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Very Short Answer Questions: The Colonial Era in India | Social Science Class 8 - New NCERT PDF Download

Q1. What does “colonialism” mean?
Ans: When a powerful country controls another region, imposing its political, economic, and cultural systems.

Q2. Which European powers were most active in colonising parts of India?
Ans: The Portuguese, Dutch, French, and British.

Q3. Why was India attractive to European powers before colonisation?
Ans: Its wealth in spices, textiles, metals, and thriving trade networks made it highly profitable.

Q4. Who first reached India by sea from Europe and when?
Ans: Vasco da Gama in 1498 at Kappad near Kozhikode.

Q5. Which city became the Portuguese capital in India, and when was it captured?
Ans: Goa, captured in 1510.

Q6. What was the Portuguese “cartaz” system?
Ans: A pass system forcing ships to buy permits or risk seizure.

Q7. What was the Goa Inquisition?
Ans: A tribunal (from 1560) that persecuted religious communities and forced conversions.

Q8. Where did the Dutch set up early posts in India?
Ans: Surat, Bharuch, Cochin, Nagapattinam, and Masulipatnam.

Q9. Which 1741 battle weakened Dutch power in India?
Ans: The Battle of Colachel, where Travancore defeated the Dutch.

Q10. Where did the French establish major posts?
Ans: Surat (1668) and Pondicherry (1674).

Q11. Who was the French Governor-General who trained sepoys and used indirect rule?
Ans: Dupleix (1742–1754).

Q12. What were the Carnatic Wars mainly about?
Ans: Anglo-French rivalry for control in South India (1746–1763).

Q13. How did the British East India Company begin rule in India?
Ans: It started as traders with a royal charter, then used military and political strategies to seize control.

Q14. Name three early British trading centers in India.
Ans: Surat, Madras, and Bombay (later also Calcutta).

Q15. What was “divide and rule”?
Ans: Exploiting rivalries among Indian rulers and communities to gain power.

Q16. What happened at the Battle of Plassey (1757)?
Ans: Clive defeated Siraj-ud-daulah with Mir Jafar’s betrayal, giving the British control of Bengal.

Q17. What was the Doctrine of Lapse?
Ans: Annexation policy for states without a natural male heir.

Q18. What was the “subsidiary alliance”?
Ans: Indian rulers accepted British troops and Residents, losing control over external affairs.

Q19. What rights did the Company gain after Plassey that boosted revenue?
Ans: Diwani (revenue collection) in Bengal, Bihar, and Odisha.

Q20. What caused the Bengal Famine of 1770–1772 to worsen?
Ans: Harsh cash tax demands and neglect during crop failure.

Q21. Name one 19th-century famine that caused massive deaths.
Ans: The Great Famine of 1876–1878.

Q22. What British policy worsened famines by avoiding market intervention?
Ans: “Free market” non-interference in food prices.

Q23. What is meant by the “drain of wealth”?
Ans: Systematic transfer of India’s wealth to Britain via taxation, trade, and state expenses.

Q24. Name two Indian thinkers who wrote on the drain of wealth.
Ans: Dadabhai Naoroji and R.C. Dutt.

Q25. How did British policies affect India’s textile industry?
Ans: Heavy tariffs on Indian exports and free entry for British goods led to collapse of Indian textiles.

Q26. What did Charles Metcalfe call Indian village communities and why?
Ans: “Little republics,” for their resilience and self-governance.

Q27. What was Macaulay’s 1835 education policy aimed at creating?
Ans: English-educated Indians to serve colonial administration.

Q28. What social division did colonial education intensify?
Ans: A gap between English-educated elites and the masses.

Q29. What was the main colonial purpose of railways in India?
Ans: To move raw materials to ports, distribute British goods, and deploy troops quickly.

Q30. What was the Sanyasi-Fakir rebellion linked to?
Ans: The post-1770 famine distress and restrictions on ascetics.

Q31. Name two major tribal uprisings before 1857.
Ans: The Kol Uprising (1831–1832) and the Santhal Rebellion (1855–1856).

Q32. What was the Indigo Revolt (1859–1862) about?
Ans: Peasants resisted forced indigo cultivation, low payments, and planter coercion.

Q33. What sparked the 1857 Rebellion among sepoys?
Ans: Rumours of greased cartridges were offensive to Hindu and Muslim beliefs, along with wider grievances about British policies.

Q34. Name two women leaders associated with the 1857 Rebellion and one major change after it.
Ans: Rani Lakshmibai of Jhansi and Begum Hazrat Mahal of Awadh; after 1857, the British Crown took direct control from the East India Company.

Q35. Name one unintended cultural effect of colonial rule.
Ans: Growth of archaeology, mapping, and translations that also increased European awareness of Indian heritage.

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FAQs on Very Short Answer Questions: The Colonial Era in India - Social Science Class 8 - New NCERT

1. What were the main motivations behind British colonization of India?

Ans. The British colonization of India was driven by several motivations, including economic interests, the desire for political control, and the spread of Western culture and education. The British sought to exploit India's vast resources, establish trade routes, and expand their empire. This led to the establishment of the British East India Company, which initially focused on trade but gradually took on administrative and military roles in India.

2. How did the British impact the Indian economy during the colonial period?

Ans. The British colonial rule significantly transformed the Indian economy. They introduced cash crops like cotton and indigo, which shifted agricultural practices from subsistence farming to cash crop production, often leading to food shortages. The British also imposed heavy taxes and tariffs, affecting local industries and leading to the decline of traditional crafts. Railways and roads were developed primarily to facilitate resource extraction, altering trade patterns.

3. What were the major social changes in India during the colonial era?

Ans. The colonial era brought notable social changes in India, including the introduction of Western education and legal systems, which influenced social reforms. The British encouraged the spread of Christianity, which led to cultural exchanges but also resistance from traditional communities. Social reform movements arose in response to colonial policies, addressing issues like child marriage and caste discrimination, leading to a gradual evolution of social norms.

4. What were the significant resistance movements against British rule in India?

Ans. Several resistance movements emerged against British rule in India, most notably the Sepoy Mutiny of 1857, which was a major uprising by soldiers in the British army. Other significant movements included the Indian National Congress formed in 1885, which aimed for greater participation in governance, and later, the non-cooperation and civil disobedience movements led by figures like Mahatma Gandhi, advocating for independence through non-violent means.

5. What role did the Indian National Congress play in the struggle for independence?

Ans. The Indian National Congress (INC) played a crucial role in the struggle for independence by uniting various factions of Indian society against British rule. Initially seeking reforms, the INC gradually adopted a more radical approach, especially under leaders like Gandhi, who emphasized mass mobilization and non-violent resistance. The INC became the principal organization advocating for self-rule, culminating in the push for independence and eventually leading to the end of colonial rule.

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