Question 1

Which of the following African countries successfully resisted a European effort to conquer it in 1896?

Accepted Answer

Ethiopia successfully resisted an attempt by Italy to conquer it in 1896 at the Battle of Adwa. South Africa was partially conquered by the British, Zimbabwe was colonized by the British, and Cameroon was colonized by Germany.

Question 2

Which of the following countries gained control of Tunisia, Morocco, and Algeria?

Accepted Answer

France gained control over Tunisia, Morocco, and Algeria through a series of colonial conquests in the 19th and early 20th centuries.

Question 3

What colonial territory is portrayed in Joseph Conrad's Heart of Darkness?

Accepted Answer

The Belgian Congo is the colonial territory portrayed in Conrad's Heart of Darkness.

Question 4

What European country took possession of Rwanda, Burundi, Tanganyika, and Namibia?

Accepted Answer

Germany took possession of Rwanda, Burundi, Tanganyika, and Namibia during the period of European colonialism in Africa.

Question 5

Which of the following European countries had no colonies in Africa or Asia?

Accepted Answer

Austria-Hungary had no colonies in Africa or Asia.

Question 6

What was the major result of the Berlin Conference of 1884-1885?

Accepted Answer

The major result of the Berlin Conference of 1884-1885 was the division of Africa into spheres of influence among European colonizing powers, without any regard for African borders or ethnic groups. This led to the colonization and exploitation of Africa by European powers.

Question 7

What was the result of the 1931 Statute of Westminster?

Accepted Answer

The 1931 Statute of Westminster granted full independence to Canada, Australia, and New Zealand, giving them the power to pass laws without the need for approval from the British government. South Africa had already achieved dominion status in 1910, but the Statute of Westminster further clarified and solidified its status as an independent nation. The statute had no direct effect on Egypt or Tanzania.

Question 8

Which of the following was the dominant figure in South America's wars of liberation?

Accepted Answer

Simón Bolívar was the dominant figure in South America's wars of liberation, leading the fight for independence in Venezuela, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, and Bolivia. He is often referred to as the "Liberator" and is a highly revered figure in Latin American history.

Question 9

What city became the capital of India in 1911?

Accepted Answer

New Delhi became the capital of India in 1911, replacing Calcutta as the capital of British India. The decision to shift the capital was made in Delhi Durbar in 1911 during the reign of King George V.

Question 10

What political institution led the fight for Indian independence.

Accepted Answer

The Indian National Congress, also known as the Congress Party, was the leading political institution that led the fight for Indian independence. It was founded in 1885 and played a central role in the Indian independence movement, running campaigns and protests against British imperial rule. The party's efforts culminated in 1947 with the granting of independence to India.

Question 11

Who influenced Mahatma Gandhi's belief in passive resistance?

Accepted Answer

Mahatma Gandhi was greatly influenced by the teachings of Henry David Thoreau, particularly his essay on "Civil Disobedience." Gandhi read this essay while he was in South Africa and it helped shape his belief in nonviolent resistance as a means for social change.

Question 12

Who was India's last viceroy?

Accepted Answer

Louis Mountbatten was appointed as India's last viceroy in 1947 and served until India gained independence on August 15, 1947.

Question 13

What type of identity in India separates Hindus into different social groups?

Accepted Answer

The caste system is a form of social stratification that has been present in India for centuries. It categorizes individuals into different groups, or castes, based on their birth and occupation. Hindus are divided into four main castes - the Brahmins (priests and scholars), the Kshatriyas (warriors and rulers), the Vaishyas (merchants and traders), and the Shudras (laborers). This system also includes a group of people considered to be outside of the caste system, known as the dalits or untouchables. This caste system creates a strict social hierarchy with limited mobility between castes, which has led to discrimination and inequality in Indian society.

Question 14

What country did Achmed Sukarno lead to independence?

Accepted Answer

Achmed Sukarno led Indonesia to independence in 1945.

Question 15

What religious divide separates India and Pakistan?

Accepted Answer

The religious divide that separates India and Pakistan is mainly between the Hindu and Muslim communities. This divide has its roots in the partition of India in 1947, which created a Muslim-majority Pakistan and a Hindu-majority India. The partition was driven by religious tensions between Hindus and Muslims and led to the displacement of millions of people and widespread violence. Today, India is predominantly Hindu (with a large Muslim minority), while Pakistan is an Islamic republic with a Muslim majority population.

Question 16

What did British Prime Minister Harold MacMillan mean in 1960 when he declared that "the wind of change is blowing through this continent"?

Accepted Answer

MacMillan's statement referred to the growing sentiment among African nations for independence from their colonial rulers. This was during a period of decolonization and independence movements in Africa, and MacMillan acknowledged that colonialism was coming to an end in the continent.

Question 17

Where was the only case of major violence in the decolonization of British Africa?

Accepted Answer

The only case of major violence in the decolonization of British Africa was in Kenya, where the Mau Mau rebellion against British colonial rule lasted from 1952 to 1960 and resulted in thousands of deaths and atrocities committed by both sides.

Question 18

What British adventurer pioneered British colonial penetration of southern Africa?

Accepted Answer

Cecil Rhodes was a British adventurer who played a major role in pioneering British colonial penetration of southern Africa. He founded the De Beers Mining Company, which monopolized the diamond trade, and the British South Africa Company, which ruled over parts of present-day Zimbabwe and Zambia. He also envisioned a British-controlled railway stretching from Cape Town to Cairo, a plan that ultimately failed but had a significant impact on European imperialist aspirations in Africa.

Question 19

What was apartheid?

Accepted Answer

Apartheid was the official policy of racial separation followed by South Africa after 1948, which enforced social, economic, and political segregation between white and non-white people. It lasted until the early 1990s, when it was dismantled through a series of reforms and negotiations.

Question 20

Who was South Africa's first Black African president?

Accepted Answer

Nelson Mandela was South Africa's first Black African president. Jacob Zuma and Desmond Tutu are notable South African figures, but neither served as president. Peter Botha was a white South African politician who served as the country's prime minister and later as president, before the end of apartheid and before a Black African was elected to the position.

Quiz 6: Decolonization and the Global South