History

Chapter 1:
Who was Shah Waliullah? /4
He was born on 21 February 1703. His real name was Qutub ud Din and his father passed away when he was 15 years old. He
started teaching in Madrassa Rahimiyah which his father founded and in 1724 he went to Arabia to further his studies and
perform Hajj.
What role did Shah Waliullah play in opposing the Marathas? /4
He saw that Marathas were constantly attacking the Muslims and it was hard for Muslims to prosper as they had to spend most
of their money on defending against the Marathas. Shah Waliullah united all the Muslim nobles under one flag. He then called
Ahmed Shah Abdali and with his help the Marathas were defeated.
Who was Ahmed Shah Durrani? /4
Ahmed Shah Durrani, also known as Ahmad Shah Abdali was the first emperor of the Durrani Empire. He is considered the
founder of the modern state of Afghanistan. He was called by Sir Syed Ahmed Khan to defeat the Marathas from Persia. He
fought in the Battle of Panipat in 1761.
Describe the work of Shah Waliullah. /4
He translated the Quran into Persian so it could be understood by the locals. He also wrote 51 books in Persian about Islamic
teachings so people could be cleared about them. He united the Muslims from sectarian groups into one nation. He called Ahmed
Shah Abdali from Persia and defeated the Marathas.
Why did Shah Waliullah translate Quran into Persian? /7
Shah Waliullah translated Quran into Persian in the 12th century.
Shah Waliullah believed that Holy Quran was not understandable to all the readers because of the language barrier that was that
Persian was understood and spoken by many Muslims at that time. He believed that if Muslims could understand the message of
Quran than it would be easy for them to act upon it, that is why he translated the Holy Quran into Persian.
He also believed that because people were not fully understanding the message of Quran, they were relying on different
information sometimes which was false and had no verified knowledge which caused Muslims to have different believes and thus
they split into sectarian groups known as Shia and Sunni. He translated it so Muslims could be clear about its teachings and be
united.
He also wanted to remove the evils that had corrupted the Islamic society. He wanted to purify the Muslim society from Hindu
customs, beliefs, myths, influences and practices that had crept into their worship and daily lives. But spiritual upbringing and
purification of their beliefs was not possible if the Quran was not understandable, so he translated the Quran into Persian.
How important were the religious reforms of Shah Waliullah? /7
His contributions towards Islamic revival were important.
Shah Waliullah also saw Muslims were dividing into sectarian groups known as Shia and Sunni which both followed Islam but with
different believes. Sir Syed knew that if they kept being dividing, they would be vulnerable and any external force could easily
attack on them, so he wrote Islamic believes that were acceptable by both Shia and Sunni. This was only successful to a certain
point but helped Muslim to be united.
Shah Waliullah also knew that Muslim empire was weak and at that time the Maratha tribe was constantly attacking the Muslims,
taking over their lands and Muslims had to spend a fortune to defend against them, so he called Ahmed Shah Abdali from Persia
and united all Muslims nobles under one flag and defeated the Marathas in the Battle of Panipat of 1761. This was a huge
achievement for the Muslims as they could live in peace and could prosper because now instead of spending all their wealth on
defending against Marathan attacks they could use it to develop into the modern ages that is the industrial revolution.
Why were the writings of Shah Waliullah important? /4
Shah Waliullah wrote 51 books about Islamic teachings in Persian which made them available to locals who could only understand
Persian. He wrote them as he believed that Muslims could only prosper if they followed proper Islamic teachings. They even
survived and were also read by future generations.
Who was Syed Ahmed Barelvi /4
Syed Ahmed Barelvi was born near Lucknow in Barelvi in 1786. His father died whilst he was still young and in 1806, he moved to
Delhi and went to Madrassa Rahimiyah. He studied under Shah Waliullah sons for two years. He was more of a man of action who
joined the army under Amir Khan. He learned how to use European weapons and showed that he could act as a leader.
What role did he play in opposing Sikhs? /4
He went to Peshawar in 1826 from where his actual journey of struggle starts. Syed Ahmad and his one thousand followers made
Charsadda their base champ in late December they clashed with Sikh army at Akora, but no result could be deduced. He faced lots
of challenges in his struggle such as he could not gather or unite local elements into an organized shape. Syed Ahmad formally
occupied Peshawar, but unfortunately his rule in Peshawar could not last for more than a few months because an internal
uprising started in Peshawar which shattered his power and he had to take refuge in the hills of Balakot. Where he had to fight
the Sikh army and he received martyrdom in 1831 in Balakot.
Why was Syed Ahmed Barelvi a suitable person to lead opposition against the British? /4
He had an excellent knowledge of leading forces and designing strategies. He also knew how to use European weapons and could
act as a leader when necessary and his noble cause made him and his movement popular and united different Muslims under one
flag.
Why did Syed Ahmed Barelvi decided to revive Islam? /7
OR
Why was Jihad movement founded? /7
Freedom is the right of every human being, particularly from cruel and oppressive rulers.
Rich Muslims families were forced to become peasants who were now living an oppressed life under the exploitation of Hindu
landlords and tax collectors. They were humiliated and ill-treated. Their properties, lives and dignity were not safe from the hands
of Hindus and Sikhs. Syed Ahmed Shaheed Barelvi (SASB) wanted to restore their pride, respect and living conditions. That is why
he started Jihad to win freedom for the Muslims so that they could lead lives according to their own wishes.
Sikh were the ruling parties in Punjab and Sindh, and they had Muslim restricted in practicing their faith - even the call to prayers
was banned in some places. This was not tolerable! Muslim culture, values and religion were in danger. Syed Ahmed believed that
an independent state was necessary for having religious liberty. He also believed that to revive Islam Muslims had to be ruled by
fellow Muslims. Therefore, he started armed struggle (Jihad) to get rid of the Sikh rulers.
SASB was a great religious leader who wanted to remove the evils that had corrupted the Islamic society. He wanted to purify the
Muslim society from Hindu customs, beliefs, myths, influences and practices that had crept into their worship and daily lives. But
spiritual upbringing and purification of their beliefs were not possible under the control of Sikhs and Hindus. For this purpose, he
launched Jihad Movement and revived the desire of Jihad in the Muslims of India.
How important was the work of Syed Ahmed Barelvi? /7
Syed Ahmed Barelvi founded the Jihad movement.
Even though the Jihad movement was defeated in the Battle of Balakot, some of its members still survived which continued it till
1863 till British sent a huge army to deal with it, however even after that it survived which showed the determination of its
followers, this was also important as this was first movement in Indian history that led to others movements such as the Khilafat
movement in 1920.
Many historians regard this effort as these motivated other Muslim leaders to defend their religion, freedom and culture. As
Muslim who later campaigned for freedom saw Syed Ahmed Brelvi's efforts as an example as he too wanted a state created on
the Islamic principles.
The Jihad movement was also a uniting force for the Muslims as many of the soldiers in Syed Ahmed’s army were spiritual leaders
or teachers, which were willing to sacrifice their lives for their cause which also inspired other Muslims, and this paved the path to
the Pakistan Movement.
Who was Haji Shariat Ullah? /4
He was born in 1781 in Faridpur district in East Bengal. His father was a farmer, and the family was not wealthy. In 1799, he went
to Arabia for the Hajj and stayed there for the next nineteen years. He was inspired by Sheikh Muhammad Abdul Wahab.
Who was Mohsin-ud-Din? /4
His real name was Mohsin-ud-Din, he was son of Haji Shariat Ullah. He continued Farazi Movement which was led by Haji Shariat
Ullah. He divided East Bengal in circles and appointed Khalifa for social welfare. He motivated farm workers to fight against high
taxes charged by Hindu and British landlords, after his death in 1860 Faraizi movement declined.
What was Faraizi Movement? /4
The Faraizi movement was started and led by Haji Shariat Ullah in 1819. The movement extolled Muslims of Bengal to give up un-
Islamic practices and act upon their duties as Muslims and it also gave encouragement to the Muslims at the time when they
were demoralized by the oppression they suffered from the British. The Faraizi movement was widely received in the districts of
Dhaka, Faridpur, Barisal, Mymensingh and Comilla.
Why was Haji Shariat Ullah movement calling the Faraizi Movement? /4
Hajji Shariat Ullah believed that Muslim of Bengal had moved away from Islam. He wanted that Muslims should offer Islamic
duties known as Faraiz. He advised Muslims to offer Prayer, fasting, Zakat and Hajj. Due to which his movement was known as
Faraizi movement, and his followers were called 'Faraizis'.
Why did Hindu landlords drive Haji Shariat Ullah out? /4
The success of this movement flamed the British and Hindu Landlord’s, and they did not want Haji Shariat Ullah to create
difficulty for them by uniting a desire to improve their lives and purify their religion, so they drove Haji Shariat Ullah out of the
reign to Nawabganj in Dhaka where he died in 1840.
Why did the British imprison Mohsin-ud-din? /4
Mohsin-ud-din’s opposition to the payment of taxes led to the unrest in east Bengal, but he went even further and threatened to
declare jihad against British government. The British arrested him and put him in the prison because of this.
Why was the Farazi Movement founded? /7
Haji Shariat Ullah founded the Farazi Movement.
Haji Shariat Ullah found out that Muslim of east Bengal were being oppressed by both Hindus and the British, previously they
were the ruling class but now after the arrival of British they worked with zamindars who consisted of mainly Hindus who caused
Muslims to reduce to near poverty, so the Farazi movement was started to restore their pride.
Haji Shariat Ullah also saw that the zamindars were cruel to the Muslims and were taking most of their money as taxes, moreover
Muslims were given few opportunities in education and employment, as a result they had no source of income causing them to
have insufficient funds to buy basic necessities such as food which caused them to starve so Farazi Movement was founded to
end this tyranny.
Haji Shariat Ullah was a great religious leader who wanted to remove the evils that had corrupted the Islamic society. He wanted
to purify the Muslim society from Hindu customs, beliefs, myths, influences and practices that had crept into their worship and
daily lives. But spiritual upbringing and purification of their beliefs were not possible under the control of Sikhs and Hindus. For
this purpose, he launched Farazi Movement and revived the desire of Jihad in the Muslims of India.
Was the work of Haji Shariat Ullah important? /7
Even though the Farazi movement declined it was influential because of several reasons.
Muslim of east Bengal were being oppressed by both Hindus and the British, previously they were the ruling class but now after
the arrival of British they were politically weak, so the Farazi movement was started which started Jihad with the oppressors
resulting in restoration of the pride of the Muslims, it also showed the Hindus the power and solidarity of Muslims.
Farazi movement convinced the Muslims to give up unislamic practices from their lives and practice the true teachings of Islam
and to complete their duties, this brought revival at spiritual level in the religion Islam in East Bengal as Hindu influences were
being removed at large extent from the religion of Islam which led to Muslims following proper Islam and living better lives as
Islam is the Complete Code of Life
Muslim peasants of Bengal became united against the harsh treatment of Hindus and British Landlords. This was important both
politically and economically as now they were becoming more and more aware of their political rights, which caused Muslims to
demand for a separate homeland. It might be said that Faraizi movement sown the seeds of the Pakistan movement.
Did Syed Ahmed Barelvi contribute more to the spread of Islam than anyone else in the sub-continent before 1850? Explain your
answer. /14
The work of Syed Ahmad had been the very important factor in the revival of Islam because of many reasons.
He started the Jihad movement which was a uniting force for the Muslims as many of the soldiers in Syed Ahmed’s army were
spiritual leaders or teachers, which were willing to sacrifice their lives for their cause which also inspired other Muslims, and this
paved the path to the Pakistan Movement.
Even though the Jihad movement was defeated in the Battle of Balakot, some of its members still survived which continued it till
1863 till British sent a huge army to deal with it, however even after that it survived which showed the determination of its
followers, this was also important as this was first movement in Indian history that led to others movements such as the Khilafat
movement in 1920.
Many historians regard this effort as these motivated other Muslim leaders to defend their religion, freedom and culture. As
Muslim who later campaigned for freedom saw Syed Ahmed Brelvi's efforts as an example as he too wanted a state created on
the Islamic principles.
However, there were other two leaders as well:
Shah Waliullah also saw Muslims were dividing into sectarian groups known as Shia and Sunni which both followed Islam but with
different believes. Sir Syed knew that if they kept being dividing, they would be vulnerable and any external force could easily
attack on them, so he wrote Islamic believes that were acceptable by both Shia and Sunni. This was only successful to a certain
point but helped Muslim to be united.
However, there was another leader as well:
Haji Shariat Ullah found out that Muslim of east Bengal were being oppressed by both Hindus and the British, previously they
were the ruling class but now after the arrival of British they worked with zamindars who consisted of mainly Hindus. Also, they
were given few opportunities in education and employment, as a result they had no source of income causing them to reduce to
near poverty, so the Farazi movement was started to restore their pride.
Haji Shariat Ullah was a great religious leader who wanted to remove the evils that had corrupted the Islamic society. He wanted
to purify the Muslim society from Hindu customs, beliefs, myths, influences and practices that had crept into their worship and
daily lives. But spiritual upbringing and purification of their beliefs were not possible under the control of Sikhs and Hindus. For
this purpose, he launched Farazi Movement and revived the desire of Jihad in the Muslims of India.
I believe that Shah Waliullah was the best Islamic reformer as he translated Quran to Persian which made it available for
everyone to read, which made it easier for people to understand and follow those acts in the Quran, causing them to improve
their standard of living.
Chapter 2:
Who was Babur? /4
Babur was a Muslim who ruled in Turkestan. He was keen on extending his territory, he defeated the emperor of Delhi in 1526 in
the first Battle of Panipat and defeated other Indian chiefs and became the unchallenged ruler. His real name was Zahir-ud-Din,
and he passed away in 1530.
Who was Humayun? /4
He was the son of Babur and succeeded him in 1530. The Afghan chiefs defeated him in battle and took his territories and he also
faced opposition by his brothers. In 1555 he reclaimed his territories but shortly after tripped by his own rope on the steps of the
library and died.
Who was Akbar? /4
Akbar was only 13 years old when he became emperor. He extended the empire further. He was greatly inspired by Sufi beliefs
and created a new religion which was called Din-e-Ilahi which contained both Islam and Hinduism, but it ended after his death. He
ruled the empire for fifty years and laid a good foundation for other emperors.
Who was Jehangir? /4
Mughal Empire continued to expand now under Akbar’s son Jehangir. He was the one who signed the commercial treaty with the
British, but he had no idea that the British would overthrow the Mughals. He ruled from 1605 till 1627 and his eldest son
succeeded him later.
Who was Shah Jehan? /4
He was the eldest son of Jehangir, and his real name was Khurram. He was the one of the Taj Mahal built in the memory of his
beloved wife. He tried to extend the empire towards the Persians, but his wars were costly and inefficient. He did however defeat
the Portuguese who tried to convert Muslim girls into Christians.
Who was Aurangzeb? /4
He was the son of Shah Jehan, and he was the one who succeeded him. It was not easy though as he had to defeat his three
brothers in war to get the throne. His polices were not much liked by some and though his rule was the time when the Mughal
empire was at its peak, the downfall of the empire had slowly begun.
Who was Nadir Shah? /4
He was a Persian leader. In 1739 he defeated Muhammad Shah’s forces at Karnal and invaded the Mughal Empire. He then
sacked Delhi of everything it had. He did not intend to make himself ruler but instead just take all the wealth. He also took the
Mughals famous peacock throne. He showed the weaknesses of the empire.
Who were the Marathas? /4
They were Hindus who had formed an empire in southern India and were a constant problem for the Mughals. The empire was
created by Shivaji. Aurangzeb spent 25 years trying to defeat the Marathas and after his death the Marathas kept taking Mughal
land. By the mid eighteenth century the Marathas had replaced the Mughals as the most powerful nation.
Who was Ahmed Shah Durrani? /4

He was a Persian and was also known as Ahmad Shah Abdali, he was the founder of the Durrani Empire in 1747. He united the
different Afghan tribes and conquered what is now Afghanistan, Pakistan, eastern Iran and The Punjab in northwestern India. He
was a Sunni Muslim.
Explain Battle of Panipat in 1761? /4
Third Battle of Panipat Was Fought Between the Maratha Empire and the Durrani Empire of Afghanistan. It was fought on 14
January 1761. The Durrani Empire won and took the northern region of Sutlej in Punjab from the Marathas.
Who was Shah Allam? /4
Shah Allam II was the sixteenth Mughal Emperor. He ruled from 1759 to 1806. He was also known as Ali Gauhar. After he was
defeat at Buxar in 1764, Shah Allam granted the British the right to collect revenue from Bengal, Bihar, and Orissa.
Who was Bahadur Shah 2? /4
Bahadur Shah II, better known as Bahadur Shah Zafar in history, was the last Mughal Emperor who remained at helm from 1837
to 1857. He was born in 1775 and was the son of Akbar shah II. He was over sixty when he ascended to the throne of Delhi. He
was a very good poet and a calligrapher as well as a Sufi. After the war of independence of 1857, he was exiled to Rangoon in
1858 where he died in 1862 at the age of 87.
Who was Robert Clive? /4
He was born in 1725. He fought in the Battle of Plassey and after winning it he was made governor of Bengal. An investigation
was carried out into his behavior and even though he was found not guilty, the allegations combined with his drug addiction
caused him to take his own life.
Who was Siraj-ud-Daulah? /4
He was the last independent ruler of Bengal. The French provoked him into attacking British property which made it an excuse for
British to attack him. It was made easy to defeat him because of the treachery of his general and his body was found in a river
after the battle.
What was Din-e-Elahi?
The final stage in the Akbar’s religious views came in 1582, when he promulgated the famous Den-e-Elahi. The Den-e-Elahi had
elements of both Islam and Hinduism and is characterized Divine Monotheism. The religion soon wiped out after the death of
Akbar as it was already not very famous in Muslim community.
Who was Mir Qasim? /4
He was the son of Mir Jafar. Mir Qasim was the Nawab of Bengal from the year 1760 till 1764. The British East India Company
made him the Nawab of Bengal by replacing Mir Jafar. He combined forces with Nawab of Oudh and the Mughal emperor Shah
Allam to overthrow the EIC, but they failed and were defeated.
Who was Mir Jafar? /4
Mir Jafar served as the commander of the Bengali army under Siraj ud-Daulah, the Nawab of Bengal, but betrayed him during the
Battle of Plassey. He succeeded Daulah after the British victory in 1757. His son later replaced him as the Nawab of Bengal.
What was the Pitts Act? /4

The Pitts Act also known as the India Act was passed by the British in 1784. This act basically said that British had direct control of
all Indian possessions. This act also appointed a governor general but there would also be provincial generals and a commander in
chief of the forces. This made it so EIC lost all its power and British were in charge now.
What was the Doctrine of Lapse? /4
In 1852, the governor general was Dalhousie, and he planned to extend British control over India. He did this by applying the
doctrine of lapse. This stated when a ruler did not have a natural heir his land would be taken by the British. This was an
unpopular act as sometimes it would just be used as an excuse to take land. This happened when Nawab of Oudh died and had
heirs, but his land was still taken by the British.
What was the Subsidiary Alliance? /4
This was introduced in 1798. It was between rulers of princely states and the British and it stated that British troops would
protect the ruler and the ruler would pay them by giving money or land. It also said that there would be a British adviser in the
ruler’s court.
Who was Tipu Sultan? /4
Tipu was the son of Hyder Ali the Nawab of Mysore. He tried to setup modern army with the help of French. He fought bravely
with the E.I.C army. He was defeated in the fourth battle of Mysore in 1799 by Lord Wellesley.
Who were the zamindars? /4
The zamindars were landlords who collected rent from the peasants, and they paid revenue to the Company. By the terms of the
permanent settlement, the rajas and taluqdars were recognized as zamindars. They were chieftains appointed by Mughal Rulers.
They rebelled against the Mughals in 1781.
What was the “EIC”? /4
EIC stands for East India Company. It was a private trading company that was granted permission by Queen Elizabeth 1 to trade
with India. Jehangir was the one who signed a treaty with them and allowed them to trade. EIC established their first three
companions in Calcutta, Madrassa and Bombay.
Who was Titu Mir? /4
His real name was Syed Mir Nisar. He was a great and courageous Bengali freedom fighter who led the people against the
zamindars and British system. He went to Hajj in 1822 and when he came back, he wanted to free Muslims from oppressors and
Islam from unislamic practices. He raised an army of 15k followers and built a bamboo fort in Narkebaria. He fought bravely but
lost to British and even British applauded his bravery.
What was the Act of Parliament? /4
In 1773 the British were forced to issue an act called the Act of Parliament. It was passed by Lord North. It stated that British had
to stop the misgovernment in India. This act stated the EIC to provide good government and stop corruption.
Describe the Battle of Plassey? /4
In 1756 the France provoked the Nawab of the Bengal to attack British land. He captured the city of Calcutta but was unable to
hold on to it as Clive came with an army and his general betrayed. Clive defeated the Nawab in the battle of Plassey and his body
flowed down a river and the general was made the Nawab.
Was Battle of Plassey an important event in the Indian history? /4
Battle of Plassey was a major turning point in modern Indian history that led to the consolidation of British rule in India as British
had taken the most valuable province Bengal which they made it their capital and from there they stated conquering India, so it
marked the beginning of direct British rule in India.
Why did the Act of Parliament effect India when it was passed in British Government in 1773? /4
It is because the Act was stopping the EIC which was a British company in India from doing corruption and fraud in India. The act
was passed in British because the company was belonging to the British and the country it controlled was India.
How was the British system of government organized in 1784? /4
It made EIC lose all its administrative power and gave direct control to British. It assigned a governor general, with provincial
generals and commanders-in-chief. It also set up a police force and a legal system. However, only British were consider applicable
to join them.
Why were the British interested in Sindh? /4
The British wanted, Ranjit Singh to add a pro-British in Kabul, but he didn’t so they wanted to do it on their own. They also
wanted to restore their pride which was hurt by the loss in Afghanistan. They also feared that Ranjit Singh was extending his
territory. They also attacked them because the Amirs of Sindh had attacked British Residency.
What did Sir Charles Napier mean by his statement regarding the siege of Sindh? /4
He his statement he says that they didn't have any right over Sindh meaning that nothing wrong had Sindh did to them, but they
had attacked Sindh because of their own interests that were to gain territory. To stop Rangit Singh from expanding territory. And
to restore their pride that was hurt in the Afghan Revolt.
Why was the attack on Sindh a ‘shameful British act’? /4
It was shameful because they didn't have any right to take over Sindh meaning that nothing wrong had Sindh did to them, but
they had attacked Sindh because of their own interests that were to gain territory. To stop Rangit Singh from expanding territory.
And to restore their pride that was hurt in the Afghan Revolt.
What did the English official meant when he talked of British rule ‘like a sponge’? /4
Like a sponge means that the British wanted all the goods of India to be transmitted to Britain. This emphasize that ruling India
has brought immense benefits to Britain. Large population of India served beneficial human resources and made it into an
appealing market for the Britishers. Therefore, the statement of the British officials justified in the sense that they used India to
soak all the benefits from it.
What role did the EIC play in the decline of the Empire? /4
Firstly, British defeated Nawab of Bengal Siraj-ud-Daulah and took over Calcutta, from where they took over Bihar, Orissa and
Oudh which gave the British a strong foundation. Then British appointed puppet rulers on the throne whilst also making policies
fooling the Indians, they also played different rulers against each other for their benefit and slowly started taking over control.
Why was doctrine of lapse proved unpopular in India? /7

The doctrine of lapse was unpopular because it prevented inheritance of ancestral lands. It said that if ruler without a natural heir
died, his land would pass or handed over to the British. When people were deprived of their property because of no heirs, it
became an unpopular exercise.
It also proved unpopular when it was used as an excuse to take land. For example, when the Nawab of Oudh died, he had several
heirs, but his property was taken on the pretext that he had governed the state badly. Therefore, non-compliance with the terms
caused further unpopularity.
The doctrine of lapse was also unpopular because it now showed the dominance of British. They were foreign rulers but now
were taking control without much resistance. They were seen as invaders and were generally disliked so the doctrine of lapse
became a testament to British unpopular in India.
Why was Battle of Plassey fought? /7
In 1756, the French encouraged the Nawab of Bengal, Siraj ud Daulah to attack the EIC base at Calcutta. He captured the city,
however, was unable to keep control over it for long as Clive arrived with an army in 1757. The British and the Nawab got into
combat over area of Calcutta which was one of the reasons that the Battle of Plassey was fought.
wait
Why did British annex Sindh? /7
The British had been defeated in a revolt in Afghanistan and they feared that because of their failure, the Indians might revolt too
as they might think that British is weak, so, to show the Indians that they were still as strong as ever, they annexed Sindh.
Secondly, Ranjeet Singh was continuously expanding his empire and the British feared that Sindh would be the next target and
they wanted to have control over India; so, the British annexed Sindh to prevent it from falling in Sikh control.
The Amirs were provoked by General Charles Napier attacked the British residency in Sindh, which made it an excuse for British to
attack them as British were trying to take control over all of India, so this was a golden opportunity for them.
Why were the British able to increase their influence in India? /7
OR
Why were British able to take India? /7
Firstly, the British were the first to experience Industrial revolution in the world and had modern developed weapons which the
Mughal could not match. As a result, British were able to conquer most of the Indian lands such as Bengal, Punjab, Mysore, Oudh,
Sindh etc. thus resulting in their increase of influence, which caused them to establish a strong capital.
Secondly, Indians were disunited, and the British played up the difference among various communities which resulted in constant
infighting amongst Indians as a result British were able to increase their influence over common people as the numerical strength
of the Indians decreased and was less than the British.
Thirdly, the victory of Battle of Plassey was a milestone for them as Bengal, the richest and politically important province fell in
their hands as a result they started to increase wealth as well their political influence in India, which let them to gain improved
equipment and army whilst also they used that money to disunite the Indians by bribing one against the other such as they did to
win the war of 1857.
How was Aurangzeb responsible for the decline of the Mughal Empire? /7
Aurangzeb was ambitious to be the ruler of entire India. He built up a massive army and launched several military campaigns to
expand his empire. He went north-west into Afghanistan and drove southwards to conquer Bijapur and Golconda states. Though
he succeeded in expanding the empire, it was at enormous cost in lives and treasury. Instead of political solution through
negotiation, he always tried to suppress the rebellions by using military force. Several revolts rose against him throughout the
empire - Rajput, Jats, Sikhs, Satnami, Marathas and Pathan tribes. These far-flung campaigns were extremely costly and almost
drained the Mughal treasury, leaving the empire weak financially.
To sustain long costly wars, Aurangzeb obviously needed money for his armies and so he levied heavy taxes on the people
including the Jizya tax on non-Muslims. This caused immense displeasure in the people and resulted in political instability in the
empire. According to some historians, his religious policies were intolerant towards non-Muslims. Several temples were
destroyed, and construction of new ones was forbidden, and he tried to impose Islamic laws on non-Muslims which caused an
angry reaction in them and caused them to revolt.
Aurangzeb was not only disliked by Hindus but also by Muslims. Sometimes he made laws such as how long the beard should be.
He made this because he thought it would make people more pious but instead it caused more resentment even by Muslims as it
was disturbing some Muslims’ beliefs, which caused him to lose even more support.
Why was Aurangzeb disliked by Indians? /7
Aurangzeb was a very strict person in religious beliefs. He imposed the Jizya tax in his reign which was banned by Akbar. This was
a tax taken from non-Muslims which offended them, and they started disliking him, as Hindus were already suffering
economically and couldn’t afford to pay Jizya.
Aurangzeb secondly was disliked due to his interference in Hindu rituals. Aurangzeb banned sutti i.e., the practice of burning an
alive woman with her dead husband, Aurangzeb banned this ritual as he thought of it as inhumane. Still, it was a Hindu tradition
and Hindus got offended and felt discriminated. Thus, Aurangzeb lost their support, and they started disliking him.
Aurangzeb thirdly was very strict in his Islamic view. He set a specific size of beard according to which he thought the society
would become pious but instead the different Muslim sectors greatly opposed this and started disliking him as they said it was
against their beliefs.
Explain why the successors of Aurangzeb failed to prevent the decline of the Mughal Empire? /7
Firstly, Aurangzeb's successors fought for succession to the throne which seriously undermined the military and financial
strengths of the empire. Many important personalities who could run the affairs of the state lost their lives in these wars. Also,
because there was chaos between the successors, other Nawabs and ministers also saw an opportunity to establish themselves as
the ruler which caused confusion allowing outside forces to invade.
The successors of Aurangzeb were pleasure-loving and did not take serious interest in the affairs of the empire. They gave all the
powers to their ministers and nawabs who governed the state according to their own interests and wishes. They were
extravagant despite poor economic conditions. They spent a lot of money on finest dresses, jewelry and foods, instead of
investing in military defenses and war making the empire weak.
They gave no attention to the development of modern warfare tools, military training and naval technology. In this period other
nations developed newer weapons whilst these rulers were spending money with no real thought on useless things. Due to their
weak military position, they could not defend the empire against external invasions and internal rebellions such as the invasion
from Ahmed Shah Abdali.
Why did the British involve in India during 18 thcentury? /7
In 1600, Queen Elizabeth I granted permission and a monopoly to the EIC to trade in areas of East Africa. EIC had accordingly tried
to trade with Indonesia, but the Dutch were already controlling the trade and they didn’t let EIC operate there. Therefore, EIC
turned to India as an alternative.
The economic and trade potential of India was also one of the reasons why EIC wanted to trade there. The riches that trade in
India promised were too much for EIC to ignore, especially when no other European power was there to compete with them as
the trade could generate immense profit for the British.
In the 17th century, it was the time when European colonial powers were competing against one another to add the territories
which were abound with economic or natural resources. Therefore, it was a step taken by EIC to make India their colony, given
the socio-political situation there.
How far did the Mughal weaknesses from 1707 make decline inevitable? /7
The Mughal's didn't follow any laws of succession each time a ruler died; a war of succession started between the brothers which
weakened the Mughal Empire, especially after Aurangzeb's death there was chaos between the successors, other Nawabs and
ministers also saw an opportunity to establish themselves as the ruler which caused confusion allowing outside forces to invade.
Aurangzeb failed to realize that the vast Mughal empire depended on the willing support of the people. He lost the support of the
Rajput who had acted as pillars of support, but Aurangzeb's policies turned them to bitter faces, also even Muslims disliked his
polices as they interfered with their faiths, this caused Aurangzeb to lose all support whilst also facing revolts.
The Mughal empire had become too large to be controlled by any ruler from one center for example Delhi. Nearby provinces
become independent. The rise of independent states led to the decline of Mughal empire as they kept fighting each other whilst
external forces such as Nadir Shah invaded the empire.
Was the India Act of 1784 the main reason why the British were able to expand beyond Bengal between 1784 and 1850? Explain
your answer. /10
How successful were the British attempts to take control of lands in the sub-continent between 1750 and 1856? Explain your
answer. /14
The British were almost completely successful in taking control of lands in the S.C between 1750 and 1856.
The British had come to India for trade and to increase and ensure their trade they found it necessary to have political control of
lands in the sub-continent. The first opportunity came in 1757 when the battle of Plassey took place. In this battle the forces of
the East India Company under Robert Clive met the army of Siraj-ud-Doula, the Nawabs of Bengal. Clive had 800 Europeans and
2200 Indians whereas Siraj-ud-doula in his entrenched camp at Plassey was said to have about 50,000 men with a train of heavy
artillery. Unfortunately, Mir Jafar (the general of the Nawab), met with Clive, and a greater number of the Nawabs soldiers were
bribed to throw away their weapons, surrender prematurely, and even turn their arms against their own army. Siraj-ud-Doula was
defeated. Battle of Plassey marked the first major military success for British East India Company.
It was followed by the battle of Buxar. Mir Qasim the Nawab of Bengal took help from Nawab of Oudh and the Emperor Shah
Allam II. But the English at Buxar defeated the combined army in 1764. Mir Qasim fled and died in 1777. After winning the Battle
of Buxar, the British had earned the right to collect land revenue in Bengal, Bihar and Orissa. This development set the
foundations of British political rule in India.
After the victory of the English in Buxar, Robert Clive was appointed the governor and commander in chief of the English army in
Bengal in 1765. He is claimed as the founder of the British political dominion in India. Robert Clive also brought reforms in the
administration of the company and the organization of the army, also he won crucial battles for the British such as Battle of
Plassey causing British to establish a strong base.
The British wanted full control of south India to ensure their spice trade. Lord Wellesley became the Governor General of India in
1798. Tipu Sultan tried to secure an alliance with the French against the English in India. Wellesley questioned Tipu’s relationship
with the French and attacked Mysore in 1799. The fourth Anglo-Mysore War was of short duration and decisive and ended with
Tipu’s death in 1799 who was killed fighting to save his capital. This gave control to British on the southern part of India.
Besides that, Marathas were also defeated, and Maratha power destroyed by British in several wars during 1817- 1818. British
abolished the position of Peshwa, and Marathas were limited to the small kingdom of Satara. This ended the mighty Maratha
power, and the British took control causing British influence to grow.
British wanted to make sure that Afghanistan didn’t fall into Russian hands. British agreed with Ranjit Singh (ruler of Punjab) that
Afghanistan should remain independent. A rebellion broke out in Afghanistan in 1841 in which British troops were killed. British
felt that their pride had been hurt in Afghanistan and decided to turn on Sindh. Sindh was ruled by collection of Amirs who had
signed a treaty with British in 1809. British General Sir Charles Napier provoked the Amirs of Sindh so much that they attacked
British residency in 1843. Amirs were defeated and Sindh was annexed by British, resulting in increase of territory for the British.
Punjab was the next target. Ranjit Singh had signed a treaty of friendship in 1809 but after his death in 1839, the rival chiefs
argued themselves over who should be a king. Army attacked British possessions south of River Sutlej and provoked the British to
invade Punjab. War began but British remained victorious. In 1849, after a revolt against British, Punjab, NWFP were annexed and
became part of British Empire in 1849. Hyderabad, Deccan, Oudh and the local Nawabs had been forced to sign treaties with the
EIC; this gave their external affairs to Britain.
In this period British simply were defeating every force that was in their way and had almost controlled all of India, therefore I can
say that this was a period in which British dominated.
Do you agree that arrival of the British was the most Important reason for the decline of the Mughal Empire? Explain your
answer. /14
The Mughal Empire was in serious decline by the end of the eighteenth century. What eventually pushed it into final decline was
the ambition of the British. England had been the first country to Experience the industrial revolution, its industries were
producing cheap manufactured goods which were sold around the World, and the British could afford a Military strength which
the Mughals could not match, which gave the British the upper hand ultimately causing them to take over India.
The Huge Empire was very difficult to administer, so obviously, emperors could not know exactly what was happening in every
part of the empire. This caused far-off provinces such as Bengal Deccan etc. to become Independent. The rise of independent
states led to the decline of Mughal empire as they kept fighting each other whilst external forces such as Nadir Shah invaded the
empire.
Aurangzeb was ambitious to be the ruler of entire India. He built up a massive army and launched several military campaigns to
expand his empire. He went north-west into Afghanistan and drove southwards to conquer Bijapur and Golconda states. Though
he succeeded in expanding the empire, it was at enormous cost in lives and treasury. Instead of political solution through
negotiation, he always tried to suppress the rebellions by using military force. Several revolts rose against him throughout the
empire - Rajput, Jats, Sikhs, Satnami, Marathas and Pathan tribes. These far-flung campaigns were extremely costly and almost
drained the Mughal treasury, leaving the empire weak financially.
To sustain long costly wars, Aurangzeb obviously needed money for his armies and so he levied heavy taxes on the people
including the Jizya tax on non-Muslims. This caused immense displeasure in the people and resulted in political instability in the
empire. According to some historians, his religious policies were intolerant towards non-Muslims. Several temples were
destroyed, and construction of new ones was forbidden, and he tried to impose Islamic laws on non-Muslims which caused an
angry reaction in them and caused them to revolt.
The Mughal's didn't follow any laws of succession each time a ruler died; a war of succession started between the brothers which
weakened the Mughal Empire, especially after Aurangzeb's death there was chaos between the successors, other Nawabs and
ministers also saw an opportunity to establish themselves as the ruler which caused confusion allowing outside forces to invade.
The Mughals used to fight in wars and in wars even if they won or lost their army's it was on a cost that was that expertise lost
their lives until Mughal’s army was no longer an effective fighting force, which caused it to lose wars ultimately losing territories,
like Aurangzeb was unable to deal with Shivaji’s rebellion in Deccan.
Aurangzeb’s successors gave no attention to the development of modern warfare tools, military training and naval technology. In
this period other nations developed newer weapons whilst these rulers were spending money with no real thought on useless
things. Due to their weak military position, they could not defend the empire against external invasions and internal rebellions
such as the invasion from Ahmed Shah Abdali.
British had come with powerful weapons and had bribed Indians to turn against each other like they bribed Mir Jafar in the Battle
of Plassey and had established their empire. Therefore, I believe that a lot of reasons had caused weaknesses in the empire but
British gave the final blow to the end of the empire.
Chapter 3:
Who was Nana Sahib? /4
He was an Indian Peshwa. He lived from 1824 to 1859. He led the Indian troops against the British and promised them a safe
place but killed them. The British recaptured the city and were hungry for revenge. Nana Sahib escaped.
Who was Tantia Tope? /4
Tantia Tope was a member of the Indian Rebellion of 1857. He served as a commander and led an army of Indian soldiers against
the British. He was a supporter of Nana Sahib and continued to fight for him even after Nana was forced to leave by the British
army. Tantia even pushed General Windham to flee Kanpur and helped Rani Lakshmi of Jhansi in retaining Gwalior.
Who was Jhansi ki Rani? /4
Jhansi ki Rani was adopted daughter of ruler of Jhansi, she was not accepted as ruler and Jhansi was captured by British under
Doctrine of Lapse, she revolted and was supported by Tantia Tope, she was killed by British in battle of Gwalior. She was an
important leader of the revolt of 1857.
What were the greased cartridges and why were they such a big cause of the War of Independence? /4
The greased cartridges were a new type of rifle created by British. It had a paper cartridge and was greased to keep the powder
dry. The problem was created because the end had to be chewed before the rifle could be used and rumor was that the grease
was made by pig or cow fat and pig is haram in Islam and cow is holy in Hinduism.
What was the Vernacular Act? /4
The lack of opportunities for Muslims were a big issue and it led to the widespread criticism to the British in the newspapers.
These newspapers were written in regional languages, so everyone understood them. British chose violence and passed an act
called vernacular act that banned these papers, and they could be confiscated.
What was the Arms Act? /4
The British feared that there would be another Indian revolt. They thought the easiest way to do this would be to weaken the
Indians. They passed an act called Arms Act which made it impossible for Indians to use weapons. They thought if another revolt
starts it will not be effective.
Describe the proclamation of 1858? /4
The British saw that the war started because Indians were not satisfied because of British rule. They decided to recognize the
Indians grievances but in practice they did almost nothing.
The proclamation stated that there will be no interference in religious beliefs, they will regard and respect to the Indians ancient
rights, properties and customs. They will abide all treaties and will take no more territory from the Indians. They will also appoint
Indians into public services and give them opportunities.
What were the Nationalist ideas that began to grow after the War of Independence? /4
In 1866 a society was made for the promotion of national feelings.
In 1867 the yearly Hindu Mela had started.
Political groups started to spring up in 1870.

In 1885 the Indian National Congress was founded.
Who were Christian missionaries? /4
Christian missionaries basically mean people that are sent to a religious mission to convert others to Christianity. In India British
said that they will not interfere in Indians religious beliefs, but the Indians did not believe them as the British had brought
Christain missionaries that to convert people to Christians and to setup Christian schools.
What was the effect of the war of 1857 on Muslims? /4
The exclusion of the Muslims from army and the higher posts of administration ruined the Muslims. So, the war of 1857 resulted
in completed annihilation of Muslims, political power in India. British looked at Muslims with suspicion which resulted in
indiscriminate treatment towards the Muslims. They imprisoned their leader Bahadur Shah and stopped funding Muslim schools.
Was the treatment of the Muslims acceptable after the war of 1857? /4
This was not acceptable as the British thought that Muslims were the leaders of the war as Bahadur Shah was made king. This
caused British to remove Muslims from all posts meaning they had now no source of income and now had become peasants.
British also now looked at Muslims with suspicion which resulted in indiscriminate treatment towards the Muslims. Now Hindus
and other communities who were also a big part of the war were enjoying themselves whilst Muslims were suffering.
What system did the British set up for governing India after the War of Independence? /4
In the year 1858, Parliament passed the Government of India Act, the act stated that the EIC was abolished and the power over
India was transferred to the crown. A member of the British Cabinet was made the Secretary of State for India, but the direct
power was in the hands of the Governer General now known as the Viceroy. The Viceroy has a thousand members to help him
administer the country.
Why do you think Indians were not satisfied by the British rule in the 19thcentury? /4
Firstly, they knew until British were ruling India, it would never truly belong to them. Then British had also prevented them from
carrying weapons by the Arms Act. And the British had passed another Act called vernacular Act to prevent criticism in the
newspapers against British, essentially silencing them. They had also created their own schools that taught in English and
promoted Christianity and had taken away funds from Muslim schools. Muslims were also unhappy because their leader Bahadur
Shah was also imprisoned.
Why did British take strict measures against Muslims after the War of Independence? /7
Firstly, the British believed the Muslim community to be solely responsible for the war. It was the Muslims who had given British a
very tough time and had fought more ferociously than others. Therefore, the British took strict measured against the Muslims.
Secondly, the British were aware that their rule was extremely unpopular with the local communities. They knew that this
unpopularity might lead other communities to start a rebellion. Therefore, to prevent the communities from starting rebellions,
they made a horrible example of Muslims by taking strict measures against them.
Thirdly, before the arrival of British, the Muslims had been ruling the subcontinent for centuries. The British had snatched rule of
India from Muslims. The British believed that Muslims would always try to resist them and make attempts to regain their rule.
Therefore, to prevent the Muslims from that, they took strict measures against the Muslims.
Why did British take over India from EIC? /7

Firstly, the EIC was corrupt, and the officers were accustomed to taking personal gifts which was damaging the image of British
government therefore British government interfere and took over government of EIC to end the corruption.
Secondly, the volume of trade was expanding and the EIC business was making a lot of profit which the British government
wanted to possess as they wanted to spend it on Industrial Revolution which had taken place and they wanted to spend a small
share of wealth over the welfare of India, therefore they took over EIC to benefit from the riches.
Thirdly, the 19th century was an era of colonization, and all European nations were in a race to acquire more colonies which serve
as a market for their industrial goods. So British government took over EIC to increase the number of its colonies and strengthen
its position as superpower.
Religious factors were more important as compared to social factors in causing the War of Independence. Do you agree? Give
reasons for your answer. /14
Indians feared that Hinduism, Islam, Sikhism etc. were under threat in British rule. British people knew very little about these
religions. They also did not respect local beliefs and customs. Sutti was a Hindu tradition in which the widow had to burn herself
with the dead body of her husband. British banned sati, although this custom was inhuman and cruel, but Hindu’s emotions were
attached to it, and they were annoyed when it was banned. They felt that the British were the foreign invaders, and they were
trying to interfere in their religion and customs which created bitterness towards the British.
Also, many Christian missionaries had come to India to convert the local population into Christians. The local population felt this is
an imposition by the British who were considered more of invaders than rulers. As this was unacceptable to Indians so the
resentment grew.
However, there were other factors as well:
British officers imposed high taxes on Indians. But the economic conditions of Indians were already poor and were worsened by
such taxation. The tenants especially could not afford to pay the taxes, and this caused unrest. In addition to that British tax
collectors were corrupt. Instead of using the tax money for the welfare of Indians, British kept some tax money for themselves
causing more resentment which contributed to the outbreak of the war.
There were many Indians in the British army, and their ratio to European soldiers was 1:5. However the officers above these
Indian soldiers were exclusively British. This was considered as an insult by Indians and a deliberate effort to keep Indians behind
so disliking for British rule increased.
British introduced the greased cartridges made up of cow and pig fat which the Indian soldiers had to chew from their mouths
before loading the guns. As cow is considered sacred by Hindus and pig is forbidden in Islam, this created an uprising in the army
because they considered this as an insult of their religion. Moreover, when the word spread across India regarding the military
uprising in protest of the greased cartridge, Indian people supported the cause of uprising. It meant that the whole of India felt
the presence of British as a threat to their religion therefore this popular support encouraged uprising across India to finally
overthrow the British.
The doctrine of lapse was another reason as it prevented inheritance of ancestral lands. It said that if ruler without a natural heir
died, his land would pass or handed over to the British. When people were deprived of their property because of no heirs, it
became an unpopular exercise, and proved unpopular when it was used as an excuse to take land. For example, when the Nawab
of Oudh died, he had several heirs, but his property was taken on the pretext that he had governed the state badly. Therefore,
non-compliance with the terms caused further unpopularity. This did not please the Indian landlords as this was an excuse to take
their land and caused resentment to grow.
In addition to that, in 1834 English replaced Persian as the official language of the British administration, however this was seen
as a cultural intervention as Persian had been a part of India for around 800 years, moreover this also decreased the employment
chances in the civil services for the Indians as most of them did not know English, so this caused resentment to grow.
In my opinion that all the above-mentioned factors including religious insecurity caused British rule to become unpopular with
Indian. They let their anger out by rebelling in the war 1857 and turn the events of History on the path of perpetual struggle
against British Raj which enabled them to achieve freedom from in 1947.
Do you agree that British won the War of Independence in 1857 because the Indians were not united? Explain your answer. /10
Most of the Indian nationals fought bravely against the rule of the foreigner but failed in their bold attempts to overthrow the
British Raj.
The foremost cause was the sudden start of the war in confusion, without any preparation or proper planning. Since there was an
extreme lack of communication and coordination among various groups of freedom fighters who started their uprising according
to their own wishes, it became easy for the English troops to curb the revolt of different areas on by one.
However, there were other reasons as well:
There was no experienced leader among the Indians to lead the Indian soldiers. They had declared Mughal Emperor, Bahadur
Shah Zafar, their leader but instead of warfare he had devoted to poetry and was too old and incompetent to lead the
revolutionaries. The British troops, on the other hand, were endowed with extremely competent generals like Edwards and
Lawrence, which made it easy for the British to overcome the revolt.
English troops were modern and strikingly advanced not only in warfare but also in new ways of swift and speedy communication.
They did not have to cross long roads and grounds to deliver a message or order but could simply wire it within a few minutes.
The Indians on the other hand were devoid of such means. That’s why they utterly fell behind and got defeated.
The economic conditions of Indian troops also entailed an obvious cause of their defeat. On one hand the war started out of
awkwardness, mismanagement and lack of planning and even the emperor was practically penniless who was asking for loans
from Delhi landlords, but they were determined to save their money, not their freedom. The British troops, on the other hand,
had been wealthy because the prosperous regions of India were totally under their control, so the British could import advanced
weaponry making it an easy victory for them.
Another major reason was the treachery of Sikhs who had been grudgingly fighting against Muslims for a long time. Sikh states
helped the English troops in crushing the native disturbance in Punjab. In the North-West Frontier Province there were certain
feudal lords who displayed their allegiance to the British rulers. Even in the Indian army there were some traitors who were
honored and awarded with affluence for providing information to the Crown about whereabouts of the Indian Emperor for
wealth and money which made it easy to track down the Indians and deal with them.
I believe that all the reasons play a significant role in the decline of the empire, but the most important thing was that the British
was just too powerful for the Indians. They were the first nation to introduce Industrial revolution and had soaked India from its
wealth, so they were dominant in the Battle.
The War of Independence achieved nothing. Do you agree or not? Give reasons. /14
The War of Independence failed because of disunity.

One of the reasons the war was fought was because people didn’t have any jobs and were starving to death. British had taken this
issue into account after the war and proclaimed that Indians would get jobs and opportunities, but they didn’t really keep their
promise a by 1870 only 1 Indian was an officer in the ICS. Instead, what the British had done was to remove Indians from posts
and the military for security reasons which led to even more unemployment.
The British also now had their own school that were teaching western education in the language English. They were also
promoting Christianity and because of this Indians didn’t send their children to those schools but British didn’t care about the
education of the Indians and now took away funds from Indian schools which left Indians uneducated.
The War also caused a few new Acts to be established that were known as Arms Act and Vernacular Acts. The Arms Act now
disallowed any Indian to carry a weapon because the British didn’t want another revolt to start whilst the Vernacular Act banned
all the newspapers that were criticizing the British so the British did it so the Indians could not even raise their voices for their
rights.
Another change that the British did was to imprison Bahadur Shah II because in the war he was made the leader. This was
another setback for the Indians especially the Muslims as he was the last sign of power left from the Mughal Empire. Instead,
Queen Victoria became Empress which ruined Muslim politically.
The war brought lots of consequences, but all was not in vain.
The British had abolished the EIC, and the royal family had taken power of India. This was one of the biggest achievements for the
Indians as the EIC was the most corrupt government that ever existed. In the period of this company people were being exploited
and fraud was being committed and millions were dying because of starvation.
The British saw that their policies such as the doctrine of lapse and subsidiary alliance were also a big reason for the start of the
war, so they abolished them. This was another big achievement for the Indians as these policies were also another excuse of
taking Indian territories and wealth from them.
The last big achievement that was achieved by the Indians was that British had now said that they would not interfere in the
religion of anyone, and they will respect their customs, traditions and buildings. Before the Christian missionaries were destroying
religious Indian buildings such as temples mosques and they were also teaching Christianity and forcing people to convert, now all
of this was abolished, and people could practice their religion in freedom.
Although war of Independence had brought lots of consequences it also had some benefits so the statement that it achieved
nothing is wrong and this event taught the Indians on how to use their voice and fight for their rights and this was shown in
events such as “The Pakistan Movement”.
Chapter 4:
What was the Hindi-Urdu controversy? /4
The Hindi-Urdu controversy arose in 1867 when the British government prepared to accept the demand of the Hindu
communities and adopt Hindi as the second official language on demand of Hindus. Urdu was closer to Muslims than their hearts
and there were many of the best writings in that language. Hindus members of the scientific society also wanted to start
publishing the society’s journal in Hindi. This caused chaos between the two communities, so Sir Syed Ahmed Khan gave the idea
of “Two Nation Theory” as he thought that Hindus and Muslims are different from each other.
What was the “Loyal Mohammedans” /4
In 1860 Sir Syed Ahme Khan wrote a pamphlet called the Loyal Mohammedans. He stated in this pamphlet that the accusation of
the British against the Muslims that they were disloyal was wrong. He also gave detailed accounts of Muslims who showed loyalty
towards the British in this. He also told the British to end their hostility towards the Muslims.
What was the “The Causes of the Indian Revolt”? /4
In 1860 Sir Syed Ahmed Khan wrote another pamphlet called “The Causes of the Indian Revolt”. In this pamphlet he pointed out
the reasons of why the war started such as the forceful conversions of Muslims to Christians, the poor management of the Indian
army and the lack of representation of Indians in the government. This pamphlet was sent to all the Britishers and even the Royal
Family received copies and even though some officials were angered as they thought it was blaming them for the war but most of
them felt sympathy for the and accepted that there was truth in his words.
Why did Sir Syed Ahmad Khan start the Aligarh Movement? /4
It was started to create better relationships between the Muslims and British and so the British could end their hostility with the
Muslims. It was also started to convince the Muslims to adopt to the newer ways of Britishers and don't think of them as just
invaders. It was also founded to encourage Muslims to send their children to western schools and let them get western
education. Lastly it was created to improve the political power of the Muslims.
Why did Sir Syed Ahmed Khan think opposition towards was pointless? /4
SIR SYED believed it because Muslims had a very low stage in front of British and Sir Syed knew that the coming reign would be in
hands of British so he wanted Muslims to have a good relationship with British so in future Muslims could practice their religion
freely, have an independent country, and in future they could fight for their rights. He wanted Muslims to adopt British culture for
better relation.
What did he want to achieve for the Muslims? /4
According to Sir Syed, Muslims had to bring a positive approach to the British and accept their ways of life. He wanted the
Muslims to benefit from the British. To achieve this task, he had to bring about cooperation between the Muslims and the British.
He also wanted Muslims to be educated as he knew that in future Muslims would need an independent country to live and
practice their religion freely and to get that country and to fight for their rights they would have to be educated.
What were the two obstacles that Sir Syed Ahmed thought would be a problem between good relationship between the Muslims
and the British? /4
The British had but the entire responsibility for the War of Independence in 1857 on Muslims against the Muslims after 1857 and
that there was a deep-seated resentment of the British among many in the Muslim community. This was sometimes because the
British were seen as ‘foreign invaders’ and sometimes because they were thought to replace Islam with Christianity. Other
Muslims rejected all Western ideas because they were often not in line with Islamic believes. Sir Syed wanted to ensure that the
benefits and advantages of British rule, particularly in the areas of Science and Technology, were embraced by the Muslim
community to improve the lives of the masses.
Why did Sir Syed Ahmed write pamphlets such as “Loyal Mohammedans” and “The Causes of the Indian Revolt”? /4
Sir Syed wrote the loyal Muhammadans of India to prove that Muslims were not disloyal to British and to ask the British to end
their hostility. He also wrote a pamphlet "The causes of Indian Revolt" and pointed out the reasons for the outbreak of 1857. In
this pamphlet he also pointed out that Muslims were not the only reason for the start of the war.
Why did Sir Syed think education being important for Muslims? /4
It is because he was one of the greatest leaders having a huge expertise and talent. He knew that education is the only thing that
draws a line between human and animal. He understood this point that without education no changes and development can be
made. He also knew if in future Muslims would have to fight for their rights they would have to be educated. That's why he stood
against millions and focused on promoting education.
Why was the Mohammedan-Anglo Oriental College important? /4
Firstly, it gave both western and Indian education but also Islamic education so the Muslim parents now could send their children
without being worried. It was also a symbol of unity for the Muslims and many of the future leaders such as Liaqat Ali Khan got
educated from here. It is also said that the institute contributed more than any other in the formation of Pakistan.
Why did Sir Syed changed his mind of Muslims and Hindus working together? /4
He believed that Muslims and Hindus were very different from each other. He saw that they could never live together as they had
completely different religions with different beliefs such as Muslims had to slay a cow or a halal animal in Eid ul Adha when cow
was holy in Hinduism. Another problem between the community could be seen when Muslims wanted Urdu as the national
language whilst Hindus wanted Hindi.
What were the contributions of Sir Syed Ahmed Khan? /7
He worked tirelessly to restore relationships with the British of the Muslims especially after the War of Independence. The war
had caused many of the Britishers to look at Muslims as disloyal and untrustworthy people which has caused Muslims getting
indiscriminate treatment from the British. It had also caused inclusion of Muslims from jobs. His writings, his tireless work and the
example he set made the British look at Muslims in a new light. He also saw that as the Muslims were the before ruling party,
they thought of Britishers as invaders, but Sir Syed knew that the British would rule for a long time, so he convinced the Muslims
to adopt to the new ways.
Sir Syed saw since British had established schools that had the western educations and taken funds away from Muslim schools,
Muslims had stop sending their children to schools meaning the illiteracy rate was becoming high and the unemployment raise
would increase too as only the educated get jobs. Sir Syed brought a Muslim revival, largely because of the Aligarh Movement, he
encouraged educations and told Muslims that education just verifies what the Quran says, and this changed the point of view of
the Muslims. Now Muslims came to value education as a means of self-improvement and a way of getting employment. Because
of this came a feeling of self-worth.
Sir Syed saw that because Muslims were left behind because of the bad relationships with the British and because they are
uneducated Hindus have taken advantage of that. He knew that Muslims and Hindus could never stay in the same soil and as
Hindus are in a larger number, they will always override the interests of the Muslims, so he came up with the concept of “The
Two Nation Theory” and because of this he was known as the “Father of the Pakistan Movement”.
How important was his “Two Nation Theory”? /7
wait
Why was Sir Syed Ahmad khan labeled as pro-British? /7
Sir Syed was labeled as pro-British because he received Western education and was a British civil servant, therefore, he was seen
as a person who was cooperating with the British. As British-Muslim ties were strained during that time, he was labeled as pro-
British because of the anger of the Muslims.
He was also blamed as pro-British because he believed that armed uprising against the British was pointless. People thought that
he had accepted British rule as good, while Sir Syed knew they were too strong to be overthrown. Such thinking made him pro-
British in the eyes of Muslims.
He was also blamed pro-British because he called upon the Muslims to accept British education and benefit from their
technological and scientific advancement. Moreover, Sir Syed believed that science and technology helped in understanding the
significance of Islamic teachings, but as in these times the Muslims were suppressed and were viewing British as invaders and
were thinking that this was to remove the love of Islam from their hearts, so they labelled Sir Syed Ahmed Khan as pro-British.
Why did Sir Syed Ahmed Khan write pamphlets, ‘Loyal Mohammadans of India’ and ‘Causes of Indian Revolt’? /7
One of the reasons why Sir Syed wrote these two pamphlets was that he wanted to defend the Muslims of India. The British had
blamed the Muslims for the War of Independence and therefore, had started treating the Muslims as second-class citizens.
Resultantly, the economic and social position had deteriorated, and it also had created resentment amongst them. Therefore, to
justify that Muslims were not the only ones to be blamed for the war and that there were other factors too, Sir Syed wrote these
two pamphlets.
Besides this, Sir Syed also wanted to improve the British-Muslims relation. As like, there was deep-rooted mistrust between the
British and Muslims, especially as the British had taken a degree of measures like imposing their cultural domination over them,
by carrying out forcible conversion of Muslims to Christians. This led to resentment amongst the Muslims, who also manifested
their opposition against the British in the Indian revolt. Thus, to convince the British that they need to end their hostilities with
the Muslims to get a positive response from the Muslims, Sir Syed published his work in these two pamphlets.
In addition, Sir Syed also intended to remove the misunderstandings amongst the British and Muslims, and hence based on this,
they had deprived Muslims from political rights. In this regard, Sir Syed gave a detailed account of the loyal services of Muslims,
such as the largest part of British-sepoy army consisted of mainly Muslim soldiers. Thus, because of these clear evidence of
Muslim loyalty to the British, he wrote these two pamphlets, calling on the British to view the Muslims from the positive side of
the picture.
Why was the Aligarh movement created? /7
Sir Syed had 3 central aims of the Aligarh Movement.
The 1st aim was to improve relations between the British & Muslim community. Since, the Muslims were highly blamed for the
War of Independence, the British stopped trusting them. On the other hand, Muslims also didn't accept British as rulers I said that
they are foreign invaders because of which the relations between the Muslims & British increased. SSAK thought of solving this
problem by removing British doubts about Muslim loyalty & Muslim doubts about British intension.
The 2nd aim was to improve the social & economic positions of the Muslims by encouraging them to receive western education &
take up posts in the civil service & army. Since Muslims weren't accepting western education, their education went into decline &
Muslims were mostly illiterate so, they didn't get many jobs either. To solve this problem, encouraging them towards western
education became very important and he also told them that education verifies what the Quran says. He knew that if Muslims
had to fight for independence later, they would have to be educated.
The 3rd aim was to increase the political awareness of the Muslim community to make them aware of the threat to their position
from the Hindu policy of cooperation with the British. It was very important to make Muslims aware about the Hindus as, the
Hindus were playing it smartly & were trying to gain control over India & though many of their works seemed to be good, there
was something about it that was supporting the Hindus. Sir Syed in return thought of his own idea of “Two Nation Theory” and
because of this he was called the Father of the Pakistan Movement.
How successful was the Aligarh movement? /7
wait
The most important service rendered by Sir Syed Ahmad Khan was to improve the British Muslim relations. Do you agree? Give
reasons for your answer. /14
Sir Syed’s efforts to improve British Muslim relationship were very important.
Sir Syed Ahmed Khan wrote a pamphlet called ‘Causes of the Indian Revolt’. In this Pamphlet he pointed out the main reasons of
the War of Independence e.g., poor management of the Indian army, the forcible conversions of Muslims to Christianity etc. His
pamphlet helped to convince the British that they were wrong to put the full blame of the war of independence on Muslims.
Therefore, some British read it with sympathy and decreased their hostility towards them.
Sir Syed Ahmed Khan also wrote the ‘Loyal Mohammadans of India’. In this pamphlet he mentioned that Muslims were Loyal to
the British. He gave a detailed account of the loyal service which Muslims had given and named various Muslims who had shown
loyalty to the British. Thus, he not only defended the Muslims from the British accusation that they were disloyal but also called
on them to end their hostility towards the Muslim community.
Sir Syed Ahmed Khan also wrote a pamphlet called Tabyin-ul-Islam (commentary on Bible). In this pamphlet he pointed out the
similarities between Islam and Christianity. Although, this work remained incomplete, yet it shows his strong faith and
commitments in improving Muslim British relationship.
However, his educational services were also important.
Sir Syed founded a scientific society at Ghazipur in 1863. He translated scientific writings from English, Persian or Arabic into
Urdu; the main language of Muslims. Thus, Muslim’s knowledge of science was improved. This also helped to reduce Muslims
hatred towards British as by reading about their scientific works, Muslims realized that they were not just “invaders” but had
done a lot for humanity through their scientific inventions.
He also founded schools in Ghazipur and Moradabad. These efforts show his commitment towards expanding educational
opportunities for Muslims to gain to gain Western education.
Moreover, his political services were also important.
Congress demanded political system in India based on British lines. This sounded fair but since they were four times as many as
Hindus as Muslims, they would win every election therefore Sir Syed Ahmad Khan opposed this and suggested to the British that
Muslims should be given separate electorate in the councils so that they could have enough political representation.
Sir Syed also played his role in the Hindi Urdu controversy. In 1867, Hindus wanted Hindi to be the official language instead of
Urdu. Since Urdu was very important to the Muslim culture, Sir Syed realized that the Hindus wanted to dominate the Muslims
and hence, he opposed it.
I believe his educational contribution was the most important as that promoted Muslims to learn and become educated thus get
jobs and live a better life. Because he had built universities future leaders got educated from there.
Chapter 5:
What steps were taken to foster the growth of Urdu has the government taken? /4
The government has taken steps to foster the growth of Urdu. It is the medium of instructions in many educational institutions in
Pakistan. A dictionary of office terms in Urdu has been published and steps have been taken to move away from English as the
language of administration. Urdu is the medium for radio and television programs. Urdu plays and films are very popular. Urdu
novels, poetry, magazines and newspapers are also widely read.
Why is language important in the development of a nation? /4
The main goal of the language is to exchange messages. Effective communication also makes development easier. The acceptance
of one single language helps to bring uniformity. It also brings cultural identity by binding all the people together.
Why does the Indian subcontinent have many languages? /4
The Indian subcontinent have many languages because after the coming of Islam in the subcontinent there have been many
different languages. As any group came to rule the subcontinent, they brought them their own language. India is also a vast
country comprises of variety of landscapes ranging from Thar desert to Sirabunji so, the culture of people varies from state to
state or even within state. This multitude of languages reflects India's lengthy and diverse history.
Explain how Urdu developed as a language up to the beginning of the twentieth century. /4
The language started evolving from Farsi and Arabic contacts during the invasions of the Indian subcontinent by Persian and
Turkic forces from the 11th century onward. Urdu developed more decisively during the Delhi Sultanate and the Mughal Empire.
The intermingling of Persian and Arabic words with Hindi, led to the evolution of a common language which came to be known as
Urdu.
How has Urdu been in helping create unity in Pakistan? /4
Urdu is the national language of Pakistan, and it is widely spoken and understood. Because it had already served as a common
language serving as a regular means of communication among Muslims in north and northwest British India, Urdu was chosen as
a symbol of unification, and it help create the state of Pakistan in 1947.
How has the use of Sindhi developed since the formation of Pakistan? /4
Sindhi is another regional language and as the name suggests, it is spoken in Sindh. The Bazme-Talib-ul-Mula was set up for its
development and Dr. Akbar Darazi also set up the Sarmast Academy in honor of the Sindhi writer Sachal Sarmast. These steps
have boosted the language manifold. Furthermore, the news is broadcasted in Sindhi. Sindhi films have been made which are
watched widely. Sindhi writers and poets also attended National Mushairas and won many awards, this promoted the language
and its status at national level.
Why was there little development in Balochi literature before the 20thcentury? /4
It was brought into Baluchistan by tribes which migrated from Northwest Iran. They were nomadic people who rarely settled in
any place for long periods of time. Due to this there has been little development in Balochi literature but it has been largely an
oral one.
What steps have been taken since the partition to promote Balochi? /4
Balochi language was broadcasted by Karachi radio network, and it has been developed further in Quetta. Many literary societies
have been set up for the promotion of language which published magazines. In addition to that, modern Balochi literature has
also shown rapid progress for example there are many poets most notable are Atta Shad and Ishaq Shamin whose commendable
work promoted the Balochi language.
Which language have influenced Punjabi? /4
The Arabic and modern Persian influence in the historical Punjab region began with the late first millennium Muslim conquests on
the Indian subcontinent. Many Persian and Arabic words were incorporated in Punjabi. So, Punjabi relies heavily on Persian and
Arabic words which are used with a liberal approach to language.
Who were the famous Sufi poets? /4
Rumi is one of the most well-known Persian Sufi poets. Hafez was another Persian Sufi poet who wrote poetry for many years.
Saadi’s work earned him a reputation as a wise man. Khayyam was another popular Persian Sufi poet whose literary work is still
famous in the work.
What part did Pashto play in the opposition to the British? /4
wait
Why did Pakistan choose Urdu as its national language? /7
Perhaps the major reason for Urdu being chosen was the fact that it was so closely associated with the Pakistan Movement. Sir
Syed Ahmad Khan supported it, and the Muslim league was formed not only to defend Muslim interests, but also to protect Urdu.
The Quaid-e-Azam was particularly keen to promote Urdu as he saw it as a unifying force. Since Pakistan was a new country, it
was very appropriate to pick a language which had played a part in unifying Muslims.
One of the reasons why Urdu became the national language in Pakistan is its long history. It was widely used in Mughal period
and dates back as far as the sultans of Delhi. In its early stages it was used by the Muslim armies and became widely spoken and
understood in many parts of the sub-continent. So, it was natural that such a well-known and established language would be
chosen.
Another reason for Urdu being chosen was its high status. Some of the finest early poets such as Amir Khusrou wrote in Urdu and
Sir Syed Ahmad Khan's school at Aligarh became a center for Urdu study. Many religious books, including the Quran, were
translated into Urdu. So, it was considered an important language with a rich literary tradition.
Why have regional languages been promoted by the Pakistan government since 1947? /7
One of the reasons was that it was felt by the Pakistan government that to preserve the work done by the famous writers and
poets in different languages, the languages should be promoted. The literature they produced must be kept alive for the coming
generations. Works like Munir Niazi, Atta Shad, Ashfaq Ahmad and others in areas of regional languages should be protected. So,
because of this thinking, govt. of Pakistan had made every possible attempt to promote the regional languages.
Secondly, some languages played an important role in the history of Pakistan. For example, Pushto literature had played a very
important part in creating opposition to British rule and in the movement for independence. There to elevate the standard of
such languages, govt. of Pakistan has tried to promote the regional languages since 1947.
Thirdly, at the time of partition, there were some languages that were at the brink of decline. Like Balochi, which was at its
decline at the time of partition. So, the government felt that it should be kept alive and not lost forever. Hence the language was
promoted.
How successful has the promotion of local languages in Pakistan been since 1947? /14
Since Pakistan’s creation in 1947, many moves have been carried out to develop its regional languages Punjabi, Sindhi, Balochi
and Pashto.
Pashtu received a great boost after 1947. Universities have been set up to develop it such as The Islamia College Peshawar and
Peshawar University as well as a Pashto academy which published the Pashto dictionary, and this is how it was made possible to
promote the language by teaching it to the youth.
Moreover, Pashto is greatly influenced by the work of Abdul Qayyum and is used for media purposes. News is broadcasted in
Pashto and many films have also been developed in this language in Peshawar. This not only popularized the language but also
increased the literacy of the province.
Balochi language was also broadcasted by Karachi radio network, and it has been developed further in Quetta. Many literary
societies have been set up for the promotion of language which published magazines, which makes so many continuously read
and listen in this language causing it to gain influence.
In addition to that, modern Balochi literature has also shown rapid progress for example there are many poets most notable are
Atta Shad and Ishaq Shamin whose commendable work promoted the Balochi language, there work is read all over the country
which gives a good boost to the language Balochi.
The Punjabi language is spoken in the highly populated province of Punjab and Punjabi literature is taught up to M.A level. Many
Punjabi works, such as Heer Ranjha and Sassi Pannu, are read and enjoyed all over Pakistan. This has given a good boost to the
language.
Literary societies have also been set up by the Punjabi department responsible for the development of the language and has an
office in London. Public Mushairas are also held, and news are broadcasted and reported in Punjabi. Many movies in Punjabi are
also made giving influence on Punjabi.
In my view, although all the languages have received a great boost after 1947, Punjabi was the center of development. As it is
spoken widely in the heavily populated Punjab province, it is more developed, and there are a great number of schools who’s
medium of instruction is Punjabi, and Punjabi literature is also given great importance in Pakistan.
The development of Pashto has been promoted than any other Pakistani regional languages between 1947 and 1988. Give
reasons why you may agree or disagree with this statement. /14
Since Pakistan’s creation in 1947, many moves have been carried out to develop its regional languages Punjabi, Sindhi, Balochi
and Pashto.
Pashtu received a great boost after 1947. Universities have been set up to develop it such as The Islamia College Peshawar and
Peshawar University as well as a Pashto academy which published the Pashto dictionary, and this is how it was made possible to
promote the language by teaching it to the youth.
Moreover, Pashto is greatly influenced by the work of Abdul Qayyum and is used for media purposes. News is broadcasted in
Pashto and many films have also been developed in this language in Peshawar. This not only popularized the language but also
increased the literacy of the province.
Balochi language was also broadcasted by Karachi radio network, and it has been developed further in Quetta. Many literary
societies have been set up for the promotion of language which published magazines, which makes so many continuously read
and listen in this language causing it to gain influence.
In addition to that, modern Balochi literature has also shown rapid progress for example there are many poets most notable are
Atta Shad and Ishaq Shamin whose commendable work promoted the Balochi language, there work is read all over the country
which gives a good boost to the language Balochi.
The Punjabi language is spoken in the highly populated province of Punjab and Punjabi literature is taught up to M.A level. Many
Punjabi works, such as Heer Ranjha and Sassi Pannu, are read and enjoyed all over Pakistan. This has given a good boost to the
language.
Literary societies have also been set up by the Punjabi department responsible for the development of the language and has an
office in London. Public Mushairas are also held, and news are broadcasted and reported in Punjabi. Many movies in Punjabi are
also made giving influence on Punjabi.
In my view, although all the languages have received a great boost after 1947, Punjabi was the center of development. As it is
spoken widely in the heavily populated Punjab province, it is more developed, and there are a great number of schools who’s
medium of instruction is Punjabi, and Punjabi literature is also given great importance in Pakistan.

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Chapter 1:

Who was Shah Waliullah? /4

What role did Shah Waliullah play in opposing the Marathas? /4

Who was Ahmed Shah Durrani? /4

Describe the work of Shah Waliullah. /4

Why did Shah Waliullah translate Quran into Persian? /7

Shah Waliullah translated Quran into Persian in the 12th century.

How important were the religious reforms of Shah Waliullah? /7

His contributions towards Islamic revival were important.

Why were the writings of Shah Waliullah important? /4

Who was Syed Ahmed Barelvi /4

What role did he play in opposing Sikhs? /4

Why did Syed Ahmed Barelvi decided to revive Islam? /7

Why was Jihad movement founded? /7

How important was the work of Syed Ahmed Barelvi? /7

Syed Ahmed Barelvi founded the Jihad movement.

Who was Haji Shariat Ullah? /4

Who was Mohsin-ud-Din? /4

What was Faraizi Movement? /4

Why did the British imprison Mohsin-ud-din? /4

Why was the Farazi Movement founded? /7

Haji Shariat Ullah founded the Farazi Movement.

Was the work of Haji Shariat Ullah important? /7

However, there were other two leaders as well:

However, there was another leader as well:

Who was Babur? /4

Who was Humayun? /4

Who was Akbar? /4

Who was Jehangir? /4

Who was Shah Jehan? /4

Who was Aurangzeb? /4

Who was Nadir Shah? /4

Who were the Marathas? /4

Who was Ahmed Shah Durrani? /4

Explain Battle of Panipat in 1761? /4

Who was Shah Allam? /4

Who was Bahadur Shah 2? /4

Who was Robert Clive? /4

Who was Siraj-ud-Daulah? /4

What was Din-e-Elahi?

Who was Mir Qasim? /4

Who was Mir Jafar? /4

What was the Pitts Act? /4

What was the Doctrine of Lapse? /4

What was the Subsidiary Alliance? /4

Who was Tipu Sultan? /4

Who were the zamindars? /4

What was the “EIC”? /4

Who was Titu Mir? /4

What was the Act of Parliament? /4

Describe the Battle of Plassey? /4

How was the British system of government organized in 1784? /4

Why were the British interested in Sindh? /4

Why was the attack on Sindh a ‘shameful British act’? /4

Why was doctrine of lapse proved unpopular in India? /7

Why was Battle of Plassey fought? /7

Why did British annex Sindh? /7

Why were the British able to increase their influence in India? /7

Why were British able to take India? /7

Why was Aurangzeb disliked by Indians? /7

Why did the British involve in India during 18 thcentury? /7

Who was Nana Sahib? /4

Who was Tantia Tope? /4