Class 10 Social Science Chapter 3 The Making of a Global World (History) PYQ

Class: X Subject: Social Science Session: 2025-26 Book: History Type: PYQ (Board Exam) Board: CBSE Chapter 3 : The Making of a Global World

SECTION A : Multiple Choice Questions (1 Mark Each)

Q1. "Buddhism emerged from eastern India and spread in several directions." Read the reasons and choose the correct option: I. Cultural exchange II. Silk route III. Trade & travellers IV. European efforts [CBSE 2024] [1]
(a) Only I, II and IV
(b) Only II, III and IV
(c) Only I, II and III
(d) Only I, III and IV Ans:
(c) Only I, II and III. Buddhism spread through cultural exchange, the Silk Route, and trade/travellers. Europeans had no role in spreading Buddhism. ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Q2. There were three important flows in international economic exchange. Identify the incorrect one: [CBSE 2023] [1]
(a) Flow of trade
(b) Flow of labour
(c) Flow of capital
(d) Flow of technology Ans:
(d) Flow of technology. The three flows that shaped the pre-modern world economy were trade, labour, and capital. ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Q3. What was the main reason for decline of cotton textile exports from India to Britain in early 19th century? [CBSE 2021] [1]
(a) Imposition of tariff on cotton imports into Britain
(b) Poor quality of cotton textile
(c) Shortage of raw cotton in India
(d) Cotton producers found other buyers Ans:
(a) Imposition of tariff on cotton imports into Britain. Britain imposed heavy duties on Indian textiles to protect its own machine-made goods. ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Q4. Which of the following was NOT an Axis Power during World War II? [CBSE 2022] [1]
(a) Japan
(b) Italy
(c) Nazi Germany
(d) Britain Ans:
(d) Britain. Britain was an Allied Power. The Axis Powers were Germany, Italy, and Japan. ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Q5. Rinderpest badly affected the livelihood and local economy of which continent? [CBSE 2020] [1]
(a) Asia
(b) Europe
(c) Africa
(d) South America Ans:
(c) Africa. Rinderpest (cattle plague) arrived in Africa in 1890s and killed almost 90% of cattle, devastating African livelihoods. ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Q6. Who adopted the concept of assembly line to produce automobiles? [CBSE 2022] [1]
(a) Henry Ford
(b) Karl Benz
(c) V.S. Naipaul
(d) Samuel Morse Ans:
(a) Henry Ford. He pioneered mass production using the assembly line method, producing the famous T-Model car. ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Q7. Which statement correctly identifies the Corn Laws? [CBSE 2021] [1]
(a) Restricted import of corn to England
(b) Allowed free import of corn
(c) Imposed tax on exported corn
(d) Abolished the sale of corn Ans:
(a) Restricted import of corn to England. The Corn Laws were trade regulations that protected British farmers by restricting cheap grain imports. ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Q8. The Bretton Woods institutions were created to: [CBSE 2020] [1]
(a) Promote military alliances
(b) Finance post-war reconstruction
(c) Create a world government
(d) Establish colonial empires Ans:
(b) Finance post-war reconstruction. The IMF and World Bank (Bretton Woods institutions) were set up in 1944 to preserve economic stability and rebuild post-war economies. ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Q9. Most Indian indentured workers came from: [CBSE 2023] [1]
(a) Eastern Uttar Pradesh
(b) North-eastern states
(c) Jammu and Kashmir
(d) Western India Ans:
(a) Eastern Uttar Pradesh. Most indentured workers came from present-day eastern UP, Bihar, central India, and dry parts of Tamil Nadu. ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Q10. What direct effect did the Great Depression have on Indian trade? [CBSE 2020] [1]
(a) Peasants' indebtedness increased
(b) Indian exports and imports nearly halved between 1928-1934
(c) Led to widespread rural unrest
(d) Increased British investment in India Ans:
(b) Indian exports and imports nearly halved between 1928-1934. India's international trade collapsed during the Depression. ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

SECTION B : Short Answer Questions (3 Marks Each)

Q11. Explain three types of "flows" in international economic exchange before World War I. [CBSE 2021] [3] • Trade Flow: Trade in goods such as cloth, wheat, and other commodities between countries. Britain imported food and raw materials from colonies and exported manufactured goods. • Labour Flow: Migration of people in search of employment. Millions migrated from Europe to Americas, and indentured labourers went to plantations in Caribbean, Fiji, and Mauritius. • Capital Flow: Movement of investments over long distances. British and European investors funded railways, mines, and plantations in colonies for profitable returns.

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Q12. How did the "smallpox" prove as the most powerful weapon of the Spanish conquerors in the mid-sixteenth century? [CBSE 2023] [3] • No Immunity: The indigenous people of Americas had been isolated for millions of years and had no immunity against diseases brought by Europeans. • Rapid Spread: Once introduced, smallpox spread deep into the continent, killing entire communities even before any European soldier could reach there. • Deadlier than Guns: It proved deadlier than any weapon. Whole communities were wiped out, making it easy for the Spanish to conquer vast territories with minimal resistance.

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Q13. Describe the impact of Rinderpest on people's livelihoods and the local economy in Africa in the 1890s. [CBSE 2022] [3] • Cattle Devastation: Rinderpest (cattle plague) arrived from British Asia and killed nearly 90% of cattle in Africa, destroying the primary source of livelihood. • Loss of Power: Africans lost their chief means of livelihood (cattle). Europeans controlled the remaining cattle and used this to force Africans into the labour market. • Colonial Control: Loss of cattle helped European colonisers to conquer and subdue Africa. Africans were forced to work in mines and plantations under harsh conditions.

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Q14. Why did the "Corn Laws" get abolished in Britain? What was its impact? [CBSE 2022] [3] • Industrialists' Pressure: Industrialists and urban dwellers were unhappy with high food prices caused by import restrictions under the Corn Laws. • Abolition: Under pressure, the British government abolished the Corn Laws, allowing free import of cheap food grains from America, Australia, and Eastern Europe. • Impact: British farmers could not compete with cheap imports. Many lost their lands and jobs, migrating to cities or overseas. This accelerated urbanisation and global trade.

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Q15. Explain the meaning of the term "indentured labour." Why did indentured workers agree to harsh conditions? [CBSE 2023] [3] • Meaning: Indentured labour was a system where workers signed contracts (agreements) to work for an employer for a specific period in return for passage to a new country. • Poverty: Most workers came from regions where cottage industries had declined, land rents were high, and mines/plantations had taken away their lands. • Deception: Agents (maistries) lured them with false promises of good conditions. Workers only discovered the harsh reality after reaching plantations far from home.

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SECTION C : Long Answer Questions (5 Marks Each)

Q16. Explain the causes and consequences of the Great Depression of 1929. [CBSE 2023] [5] Ans: The Great Depression (1929-1935) was a devastating global economic crisis: • Agricultural Overproduction: After WWI, agricultural production expanded causing surplus. Prices crashed as supply exceeded demand, ruining farmers worldwide. • US Loan Withdrawal: Many countries depended on US loans. When US lenders panicked (1928), they stopped lending, causing bank failures and currency collapse in Europe. • Stock Market Crash: The US stock market crashed in 1929. Banks went bankrupt, factories shut down, unemployment soared. The US economy declined by half.

• Global Impact: International trade declined, prices fell sharply. Unemployment reached record levels across the industrialised world. • Impact on India: Indian exports and imports halved. Agricultural prices fell sharply but colonial government refused to reduce revenue. Peasants sold gold and jewellery to survive. ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Q17. How did Europeans help in the expansion of trade, knowledge and customs across countries during mid-sixteenth century? [CBSE 2024] [5] Ans: Europeans played a key role in global expansion during the 16th century: • New Wealth Sources: Nations engaged in mercantilism and colonialism, searching for new sources of gold, silver, and spices. • Discovery of Americas: Columbus's discovery of the Americas (1492) generated massive economic growth known as the Commercial Revolution. • Sea Routes: Europeans found sea routes to Asia and oceanic routes to the Americas. Silver from South American mines made European trade with Asia feasible.

• New Trade Routes: Trade shifted from Mediterranean to Atlantic coast nations (Spain, Portugal, England, France), transforming global commerce. • Cultural Exchange: New crops (potato, maize, tomato, chilli) reached Europe from Americas. Ideas, technologies, and customs flowed between continents. ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Q18. What were the main features of the Bretton Woods Agreement? How did it shape the post-war world economy? [CBSE 2020] [5] Ans: The Bretton Woods Conference (1944) created a new international economic framework: • IMF Established: The International Monetary Fund was set up to deal with external surpluses and deficits of member nations and maintain monetary stability. • World Bank: The International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (World Bank) was established to finance post-war reconstruction.

• Fixed Exchange Rates: National currencies were pegged to the US dollar at fixed exchange rates. Dollar itself was linked to gold at $35 per ounce. • US Dominance: The US effectively dominated both institutions. The decision-making was weighted by the amount of money contributed, giving the US a dominant voice. • Post-War Boom: The system ushered in an era of unprecedented growth in trade and incomes for Western nations. However, developing countries had little say in policies. ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Q19. Describe the impact of the Silk Routes on world trade and cultural exchange. [CBSE 2022] [5] Ans: The Silk Routes were vibrant corridors of pre-modern trade and culture: • Trade Hub: Historians identified several silk routes connecting Asia, Europe and North Africa. Chinese silk, Indian spices, and European gold flowed along these routes. • Food Exchange: Traders and travellers introduced new crops to new lands. Noodles from China may have become spaghetti in Italy. Potatoes and tomatoes reached Asia.

• Religious Spread: Buddhism spread from India to East and Southeast Asia through these routes. Christian missionaries and Islamic scholars also used these trade networks. • Knowledge Transfer: Scientific knowledge, mathematical concepts, and medical practices were exchanged between Arab, Indian, and Chinese civilisations. • Cultural Fusion: These routes created cultural fusion - food, dress, music, and art forms were exchanged and transformed, creating new hybrid cultures across continents. ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Q20. Explain the impact of the Second World War on the world economy. [CBSE 2021] [5] Ans: World War II (1939-1945) had far-reaching economic consequences: • Massive Destruction: Over 60 million people died. Vast parts of Europe and Asia were devastated. Economic activity came to a standstill in many countries. • Rise of USA: The US economy boomed during the war (manufacturing weapons, vehicles). It emerged as the dominant economic and military power. • Rise of USSR: The Soviet Union emerged as a superpower, leading to a bipolar world with two competing economic systems - capitalism and communism.

• Decolonisation: European powers were financially devastated. They could no longer maintain colonies. India, and many Asian/African nations gained independence. • New Institutions: The UN, IMF, and World Bank were established. The Bretton Woods system created a framework for post-war economic cooperation. ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ --- End of Chapter 3 PYQ ---