Test: History - 13 - UPSC MCQ

Nishan- order of a member of the royal family.
Farman- order of the emperor.
Parwana- orders issued by higher authorities.
Siyaha huzur- proceedings of the provincial court.

The First Carnatic (1744-48) war was fought between Britishers and the French due to Austrian war of succession in Europe. The French forces under Dupleix defeated the English and captured Madras. Then, in 1748 AD, the peace treaty of Aix-la-Chapelle was signed and Madras was restored to the British and the exchange of war prisoners took place.
Battle of Wandiwash: This was the Third Carnatic War fought between the French and the British. Having made substantial gains in Bengal and Hyderabad, the British, after collecting a huge amount of revenue, were fully equipped to face the French in Wandiwash, whom they defeated.

One of Kolkata’s historical monuments, Fort William was built during the time of the Bengal Presidency. Named after William III, the fort sits on the banks of the Hooghly River and was at the centre of the Battle of Plassey fought between the British and the Nawab of Bengal, Siraj-ud-Daulah. It is also the site of an infamous dungeon called the Black Hole of Calcutta (the city of Kolkata was erstwhile known as Calcutta).

The Battle of Plassey was essentially due the conflicts between the Bengal Nawab and the East India Company. It resulted in the victory of East India Company (EIC) leading greater powers to extract revenue and its consolidation of its presence in Bengal. The British now wielded enormous influence over the Nawab and consequently acquired significant concessions for previous losses and revenue from trade.
The British further used this revenue to increase their military might and push the other European colonial powers such as the Dutch and the French out of South Asia, thus expanding the British Empire.

The Treaty of Allahabad was signed on August 16, 1765 between Mughal Emperor Shah Alam II of Bengal and Lord Clive of the British East India Company after the Battle of Buxar (1764). Based on the terms of the agreement, Shah Alam II granted Diwani rights to the East India Company.

The Ryotwari system was a land revenue system in British India, introduced by Sir Thomas Munro in 1820 based on system administered by Captain Alexander Read. This system was exactly opposite to the Zamindari system. In this system, peasants were given the ownership. It was first introduced in Madras presidency. It was later extended to Bombay, Parts of Bengal, Assam, Coorg etc.

Tholpavakkoothu

• It is also called as shadow puppetry, Nizhalkkoothu and Olakkoothu.
• It is a traditional temple art in Kerala having its roots in Palakkad and neighbouring regions.
• It used to be performed in the Bhadrakali temples of Palakkad, telling tales from the Ramayana.
• Accompanying instruments include Ezhupara, Chenda and Maddalam.
• The artists have to undergo several years of rigorous training to master this art form.
• The puppetry is staged on a special structure in temple premises called Koothumadam.

Kalarippayattu

• Kalaripayattu is a Martial art which originated as a style in Kerala during 3nd century BC to the 2nd century AD.
• The word kalari first appears in Sangam literature to describe both a battlefield and combat arena.
• It is also considered to be one of the oldest fighting systems in existence.
• It is now practiced in Kerala, in contiguous parts of Tamil Nadu.
• Kalaripayattu techniques include a combination of steps (Chuvatu) and postures (Vadivu). Chuvatu literally means ‘steps’, the basic steps of the martial arts. Vadivu literally means ‘postures’ or stances are the basic characteristics of Kalaripayattu training. Named after animals, they are usually eight in number.

‘Bizu’ dances performed the Chakma community denoting the end of the Bengali calendar year; ‘Hai Hak’ dances of the Halams and the Cheraw dance related with the confinement of Lusai woman.
‘Basanta Raas’ is the enchanting dance of the Hindu Manipuris, residing in Tripura. Bamboo Dance is the most colourful and distinct dance of the Mizos.

Lavani is a popular folk music of Maharashtra and was originally performed to entertain the soldiers. The song is usually performed by womenfolk and it conveys information pertaining to society and politics.
Rabindra Sangeet also known as Tagore Songs, Rabindra Sangeet is a set of folk songs, written and
composed by eminent poet Rabindranath Tagore. Tagore wrote over 2,230 songs during his lifetime, all of which are sung during festivals and other rituals in West Bengal.
Naatupura Paadalgal is an ancient musical form of Tamil Nadu. Though folk music is fast disappearing in the state of Tamil Nadu due to the prominence given to Carnatic music, Naatupura Paadalgal remains quite important in the state.

To understand the Vedas better, it is necessary to study the Vedangas or the branches/limbs of the Veda. They are like a supplement to the original Veda and concentrate on topics like siksha (education), nirukta (etymology or the origin of words), Chhanda (metrics in Sanskrit grammer), jyotisha (astronomy) and vyakarana (grammar).

Treaty of Salbai was signed between the Marathas and the British East India Company. As per this treaty:
British acknowledged Madhavrao II Narayan as Peshwa of the Maratha Empire

• British Recognized the Territorial claims of Mahadji Shinde in west of Yamuna River.
• Raghunath Rao was freed and a pension was fixed for them.
• British East India Company got the control of the Salsette.
• British promised to support Marathas in case they attack Hyder Ali of Mysore and retake the territories of Carnatic.
• In summary, the Treaty of Salbai which was the outcome of the First Anglo Maratha war maintained the status quo.

Warren Hastings Administrative plan divided territory of Bengal, Bihar and Odisha into number of Districts.
As per Warren Hastings plan a Mofussil Diwani Adalat was established in every district with collector as the Judge. The court was authorized to decide all civil cases like disputes regarding properties, inheritance, marriage, caste, debts, disputed accounts, contracts, partnerships and demands of rent.
Where ever possible religious laws of Muslim as well as Hindus were followed and applied .E.g. Caste, marriage, inheritance etc.

The Indian Factory Act, 1881 dealt primarily with the problem of child labour (between 7 and 12 years of age).
Its significant provisions were:

• employment of children under 7 years of age prohibited,
• working hours restricted to 9 hours per day for children,
• children to get four holidays in a month,
• hazardous machinery to be properly fenced off

The impoverishment of the Indian peasantry was a direct result of the transformation of the agrarian structure due to—
colonial economic policies, ruin of the handicrafts leading to overcrowding of land, the new land revenue system,
colonial administrative and judicial system

In a bid to rectify the defects of the Regulating Act of 1773, the British Parliament passed the Amending Act of 1781, also known as the Act of Settlement. The next important act was the Pitt’s India Act of 1784.
Features of the Act:

• It distinguished between the commercial and political functions of the Company.
• It allowed the Court of Directors to manage the commercial affairs but created a new body called Board of Control to manage the political affairs. Thus, it established a system of double government.
• It empowered the Board of Control to supervise and direct all operations of the civil and military government or revenues of the British possessions in India.

Thus, the act was significant for two reasons: first, the Company’s territories in India were for the first time called the ‘British possessions in India’; and second, the British Government was given the supreme control over Company’s affairs and its administration in India.

In May and June 1875, peasants of Maharashtra in some parts of Pune and Ahmednagar districts revolted against increasing agrarian distress. The Deccan Riots of 1875 targeted conditions of debt peonage (kamiuti) to moneylenders. The rioters’ specific purpose was to obtain and destroy the bonds, decrees, and other documents in the possession of the moneylenders.
The movement also got support from the Poona Sarvajanik Sabha co-founded by M G Ranade.
It took several months for the police to restore order in the countryside. The Bombay government initially dismissed the uprising as trivial. However, the Government of India pressurised Bombay to enquire into the matter.
Accordingly, the Deccan Riots Commission was set up which presented a report to the British Parliament in 1878. In 1879, the Agriculturists Relief Act was passed which ensured that the farmers could not be arrested and imprisoned if they were unable to pay their debts.

Lord Ripon wanted to remove two kinds of law that had been prevalent in India. According to the system of law, a European could be tried only by a European Judge or a European Magistrate.
The disqualification was unjust and it was sought to cast a needless discredit and dishonour upon the Indian-born members of the judiciary.
C.P. Ilbert, Law Member, introduced a bill in 1883 to abolish this discrimination in judiciary. But Europeans opposed this Bill strongly. They even raised a fund of one lakh fifty thousand rupees and established an organisation called the Defence Association.
They also suggested that it was better to end the English rule in India than to allow the English to be subjected to the Indian Judges and Magistrates. The press in England joined the issue. Hence, Ripon amended the bill to satisfy the English in India and England.

The main objective was to correct the Khilafat wrong, to save the ottoman empire and save the holy places of Muslims. Through this movement they also expressed their anti-British feelings.

Gandhi’s arrest came on May 4, 1930 when he had announced that he would lead a raid on Dharasana Salt Works on the west coast. Gandhi’s arrest was followed by massive protests in Bombay, Delhi, Calcutta and in Sholapur, where the response was the most fierce. After Gandhi’s arrest, the CWC sanctioned:

1. non-payment of revenue in ryotwari areas;
2. no-chowkidara-tax campaign in zamindari areas; and
3. violation of forest laws in the Central Provinces. 

The Constituent Assembly was constituted in November 1946 under the scheme formulated by the Cabinet Mission Plan.
The representatives of princely states were to be nominated by the heads of the princely states.
Constituent Assembly was to be a partly elected and partly nominated body. Moreover, the members were to be indirectly elected by the members of the provincial assemblies, who themselves were elected on a limited franchise.
Seats were allotted on the basis of population at that time.

Hyderabad was integrated by means of police action whereas Junagarh and Sikkim by means of referendum. Kashmir was integrated by an instrument of accession. Nagaland was part of Indian Union later separated from Assam.

Till the passage of the Indian Independence Act, 1947, India was a dependency (colony) of the British Empire.
From August 15, 1947 to January 26, 1950, India’s political status was that of a dominion in the British Commonwealth of Nations. India ceased to be a British dominion on January 26, 1950, by declaring herself a sovereign republic. However, Pakistan continued to be a British Dominion until 1956.

Abolition of Privy Purse was a major issue in post-independent India.
The integration of India was preceded by an assurance that after the dissolution of princely rule, the then rulers’ families would be allowed to retain certain private property, and given a grant in heredity or government allowance, measured on the basis of the extent, revenue and potential of the merging state.
This grant was called the Privy Purse.

This agreement endorsed the main decisions of the Constituent Assembly of the then State of J&K.
It was reached between the representatives of Kashmir Government and the Indian Government. This arrangement was later on known as the “Delhi Agreement, 1952”.
This led to the conferment of special status to Kashmir, including a separate flag, jurisdiction of the Parliament and Supreme court over the state etc.