1. When did the First Balkan War take place?
a) 1908
b) 1912
c) 1914
d) 1916
Answer: b) 1912
Explanation: The First Balkan War began in October 1912 when the Balkan League attacked the Ottoman Empire to gain territory.
2. Which countries formed the Balkan League?
a) Serbia, Greece, Montenegro, and Bulgaria
b) Austria-Hungary, Germany, and Bulgaria
c) Serbia, Romania, and Montenegro
d) Greece, Serbia, and Romania
Answer: a) Serbia, Greece, Montenegro, and Bulgaria
Explanation: The Balkan League was an alliance formed to drive the Ottoman Empire out of Europe.
3. What was the main goal of the Balkan League?
a) To establish a unified Balkan state
b) To overthrow Austria-Hungary
c) To drive the Ottomans out of Europe
d) To prevent World War I
Answer: c) To drive the Ottomans out of Europe
Explanation: The Balkan League aimed to liberate territories under Ottoman rule and redistribute them among themselves.
4. What treaty ended the First Balkan War?
a) Treaty of Versailles
b) Treaty of London (1913)
c) Treaty of Berlin
d) Treaty of Brest-Litovsk
Answer: b) Treaty of London (1913)
Explanation: The Treaty of London concluded the First Balkan War, leading to significant territorial losses for the Ottoman Empire.
5. What sparked the Second Balkan War?
a) Conflict between Austria-Hungary and Serbia
b) Disputes over the division of Macedonia
c) A rebellion in Montenegro
d) Ottoman attempts to regain territory
Answer: b) Disputes over the division of Macedonia
Explanation: Tensions arose when Bulgaria attacked its former allies over disagreements about territorial distribution.
6. Which country supported Bulgaria during the Second Balkan War?
a) Romania
b) Ottoman Empire
c) Greece
d) None
Answer: b) Ottoman Empire
Explanation: The Ottoman Empire supported Bulgaria in an attempt to recover territories lost during the First Balkan War.
7. What was the outcome of the Second Balkan War?
a) Bulgaria gained new territories
b) The Ottoman Empire regained control of the Balkans
c) Bulgaria lost significant territory
d) A unified Balkan state was created
Answer: c) Bulgaria lost significant territory
Explanation: Bulgaria suffered defeats and lost lands to Serbia, Greece, and Romania.
8. How did the Balkan Wars contribute to World War I?
a) They weakened Germany’s position in Europe
b) They intensified rivalries among major powers
c) They resolved territorial disputes in the Balkans
d) They eliminated the Ottoman Empire
Answer: b) They intensified rivalries among major powers
Explanation: The Balkan Wars heightened tensions between Austria-Hungary, Serbia, and other European powers, setting the stage for World War I.
9. Which major power backed Serbia during the Balkan Wars?
a) Germany
b) Russia
c) France
d) Britain
Answer: b) Russia
Explanation: Russia supported Serbia due to shared Slavic ties and a mutual interest in weakening the Austro-Hungarian influence.
10. What event directly triggered World War I after the Balkan Wars?
a) Annexation of Bosnia and Herzegovina
b) Assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand
c) Naval arms race between Britain and Germany
d) German invasion of Belgium
Answer: b) Assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand
Explanation: The assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand by a Bosnian Serb nationalist in Sarajevo was the immediate trigger.
11. What was the role of Austria-Hungary during the Balkan Wars?
a) They allied with the Ottoman Empire
b) They remained neutral
c) They opposed Serbian expansion
d) They supported Bulgaria
Answer: c) They opposed Serbian expansion
Explanation: Austria-Hungary sought to curb Serbia’s growing influence, fearing instability in the Balkans.
12. What region was most contested during the Balkan Wars?
a) Albania
b) Thrace
c) Macedonia
d) Bosnia
Answer: c) Macedonia
Explanation: Macedonia’s division among Balkan states caused significant conflict, especially between Bulgaria and its allies.
13. Which country became independent as a result of the First Balkan War?
a) Albania
b) Bulgaria
c) Greece
d) Montenegro
Answer: a) Albania
Explanation: Albania declared independence from the Ottoman Empire during the First Balkan War.
14. Which treaty ended the Second Balkan War?
a) Treaty of Paris
b) Treaty of Bucharest (1913)
c) Treaty of Versailles
d) Treaty of San Stefano
Answer: b) Treaty of Bucharest (1913)
Explanation: The Treaty of Bucharest redistributed territories, largely at Bulgaria’s expense.
15. How did the Ottoman Empire fare after the Balkan Wars?
a) It retained all its Balkan territories
b) It regained lost territory in the Second Balkan War
c) It lost nearly all its European territories
d) It formed alliances with Balkan states
Answer: c) It lost nearly all its European territories
Explanation: The Ottoman Empire was left with only a small region in Europe, including Constantinople.
16. What was Serbia’s main objective during the Balkan Wars?
a) To annex Bulgaria
b) To gain access to the Adriatic Sea
c) To overthrow the Ottoman Empire
d) To annex Macedonia
Answer: d) To annex Macedonia
Explanation: Serbia sought to expand its territory by gaining control of Macedonia.
17. How did Romania benefit from the Second Balkan War?
a) It gained Transylvania
b) It annexed southern Dobruja
c) It formed an alliance with Austria
d) It expanded into Albania
Answer: b) It annexed southern Dobruja
Explanation: Romania took advantage of Bulgaria’s defeat to claim southern Dobruja.
18. What role did Greece play in the Balkan Wars?
a) It allied with the Ottoman Empire
b) It fought against Serbia
c) It expanded its territory, including Thessaloniki
d) It remained neutral
Answer: c) It expanded its territory, including Thessaloniki
Explanation: Greece gained significant territories, including Thessaloniki, during the Balkan Wars.
19. Which region served as a flashpoint for the Balkan Wars?
a) Dalmatian Coast
b) Balkans
c) Carpathian Mountains
d) Pannonian Basin
Answer: b) Balkans
Explanation: The Balkan Peninsula, with its ethnic diversity and competing claims, was the center of conflict.
20. Which empire’s decline was central to the Balkan Wars?
a) Russian Empire
b) Ottoman Empire
c) Austro-Hungarian Empire
d) German Empire
Answer: b) Ottoman Empire
Explanation: The Ottoman Empire’s weakening control over the Balkans led to the wars and territorial redistribution.
