Question:
Why did the British want to grow the indigo plant in India?
Answer:
The indigo plant grows primarily in the tropics and this was the primary reason for the British to turn to India for the growth of the indigo plant. By the thirteenth century Indian indigo was being used by cloth manufacturers in Italy France and Britain to dye cloth.
The demand for Indian indigo grew, as European cloth manufacturers wanted only Indian Indigo as it produced a rich blue colour. Due to this demand the price of Indian indigo rose in the European market and mediated the British to grow more indigo in the Indian soil.
Another reason was the industrialisation of Britain as this resulted in the expansion of cotton production creating an enormous new demand for cloth dyes.
Indigo production in other countries began to decline and the demand for Indian Indigo increased in European countries. This demand made the East India Company to expand the area under indigo cultivation.
How, When and Where
Q 1.
Give a brief description of Chhatrapati Shivaji.
Q 2.
What was the result of the competition between the trading companies from different European countries?
Q 3.
Why did James Mill divide his book, The History of British India’ into the Hindu, Muslim and British
Q 5.
What did Nana Saheb want of the British?
Q 6.
Trace the rebellion from Meerut to Delhi.
Q 7.
Give a brief account of Tantia Tope.
Q 8.
What were the activities of the Tribals?
Q 9.
When did the Blue rebellion break-out?
Q 10.
What were the commodities that these companies traded in?
Q 11.
Describe a colonial bungalow during the early 20th century.
Q 12.
Write a short note on the Santhals of Jharkhand.
Q 13.
Write a short note on shifting cultivation.
Q 14.
Give a brief description of Chhatrapati Shivaji.
Q 15.
Give a brief description of Kingsway.
Q 16.
What were the reforms introduced by the British?
Q 17.
What did the British do to demolish Delhis past?
Q 18.
What were to the two major systems of indigo cultivation in India?
Q 19.
Why is it important to have dates or time frames while writing History?
Q 20.
Apart from official records what are the other sources of information that is available to historians?
Q 21.
Write a short note on the Santhals of Jharkhand.
Q 22.
Trace the eight cities that existed before New Delhi between 736 AD and the 17th Century.
Q 23.
When and between whom did the 3rd Battle of Panipat take place?
Q 24.
Who wrote the book The History of British India?
Q 25.
Explain the system of subsidiary alliance.
Q 26.
How did the last Mughal emperor live the last years of his life?
Q 27.
What did Nana Saheb want of the British?
Q 28.
What were the reforms introduced by the British?
Q 29.
In 1911 a grand Durbar was held by the British in Delhi, why?
Q 30.
Why did the British dislike shifting cultivators?
Q 31.
What are Reserved forests?
Q 32.
What is the problem with the periodisation of Indian history that James Mill offers?
Q 33.
Who wrote the book The History of British India?
Q 34.
What were the commodities that these companies traded in?
Q 35.
Give a brief note on the Battle of Plassey.
Q 36.
Describe the main features of the Permanent Settlement.
Q 37.
How was the mahalwari system different from the Permanent Settlement?
Q 38.
Give two problems which arose with the new Munro system of fixing revenue.
Q 39.
What were the main features of the Nij system of cultivation?
Q 40.
What was the out come of the Blue Rebellion?
Q 41.
What was the demand of Rani Lakshmi Bai of Jhansi that was refused by the British?
Q 42.
Give a brief description of Shahjahanabad.
Q 44.
What was the incidence that triggered the mutiny?
Q 45.
Trace the rebellion from Meerut to Delhi.
Q 46.
What is Land Settlement Act and why was it enforced?
Q 47.
When was the 'Diwani' of Bengal granted to the East India Company?
Q 48.
Give a brief description of the ryotwari system.
Q 49.
What were the disadvantages of the ryotwari system?
Q 50.
Why did the British want to grow the indigo plant in India?
