A. Multiple Choice Questions (MCQs):
- Farman was a
✅ Correct answer: c. royal order
🔍 Explanation: A Farman was a royal decree or order issued by a sovereign in Mughal India.
- _____ was not a trading company.
✅ Correct answer: c. Japanese
🔍 Explanation: The Dutch, French, and Portuguese all had trading companies involved in India, but Japan did not establish any such trading company during the colonial period.
- The Nawab of Bengal after Alivardi Khan was
✅ Correct answer: c. Sirajuddaulah
🔍 Explanation: After the death of Alivardi Khan in 1756, his grandson Sirajuddaulah became the Nawab of Bengal.
- The Governor-General who introduced the policy of ‘paramountcy’
✅ Correct answer: c. Lord Hastings
🔍 Explanation: The policy of paramountcy, which asserted British authority as supreme over Indian princely states, was introduced by Lord Hastings in the early 19th century.
- The Governor-General who was impeached
✅ Correct answer: d. Warren Hastings
🔍 Explanation: Warren Hastings, the first Governor-General of India, was impeached by the British Parliament in 1787 on charges of corruption and misconduct. Though the trial lasted seven years, he was ultimately acquitted.
B. Gap Filling:
1. Mercantilism
2. Vasco da Gama, Cape of Good Hope
3. Pondicherry, Chandernagore,
Karikal
4. Siraj-ud-daulah
5. Doctrine of Lapse
6. Dowry, Charles II
7. Battle of Buxar, defeated
8. Subsidiary Alliance
9. Marquess Wellesley
10. William Hawkins, Jahangir
C. Match the Following:
1. Regulating Act, 1773 – b. Supreme Court at Calcutta
2. Sepoy – a. Subedar
3. Lord Wellesley – e. Subsidiary Alliance
4. Lord Cornwallis – c. Father of Indian Civil Administration
5. Charles Napier – d. Annexation of Sind
D. True or False:
1. The Maratha power was crushed in the third Anglo-Maratha war. – True
2. The British established a new system of justice by establishing High Courts in Calcutta, Bombay and Madras. – True
3. Robert Clive introduced the dual system of government in Bengal. – True
4. After the defeat of Nawab Siraj-ud-daulah in the Battle of Plassey, Mir Qasim was put on the throne. – False
5. Lord Dalhousie’s ‘Doctrine of Lapse’ proved to be a total failure. – False
E. Short Answer Type Questions:
- 1. How was the Battle of Buxar concluded?
The Battle of Buxar concluded with the Treaty of Allahabad. It granted the Diwani Rights to the East India Company, allowing them to collect revenue from Bengal, Bihar, and Orissa. This boosted British political and financial power in India.
- 2. Define mercantilism. How was it beneficial for the European trading companies?
Mercantilism was an economic theory where a nation’s strength depended on its wealth. It promoted large-scale production, export, and accumulation of precious metals. For European trading companies, it meant buying raw materials cheap from colonies like India and selling them in Europe at high prices.
- 3. Why did the European trading companies want to establish trading alliances with India?
India was famous for its wealth, spices, textiles, and raw materials. During mercantilism, European powers sought trading alliances with India to obtain goods at low prices for profitable resale in Europe.
- 4. Why did the Battle of Plassey become famous?
The Battle of Plassey (1757) became famous as it marked the beginning of British political rule in India. Robert Clive led the British to victory against Nawab Siraj-ud-daulah, aided by betrayal from Mir Jafar.
- 5. Why did the tension between the Nawab of Bengal Siraj-ud-daulah and the English East India Company escalate?
Tensions escalated as Siraj-ud-daulah opposed the Company’s unauthorized fortifications in Calcutta and suspected them of conspiring with rivals. He also refused to grant further trade privileges, which provoked conflict.
F. Long Answer Type Questions:
1. With what objective did Lord Dalhousie design the Doctrine of Lapse? What was the outcome of such a policy?
Lord Dalhousie designed the Doctrine of Lapse to expand British territories by annexing Indian princely states that did not have a natural heir. Under this policy, such states were denied the right to adopt an heir. As a result, several states including Satara, Jhansi, and Nagpur were annexed, which created widespread resentment among Indian rulers and people.
2. ‘The system of Subsidiary Alliance was meant to create dependable and dependent Indian rulers.’ Explain.
The Subsidiary Alliance was introduced by Lord Wellesley to bring Indian states under British control without direct conquest. States that accepted the alliance had to maintain British troops at their own expense and could not make any alliances without British approval. Though rulers retained their titles, they lost real power, making them dependent on British authority.
3. Discuss the three Anglo-Maratha wars as well as their consequences in detail.
• First Anglo-Maratha War (1775–1782): Fought over succession disputes in the Maratha Empire. Ended with the Treaty of Salbai, which restored status quo.
• Second Anglo-Maratha War (1803–1805): Triggered when Scindias and Bhonsles opposed the Subsidiary Alliance. British victory led to the loss of major territories by Marathas.
• Third Anglo-Maratha War (1817–1818): Peshwa Baji Rao II attacked the British Residency. Resulted in decisive British victory and the end of Maratha Confederacy, with Peshwa dethroned.
4. Write a note on Tipu Sultan ‘The Tiger of Mysore’.
Tipu Sultan ruled Mysore from 1782 and was a fierce opponent of British expansion. He modernized his army and allied with the French. Tipu fought four Anglo-Mysore wars and died defending his capital in 1799. He was known for his bravery—once fighting and killing a tiger with his bare hands—earning the title “Tiger of Mysore”.
5. Give an account of the Battle of Plassey.
The Battle of Plassey was fought in 1757 between the East India Company led by Robert Clive and the Nawab of Bengal, Siraj-ud-daulah. The British conspired with Mir Jafar, who betrayed the Nawab. The British won the battle, marking the beginning of British political dominance in India.
G. Distinguish Between:
1. Collector and District Superintendent
• Collector: Chief revenue officer of a district responsible for land revenue collection and administration.
• District Superintendent: Head of the district police responsible for law and order and criminal investigations.
2. Doctrine of Lapse and Subsidiary Alliance
• Doctrine of Lapse: Introduced by Lord Dalhousie, allowed the British to annex states without a natural heir.
• Subsidiary Alliance: Introduced by Lord Wellesley, required Indian rulers to maintain British troops and follow British foreign policy.
H. Give Reasons:
1. The British needed a large Army.
The British needed a large army to control vast Indian territories, suppress revolts, protect trade interests, and defend against rival European powers.
2. The Subsidiary Alliance was initiated by Lord Wellesley.
Lord Wellesley introduced the Subsidiary Alliance to expand British influence without warfare. Indian rulers accepted British troops and control in return for protection.
3. The English East India Company and the French East India Company were always at war with each other.
Both companies competed for commercial and territorial dominance in India. This led to multiple conflicts including the Carnatic Wars between 1744 and 1763.