Humanities CLEP Prep Practice Exam

Who annexed India to the British Empire in 1858?

1. Queen Victoria

2. Charles Cornwallis

3. Edmund Burke

4. Robert Clive

The correct answer is: Robert Clive

In 1858, India was annexed to the British Empire by Robert Clive, not by Queen Victoria, Charles Cornwallis, or Edmund Burke. Queen Victoria was Queen of England, but she did not personally annex India. Charles Cornwallis was a British military officer and colonial administrator, who was involved in the American Revolutionary War, but he did not annex India. Edmund Burke was an Irish statesman and philosopher, but he was not involved in the annexation of India. Robert Clive, also known as "Clive of India," was a British officer and administrator who played a crucial role in establishing British rule in India and ultimately annexed it to the British Empire. Therefore, the correct answer is D.