Lesson 4

4 The Hundred Flowers campaign, 1956–57 Quiz: Pearson Edexcel History, Unit 16

20 questions

Written by Revision Ninja · Last reviewed 11 October 2026

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Lesson 4, The Hundred Flowers campaign, 1956–57: 20 multiple choice questions for the Pearson Edexcel GCSE History (1HI0), Unit 16: Mao’s China, 1945–76, written with Revision Ninja.

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The 20 questions

  1. Who was invited to criticise communist rule during the Hundred Flowers campaign?

    • Intellectuals
    • Peasants
    • Industrial workers
    • Army generals

  2. What famous slogan was used to launch the Hundred Flowers campaign?

    • Sweep away all monsters
    • Power grows from barrels
    • Let a hundred flowers bloom
    • Serve the people well

  3. Why did Mao initially launch the Hundred Flowers campaign?

    • Abolish collective farms
    • Promote capitalist trade
    • Identify party problems
    • Prepare for war

  4. Which purge targeted people who criticised the party too openly in 1957?

    • White Terror
    • Anti-Rightist purge
    • Cultural Revolution
    • Great Leap Forward

  5. What label was given to critics of the CCP during the 1957 purge?

    • Rightists
    • Kulaks
    • Capitalists
    • Revisionists

  6. What campaign did Mao launch in response to severe criticism in 1957?

    • Anti-Rightist campaign
    • Socialist Education
    • Red Guard
    • Four Olds

  7. Which social group was primarily targeted to speak out in 1956?

    • Educated elites
    • Party cadres
    • Factory labourers
    • Poor peasants

  8. What was a common complaint made by critics during the Hundred Flowers campaign?

    • Party bureaucracy
    • Low military spending
    • Excessive religious freedom
    • Too much democracy

  9. What happened to critical intellectuals after the Hundred Flowers campaign ended?

    • Exiled to Taiwan
    • Promoted to party roles
    • Sent to labour camps
    • Given cash rewards

  10. What term do historians use for Mao drawing out critics during 1957?

    • A mistake
    • A compromise
    • An accident
    • A trap

  11. What was the government response to student political protests in 1957?

    • Suppression and arrests
    • Immediate promotion
    • Cabinet reshuffle
    • Constitutional reform

  12. Which group was primarily targeted during the Anti-Rightist purge?

    • Intellectuals and writers
    • Army generals
    • Industrial workers
    • Poor peasants

  13. What did the floral metaphor in the Hundred Flowers campaign suggest?

    • Crop harvesting
    • Military victory
    • Forced labour
    • Open debate

  14. What did the punishment of wall-poster critics in 1957 demonstrate?

    • Total freedom
    • Economic collapse
    • Limits of criticism
    • Foreign influence

  15. How did Mao view critics after the Hundred Flowers campaign?

    • As hostile enemies
    • Future leaders
    • Neutral observers
    • Loyal advisors

  16. Why was the outcome of speaking out in 1957 unpredictable?

    • Rules changed quickly
    • Censorship ended
    • Laws were published
    • Elections were held

  17. What was the long-term impact of the 1957 reversal on intellectuals?

    • Political apathy
    • Deep distrust
    • Blind loyalty
    • Complete silence

  18. Which phrase best describes the Hundred Flowers campaign?

    • Economic success
    • Military strategy
    • Trap for critics
    • Democratic reform

  19. What wider aim did the Hundred Flowers campaign serve for Mao?

    • Identifying opposition
    • Ending famine
    • Boosting grain
    • Expanding borders

  20. Why did many intellectuals hesitate to speak out initially in 1956?

    • Lack of interest
    • Poor education
    • Fear of punishment
    • Official bans

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