Making Of The Global World Ch 3: History MCQ

This MCQ set covers early global connections through trade, Silk Routes, food exchanges like potatoes and spaghetti, and European conquest of the Americas. It also includes broader themes like disease spread, slavery, Indian Ocean trade, and China’s isolation—explaining how Europe rose to dominate the global economy by the 18th century.

Topic 1: The Pre-modern World

1. The term “globalisation” commonly refers to an economic system that has emerged over the past:
a) 10 years
b) 50 years
c) 100 years
d) 500 years

2. Early global interlinkages were established through:
a) Industrialisation
b) Trade, migration, and the movement of ideas
c) Technological advancements
d) Internet connectivity

3. The Indus Valley civilisation traded with present-day West Asia as early as:
a) 1000 BCE
b) 3000 BCE
c) 500 BCE
d) 2000 BCE

4. Cowries, used as currency in ancient trade, originated from:
a) Africa
b) The Maldives
c) India
d) China

5. Long-distance spread of diseases was evident as early as the:
a) 5th century BCE
b) 7th century CE
c) 10th century CE
d) 12th century CE

Topic 1.1: Silk Routes Link the World

6. The “Silk Routes” are a prime example of:
a) Modern trade
b) Pre-modern trade and cultural links
c) Industrial revolution pathways
d) Migration of labour

7. The Silk Routes connected:
a) Asia and Europe only
b) Asia, Europe, and Northern Africa
c) Asia and the Americas
d) Europe and Australia

8. What was primarily carried westward along the Silk Routes?
a) Indian spices
b) European gold
c) Chinese silk
d) Southeast Asian pottery

9. Alongside trade, the Silk Routes facilitated:
a) Exchange of military technology
b) Cultural and religious exchanges
c) Migration to new continents
d) Spread of industrial tools

10. Buddhism spread through the Silk Routes from:
a) Southeast Asia
b) Eastern Europe
c) Eastern India
d) Northern Africa

Topic 1.2: Food Travels: Spaghetti and Potato

11. Spaghetti is believed to have originated from:

a) China
b) Italy
c) Arabia
d) India

12. Which crop, introduced to Europe after Columbus’s discovery, became crucial for the poor?
a) Maize
b) Soya
c) Potato
d) Sweet potato

13. The Irish Potato Famine occurred due to:
a) Over-reliance on potatoes
b) War-induced starvation
c) Lack of agricultural tools
d) Drought

14. Many of the crops introduced to Europe after the discovery of the Americas were cultivated by:
a) Asian traders
b) African farmers
c) Native American Indians
d) European settlers

15. The introduction of new crops helped:
a) Eliminate hunger entirely in Europe
b) Improve the nutrition of Europe’s poor
c) Cause dependency on trade with the Americas
d) Reduce Europe’s reliance on local crops

Topic 1.3: Conquest, Disease, and Trade

16. The European “discovery” of the Americas significantly impacted global trade starting in:
a) The 14th century
b) The 15th century
c) The 16th century
d) The 17th century

17. Precious metals from the Americas primarily enriched:
a) African empires
b) Asian merchants
c) European countries
d) Middle Eastern traders

18. The search for El Dorado reflects European fascination with:
a) Spices
b) Potatoes
c) Fabled wealth in South America
d) Exotic animals

19. The most significant weapon the Europeans brought to the Americas was:
a) Firearms
b) Smallpox germs
c) Cannons
d) Horses

20. European diseases decimated native populations because:
a) Europeans intentionally used biological warfare
b) Native populations lacked immunity
c) Diseases were resistant to treatment
d) Native populations refused European medicines

Additional Questions

21. The Indian Ocean trade network was thriving before European intervention due to:

a) Localised trade
b) Active exchange of goods, ideas, and people
c) Absence of any external influence
d) Limited interaction with Europe

22. The Americas were isolated from regular global contact for:
a) A few centuries
b) Millions of years
c) Tens of thousands of years
d) Several decades

23. European conquest in the Americas was enabled by:
a) Advanced navigational tools
b) Collaboration with native tribes
c) Superior firepower and diseases
d) Efficient governance strategies

24. By the 18th century, European plantations in the Americas relied heavily on:
a) Immigrant workers from Europe
b) Local tribes
c) African slaves
d) Industrial machinery

25. The “centre of world trade” shifted towards Europe due to:
a) Chinese isolation
b) American agricultural expansion
c) Africa’s decline in resources
d) Technological stagnation in Asia