Eighteenth century India – History MCQ Question and Answer

Eighteenth century India – History MCQ Question and Answer

Eighteenth century India – History MCQ Question and Answer

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Decline of the Mughal Empire: The 18th century witnessed the decline of the once-powerful Mughal Empire due to weak rulers, internal conflicts, and external invasions. Regional powers and princely states emerged, challenging Mughal authority.

Rise of Regional Powers: Various regional powers emerged during this period, including the Marathas, Sikhs, and Nizam of Hyderabad. They expanded their territories and asserted their autonomy, often engaging in conflicts with each other and the declining Mughal Empire.

European Colonial Powers: European colonial powers, especially the British, French, Dutch, and Portuguese, established trading posts and forts along the Indian coastline. They gradually expanded their control over different parts of India through economic and military means.

Battle of Plassey (1757): The Battle of Plassey marked a significant turning point in Indian history. The British East India Company, led by Robert Clive, defeated the Nawab of Bengal, Siraj-ud-Daulah, establishing British control over Bengal and laying the foundation for British rule in India.

British East India Company: The British East India Company, initially a trading company, gradually transformed into a political and administrative power. It implemented policies such as the Doctrine of Lapse and introduced land revenue systems, which had far-reaching social and economic consequences.

Socio-religious Movements: The 18th century witnessed the emergence of socio-religious reform movements, such as the Bhakti and Sufi movements, which aimed to bridge the gap between different religious communities and promote spiritual unity.

Impact of Colonial Rule: The British colonial rule had a profound impact on Indian society, economy, and governance. The exploitation of resources, introduction of new technologies, establishment of railroads, and changes in landownership patterns transformed the Indian socio-economic landscape.

Revolt of 1857: Also known as the Indian Rebellion or First War of Independence, the revolt of 1857 was a significant event in the struggle against British colonial rule. It began as a mutiny in the British Indian Army and escalated into a widespread rebellion against British authority.

These are just a few key points to provide an overview of 18th-century Indian history. The period was marked by complex political dynamics, regional powers, European colonial expansion, and social and religious reforms that laid the groundwork for India’s subsequent independence movement.

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Eighteenth century India – History MCQ Question and Answer

The Mughal Crisis Extend of Mughal Empire in 1700 AD

Emperor Aurangzeb had depleted the military and financial resources of his empire by fighting a long war in the Deccan.
Nobles who were appointed as governors (subadars) controlled the offices of revenue and military administration (diwani and faujdari) which gave them extraordinary political, economic and military powers over vast regions of the Mughal Empire.
Peasant and zamindari rebellions in many parts of northern and western India added to these problems.

Emergence of New States

  • Through the 18th century, the Mughal Empire gradually fragmented into a number of independent, regional states.
    It can be divided into three overlapping groups:
  • States that were old Mughal provinces like Awadh, Bengal, and Hyderabad. Although extremely powerful and quite independent, the rulers of these states did not break their formal ties with the Mughal emperor.
  • States that had enjoyed considerable independence under the Mughals as watan jagirs. These included several Rajput principalities.
  • States under the control of Marathas, Sikhs and others like the Jats. They all had seized their independence from the Mughals after a long-drawn armed struggle.

Hyderabad

  • Nizam-ul-Mulk Asaf Jah, the founder of Hyderabad state, was appointed by Mughal Emperor Farrukh Siyar.
  • He was entrusted first with the governorship of Awadh, and later given charge of the Deccan.
  • He ruled quite independently without seeking any direction from Delhi or facing any interference.
  • The state of Hyderabad was constantly engaged in a struggle against the Marathas to the west and with independent Telugu warrior chiefs (nayakas)

Awadh

  • Burhan-ul-Mulk Sa‘adat Khan was appointed subadar of Awadh in 1722.
  • Awadh was a prosperous region, controlling the rich alluvial Ganga plain and the main trade route between north India and Bengal.
  • Burhan-ul-Mulk held the combined offices of subadari, diwani and faujdari.
  • Burhan-ul-Mulk tried to decrease Mughal influence in the Awadh region by reducing the number of office holders (jagirdars) appointed by the Mughals.
  • The state depended on local bankers and mahajans for loans.
  • It sold the right to collect the tax to the highest bidders. These “revenue farmers” (ijaradars) agreed to pay the state a fixed sum of money. So they were also given considerable freedom in the assessment and collection of taxes.
  • These developments allowed new social groups, like moneylenders and bankers, to influence the management of the state’s revenue system, something which had not occurred in the past.

Bengal

  • Bengal gradually broke away from Mughal control under Murshid Quli Khan who was appointed as the naib, deputy to the governor of the province and he was neither a formal subadar .
  • Like the rulers of Hyderabad and Awadh, he also commanded the revenue administration of the state.
  • In an effort to reduce Mughal influence in Bengal he transferred all Mughal jagirdars to Orissa and ordered a major reassessment of the revenues of Bengal.
  • Revenue was collected in cash with great strictness from all zamindars.
  • This shows that all 3 States Hyderabad, Awadh, Bengal richest merchants, and bankers were gaining a stake in the new political order.

The Watan Jagirs of the Rajputs

  • Many Rajput kings, particularly those belonging to Amber and Jodhpur, were permitted to enjoy considerable autonomy in their watan jagirs.
  • In the 18th century, these rulers now attempted to extend their control over adjacent regions.
  • So Raja Ajit Singh of Jodhpur held the governorship of Gujarat and Sawai Raja Jai Singh of Amber was governor of Malwa.
  • They also tried to extend their territories by seizing portions of imperial territories neighbouring their watans.
    Seizing Independence

The Sikhs

  • The organisation of the Sikhs into a political community during the seventeenth century helped in regional state-building in the Punjab.
  • Guru Gobind Singh fought against the Rajaput and Mughal rulers, after this death, it was under Banda Bahadur’s the fight continued.
  • The entire body used to meet at Amritsar at the time of Baisakhi and Diwali to take collective decisions known as “resolutions of the Guru (gurmatas)”.
  • A system called rakhi was introduced, offering protection to cultivators on the payment of a tax of 20 per cent of the produce.
  • Their well-knit organization enabled them to put up a successful resistance to the Mughal governors first and then to Ahmad Shah Abdali who had seized the rich province of the Punjab and the Sarkar of Sirhind from the Mughals.
  • The Khalsa declared their sovereign rule by striking their own coin in 1765. The coin was same as that of Band Bahadur’s time.
  • Maharaja Ranjit Singh reunited the groups and established his capital at Lahore in 1799.

The Marathas

  • Another powerful regional kingdom to arise out of a sustained opposition to the Mughal rule.
  • Shivaji (1627-1680) carved out a stable kingdom with the support of powerful warrior families (deshmukhs). Groups of highly mobile, peasant- pastoralists (kunbis) provided the backbone of the Maratha army.
  • Poona became the capital of the Maratha kingdom.
  • After Shivaji, Peshwas[principal minister s] developed a very successful military organisation by raiding cities and by engaging Mughal armies in areas where their supply lines and reinforcements could be easily disturbed.
  • By the 1730s, the Maratha king was recognised as the overlord of the entire Deccan peninsula. He possessed the right to levy chauth[25 per cent of the land revenue claimed by zamindars]. and sardeshmukhi[9-10 per cent of the land revenue paid to the head revenue collector in the Deccan] in the entire region.
  • The frontiers of Maratha domination expanded, after raiding Delhi in 1737, but these areas were not formally included in the Maratha empire but were made to pay tribute as a way of accepting Maratha sovereignty.
  • These military campaigns made other rulers hostile towards the Marathas. As a result, they were not inclined to support the Marathas during the third battle of Panipat in 1761.
  • By all accounts cities[Malwa, Ujjain etc] were large and prosperous and functioned as important ant commercial and cultural centers show the effective administration capacities of Marathas.

The Jats

  • Jats too consolidated their power during the late 17th and 18th-centuries.
  • Under their leader, Churaman, they acquired control over territories situated to the west of the city of Delhi, and by the 1680s they had begun dominating the region between the two imperial cities of Delhi and Agra.
  • The Jats were prosperous agriculturists, and towns like Panipat and Ballabhgarh became important trading centers in the areas dominated by them.
  • When Nadir Shah (Shah of Iran) sacked Delhi in 1739, many of the city’s notables took refuge there.
  • His son Jawahir Shah had troops and assembled some another from Maratha and Sikh to fight Mughal.

Eighteenth century India – History MCQ Question and Answer

Q. In 1717, who among the following Mughal emperors had issued the royal edict to allow the business privilege to Britain’s East India Company–
(A) Shah Alam II

(B) Bahadur Shah

(C) Jahandar Shah

(D) Farrukhsiyar

Answer : D

Solution: In 1717, the Mughal emperor Farquhazier issued a state order to allow Britain’s East India Company to offer business opportunities. Better known as the “Farquhazier Farman”.

Q. Why did Dutch East India Company fail to maintain its influence in India ?
(A) Portuguese did not allow them to trade in India

(B) There was a growing interference of Dutch Government in the Company’s internal affairs

(C) Dutch indulged in forcible religious conversion of the people and thus were expelled by local Kings

(D) The English forces made them to leave India.

Answer : D

Solution: The Dutch East India Company failed to maintain its influence in India as English forces forced them to leave India.

They also had to leave India due to lack of qualified officers.

Q. Who is the first governor General of British India ?
(A) Lord Canning

(B) Lord dalhousi

(C) Lord William Bentick

(D) Lord Welesly

Answer : C

Solution: LORD WILLIAM BENTICK : First governor general of British India was LORD WILLIAM BENTICK. Chartet act of 1833 made the Governor General of Bengal as the Governor General of India. And first such one was LORD WILLIAM BENTICK. LORD WARREN HASTINGS was the first Governor general of bengal.

Q. With reference to the entry of European powers into India, which one of the following statements is NOT correct ?
(A) The Portuguese captured Goa in 1499

(B) The English opened their first factory in South India at Masulipattam

(C) In Eastern India, the English Company opened its first factory in Orissa in 1633

(D) Under the leadership of Dupleix, the French occupied Madras in 1746.

Answer : A

Solution: Except for the first of the given options, all the others are correct in terms of European power entry into India. The Portuguese occupied Goa on 25 November 1510.

Q. Which one of the following pairs of History landmark and the associated person is NOT correctly matched.
(A) Slave Dynasty : Qutubuddin Aibak

(B) Tughlaq Dynasty : Ghiyasuddin

(C) Second Anglo _ Mysor War : Hyder ali

(D) Battle of Buxar : Sirajuddaulah

Answer : D

Solution: The fourth option is incompatible with the given options. The Battle of Boxer (1764) took place in Mir Kasim in conjunction with the British East India Company. The victory of the British East India Company paved the way for the establishment of English rule in India.

Q. Which historian is famous for his studies on the history of ancient India ?
(A) Satish Chandra

(B) Bipan Chandra

(C) Ramsharan Sharma

(D) Amlesh Tripathi

Answer : C

Solution: Ram Sharan Sharma (26 November 1919 – 20 August 2011), commonly referred to as R. S. Sharma, was a historian and academic of Ancient and early Medieval India, who advocated the Marxist

Q. The book ‘jiz’ Muhammad Shahi’ releted to knowledge of Astrology produced in 1733 is written by —
(A) Jaswant Singh of Jodhpur

(B) Raja bharmall of Amber

(C) Sawai jai Singh of Jaipur

(D) Maharana Amar Singh of Udaipur

Answer : C

Solution: On the knowledge of astrology, the book ‘Jiz’ by Muhammad Shahi was written by Sawai Jai Singh of Jaipur.

Q. Which one of the following statement is NOT correct ?
(A) Ali Mardan Khan introduced the system of revenue farming in Bangal

(B) Maharaja Ranjit Singh set up modern foundries to manufacture cannons at Lahore

(C) Sawai Jai Singh of Amber had Euclid’s ‘Elements of Geometry’ translated into Sanskrit

(D) Sultan Tipu of My sore gavemoney for the construction of the idol of goddess Sharda in Sringeri temple

Answer : A

Solution: The statement in the first option is incorrect. In the declining days of Mughal Empire, the control over the revenue officials became weak. The flow of income started declining. So, the system called ‘revenue farming’ was introduced in Bengal in the reign of Farukhsiyer (1713-19).

Q. The cause of decline of textile industries in 18th century in Bangal was –
(A) decline in quality of production

(B) non-availability of raw material

(C) high tariff rates on exports to Britain

(D) non-availability of craftsmen

Answer : C

Solution: After the rule of the British Empire over the Indian textile industry, they paid tariff on the export of Indian goods to Britain, thus breaking the waistline of Indian textile industry.

Q. Name of the journalist who whole-heartedly championed the cause of indigo Movement was–
(A) Sisir Kumar Ghosh

(B) Harish Chandra Mukherjee

(C) Barindra Ghosh

(D) Bipin Chandra pal

Answer : B

Solution: Harish Chandra Mukharjee is a journalist and social worker. He, through his Hindu Patriot newspaper, made it clear to the people of Nilkar’s persecution.

Q. Chauth
(a) 4 percent of the land revenue claimed by zamindars.
(b) 40 percent of the land revenue claimed by zamindars.
(c) 44 percent of the land revenue claimed by zamindars.
(d) 25 percent of the land revenue claimed by zamindars.

Answer: (d) 25 percent of the land revenue claimed by zamindars.

Q. The organisation of the Sikhs into a political community during the seventeenth century helped in regional state-building in the
(a) Punjab
(b) Awadh
(c) Bengal
(d) Jodhpur

Answer: (a) Punjab

Q. In 1708, the Khalsa rose in revolt against the Mughal authority under whose leadership, declared their sovereign rule.
(a) Banda Singh
(b) Banda Dev
(c) Bahadur’s Singh
(d) Banda Bahadur’s

Answer: (d) Banda Bahadur’s

Q. 9-10 percent of the land revenue paid to the head revenue collector in the Deccan called
(a) Sardeshmukhi
(b) Dashemukh
(c) Deshmukhi
(d) Chuath

Answer: (a) Sardeshmukhi

Q. Revenue farmers were called
(a) Jagirdar
(b) Ijaradars
(c) Nayak
(d) Subadar

Answer: (b) Ijaradars

Q. The Mughals emperors after ________were unable to arrest the gradual shifting of political and economic authority into the hands of provincial governors, local chieftains and other groups.
(a) Humayun
(b) Akbar
(c) Babar
(d) Aurangzeb

Answer: (d) Aurangzeb

Q. Many Rajput kings, had served under the Mughals with distinction particularly those belonging to
(a) Jaipur and Jaisalmer
(b) Amber and Jodhpur
(c) Amber and Jaisalmer
(d) Jaisalmer and Jodhpur

Answer: (b) Amber and Jodhpur

Q. Burhan-ul-Mulk Saradat Khan was appointed subadar of
(a) Awadh
(b) Punjab
(c) Bengal
(d) Deccan

Answer: (a) Awadh

Q. Under whose reign the banking house of Jagat Seth became extremely prosperous.
(a) Shah Alam II
(b) Alivardi khan
(c) Mir Jafar
(d) Nadir shah

Answer: (b) Alivardi khan

Q. Who controlled the offices of revenue and military administration
(a) Local people
(b) Britishers
(c) Governors
(d) King

Answer
Answer: (c) Governors

Q. Telugu warrior chiefs were called
(a) Subadar
(b) Nayakas
(c) Mansabdar
(d) Faujdari

Answer
Answer: (b) Nayakas

Q. Guru Gobind Singh died in
(a) 1705
(b) 1707
(c) 1708
(d) 1706

Answer: (c) 1708

Q. Nizam-ul-Mulk Asaf Jah, the founder of
(a) Hyderabad state
(b) Bengal state
(c) Awadh state
(d) Maratha state

Answer: (a) Hyderabad state

Q. Peacock throne was looted by
(a) Mehmood Ghazni
(b) Nadir Shah
(c) Ahmad Shah Abdali
(d) Britishers

Answer: (b) Nadir Shah

Q. Burhan-ul-Mulk also held the combined offices of
(a) Diwani, Mansabdari and Faujdari
(b) Diwani, Iqta and Mansabdari
(c) Subadari, Diwani and Nayak
(d) Subadari, Diwani and Faujdari

Answer: (d) Subadari, Diwani and Faujdari

Q. Ahmad Shah Abdali was the
(a) Iran Ruler
(b) Pakistan Ruler
(c) Afghan Ruler
(d) Iraq Ruler

Answer: (c) Afghan Ruler

Q. Asaf Jah and Murshid Quli Khan held a zat rank of
(a) 7,000 each
(b) 6,000 each
(c) 9,000 each
(d) 8,000 each

Answer: (a) 7,000 each

Q. Who was given the subadari of Agra in 1722
(a) Raja Ajit Singh
(b) Raja Amrit Singh
(c) Raja Jai Singh
(d) Raja Amber Singh

Answer: (c) Raja Jai Singh

Q. Why Mughals empire was facing problems closing of 17th century
(a) Britishers were under the control of Mughals
(b) Mughals military resources were very powerful
(c) Mughals successors left the Delhi
(d) Financial resources were depleted

Answer: (d) Financial resources were depleted

Q. Mughals empire started declining its power under the region of
(a) Babar
(b) Jahangir
(c) Akbar
(d) Aurangzeb

Answer: (d) Aurangzeb

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