Modern History Set 4
🔍
📌 Maratha History • Archives
Q.1) Which archival repository contains the most valuable single source for studying Maratha history for a century before the fall of the Peshwas?
Ans > Alienation Office, Pune (Peshwa Daftar)
- The Historical Repository: The Alienation Office in Pune, widely known as the Peshwa Daftar, is the largest and most significant archival repository for studying Maratha history, particularly the 18th century. It is an indispensable resource for understanding the era before the fall of the Maratha Empire.
- Massive Document Collection: It contains over 39,000 bundles (rumals) of historical documents, predominantly written in the Marathi Modi script. These extensive records also include materials in Persian and English, offering a multi-faceted view of the geopolitical landscape of the time.
- Administrative and Military Insights: The repository provides historians with a firsthand, incredibly detailed account of the day-to-day administration, complex revenue collection systems (like Chauth and Sardeshmukhi), military logistics, and the intricate diplomatic relations of the Peshwas until their absolute defeat by the British in 1818.
📌 Historiography • Nationalism
Q.2) The book “Social Background of Indian Nationalism” is a classic work of which historiographical approach?
Ans > Marxist Approach
- Marxist Historiography: A.R. Desai’s “Social Background of Indian Nationalism” is a pioneering text that rigorously applies the Marxist historiographical approach to the Indian national movement, fundamentally differing from traditional nationalist or colonial historical perspectives.
- Economic Transformations: Unlike traditional histories that focus heavily on great political leaders or administrative changes, Desai’s work deeply analyzes the massive economic transformations brought about by aggressive British imperialism and its structural impacts on Indian society.
- Class Struggle and Independence: He argues that the new colonial land relations, the aggressive commercialization of agriculture, and the destruction of traditional Indian handicrafts created distinct social classes. The national movement, according to this view, was a complex intersection of class interests where different social groups united against the overarching exploitation of colonial capitalism.
📌 European Advent • Mughal Era
Q.3) In 1632, the Mughal emperor Shah Jahan ordered Bengal’s governor to attack and capture the settlement of which European power in Hooghly?
Ans > The Portuguese
- Mughal Retaliation in Hooghly: The Portuguese had established a highly profitable trading settlement in Hooghly, Bengal, but their activities soon became a massive threat to the Mughal Empire. Consequently, Emperor Shah Jahan ordered his governor of Bengal, Qasim Khan, to attack the settlement in 1632.
- Piracy and Tax Evasion: The direct attack was provoked by several factors. The Portuguese had illegally monopolized the highly lucrative salt trade, consistently evaded mandatory Mughal customs duties, and engaged in widespread, destructive piracy across the entire Bay of Bengal.
- Slave Trade and Conversions: Furthermore, they were heavily involved in an aggressive and incredibly cruel slave trade, often capturing local villagers and forcibly converting them to Christianity. The resulting three-month siege resulted in the complete destruction of the Portuguese stronghold and permanently crippled their regional influence.
📌 East India Company • Settlements
Q.4) The English East India Company established its first factory in South India in 1616 at which location?
Ans > Masulipatnam
- First Southern Foothold: The English East India Company officially established its very first factory on the eastern coast (Coromandel Coast) of India at Masulipatnam in 1616, marking a significant expansion beyond their initial settlements in western India like Surat.
- Strategic Trade Hub: Masulipatnam, located in the prosperous kingdom of Golconda, was a major, bustling seaport famous worldwide for its exquisite Kalamkari textiles and its highly lucrative diamond trade. The English were desperate to secure a strong foothold here to access these goods.
- The Spice Trade Connection: These high-quality Indian cotton textiles were in massive demand in the Spice Islands (modern-day Indonesia). The British strategically used these textiles to barter for highly profitable spices like nutmeg and cloves. A ‘Golden Farman’ from the Sultan of Golconda heavily boosted their early commercial success.
📌 British Settlements • Forts
Q.5) In 1639, the English merchant Francis Day received permission to build a fortified factory that later became the headquarters of the English settlements in South India. What was it called?
Ans > Fort St. George
- Acquisition of Madrasapatnam: In 1639, Francis Day, an ambitious English merchant of the East India Company, negotiated a highly strategic land grant from Damarla Venkatapathy Nayak, a subordinate of the declining Chandragiri ruler, securing a small fishing village named Madrasapatnam.
- Construction of the Fort: On this granted land, the British rapidly constructed a fortified trading post which they officially named Fort St. George (completed on St. George’s Day). This massive fort became their very first major settlement and their absolute administrative headquarters for the Coromandel Coast.
- Evolution into a Metropolis: Over the next two centuries, the bustling trading settlement surrounding Fort St. George expanded exponentially. It eventually evolved into the massive modern metropolis of Madras (now Chennai), serving as the capital of the expansive Madras Presidency under the British Raj.
📌 Anglo-French Rivalry • Carnatic Wars
Q.6) The Battle of St. Thome, an eye-opener that revealed a small disciplined European army could defeat a much larger Indian army, was fought during which war?
Ans > First Carnatic War
- Clash of Military Paradigms: The Battle of St. Thome was fought in 1746 during the First Carnatic War on the banks of the Adyar River in modern-day Chennai. It was a massive clash between traditional Indian warfare and modern European military discipline.
- David vs. Goliath Scenario: A tiny French contingent, led by Captain Paradise (consisting of only about 230 European soldiers and 700 trained Indian sepoys), faced off against a massive army of 10,000 soldiers commanded by Mahfuz Khan, the son of the Nawab of Carnatic.
- Shattering the Myth of Numbers: Despite being massively outnumbered, the French achieved a decisive, shocking victory due to their superior field artillery, highly disciplined infantry formations, and rapid-firing muskets. This battle permanently shattered the long-standing myth of Indian military invincibility based solely on numerical superiority.
📌 Anglo-French Rivalry • Diplomacy
Q.7) Following the recall of Joseph Francis Dupleix in 1754, who succeeded him as the French governor general in India and negotiated peace with the English?
Ans > Godeheu
- The End of Dupleix’s Vision: Joseph Francois Dupleix, the highly ambitious French Governor-General, had successfully expanded French political influence through aggressive subsidiary alliances. However, his endless wars caused massive financial ruin and incredible debt for the French East India Company.
- Appointment of Godeheu: Deeply frustrated by the ongoing conflicts and financial drain, the French home government officially recalled Dupleix in 1754. They sent Charles Godeheu as his immediate replacement with strict, non-negotiable orders to halt all military hostilities.
- The Treaty of Pondicherry: Godeheu quickly negotiated and signed the Treaty of Pondicherry with the English. Under this treaty, both European powers agreed to strictly stop interfering in the internal political quarrels of native Indian princes and mutually return all conquered territories, effectively ending Dupleix’s grand imperial dream.
📌 British Conquest • Bengal
Q.8) The Battle of Plassey was fought during the reign of which Mughal Emperor?
Ans > Alamgir II
- Mughal Chronology Context: The highly decisive Battle of Plassey, fought on June 23, 1757, occurred during the brief, highly unstable reign of the later Mughal Emperor Alamgir II (who sat on the throne from 1754 to 1759).
- A Powerless Center: While Alamgir II technically ruled from Delhi, the Mughal Empire had essentially fractured into independent regional states. This made the Emperor practically powerless to intervene when the British began flexing their military muscle against his regional governors.
- The Betrayal of Bengal: In Bengal, Nawab Siraj-ud-Daulah fiercely resisted the illegal fortifications and severe misuse of trade privileges by the British East India Company. However, Robert Clive orchestrated a massive conspiracy, bribing Mir Jafar to betray the Nawab on the battlefield, marking the formal beginning of the British Empire in India.
📌 British Conquest • Bengal
Q.9) At the Battle of Buxar, Mir Kasim and Shah Alam II were allied with the Nawab of Awadh. What was his name?
Ans > Shuja-ud-Daulah
- Formation of the Grand Alliance: The Battle of Buxar (October 1764) was a monumental clash. Mir Qasim, the highly capable but deposed Nawab of Bengal, fled to Awadh and forged a massive military alliance with Shuja-ud-Daulah, the powerful Nawab of Awadh, and Shah Alam II, the titular Mughal Emperor.
- Decisive British Victory: Despite fielding a huge combined army, the allied Indian forces were completely crushed by the highly disciplined, modernized British troops commanded by Major Hector Munro. This victory conclusively proved British military supremacy over the combined forces of Northern India.
- The Humiliating Treaty of Allahabad: Shuja-ud-Daulah’s defeat was catastrophic for Awadh. He was forced to sign the humiliating Treaty of Allahabad in 1765, which heavily reduced Awadh to a dependent buffer state. He was compelled to pay massive war indemnities of 50 lakh rupees and allow British troops to be stationed within his territory.
📌 Administration • Dual Government
Q.10) Under the Dual Government in Bengal (1765–1772) instituted by Robert Clive, who was appointed as the deputy diwan for Bihar?
Ans > Raja Sitab Roy
- Clive’s Exploitative System: Following the massive victory at Buxar, Robert Clive instituted the highly exploitative “Dual Government” system in Bengal, Bihar, and Orissa in 1765. The East India Company secured the ‘Diwani’ (the right to collect land revenue) while leaving administrative responsibilities to the Nawab.
- Appointment of Indian Deputies: To avoid direct responsibility and cleverly mask their absolute control, the British did not collect the revenue themselves. Instead, they appointed Indian deputies to do the actual tax collection. Mohammad Reza Khan was appointed for Bengal, and Raja Sitab Roy was specifically appointed for Bihar.
- Administrative Chaos and Famine: This system separated power from responsibility, leading to horrific economic exploitation by Company officials and massive administrative chaos. It directly contributed to the devastating Great Bengal Famine of 1770 before Governor-General Warren Hastings finally abolished the disastrous system in 1772.
📌 Regional States • Bengal
Q.11) Who was the founder of the independent state of Bengal in the early 18th century?
Ans > Murshid Kuli Khan
- From Official to Sovereign: Murshid Kuli Khan was the brilliant architect of the independent regional state of Bengal. Originally a highly trusted official, he was appointed as the Diwan (revenue chief) of Bengal by Emperor Aurangzeb in 1700 to maximize revenue collection.
- Consolidating Absolute Power: Following Aurangzeb’s death and the rapid decline of central Mughal authority, Murshid Kuli Khan utilized the power vacuum to consolidate absolute control. He initiated massive revenue reforms (the Mal Jasmani system) and aggressively suppressed rebellious local zamindars.
- Shifting the Capital: In 1704, he deliberately shifted the provincial capital from Dacca (Dhaka) to Murshidabad (which he named after himself) to distance his administration from the Mughal subahdar. Although he sent nominal tributes to Delhi, he practically ruled Bengal as a totally independent monarch.
📌 Regional States • Jats
Q.12) Jat power reached its zenith under the leadership of which ruler, extending the state’s territory from the Ganga to the Chambal?
Ans > Suraj Mal
- The Jat Ulysses: Maharaja Suraj Mal, who ruled from 1756 to 1763, was arguably the greatest and most politically astute leader of the Jat community. Historians often refer to him as the “Plato of the Jat tribe” due to his immense diplomatic sagacity and brilliant military strategies.
- Massive Territorial Expansion: Under his highly capable leadership, the Jat state of Bharatpur expanded aggressively across North India. He successfully absorbed major territories including Agra, Mathura, Meerut, and Aligarh, pushing the state’s boundaries from the Ganga River in the east to the Chambal River in the south.
- Impregnable Fortifications: He famously constructed the massive Lohagarh Fort (Iron Fort) in Bharatpur. This incredibly strong fortress was designed to absorb heavy artillery fire and repeatedly repelled massive British assaults years later. His reign undoubtedly represented the absolute zenith of Jat political power.
📌 Sikh History • Mughal Era
Q.13) Which Sikh Guru was arrested and executed by Aurangzeb in 1675 for refusing to embrace Islam?
Ans > Guru Tegh Bahadur
- Defender of Religious Freedom: Guru Tegh Bahadur was the highly revered ninth Guru of the Sikh religion. During his tenure, the orthodox Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb initiated highly aggressive, violently oppressive policies aimed at forcibly converting the Hindu population, particularly Kashmiri Pandits, to Islam.
- Standing Against Oppression: The terrified Kashmiri Pandits directly approached Guru Tegh Bahadur for protection. Standing up for the universal right to religious freedom, the Guru openly challenged Aurangzeb’s forced conversion decrees, fully knowing the severe consequences of defying the Emperor.
- Martyrdom at Chandni Chowk: Consequently, he was arrested, brought to Delhi, and subjected to horrific torture. When he absolutely refused to abandon his faith, he was publicly beheaded at Chandni Chowk in 1675. His massive sacrifice deeply unified the Sikh community and directly led to the militarization of the Sikhs.
📌 Anglo-Sikh Wars • Treaties
Q.14) Following the First Anglo-Sikh War, the Treaty of Bhairowal (December 1846) established a council of regency for Punjab presided over by which English Resident?
Ans > Henry Lawrence
- Tightening the British Grip: Following the defeat of the Sikh Empire in the First Anglo-Sikh War, the British initially signed the Treaty of Lahore. However, to further tighten their absolute grip on Punjab, they forced the Sikhs to sign the far more restrictive Treaty of Bhairowal in December 1846.
- Establishment of the Regency Council: This new treaty severely crippled Sikh independence by establishing a powerful Council of Regency (consisting of 8 Sikh Sardars) to govern the state on behalf of the minor Maharaja Duleep Singh, effectively stripping the Queen Mother, Jind Kaur, of her political power.
- The De Facto Ruler: Most crucially, this council was placed under the direct, absolute control of a British Resident. Sir Henry Lawrence was appointed as this powerful Resident, essentially making him the de facto ruler of Punjab, backed by a permanent garrison of British troops stationed in Lahore.
📌 Anglo-Maratha Wars • Subsidiary Alliance
Q.15) Which treaty, signed in 1802 by Bajirao II, is considered a major development that allowed the British to expand their influence and maintain troops evenly across India?
Ans > Treaty of Bassein
- A Catastrophic Turning Point: The Treaty of Bassein, signed on December 31, 1802, was a highly decisive and disastrous turning point for the Maratha Confederacy. Following a humiliating defeat at the Battle of Poona against the rival Holkar faction, Peshwa Bajirao II desperately fled to the British for protection.
- Accepting the Subsidiary Alliance: By signing this treaty, the Peshwa officially accepted Lord Wellesley’s notorious Subsidiary Alliance system. He essentially surrendered his sovereign independence, agreeing to permanently station a massive British military force in his territory and ceding highly lucrative lands to pay for their upkeep.
- Triggering the Second Maratha War: The Peshwa also lost the right to conduct independent foreign policy. This humiliating treaty deeply fractured the Maratha Confederacy and highly angered other proud Maratha chiefs like Scindia and Bhonsle, directly triggering the Second Anglo-Maratha War as they violently attempted to restore their independence.
📌 Anglo-Maratha Wars • Battles
Q.16) During the Third Anglo-Maratha War (1817–19), Peshwa Bajirao II was decisively defeated at which location?
Ans > Khirki
- The Final Bid for Independence: The Battle of Khirki (Khadki) was a major, highly decisive military engagement fought in November 1817 during the Third Anglo-Maratha War. Peshwa Bajirao II, deeply resenting the humiliating constraints placed upon him by the British Subsidiary Alliance, made a desperate final attempt to overthrow British dominance.
- Attack on the Residency: The Peshwa abruptly and aggressively attacked the British Residency in Pune, completely burning it to the ground. However, the British forces, commanded by Mountstuart Elphinstone and Colonel Burr, were well-prepared for the uprising.
- Crushing Defeat and Annexation: Despite the Marathas fielding a significantly larger army, the highly disciplined British artillery and infantry totally crushed the Peshwa’s forces at Khirki. This crushing defeat ultimately led to the complete abolition of the Peshwa’s title and the massive annexation of his territories into the Bombay Presidency.
📌 British Expansion • Annexations
Q.17) Which Governor General annexed Sindh into the British Empire in 1843?
Ans > Lord Ellenborough
- Aggressive Imperialism: The annexation of Sindh in 1843 is widely considered by historians as one of the most nakedly aggressive and morally unjustifiable acts of British imperialism in India, executed under the expansionist policies of Governor-General Lord Ellenborough.
- Provoking a Conflict: Following the disastrous British defeat in the First Anglo-Afghan War, Ellenborough sought a quick military victory to restore British prestige. He dispatched General Sir Charles Napier to deliberately provoke a conflict with the loyal local rulers of Sindh, known as the Amirs.
- Securing the Indus Route: Despite the Amirs’ reluctance to fight, Napier aggressively forced the Battle of Miani and completely defeated the Sindhi forces. Sindh was officially annexed, securing total British control over the highly strategic and commercially valuable Indus River route, a move Napier himself described as a “useful piece of rascality.”
📌 British Foreign Policy • Tibet
Q.18) Following Colonel Younghusband’s expedition in 1904, the Tibetans were forced to sign which treaty?
Ans > Treaty of Lhasa
- Curzon’s Russian Paranoia: The Treaty of Lhasa was the direct, highly coercive result of the British military expedition to Tibet led by Colonel Francis Younghusband in 1904. Viceroy Lord Curzon initiated this unprovoked attack out of a paranoid fear that the Russian Empire was establishing political influence in the isolated kingdom.
- The Violent Expedition: The heavily armed British forces violently marched to the Tibetan capital of Lhasa, slaughtering poorly armed Tibetan monks and local militias along the way. Upon their arrival, the Dalai Lama fled the city to avoid capture.
- Heavy Concessions: The remaining Tibetan officials were violently forced to sign the Treaty of Lhasa. This treaty heavily dictated that Tibet must pay a massive war indemnity, officially open strategic trade marts to the British, and absolutely prohibit any other foreign power (specifically Russia) from interfering in Tibetan affairs.
📌 British Foreign Policy • Afghanistan
Q.19) The policy of ‘Proud Reserve’ towards Afghanistan, aimed at having scientific frontiers and safeguarding spheres of influence, was initiated by whom?
Ans > Lord Lytton
- The Forward Policy: Lord Lytton, the Viceroy of India from 1876 to 1880, aggressively initiated a highly militaristic foreign policy towards Afghanistan known as the “Forward Policy” or “Proud Reserve,” abruptly ending the previous diplomatic era of “masterly inactivity.”
- Seeking Scientific Frontiers: Deeply paranoid about expanding Russian imperial influence in Central Asia, Lytton firmly believed that the British must forcefully establish a “scientific,” highly defensible border in the Hindu Kush mountains, effectively turning Afghanistan into a completely dependent, heavily monitored buffer state.
- Triggering the Second Afghan War: When the Amir of Afghanistan, Sher Ali, refused to accept a permanent British diplomatic mission (despite having recently hosted a Russian envoy), Lytton ruthlessly ordered a full-scale invasion. This aggressive posturing directly sparked the devastating and highly costly Second Anglo-Afghan War (1878-1880).
📌 Peasant Uprisings • Revenue Exploitation
Q.20) The 1781 civil uprising in Gorakhpur, Basti, and Bahraich was a reaction against the excessive revenue demands of which English ‘izaradar’?
Ans > Major Alexander Hannay
- Oppressive Revenue Farming: The massive 1781 civil uprising in the regions of Gorakhpur, Basti, and Bahraich was a direct, violent reaction to the incredibly corrupt and oppressive revenue farming system (izaradari) utilized by a ruthless British military officer, Major Alexander Hannay.
- A Reign of Terror: Operating purely for immense personal profit, Hannay unleashed a reign of terror over the region. He demanded shockingly excessive taxes, violently employed armed thugs to extort payments, and illegally confiscated massive tracts of ancestral land from local farmers.
- A Unified Armed Rebellion: The local zamindars (landlords) and severely impoverished peasants finally united in sheer desperation, launching a massive armed rebellion. They briefly managed to expel Hannay’s forces from several districts before being brutally suppressed by heavy British military reinforcements sent by Warren Hastings.
📌 Civil Rebellions • Awadh
Q.21) In 1799, the fourth Nawab of Awadh killed British resident George Frederick Cherry, leading to the “Massacre of Benares.” Who was this Nawab?
Ans > Wazir Ali Khan
- A Deposed Ruler: Wazir Ali Khan ascended to the throne of Awadh in 1797 with British backing. However, his highly independent nature and staunch anti-British sentiments quickly made him a liability, leading the East India Company to depose him after only four months in favor of a more compliant ruler.
- The Spark of the Massacre: Wazir Ali was pensioned off and relocated to Benares. In 1799, the British Resident, George Frederick Cherry, abruptly informed Wazir Ali that his pension would be drastically reduced and he would be exiled further away to Calcutta, deeply enraging the former Nawab.
- The Violent Outbreak: Reacting to this ultimate humiliation, Wazir Ali and his heavily armed guards assassinated Cherry and several other British officials during a morning visit. This violent, bloody outbreak is historically immortalized as the Massacre of Benares, leading to Wazir Ali’s capture and lifelong imprisonment.
📌 Civil Rebellions • South India
Q.22) Diwan Velu Thampi’s revolt against the East India Company (1808–09) occurred in which South Indian state?
Ans > Travancore
- Resistance in the Deep South: Velu Thampi was the highly capable Dalawa (Prime Minister) of the princely state of Travancore. His major armed revolt against the British East India Company in 1808–1809 is a legendary chapter of resistance in South Indian history.
- Oppressive British Exactions: The conflict was directly triggered by the heavily oppressive nature of the British Subsidiary Alliance. The British Resident relentlessly demanded massive arrears of tribute and aggressively interfered in the internal administration of the state, causing immense financial ruin and widespread public anger.
- The Kundara Proclamation: In response, Velu Thampi issued the highly famous ‘Kundara Proclamation’ in January 1809. It was an impassioned, patriotic call to arms urging the people to violently overthrow British rule. Although ultimately defeated by superior British forces, his rebellion remains a powerful symbol of defiance.
📌 Tribal & Peasant Uprisings • Gujarat
Q.23) The Waghera Rising (1818–20), fueled by resentment against alien rule and the exactions of the Gaekwad of Baroda, occurred in which region?
Ans > Okha Mandal
- Tribal Resentment in Gujarat: The Waghera Rising (1818–1820) was a fierce, sustained armed rebellion located in the Okha Mandal region of the Kathiawar Peninsula (in present-day Gujarat). The highly militant Waghera community deeply resented the severe loss of their traditional independence.
- Dual Exploitation: Following the Maratha wars, the British established paramountcy in the region and heavily supported the Gaekwad of Baroda in aggressively collecting massive, exploitative revenue from the local tribes, imposing a system of dual exploitation that the Wagheras found intolerable.
- Sustained Armed Conflict: Infuriated by these heavy financial exactions and the continuous disrespect of their local customs, the Wagheras violently took up arms, repeatedly attacking British outposts and Gaekwad officials. It took multiple massive military expeditions and heavy artillery over two years to finally suppress them.
📌 Civil Rebellions • Assam
Q.24) The 1828 Ahom Revolt in Assam, launched to protest the British failure to withdraw after the First Burma War, was led by which prince?
Ans > Gomdhar Konwar
- Broken British Pledges: During the First Anglo-Burmese War (1824–1826), British forces promised the indigenous Ahom rulers of Assam that they would completely withdraw their military presence once the invading Burmese forces were expelled. However, after the war, the British completely broke this pledge.
- Annexation and Rebellion: Instead of withdrawing, the British heavily militarized the region, deliberately attempting to incorporate Assam directly into the East India Company’s territories to exploit its massive economic potential. Deeply betrayed, the Ahom nobility and local peasants launched a massive, coordinated rebellion in 1828.
- Leadership of Gomdhar Konwar: The uprising was organized and led by the Ahom prince, Gomdhar Konwar. Although the British forces swiftly and brutally suppressed this uprising, sentencing Konwar to long-term imprisonment, the intense resistance forced the British to temporarily restore parts of Upper Assam to Ahom rule.
📌 Peasant Movements • Bengal
Q.25) Mir Nithar Ali, who led the Narkelberia Uprising against landlords and British indigo planters in West Bengal, is better known by what name?
Ans > Titu Mir
- A Charismatic Peasant Leader: Mir Nithar Ali, universally celebrated in Bengal as Titu Mir, was a highly charismatic Islamic reformer and a fierce, legendary peasant leader during the early 1830s, who successfully united the deeply impoverished Muslim peasantry and weavers of West Bengal.
- The Narkelberia Uprising: His massive movement, known as the Narkelberia Uprising, was directed against the incredibly oppressive, illegal taxes (like the infamous beard tax) imposed by local Hindu zamindars and the horrific economic exploitation conducted by European indigo planters.
- The Legendary Bamboo Fort: To defend his massive following against heavily armed retaliation, Titu Mir famously constructed an impregnable “Bamboo Fort” (Bansher Kella) at Narkelberia. His rebel forces successfully fought off local militias before finally being defeated and killed in a massive assault by British cavalry and heavy artillery in 1831.
📌 Revolt of 1857 • Art & Culture
Q.26) The painting “In Memoriam” (1859), depicting helpless English women and children during the 1857 revolt, was created by whom?
Ans > Joseph Noel Paton
- Propaganda and the 1857 Revolt: “In Memoriam” is a highly famous, deeply propagandistic oil painting created by the Scottish artist Joseph Noel Paton in 1859, precisely during the violent aftermath of the Indian Rebellion of 1857.
- Depicting Victimhood: The artwork deliberately depicts a group of terrified, helpless British women and children huddled together in a dark, heavily barricaded room, supposedly awaiting a horrific, violent attack by Indian mutineers (specifically referencing the Cawnpore massacre).
- Justifying Brutal Reprisals: The painting was a massive sensation in Victorian Britain, incredibly effective at generating intense public outrage, massive sympathy, and extreme racial hatred. By focusing entirely on European victimhood, it served to morally justify the immensely brutal, wildly disproportionate military reprisals exacted by the British army against Indians.
📌 Literature & Nationalism • Novels
Q.27) The famous semi-historical novel “Anandamath”, noted for depicting the Sanyasi Revolt, was authored by whom?
Ans > Bankim Chandra Chatterjee
- A Pillar of Nationalist Literature: Bankim Chandra Chatterjee’s “Anandamath,” published in 1882, is undeniably one of the most highly influential, politically explosive novels in modern Indian literature, serving as a massive ideological pillar for early, militant Indian nationalism.
- Backdrop of Famine and Rebellion: Set against the horrific backdrop of the devastating Great Bengal Famine of 1770 and the subsequent armed Sanyasi Rebellion, the novel heavily romanticizes a secret, highly disciplined brotherhood of warrior ascetics fighting desperately to liberate their motherland from foreign oppression.
- The Anthem of Freedom: Crucially, the novel introduced the iconic, highly emotive poem “Vande Mataram” (I bow to thee, Mother). This deeply spiritual and patriotic song quickly became the absolute rallying cry and the ultimate anthem for Indian freedom fighters during the Swadeshi and revolutionary movements.
📌 Anglo-Maratha Wars • Treaties
Q.28) Following the Second Anglo-Maratha War, the Treaty of Surji-Anjangaon (December 30, 1803) marked the defeat of which Maratha chief?
Ans > Scindia
- The Fall of Scindia’s Power: The Treaty of Surji-Anjangaon was a massive, highly punitive peace agreement signed on December 30, 1803. It marked the devastating defeat of the powerful Maratha chief, Daulat Rao Scindia, during the intense Second Anglo-Maratha War.
- Military Destruction: Scindia’s modernized, European-trained armies were comprehensively destroyed by British forces under the brilliant command of Major General Arthur Wellesley (later the Duke of Wellington) at the battles of Assaye and Argaon, and by General Lake in the north.
- Massive Territorial Concessions: Under this incredibly harsh treaty, Scindia was forcefully compelled to cede vast, highly strategic territories to the British, including the incredibly fertile Ganga-Yamuna Doab, the Delhi-Agra region, and parts of Bundelkhand. This permanently shattered Scindia’s dominance in northern India.
📌 British Settlements • Bombay
Q.29) Which British monarch received the island of Bombay as a dowry and subsequently leased it to the East India Company for an annual rent of 10 pounds?
Ans > King Charles II
- A Royal Marriage Treaty: The transfer of Bombay to the British is a highly unique event in colonial history. Originally held by the Portuguese, the islands of Bombay were officially given to the English monarch, King Charles II, in 1662 as part of a massive royal dowry.
- The Portuguese Connection: This territorial transfer was explicitly detailed in the highly strategic marriage treaty between Charles II and the Portuguese Princess Catherine of Braganza, marking a major alliance between the two European naval powers.
- Leasing to the East India Company: Finding the distant, disease-ridden islands incredibly expensive to maintain and difficult to govern directly from London, the King officially leased the entire territory of Bombay to the East India Company in 1668 for a laughably nominal annual rent of just 10 pounds in gold.
📌 Peasant Movements • Cash Crops
Q.30) Which major peasant revolt in Bengal (1859-60) was explicitly directed against European planters forcing cultivation of a specific cash crop?
Ans > Indigo Revolt
- The Nil Bidroha: The Indigo Revolt, widely known as “Nil Bidroha,” was a massive, highly successful, and remarkably organized peasant uprising in Bengal occurring between 1859 and 1860, representing a major milestone in Indian agrarian resistance.
- The Oppressive Tinkathia System: For decades, incredibly ruthless European planters had violently forced Bengali peasants (ryots) to cultivate indigo instead of necessary food crops. They used fraudulent, highly exploitative advance contracts that paid virtually nothing, trapping the peasants in endless, generational debt.
- A Massive Non-Violent Strike: Led by figures like Digambar Biswas, the peasants initiated a massive strike, completely refusing to sow indigo seeds and bravely withstanding violent attacks from planters’ militias. Supported by the Bengali intelligentsia, the massive protests forced the British government to appoint the Indigo Commission, which legally abolished the coercive system.
📌 Quick Summary — Modern History Set 4
- Peshwa Daftar: The Alienation Office in Pune houses the most valuable Maratha history archives.
- Historiography: A.R. Desai’s book on nationalism follows the Marxist approach.
- Hooghly 1632: Shah Jahan ordered the capture of the Portuguese settlement.
- Masulipatnam 1616: Location of the EIC’s first factory in South India.
- Fort St. George: The fortified headquarters established by Francis Day in 1639.
- Battle of St. Thome: First Carnatic War battle proving European military superiority.
- Godeheu: Succeeded Dupleix and negotiated peace with the English in 1754.
- Battle of Plassey: Occurred during the reign of Mughal Emperor Alamgir II.
- Battle of Buxar: Shuja-ud-Daulah was the Nawab of Awadh who allied with Mir Kasim.
- Dual Government: Raja Sitab Roy was appointed deputy diwan for Bihar.
- Independent Bengal: Founded by Murshid Kuli Khan in the early 18th century.
- Jat Zenith: Achieved under the highly capable leadership of Suraj Mal.
- Guru Tegh Bahadur: Executed by Aurangzeb in 1675 for refusing Islam.
- Treaty of Bhairowal: Henry Lawrence presided over the Punjab council of regency.
- Treaty of Bassein: Signed by Bajirao II in 1802, placing him in a Subsidiary Alliance.
- Battle of Khirki: Decisive defeat of Peshwa Bajirao II during the Third Maratha War.
- Sindh Annexation: Executed under Governor General Lord Ellenborough in 1843.
- Treaty of Lhasa: Forced upon Tibetans following Younghusband’s 1904 expedition.
- Proud Reserve: Lord Lytton’s forward policy towards Afghanistan.
- Major Hannay: His excessive revenue exactions caused the 1781 Gorakhpur uprising.
- Massacre of Benares: Led by Wazir Ali Khan who killed the British resident in 1799.
- Velu Thampi: Led a major revolt against the EIC in Travancore (1808–09).
- Waghera Rising: Occurred in Okha Mandal against British and Gaekwad rule.
- Gomdhar Konwar: Led the 1828 Ahom Revolt in Assam.
- Titu Mir: Alias of Mir Nithar Ali, leader of the Narkelberia Uprising.
- In Memoriam: 1859 painting by Joseph Noel Paton showing victims of 1857.
- Anandamath: Bankim Chandra Chatterjee’s novel depicting the Sanyasi Revolt.
- Treaty of Surji-Anjangaon: Marked the defeat of Scindia in 1803.
- King Charles II: Received Bombay as a dowry and leased it to the EIC.
- Indigo Revolt: Major 1859-60 uprising against forced cash crop cultivation.
Timer ⏳
15:00
Progress (0/30)
Click any card to flip and reveal the summarized answer!
Smart Review: Questions you got wrong appear here for focused study.