APPSC Group-1 2012 History Previous Year Questions

‘Mattavilasa Prahasanam’ (The Farce of Drunken Sports) is a one-act Sanskrit play written by Pallava king Mahendra Varman I (600-630 CE). Answer: (2) Mahendra Varman.

Mohammed Quli Qutub Shah founded Bhagyanagar (later renamed Hyderabad) in 1591. He named it after his beloved Bhagmati. Answer: (2) Mohammed Quli Qutub Shah.

Sher Shah Suri levied land tax at the rate of 1/3 of the produce. He introduced an efficient revenue system based on measurement of land. Answer: (3) 1/3 of produce.

The word ‘Sikh’ is derived from the Sanskrit word ‘Shishya’ meaning disciple or learner. Sikhs are disciples of the Guru. Answer: (3) Disciple.

The Bahmani Sultanate was founded in 1347 by Alauddin Bahman Shah (Hasan Gangu) after revolting against the Delhi Sultanate’s Muhammad bin Tughlaq. Answer: (4) 1347.

Samarth Ramdas was the spiritual guru of Shivaji. He was a prominent Marathi saint and poet who influenced Shivaji’s religious and spiritual outlook. Answer: (4) Ramdas.

The Theosophical Society was first established in New York City in 1875 by Helena Blavatsky, Henry Steel Olcott, and William Quan Judge. It later moved its headquarters to Adyar, Chennai. Answer: (1) New York.

The first English factory in Bengal was established at Hughli (Hooghly) in 1651. Answer: (2) Hughli.

The Shuddhi (purification) Movement was started by Swami Dayananda Saraswati and later carried forward by Arya Samaj. It aimed at reconverting people to Hinduism. Answer: (2) Dayananda Saraswati.

Bal Gangadhar Tilak earned the title ‘Lokamanya’ (accepted by the people) during the Home Rule Movement (1916-1918) when he led the Indian Home Rule League. Actually, he was called Lokamanya even before that, but his popularity peaked during the Home Rule Movement. The official answer is (3) Home Rule Movement.

Turrebaz Khan was responsible for the attack on the Bollaram Residency during the Revolt of 1857 in Hyderabad. He was a key leader of the uprising. Answer: (3) Turrebaz Khan.

Lord Curzon (Viceroy 1899-1905) established the Department of Archaeology in India. He took significant steps for the preservation of ancient monuments and set up the Archaeological Survey of India in its modern form. Answer: (4) Curzon.

The tomb/memorial of Alluri Sitaramaraju, the famous revolutionary who led the Rampa Rebellion, is located at Krishnadevipeta in Andhra Pradesh. Answer: (4) Krishnadevipeta.

The journal ‘Vivek Vardhini’ was started by Kandukuri Veeresalingam, the father of the Telugu renaissance and social reform movement. Answer: (2) Kandukuri Veeresalingam.

The Hyderabad State Congress was founded in 1938. Swami Ramananda Tirtha was a key leader. However, the official answer is (3) Ramananda Tirtha.

The wrong pair is Rudradaman – Nanaghat inscription. Rudradaman is associated with the Junagadh/Girnar inscription, not the Nanaghat inscription. The Nanaghat inscription is associated with the Satavahana queen Nayanika. Answer: (3) Rudradaman – Nanaghat inscription.

Siladitya (or Shiladitya) was a title of Harshavardhana, the ruler of Thaneshwar and Kannauj (606-647 CE). He was also known as Harsha. Answer: (4) Harshavardhana.

Ghatika was a settlement/institution of Brahmin scholars. Ghatikas were ancient educational centres where Brahmin scholars gathered for learning and teaching. Answer: (2) Brahmin scholars.

Adi Shankaracharya (8th century CE) propagated the Advaita (non-dualism) philosophy, which states that Brahman (ultimate reality) and Atman (individual soul) are one and the same. Answer: (2) Advaita.

Khams (Khums) refers to the state’s share of 1/5th (one-fifth) of the war booty. It was an important source of revenue during medieval Islamic rule. Answer: (4) State’s share of 1/5th of the war booty.

The measuring scale (ivory scale) of the Indus Valley Civilization was found at Lothal in Gujarat. Lothal was an important port city of the Indus civilization. Answer: (4) Lothal.

Asura marriage is the form of marriage where the bridegroom purchases the bride by paying a price (bride price) to her father. It is one of the eight forms of Hindu marriage. Answer: (1) Asura.

Hydaspes is the Greek name for the Jhelum River. The famous Battle of Hydaspes (326 BCE) between Alexander the Great and King Porus was fought on the banks of this river. Answer: (3) Jhelum.

Buddha delivered his first sermon (Dharmachakra Pravartana or ‘Turning of the Wheel of Law’) at Sarnath (near Varanasi). This event is known as the ‘Deer Park Sermon’. Answer: (3) Sarnath.

Nagarjuna propounded Sunyavada (the philosophy of Emptiness/Void), also known as Madhyamika philosophy. He was a key Buddhist philosopher of the 2nd century CE. Answer: (2) Nagarjuna.