18. British Expansion in India (History Quiz)

18. British Expansion in India (History Quiz) Questions

• 1

  In 1600, East India Company acquired Charter from Queen Elizabeth I to trade with East. What were the benefits of Charter?
  i. No other trading group in Europe could compete with East India Company
  ii. Company could venture across the oceans from which it could buy goods at a cheap price, and carry them back to Europe to sell at higher prices
  A. Only i
  B. Only ii
  C. Both i and ii
  D. None of these

  Answer - B

  Solution

  Points to Know-
  In 1600, the East India Company acquired a charter from the ruler of England, Queen Elizabeth I, granting it the sole right to trade with the East.
  This meant that no other trading group in England could compete with the East India Company.
  With this charter the Company could venture across the oceans, looking for new lands from which it could buy goods at a cheap price, and carry them back to Europe to sell at higher prices

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• 2

  By the time the first English ships sailed and reached India, Portuguese already had their base in-
  A. Madras
  B. Bengal
  C. Goa
  D. Kerala

  Answer - C

  Solution

  Points to Know-
  By the time the first English ships sailed down the west coast of Africa, round the Cape of Good Hope, and crossed the Indian Ocean, the Portuguese had already established their presence in the western coast of India, and had their base in Goa.

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• 3

  Where was the first English factory set up?
  A. On banks of Ganga
  B. On the banks of Hugli
  C. On the banks of Yamuna
  D. On the banks of Brahmaputra

  Answer - B

  Solution

  Points to Know-
  The first English factory was set up on the banks of the river Hugli in 1651. This was the base from which the Company’s traders, known at that time as “factors”, operated.

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• 4

  Who led the East India Company in Battle of Plassey?
  A. Lord Curzon
  B. Lord Dalhousie
  C. Robert Clive
  D. Warren Hastings

  Answer - C

  Solution

  Points to Know-
  On hearing the news of the fall of Calcutta, Company officials in Madras sent forces under the command of Robert Clive, reinforced by naval fleets. Prolonged negotiations with the Nawab followed. Finally, in 1757, Robert Clive led the Company’s army against Sirajuddaulah at Plassey.

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• 5

  What was the main reason of the defeat of Mughals in Battle of Plassey?
  A. Nawab Sirajuddaulah did not had enough ammunitions
  B. Company was more prepared for war than Nawab
  C. Mir Jafar, one of Sirajuddaulah’s commanders, never fought the battle
  D. None of these

  Answer - C

  Solution

  Points to Know-
  One of the main reasons for the defeat of the Nawab was that the forces led by Mir Jafar, one of Sirajuddaulah’s commanders, never fought the battle. Clive had managed to secure his support by promising to make him nawab after crushing Sirajuddaulah.

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• 6

  Who was defeated in Battle of Buxar by Company?
  A. Mir Jafar
  B. Mir Qasim
  C. Alivardi Khan
  D. Murshid Quli Khan

  Answer - B

  Solution

  Points to Know-
  When Mir Jafar protested, the Company deposed him and installed Mir Qasim in his place. When Mir Qasim complained, he in turn was defeated in a battle fought at Buxar (1764), driven out of Bengal, and Mir Jafar was reinstalled.

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• 7

  After the death of Mir Jafar, who declared that company must indeed become nawabs?
  A. Lord Curzon
  B. Lord Dalhousie
  C. Robert Clive
  D. Warren Hastings

  Answer - C

  Solution

  Points to Know-
  By the time Mir Jafar died in 1765 the mood of the Company had changed. Having failed to work with puppet nawabs, Clive declared: “We must indeed become nawabs ourselves.” Finally, in 1765 the Mughal emperor appointed the Company as the Diwan of the provinces of Bengal.

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• 8

  Identify the person from the given hints
  i. Came to Madras from England in 1743 at the age of 18.
  ii. He left India in 1767 with 401,102 pounds
  iii. Appointed Governor of Bengal in 1764
  iv. He was asked to remove corruption in Company administration but he was himself cross-examined in 1772
  A. Robert Clive
  B. Lord Dalhousie
  C. Warren Hastings
  D. Lord Munro

  Answer - A

  Solution

  Points to Know-
  Robert Clive came to Madras (now Chennai) from England in 1743 at the age of 18.
  When in 1767 he left India his Indian fortune was worth £401,102.
  When he was appointed Governor of Bengal in 1764, he was asked to remove corruption in Company administration but he was himself cross-examined in 1772 by the British Parliament
  Although he was acquitted, he committed suicide in 1774.

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• 9

  Who were called nabobs?
  A. Britishers who amassed wealth in India and moved back to Britain to led good life
  B. Britishers who came India to teach people about Christianity
  C. Britishers who fought battles in India were regarded as nabobs
  D. None of these

  Answer - A

  Solution

  Points to Know-
  Britishers who amassed wealth in India and moved back to Britain to led good life were known as “nabobs” – anglicised version of the Indian word nawab.

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• 10

  Which of the following is true regarding subsidiary alliance forced by company on state?
  i. Indian rulers were allowed to have their independent armed forces
  ii. Richard Wellesley, Governor-General, took away over half of territory of Nawab of Awadh in 1801 as he failed to pay for the “subsidiary forces”
  A. Only i
  B. Only ii
  C. Both i and ii
  D. None of these

  Answer - B

  Solution

  Points to Know-
  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. For example, when Richard Wellesley was Governor General (1798-1805), the Nawab of Awadh was forced to give over half of his territory to the Company in 1801, as he failed to pay for the “subsidiary forces”.

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