Class 8 History Chapter 1 Question Answers - Our Pasts III (Part - I)

Q1: How was Tipu Sultan killed?
Ans: Four wars were fought with Mysore (1767-69, 1780-84, 1790-92 and 1799). Only in the last – the Battle of Seringapatam – did the Company ultimately win a victory. Tipu Sultan was killed defending his capital Seringapatam, Mysore was placed under the former ruling dynasty of the Wodeyars and a subsidiary alliance was imposed on the state.

Q2: Write a short note on Warren Hastings.
Ans:  Warren Hastings (Governor-General from 1773 to 1785) was one of the many important figures who played a significant role in the expansion of Company power. By his time the Company had acquired power not only in Bengal, but also in Bombay and Madras. Warren Hastings was the first Governor-General, introduced several administrative reforms, notably in the sphere of justice.

Q3: What was Lord Dalhousie’s Doctrine of Lapse?
Ans:

• Lord Dalhousie who was the Governor-General devised a policy that came to be known as the Doctrine of Lapse.
• The doctrine declared that if an Indian ruler died without a male heir his kingdom would “lapse”, that is, become part of Company territory.
• One kingdom after another was annexed simply by applying this doctrine: Satara (1848), Sambalpur (1850), Udaipur (1852), Nagpur (1853) and Jhansi (1854).

Q4: Give a brief description of all the three Anglo-Maratha wars.
Ans: The Marathas were defeated in a series of conflicts known as the Anglo-Maratha Wars:

• First Anglo-Maratha War (1775-1782): Ended with the Treaty of Salbai, resulting in no clear victor.
• Second Anglo-Maratha War (1803-1805): Fought on multiple fronts, leading to British control over Orissa and territories north of the Yamuna River, including Agra and Delhi.
• Third Anglo-Maratha War (1817-1819): This war effectively ended Maratha power. The Peshwa was removed and sent to Bithur near Kanpur with a pension, giving the British complete control over the regions south of the Vindhyas.

Q5: Write a note on Tipu Sultan—The ‘Tiger of Mysore’.
Ans: Tipu Sultan – The ‘Tiger of Mysore’

• Tipu Sultan, the son of Haidar Ali, ruled Mysore from 1782 to 1799. He was known as the Tiger of Mysore due to his fierce resistance against British colonial expansion.
• Under his leadership, Mysore controlled the lucrative trade of the Malabar coast, where the British East India Company sourced spices like pepper and cardamom.
• In 1785, Tipu Sultan halted the export of sandalwood, pepper, and cardamom, prohibiting local merchants from trading with the Company.
• He forged strong ties with the French in India, modernising his army with their assistance.
• The conflict culminated in the Battle of Seringapatam, where Tipu Sultan was killed while defending his capital.

Q6: What were the areas of conflict between the Bengal nawabs and the East India Company?
Ans: The areas of conflict between the Bengal nawabs and the East India Company included:

• The nawabs refused to grant the Company any concessions, demanded large tributes for the Company's trading rights, denied it the right to mint coins, and prevented it from expanding its fortifications.
• They argued that the Company was depriving the Bengal government of significant revenue and undermining the authority of the nawab by refusing to pay taxes, sending disrespectful letters, and attempting to humiliate the nawab and his officials.
• In response, the Company claimed that the unfair demands from local officials were damaging its trade, asserting that trade could only prosper if these duties were removed.

Q7: How did the assumption of Diwani benefit the East India Company?
Ans: Finally, in 1765 the Mughal emperor appointed the Company as the Diwan of the provinces of Bengal. The assumption of Diwani benefited the East India Company in several ways.

• The Diwani allowed the Company to use the vast revenue resources of Bengal.
• From the early eighteenth century its trade with India had expanded. But it had to buy most of the goods in India with gold and silver imported from Britain. This was because at this time Britain had no goods to sell in India. The outflow of gold from Britain slowed after the Battle of Plassey, and entirely stopped after the assumption of Diwani.
• Now revenues from India could finance Company expenses. These revenues could be used to purchase cotton and silk textiles in India, maintain Company troops, and meet the cost of building the Company fort and offices at Calcutta.

Q8: What is the policy of paramountcy?
Ans: Under Lord Hastings, a new policy of paramountcy was introduced. This policy asserted that the British East India Company held supreme authority over Indian states, justifying its actions to protect its interests. Key points include:

• The Company claimed its power was greater than that of Indian rulers.
• It felt justified in annexing or threatening to annex any Indian kingdom.
• This approach influenced subsequent British policies in India.

Resistance to this policy emerged, notably from:

• Rani Channamma of Kitoor, who led an anti-British movement and was imprisoned.
• Rayanna, a local leader who continued the fight against British forces.

Despite the Company's claims, these actions sparked significant resistance among the Indian population.

Q9: Explain the system of “subsidiary alliance”.
Ans: The system of subsidiary alliance was a strategy used by the British East India Company to control Indian states. Under this system:

• Indian rulers were prohibited from maintaining their own armed forces.
• The Company provided protection but required the rulers to pay for the subsidiary forces it maintained.
• If a ruler failed to make the required payments, they risked losing part of their territory as a penalty.
• Notable examples include the Nawab of Awadh and the state of Hyderabad, both of which lost territories due to non-payment.

Q10: Give an account of different European trading companies besides the British East India Company that entered the Eastern markets.
Ans: 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. In fact, it was Vascoda Gama, a Portuguese explorer, who had discovered this sea route to India in 1498. By the early seventeenth century, the Dutch too were exploring the possibilities of trade in the Indian Ocean. Soon the French traders arrived on the scene.

Q11: What administrative reformations were brought in the sphere of justice?
Ans: From 1772, a new system of justice was introduced in India:

• Each district was to have two courts:
  • A criminal court (faujdari adalat)
  • A civil court (diwani adalat)
• Maulvis and Hindu pandits interpreted Indian laws for European district collectors who presided over civil courts.
• Criminal courts remained under the supervision of a qazi and a mufti, but were overseen by the collectors.
• In 1775, eleven pandits were tasked with compiling a digest of Hindu laws, which was translated into English by N.B. Halhed.
• By 1778, a code of Muslim laws was also compiled for European judges.
• The Regulating Act of 1773 established a new Supreme Court and a court of appeal, the Sadar Nizamat Adalat, in Calcutta.

This reformation aimed to standardise legal practices and improve the administration of justice in British India.

Q12: What was the main cause of the Battle of Plassey?
Ans: The main cause of the Battle of Plassey was the growing tensions between the Nawab of Bengal, Sirajuddaulah, and the British East India Company. Key events leading to the battle included:

• Sirajuddaulah demanded that the Company cease its interference in his political affairs, halt fortifications, and pay taxes.
• After failed negotiations, he marched with 30,000 soldiers to the English factory at Kassimbazar, capturing Company officials and blockading their ships.
• He then advanced to Calcutta to assert control over the Company's fort.
• In response to the fall of Calcutta, the Company sent forces led by Robert Clive, supported by naval fleets.
• Prolonged negotiations with the Nawab ensued, but tensions escalated.
• In 1757, Clive led the Company's army against Sirajuddaulah at Plassey.

One significant factor in the Nawab's defeat was the betrayal by Mir Jafar, one of his commanders, who did not engage in the battle after being promised the position of Nawab by Clive. The Battle of Plassey marked the Company's first major victory in India, paving the way for its dominance in the region.

Q13: Describe the changes that occurred in the composition of the Company’s army.
Ans: Several changes occurred in the composition of the Company’s army:

• The East India Company started recruiting peasants into their armies and training them as professional soldiers, which came to be known as the sepoy army.
• As warfare technology changed from the 1820s, the cavalry requirements of the Company’s army declined.
• The soldiers of the Company’s army had to keep pace with changing military requirements and its infantry regiments now became more important.
• 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.

Q14: How did the East India Company begin trade in Bengal?
Ans: The East India Company began its trade in Bengal in several key stages:

• The first English factory was established on the banks of the Hugli River in 1651. This served as the base for the Company's traders, known as factors. The factory included a warehouse for storing goods and offices for Company officials.
• As trade grew, the Company encouraged merchants to settle near the factory. By 1696, it began constructing a fort around the settlement.
• In 1698, the Company bribed Mughal officials to obtain zamindari rights over three villages, including Kalikata, which later became Calcutta (now Kolkata). It also secured a farman from the Mughal emperor Aurangzeb, allowing the Company to trade without paying duties.