Answer: (D) The Nizam of Hyderabad

Explanation

The Nizam of Hyderabad was the first Indian ruler to accept the Subsidiary Alliance introduced by Lord Wellesley in 1798. Under this system, the ruler accepted a permanent British force within his territory and agreed not to maintain independent foreign relations, in return for British protection.

Exam Facts

• First state to accept the Subsidiary Alliance: Hyderabad (1798)
• Introduced by: Lord Wellesley
• Purpose: To expand British political control over Indian states.
• Other major states that later accepted the alliance included Mysore (1799), Tanjore (1799), Awadh (1801), and the Peshwa (1802).

Answer: (A) Warren Hastings

Explanation

The Asiatic Society was founded by Sir William Jones on 15 January 1784 in Calcutta (Kolkata). At that time, Warren Hastings was the Governor-General of Bengal. Hastings actively encouraged the study of Indian history, culture, languages, and laws.

Exam Facts

• Founded by: Sir William Jones
• Founded in: 1784
• Place: Calcutta (Kolkata)
• Governor-General at the time: Warren Hastings
• Originally known as the Asiatick Society.

Answer: (B) Thomas Munro

Explanation

Explanation

The Ryotwari Settlement was introduced in the Madras Presidency by Sir Thomas Munro in 1820. Under this system, the government collected land revenue directly from the cultivators (Ryots) without the involvement of zamindars.

Exam Facts

• Introduced by: Sir Thomas Munro
• Introduced in: Madras Presidency
• Revenue paid by: Ryots (cultivators) directly to the government.
• Other major land revenue systems: Permanent Settlement (Lord Cornwallis, 1793) and Mahalwari Settlement (Holt Mackenzie, later modified by R. M. Bird).

Answer: (C) Farrukhsiyar

Explanation

In 1717, Emperor Farrukhsiyar issued a Farman to the British East India Company, granting extensive trading privileges in Bengal. The Company was allowed to trade duty-free (except for a nominal annual payment) through the use of Dastaks (free passes). This Farman greatly strengthened the Company’s commercial and political position in India.

Exam Facts

• Issued by: Farrukhsiyar
• Year: 1717
• Granted trade concessions to the British East India Company.
• Allowed the use of Dastaks (free passes) for duty-free trade in Bengal.
• Often called the “Magna Carta of the East India Company”.

Answer: (A) Kolkata – Ghusuri

Explanation

Explanation

The first cotton textile mill in India was established in 1818 at Ghusuri (Fort Gloster), near Kolkata, by the British. Although this mill was not commercially successful and closed down later, it is regarded as the first cotton textile mill in India. The first successful modern cotton textile mill was the Bombay Spinning and Weaving Company, established in 1854 in Bombay (Mumbai).

Answer: (A) Srirampur (Serampore)

Explanation

Explanation

The first paper mill in India was established at Srirampur (Serampore), Hooghly, West Bengal, in 1832. It marked the beginning of the modern paper industry in India, although large-scale commercial production developed later.

Answer: (D) 1818

Explanation

The first cotton textile mill in India was established in 1818 at Fort Gloster (Ghusuri), near Kolkata. Although it was not commercially successful, it is regarded as the first cotton textile mill in India. The first successful modern cotton textile mill was the Bombay Spinning and Weaving Company, established in 1854.

Answer: (C) Sir William Jones

Explanation

The Asiatic Society was founded by Sir William Jones on 15 January 1784 at Calcutta (Kolkata). It was established to promote the study of Indian history, languages, literature, culture, and archaeology.

Answer: (C) Bahadur Shah II

Explanation

Bahadur Shah II (Bahadur Shah Zafar) was the last Mughal emperor during the Revolt of 1857. Although he had little real political power, the rebels proclaimed him the symbolic leader of the uprising. After the revolt was suppressed, he was exiled by the British to Rangoon (Yangon, Myanmar) in 1858, marking the end of the Mughal Empire.

Answer: (D) 1857

Explanation

The University of Calcutta was established on 24 January 1857 under the recommendations of Wood’s Despatch (1854). It was one of the first three modern universities in India, along with the Universities of Bombay and Madras.

Exam Facts

• Established: 1857
• Based on: Wood’s Despatch (1854)
• One of the first three universities in India:
  • University of Calcutta (1857)
  • University of Bombay (1857)
  • University of Madras (1857)

Answer: (D) Dinabandhu Mitra

Explanation

Neeldarpan was written by Dinabandhu Mitra in 1860. The play exposed the oppression and exploitation of indigo cultivators by European indigo planters in Bengal and played an important role in creating public awareness about the Indigo Revolt (1859–60).

Exam Facts

• Author: Dinabandhu Mitra
• Published: 1860
• Theme: Exploitation of indigo farmers in Bengal.
• Related Event: Indigo Revolt (1859–60)
• English translation: Rev. James Long (who was fined and imprisoned for publishing it).

Answer: (B) Brahmabandhab Upadhyay

Explanation

Brahmabandhab Upadhyay was the editor of the nationalist Bengali newspaper Sandhya. The newspaper became well known during the Swadeshi Movement for its strong nationalist views and criticism of British colonial rule.

Exam Facts

• Editor of Sandhya: Brahmabandhab Upadhyay
• Language: Bengali
• Associated with: Swadeshi Movement (after the Partition of Bengal, 1905)
• Sisir Kumar Ghosh was associated with Amrita Bazar Patrika.
• Bhupendranath Datta was associated with the revolutionary newspaper Jugantar.

Answer: (B) Ranajit Guha

Explanation

The Subaltern School of Historiography was spearheaded by Ranajit Guha in the 1980s. It aimed to rewrite Indian history by focusing on the role of peasants, workers, tribals, and other marginalized groups, rather than only elites and rulers.

Exam Facts

• Founder/Leader: Ranajit Guha
• Started: 1982 with the publication of Subaltern Studies
• Focus: History of the common people (subalterns).
• Prominent historians include Shahid Amin, Partha Chatterjee, Gautam Bhadra, David Hardiman, and Gyanendra Pandey.

Answer: (A) Anil Seal

Explanation

Anil Seal belonged to the Cambridge School of Historiography, which emphasized the role of elite politics and local interests in the Indian nationalist movement. In contrast, Irfan Habib, Nurul Hasan, and Athar Ali were leading historians of the Aligarh School, known for their Marxist approach to medieval Indian history.

Exam Facts

• Belongs to: Cambridge School
• Aligarh School historians: Irfan Habib, Nurul Hasan, Athar Ali
• Aligarh School: Focused mainly on the economic and social history of medieval India using a Marxist perspective.

Answer: (B) Surat

Explanation

The English East India Company established its first factory in India at Surat in 1613 CE, after obtaining permission from the Mughal authorities following the Battle of Swally (1612). Surat became the Company’s first major trading centre in India.

Exam Facts

• First English factory in India: Surat (1613 CE)
• First Governor of Surat Factory: Thomas Aldworth
• Battle of Swally: 1612 CE (English defeated the Portuguese)
• Madras: Fort St. George established in 1639
• Bombay: Acquired by the English in 1668 from the British Crown.

Answer: (B) Indigo Planters

Explanation

Neel-Darpan (1860), written by Dinabandhu Mitra, depicts the sufferings of the indigo cultivators (ryots) under the oppression of European indigo planters in Bengal. Thus, the wording of option (B) is technically inaccurate—the play portrays the plight of the cultivators, not the planters. However, in competitive exams, (B) is accepted because it refers to the Indigo plantation system.

Exam Facts

• Author: Dinabandhu Mitra
• Published: 1860
• Related Event: Indigo Revolt (1859–60)
• Theme: Exploitation of indigo cultivators (ryots) by European indigo planters.

Answer: (A) Charter Act, 1813

Explanation

The Charter Act of 1813 was the first British legislation to recognize the responsibility of the East India Company towards the education of Indians. It provided for an annual grant of ₹1 lakh for the revival and promotion of literature and the encouragement of scientific knowledge among the people of India.

This provision later gave rise to the famous Orientalist–Anglicist controversy, which was eventually settled in favor of English education by Macaulay’s Minute (1835).

Exam Facts

• Correct Answer: Charter Act, 1813
• Annual grant: ₹1 lakh for education
• Significance:
  • First official provision for education in India
  • Allowed Christian missionaries to work in India
  • Ended the East India Company’s monopoly over trade with India (except trade in tea and with China)
• Related developments:
  • Macaulay’s Minute: 1835
  • Wood’s Despatch: 1854 (Magna Carta of English Education in India)

Answer: (A) 1818

Explanation

India’s first cotton textile mill was established in 1818 at Fort Gloster, Ghusuri, near Kolkata. Although it was not commercially successful, it is regarded as the first cotton textile mill in India.

Exam Facts

• Year: 1818
• Location: Fort Gloster, Ghusuri (near Kolkata)
• It was India’s first cotton textile mill.
• First successful cotton textile mill: Bombay Spinning and Weaving Company (1854), Mumbai.

Answer: (A) A. L. Basham

Explanation

The Wonder That Was India was written by A. L. Basham, an Australian Indologist and historian. First published in 1954, the book provides a comprehensive account of ancient Indian history, culture, religion, philosophy, art, and society.

Answer: (B) 1817 A.D.

Explanation

Hindu College was founded in Calcutta (Kolkata) on 20 January 1817 to promote Western education among Indians. It later became Presidency College (1855) and is now Presidency University.

Exam Facts

• Founded: 1817
• Location: Calcutta (Kolkata)
• Later became: Presidency College (1855) → Presidency University
• David Hare and Raja Rammohan Roy played important roles in promoting its establishment.

Answer: (D) Lord Dalhousie

Explanation

The first railway in India started on 16 April 1853, running from Bombay (Mumbai) to Thane, during the Governor-Generalship of Lord Dalhousie. Dalhousie strongly promoted the expansion of railways through his famous Railway Minute (1853).

Exam Facts

• Governor-General: Lord Dalhousie
• First train: 16 April 1853
• Route: Bombay (Mumbai) → Thane (34 km)
• Lord Dalhousie is known as the “Father of Railways in India.”

Answer: (D) Wood’s Despatch

Explanation

The University of Calcutta was established in 1857 following the recommendations of Wood’s Despatch (1854), which laid the foundation of the modern education system in India and recommended the establishment of universities at Calcutta, Bombay, and Madras.

Exam Facts

• Educational Report: Wood’s Despatch (1854)
• University of Calcutta established: 1857
• Known as: Magna Carta of English Education in India
• Recommended: Universities at Calcutta, Bombay, and Madras.

Answer: (A) Lord William Bentinck

Explanation

Lord William Bentinck abolished the practice of Sati by passing Regulation XVII of 1829 in the Bengal Presidency. The reform was strongly supported by Raja Rammohan Roy, who campaigned against the practice.

Exam Facts

• Governor-General: Lord William Bentinck
• Year of abolition: 1829
• Regulation: Regulation XVII of 1829
• Social reformer associated: Raja Rammohan Roy
• Sati was later prohibited throughout British India.

Answer: (B) Tipu Sultan

Explanation

Tipu Sultan planted the “Tree of Liberty” at Seringapatnam (Srirangapatna) in 1797, inspired by the ideals of the French Revolution. He also established a Jacobin Club and expressed support for the revolutionary principles of Liberty, Equality, and Fraternity.

Exam Facts

• Planted the Tree of Liberty: Tipu Sultan
• Place: Seringapatnam (Srirangapatna)
• Inspired by: French Revolution
• Tipu Sultan maintained friendly relations with Revolutionary France against the British.

Answer: (C) J. A. Hickey

Explanation

James Augustus Hickey (J. A. Hickey) started Hickey’s Bengal Gazette (also known as the Calcutta General Advertiser) in 1780. It was the first English newspaper published in India and is regarded as the beginning of Indian journalism.

Exam Facts

• First English newspaper in India: Hickey’s Bengal Gazette
• Founder: James Augustus Hickey
• Started in: 1780
• Place: Calcutta (Kolkata)
• Also known as the Calcutta General Advertiser.

Answer: (B) The Nawab of Oudh (Awadh)

Explanation

Birjis Qadr was the son of Wajid Ali Shah, the last Nawab of Awadh (Oudh). During the Revolt of 1857, he was proclaimed the Nawab of Awadh at Lucknow, while his mother Begum Hazrat Mahal acted as the Regent and led the resistance against the British.

Exam Facts

• Birjis Qadr: Nawab of Awadh (Oudh) during the Revolt of 1857.
• Father: Wajid Ali Shah
• Mother: Begum Hazrat Mahal
• Capital: Lucknow
• Begum Hazrat Mahal led the revolt in Awadh on behalf of Birjis Qadr.