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Indonesia's Colonial Past Trivia Quiz

I made this quiz out of curiosity to see what average non-Indonesians and non-Dutch nationals know about a crucial part of the past of Indonesia. I think it is rather easy, but who knows...

A multiple-choice quiz by Oblomov. Estimated time: 4 mins.

Author
Oblomov

Time
4 mins

Type
Multiple Choice

Quiz #
121,000

Updated
Dec 03 21

# Qns
10

Difficulty
Average

Avg Score
6 / 10

Plays
1381

One at a Time - Single Page - Timed Game

Question 1 of 10

1. Which Europeans were the first to set a foot in Indonesia? Hint

Spaniards

English

Portuguese

Dutch

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Question 2 of 10

2. Which part of Indonesia were those earlier European conquerors most interested in? Hint

Sumatra

Moluccas

Eastern Java

Bali

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Question 3 of 10

3. In the beginning of the 17th century the Dutch founded a settlement on the north-western coast of Java. Which name did they give to this rapidly expanding township? Hint

Surabaya

Batavia

Buitenzorg

New-Holland

4. As in nearly all colonial empires, besides direct Dutch rule there was also an indirect rule by means of local indigenous potentates, sultans, or lords of lesser rank. What was the most important sultanate of the whole of Indonesia? Hint

Pontianak

Atjeh (Aceh)

Surakarta

Jogyakarta

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Question 5 of 10

5. At the end of the 18th century the Dutch possessions in Indonesia were taken over by the Dutch state from another institution. Which was that institution, to which those - already quite extended - possessions had hitherto belonged? Hint

the Dutch Reformed Church

the Stadtholderate of the Netherlands

Verenigde Oost-Indische Compagnie

Holland, the most important province of the Netherlands

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Question 6 of 10

6. The year 1825 saw quite dangerous revolt of a prince of a sultanate on Java, which took the Dutch five years to suppress (and during which a Dutch general shamelessly broke his word of honour that he had given to the prince). What was the name of that prince, later on -not quite rightly - regarded as a forerunner of Indonesian independence? Hint

Dipo Negoro

Mojopahit

Sukarno

Ratu Adil

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Question 7 of 10

7. At the end of the 19th century not all territories, now forming independent Indonesia, were under Dutch control yet. One principality, whose inhabitants were devout Muslims, resisted fiercely the Dutch intrusion. The result was a bitter war, which lasted for decades. Which part of Indonesia are we talking about? Hint

Jogyakarta

Atjeh

West Irian (West Papua)

Minahassa

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Question 8 of 10

8. Around 1925 a young nationalist began his first political actions against colonial rule; his daughter would one day, much later of course, become a president of Indonesia. What was his name? Hint

Sukarno

Amir Sharifuddin

Mohammed Hatta

Sutan Sharir

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Question 9 of 10

9. After the war the Dutch were not willing to recognize the Indonesian republic without further ado. From 1946 onwards there was a sort of half-war between Republican and Dutch troops, which reached its climax at the end of 1948. What was this climax about? Hint

The Dutch army was beaten, like the French at Dien-Bien-Phu

The Dutch took all important cities of Indonesia and took Sukarno prisoner

The military struggle ended in a draw

The Dutch Army withdrew, fearing an armed Chinese intervention

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Question 10 of 10

10. After the recognition of Indonesian independence by the Netherlands a part of present Indonesia remained under the Dutch rule for more than a decade. Which part was that? Hint

The Moluccas

Bonaire

Aceh

West Irian

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Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts

1. Which Europeans were the first to set a foot in Indonesia?

Answer: Portuguese

A tiny part of Indonesia, East Timor, never fell to the Dutch, but remained in the possession of Portugal well into the second half of the 20th century.

2. Which part of Indonesia were those earlier European conquerors most interested in?

Answer: Moluccas

What the Portuguese and the Dutch were primarily after, in this first stage of the colonization, were condiments like nutmeg, much asked for in Europe at that time.

3. In the beginning of the 17th century the Dutch founded a settlement on the north-western coast of Java. Which name did they give to this rapidly expanding township?

Answer: Batavia

The new town was founded on the ruins of a Javanese town called Jacatra, or Jakarta (hence the name of the present capital of Indonesia).

Answer: Jogyakarta

Pontianak was a sultanate on Dutch Borneo (now: Kalimantan), Atjeh (now Aceh) in the North of Sumatra. Surakarta is, like Jogyakarta, a sultanate on Java. The two last sultanates are not that old: they were formed in the 18th century out of the sultanate of Mataram under Dutch pressure, who felt comfortable by dividing this kingdom ("divide et impera!").

Answer: Verenigde Oost-Indische Compagnie

In fact the same happened as in the case of the British East India Company, which was dissolved and whose possessions were handed over to the British State - albeit half a century later.

Answer: Dipo Negoro

Dipo Negoro regarded himself as the incarnation of the Ratu Adil, the legendary "just king", who would free the people from the foreign yoke.
Mojopahit was a Hindu kingdom on Java in the 14th century. Sukarno was the first president of modern Indonesia.

Answer: Atjeh

In the end, around the year 1905, the Atjehers had to give up. But sporadic disturbances never disappeared. Nowadays the Indonesian government has the same problem at hand as the Dutch general van Heutsz, who subdued Atjeh (and for the same reasons, as the Indonesian general Nasution much later said), had.

8. Around 1925 a young nationalist began his first political actions against colonial rule; his daughter would one day, much later of course, become a president of Indonesia. What was his name?

Answer: Sukarno

Sukarno (or Soekarno, as he always spelled his name in the Dutch way) was the first president of Indonesia, and his daughter Megawati Sukarnoputri fulfills this function now (2003, with two presidents between them). He can rightly be described as the founder of modern Indonesia.

Answer: The Dutch took all important cities of Indonesia and took Sukarno prisoner

From a pure military viewpoint, it was nearly a total victory. From a political viewpoint, it was a dramatic defeat. The UN (and not in the least the USA) soon co-erced the Dutch government to negotiate with the Indonesian leadership (interned by the Dutch!), which finally resulted in the granting of independence to Indonesia the following year.

10. After the recognition of Indonesian independence by the Netherlands a part of present Indonesia remained under the Dutch rule for more than a decade. Which part was that?

Answer: West Irian

Between 1949-1961 the Dutch government tried to prepare the inhabitants of West Irian (ethnically different from the Indonesians, and much more akin to the inhabitans of Papua on the eastern part of the island) for independence. This was a justifiable intention in itself, but in view of the treaty with the Indonesians and the intentions of Sukarno formally and politically untenable.

There is a "Free Papua" movement, and sporadic fighting, but the chances for independence or union with (Eastern) Papua are very slim, to put it mildly.

Source: Author Oblomov

This quiz was reviewed by FunTrivia editor Beatka before going online.
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