41. Statement I : Chartism was the political reform campaign for democrati

Statement I : Chartism was the political reform campaign for democratic rights which swept over Britain between 1838 and 1848.
Statement II : The trade union move ment declined by the 1830s as it failed to fulfil the aspirations of the working class.

Both the statements are individually true and Statement II is the correct explanation of Statement I
Both the statements are individually true but Statement II is not the correct explanation of Statement I
Statement I is true but Statement II is false
Statement I is false but Statement II is true
This question was previously asked in
UPSC NDA-2 – 2016
Statement I: Chartism was the political reform campaign for democratic rights which swept over Britain between 1838 and 1848. (True)
Statement II: The trade union movement declined by the 1830s as it failed to fulfil the aspirations of the working class. (False)
Statement I is true but Statement II is false.
– Chartism was a significant working-class movement in Britain from 1838 to 1848, advocating for the People’s Charter, which demanded political reforms like universal male suffrage, secret ballot, and annual parliaments.
– The trade union movement faced challenges and setbacks in the early 19th century, including legal restrictions (like the Combination Acts until 1824/25) and failed general strikes (like the Grand National Consolidated Trades Union in 1834). However, it did not simply “decline” by the 1830s or entirely fail the working class; it continued in various forms and saw periods of growth and influence later in the century. Chartism itself emerged partly because existing political and economic structures, including the effectiveness of trade unions at that specific juncture, were deemed insufficient by many workers.
– While trade unions faced difficulties and periods of suppression, they continued to exist and organize, particularly in specific crafts and industries. The period saw complex interactions between nascent political movements like Chartism and ongoing efforts at workers’ organization through trade unions.
– Statement II’s assertion that the trade union movement “declined by the 1830s” and “failed to fulfil aspirations” is an oversimplification and historically inaccurate representation of the multifaceted and evolving nature of the trade union movement during that era.

42. Statement I : The city of Rome revived in a spectacular way in the 15t

Statement I : The city of Rome revived in a spectacular way in the 15th century.
Statement II : From the 15th century onwards, artists were known individually by name, not as member of a group or a guild, in Roman society.

Both the statements are individually true and Statement II is the correct explanation of Statement I
Both the statements are individually true but Statement II is not the correct explanation of Statement I
Statement I is true but Statement II is false
Statement I is false but Statement II is true
This question was previously asked in
UPSC NDA-2 – 2016
Statement I: The city of Rome revived in a spectacular way in the 15th century. (True)
Statement II: From the 15th century onwards, artists were known individually by name, not as member of a group or a guild, in Roman society. (True)
Both the statements are individually true but Statement II is not the correct explanation of Statement I.
– Rome experienced a significant revival during the Renaissance period, particularly in the later 15th and 16th centuries, characterized by vast building programs, artistic patronage by the Papacy, and a flourishing of arts and letters.
– The Renaissance era marked a shift in the status of artists, who increasingly gained individual recognition for their work, moving away from the anonymity common in medieval guilds.
– Both statements are true historical facts related to the 15th century in Europe, particularly associated with the Renaissance.
– However, the change in the social status and recognition of artists (Statement II) was a *characteristic* of the Renaissance period and contributed to its cultural output, but it was not the *primary cause* or *explanation* for the overall spectacular revival of Rome as a city. The revival was driven by numerous factors including papal policy, economic factors, and a broader rediscovery of classical antiquity.

43. Which of the following statements with regard to the famous ‘silk rout

Which of the following statements with regard to the famous ‘silk routes’ are correct?

  • 1. Silk routes refer to East-bound European silk cargoes along these routes.
  • 2. There were several silk routes, over land and by sea, joining together vast regions of Asia with Europe and northern Africa.
  • 3. They are known to have existed since before the Christian Era and thrived almost till the fifteenth century.
  • 4. Besides silk, Chinese pottery, textiles and spices from India and South-east Asia travelled the same route.

Select the answer using the code given below :

1, 2 and 3
1, 3 and 4
2, 3 and 4
1, 2 and 4
This question was previously asked in
UPSC NDA-1 – 2024
Statements 2, 3, and 4 are correct. Statement 1 is incorrect.
The “Silk Road” is not a single route primarily for East-bound European silk but a complex network of trade routes facilitating multilateral exchange between East and West over centuries.
1. The primary and most famous trade along the Silk Routes was silk flowing from China westwards towards Central Asia, the Middle East, and Europe. While trade was bidirectional, the name comes from the predominant movement of silk. Therefore, statement 1, stating it refers to East-bound European silk cargoes, is incorrect.
2. The Silk Routes comprised a vast network of interconnected land and sea routes that linked regions across Asia, Europe, and northern Africa. They were not a single road but a system facilitating trade and cultural exchange over long distances. So, statement 2 is correct.
3. The routes became prominent trade arteries around the 2nd century BCE and were actively used for trade and interaction until the decline of overland routes and the rise of maritime exploration around the 15th and 16th centuries. So, statement 3 is correct.
4. Besides silk, the routes were used for the exchange of a wide variety of goods including Chinese pottery (porcelain), textiles other than silk, spices from India and Southeast Asia, precious stones, metals, and also facilitated the spread of ideas, technologies, and religions. So, statement 4 is correct.

44. Consider the following UN Declarations/Covenants : Universal Declar

Consider the following UN Declarations/Covenants :

  1. Universal Declaration of Human Rights
  2. Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women
  3. International Covenant of Economic, Social and Cultural Rights
  4. Convention on Refugees

Which one of the following is the correct chronological order (starting with the earliest) of the above ?

1, 4, 3, 2
1, 2, 3, 4
1, 3, 2, 4
4, 1, 2, 3
This question was previously asked in
UPSC NDA-1 – 2024
The correct chronological order (starting with the earliest) of the given UN Declarations/Covenants is 1, 4, 3, 2.
1. Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR): Adopted by the UN General Assembly on December 10, 1948.
2. Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW): Adopted by the UN General Assembly in 1979; entered into force in 1981.
3. International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (ICESCR): Adopted by the UN General Assembly in 1966; entered into force in 1976.
4. Convention relating to the Status of Refugees: Adopted in 1951; entered into force in 1954.
Placing them in chronological order of adoption: 1948 (UDHR), 1951 (Refugee Convention), 1966 (ICESCR), 1979 (CEDAW). This sequence corresponds to option A (1, 4, 3, 2).

45. Which one of the following European explorer conquered Mexico ?

Which one of the following European explorer conquered Mexico ?

Vasco da Gama
Bartholomew Diaz
Magellan
Hernán Cortés
This question was previously asked in
UPSC NDA-1 – 2023
The correct answer is D) Hernán Cortés.
Hernán Cortés was a Spanish conquistador who led an expedition that caused the fall of the Aztec Empire and brought large parts of mainland Mexico under the rule of the King of Castile in the early 16th century. Vasco da Gama reached India by sea, Bartholomew Diaz was the first European to round the southern tip of Africa, and Ferdinand Magellan led the first circumnavigation of the Earth.
Cortés arrived in Mexico in 1519 and, through a combination of military force, strategy, and alliances with local indigenous groups hostile to the Aztecs, defeated the Aztec Emperor Moctezuma II and eventually conquered the capital Tenochtitlan in 1521.

46. Which Renaissance artist painted ‘The Last Supper’ ?

Which Renaissance artist painted ‘The Last Supper’ ?

Michelangelo
Donatello
Botticelli
Leonardo da Vinci
This question was previously asked in
UPSC NDA-1 – 2023
The correct answer is D) Leonardo da Vinci.
‘The Last Supper’ (L’Ultima Cena) is a famous mural painting by the Italian High Renaissance artist Leonardo da Vinci. It depicts the scene of the Last Supper of Jesus with his apostles, as described in the Gospel of John 13:21. The painting is located in the refectory of the Convent of Santa Maria delle Grazie in Milan, Italy.
– Michelangelo Buonarroti is renowned for his sculptures like David and Pietà, and his frescoes on the Sistine Chapel ceiling.
– Donatello was a prominent sculptor of the Italian Renaissance, known for his bronze David.
– Sandro Botticelli was an Italian painter of the Early Renaissance, famous for works like The Birth of Venus and Primavera.

47. Which one of the following astronomers proved that the Earth and other

Which one of the following astronomers proved that the Earth and other planets revolve around the Sun ?

Copernicus
Kepler
Galileo
Newton
This question was previously asked in
UPSC NDA-1 – 2023
While Nicolaus Copernicus first proposed the heliocentric model systematically in his work ‘De Revolutionibus Orbium Coelestium’ (published in 1543), providing the mathematical framework for planets revolving around the Sun, it was Galileo Galilei who provided the first strong observational evidence supporting this model. Using his telescope, Galileo observed phenomena like the phases of Venus (which are only possible if Venus orbits the Sun), the moons of Jupiter (showing that not everything orbits the Earth), and craters on the Moon. These observations directly challenged the long-accepted geocentric (Earth-centred) model and provided empirical proof favouring the heliocentric view proposed by Copernicus.
Galileo Galilei provided crucial observational evidence using his telescope that supported the heliocentric model, effectively proving that Earth and other planets revolve around the Sun against the prevailing geocentric view.
Johannes Kepler formulated the laws of planetary motion, describing *how* planets orbit the Sun (in elliptical paths). Isaac Newton provided the physical laws (gravity and motion) that explained *why* planets orbit the Sun. While Copernicus originated the modern heliocentric theory, Galileo’s empirical observations were key to its acceptance and ‘proof’ at the time.

48. Nkrumah was one of the five leaders, who comprised the core of the Non

Nkrumah was one of the five leaders, who comprised the core of the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM). He was the leader of which country in Africa?

Nigeria
Kenya
Uganda
Ghana
This question was previously asked in
UPSC NDA-1 – 2022
Kwame Nkrumah, one of the five leaders who comprised the core of the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM), was the leader of Ghana.
Kwame Nkrumah was the first Prime Minister and later the first President of Ghana. He was a leading figure in Ghana’s independence struggle and a strong advocate of pan-Africanism and non-alignment during the Cold War era.
The core leaders often associated with the founding of NAM were Jawaharlal Nehru (India), Josip Broz Tito (Yugoslavia), Gamal Abdel Nasser (Egypt), Sukarno (Indonesia), and Kwame Nkrumah (Ghana). They played instrumental roles in organizing the Bandung Conference (1955) and the first NAM Summit in Belgrade (1961).

49. The term ‘Industrial Revolution’ was first used by

The term ‘Industrial Revolution’ was first used by

J. A. Blanqui
T. S. Ashton
Arnold Toynbee
R. H. Tawney
This question was previously asked in
UPSC NDA-1 – 2022
The term ‘Industrial Revolution’ is widely credited to have been first used by French economist and socialist, Jérôme-Adolphe Blanqui.
Blanqui reportedly used the term in 1837. While Arnold Toynbee later popularized the term through his lectures in the late 19th century, giving it academic prominence, Blanqui is often cited as the first to coin it.
Arnold Toynbee’s lectures on the topic, delivered in the early 1880s and published posthumously, greatly contributed to the widespread adoption and understanding of the term ‘Industrial Revolution’. However, the question asks who used it first.

50. Who among the following American Presidents described democracy as “Go

Who among the following American Presidents described democracy as “Government of the People, for the People and by the People”?

Abraham Lincoln
Thomas Jefferson
George Washington
John F. Kennedy
This question was previously asked in
UPSC NDA-1 – 2022
The most famous definition of democracy as “Government of the People, for the People and by the People” was articulated by Abraham Lincoln in his Gettysburg Address, delivered during the American Civil War on November 19, 1863.
Abraham Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address is one of the most important speeches in American history and provides a concise and powerful definition of democratic government.
While Thomas Jefferson was a principal author of the Declaration of Independence and a key figure in establishing American democracy, and George Washington was the first US President, this particular phrase is unequivocally attributed to Abraham Lincoln. John F. Kennedy was a later President known for his inaugural address quote, “Ask not what your country can do for you – ask what you can do for your country.”