCQs?

Candidates preparing for the CSS examination who wish to enhance their understanding of pivotal moments and themes in British history.
Individuals seeking to solidify their knowledge of British political structures, societal changes, and cultural transformations essential for civil services roles.
University students focused on high-yield topics such as the English Civil War, the Industrial Revolution, and the impact of colonialism, which are crucial for the CSS British History syllabus.
Anyone aiming to strengthen their analytical skills and ability to interpret historical events and their implications for contemporary society.
Students dedicated to mastering British history to excel in competitive exams and develop a nuanced perspective on historical and cultural issues.

1. The Glorious Revolution of 1688 primarily resulted in the:

A) Establishment of a constitutional monarchy
B) Restoration of the monarchy
C) Strengthening of the Parliament’s powers
D) Rise of absolute monarchy

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2. Which monarchs were crowned after the Glorious Revolution?

A) George I and II
B) William III and Mary II
C) Charles I and II
D) Anne and her successors

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3. Queen Anne ruled from:

A) 1702 to 1714
B) 1689 to 1702
C) 1714 to 1727
D) 1707 to 1714

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4. The Hanoverian Era began with the accession of:

A) William III
B) George I
C) Anne
D) Charles II

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5. The Jacobite Rebellion of 1715 was aimed at:

A) Restoring the Stuart monarchy
B) Establishing a republic
C) Seceding from England
D) Reinstating Mary II

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6. Robert Walpole is often regarded as the first:

A) Prime Minister of Great Britain
B) King of England
C) Leader of the Conservative Party
D) Chancellor of the Exchequer

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7. The American War of Independence began in:

A) 1775
B) 1776
C) 1783
D) 1789

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8. The Union of England and Scotland was officially established in:

A) 1603
B) 1707
C) 1800
D) 1701

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9. The Act of Union 1800 resulted in:

A) The union of England and Ireland
B) The independence of Scotland
C) The independence of Wales
D) The establishment of the United Kingdom

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10. The Old Colonial System primarily aimed to:

A) Promote free trade
B) Control trade through mercantilism
C) Encourage independence movements
D) Establish a republic in the colonies

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11. The French Revolution began in:

A) 1789
B) 1791
C) 1793
D) 1795

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12. Britain’s involvement in the Napoleonic Wars was largely due to:

A) Territorial expansion
B) Defense against French expansion
C) Economic interests in France
D) Alliances with Russia

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13. The impact of the Napoleonic Wars on Britain included:

A) Economic decline
B) Expansion of the British Empire
C) Loss of colonies
D) Strengthening of France

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14. The Agricultural Revolution led to:

A) Decreased food production
B) Increased agricultural productivity
C) Urbanization
D) Both B and C

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15. The Industrial Revolution began in Britain due to:

A) Agricultural advancements
B) Access to natural resources
C) A stable political climate
D) All of the above

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16. The Chartist Movement was primarily concerned with:

A) Women’s suffrage
B) Workers’ rights
C) Political reform
D) Economic equality

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17. Robert Peel is known for:

A) Establishing the welfare state
B) Introducing modern policing
C) Leading the Conservative Party
D) Reforming the currency system

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18. The Victorian Era is marked by:

A) Economic decline
B) Industrial growth and social reform
C) Political stagnation
D) Military conflicts

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19. Which two prominent figures dominated British politics during the Victorian Era?

A) Gladstone and Disraeli
B) Peel and Walpole
C) Churchill and Attlee
D) Lloyd George and Baldwin

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20. The Irish Problem during the 19th century was primarily about:

A) Economic inequality
B) Religious differences
C) National identity and home rule
D) All of the above

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21. Disraeli’s foreign policy is often described as:

A) Isolationist
B) Expansionist
C) Neutral
D) Defensive

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22. The Great Exhibition of 1851 was held in:

A) Edinburgh
B) London
C) Dublin
D) Cardiff

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23. The creation of the Labor Party originated from:

A) The Chartist Movement
B) Trade union activism
C) Liberal reforms
D) The industrial bourgeoisie

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24. The Great Depression in Britain started in:

A) 1929
B) 1933
C) 1936
D) 1940

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25. The appeasement policy was associated with which British Prime Minister?

A) Winston Churchill
B) Neville Chamberlain
C) Tony Blair
D) Edward Heath

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26. The primary objective of the League of Nations was to:

A) Promote military alliances
B) Ensure world peace
C) Facilitate economic trade
D) Encourage imperialism

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27. The primary cause of World War I was:

A) Economic rivalry
B) Militarism
C) Nationalism
D) All of the above

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28. Which event is often cited as the immediate cause of World War I?

A) The sinking of the Lusitania
B) The assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand
C) The invasion of Belgium
D) The assassination of Rasputin

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29. The Treaty of Versailles primarily aimed to:

A) Punish Germany
B) Establish peace in Europe
C) Promote free trade
D) Create the United Nations

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30. The aftermath of World War I saw the rise of which political ideology in Britain?

A) Liberalism
B) Socialism
C) Conservatism
D) Fascism

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31. The origins of the Welfare State in Britain can be traced back to:

A) World War I
B) The Great Depression
C) The Beveridge Report
D) The Victorian reforms

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32. The policy of appeasement was largely criticized for:

A) Strengthening Germany
B) Encouraging French militarism
C) Promoting disarmament
D) Preventing war

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33. The main aim of the British Commonwealth was to:

A) Establish a military alliance
B) Promote economic cooperation
C) Encourage colonization
D) Support independence movements

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34. The United Nations was established in:

A) 1945
B) 1950
C) 1960
D) 1970

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35. Which event marked the beginning of World War II for Britain?

A) The invasion of Poland
B) The bombing of Pearl Harbor
C) The fall of France
D) The Blitz

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36. Churchill is best known for his role as:

A) Prime Minister during World War I
B) Leader of the opposition
C) Prime Minister during World War II
D) Chancellor of the Exchequer

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37. The Beveridge Report was significant because it:

A) Established the NHS
B) Laid the groundwork for the Welfare State
C) Introduced free education
D) Promoted free market principles

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38. The Falklands War occurred in:

A) 1982
B) 1985
C) 1990
D) 1995

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39. The Great Recession of 2008 primarily resulted from:

A) World War II
B) The collapse of the housing market
C) The rise of the Euro
D) Increased immigration

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40. Which act significantly reformed the British electoral system in 1832?

A) Representation of the People Act
B) Reform Act
C) Parliament Act
D) Franchise Act

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41. The Suffragette movement was primarily focused on:

A) Labor rights
B) Women’s right to vote
C) Child labor reform
D) Education reform

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42. The Battle of Britain was fought primarily in the:

A) Sea
B) Air
C) Land
D) Submarine

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43. The Cold War was characterized by:

A) Direct military conflict
B) Ideological conflict between capitalism and communism
C) Economic cooperation
D) Global disarmament

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44. The Good Friday Agreement is associated with which conflict?

A) The English Civil War
B) The Irish War of Independence
C) The Troubles in Northern Ireland
D) The Falklands Conflict

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45. Which British Prime Minister was known for introducing austerity measures following the 2008 financial crisis?

A) Tony Blair
B) David Cameron
C) Gordon Brown
D) Theresa May

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46. The British Empire reached its peak during which period?

A) 19th Century
B) 18th Century
C) 20th Century
D) 21st Century

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47. The Magna Carta was signed in:

A) 1215
B) 1315
C) 1415
D) 1515

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48. The English Civil War was fought between:

A) Royalists and Parliamentarians
B) Republicans and Monarchists
C) Protestants and Catholics
D) Landowners and Peasants

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49. The term ‘Victorian’ refers to the reign of:

A) George III
B) Victoria
C) Edward VII
D) Elizabeth I

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50. The Peasants’ Revolt occurred in:

A) 1381
B) 1485
C) 1642
D) 1688

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51. The Act of Union 1707 united which countries?

A) England and Wales
B) England and Scotland
C) Scotland and Ireland
D) Ireland and Wales

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52. The Corn Laws were designed to protect:

A) Farmers
B) Industrial workers
C) Consumers
D) Foreign imports

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53. The Industrial Revolution began in which industry?

A) Textile
B) Agriculture
C) Mining
D) Transportation

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54. The First World War ended in:

A) 1914
B) 1918
C) 1920
D) 1923

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55. The Welfare State in Britain was established primarily in response to:

A) World War II
B) The Great Depression
C) The Cold War
D) The Industrial Revolution

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56. The “Swinging Sixties” refers to a cultural revolution in:

A) The 1950s
B) The 1960s
C) The 1970s
D) The 1980s

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57. The rise of Thatcherism was characterized by:

A) Increased government intervention
B) Economic liberalization and privatization
C) Expansion of the welfare state
D) Anti-immigration policies

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58. The term ‘Brexit’ refers to:

A) British exit from the Commonwealth
B) British exit from the European Union
C) British exit from NATO
D) British exit from the United Nations

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59. The British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) was established in:

A) 1922
B) 1945
C) 1950
D) 1960

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60. The Chartist Movement of the 1830s and 1840s primarily sought:

A) Suffrage for women
B) Rights for workers
C) Universal male suffrage
D) Labor laws

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61. The Trade Union Act of 1871 legalized:

A) Strikes
B) Trade unions
C) Worker protests
D) Wage negotiations

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62. The British Empire began to decolonize after:

A) World War I
B) World War II
C) The Cold War
D) The Korean War

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63. The Suez Crisis of 1956 involved a conflict over:

A) Oil resources
B) Nationalization of the canal
C) Cold War politics
D) Colonialism

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64. The term ‘Blitzkrieg’ was used to describe:

A) A type of trench warfare
B) A fast-moving warfare strategy
C) Economic strategies
D) Naval warfare

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65. The first woman to be elected as a Member of Parliament in Britain was:

A) Emmeline Pankhurst
B) Nancy Astor
C) Margaret Thatcher
D) Ellen Wilkinson

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66. The Cold War was marked by a division of Europe into:

A) East and West
B) North and South
C) Rich and Poor
D) North and Central

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67. The “Iron Curtain” was a term popularized by:

A) Winston Churchill
B) Franklin D. Roosevelt
C) Joseph Stalin
D) Ronald Reagan

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68. The devolution of powers to Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland occurred in:

A) 1973
B) 1997
C) 2001
D) 2005

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69. The Acts of Union 1800 resulted in the creation of:

A) The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland
B) The United Kingdom of Great Britain
C) The British Commonwealth
D) The British Empire

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70. The rise of the Labour Party is closely associated with:

A) The suffragette movement
B) The trade union movement
C) The Conservative Party
D) The Liberal Party

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71. The British Empire was at its largest extent in:

A) 1914
B) 1945
C) 1960
D) 1980

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72. The Battle of Hastings in 1066 led to the establishment of:

A) Norman rule in England
B) The end of the Roman Empire
C) The signing of the Magna Carta
D) The creation of Parliament

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73. The War of the Roses was a series of conflicts for:

A) The English throne
B) Territorial disputes
C) Religious control
D) Colonial expansion

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74. The English Reformation was initiated by:

A) Henry VIII
B) Elizabeth I
C) James I
D) Charles I

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75. The British East India Company was established in:

A) 1600
B) 1700
C) 1800
D) 1900

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76. The Great Fire of London occurred in:

A) 1666
B) 1672
C) 1700
D) 1712

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77. The Victorian Age is known for its:

A) Social conservatism
B) Industrial advancement
C) Both A and B
D) Liberal reforms

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78. The Corn Laws were repealed in:

A) 1815
B) 1846
C) 1850
D) 1875

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79. The British suffrage movement primarily sought:

A) Universal male suffrage
B) Women’s suffrage
C) Labor rights
D) Education reform

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80. The Black Death ravaged Europe in the:

A) 10th Century
B) 14th Century
C) 15th Century
D) 16th Century

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81. The Treaty of Versailles formally ended:

A) The Second World War
B) The First World War
C) The Korean War
D) The Vietnam War

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82. The British government was formed after which event?

A) The English Civil War
B) The Glorious Revolution
C) The American Revolution
D) The French Revolution

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83. The Reformation led to the establishment of which church?

A) Anglican
B) Catholic
C) Lutheran
D) Orthodox

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84. The British Constitution is known as:

A) A codified constitution
B) An unwritten constitution
C) A rigid constitution
D) A federal constitution

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85. The first British woman to win a Nobel Prize was:

A) Marie Curie
B) Doris Lessing
C) Rebecca West
D) Toni Morrison

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86. The first British colony to gain independence was:

A) Canada
B) India
C) Australia
D) New Zealand

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87. The Boer War was fought between Britain and:

A) Germany
B) France
C) The Netherlands
D) Belgium

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88. The economic policy of mercantilism was dominant in:

A) The 16th Century
B) The 17th Century
C) The 18th Century
D) The 19th Century

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89. The English Bill of Rights was enacted in:

A) 1689
B) 1715
C) 1776
D) 1800

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90. The British Empire’s decline began after:

A) The American Revolution
B) The First World War
C) The Second World War
D) The Cold War

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91. The Dreyfus Affair was a political scandal in:

A) Britain
B) Germany
C) France
D) Russia

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92. The “Battle of the Somme” was notable for:

A) Its short duration
B) Its high casualties
C) Its strategic victories
D) Its air superiority

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93. The Enlightenment was characterized by:

A) Emphasis on reason and individualism
B) Emphasis on tradition
C) Emphasis on religion
D) Emphasis on monarchy

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94. The Russian Revolution of 1917 led to the establishment of:

A) A monarchy
B) A socialist state
C) A democratic government
D) A theocracy

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95. The first British expedition to the South Pole was led by:

A) Robert Falcon Scott
B) Ernest Shackleton
C) James Cook
D) John Franklin

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96. The Treaty of Utrecht (1713) ended which conflict?

A) The War of the Spanish Succession
B) The Seven Years’ War
C) The American Revolutionary War
D) The Napoleonic Wars

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97. The Glorious Revolution of 1688 led to:

A) The establishment of a Catholic monarchy
B) The establishment of constitutional monarchy
C) The establishment of an absolute monarchy
D) The end of the monarchy

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98. The British Nationality Act of 1948 granted citizenship to:

A) Only citizens of Britain
B) Citizens of the Commonwealth
C) Only citizens of Ireland
D) Only citizens of Wales

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99. The Beatles are associated with which cultural movement?

A) Punk
B) Grunge
C) Mod
D) New Wave

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100. The Falklands War was fought between Britain and:

A) Argentina
B) Chile
C) Brazil
D) Uruguay

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