British history past papers

1st part
“Glorious Revolution”?
1. What did lead to the occurrence of Ultra-degree of mega development towards the close of
17th century A.D. in Britain known as “Glorious Revolution”? 2018
2. What was so glorious about the Glorious Revolution? Discuss its significance in the British
History. (20) 2019
3. How did the Glorious Revolution occur in Britain? What was its fallout at home and abroad?
2023
4. The GLORIOUS REVOLUTION of 1688 ushered in a new era of change, liberty and
participation of the people in the decision-making process, a view held by the historians.
Make a critical evaluation of it. 2009
5. ‘For many generations to come, the Revolution of 1688-89 was spoken of by our ancestors
as the Glorious Revolution (Prof. Trevelyon). Comment on its results. 2010
6. State briefly and succinctly the causes and the results of the Glorious Revolution of 1688. 2013
7.

Act of Union 1707

1. What were the political and constitutional causes and consequences of the Act of Union
1707? 2021
2. Write down the Union of England and Scotland. Narrate its results 2010
3. Q1. Discuss the significance of Queen Anne’s reign in shaping the course of the War of
Spanish Succession and its impact on the balance of power in Europe. 2025

Hanorerian succession

1. What was the political and constitutional significance of the Hanorerian succession in
England? 2019
2. “A glorious success until 1761 and then failure". Do you agree with this estimate of the
career of Chat Ham?
3. Robert Walpole is regarded as the first Prime Minister of Britain. Why is this so? What factors facilitated and
encouraged his emergence as the first Prime Minister? Did this have any constitutional implications? 2011
4. Discuss briefly the constitutional and political importance of Hanoverians succession to the throne
of England. 2013
5.

Whig rule
 What were the merits and demerits of the Whig rule? What led to the downfall of Whig ascendancy? Analyze
comprehensively. (20) 2017
 What are merits and demerits of Whig oligarchy? Critically examine the causes of the downfall of Whig
ascendancy. 2020
 Write comprehensively on the “Whigs oligarchy” in England 2014


French Revolution
 Estimate the influence of French Revolution on English Society and Political thought. 2020,
2022
 “The English people got so much frightened by the developments in France that there
prevailed a sort of panic across the country”. Analyse the after-effects of the French
Revolution on England. 2023
 What were the effects of the French Revolution on the Life and Thought of 18th century
England? 2009
 What measures were adopted by England to check the influence of the French Revolution of
1789 on England ? 2016


American war of independence

 How the AMERICAN WAR OF INDEPENDENCE affect the British Colonial System and to what extent it was
responsible for the DE-COLONIZATION process? 2009
 “No Taxation Without representation”. Also narrate the causes and results of war of American
Independence. 2014
 Shed light on the American War of Independence with special reference to its Debit side and
Credit side for Great Britain. 2015


Reform Acts
Q. No. 3. Analyze critically the Reform Act of 1832. (20) 2016
 What measures were taken for the Democratisation of British Parliament round the
decades? 2018
 The Reform Act of 1832 made possible the series of political and administrative reforms
that laid the foundation of modern Britain. Discuss 2019
 Give a history of parliamentary Reforms between 1832 A.D to 1928 A.D. Also
 critically examine how England became a politically democratic country? 2020
 Critically evaluate the various Acts passed since 1867 to 1950 to strengthen the democratic
Institutions. 2009
 Critically examine the Parliamentary Act of 1911. 2010
 How did the social structure of Britain change between 1750 and 1832? Discuss at least
three distinct social structural changes that occurred during this period. 2011
 How did the Reform Act of 1832 move Britain closer towards popular government? Discuss
with reference to the provisions of the Act and the subsequent popular demands. 2011
 How did the British political leadership balance the need for stability with the need for
reform between 1860 and 1894? Discuss with reference to major legislation enacted during
this period. 2011
 What were the changes brought about in the structure of British Parliament by the Act of
1832? 2014


Primeministers
1. “Lord Palmerston was more successful as Foreign Minister than as Prime Minister” Critically Analyze.
(20) 2016
2. Explain the Policy of Disraeli With special reference to peace with Honour. 2016
3. “Gladstone’s domestic policy was the climax of liberalism”. Discuss it comprehensively. 2017
4. Shed ample light on the Interior as well as Exterior policy of Sir Robert Peel as British Premier with particular emphasis on
Irish issue. 2018
5. “Peel was the most liberal of conservatives and most conservative of liberals”. 2020
6. Compare and contrast the Policies and personalities of Gladstone and Disraeli as Prime Ministers. 2009
7. Gladstone’s tenure of office has been called ‘The Second Era of Reforms’. Discuss his reforms. 2010
8. “Robert Peel was the most liberal of the conservatives and most conservative of the liberals” Discuss. 2012
9. Evaluate analytically and critically the role of WALPOLE as Secretary of State, Prime Minister, Party-organiser
and Financier. 2015
10. “Palmerston was at once a Radical and Jingo but at heart neither a Whig nor a Tory”. Elucidate. 2015
11. Palmerston was conservative at home and liberal abroad. Discuss and conclude with arguments. 2015
12. Analyze the characters and policies of Gladstone and Disraeli with special reference to foreign affairs. 2015
13. How far did Robert Peel’s methods of governance differ from those of his predecessors; viz a viz; Liverpool,
Canning, and Wellington? 2024
14.

Movements
1. Give a comprehensive account of chartist movement. Why did it fail? Explain and Analyse. 2017
2. What is the Edwardian era? Elucidate the rise and significance of the Labour Movement in the
Edwardian era.
3. What do you mean by the Chartist Movement; what were its demands? 2010
4. Describe the emergence of Methodist Movement in England. What were its good and bad
effects on the people? 2015
 5. Describe the reasons due to which million people united in support of the Chartist Movement in
the mid-19th century for attaining the democratic rights for the working classes. 2024
6. How did the Methodist Movement begin? Also, explain its salient features and reasons of
success. 2024

Revolutions
1. Industrial Revolution drastically changed methods of production in England. How did it affect the
Social, Economic, Political and Cultural life of the English people? (20) 2017
2. “The 18th century A.D. witnessed the Emergence, Rise and Growth of the two Movements (Agrarian and
Industrial) which revolutionised the lives of the English people in particular and later on, of the world in
general.” Comment on the statement. (20) 2018
3. Explain the factors that led to the Industrial Revolution and discuss how did it affect the social, political,
economic and cultural life of the English people? (20) 2019
4. What were the Positive and Negative Dimensions of the INDUSTRIAL REVOLUTION? What is your personal
view that whether it was boon or bane for the common man? 2009
5. How the Industrial Revolution affected the life of common man? Comment 2010
6. Why did the Industrial Revolution begin in England? What were the implications of this development for
England’s role in the world? Discuss. 2011
7. “England had become the work shop of the world with the beginning of the Industrial Revolution”.
Discuss. 2014

Irish question
 Define “Irish Questions”. Also, discuss the policy of Liberal party on the
said issue from 1886 to 1894. 2024
 Analyze the controversies surrounding the Act of the Union 1801, focusing on the
differing perspectives of Irish and British politicians. Assess its impact on Irish
nationalism and the stability of the United Kingdom. 2025

World Wars
1. Provide a detailed account of the causes of World War I and its effects on the social
and economic aspects of Britain. 2021
2. According to Rudyard Kipling, “however the world pretends to divide itself, there
are only two divisions in the world today --- human beings and Germans”. In the
light of this statement, was the British policy in the First World War justified or not?
Comment 2023
3. Analyze the Role of Great Britain in the 1st World War and during the Inter-Wars
period. 2009
4. Enumerate and analyse the causes and results of the World War-II. Was the war
inevitable? Discuss 2012
5. What was the consequence of WW-II for Britain’s role in the World? Discuss. 2013
6. Describe and critically analyze the foreign policy of England from 1919 to 1939.
2015
 7. Produce an analytical essay on the causes, major developments, and aftermath of
the Second World War. 2023
8. How did World War II and the Cold War trigger the decolonization of the British
Empire? 2024

part 2
easteren question
 Produce an analytical essay on the Eastern Question and what was the British Policy
towards it? 2009
 What do you mean by the Eastern Question? Discuss the aspect of the Eastern Question
from 1878-1913. 2010
 Explain the Eastern Question and critically analyse the attitude of England towards this
question from 1820 to 1913. 2017


Cold war era

 What do you know about the Role of Great Britain during the different phases of Cold War Era? 2009
 What is cold war? What were the main causes and course of the cold war?2010
 What were the major objectives of British foreign policy after the Second World War? To what extent has
Britain remained relevant to the global scenario? Do you think Britain still deserves a seat on the UN
Security Council? Discuss. 2011
 How successfully did the Labour government of 1945-51 tackle the economic and social problems of Post-
World War II in Britain? 2019
 What were the motives behind the Britain’s move to decolonisation after 1945? Also explain why and how
did the British leave India in 1947? 2019
 What do you know about the Middle East and Suez Canal crisis? Also explain why did England withdraw
from Palestine and Suez Canal? Discuss. 2020

Splendid isolation policy

 What is meant by ‘Splendid Isolation’? give reasons for its abandonment. 2010
 What were the factors which led to the policy of “Splendid Isolation” and why England
abandoned this policy towards the end of 19th century? 2012
 Why Britain had adopted the policy of Splendid Isolation from 1870 onwards in
external affairs? How this policy was abandoned by the end of the 19th century.
Discuss and Analyze. 2015
 How Britain put a halt to “The policy of Splendid Isolation”? What were its positive and negative
aspects? 2018
  Why did Britain initiate the Policy of Splendid Isolation? What is your personal opinion whether
it was a right step in right direction or proved detrimental? 2023

Margaret thatcher
 What were the factors that facilitated the rise of Margaret Thatcher in the politics of Britain?
Comment on her major policies. 2011
 “Margarte Thatcher is judged to be best post war Prime Minister of England”. Discuss 2016
 Explain why John Major and the Conservatives won the general election of 1992 but lost the
election of 1997? 2019
 What were the causes of Falkland War? In what way it has affected the Britain’s relationship
between Latin American countries? 2020
 What was the Falkland Islands conflict? Why Did the British invade the Falkland Islands and how
this war came to an end? 2021
 Explain the genesis of Falkland war. How has it affected the Britain’s relationship with Latin
American countries? 2022
 Define the term “Thatcherism”. Discuss Margaret Thatcher’s economic and
educational reforms and their impacts on people’s lives. 2024

British common wealth
 “British Common Wealth of Nations is a legacy of Colonialism”. Discuss and analyse the merits
and demerits of the organization. 2012
 How has the idea of British Common Wealth of Nations developed? In what ways its significance
differ from the term British Empire? 2015
 What do you understand by British Commonwealth of Nations and how it developed? How does
it differ from the term British Empire? 2017
 What is the contribution of Great Britain in the formation of the European Common Market and
European Union? Also, highlight its impact on the foreign policy of Britain. 2021


League of nations and UN

 The League of Nations and the United Nations both emerged from the ashes of war. The League
met its demise but United Nations is struggling for survival. Analyse the statement. 2012
 What do you know about the League of Nations? Explain the work of the league. What were the
causes of the failure of the League of Nations? 2020


Labour party
  Explain the development of the British Labour Movement and its organizations. How did it
influence British politics?2013
 Account for the development of the Political Party System in England during the 19th century.
 What is the Edwardian era? Elucidate the rise and significance of the Labour Movement in the
Edwardian era. 2021
 Discuss the rise of Labour Party in Britain and enumerate the achievements of this party. 2022
 Examine the evolution of party politics in Britain during the 19 th century,
focusing on the rise of the Conservative and Liberal parties, and the changing
relationship between government, parliament, and the electorate. 2025


European union and Britain

 Explain the reasons for Britain’s reluctance to join the EU and to identify with the idea of a
United Europe. 2013
 Who floated the idea of “European Common Market”? How did it see the daylight and what was
its after-math? 2014

After 2000
 Shed light on the British involvement in the war on Terror after Nine Eleven. What is your
personal view whether positive or negative role has been played by Britain. Support your point
with watertight arguments. 2014
 Discuss the main features of the foreign policy of David Cameron with special reference to
Middle East. 2016
 What are the advantages and disadvantages of Brexist for England? Analyse with arguments.
2017
 Why it is believed by certain circles that after Decolonisation, Britain has been subservient to
US-Line of Action during Cold War and thereafter down to 9/11 and subsequent years? Do you
agree or not? Argue. 2018
 What were the salient features of Tony Blair’s policy on the War on Terror? How did his policy
affect US-Britain relations? (20) 2021
 “We will find those who did it, we will smoke them out of their holes, we will get them running
and we will bring them to justice”. In the context of this remark, present a balanced critique
about the War on Terror with special emphasis on the role of Great Britain. 2023
 How did the global financial crisis plunge Britain into recession in the 21st century and how did it
respond? 2023
 How did the policies of New Labour under Tony Blair differ from those of
previous Labour governments? Was it a continuation of Thatcherism by other
means, or did it represent a distinct political project? 2025
 How did the global financial crisis of 2008 impact British politics and society?
How did the responses of the Labour and Conservative governments differ,
and what were their long-term effects? 2025
