Social Science STD 8 Chapter 1: Establishment of European and British Rule in India : Exercises

1. Answer the following questions in one sentence:

1. Which European nations had tried to find a sea route to India?

European nations like Portugal, Spain, and Holland tried to find a sea route to India.
2. Why were the Europeans in need of Indian spices?

Europeans were in need of Indian spices to preserve their meat and for flavoring their food, as they were largely carnivores.
3. Which war resulted in the introduction of Dual System (Dwimukhi) rule in Bengal?

The Battle of Buxar in 1764 resulted in the introduction of the Dual System of rule in Bengal.
4. Under which Act was the Supreme Court established?

The Supreme Court was established under the Regulating Act of 1773 AD.

2. (A) Write short notes:

1. Battle of Plassey

After the defeat of the British at Calcutta, the British army, led by Robert Clive, was sent to recapture the city. Clive, using diplomacy and bribery, gained the support of Mir Jafar, the commander-in-chief of Nawab Siraj-ud-Daula's army. On June 23, 1757, the Battle of Plassey took place. Due to Mir Jafar's betrayal, the Nawab's army was defeated. Siraj-ud-Daula was captured and killed, and Mir Jafar was made the new Nawab. The Nawab gave the British the Zamindari of 24 Parganas and allowed them to trade without excise duty. This battle brought the whole of Bengal under British control, marking the beginning of their political dominance in India.
2. Battle of Buxar

In 1764, Mir Qasim, the Nawab of Bengal, allied with the Nawab of Awadh and the Mughal Emperor to expel the British from India. The combined army of the three rulers, consisting of about 50,000 soldiers, fought against the British army of 7072 soldiers under the leadership of Major Munro at Buxar. The British won this battle, cementing the control they had gained at Plassey. The British were granted the civil rights of Bengal, Bihar, and Orissa, formally making them masters of revenue collection, while the administrative responsibility remained with the Nawab. This arrangement became known as the Dual System of rule.
3. Anglo-Maratha war

After their defeat in the Third Battle of Panipat in 1761, the Maratha empire was divided among various dynasties. The British fought several wars against the Marathas. The First Anglo-Maratha War (1775-1782) concluded with the Treaty of Salbai, and no party was defeated as they decided to return each other's territories. The Second Maratha War (1803-1805) resulted in the British gaining control over the territories of Odisha, Agra, and Delhi. The Maratha power was finally crushed in the Third Anglo-Maratha War (1817-1819), and the Peshwa was removed and exiled to Bithur with a pension. This established the company's authority from Vindhyachal to all parts of South India.
4. Mysore war

After the end of the Vijayanagar Empire, Mysore became a powerful state in South India under the leadership of Hyder Ali. Alarmed by his growing power, the British fought four Mysore Wars against Mysore between 1767 and 1799. The first two wars were fought against Hyder Ali, and the next two against his son, Tipu Sultan. The first war ended without a clear result. Tipu Sultan was defeated in the third war and suffered heavy losses. In the fourth and final war in 1799, Tipu Sultan was killed. The British overthrew his rule, handed the state over to the former Wadiyar dynasty, and imposed a Subsidiary Alliance on it. This consolidated the British empire in the south.

(B) Write the answers of the following questions :

1. The European people were forced to find a sea route to India. Explain the statement.

In 1453 AD, the Turks conquered Constantinople, which was a vital center for the trade route between India and Europe. This conquest blocked the land trade route, halting the flow of Indian goods like spices, cotton, and silk to Europe. As the European people were in great need of these products, especially spices for preserving their meat, they were forced to seek a new way to reach India. This necessity led them to search for a new sea route.
2. Write a concise note on the British police force.

The British police force was as important as the army for maintaining British rule. It was started by Governor General Cornwallis, who replaced the traditional Indian feudal police system with a modern one. At the district level, a District Superintendent of Police (DSP) was appointed. Police stations were set up with a Faujdar (Sub-inspector) in charge, and a guard was appointed in the villages. Only the British could hold high positions in the police force, while Indians were employed as constables. The force was structured to serve British interests rather than the welfare of the Indian people.
3. The British rule created an atmosphere of mistrust in India. Explain the statement.

The British administration, despite being modern in structure, was designed to protect British interests and exploit India economically. Indians were largely excluded from high administrative, military, and judicial positions. The British levied heavy taxes, collected revenue strictly, and maintained an expensive and often inactive police and judiciary. They also interfered with Indian social and religious practices, such as by passing laws that favored Christian converts and levying taxes on religious properties. The British often treated Indians with contempt, believing them to be inferior. These actions, combined with the arbitrary application of new laws, created an atmosphere of resentment and mistrust among the Indian people.
4. State the consequences of the Second Anglo-Maratha war.

The Second Anglo-Maratha War, fought between 1803 and 1805 AD, led to Wellesley establishing British authority over the Marathas. As a result of this war, the territories of Odisha, Agra, and Delhi came under the control of the British.

3. Find the correct option from the following options and write the correct answer:

1. Which city was the capital of the Portuguese in India?

Goa
2. The European people who settled in Masulipatnam after receiving a decree from the ruler of Golconda were

Dutch
3. Which English officer started the judiciary in India?

Warren Hastings