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The Making of a Global World

NCERT Class 10 · Social Science Based on NCERT Class 10 Social Science textbook · Free CBSE study kit

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Chapter Notes

Overview
This chapter traces the long history of globalisation, showing that the interconnected world is not a recent phenomenon but has evolved through centuries of trade, migration, and cultural exchange. It explores how pre-modern trade routes, European colonialism, technological changes, and economic crises shaped the modern global economy. The one big idea a student must walk away with is that globalisation is a complex, two-sided process involving both opportunities (e.g., food diversity, economic growth) and exploitation (e.g., slavery, indentured labour, colonialism).
Key Concepts (12)
Globalisation
An economic system that has emerged since the last 50 years, involving the movement of trade, capital, and people across the world, but with a long history of interconnectedness through trade, migration, and cultural exchange.
e.g. Cowries (seashells) from the Maldives used as currency in China and East Africa as early as 3000 BCE.
Silk Routes
A network of land and sea routes that linked Asia with Europe and northern Africa, used for trade in Chinese silk, Indian textiles and spices, and for the spread of ideas, religions, and diseases.
e.g. Buddhism spread from eastern India through intersecting points on the silk routes.
Indentured Labour
A bonded labourer under contract to work for an employer for a specific amount of time, to pay off his passage to a new country or home.
e.g. Indian indentured labourers from Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, and Tamil Nadu were sent to work on plantations in the Caribbean, Mauritius, and Fiji.
Corn Laws
Laws in Britain that restricted the import of corn (grain) to protect domestic agriculture, leading to high food prices and social conflict.
e.g. The abolition of Corn Laws allowed cheaper food imports, leading to the decline of British agriculture and migration to cities or overseas.
Rinderpest
A devastating cattle disease that arrived in Africa in the late 1880s, carried by infected cattle imported from British Asia, killing 90% of African cattle and destroying livelihoods.
e.g. Rinderpest enabled European colonisers to force Africans into the labour market by monopolising scarce cattle resources.
Great Depression
A worldwide economic crisis that began around 1929 and lasted till the mid-1930s, characterised by catastrophic declines in production, employment, incomes, and trade.
e.g. In India, wheat prices fell by 50% between 1928 and 1934, and peasants producing for the world market were the worst hit.
Bretton Woods Institutions
Post-war international financial institutions (like the IMF and World Bank) established to ensure stable exchange rates, full employment, and economic reconstruction after World War II.
e.g. The World Bank was set up to fund post-war reconstruction in Europe and development in poorer countries.
Fordism
A system of mass production pioneered by Henry Ford, using assembly lines to produce goods quickly and cheaply, with workers performing repetitive tasks at a pace set by the conveyor belt.
e.g. The T-Model Ford was the world’s first mass-produced car, coming off the assembly line at three-minute intervals.
Multilateral Settlement System
A system where one country’s trade deficit with another country is settled by its surplus with a third country, allowing balanced international trade.
e.g. Britain used its trade surplus with India to pay for its deficits with other countries, such as China.
Home Charges
Payments made by India to Britain, including private remittances by British officials and traders, interest on India’s external debt, and pensions of British officials in India.
e.g. Britain’s trade surplus in India helped pay these home charges.
Dissenters
People who refuse to accept established beliefs and practices, often persecuted and forced to migrate.
e.g. Religious dissenters fled Europe for America in the eighteenth century.
El Dorado
A fabled city of gold in South America, which sparked many European expeditions in the seventeenth century.
e.g. Legends of El Dorado led to Spanish and Portuguese conquest and colonisation of America.
How It Works
How the world 'shrank' in the 1500s
  1. European sailors found a sea route to Asia and crossed the western ocean to America.
  2. The Indian Ocean trade network was expanded and redirected towards Europe.
  3. Precious metals (silver) from America enhanced Europe’s wealth and financed trade with Asia.
  4. European conquest and colonisation of America began, aided by diseases like smallpox that decimated native populations.
💡 Students often think the world shrank only due to technology; the key factor was European exploration and conquest, not just technology.
How Britain’s decision to import food led to migration to America and Australia
  1. Population growth and urbanisation in Britain increased demand for food grains, pushing up prices.
  2. The Corn Laws restricted imports, keeping food prices high.
  3. Industrialists and urban dwellers forced the abolition of the Corn Laws.
  4. Cheaper food imports from abroad undercut British agriculture, leading to unemployment.
  5. Thousands of displaced British workers migrated to cities or overseas (America, Australia).
  6. To meet British demand, lands were cleared abroad, requiring labour and capital.
  7. Capital flowed from London, and labour migration increased, with 50 million people emigrating from Europe to America and Australia.
💡 Students often forget that the abolition of Corn Laws was a key trigger; they think migration was solely due to population growth.
How Rinderpest enabled European conquest of Africa
  1. Rinderpest arrived in Africa in the late 1880s via infected cattle imported from British Asia.
  2. The disease spread rapidly, killing 90% of African cattle.
  3. Loss of cattle destroyed African livelihoods and made them dependent on European employers.
  4. Colonial governments and planters monopolised scarce cattle resources.
  5. Africans were forced into the labour market on plantations and mines.
💡 Students often think Rinderpest was a natural disaster; the key point is that it was introduced by Europeans and used to subjugate Africans.
How the Great Depression affected India
  1. International prices crashed, leading to a 50% fall in wheat prices in India between 1928 and 1934.
  2. India’s exports and imports nearly halved between 1928 and 1934.
  3. Peasants producing for the world market (e.g., jute growers in Bengal) were worst hit.
  4. The colonial government refused to reduce revenue demands, increasing peasant indebtedness.
  5. Peasants mortgaged lands and sold gold, making India an exporter of precious metals.
  6. Urban India was less affected; fixed-income groups benefited from falling prices.
  7. Industrial investment grew due to tariff protection under nationalist pressure.
💡 Students often think the Great Depression affected all Indians equally; the key is that rural peasants suffered far more than urban dwellers.
How the multilateral settlement system worked with India
  1. Britain had a trade surplus with India (exported more to India than it imported).
  2. Britain used this surplus to pay for its trade deficits with other countries (e.g., China).
  3. India’s exports (raw materials) helped Britain balance its global trade.
  4. Britain also used the surplus to pay home charges (private remittances, interest, pensions).
💡 Students often confuse surplus and deficit; remember: Britain had a surplus with India, not a deficit.
Exam Traps — Don't Make These Mistakes
⚠ Confusing 'trade surplus' and 'trade deficit'
✗ Britain had a trade deficit with India because it imported more from India than it exported.
→ The chapter clearly states Britain had a 'trade surplus' with India — the value of British exports to India was higher than imports from India.
✓ Britain had a trade surplus with India, which it used to balance its deficits with other countries.
⚠ Thinking the Great Depression started in India
✗ The Great Depression began in India due to falling agricultural prices.
→ The Great Depression began in the US after the 1929 stock market crash and spread globally; India was affected because it was integrated into the world economy.
✓ The Great Depression began in the US in 1929 and spread to India, where agricultural prices fell sharply, hurting peasants.
⚠ Confusing 'indentured labour' with 'slavery'
✗ Indentured labour was the same as slavery because workers were forced to work without pay.
→ Indentured labourers had contracts (though often exploitative) and were promised return travel after five years; slavery involved lifelong ownership with no contract.
✓ Indentured labour was a bonded labour system under contract, often described as a 'new system of slavery' due to harsh conditions, but it was not lifelong slavery.
⚠ Thinking the Corn Laws were about maize
✗ The Corn Laws restricted the import of maize into Britain.
→ In Britain, 'corn' referred to any grain (especially wheat), not maize (which is an American crop).
✓ The Corn Laws restricted the import of grain (wheat) into Britain to protect domestic agriculture.
⚠ Believing Rinderpest was a natural African disease
✗ Rinderpest was a disease that naturally occurred in Africa and killed cattle.
→ Rinderpest was introduced to Africa by Europeans via infected cattle from British Asia, and it spread rapidly due to lack of immunity.
✓ Rinderpest was a cattle disease introduced to Africa by Europeans through infected cattle imported from British Asia.
Compare & Contrast
Nature of contract and freedom
Indentured Labour
Slavery
Indentured labour was a contractual system with a fixed term (usually five years) and promised return travel, whereas slavery involved lifelong ownership with no contract or rights.
Cause and scope
Great Depression (1929)
Post-war Economic Crisis (1921)
The Great Depression was a global crisis triggered by US stock market crash and agricultural overproduction, while the post-war crisis was a short-term recession in Britain due to the end of war boom and high unemployment (1 in 5 workers).
Exam Focus
Marks pattern: 2 MCQs (1 mark each), 1 Short Answer (3 marks), 1 Long Answer (5 marks) — total 10 marks
Most asked: Silk Routes and their significance · Indentured labour from India · Rinderpest and its impact on Africa · Great Depression and its impact on India · Role of technology in the 19th-century global economy · Bretton Woods institutions
Don't skip: Explain the impact of the Great Depression on Indian peasants (5 marks); Describe the system of indentured labour and its effects (5 marks); How did Rinderpest help European colonisers in Africa? (3 marks)
One-Line Revision (read aloud before the exam)
  1. Globalisation has a long history, with trade routes like the Silk Routes linking Asia, Europe, and Africa since before the Christian Era.
  2. Cowries from the Maldives were used as currency in China and East Africa as early as 3000 BCE.
  3. The Silk Routes facilitated the spread of Buddhism from India to other parts of Asia.
  4. Potatoes, tomatoes, and chillies were introduced to Europe and Asia after Columbus discovered America.
  5. Smallpox from Europe decimated native American populations, aiding European conquest.
  6. The abolition of the Corn Laws in Britain led to cheaper food imports and mass migration to America and Australia.
  7. Rinderpest, introduced by Europeans, killed 90% of African cattle and forced Africans into wage labour.
  8. Indian indentured labourers were sent to the Caribbean, Mauritius, and Fiji under contracts of five years.
  9. Indentured labour was described as a 'new system of slavery' due to harsh conditions and lack of rights.
  10. The Great Depression began in 1929 and caused a 50% fall in wheat prices in India.
  11. During the Great Depression, India became an exporter of gold, which helped Britain's recovery.
  12. Bretton Woods institutions (IMF and World Bank) were established after World War II to ensure stable exchange rates and full employment.
  13. Henry Ford's assembly line method reduced car production time to three minutes per car.
  14. Britain used its trade surplus with India to balance its deficits with other countries.
  15. The First World War was the first modern industrial war, with 9 million dead and 20 million injured.

MCQs — 10 Questions with Answers

Q1. A farmer in rural India today grows potatoes, tomatoes, and maize as staple crops. Based on the chapter's discussion of pre-modern global trade, what does this tell us about the history of Indian agriculture?

  • A. These crops were introduced to India only after European contact with America in the sixteenth century ✓
  • B. These crops were cultivated in India since ancient Indus Valley civilisation times
  • C. These crops were brought to India by Arab traders through the Silk Routes before 1500 CE
  • D. These crops originated in Southeast Asia and spread to India through maritime trade

Answer: A — The text explicitly states that potatoes, tomatoes, maize, and chillies came from America and were unknown to ancestors until five centuries ago; Option B contradicts this timeline, and Options C-D misidentify the origin regions.

Q2. A historian is studying a memorial stone from tenth-century Goa that shows a detailed carving of a merchant ship. What can she most reliably infer from this archaeological evidence?

  • A. Oceanic trade was significant enough to be commemorated in monumental art during this period ✓
  • B. Goa was the most important port in the Indian Ocean trade network
  • C. All Indian merchants at this time exclusively used sea routes instead of land routes
  • D. European traders had already established dominance in Indian Ocean commerce by the tenth century

Answer: A — The text notes that ships appear regularly in memorial stones on the western coast, indicating significance of oceanic trade; Option B overgeneralizes from one location, Option C claims exclusivity without evidence, and Option D is anachronistic by the text's own timeline.

Q3. Assertion (A): The Silk Routes were primarily used for the transport of Chinese silk to western markets. Reason (R): Chinese silk was the most valuable commodity that could generate profit in long-distance trade during the pre-modern period. Choose the correct option:

  • A. Both A and R are true and R is the correct explanation of A
  • B. Both A and R are true but R is not the correct explanation of A ✓
  • C. A is true but R is false
  • D. A is false but R is true

Answer: B — A is true (Silk Routes were named for westbound Chinese silk), but R is false because the text shows multiple commodities (pottery, textiles, spices, precious metals) were equally important to trade's profitability, not silk alone.

Q4. A medieval Arab trader travels from the Persian Gulf to the East African coast, exchanging goods with local merchants. According to the chapter, what type of long-distance connection was this merchant participating in?

  • A. Isolated regional trade with no connection to broader global networks
  • B. Part of the Indian Ocean's bustling pre-modern trade networks that criss-crossed its waters ✓
  • C. A trade route that only became established after European sailors found sea routes to Asia
  • D. Direct commerce between the Arab world and America through established sea routes

Answer: B — The text describes the Indian Ocean as having known bustling trade with goods and people criss-crossing its waters for centuries; Options A and C contradict this, while Option D is anachronistic.

Q5. Assertion (A): Disease played a more decisive role in Spanish conquest of America than European military superiority. Reason (R): Americans lacked immunity to European diseases like smallpox because they had been isolated from the Old World for millions of years. Choose the correct option:

  • A. Both A and R are true and R is the correct explanation of A ✓
  • B. Both A and R are true but R is not the correct explanation of A
  • C. A is true but R is false
  • D. A is false but R is true

Answer: A — Both statements are true: the text explicitly states germs were 'the most powerful weapon' and identifies long isolation as the cause of lack of immunity; the reason directly explains why disease was decisive.

Q6. Read this extract: 'Ireland's poorest peasants became so dependent on potatoes that when disease destroyed the potato crop in the mid-1840s, hundreds of thousands died of starvation.' What does this tell us about the impact of pre-modern global trade networks?

  • A. Global trade networks had negative effects only on colonised regions like America
  • B. The introduction of new crops could save lives but also create dangerous dependency on single food sources ✓
  • C. Irish peasants deliberately chose potatoes over traditional crops as a luxury good
  • D. The Irish Potato Famine was caused by poor agricultural techniques rather than disease or trade

Answer: B — The extract demonstrates that while potatoes initially improved European nutrition, dependency on this single American crop created vulnerability to crop failure; Option A falsely limits effects, C misrepresents choice, and D ignores the disease factor mentioned.

Q7. Assertion (A): The entry of Europeans into Indian Ocean trade in the sixteenth century fundamentally altered existing trade patterns. Reason (R): The Indian subcontinent had been a crucial point in pre-existing Indian Ocean trade networks for centuries before European arrival. Choose the correct option:

  • A. Both A and R are true and R is the correct explanation of A
  • B. Both A and R are true but R is not the correct explanation of A ✓
  • C. A is true but R is false
  • D. A is false but R is true

Answer: B — A and R are both true but R does not explain A; R describes the pre-existing situation while A claims European entry altered it—these are separate facts, not cause-and-effect.

Q8. Read this historical account: 'John Winthrop, the first governor of the Massachusetts Bay colony, wrote in May 1634 that smallpox signalled God's blessing for the colonists because the natives were nearly all dead of small pox, so the Lord had cleared our title.' What does this source reveal about European colonial perspectives?

  • A. Europeans understood that disease spread was accidental but chose to frame it as divine justification for colonisation ✓
  • B. European colonists deliberately infected Native Americans with smallpox as a planned military strategy
  • C. Smallpox was the only factor that enabled European conquest of America
  • D. Native Americans had superior immunity to smallpox compared to Europeans

Answer: A — The quote shows Europeans used religious rhetoric to justify conquest enabled by disease; Option B overstates the text's evidence, C excludes other factors like military technology, and D contradicts the chapter's explanation of immunity patterns.

Q9. A modern historian discovers that noodles existed in ancient China, medieval Arab regions, and pre-Columbian Japan in nearly identical forms. According to the chapter's analysis, what is the most appropriate conclusion?

  • A. One region definitively invented noodles and all others copied them directly
  • B. These societies independently invented the same food with zero interaction or cultural exchange
  • C. Long-distance cultural contact and trade may have occurred, but the exact origins and transmission routes remain uncertain ✓
  • D. Arab traders must have carried noodles to both Asia and Japan before European contact

Answer: C — The text uses noodles as an example where 'the truth about their origins may never be known' despite long-distance contact possibilities; Option A assumes certainty, B ignores the chapter's premise of interconnectedness, and D makes an unjustified claim about Arab merchants.

Q10. Assertion (A): Cowrie shells from the Maldives became a form of currency used across Asia and Africa in pre-modern times. Reason (R): The Maldives was the only source of cowrie shells available in the ancient world. Choose the correct option:

  • A. Both A and R are true and R is the correct explanation of A
  • B. Both A and R are true but R is not the correct explanation of A
  • C. A is true but R is false ✓
  • D. A is false but R is true

Answer: C — A is supported by the text (cowries from Maldives reached China and East Africa), but R is not stated or implied; the text does not claim Maldives was the only source, only that their cowries travelled these routes.

Flashcards

What were the Silk Routes and when did they exist?

Land and sea trade routes that linked Asia with Europe and North Africa from before the Christian Era until the fifteenth century, facilitating trade in silk, pottery, spices, and precious metals.

Name three food crops that came from America to Europe and Asia.

Potatoes, maize (corn), tomatoes, chillies, sweet potatoes, groundnuts, and soya—all unknown to Europe and Asia before Columbus reached America in 1492.

What was the Irish Potato Famine and when did it occur?

A catastrophic famine (1845–1849) in Ireland when disease destroyed the potato crop; around 1 million people died of starvation because the poor had become heavily dependent on potatoes.

What was the most deadly weapon of Spanish conquistadors in America?

Germs such as smallpox, not firearms—American natives had no immunity and entire communities were decimated, paving the way for European conquest.

Why did the 'world shrink' in the sixteenth century?

European sailors found sea routes to Asia and crossed the western ocean to America, connecting previously isolated regions and redirecting global trade flows towards Europe.

What role did precious metals play in European globalisation?

Silver and gold from mines in Peru and Mexico enriched Europe and financed its trade with Asia, driving further exploration and conquest.

What evidence shows pre-modern trade existed before 1500 CE?

Coastal trade between Indus Valley and West Asia existed from 3000 BCE; cowries from Maldives reached China and East Africa; disease germs spread by the seventh century.

What did Silk Routes trade besides silk?

Chinese pottery, Indian and Southeast Asian textiles and spices, precious metals (gold and silver) flowed back from Europe, plus religions like Buddhism, Christianity, and Islam spread along the routes.

What is the origin dispute regarding spaghetti and noodles?

Historians debate whether noodles travelled west from China to become spaghetti or Arab traders brought pasta to Sicily in the fifth century; similar foods existed in India and Japan, so true origins remain unclear.

How did America's long isolation affect its conquest by Europeans?

Millions of years of isolation meant Americans had no immunity to European diseases like smallpox, which killed entire communities before European armies even arrived, making conquest possible.

Important Board Questions

Define the term 'Silk Routes' and explain their historical significance in pre-modern globalisation. [2 marks]

State that Silk Routes were land and sea trade routes linking Asia–Europe–Africa from before Christian Era to 15th century; explain they facilitated not just silk but pottery, spices, precious metals, and spread of religions (Buddhism, Christianity, Islam) across vast regions.

Explain why disease, rather than firearms, was the most decisive factor in European conquest of America. How did geography contribute to this outcome? [3 marks]

Argue that millions of years of isolation meant Americans had no immunity to Old World germs like smallpox; Europeans (exposed to similar germs) were mostly immune. Disease spread ahead of armies, decimating communities; geography (separate continents) created this immunological gap. Guns could be captured and resisted, but disease could not.

Analyse how the introduction of American crops transformed European and Asian societies between the sixteenth and nineteenth centuries. Use the Irish Potato Famine as a case study to support your argument. [5 marks]

Explain that American crops (potatoes, maize, tomatoes, chillies) reached Europe/Asia after 1492 via trade routes; potatoes especially improved nutrition for poor people and allowed population growth. However, in Ireland by 1840s, peasants had become dangerously dependent on potatoes as sole food source. When disease destroyed crops in 1845, around 1 million died and millions emigrated—demonstrating how globalisation of food systems created both opportunities and vulnerabilities. Connect to broader theme: pre-modern trade networks had long-term social consequences.

Assertion-Reason Questions for The Making of a Global World

Q1. Assertion (A):

The Silk Routes were important for spreading Buddhism from eastern India to other regions.

Reason (R):

Buddhism emerged from eastern India and spread in several directions through intersecting points on the silk routes.

Answer: A — Both A and R are true, and R is the correct explanation of A — Both the assertion and reason are true. The reason directly explains why Buddhism spread—the Silk Routes provided the network through which Buddhism traveled from eastern India to distant regions. The reason is the correct cause of the assertion.

Q2. Assertion (A):

Europe's economic position improved significantly after the introduction of crops from America.

Reason (R):

American crops like potatoes, maize, and tomatoes increased food production and improved nutrition in Europe, allowing poor populations to live better.

Answer: B — Both A and R are true, but R is NOT the correct explanation of A — Both the assertion and reason are true—American crops did help Europe's economy and nutrition. However, the reason is NOT the complete or primary explanation for improved economic position. While better nutrition helped labor productivity, the more direct economic boost came from precious metals (silver) from American mines that financed European trade with Asia. The reason explains part of the picture but not the main cause of economic improvement.

Q3. Assertion (A):

The Indian Ocean was central to pre-modern global trade networks.

Reason (R):

The Indian subcontinent was a crucial point in trade networks where goods, people, knowledge, and customs criss-crossed its waters for centuries.

Answer: A — Both A and R are true, and R is the correct explanation of A — Both the assertion and reason are true, and the reason provides the correct explanation for the assertion. The text explicitly states the Indian subcontinent was central to these flows, and the reason directly supports why the Indian Ocean was so important—its geographical position made it a hub for exchange.

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Case-Based Questions (CBQ) for The Making of a Global World

Case Study:

Historians discovered that during the Great Irish Potato Famine of 1845-1849, approximately 1 million people died of starvation while another 2 million emigrated seeking work. Before the potato's introduction from America, Irish peasants had diverse food sources and greater food security. However, as the potato's high yield and nutritional value became known, it became the dominant crop for poor peasants. By the 1840s, over 50% of the Irish population depended almost entirely on potatoes for survival. When a disease destroyed the potato crop for five consecutive years, the dependent population faced catastrophic hunger with no alternative food sources to fall back on.

Q1. What made the Irish population vulnerable to famine when the potato crop failed?

  • A. Poor agricultural techniques used by farmers
  • B. Excessive dependence on a single crop introduced from America, with no diversified food sources ✓
  • C. Lack of trade routes to obtain food from other regions
  • D. Intentional restriction of food supplies by the government

Answer: B

Q2. How did the introduction of American crops illustrate both positive and negative effects of global trade?

  • A. Potatoes only had negative effects on Irish society
  • B. Potatoes provided immediate relief but created long-term dependency that became catastrophic when the crop failed ✓
  • C. Global trade had no effect on Irish food security
  • D. Only wealthy farmers benefited from potatoes

Answer: B

Q3. What does this historical event demonstrate about cultural and economic interconnectedness?

  • A. Global connections are always beneficial to all societies
  • B. Societies that adopt foreign crops become stronger and more resilient
  • C. Increased interdependence through global trade can create vulnerabilities if not managed with diversity ✓
  • D. Agricultural imports always lead to famines

Answer: C

Q4. Which statement best explains why emigration occurred during the Famine?

  • A. Irish people wanted to explore the Americas
  • B. Potatoes were more abundant in other countries
  • C. The government forcibly expelled Irish citizens
  • D. The famine created desperate push factors forcing people to seek survival elsewhere ✓

Answer: D

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Previous Year Questions (PYQ) for The Making of a Global World

Real CBSE board exam questions from past papers — free to attempt.

CBSE 2026 · Set 31/4/1 · 1 mark

Two statements are given below. They are Assertion (A) and Reason (R). Read both the statements and choose the correct option. Assertion (A): Silver from Peru and Mexico enhanced Europe's wealth in the sixteenth century. Reason (R): Europe used this silver to finance its trade with Asia.

  • Both (A) and (R) are true and (R) is the correct explanation of (A).
  • Both (A) and (R) are true, but (R) is not the correct explanation of (A).
  • (A) is true, but (R) is false.
  • (A) is false, but (R) is true.

CBSE 2026 · Set 31/4/1 · 2 marks

Food offered many examples of long distance cultural exchange during pre-modern times. Explain the statement with any two examples.

CBSE 2026 · Set 31/4/2 · 1 mark

Two statements are given below. They are Assertion (A) and Reason (R). Silver from Peru and Mexico enhanced Europe's wealth in the sixteenth century. Europe used this silver to finance its trade with Asia. Choose the correct option.

  • Both (A) and (R) are true and (R) is the correct explanation of (A).
  • Both (A) and (R) are true, but (R) is not the correct explanation of (A).
  • (A) is true, but (R) is false.
  • (A) is false, but (R) is true.

CBSE 2026 · Set 31/5/1 · 1 mark

Two statements are given below. They are Assertion (A) and Reason (R). Read both the statements carefully and choose the correct option: Assertion (A): The discovery of sea routes to Asia and America shrank the pre-modern world in the sixteenth century. Reason (R): During this period European entry into Indian ocean expanded trade.

  • Both (A) and (R) are true and (R) is the correct explanation of (A).
  • Both (A) and (R) are true, but (R) is not the correct explanation of (A).
  • (A) is true, but (R) is false.
  • (A) is false, but (R) is true.

CBSE 2026 · Set 31/5/1 · 2 marks

Why did many Europeans migrate to America after sixteenth century? Explain.

CBSE 2025 · Set 31/1/1 · 1 mark

Read the following reasons of migration of people from Europe to America till the 19th century and choose the correct option: I. Poverty and hunger II. Slaves for sale III. Wide spread of diseases IV. Religious conflicts and persecution

  • Only I, II and III are correct.
  • Only II, III and IV are correct.
  • Only I, III and IV are correct.
  • Only I, II and IV are correct.

CBSE 2025 · Set 31/1/2 · 1 mark

The author of [The Columbian Exchange] is :

  • Marco Polo
  • Columbus
  • Vasco da Gama
  • Alfred Crosby

CBSE 2025 · Set 31/1/3 · 1 mark

The author of The Columbian Exchange is:

  • Marco Polo
  • Columbus
  • Vasco da Gama
  • Alfred Crosby

CBSE 2025 · Set 31/2/1 · 1 mark

In the mid-16th century, diseases like smallpox reached America through which of the following?

  • Spanish soldiers
  • French merchants
  • Portuguese sailors
  • British tourists

CBSE 2025 · Set 31/2/2 · 5 marks

How did tension in the Balkan region lead to the First World War? Explain.

CBSE 2025 · Set 31/3/1 · 1 mark

Which disease was brought to America in the later half of the sixteenth century ?

  • Cholera
  • Smallpox
  • Jaundice
  • Malaria

CBSE 2025 · Set 31/3/1 · 2 marks

Mention any two economic impacts of the First World War on India.

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Class 10 Social Science Previous Year Questions, Chapter-wise

All 805 CBSE board questions from 2022–2026, sorted by chapter and question type. Free PDF download.

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