Section 1

Question 1

Which Mughal emperor was responsible for the decline of Mughal empire?

Answer 1

Aurangzeb

Question 2

Why do historians blame Aurangzeb for the decline of the Mughal empire?

Answer 2

1) Reimposed Jizya
2) Marathas war (25 yrs)
3) Killed Guru Tegh Bahadur of Sikh community.
4) No proper administration

Question 3

What were the reasons that led to the decline of the Mughal empire?

Answer 3

1) Pleasure seeking rulers
2) Aurangzeb’s policies
3) Succession disputes
4) Arrival of British
5) Foreign invasions - Nadir Shah
6) Weak administration
7) Weak army
8) No modern weaponry
9) No naval force

Question 4

What was the Jizya tax?

Answer 4

A tax on non-Muslims
For protection and defense
Akbar abolished it
Aurangzeb reimposed
People protested
Not listened to

Question 5

Who was Ahmed Shah Durani?

Answer 5

An Afghan leader
Excellent tactical skills
Beat Marathas at battle of Panipat.
Invaded Mughal empire looting it

Question 6

Who were the Marathas?

Answer 6

Hindus
Lived in Deccan
In war with Mughals (25 yrs)
Defeated by Ahmed Shah Abdali in Panipat.

Question 7

Why Hindus opposed Jizya?

Answer 7

Only on non-Muslims.
Incentive of forceful conversion.
Charge not used solely for protection.
High charges.

Question 8

What was the East India company?

Answer 8

A trading company that came to India during the 1600’s
Later tried to collapse the Mughal empire.

Question 9

Why did the British come to India?

Answer 9

1) Warm waters
2) Huge profitable trade (population of India great) - 23% of the world
3) Accessibility of Raw materials.

Question 10

What was the battle of Plassey?

Answer 10

• 1757
• Siraj- Ud-Daula warned by French of British intentions
• Attacked British (Robert Clive)
• General Mir Jaffer bribed
• Defeated Daula

Question 11

What was the battle of Buxar?

Answer 11

• 1764
• Clive put Mir Qasim on throne (son of Jaffer)
• Revolted with Oudh ruler and Mughal emperor
• Defeated

Question 12

What was the child’s war?

Answer 12

• Between Aurangzeb and EIC
  -EIC defeated
• Pardoned after paying a heavy fine

Question 13

What was the black hole tragedy?

Answer 13

Black hole was a dungeon in fort Willian of Calcutta. Siraj- Ud- Daula kept prisoners of war here (British).
Due to less space 43-64 died of suffocation.

Question 14

Why did the battle of Plassey take place?

Answer 14

1) French convinced Daula to attack.
2) EIC were not paying taxes
3) Daula alarmed by British expansion

Question 15

What is another name for the regulating act?

Answer 15

The act of parliament

Question 16

What was the regulating act?

Answer 16

• 1773
• 7 years of famine
• EIC being corrupt
• British government intervened
• responsibility taken
• EIC held accountable

Question 17

What was the Pitts India act?

Answer 17

• 1784
• direct control of Indian possessions
• Appointed a governor general
• Set up a police and legal system
• Civil service set up

Question 18

What was the subsidiary alliance?

Answer 18

• 1798
• Lord Wellesley
  1) Control area
  2) Pay for protection
  3) No other alliances can be made
  (the terms if a state signed this)

Question 19

What were the reasons of the annexation of Sindh?

Answer 19

1) Regain lost prestige –> british lost against afghans.
2) British might –> message to Indians
3) Sikh expansion –> wanted to take over Sindh

Question 20

What was the Doctrine of Lapse?

Answer 20

• 1852
• Dalhousie
• Annex lands if no heir
• corrupt

Question 21

Why were the British able to conquer India?

Answer 21

1) Negligence of rulers
2) Weak army
3) British modernized weapons
4) Civil feuds

Question 22

Who was Lord Wellesley?

Answer 22

• Governor general in 1798
• Convinced rulers to sign subsidiary alliance
• Killed Tipu Sultan
  Defeated nawabs of Oudh

Question 23

Who was Titu Mir?

Answer 23

• a Bengali freedom fighter
• went on pilgrimage
• came back to fight against corrupt Zamindars and British
• killed

Question 24

Who were zamindars?

Answer 24

• Landlords
• Corrupt
• Muslims ko oppress
• Didnt want to pay money or taxes

Question 25

Who was Warren Hastings?

Answer 25

• First governor general
• Made policies
• Involved in many wars (Anglo Maratha/ Anglo Mysore)

Question 26

Who was Robert clive?

Answer 26

• Commander in EIC
• Won battle of Plassey
• Opium addict
• Suicide

Question 27

Who was Tipu Sultan?

Answer 27

• Tiger of Mysore
• Fought against British
• Allied with French
• Killed in combat
• By nizam of Hyderabad and British.

Question 28

What was Suttee?

Answer 28

• Indian custom
• Widow burned herself

Question 29

Who were the thuggees?

Answer 29

-Thugs
- Claim–>serving a goddess
- Ritual murders.

Question 30

Who was Mir Qasim?

Answer 30

• Son of Mir Jaffer
• Battle against British in Buxar
• Lost
• Puppet rule in Bengal

Question 31

Who was Ranjit Singh?

Answer 31

• Annexed Punjab
• 1st Maharajah of Sikh empire
• Defeat by British

Question 32

What led to the war of independence (1857)?

Answer 32

1) Doctrine of Lapse (Unpopular)
2) Making English the national language
3) No Indians in civil service
4) Christian missionaries
5) Indians considered inferior
6) Greased cartridges
7) Banning some Indian culture
8) High taxation
9) cotton wali baat

Question 33

Why did the war of independence fail?

Answer 33

• Lack of unity
• Fighting for own reasons
• No leader
• Weak military
• No plan
• No co-ordination
• Didnt want Mughal empire rule
• Lack of public support