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From Trade to Territory The Company Establishes Power Questions and Answers AP 8th Class Social History 2nd Lesson
Question 1.
Match the following:
| Diwani | Tipu Sultan |
| “Tiger of Mysore” | Right to collect land revenue |
| Faujdari adalat | Sepoy |
| Rani Channamma | Criminal court |
| Sipahi | Led an anti-British movement in Kitoor |
Answer:
| Diwani | Right to collect land revenue |
| “Tiger of Mysore” | Tipu Sultan |
| Faujdari adalat | Criminal court |
| Rani Channamma | Led an anti-British movement in Kitoor |
| Sipahi | Sepoy |
Question 2.
Fill in the blanks:
a) The British conquest of Bengal began with the Battle of ……..
b) Haider All and Tipu Sultan were the rulers of …………
c) Dalhousie implemented the Doctrine of …………
d) Maratha kingdoms were located mainly in the part of ………… India.
Answer:
a) Plassey
b) Mysore
c) Lapse
d) Western
Question 3.
State whether true or false:
a) The Mughal empire became stronger in the eighteenth century.
b) The English East India Company was the only European company that traded with India.
c) Maharaja Ranjit Singh was the ruler of Punjab.
d) The British did not introduce administrative changes in the territories they conquered.
Answer:
a) False
b) False
c) True
d) False
LET’S DISCUSS
Question 4.
What attracted European trading companies to India?
Answer:
- The fine qualities of cotton and silk produced in India had a big market in Europe.
- Pepper, cloves, cardamom and cinnamon too were in great demand.
These attracted European trading companies to India.
Question 5.
What were the areas of conflict between the Bengal nawabs and the East India Company?
Answer:
1. The Mughals granted many concessions till the death of Aurangazeb.
2. The Company tried continuously to press for more concessions and manipulate existing privileges.
3. Aurangzeb’s farman had granted only the Company the right to trade duty free. But officials of the Company were expected to pay duty. This they refused to pay, causing an enormous loss of revenue for Bengal.
4. After the death of Aurangzeb, the Bengal nawabs asserted their power and autonomy, as other regional powers were doing at that time.
5. They refused to grant the Company concessions, demanded large tributes for the Company’s right to trade, denied it any right to mint coins, and stopped it from , extending its fortifications.
6. Accusing the Company of deceit, they claimed that the Company was depriving ‘ the Bengal government of huge amounts of revenue and undermining the authority of the nawab. It was refusing to pay taxes, writing disrespectful letters, and trying to humiliate the nawab and his officials.
7. The Company on its part declared that the unjust demands of the local officials were ruining the trade of the Company, and trade could flourish only if the duties were removed.
8. It was also convinced that to expand trade it had to enlarge its settlements, buy up villages, and rebuild its forts. Thus the conflicts led to confrontations between the Bengal nawabs and the East India Company.
Question 6.
How did the assumption of Diwani benefit the East India Company?
Answer:
- In 1765 the Mughal emperor appointed the Company as the Diwan of the provinces of Bengal.
- The Diwani allowed the Company to use the vast revenue resources of Bengal. This solved a major problem that the Company had earlier faced.
- This made the British East India Company more profitable and created monopoly in the Market.
- The company revenues were used for the expansion of their business and
fortifications instead of welfare of the local people. - The company gained much influence in the local politics and used this influence to expand their business and strengthen their power.
Question 7.
Explain the system of “subsidiary alliance”.
Answer:
- After the Battle of Buxaur, through the Residents, the Company officials began interfering in the internal affairs of Indian states.
- They tried to decide who was to be the successor to the throne, and who was to be appointed in administrative posts.
- Sometimes the Company forced the states into a “subsidiary alliance”.
According to the terms of this alliance, Indian rulers were not allowed to have their independent armed forces. - They were to be protected by the Company, but had to pay for the “subsidiary forces” that the Company was supposed to maintain for the purpose of this protection.
- If the Indian rulers failed to make the payment, then part of their territory was taken away as penalty. This is the system of Subsidiary alliance.
Question 8.
In what way was the administration of the Company different from that of Indian rulers?
Answer:
| Administration of Indian Rulers | Administration of the Company |
| 1. The territories were divided into districts, Paraganas, Tahasils and Villages. | 1. The territories were divided into Presidencies. There were three Presidencies. Bengal, Madras and Bombay. |
| 2. Zamindar was the head of the territory. | 2. Governor was the head of the territory |
| 3. King is the supreme power. | 3. Governor-General is the supreme power. |
| 4. No differences in courts | 4. Civil and Criminal – courts were bifurcated. |
Question 9.
Describe the changes that occurred in the composition of the Company’s army.
Answer:
1. Colonial rule in India brought in some new ideas of administration and reform but its power rested on its military strength.
2. A change occurred in the eighteenth century when Mughal successor states like Awadh and Benaras started recruiting peasants into their armies and training them as professional soldiers.
3. The East India Company adopted the same method when it began recruitment for its own army, which came to be known as the sepoy army.
4. As warfare technology changed from the 1820s, the cavalry requirements of the Company’s army declined and soldiers were armed with muskets and matchlocks.
5. In the early nineteenth century the British began to develop a uniform military culture. Soldiers were increasingly subjected to European-style training, drill and discipline that regulated their life far more than before.
6. Often this created problems since caste and community feelings were ignored in building a force of professional soldiers.
LET’S DO
Question 10.
After the British conquest of Bengal, Calcutta grew from a small village to a big city. Find out about the culture, architecture and the life of Europeans and Indians of the city during the colonial period.
Answer:
- During the colonial period the Indian people led a poor and marginal way of life style while the British led a luxurious life.
- Later Calcutta was developed as a large city with many facilities and luxuries.
- The city became famous for its culture, drama, classical music, theatre and spirituality etc.
Question 11.
Collect pictures, stories, poems and information about any of the following the Rani of Jhansi, Mahadji Sindhia, Haidar Ali, Maharaja Ranjit Singh, Lord Dalhousie or any other contemporary ruler of your region.
Answer:
Rani of Jhansi : Rani Lakshmi Bai of Jhansi was an ideal figure in real sense. She was born on 19 November 1828 in Kashi. Her father’s name was Moropant Tambe and mother’s name was Bhagirathi Bai. Rani Lakshmi Bai was called Manu Bai in childhood. She was married in 1842 to Raja Gangadhar Rao, who was the king of Jhansi from 1838. Gangadhar Rao was already a widower when Lakshmi Bai married him. In 1851, a son was born but died four months later. Gangadhar Rao, the husband of Rani Lakshmi Bai was deeply shocked by this incident and died on 21 November 1853.
During his lifetime, King Gangadhar Rao had informed the English government to consider Damodar Rao, his adopted child as an adopted son, but Lord Dalhousie decline adoption under the doctrine of omission and announced merger of Jhansi into English state. But Rani Lakshmibai did not want to let Jhansi and rebellion take place.
Rani Lakshmi Bai formed an army of women and fought valiantly against the British along with her other warriors. She faced the British forces with her small army and showed great courage and valor in the battlefield. She tied her adopted son Damodar Rao behind her back and started destroying the British army with her sword in which she was badly injured. Her horse could not succeed in crossing a wide rivulet and a British soldier pierced his sword and she was martyred. She had left this world but ignited a war of independence among other Indians.
Mahadaji Shinde : Mahadji Shinde, often known as Scindia, was a courageous and fearless Maratha subedar. In 1730, Mahadji was born. He was the fifth and youngest son of Ranoji Rao Scindia, the Scindia dynasty’s founder. Mahadji fought in about 50 wars between 1745 and 1761, including those in Malwa, Rajputana, Bundelkhand, Brij, Doab, Rohilkhand, Delhi, Kunjpur, and the Battle of Panipat. Mahadji had also fought in Panipat, almost escaping the Maratha army’s rout by a hair’s breadth. He sustained a major leg wound that required him to walk with a limp for the rest of his life.
The Maratha empire had been struck one of the heaviest blows in history with the 3rd Battle of Panipat. Balaji Baji Rao, the Peshwa, was unable to recover from the disaster and died heartbroken in Pune, the city he had so carefully built. From Delhi forward, the Marathas lost all of India’s northern provinces, and the empire incurred massive debts. Thousands of Maratha troops and civilians were killed as Afghan cavalry and pikemen rampaged through Panipat’s streets. The day following the fight, some 40,000 Maratha prisoners were killed in cold blood. Isn’t it a nightmare ?
The Marathas were disintegrating during this time when Haider Ali and the East India Company ruled the south. Madhav Rao Peshwa, Nana Fadnavis, and Mahadji Shinde’s tri-power played a crucial role in the revival of the Maratha empire.
Shinde became the subedar of Gwalior in 1768, and in order for him to reclaim authority in north India, the Peshwa assigned him the responsibility of seizing the region, Shinde began manufacturing new guns, cannons, and armaments in Gwalior around 1770, bolstering the Maratha army.
Now was the time for revenge : Scindia soldiers invaded Delhi, and Shah Alam II was restored to the throne with Mahadji’s support. By defeating Afghans led by Najib Khan, the Marathas seize Delhi. With this conflict, they reclaimed their lost authority in North India during the Third Battle of Panipat and conquered a large portion of the territory they had lost following the Third Battle of Panipat.
Haider Ali: Haider Ali was born at Budikote around the year 1720. He started off his career as a soldier. He was a petty officer in the army and was assistant to the Nizam, who was the Mughal deputy in South India. When the Nizam was assassinated, a lot of confusion followed and in the midst of all the chaos. Haider All’s services attracted the attention of Nanjaraja, the minister of the Raja of Mysore. Haider Ali received an independent command and over the next 12 years, the minister and the King depended on his and were under his control.
Mysore was left bankrupt under Nanjarana, and it is during this time that Hyder Ali rose in the ranks until he replaced the King. He extended his empire right flp to the lands in the north, beyond the Tungabhadra river. He spent much of his time in building up a strong army to deal with the Marathas in the north-west and the British on the East and West coast.
The Marathas waged four damaging wars against Haider Ali, but after the death of their leader Peshwa Madhavrao I in 1773, Ali pressed his advantage and extended his territory up to the Krishna river.
Haider Ali sought the friendship of the British so that they could together defeat the Marathas. The British however had other ideas and wanted to undermine his powers and use him. This led to the First Anglo – Mysore. War in 1767. Haider Ali campaign against the British proved successful, and he got the British to sign a mutual defence treaty with him. The British went back on their word when they were attacked by the Marathas,
In 1780, Haider Ali waged his second battle against the British. He was defending his kingdom as best as he could, but then suddenly died of cancer.
Maharaja Ranjit Singh : Maharaja Ranjit Singh was virtually the last Indian ruler in Punjab. He lived from 1780 to 1839. He had a mighty well – trained army which was formidable even for the all powerful British forces and the British rulers dared not attack the Punjab during his life time. His army was trained by the French and other European generals.
Although his rule was called the Khalsa Raj, actually his was a secular and equitable state. Fakir Azizuddin who wielded a great power in his cabinet, was a living example of his secular credentials. His kingdom was the true embodiment of Punjabiat.
The statue of this brave son of India riding a horse was unvelted by the Former Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee in the Parliament complex on August 21, 2003. One of the highlights of the occasion was a light and sound show captioned Sher-e- Punjab”, performed by Chandigarh based artiste Harbux Latta. The program focused on the life and achievements of the great Maharaja.
Ranjit Singh became chief of the Shukerchakias (a Sikh group located in what is now Pakistan) on the death of his father in 1792. In 1799 he seized Lahore, the capital of the Punjab (and now in Pakistan), and in 1801 he proclaimed himself maharaja of the Punjab. In 1802 he captured Amritsar, a city sacred to the Sikhs, and by 1820 he had consolidated his rule over the whole of Punjab between the Sutlej and the Indus rivers. The Sikh state he created, which had included Sikhs, Muslims, and Hindus in both the army and the cabinet, collapsed soon after his death.
Dalhousie: Lord Dalhousie, Governor-General of India from 1848 to 1856 was born on 22 April 1812. He ruled India about eight years from 1848 to 1856 and it was one of the greatest periods for British rule. His rule to brought to develop the situations of India. He introduced the Doctrine of Lapse policy which turned out to be one of the major causes of the Revolt of 1857. For the reforms he made in India he was given the title of “Maker of Modern India”. He started first railway line in India. He started Universities in India. Telegram service between India and England was started by him. He started English education. He stopped child marriage. He advocated widow remarriage.
LET’S IMAGINE
★ You are living in England in the late eighteenth or early nineteenth century. How would you have reacted to the stories of British conquests ? Remember that you would have read about the immense fortunes that many of the officials were making.
Answer:
As I was an English I definitely feel happy for the conquests. Because the funds are flowing fronylndia to England. I also wish and try to reach India as an official to get the fortunes in the same way.
AP 8th Class Social History 2nd Lesson InText Questions and Answers From Trade to Territory The Company Establishes Power
ACTIVITIES
Page No. 15
Question 1.
Imagine that you are a young Company official who has been in India for a few months.
Write a letter home to your mother telling her about your luxurious life and contrasting it with your earlier life in Britain.
Answer:
Dear Mom,
I am fine here and hope the same with you there in London. My life in India is really a boon. The land here itself is a spiritual. In these 3 months I saw many wonders here. The people and their habits may differ from us but they are more pious. The customs, traditions and culture made me mad and guiding my thoughts to stay here only throughout my life. I don’t know many people are coming to other countries from India for earning ?
Mom, you and Dad also do come here. Let us spend our lives here somewhere in Himalayas or on the banks Ganges or in the plains of Narmada, anywhere in India.
I spent my earlier days in Britain with no goal. I think the life style there is civilized. But there is no soul mom. Only body moved. Here I felt the soul also. Awaiting your reply. Please convey my namaskarams to Dad.
Thank you Mom,
With love
Yours loving daughter,
Yohana Hiethamaki.
Page No. 18
Question 2.
Imagine that you have come across two old newspapers reporting on the Battle of Seringapatam and the death of Tipu Sultan. One is a British paper and the other is from Mysore. Write the headline for each of the two newspapers.
Answer:
Mysore Times – “The Mysore Sun Was Set”
British Times –
“Mysore, a jewel, is added in the British crown after the death of the Jeweler.
Page No. 19
Question 3.
Imagine that you are a Nawab’s nephew and have been brought up thinking that you will one day be king. Now you find that this will not be allowed by the British because of the new Doctrine of Lapse. What will be your feelings? What will you plan to do so that you can, inherit the crown?
Answer:
I strongly oppose the British and its Doctrine. I will join with Jhansi Lakshmi Bai and others to take the mutiny to a top place.