Modern History (Part-II)

Total Questions: 50

11. Who was the Governor-General of India during the Sepoy Mutiny? [2006]

Correct Answer: (a) Lord Canning
Solution:Revolt of 1857 is referred as Sepoy Mutiny by many historians. After the mutiny Lord Canning was made the Viceroy and power was transferred from the East India Company to the British crown by Act of 1858.
• The Revolt of 1857, often considered the first war of Indian independence, was fueled by multiple political, economic, social, and military grievances against British rule.
• Politically, the aggressive annexation policies of the British, including the Doctrine of Lapse, led to the loss of sovereignty for many Indian rulers.
• The economic causes of the Revolt of 1857, high taxation and exploitation facilitated by British economic policies, devastated traditional industries and led to widespread poverty among artisans and farmers.
• Socially, the British were seen as a threat to Indian religious practices and social norms, especially with reforms like the banning of Sati and the introduction of Western education.
• The immediate cause was the introduction of the Enfield rifle with cartridges rumoured to be greased with cow and pig fat, which deeply offended both Hindu and Muslim soldiers.
• These factors collectively ignited a rebellion across parts of northern and central India.

12. Who among the following started the newspaper Shome Prakash? [2007]

Correct Answer: (b) Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar
Solution:It was started by Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar in 1859 under the editorship of Dwarakanath Vidyabhushan. It was a weekly paper.
• A distinguished Sanskrit scholar, Vidyasagar served as the principal of Sanskrit College in Calcutta.
• He believed that education should not be the privilege of a single community and broke the monopoly of Brahmin priests by opening Sanskrit education to non-Brahmin students.
• His efforts challenged traditional norms and paved the way for inclusivity in Indian education.
• Vidyasagar was a strong advocate of blending Eastern and Western educational systems.
• He believed that modern scientific knowledge should complement traditional Indian learning, thus ensuring a holistic approach to education.

13. The ruler of which one of the following States was removed from power by the British on the pretext of misgovernance? [2007]

Correct Answer: (a) Awadh
Solution:

Other three states were annexed under the Doctrine of Lapse by Lord Dalhousie. But doctrine of Lapse was not applicable on Awadh as Nawab Wazid Ali Shah had many children.

Therefore, Dalhousie annexed Awadh on the pretext of misgovernance in 1856. Jhansi (1853), Nagpur (1854) and Satara (1848)

14. The First Factory Act restricting the working hours of women and children and authorizing local government to make necessary rules was adopted during whose time? [2007]

Correct Answer: (c) Lord Ripon
Solution:The First Factory Act was passed in 1881 during the time of Lord Ripon. It was passed to improve the service condition of the factory workers in India. It fixed the working hours for women and children above the age of seven years.
Lord Ripon (George Frederick Robinson) served as the Viceroy of India from 1880 to 1884. Lord Ripon as a representative of the British monarchy introduced several significant reforms during his tenure, such as the Factory Act of 1881, the Mysore Rendition of 1881, the repeal of the Vernacular Press Act (1882), and the Hunter Commission on Education (1882).

He also introduced local self-government through the 1882 resolution, earning him the title "Father of Local Self-Government in India." His liberal approach earned him respect and a legacy as one of British India's most progressive Viceroys

15. Who among the following Europeans were the last to come to pre-independence India as traders? [2007]

Correct Answer: (c) French
Solution:Portuguese (1498); Dutch (1602); English (1599); French (1664).
• The French East India Company (EIC) was established in 1664. Though last to enter, the French gained considerable ground in India in a short span of time.
• They established their first factory at Surat in 1668. Colbert is considered to be the founder of the French company in India.
• Next year, another factory was established in Masulipatam on the country’s eastern coast.
• Later, they established factories at Chandernagore near Calcutta and Pondicherry on the east coast (the factory in Pondicherry was fortified).

16. Consider the following statements: [2007]

1. Robert Clive was the first Governor-General of Bengal.

2. William Bentinck was the first Governor-General of India.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

Correct Answer: (b) 2 only
Solution:

Statement 1 is incorrect as Warren Hastings was the first governor-general of Bengal.
Upon their arrival in India, the British East India Company established a bureaucratic system with written laws, introducing various offices, including the "Office of the Governor of Bengal." Following the Regulating Act of 1773, the position's title evolved into the "Governor-General of Bengal," reflecting the region's developing governance mechanisms.
In 1833, the Charter Act brought another modification, renaming the role as the "Governor-General of India," acknowledging the expanding British influence across the Indian subcontinent..

17. Which one of the following was the first fort constructed by the British in India? [2007]

Correct Answer: (b) Fort St George
Solution:Fort William, Calcutta (1781); Fort St George, Chennai (1644); Fort St David, Madras (1670); Fort St Angelo, Kerala (1505) but by the Portuguese.
About British in India
• The English East India Company (EEIC) was established in 1600 by a Royal Charter with an exclusive trading right east of the Cape of Good Hope.
• After seeing the returns on the first few voyages from India, the British wanted to establish factories in India.
• Captain William Hawkins was sent to Jahangir’s court to obtain permission to open a factory in Surat.
• The Portuguese stopped his attempts. In 1611, the British navy helped the Mughals defeat the Portuguese at Surat and gained the right to establish a factory there. After this, many factories, like Masulipatam, opened on the East
Coast.
• In 1615, Sir Thomas Roe was sent as an ambassador to the Mughal court. He used his diplomatic skills to obtain a Royal Farman (decree) to open factories and trade in any part of the Mughal Empire.
• Factories were set up at Broach, Ahmadabad, and the factory at Surat was fortified. After negotiations with the local raja, the British EIC gained permission to set up a factory at Madras and fortify it.
• In 1661-62, King Charles II received Bombay as a dowry on marrying the Portuguese princess, Catherine of Braganza. It was transferred to the English EIC in 1668.
• In 1667, after successfully negotiating the exchange of the Dutch EIC’s Indian holdings with the British EIC’s Indonesian holdings, the British became a formidable force in India.
• In 1680, during Aurangzeb’s rule, the British EIC got a farman to trade customs-free throughout Mughal rule. After the Carnatic wars, the French aspirations ended, and India was left to be ruled by the Brit

18. Who among the following wrote the book Bahubivah? [2007]

Correct Answer: (b) Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar
Solution:It was written in protest of the evil of polygamy. Bahu (many or more than one)- bivah (marriage) meaning more than one marriage.
• A distinguished Sanskrit scholar, Vidyasagar served as the principal of Sanskrit College in Calcutta.
• He believed that education should not be the privilege of a single community and broke the monopoly of Brahmin priests by opening Sanskrit education to non-Brahmin students.
• His efforts challenged traditional norms and paved the way for inclusivity in Indian education.
• Vidyasagar was a strong advocate of blending Eastern and Western educational systems.
• He believed that modern scientific knowledge should complement traditional Indian learning, thus ensuring a holistic approach to education.

19. Match List-l with List-II and select the correct answer using the code given below the Lists: [2008]

List-I (Author) List-II (Work) 
A. Bankimchandra1. Shatranj ke Khilari
B. Dinabandhu Mitra2. Debi Chaudhurani
C. Premchand3. Nil-Darpan
4. Chandrakanta

Codes:

ABC
(a)241
(b)342
(c)231
(d)314
Correct Answer: (c)
Solution:

Devi Chaudhurani is a Bengali novel written by Bankim Chandra Chatterji and published in 1884. It was later translated to English by Subodh Chunder Mitter.

Nil Darpan is also a Bengali play written by Dinabandhu Mitra in 1858-1859. The play was published in Dhaka in 1860 while Shatranj ke Khilari was authored by Munsi Premchandra.

20. In collaboration with David Hare and Alexander Duff, who of the following established Hindu College at Calcutta? [2009]

Correct Answer: (d) Raja Rammohan Roy
Solution:The foundation of Hindu College at Calcutta was laid on January 20, 1817.
Raja Ram Mohan Roy (1772–1833) was a prominent Indian social reformer, scholar, and founder of the Brahmo Samaj, a socio-religious reform movement. Often referred to as the "Father of
Modern India," Rajaram Mohan Roy played a pivotal role in the 19th-century Indian Renaissance, advocating for social, religious, and educational reforms. His contributions spanned various
aspects of Indian society, including religion, social justice, education, and journalism.