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.
What did Nana Saheb want of the British?
Q 4.
Give a brief description of Chhatrapati Shivaji.
Q 5.
What did Tipu Sultan do that resulted in wars against the Company?
Q 6.
Why did James Mill divide his book, The History of British India’ into the Hindu, Muslim and British
Q 8.
Write a short note on the Santhals of Jharkhand.
Q 9.
When did the Blue rebellion break-out?
Q 10.
What were to the two major systems of indigo cultivation in India?
Q 11.
What were the activities of the Tribals?
Q 12.
Give a brief account of Tantia Tope.
Q 13.
Why did the British dislike shifting cultivators?
Q 14.
Give a brief description of Kingsway.
Q 15.
Describe a colonial bungalow during the early 20th century.
Q 16.
What were the reforms introduced by the British?
Q 17.
What were the main features of the Ryoti system of cultivation?
Q 18.
Trace the eight cities that existed before New Delhi between 736 AD and the 17th Century.
Q 19.
Trace the rebellion from Meerut to Delhi.
Q 20.
What were the commodities that these companies traded in?
Q 21.
What did the British do to demolish Delhis past?
Q 22.
In 1911 a grand Durbar was held by the British in Delhi, why?
Q 23.
Give a brief account of Tantia Tope.
Q 24.
What is Land Settlement Act and why was it enforced?
Q 25.
What were the main features of the Ryoti system of cultivation?
Q 26.
How did the East India Company establish trade in India and enter the political scene?
Q 27.
What were the rules followed by the British East India Company while occupying the Indian States?
Q 28.
Mention a few other events, which if recorded, will make history more interesting to everyone.
Q 29.
How did the status of the tribal chiefs change after the British established power in India?
Q 30.
What were the powers enjoyed by the Residents appointed by the Company?
Q 31.
What were the main features of the Nij system of cultivation?
Q 32.
What was the out come of the Blue Rebellion?
Q 33.
Write a short note on shifting cultivation.
Q 34.
How did the last Mughal emperor live the last years of his life?
Q 35.
When and between whom did the 3rd Battle of Panipat take place?
Q 36.
When did the Blue rebellion break-out?
Q 37.
What objections did the Sepoys have to the new cartridges that they were asked to use?
Q 38.
What did Nana Saheb want of the British?
Q 39.
Which were the other trading Companies that came to the Indian shores?
Q 40.
What do we mean by "time-span" in connection with historical events?
Q 41.
How was the mahalwari system different from the Permanent Settlement?
Q 42.
What were the ambitious plans of the East India Company?
Q 43.
What were the grievances of the Sepoys?
Q 44.
Describe the policy of paramountcy.
Q 45.
What do we mean by "time-span" in connection with historical events?
Q 46.
What are the events that are usually recorded in history books?
Q 47.
What did British historians in India write about?
Q 48.
Why is it important to have dates or time frames while writing History?
Q 49.
Who wrote the book The History of British India?
Q 50.
Apart from official records what are the other sources of information that is available to historians?
