CBSE Class 12 2025 History 61-7-2 Question Paper Set-2: Download Solutions with Answer Key

Two statements labelled as Assertion (A) and Reason (R) are given below. Read them carefully and select the correct option:


Assertion (A): The American Civil War created a panic in the cotton circles in Britain.

Reason (R): American cotton supplies had dropped drastically which increased the demand for Indian cotton.

• (A) Both Assertion (A) and Reason (R) are true and Reason (R) is the correct explanation of the Assertion (A).
• (B) Both Assertion (A) and Reason (R) are true, but Reason (R) is \textbf{not} the correct explanation of the Assertion (A).
• (C) Assertion (A) is true, but Reason (R) is false.
• (D) Assertion (A) is false, but Reason (R) is true.

Choose the correct option from the following to fill in the blank regarding the leaders of the Revolt of 1857.
Arrah (Bihar) : Kunwar Singh; ________ : Birjis Qadr

• (A) Awadh
• (B) Kanpur
• (C) Gwalior
• (D) Lucknow

On whose advice did Gandhiji spend a year travelling around British India upon his return in 1915?

• (A) Bal Gangadhar Tilak
• (B) Lala Lajpat Rai
• (C) Gopal Krishna Gokhale
• (D) Bipin Chandra Pal

Which of the following pairs of Committees and their Presidents is correct regarding the Constituent Assembly?

• (A) Flag Committee – Bhimrao Ambedkar
• (B) Steering Committee – Jawaharlal Nehru
• (C) Advisory Committee – Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel
• (D) States Committee – J.B. Kripalani

Why was Awadh referred to as the ‘Nursery of the Bengal Army’ during the 1850s? Choose the correct option from the following.

• (A) Known for strong resistance to British rule
• (B) Major recruiting ground for the Bengal Army
• (C) Centre for British military training
• (D) Base for British military leaders

Which of the following options shows the correct chronological order of events related to the Indian National Movement?

I. Second Round Table Conference

II. Peasant Movement in Bardoli

III. Champaran Satyagraha

IV. Jallianwala Bagh Massacre

• (A) III, IV, I, II
• (B) III, I, II, IV
• (C) III, IV, II, I
• (D) III, II, IV, I

Why did the British prefer the ‘Ryotwari system’ in Bombay over the ‘Permanent Settlement’?

• (A) For simplifying revenue collection
• (B) For bringing decentralized control
• (C) For maximising their revenue
• (D) For empowering the zamindars

Which of the following pairs is correctly matched regarding the Vijayanagara empire?

• (A) Defeat of Sultan of Bijapur  – Start of Aravidu dynasty
• (B) Founding of Nagalapuram  – Township named after King’s mother
• (C) Battle of Talikota  – Expansion of Hampi over Orissa
• (D) Decline of Vijayanagara  – Increased military control of Mackenzie

Why are Chola temples at places like Thanjavur significant in ancient history?

• (A) They are known as the very first temples in India.
• (B) They mark the peak of Chola patronage in architecture.
• (C) They were constructed with the help of the Pandya rulers.
• (D) They served as forts during festivals.

Fill in the blank:

Karl Marx’s concept of ‘Asiatic mode of production’ depicted rural society as \underline{\hspace{3cm.

• (A) Constantly evolving
• (B) Socio-economic disparities
• (C) Egalitarian
• (D) Independent from Imperial Court

Which of the following features of ‘Mulk Abadi’ of Ain-i-Akbari helps historians to understand the administrative structure of the Mughal Empire?

• (A) Poetic descriptions
• (B) Fiscal records
• (C) Architectural designs
• (D) Traveller’s accounts

Which of the following temple’s priest provided memories that were crucial for the initial survey of Hampi?

• (A) The Virupaksha Temple
• (B) The Brihadiswara Temple
• (C) The Vitthala Temple
• (D) The Hazara Rama Temple

Which of the following pairs is correctly matched?

• (A) Shaikh Muinuddin Sijzi - Agra
• (B) Khwaja Qutbuddin Bakhtiyar Kaki - Delhi
• (C) Shaikh Nizamuddin Auliya - Ajmer
• (D) Shaikh Nasiruddin Chiragh-i-Dehli - Jaipur

Match the following Column I with Column II and choose the correct option:

Column I (Traveller) & Column II (Country)

a. Afanasii Nikitin & i. Spain

b. Duarte Barbosa & ii. Turkey

c. Antonio Monserrate & iii. Portugal

d. Seydi Ali Reis & iv. Russia
 

• (A) a-i, b-iii, c-ii, d-iv
• (B) a-ii, b-iii, c-i, d-iv
• (C) a-iv, b-iii, c-i, d-ii
• (D) a-iii, b-iv, c-ii, d-i

Identify the ancient ruler of India with the help of the following information and choose the correct option:

Was the best known ruler of the Satavahana dynasty.
Claimed to be a unique Brahmana.
Was the son of Rishi Vashishtha.

• (A) Bhaskaravarman
• (B) Rudradaman
• (C) Gotami-puta Siri-Satakani
• (D) Vikramaditya II

Fill in the blank with the appropriate word from the given options.

In Jaina philosophy, the cycle of birth and rebirth is influenced by _____.

• (A) Dharma
• (B) Moksha
• (C) Karma
• (D) Ahimsa

Coinage in Ancient India

Which of the following statements accurately describes the coinage of ancient India?


I. Ancient Parthian gold coins showed extensive trade in north India.

II. Ancient Roman coins in South India indicated trade beyond borders.

III. Ancient Yaudheyas issued copper coins that highlighted their economic activity.

IV. Ancient Gupta rulers issued silver coins that facilitated trade.



Options:

• (A) I, II and IV are correct.
• (B) II, III and IV are correct.
• (C) I, III and IV are correct.
• (D) I, II and III are correct.

Identification of Historical Artefact


Look at the image given below and identify the historical artefact:

• (A) Ashoka’s Lion Capital
• (B) Guptas’ Lion Capital
• (C) Shungas’ Lion Capital
• (D) Cholas’ Lion Capital

Assertion and Reason Based Question


Two statements labelled as Assertion (A) and Reason (R) are given below. Read them carefully and select the correct option:


Assertion (A): Shahjehan Begum was a patron of art and architecture in the 19th century, known for her contribution for Sanchi’s preservation.

Reason (R): Sanchi Stupa is a classical example of early Buddhist architecture.

• (A) Both Assertion (A) and Reason (R) are true and Reason (R) is the correct explanation of the Assertion (A).
• (B) Both Assertion (A) and Reason (R) are true, but Reason (R) is \textbf{not} the correct explanation of the Assertion (A).
• (C) Assertion (A) is true, but Reason (R) is false.
• (D) Assertion (A) is false, but Reason (R) is true.

Which of the following statement is correct about the Shungas and Kanvas?

• (A) The Shungas supported Buddhism and the Kanvas supported Hinduism.
• (B) The Shungas and the Kanvas were the immediate successors of the Mauryas.
• (C) The Shungas and the Kanvas ruled after the Gupta rulers.
• (D) The Shungas succeeded the Mauryas and the Kanvas succeeded the Gupta rulers.

The presence of granaries at Harappan sites most likely implies which of the following about their agricultural practices?

• (A) Surplus Production
• (B) Plantation Farming
• (C) Shifting Cultivation
• (D) Nomadic Lifestyle

How did different types of marriages reflect the social systems of ancient India during the Mahabharata Period? Explain with examples.

How did familial relations impact the social systems of India during the Mahabharata Period? Explain with examples.

How did the restoration of Sanchi by Shahjehan Begum impact the study of ancient Indian history? Explain.

“Panchayats played a crucial role in the Mughal rural society.” Justify the statement with suitable arguments.

“Many forest-dwelling communities maintained a significant level of political independence.” Examine the statement in the context of Mughal empire.

Analyse the conditions of Ryots in the Ryotwari system.

Explain the grievances of Indian Sepoys in the British East India Company during the 1850s.

Imagine you are creating a project on Mirabai’s life. How would you explain the emotions of devotion in her poetry?

How do Harappan artifacts contribute to our understanding of the Indus Valley Civilization? Explain with examples.

Explain with examples the different views of archaeologists and historians on the religion of Harappans.

The Virupaksha Temple is a historic temple located in Hampi. What features make it a key architectural and cultural landmark of the Vijayanagara Empire? Explain.

The Royal Centre in Vijayanagara was significant. Which architectural features make it an important cultural landmark? Explain.

“Gandhiji initiated the Civil Disobedience Movement to challenge British laws.” Examine the statement.

“The ‘Quit India Movement’ was Gandhiji’s call for an end to British rule.” Examine the statement.

Examine the main impact of the shift from Rajagaha to Pataliputra, on the Magadhan empire.

What message did Xuan Zang wish to convey about Pataliputra?

What role did Pataliputra play in the history of the Magadhan empire?

How did Bernier’s description reflect the economic significance of the karkhanas in the Mughal empire?

How did the crafts in the karkhanas reflect the cultural diversity of the Mughal empire?

Analyse the relationship between the Mughal empire and its artisans.

How did defining India as a ‘republic’ enhance democratic governance?

How does economic democracy promote social equality within a republican framework?

How did Jawaharlal Nehru view the role of the Constituent Assembly in shaping democracy in India?

On the given political outline map of India (on page 27), locate and label the following with appropriate symbols:

[(i)] Bodh Gaya – An ancient Buddhist site
[(ii)] Lothal – A mature Harappan site
[(iii)] (a) Goa – Territory under Mughal Empire
[OR] (b) Vijayanagara – Capital of Vijayanagara Empire



On the same outline map of India, two places have been marked as A and B, the centres of the Indian National Movement. Identify them and write their correct names on the lines drawn near them.