1.

Question-Bank on History
2. When and where was British East India Company established? In which name was it
referred?
3. What are the other companies that were trading in India at that time?
4. When did the British East India Company gain footing in India? When and whom did they
get permission from?
. Where and when did British East India Company establish its first factory in India?
!. When did formal r"le of British East India Company commence in India and after what
occasion?
#. When was company$s r"le in India ended and the tas% of administration transferred to
British parliament?
&. Why did the E"ropean companies want to ha'e trade relations with India?
(. What are the three methods that the British East India Company adopted to e)pand the
British Empire in India?
1*. +ame the regional states that emerged after the fall of ,"ghal Empire in the first half of 1&
th
cent"ry after the death of -"rang.eb?
11. By the beginning of 1&
th
cent"ry/ only two E"ropean companies were left in India. +ame
these?
12. When and where did the 01e'en 2ears$ War3 ta%e place? Who were the parties to this war?
13. What is 0-nglo45rench war3? 6ow many wars were fo"ght? When and between whom did
the wars ta%e place? What were the conse7"ences of each war? Who were the commanders
from each side?
14. When and between whom did 0Battle of Wandiwash3 ta%e place? Who were the
commanders and what was the res"lt?
1. When and between whom did 08reaty of 9aris3 ta%e place? What was the o"tcome of this
treaty?
1!. What were the ca"ses of the British s"ccess in Carnatic wars?
1#. What were the wea%nesses of the Indian regional powers that got e)posed d"ring the
Carnatic wars?
1&. :isc"ss the after4effects of the Carnatic wars?
1(. When and where did the first ma;or conflict of the British against an Indian power ta%e
place?
2*. When did 1ira;4"d4:a"la s"cceed -li <ardi =han as the nawab of Bengal?
21. Which acts on the part of the English Company pro'o%ed the nawab 1ira;4"d4:a"la against
the company?
22. When did Battle of 9lassey ta%e place? What was the o"tcome?
23. 8he East India Company conspired with the officers of 1ira;4"d4:a"la to defeat him in the
Battle of 9lassey. Who are they?
24. 6ow m"ch bribe did ,ir4>afer pay to company to become +awab?
2. -ccording to this Imperial farman/ the Company had to pay 444444444444444?fill in the amo"nt@
a year and in ret"rn co"ld carry on trade d"ty4 free in Bengal. Who was the ,"ghal %ing
that iss"ed the farman to the company before the Battle of 9lassey?
2!. Where did the Battle of 9lassey get its name from?
2#. When was ,ir4.afar deposed from the post of +awab and ,ir Aasim placed on the throne
by the British in Bengal? Why did they do so?
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2&. What were the districts that ,ir4Aasim allotted to the British to collect re'en"e after
becoming +awab?
2(. What were the acts of ,ir4Aasim those were considered as "nforgi'able offences by the
Company and it lead to the war with the company? When did it ta%e place? Who was the
British army commander at that time?
3*. When/ why and between whom was 0Battle of B")ar3 fo"ght? What was the conse7"ence?
Who was the British commander at that time?
31. Who was the +awab of -wadh and ,"ghal Emperor at the time of 0Battle of B")ar3?
32. When and between whom was the 08reaty of -llahabad3 signed?
33. 8he ,"ghal Emperor 1hah4-lam II granted the diwani rights of certain regions to British?
What are those? 6ow m"ch money was to be paid by the company per year to the ,"ghal
treas"ry in ret"rn for this fa'or?
34. When was 0:"al system of administration3 imposed in Bengal? What does this mean?
:escribe the system. Which British Bo'erner introd"ced this system?
3. E)plain the terms ni.amat and diwani d"ring the period of 0:"al go'ernment3 in Bengal.
Who was in charge of 0+i.amat3 ?name the grade of officer@ ? Who was in charge of
:iwani?
3!. Who was in charge of +awab$s 0+aib :iwan and +aib +a.im3 d"ring the period of 0:"al
go'ernment3 in Bengal?
3#. Why did Cord Cli'e introd"ce system of Dual or Double Bo'ernment in Bengal?
3&. When did 0-nglo4,ysore wars3 ta%e place? :escribe all of these?
3(. When did 0-nglo4,aratha wars3 ta%e place? :escribe all of these?
4*. Dnder whose ?name of British Bo'erner@ command did the British sec"re the entire region
of 1o"thern India ?with the e)ception of small encla'es of 5rench and local r"lers@/ Western
India and Eastern India?
41. What is meant by 0+ati'e or 9rincely3 states?
42. Who introd"ced the system of 01"bsidiary -lliance3? When did it ta%e place? What is the
meaning of 01"bsidy3?
43. What were the conditions of 01"bsidiary -lliance3? What are the ad'antages of this system
to the British r"le? What is the main p"rpose of 01"bsidiary -lliance3 system?
44. Who was the first to enter into a s"bsidiary alliance with the English? When did it ta%e
place? Which territories did he offer to British for the maintenance of the army "nder this
alliance?
4. What are the princely states of British r"le that were formed "nder 01"bsidiary -lliance3?
4!. When and between whom did 0-nglo41i%h war3 ta%e place?
4#. What is 08reaty of -mritsar3? When did it ta%e place? What is the conse7"ence?
4&. Which was the last Indian state to be con7"ered by British? Why did this state remain free
from British control for a long time?
4(. Why did British want to control the +orth4West 5rontier pro'inces? When did it ta%e place?
*. Which %ing "nited 01i%h misls3 of 9"n;ab into one state? Whe did this happen? Which
0misl3 did this %ing belong to?
1. Who adopted the policy of 0:octrine of lapse3? What is the period of his Bo'ernorship?
2. What are conditions of 0:octrine of lapse3? Which Indiah states become 'ictims of this
policy?
3. Which was Indian state was anne)ed on the conte)t of 0incompetence of the r"ler3? When
did it ta%e place? Who was the r"ler then?
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4. When did British East India Company become political power in India?
. What is 0Eeg"lating -ct33 When was it passed? What are its pro'isions?
!. When was the system of 0Bo'ernor4Beneral3 introd"ced in India? Who was the first
Bo'ernor4Beneral of India? What was his ten"re? What are the pro'inces that e)isted d"ring
this time? Which pro'ince did the Bo'ernor4Beneral belong?
#. When was 09itts4India act3 passed? Who passed it? What were its pro'isions? 8his act is
sarcastically called as FFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFF system?
&. What was period of 0Bo'ernor4Beneralship3 of Cord Cornwallis? What were his
administrati'e reforms for the company?
(. What is meant by 0Ee'en"e 5arming3? Who started this system in Bengal? When did it
happen?
!*. Who introd"ced the system of 09ermanent 1ettlement3 in Bengal? What were the
pro'isions? When was it introd"ced? Why is the term 0permanent3 "sed? What is the
alternate name of this system?
!1. :escribe 0Eyotwari3 and 0,ahalwari3 system of re'en"e collection? When and where did
these systems introd"ced? Who introd"ced these systems in India?
!2. What is 08he Charter -ct of 1&133? What are its conse7"ences to the Company?
!3. What is 08he Charter -ct of 1&333? What are its conse7"ences to the Company?
!4. Who created a professional cadre of Company ser'ants who were gi'en genero"s salaries/
had no pri'ate trading or prod"ction interests in India/ en;oyed the prospect of reg"lar
promotion and were entitled to pensions? When did this happen?
!. Where and when did the Company train its yo"ng recr"its for ci'il ser'ices in India? What
was the system for selection and appointment of candidates at that time?
!!. Who appointed British ;"dges/ and established British officials as re'en"e collectors and
magistrates in each district of Bengal?
!#. When was the system of establishment of districts ?and recr"itment of district collectors@
thro"gho"t British India ta%e place for con'enience of administration?
!&. When was competiti'e e)amination introd"ced for selection of ci'il ser'ants in India from a
pool of nominated candidates?
!(. When did the system of complete merit for recr"itment of ci'il ser'ants in India introd"ced
and it was thrown open to any British candidate?
#*. Why was 0Ci'il ser'ice in India3 so pop"lar among British yo"th?
#1. When and where was the ,ayor$s Co"rt established? By what name was the elaborate
;"dicial system %nown as?
#2. What are the two main theoretical principles "nderlying the entire British ;"dicial system in
India? What is the meaning of these principles?
#3. Who established the first 1"preme Co"rt in British India? When and where did this happen?
Dnder which act of British Bo'ernment/ this co"rt was established? What were the regions
of ;"risdiction of this 1"preme Co"rt at that time?
#4. When were the 1"preme Co"rts in ,adras and Bombay established?
#. Who separated the e)ec"ti'e and ;"dicial d"ties of officers at district le'el?
#!. What are the hierarchy and types of co"rts for ci'il and criminal co"rts d"ring the time of
Cord Cornwallis? Where were these co"rts located in the pro'ince of Bengal?
##. Who abolished the fo"r pro'incial ci'il and criminal co"rts ?system introd"ced by Cord
Cornwallis@ and redistrib"ted their wor% to Commissioners and :istrict Collectors? When
did this happen?
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#&. When was the direct r"le of the British4Crown finally established in place of the British East
India Company$s r"le? Why did this happen?
#(. When did ,"ghal Emperor grant :iwani rights of Bengal/ Bihar and Grissa to the
company?
&*. When and where did the Company first establish its capital in British India and appoint first
Bo'ernor4Beneral? Who was the first Bo'ernor4Beneral of India?
&1. What were the three phases of colonial e)ploitation of British in India? :isc"ss the feat"res
and name of each phase.
&2. 5rom which British r"ler did the company get a charter to trade in India?
&3. 6ow was the 0farman3 from the ,"ghal Emperor mis"sed by company officials in India?
What were the original pro'isions of the 0farman3? 5rom which Indian r"ler and when did
the company officials first get the 0farman3?
&4. What are the chief factors which led to the 0Battle of 9lassey3?
&. What were the goods that the company "sed to b"y from India in the initial years of its
trade?
&!. By what name were the rich company officials referred to in Britain on acco"nt of their
flashy lifestyles?
&#. Who wrote the boo% titled 0-n In7"iry into the +at"re and Ca"ses of the Wealth of
+ations3? What is the theme of this boo%?
&&. When did 0Indigo Eebellion3 ta%e place?
&(. When did 0Bengl famine3 ta%e place? What are the ca"ses of these famines?
(*. What steps did the colonial go'ernment ta%e towards impro'ing agric"lt"ral prod"cti'ity of
crops?
(1. When was 0Eailways3 constr"cted in India? Who started this? When and where did the first
rail4mo'ement occ"r in India? What was the main p"rpose of British go'ernment in India to
constr"ct railway lines?
(2. Which economist propo"nded the idea of free trade or laisse. faire in the 1&
th
cent"ry?
(3. 6ow did the commerciali.ation of agric"lt"re ca"se famine?
(4. Which region benefited most by the irrigation canals b"ilt by the British?
(. 6ow did the Ind"strial Ee'ol"tion in Britain lead to 0de4ind"striali.ation3 in British India?
(!. Which Indian b"sinessmen in'ested in ;"te ind"stry d"ring 5irst World War?
(#. Who established first cotton mills in India? When and where were these established?
(&. Who p"t forward the drain of wealth theory? :isc"ss the salient points of this theory?
((. Who were the early Indian nationalists those had e)pected Britain to "nderta%e capitalist
ind"striali.ation in India/ b"t were deeply disill"sioned with the res"lts of colonial ind"strial
policies?
1**. What do yo" "nderstand by the term 0Grientalist3? Which British administrators were
%nown as Grientalists?
1*1. Who fo"nded Calc"tta ,adrassa/ -siatic 1ociety of Bengal and 1ans%rit College at
Benaras? Which years did these instit"tions fo"nd in?
1*2. Who fo"nd the important ling"istic connection between 1ans%rit and classical western
lang"ages li%e Bree% and Catin?
1*3. What are the tas%s of -siatic 1ociety of Bengal? +ame the important ;o"rnal that was
p"blished from this society?
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1*4. Who propo"nded the theory that the British need to %now 6ind" laws and the 1ans%rit
lang"age ?n which these law te)ts were written@ if they wished to establish their go'ernance
in the co"ntry?
1*. Who wrote the boo% 0- Code of Bentoo Caws3? In which year was it p"blished? 5rom
which Indian boo% was it translated?
1*!. Who fo"nded 5ort William College? When and where was it fo"nded? What was the
p"rpose of this college? Where and when was a similar college fo"nded in Britain?
1*#. Which Bo'ernor4Beneral was infl"enced by the 1&
th
cent"ry 0Whig political philosophy3?
What are the main feat"res of this philosophy?
1*&. Which two important political thin%ers infl"enced Cornwallis$ policy of 09ermanent
1ettlement3 for Bengal/ Bihar and Grissa in 1#(3? What were their political philosophies?
1*(. +ame some important instit"tions established by the Grientalists?
11*. Which was the first co"ntry to e)perience Ind"strial Ee'ol"tion?
111. Dnderline the importance of the -siatic 1ociety in promoting st"dies on India.
112. Which -ct abolished the monopoly of the East India Company o'er the India 8rade?
113. Which -ct abolished the monopoly of the East India Company o'er the trade in tea and the territory
of China?
114. What do yo" "nderstand by the term 0Bengal Eenaissance3? Who referred to the
de'elopments in the 1(th cent"ry Bengal as the period of Eenaissance? What are the main
feat"res of 0Bengal Eenaissance3?
11. Who can be termed as the most notable reformer of the modern times?
11!. Who fo"nded 0-tmiya 1abha3? When was it fo"nded?
11#. Who fo"nded 0Bramo 1ama;3? When was it fo"nded? What was it called initially?
11&. When was 0c"stoms of sati$ abolished? Who abolished this c"stom?
11(. What are the main ideologies of Ea;a Eammohan Eoy and Brahmo 1ama;?
12*. What schools and colleges did Ea;a Eammohan Eoy establish? Write the place and year of
establishment of these schools?
121. Which social reformer opposed to idolatry and fo"nd Dpanishads as the basis of tr"e
6ind"ism?
122. Which social reformer said 0Bo bac% to <edas3? Why did he say so?
123. When did Ea;a Eammohan Eoy die?
124. +ame two important reformers from Brahmo 1ama; who propagated its philosophy after the
death of Ea;a Eammohan Eoy. Write the years of their ;oining of Brahmo 1ama;.
12. Who ga'e Brahmo 1ama; gi'en a definite shape and pop"lari.ed it beyond the city of
Calc"tta?
12!. Write the name of the boo% written by :e'endranath 8agore? What are the contents of this
boo%?
12#. Who is considered as a radical Brahmo 1ama; reformer? What were his radical ideas?
12&. Who too% the acti'ities of the Brahmo 1ama; beyond Bengal and into D9/ 9"n;ab/ ,adras
and Bombay?
12(. In which year did Brahmo 1ama; 1plit? What is the name of the later day organi.ations and
their heads?
13*. Who was the pioneer of the mo'ement for ed"cation of girl child? Which Englishman
helped him in this wor%?
131. In which year did the 0Widow re4marriage act3 passed? Who was instr"mental in
campaigning for this ca"se?
132. What were the main philosophies of Ishwar Chandra <idyasagar?

133. When and by whom was 0Eama%rishna mission3 fo"nd?

134. When did 1wami <i'e%ananda accept Eama%rishna 9aramahansa as his g"r"? When did he
"nderta%e the -merica and E"rope to"r?
13. What are the act"al names of Eama%rishna 9aramahansa and 1wami <i'e%ananda?
13!.
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