The establishment of company power

Q1) Answer the following:

     1.     Between whom was the battle of Plassy fought ?

Ans:

The armies of Sirajuddaulah and the British met at Plassy in 1757.

     2.     Which Indian rulers took part in the battle of Buxar?

Ans:

In 1764 the combined forces of Mir Qasim, Shujadaula and Shah Alam met the British at the battle of Buxar.

     3.     What is the system of dual government ?

Ans:

 The dual government was introduced in Bengal after the battle of Buxar. Under this system the Nawab continued to be responsible for the administration of the province while the revenue of the land goes to the British.

     4.     Describe the system of subsidiary alliance?

Ans:

      ·        In the subsidiary alliance system the Indian ruler had to maintain British troops in his state , either by giving some of his territory or by paying for the maintenance of the troops.

      ·        The Indian ruler could not fight or sign treaties with any other power.

      ·        This system allowed the British to maintain a large  army at the expense of local rulers.

      5.     What is the Doctrine of lapse ? Name a kingdom annexed by this means

Ans:

When the ruler of a subsidiary or protected state died without a natural heir , the state could not pass to the adopted child .

Satara was annexed to the British territory (1848 ) , Jhansi ( 1854 ).

      6.     Write a short note on the annexation of Punjab by the British .

Ans:

      ·        Rnajit Singh maintained a friendly relationship with the British. After his death in 1839 there was anarchy in Punjab and the Khalsa ( the Sikh army ) became powerful.

      ·        The Khalsa distrusted the British in 1845 – 1846, the first Anglo – Sikh war was fought. The Sikh were defeated and the land between the rivers Beas and Sutlej was annexed by the British.

      ·        Punjab became a vassal state of the British, and its ruler Duleep Singh was pensioned off

      7.     Which governor general annexed Awadh in 1856? What was the significance of this act?

Ans:

In 1856 Dalhousie annexed Awadh without any proper provocation, and it ruler Wajid  Ali Shah was deposed .

This act of the British was universally condemned and became one of the main causes behind the revolt in 1857.

      8.     Write a note on the Carnatic wars.

Ans:

     -         In India conflict between the French and the British was focused around the Carnatic region.

     -         The three states of this region Hyderabad, Carnatic and Mysore were in constant conflict with each other.

     -         They fought three wars between 1746 and 1763 which came to be called the Carnatic wars.

     -         The third Carnatic war , the French retained only Pondicherry  and Chandernagore.

     -         The British were now the main power in India.

      9.     Write a summary of the wars between Tipu Sultan and British.

Ans:

     -         In 1782, Hyder Ali died leaving his son Tipu Sultan to carry on the fight .

     -         In the third Anglo-Mysore war ( 1790 – 1792 ), lord Cornwallis the governor general at that time entered into an alliance with the Murathas and the Nizam of Hyderabad .

     -         Their joint forces defeated Tipu Sultan and two of his sons were taken as hostages by the British.

     -         In 1799, the British defeated Tipu Sultan at Seringapatam in the fourth Anglo-Mysore , Tipu died fighting.

      -         With the death of Tipu Sultan , the British were rid of on of their most bitter enemies. The British annexed half of his kingdom and gave Mysore back to the royal family, thereby ensuring their loyalty .

This victory over Mysore paved the way for the total control of India by the British.

       10.                        What were the reasons for the success of the British in  India ?

Ans:

       -         There was no strong central leadership in India to check the activities of the  British.

       -         The weakness of Indian rulers .

       -         Indian lack of unity among the states

       The Indian states were unable to form united force against the British.

       -         Britain superior army and navy

       They were also often better disciplined and better trained than their Indian counterparts.

Glossary:

     ·        Factory: a trading settlement

     ·        Colonialism : the rule of a country for an extended period of time by another one.

     ·        Fortification : A structure built to defend a place
     -  Firman: Permission to trade.
-   -    Diwani: right to collect revenue