1. Who was the Viceroy of India when the Partition of Bengal took place in 1905?
- a) Lord Lytton
- b) Lord Curzon
- c) Lord Minto
- d) Lord Irwin
Answer: b) Lord Curzon
Explanation: The Partition of Bengal in 1905 was carried out by Lord Curzon, the then Viceroy of India. It was officially announced on July 20, 1905.
2. Which reason was NOT cited by Lord Curzon for the Partition of Bengal?
- a) Administrative convenience
- b) Economic development
- c) Ethnic divisions
- d) Military defense
Answer: b) Economic development
Explanation: The reasons stated for the partition were administrative convenience, military defense, and the promotion of ethnic divisions to weaken the national movement. Economic development was not a reason.
3. In which year was the Partition of Bengal officially reversed?
- a) 1911
- b) 1910
- c) 1920
- d) 1908
Answer: a) 1911
Explanation: The Partition of Bengal was reversed in 1911 during the tenure of Lord Hardinge, following strong opposition and protests from Indians.
4. Which movement was initiated as a response to the Partition of Bengal in 1905?
- a) Quit India Movement
- b) Non-Cooperation Movement
- c) Swadeshi Movement
- d) Civil Disobedience Movement
Answer: c) Swadeshi Movement
Explanation: The Swadeshi Movement was launched to protest against the Partition of Bengal, encouraging the boycott of British goods and the promotion of indigenous industries.
5. Who was the leader of the Swadeshi Movement during the Partition of Bengal?
- a) Lala Lajpat Rai
- b) Bipin Chandra Pal
- c) Subhas Chandra Bose
- d) Bal Gangadhar Tilak
Answer: b) Bipin Chandra Pal
Explanation: Bipin Chandra Pal was one of the prominent leaders of the Swadeshi Movement. He, along with others, played a significant role in organizing protests against the partition.
6. The Partition of Bengal was aimed at dividing which two communities?
- a) Hindus and Sikhs
- b) Muslims and Sikhs
- c) Hindus and Muslims
- d) Hindus and Christians
Answer: c) Hindus and Muslims
Explanation: Lord Curzon’s decision to partition Bengal was perceived as an attempt to divide Hindus and Muslims to weaken the unity of the Indian national movement.
7. Which event sparked widespread protests against the Partition of Bengal in 1905?
- a) The Jallianwala Bagh massacre
- b) The Dandi March
- c) The declaration of the Partition of Bengal
- d) The Rowlatt Act
Answer: c) The declaration of the Partition of Bengal
Explanation: The declaration of the Partition of Bengal in 1905 led to widespread protests and resistance across India.
8. Which Indian leader is most famously associated with the slogan ‘Swaraj is my birthright’?
- a) Bal Gangadhar Tilak
- b) Lala Lajpat Rai
- c) Subhas Chandra Bose
- d) Jawaharlal Nehru
Answer: a) Bal Gangadhar Tilak
Explanation: Bal Gangadhar Tilak is known for his radical stance and the famous slogan “Swaraj is my birthright and I shall have it.”
9. Which city was the capital of Bengal before its partition in 1905?
- a) Madras
- b) Bombay
- c) Delhi
- d) Calcutta
Answer: d) Calcutta
Explanation: Calcutta (now Kolkata) was the capital of Bengal before the partition in 1905, and it was the main center of the protest against the partition.
10. What was the impact of the Partition of Bengal on the national movement?
- a) It led to the formation of the Indian National Congress
- b) It weakened the national movement
- c) It united the Indian people against British rule
- d) It led to the formation of the Muslim League
Answer: c) It united the Indian people against British rule
Explanation: The Partition of Bengal united Hindus and Muslims in their opposition to British rule, leading to an upsurge in nationalist sentiment and protests.
11. What was the primary objective of the boycott of British goods during the Swadeshi Movement?
- a) To reduce British military influence
- b) To weaken British economic power
- c) To create awareness about the Indian economy
- d) To support the British administration
Answer: b) To weaken British economic power
Explanation: The primary aim of the boycott was to weaken British economic control over India by encouraging the use of indigenous goods.
12. Who led the Bengal Partition protest in 1905 through the use of mass public demonstrations?
- a) Bipin Chandra Pal
- b) Rabindranath Tagore
- c) Subhas Chandra Bose
- d) Mahatma Gandhi
Answer: b) Rabindranath Tagore
Explanation: Rabindranath Tagore was an influential figure in the protests against the Partition of Bengal. He wrote the famous song “Amar Sonar Bangla” as part of the resistance movement.
13. What was the primary reason for Lord Curzon’s decision to partition Bengal?
- a) To encourage communal unity
- b) To reduce administrative difficulties
- c) To promote the growth of industry
- d) To encourage education
Answer: b) To reduce administrative difficulties
Explanation: Lord Curzon argued that the partition would improve administrative efficiency by dividing Bengal into smaller, more manageable regions.
14. Which event marked the peak of the Swadeshi Movement?
- a) Salt March
- b) The Bengal Partition
- c) The Congress session of 1911
- d) Non-Cooperation Movement
Answer: b) The Bengal Partition
Explanation: The Bengal Partition was the trigger for the Swadeshi Movement, which gained mass support and was marked by the peak of protests and boycotts.
15. Which British official was most associated with the partitioning of Bengal in 1905?
- a) Lord Irwin
- b) Lord Lytton
- c) Lord Curzon
- d) Lord Hardinge
Answer: c) Lord Curzon
Explanation: Lord Curzon, the Viceroy of India, was responsible for the decision to partition Bengal in 1905.
16. What was the response of the British government to the protests against the Partition of Bengal?
- a) They immediately reversed the partition
- b) They offered reforms to the protesters
- c) They suppressed the protests with force
- d) They ignored the protests
Answer: c) They suppressed the protests with force
Explanation: The British government responded with repression, including arrests and the use of force, to suppress the protests against the partition.
17. Which of the following was a significant consequence of the Partition of Bengal?
- a) It led to the end of British rule in India
- b) It caused the Indian National Congress to split
- c) It contributed to the rise of the Muslim League
- d) It unified India under a single government
Answer: b) It caused the Indian National Congress to split
Explanation: The Partition of Bengal led to divisions within the Indian National Congress, as moderates and extremists disagreed on how to respond to the partition.
18. Which Congress session was held after the reversal of the Partition of Bengal?
- a) 1906
- b) 1911
- c) 1917
- d) 1919
Answer: b) 1911
Explanation: The 1911 Congress session, held in Calcutta, was significant as it came after the reversal of the Partition of Bengal by the British.
19. Which prominent nationalist leader opposed the Partition of Bengal and supported the Swadeshi Movement?
- a) Jawaharlal Nehru
- b) Lala Lajpat Rai
- c) Subhas Chandra Bose
- d) Bal Gangadhar Tilak
Answer: d) Bal Gangadhar Tilak
Explanation: Bal Gangadhar Tilak was one of the key leaders who strongly opposed the Partition of Bengal and supported the Swadeshi Movement.
20. What role did women play in the Swadeshi Movement against the Partition of Bengal?
- a) They led protests and boycotts
- b) They did not participate in the movement
- c) They formed secret societies
- d) They were involved in diplomatic negotiations
Answer: a) They led protests and boycotts
Explanation: Women played an active role in the Swadeshi Movement by organizing protests, boycotting foreign goods, and supporting indigenous industries.
21. Who was the first woman to be arrested during the protests against the Partition of Bengal?
- a) Sarojini Naidu
- b) Kamaladevi Chattopadhyay
- c) Pritilata Waddedar
- d) Begum Roquiah Sakhawat Hossain
Answer: a) Sarojini Naidu
Explanation: Sarojini Naidu, a prominent freedom fighter, was one of the first women arrested during the protests against the partition.
22. Which organization did Lord Curzon use to implement the Partition of Bengal?
- a) The British Parliament
- b) The Indian Civil Service
- c) The Indian Army
- d) The British East India Company
Answer: b) The Indian Civil Service
Explanation: The Indian Civil Service was used to carry out the administrative measures necessary for the implementation of the partition.
23. What was the primary aim of the Muslim League during the early 20th century?
- a) To support the British government
- b) To form an alliance with the Congress
- c) To protect Muslim interests and create a separate state
- d) To end the partition of Bengal
Answer: c) To protect Muslim interests and create a separate state
Explanation: The Muslim League initially focused on protecting Muslim interests and later, under the leadership of Muhammad Ali Jinnah, sought the creation of Pakistan.
24. What did the slogan ‘Vande Mataram’ symbolize during the Partition of Bengal protests?
- a) Protest against British rule
- b) Unity of Hindus and Muslims
- c) British support for Indian unity
- d) The separation of Bengal
Answer: a) Protest against British rule
Explanation: “Vande Mataram” became the symbol of the anti-British protests, particularly during the Swadeshi Movement, and was a call for Indian unity against colonial rule.
25. Which prominent Indian leader was not a supporter of the Partition of Bengal?
- a) Raja Ram Mohan Roy
- b) Swami Vivekananda
- c) Sri Aurobindo Ghosh
- d) Muhammad Ali Jinnah
Answer: b) Swami Vivekananda
Explanation: While Swami Vivekananda was an advocate of social reform, he was not directly involved in the political movements such as the protests against the partition.
26. Which of the following was the main economic impact of the Partition of Bengal?
- a) Growth of Indian trade
- b) Expansion of foreign investments
- c) Boost in local industries
- d) Decline of Indian industry
Answer: c) Boost in local industries
Explanation: The boycott of foreign goods during the Swadeshi Movement boosted Indian industries and promoted the use of indigenous goods.
27. What was the reaction of the British government to the protests following the Partition of Bengal?
- a) They repealed the partition immediately
- b) They increased repression and arrests
- c) They promised political reforms
- d) They withdrew all policies in India
Answer: b) They increased repression and arrests
Explanation: The British government responded with greater repression, including arrests, suppression of protests, and the use of force to control the movement.
28. Who was the chief architect of the Swadeshi Movement against the Partition of Bengal?
- a) Rabindranath Tagore
- b) Bipin Chandra Pal
- c) Bal Gangadhar Tilak
- d) Lala Lajpat Rai
Answer: b) Bipin Chandra Pal
Explanation: Bipin Chandra Pal was one of the key leaders who played a significant role in the Swadeshi Movement following the Partition of Bengal.
29. How did the Partition of Bengal influence the Indian National Congress?
- a) It led to the Congress being dissolved
- b) It united the Congress in the fight against British rule
- c) It caused the Congress to support the British
- d) It led to the Congress forming alliances with the Muslim League
Answer: b) It united the Congress in the fight against British rule
Explanation: The Partition of Bengal united Congress members in their opposition to British rule, strengthening the national movement for independence.
30. Which of the following was a cultural impact of the Partition of Bengal?
- a) Decline in nationalistic sentiment
- b) Strengthening of national unity
- c) Growth of Western culture
- d) Suppression of local languages
Answer: b) Strengthening of national unity
Explanation: The partition led to a cultural revival of Indian unity, with people across India coming together against British policies.
