1. Which Governor-General initiated the First Anglo-Afghan War (1838)?
a) Lord Dalhousie
b) Lord Auckland
c) Lord Ellenborough
d) Lord Lytton
Answer: b) Lord Auckland
Explanation: Lord Auckland issued the Simla Manifesto (1838) and launched the First Anglo-Afghan War to replace Dost Mohammad with Shah Shuja.
2. The immediate cause of the First Anglo-Afghan War was:
a) Russian expansion in Central Asia
b) Trade disputes with Afghanistan
c) Shah Shuja’s rebellion
d) Persia’s attack on Herat
Answer: d) Persia’s attack on Herat
Explanation: Persia, backed by Russia, attacked Herat in 1837. This alarmed the British, who feared Russian influence in Afghanistan.
3. The Simla Manifesto (1838) declared:
a) War against Russia
b) Deposition of Dost Mohammad
c) Annexation of Sindh
d) Treaty of Gandamak
Answer: b) Deposition of Dost Mohammad
Explanation: It announced support for Shah Shuja as the ruler of Afghanistan in place of Dost Mohammad.
4. Who was placed on the Afghan throne by the British in 1839?
a) Dost Mohammad
b) Sher Ali
c) Shah Shuja
d) Amanullah Khan
Answer: c) Shah Shuja
Explanation: Shah Shuja was reinstated as a puppet ruler by the British in 1839.
5. The First Anglo-Afghan War is also remembered for:
a) The retreat from Kabul (1842)
b) Annexation of Kandahar
c) Treaty of Gandamak
d) Death of Lord Auckland
Answer: a) The retreat from Kabul (1842)
Explanation: Nearly the entire British garrison of 16,000 was massacred during retreat from Kabul — only one survived (Dr. William Brydon).
6. Who was the Afghan ruler during the First Anglo-Afghan War?
a) Amanullah Khan
b) Dost Mohammad Khan
c) Habibullah Khan
d) Sher Ali Khan
Answer: b) Dost Mohammad Khan
Explanation: Dost Mohammad was the ruler but was deposed temporarily in favour of Shah Shuja.
7. Who became the Governor-General during the last phase of the First Anglo-Afghan War?
a) Lord Auckland
b) Lord Ellenborough
c) Lord Canning
d) Lord Lytton
Answer: b) Lord Ellenborough
Explanation: Ellenborough replaced Auckland in 1842 and ordered the withdrawal of the British forces.
8. The disastrous retreat from Kabul happened in which year?
a) 1839
b) 1840
c) 1841
d) 1842
Answer: d) 1842
Explanation: In January 1842, during retreat from Kabul, almost the entire British army was annihilated.
9. Who was the only survivor of the Kabul retreat (1842)?
a) Sir Robert Sale
b) Sir Alexander Burnes
c) William Brydon
d) John Nicholson
Answer: c) William Brydon
Explanation: Assistant Surgeon Dr. William Brydon reached Jalalabad alive — became a symbol of the disaster.
10. The First Anglo-Afghan War ended with:
a) Treaty of Gandamak
b) British withdrawal from Afghanistan
c) Annexation of Kandahar
d) Death of Shah Shuja
Answer: b) British withdrawal from Afghanistan
Explanation: In 1842, the British evacuated Afghanistan, restoring Dost Mohammad to the throne.
11. Which of the following is NOT true about the First Anglo-Afghan War?
a) Started due to fear of Russian influence
b) Ended in a complete British victory
c) Shah Shuja was killed in 1842
d) British prestige suffered badly
Answer: b) Ended in a complete British victory
Explanation: The British suffered one of their greatest defeats — prestige was severely damaged.
12. Which city did British forces capture in 1839 to install Shah Shuja?
a) Kabul
b) Kandahar
c) Ghazni
d) Herat
Answer: c) Ghazni
Explanation: The British stormed Ghazni fort in 1839, paving way for Shah Shuja’s installation at Kabul.
13. Who assassinated Sir Alexander Burnes in 1841 in Kabul?
a) Dost Mohammad’s men
b) Afghan rebels
c) Persian troops
d) Russian agents
Answer: b) Afghan rebels
Explanation: Burnes, a British political officer, was killed in the Kabul uprising of 1841.
14. The Afghan War (1838–42) was part of the larger:
a) Great Game
b) Forward Policy
c) Doctrine of Lapse
d) Subsidiary Alliance
Answer: a) Great Game
Explanation: It was part of the Great Game between Britain and Russia over Central Asia.
15. What happened to Shah Shuja after British withdrawal?
a) Escaped to India
b) Killed by Afghans
c) Retained as king
d) Went into exile in Persia
Answer: b) Killed by Afghans
Explanation: Shah Shuja was assassinated in 1842 after British forces withdrew.
16. Which British officer was in charge during the Kabul retreat (1842)?
a) General Elphinstone
b) General Nott
c) General Pollock
d) Sir Robert Sale
Answer: a) General Elphinstone
Explanation: His indecisiveness contributed to the disaster.
17. Which of the following did NOT happen during the First Anglo-Afghan War?
a) Shah Shuja installed as ruler
b) Capture of Ghazni fort
c) Treaty of Gandamak
d) Kabul uprising
Answer: c) Treaty of Gandamak
Explanation: The Treaty of Gandamak (1879) belonged to the Second Anglo-Afghan War.
18. What was the major consequence of the First Anglo-Afghan War?
a) Strengthened British position in Afghanistan
b) Damaged British prestige
c) Annexation of Herat
d) Strengthened Shah Shuja
Answer: b) Damaged British prestige
Explanation: The war ended in humiliation and heavy losses for the British.
19. Which British general recaptured Kabul in 1842 as an act of reprisal?
a) General Nott
b) General Pollock
c) General Elphinstone
d) General Havelock
Answer: b) General Pollock
Explanation: Pollock’s army advanced from Jalalabad and retook Kabul before withdrawal.
20. Who was restored to the Afghan throne after 1842?
a) Shah Shuja
b) Dost Mohammad
c) Sher Ali
d) Abdur Rahman
Answer: b) Dost Mohammad
Explanation: After British withdrawal, Dost Mohammad returned to power.
21. The First Anglo-Afghan War is often described as:
a) Britain’s greatest imperial victory
b) Britain’s first Asian conquest
c) Britain’s worst military disaster of the 19th century
d) Britain’s last Afghan war
Answer: c) Britain’s worst military disaster of the 19th century
Explanation: The retreat from Kabul was a catastrophic defeat for the British.
22. The Simla Manifesto (1838) was issued by:
a) Lord Ellenborough
b) Lord Auckland
c) Lord Dalhousie
d) Lord Wellesley
Answer: b) Lord Auckland
Explanation: It justified British intervention in Afghanistan.
23. Who was the Afghan ruler allied with Russia during First Anglo-Afghan War?
a) Dost Mohammad
b) Shah Shuja
c) Sher Ali
d) Amanullah Khan
Answer: a) Dost Mohammad
Explanation: Dost Mohammad sought Russian support when British refused to help him recover Peshawar from Sikhs.
24. Which battle in 1839 opened the road to Kabul?
a) Battle of Kandahar
b) Battle of Ghazni
c) Battle of Herat
d) Battle of Jalalabad
Answer: b) Battle of Ghazni
Explanation: The British victory at Ghazni in July 1839 opened the way to Kabul.
25. Who wrote about the Afghan disasters and called it a “war of folly”?
a) Mountstuart Elphinstone
b) Charles Metcalfe
c) Macaulay
d) Dalhousie
Answer: a) Mountstuart Elphinstone
Explanation: Elphinstone (an early British envoy) had warned against intervention in Afghanistan.
26. Who was the British Governor-General during the Second Anglo-Afghan War?
a) Lord Lytton
b) Lord Ripon
c) Lord Auckland
d) Lord Canning
Answer: a) Lord Lytton
Explanation: Lord Lytton (1876–80) launched the Second Anglo-Afghan War as part of his aggressive Forward Policy.
27. What was the immediate cause of the Second Anglo-Afghan War (1878)?
a) Russian mission reached Kabul
b) Assassination of a British envoy
c) Attack on Kandahar
d) Rebellion of Sher Ali
Answer: a) Russian mission reached Kabul
Explanation: In 1878, a Russian mission was welcomed in Kabul, while a British mission was refused entry → war declared.
28. Which Afghan ruler was in power at the start of the Second Anglo-Afghan War?
a) Dost Mohammad
b) Sher Ali Khan
c) Abdur Rahman Khan
d) Amanullah Khan
Answer: b) Sher Ali Khan
Explanation: Sher Ali (son of Dost Mohammad) initially sided with Russians, leading to conflict with the British.
29. Which treaty ended the first phase of the Second Anglo-Afghan War (May 1879)?
a) Treaty of Rawalpindi
b) Treaty of Gandamak
c) Treaty of Lahore
d) Treaty of Peshawar
Answer: b) Treaty of Gandamak
Explanation: Signed between Yakub Khan (Sher Ali’s successor) and the British in May 1879.
30. According to the Treaty of Gandamak (1879), who was to control Afghanistan’s foreign affairs?
a) Afghanistan itself
b) Russia
c) Britain
d) Joint Anglo-Russian authority
Answer: c) Britain
Explanation: The treaty gave Britain control over Afghan foreign relations while recognizing Yakub Khan as Amir.
31. Who was Yakub Khan in Afghan history?
a) Son of Dost Mohammad
b) Son of Sher Ali
c) Son of Abdur Rahman
d) Son of Shah Shuja
Answer: b) Son of Sher Ali
Explanation: Yakub Khan succeeded Sher Ali in 1879 and signed the Treaty of Gandamak.
32. Which British envoy was killed in Kabul in September 1879, leading to resumption of war?
a) William Brydon
b) Sir Louis Cavagnari
c) Sir Robert Sale
d) Sir John Lawrence
Answer: b) Sir Louis Cavagnari
Explanation: Cavagnari and his staff were massacred at Kabul → triggered the second phase of the war.
33. After Cavagnari’s murder, British forces recaptured:
a) Jalalabad
b) Kabul
c) Ghazni
d) Herat
Answer: b) Kabul
Explanation: General Roberts marched to Kabul and occupied the city.
34. Who was the British general known for his “March from Kabul to Kandahar” (1880)?
a) General Nott
b) General Pollock
c) General Roberts
d) General Elphinstone
Answer: c) General Roberts
Explanation: Roberts led the famous 300-mile march in 1880 to relieve Kandahar and defeat Afghan forces.
35. The famous “Battle of Maiwand” (1880) was fought between:
a) Afghans and Russians
b) Afghans and Sikhs
c) Afghans and British
d) Afghans and Persians
Answer: c) Afghans and British
Explanation: Afghans under Ayub Khan defeated the British at Maiwand (1880), one of Britain’s worst defeats.
36. Who led the Afghans to victory at the Battle of Maiwand (1880)?
a) Sher Ali
b) Yakub Khan
c) Ayub Khan
d) Abdur Rahman
Answer: c) Ayub Khan
Explanation: Ayub Khan, a brother of Yakub Khan, inflicted heavy losses on the British at Maiwand.
37. Who defeated Ayub Khan in the Battle of Kandahar (1880)?
a) General Pollock
b) General Roberts
c) General Elphinstone
d) General Havelock
Answer: b) General Roberts
Explanation: Roberts’s victory at Kandahar (Sept 1880) restored British prestige after the Maiwand setback.
38. Which Afghan ruler emerged as Amir after the Second Anglo-Afghan War (1880)?
a) Abdur Rahman Khan
b) Yakub Khan
c) Ayub Khan
d) Sher Ali
Answer: a) Abdur Rahman Khan
Explanation: Abdur Rahman, a cousin of Yakub, was recognized as Amir with British support.
39. The Second Anglo-Afghan War (1878–80) was concluded under which British government?
a) Conservative (Disraeli)
b) Liberal (Gladstone)
c) Labour
d) Coalition
Answer: b) Liberal (Gladstone)
Explanation: Gladstone’s Liberal ministry (1880) adopted a Backward Policy → withdrawal from Afghanistan.
40. Which treaty formally ended the Second Anglo-Afghan War?
a) Treaty of Gandamak (1879)
b) Treaty of Rawalpindi (1880)
c) Treaty of Lahore (1880)
d) Treaty of Kabul (1880)
Answer: b) Treaty of Rawalpindi (1880)
Explanation: Signed in August 1880 → recognized Abdur Rahman as Amir, with Britain controlling foreign policy.
41. What policy was followed by Britain after the Second Anglo-Afghan War?
a) Forward Policy
b) Backward Policy
c) Doctrine of Lapse
d) Dual Control
Answer: b) Backward Policy
Explanation: Britain abandoned direct interference → left Afghans to manage internal affairs, only controlled foreign relations.
42. Which of the following was a direct consequence of the Second Anglo-Afghan War?
a) Annexation of Afghanistan
b) Establishment of British Resident at Kabul
c) Afghanistan became a buffer state
d) Fall of Abdur Rahman
Answer: c) Afghanistan became a buffer state
Explanation: Britain ensured Afghanistan served as a buffer between Russian Central Asia and British India.
43. Who was the Afghan commander at the victorious Battle of Maiwand?
a) Dost Mohammad
b) Ayub Khan
c) Abdur Rahman
d) Yakub Khan
Answer: b) Ayub Khan
Explanation: Ayub Khan inflicted one of the worst defeats on the British.
44. The Treaty of Gandamak was signed in:
a) 1839
b) 1842
c) 1879
d) 1880
Answer: c) 1879
Explanation: Treaty of Gandamak signed between Yakub Khan and Lord Lytton’s government.
45. Who was called the “Iron Amir” of Afghanistan?
a) Abdur Rahman Khan
b) Yakub Khan
c) Sher Ali
d) Dost Mohammad
Answer: a) Abdur Rahman Khan
Explanation: Abdur Rahman (1880–1901) earned the title for his authoritarian rule after being installed with British support.
46. Which British policy failed during the Second Anglo-Afghan War?
a) Doctrine of Lapse
b) Forward Policy
c) Divide and Rule
d) Permanent Settlement
Answer: b) Forward Policy
Explanation: Lord Lytton’s Forward Policy provoked Afghan resistance and had to be abandoned later.
47. The Second Anglo-Afghan War took place during which global rivalry?
a) Cold War
b) Great Game
c) Napoleonic Wars
d) Boer War
Answer: b) Great Game
Explanation: It was part of the Great Game between Britain and Russia for control of Central Asia.
48. In which year did Sher Ali die during the Second Anglo-Afghan War?
a) 1878
b) 1879
c) 1880
d) 1881
Answer: a) 1878
Explanation: Sher Ali died in 1878, Yakub Khan succeeded him.
49. Which British officer’s death at Kabul in 1879 shocked Britain?
a) Sir Louis Cavagnari
b) William Brydon
c) General Roberts
d) Charles Metcalfe
Answer: a) Sir Louis Cavagnari
Explanation: His murder resumed hostilities in the second phase of the war.
50. Which one of the following pairs is correctly matched?
a) 1839 – Treaty of Gandamak
b) 1842 – Treaty of Rawalpindi
c) 1879 – Treaty of Gandamak
d) 1880 – Treaty of Lahore
Answer: c) 1879 – Treaty of Gandamak
Explanation: The Treaty of Gandamak was signed in 1879 after the first phase of the Second Anglo-Afghan War.
51. The Third Anglo-Afghan War began in:
a) 1914
b) 1916
c) 1919
d) 1921
Answer: c) 1919
Explanation: After World War I, Amanullah Khan launched attacks into British India in May 1919, starting the Third Anglo-Afghan War.
52. Who was the Afghan ruler during the Third Anglo-Afghan War?
a) Abdur Rahman Khan
b) Habibullah Khan
c) Amanullah Khan
d) Yakub Khan
Answer: c) Amanullah Khan
Explanation: Amanullah Khan became Amir in 1919 after his father Habibullah was assassinated, and he declared independence.
53. The Third Anglo-Afghan War was also known as:
a) Afghan Liberation War
b) Great Game War
c) British Buffer War
d) Anglo-Sikh-Afghan War
Answer: a) Afghan Liberation War
Explanation: It is often called Afghanistan’s War of Independence against Britain.
54. What was the immediate cause of the Third Anglo-Afghan War?
a) Russian intervention in Afghanistan
b) Assassination of Habibullah Khan
c) British refusal of trade rights
d) Rising anti-British sentiment in India
Answer: b) Assassination of Habibullah Khan
Explanation: After Habibullah’s death in 1919, his son Amanullah declared war on Britain to secure Afghan independence.
55. Which British Governor-General was in office during the Third Anglo-Afghan War?
a) Lord Lytton
b) Lord Chelmsford
c) Lord Irwin
d) Lord Reading
Answer: b) Lord Chelmsford
Explanation: The war occurred in 1919, during Chelmsford’s tenure (1916–1921).
56. Which Indian province bore the brunt of Afghan attacks in 1919?
a) Punjab
b) Sindh
c) North-West Frontier Province
d) Baluchistan
Answer: c) North-West Frontier Province
Explanation: The fighting took place mainly along the NWFP frontier.
57. Which treaty ended the Third Anglo-Afghan War (1919)?
a) Treaty of Gandamak
b) Treaty of Rawalpindi
c) Treaty of Kabul
d) Treaty of Lahore
Answer: b) Treaty of Rawalpindi
Explanation: Signed on 8 August 1919, granting Afghanistan control over its foreign affairs.
58. Which country first recognized Afghanistan’s independence after 1919?
a) Russia (Soviet Union)
b) USA
c) Turkey
d) Britain
Answer: a) Russia (Soviet Union)
Explanation: Soviet Russia quickly recognized Afghan independence to counter British influence.
59. What was the outcome of the Third Anglo-Afghan War?
a) British annexed Afghanistan
b) Afghanistan gained complete independence
c) British gained Kandahar
d) Afghans lost foreign policy control
Answer: b) Afghanistan gained complete independence
Explanation: The Treaty of Rawalpindi recognized Afghanistan’s right to conduct its own foreign policy.
60. Who signed the Treaty of Rawalpindi on behalf of Afghanistan?
a) Habibullah Khan
b) Amanullah Khan
c) Yakub Khan
d) Abdur Rahman Khan
Answer: b) Amanullah Khan
Explanation: As Amir, Amanullah signed and secured Afghan independence.
61. Which Indian nationalist leader welcomed Afghan independence in 1919?
a) Mahatma Gandhi
b) Bal Gangadhar Tilak
c) Maulana Abul Kalam Azad
d) Mahmud Hasan (Deoband)
Answer: d) Mahmud Hasan (Deoband)
Explanation: He and other Indian Muslims admired Afghanistan’s defiance of Britain.
62. Which Afghan ruler is called the “Founder of Modern Afghanistan”?
a) Abdur Rahman
b) Amanullah Khan
c) Dost Mohammad
d) Sher Ali
Answer: b) Amanullah Khan
Explanation: Amanullah introduced reforms after gaining independence in 1919.
63. Which global event weakened Britain and encouraged Afghanistan to fight in 1919?
a) Russian Revolution
b) World War I
c) Boer War
d) American Civil War
Answer: b) World War I
Explanation: Britain was exhausted after WWI, creating an opportunity for Amanullah.
64. The Third Anglo-Afghan War lasted for about:
a) 3 months
b) 1 year
c) 2 years
d) 5 years
Answer: a) 3 months
Explanation: It lasted from May to August 1919.
65. Which Afghan leader sought alliance with Soviet Russia after 1919?
a) Habibullah Khan
b) Abdur Rahman Khan
c) Amanullah Khan
d) Yakub Khan
Answer: c) Amanullah Khan
Explanation: He established ties with Soviet Russia to balance British influence.
66. The Third Anglo-Afghan War is considered significant because:
a) It ended the Great Game
b) It gave Afghanistan full sovereignty
c) It led to India’s independence
d) It made Afghanistan a British colony
Answer: b) It gave Afghanistan full sovereignty
Explanation: Afghanistan gained independence in foreign policy matters.
67. The Treaty of Rawalpindi was revised by the Treaty of:
a) Delhi (1921)
b) Kabul (1920)
c) Simla (1922)
d) Karachi (1923)
Answer: a) Delhi (1921)
Explanation: The Treaty of Delhi further recognized Afghan independence and improved trade relations.
68. Which Afghan ruler declared himself King after independence?
a) Abdur Rahman
b) Amanullah Khan
c) Yakub Khan
d) Sher Ali
Answer: b) Amanullah Khan
Explanation: In 1926, Amanullah changed his title from Amir to King.
69. What was Britain’s main aim in Afghanistan after 1919?
a) Annexation
b) Make it a buffer state
c) Spread Christianity
d) Exploit resources
Answer: b) Make it a buffer state
Explanation: Afghanistan was to act as a neutral zone between Soviet Russia and British India.
70. Who succeeded Amanullah Khan after his abdication in 1929?
a) Habibullah Kalakani (Bacha-i-Saqao)
b) Nadir Shah
c) Zahir Shah
d) Yakub Khan
Answer: a) Habibullah Kalakani (Bacha-i-Saqao)
Explanation: After Amanullah’s abdication, Kalakani briefly seized power.
71. Which Afghan king ruled from 1933 to 1973, the longest in modern Afghan history?
a) Zahir Shah
b) Amanullah Khan
c) Abdur Rahman
d) Sher Ali
Answer: a) Zahir Shah
Explanation: Zahir Shah reigned for 40 years (1933–1973).
72. Which movement in India was influenced by Afghanistan’s independence in 1919?
a) Civil Disobedience Movement
b) Non-Cooperation Movement
c) Quit India Movement
d) Swadeshi Movement
Answer: b) Non-Cooperation Movement
Explanation: The success of Afghans inspired Indian nationalists before the launch of Non-Cooperation (1920).
73. Who mediated between Britain and Afghanistan during peace talks of 1919?
a) Russia
b) Turkey
c) USA
d) Persia (Iran)
Answer: d) Persia (Iran)
Explanation: Persian mediation helped conclude the Treaty of Rawalpindi.
74. Which British official signed the Treaty of Rawalpindi (1919)?
a) Lord Chelmsford
b) Sir Hamilton Grant
c) Lord Irwin
d) Sir John Simon
Answer: b) Sir Hamilton Grant
Explanation: He represented Britain during the treaty negotiations.
75. What was the most important result of the Third Anglo-Afghan War?
a) British annexation of Kandahar
b) Soviet control over Afghanistan
c) End of British control over Afghan foreign affairs
d) Expansion of British India into Kabul
Answer: c) End of British control over Afghan foreign affairs
Explanation: The war ended with Afghanistan becoming a fully independent state.
76. Which treaty formally confirmed Afghanistan’s independence after the Third Anglo-Afghan War?
a) Treaty of Gandamak
b) Treaty of Delhi (1921)
c) Treaty of Rawalpindi (1919)
d) Treaty of Lahore
Answer: b) Treaty of Delhi (1921)
Explanation: While Rawalpindi ended the war, the Treaty of Delhi (1921) reaffirmed Afghan independence and established diplomatic relations.
77. Which global power was Britain most concerned about while dealing with Afghanistan?
a) France
b) Russia (later Soviet Union)
c) Ottoman Empire
d) China
Answer: b) Russia (later Soviet Union)
Explanation: Afghanistan was central to the Great Game between Britain and Russia.
78. Who was the Afghan ruler when the Treaty of Delhi (1921) was signed?
a) Amanullah Khan
b) Abdur Rahman
c) Yakub Khan
d) Zahir Shah
Answer: a) Amanullah Khan
Explanation: Amanullah, after winning independence, signed the treaty to normalize relations with Britain.
79. The Treaty of Delhi (1921) was signed between Britain and Afghanistan during the tenure of:
a) Lord Lytton
b) Lord Reading
c) Lord Chelmsford
d) Lord Irwin
Answer: b) Lord Reading
Explanation: The treaty was signed in 1921 under Viceroy Lord Reading.
80. The “Great Game” was mainly played between:
a) Britain and France
b) Britain and Russia
c) Russia and Persia
d) Britain and Ottoman Empire
Answer: b) Britain and Russia
Explanation: It referred to strategic rivalry in Central Asia, with Afghanistan as the buffer state.
81. Afghanistan became fully independent in:
a) 1842
b) 1880
c) 1919
d) 1921
Answer: c) 1919
Explanation: Independence was achieved after the Third Anglo-Afghan War (1919).
82. Which Afghan ruler introduced radical social reforms after independence?
a) Abdur Rahman
b) Amanullah Khan
c) Sher Ali
d) Zahir Shah
Answer: b) Amanullah Khan
Explanation: He modernized education, women’s rights, and administration, but faced resistance.
83. Why did the British consider Afghanistan important in the 19th century?
a) Religious significance
b) Trade routes to Europe
c) Strategic buffer between India and Russia
d) Natural resources
Answer: c) Strategic buffer between India and Russia
Explanation: Afghanistan served as a buffer state in the Great Game.
84. Which of the following was a result of the Anglo-Afghan Wars?
a) British annexation of Afghanistan
b) Establishment of Afghanistan as a buffer state
c) British permanent garrison at Kabul
d) Integration with British India
Answer: b) Establishment of Afghanistan as a buffer state
Explanation: Britain never annexed Afghanistan, instead kept it as a neutral buffer.
85. Which Afghan ruler was nicknamed the “Iron Amir”?
a) Abdur Rahman Khan
b) Amanullah Khan
c) Dost Mohammad
d) Yakub Khan
Answer: a) Abdur Rahman Khan
Explanation: He ruled with strict control (1880–1901), consolidating Afghanistan after the Second Anglo-Afghan War.
86. The massacre of a British envoy in Kabul occurred during which Anglo-Afghan War?
a) First (1838–42)
b) Second (1878–80)
c) Third (1919)
d) None
Answer: b) Second (1878–80)
Explanation: Sir Louis Cavagnari was killed in Kabul in 1879.
87. Which Anglo-Afghan War ended in complete disaster for the British?
a) First
b) Second
c) Third
d) None
Answer: a) First
Explanation: The retreat from Kabul (1842) nearly annihilated the British force.
88. Which Afghan ruler signed the Treaty of Gandamak (1879)?
a) Abdur Rahman
b) Yakub Khan
c) Amanullah Khan
d) Sher Ali
Answer: b) Yakub Khan
Explanation: He ceded control of Afghan foreign affairs to Britain.
89. The famous “March to Kandahar” (1880) was led by:
a) General Pollock
b) General Roberts
c) General Nott
d) General Elphinstone
Answer: b) General Roberts
Explanation: He marched from Kabul to Kandahar to defeat Ayub Khan.
90. Which Anglo-Afghan War coincided with World War I aftermath?
a) First
b) Second
c) Third
d) None
Answer: c) Third
Explanation: The Third Anglo-Afghan War broke out in 1919 after WWI.
91. Which battle (1880) was a major Afghan victory against the British?
a) Battle of Ghazni
b) Battle of Jalalabad
c) Battle of Maiwand
d) Battle of Kandahar
Answer: c) Battle of Maiwand
Explanation: Ayub Khan defeated the British at Maiwand during the Second Anglo-Afghan War.
92. The Kabul uprising of 1841 led to the death of:
a) Lord Auckland
b) Sir Alexander Burnes
c) Lord Ellenborough
d) Lord Dalhousie
Answer: b) Sir Alexander Burnes
Explanation: He was assassinated by Afghan rebels during the First Anglo-Afghan War.
93. The Anglo-Afghan Wars highlight Britain’s:
a) Commercial ambitions in Persia
b) Strategic concerns over Russian expansion
c) Religious interest in Kabul
d) Desire to annex Central Asia
Answer: b) Strategic concerns over Russian expansion
Explanation: The wars were part of the Great Game to prevent Russia from reaching India.
94. Which Afghan ruler reigned when Afghanistan was declared a kingdom (1926)?
a) Abdur Rahman
b) Zahir Shah
c) Amanullah Khan
d) Yakub Khan
Answer: c) Amanullah Khan
Explanation: He changed his title from Amir to King in 1926.
95. Which Anglo-Afghan War lasted the shortest time?
a) First
b) Second
c) Third
d) None
Answer: c) Third
Explanation: The Third Anglo-Afghan War lasted about 3 months (May–August 1919).
96. The failure of British policy in Afghanistan is often seen as a failure of:
a) Subsidiary Alliance
b) Forward Policy
c) Doctrine of Lapse
d) Divide and Rule
Answer: b) Forward Policy
Explanation: Aggressive Forward Policy provoked Afghan resistance.
97. Afghanistan was considered vital to British India’s defense because:
a) It controlled the Himalayan passes
b) It was rich in resources
c) It was allied with France
d) It controlled Indian Ocean trade
Answer: a) It controlled the Himalayan passes
Explanation: The passes through Afghanistan were key invasion routes into India.
98. Who was the British Viceroy during the Second Anglo-Afghan War?
a) Lord Lytton
b) Lord Ripon
c) Lord Curzon
d) Lord Elgin
Answer: a) Lord Lytton
Explanation: He followed Forward Policy and led the war of 1878–80.
99. Which of the following correctly pairs Anglo-Afghan War with its outcome?
a) First – Treaty of Rawalpindi
b) Second – Treaty of Gandamak
c) Third – Treaty of Delhi
d) Second – Treaty of Lahore
Answer: b) Second – Treaty of Gandamak
Explanation: The 1879 Treaty of Gandamak ended the first phase of the Second Anglo-Afghan War.
100. The Anglo-Afghan Wars taught the British that Afghanistan:
a) Could be annexed like Punjab
b) Was impossible to permanently control
c) Was economically useless
d) Was loyal to Britain
Answer: b) Was impossible to permanently control
Explanation: Despite three wars, Britain never annexed Afghanistan, instead kept it as a buffer state.