Table of Contents

A. Tick (✓) the correct option.

Where is Fort William located?
✅ (b) Calcutta
The Battle of Plassey was fought in the year—
✅ (d) 1757
Which ruler was killed in the Fourth Anglo-Mysore war?
✅ (d) Tipu Sultan
The first Governor-General of British India was—
✅ (b) Warren Hastings
In which battle Siraj-ud-Daulah was defeated by Robert Clive?
✅ (c) Battle of Plassey

B. Fill in the blanks.

Arcot was the capital of Carnatic.
The English East India Company built small army units at presidency settlements.
Dupleix was called back to France in disgrace.
Diwani means the right to collect land revenue.
Second Anglo-Mysore War ended with the Treaty of Mangalore in 1784.

Column A	Column B
1. Lord Wellesley	(b) Governor-General of India in 1798
2. Tiger of Mysore	(d) Tipu Sultan
3. Lord Dalhousie	(a) Greatest annexationist
4. Anwar-ud-Din	(c) Nawab of Carnatic
5. Mir Qasim	(e) Nawab of Bengal

1. Which Portuguese explorer discovered the sea route to India? How did this mark the beginning of European era in India?

Vasco da Gama discovered the sea route to India in 1498.
This marked the beginning of the European era because it broke the Arab monopoly on trade and opened the doors for other European powers (like the Dutch, French, and British) to establish trading posts and eventually political control.

2. Why did the European trading companies set up trade centres in coastal areas?

Logistics: Coastal areas made it easy to ship bulky goods directly to Europe.
Protection: It was easier to build forts and maintain naval superiority for the protection of their trade interests.

3. Explain the policy of ‘Divide and Rule’ adopted by the British. What was its impact on the Indian princes?

The Policy: The British took advantage of the internal rivalries among Indian rulers, often helping one prince against another to gain influence.
Impact: It led to a lack of unity, constant warfare among states, and a gradual loss of sovereignty as the British became the “arbitrators” of Indian politics.

4. Describe the causes and the consequences of the First Carnatic War.

Cause: It was a direct result of the War of Austrian Succession in Europe between Britain and France.
Consequences: It ended with the Treaty of Aix-la-Chapelle. Though it was a draw, it boosted the prestige of the French and set the stage for further conflict in South India.

5. How did the assumption of Diwani benefit the East India Company?

The Company gained the right to collect land revenue from Bengal, Bihar, and Odisha.
This allowed them to use Indian money to buy Indian goods for export, pay for their army, and build fortifications, eliminating the need to import gold from Britain.

1. How did East India Company become an imperial power in India? Explain.

The Company transitioned from traders to rulers through:

Military Success: Victories in the Battles of Plassey and Buxar.
Aggressive Policies: Using the Subsidiary Alliance (Lord Wellesley) and the Doctrine of Lapse (Lord Dalhousie) to annex states.
Administrative Control: Establishing a centralized administration and a modern army to enforce their rule.

2. What is meant by a Dual government? How did it lead to public suffering?

Definition: Introduced by Robert Clive in Bengal, where the Nawab had the responsibility of administration but no power, while the Company had all the power and revenue but no responsibility.
Suffering: The administration collapsed; the Company focused only on collecting high taxes, leading to the devastating Bengal Famine of 1770 where millions perished without any relief from the rulers.

3. The Battle of Buxar was a turning point in India. Give arguments to support the statement.

It made the British the masters of Bengal, Bihar, and Odisha.
The Mughal Emperor (Shah Alam II) and the Nawab of Awadh became dependent on the Company.
It transformed the Company from a regional power into a pan-Indian political force.

4. What was the importance of the Battle of Plassey?