Indian History Revolts Quiz

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Questions and Answers

What system did Lord Wellesley introduce as a means of control over native princes?

Discounted Revenue Control

Subsidiary Alliance system (correct)

Religious Disabilities Act

Doctrine of Lapse

In what year did Lord Dalhousie annex the state of Jhansi?

1853 A.D (correct)

1850 A.D

1856 A.D

1848 A.D

Which act did Lord Dalhousie pass in 1856 that was significant for widows?

Female Infanticide Abolishment Act

Subsidiary Alliance Act

Widow Remarriage Act (correct)

Sati Regulation Act

Which state's Nawab was deposed by Lord Dalhousie on grounds of mal-administration?

Ayodhya Signup and view all the answers

What was the primary grievance of Indian sepoys in the British army?

Discrimination in promotions Signup and view all the answers

What controversial act retained property rights for those who converted to Christianity?

Indian Inheritance Act Signup and view all the answers

Who played a significant role in the abolition of the Sati practice?

Ram Mohan Roy Signup and view all the answers

Which event is referred to as the 'White Mutiny'?

Burchampore Regiment Revolt Signup and view all the answers

What was the primary objective of the Santhal Rebellion?

To oppose British land revenue policy Signup and view all the answers

Who led the NAIKDAS Revolt in the Panchamahal hills of Gujarat?

Roop Sing Signup and view all the answers

What movement did the OROANS Chota Nagpur revolt begin as?

Monotheism reform movement Signup and view all the answers

Which revolt was led by Rani Gindinilu?

THADOE Signup and view all the answers

What was the main reason for the Chenchu revolt in the Nallamala Hills?

Rejection of British forest laws Signup and view all the answers

Which event marked the first revolt by a Zamindar in modern India?

Battle of Bobbili Signup and view all the answers

Who were the leaders of the Santhal Rebellion?

Siddhu and Kanhu Signup and view all the answers

What significant impact did the Santhal Revolt have?

Contributed directly to the 1857 Sepoy Mutiny Signup and view all the answers

What was the reason for the conflict between Mir Qasim and the East India Company?

The misuse of Dastaks by English merchants Signup and view all the answers

Who succeeded Mir Jafar as the Nawab of Bengal in 1760?

Mir Qasim Signup and view all the answers

What significant military event occurred on October 22, 1764?

Mir Qasim's defeat at the Battle of Buxar Signup and view all the answers

Which treaty made the English the de facto and de jure rulers of Bengal?

Allahabad Treaty Signup and view all the answers

What role did Robert Clive play in Bengal in September 1765?

Established Dual Government Signup and view all the answers

What share in the Churnam trade did Mir Qasim offer to the English?

50% Signup and view all the answers

Who commanded the English army during the Battle of Buxar?

Hector Munro Signup and view all the answers

What was Mir Qasim’s action regarding customs duties in June 1763?

He abolished customs duties for all merchants Signup and view all the answers

Who founded the Bombay Presidency Depressed Class Mission Society in 1904?

V.M. Shinde Signup and view all the answers

What was the primary focus of Dr. B.R. Ambedkar's activism?

Advocating for the rights of the depressed classes Signup and view all the answers

Which publication did Dr. B.R. Ambedkar establish to voice the concerns of the untouchables?

Mukhnayak Signup and view all the answers

What was one key outcome of the Poona Pact?

Reservation of seats for depressed classes in the general electorate Signup and view all the answers

Which event marked the beginning of Trade Unionism in India?

World War I Signup and view all the answers

Who presided over the first session of the All India Trade Union Congress (AITUC) in 1928?

Lala Lajpat Rai Signup and view all the answers

What led to the first split in the AITUC?

Communist domination increase Signup and view all the answers

What was the first organized labour association founded in India?

Bombay Mill Hands Association Signup and view all the answers

What is the moderate method of struggle primarily characterized by?

Constitutional means of agitation Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following was NOT a demand made by the moderates?

Increasing military expenditure Signup and view all the answers

Who presided over the 1888 Allahabad Session of the Indian National Congress?

George Yule Signup and view all the answers

What was one of the major failures of the moderates?

Restricted the social base of the Congress Signup and view all the answers

What was the key economic critique introduced by the moderates?

Drain Theory Signup and view all the answers

What was the outcome of the Aitchison Committee appointed by Lord Dufferin in 1886?

Increase of age limit for Civil Service to 22 Signup and view all the answers

Which notable event was criticized by Lord Dufferin as a 'Microscopic Minority'?

Formation of the INC Signup and view all the answers

Who is recognized as the founder of extremist thought during the age of Extremists (1905-1915)?

Aurobindo Ghosh Signup and view all the answers

Study Notes

The East India Company and the Nawabs of Bengal

Mir Jafar, the Nawab of Bengal, exempted the British East India Company from paying customs duties on external trade.
In 1759, Mir Jafar was replaced by Mir Qasim as the Nawab of Bengal.
Mir Qasim was a capable ruler who granted three Zamindaries to the East India Company, offered a share of the betelnut trade, and provided financial aid to the British.
Mir Qasim moved the capital from Murshidabad to Monghyr and employed Armenians to train the Bengal Army.
Tensions between the East India Company and Mir Qasim intensified as the Company abused the Dastak system, which gave them exemption from customs duties.
Mir Qasim abolished customs duties for all merchants in Bengal.
In 1764, the Battle of Buxar took place. Mir Qasim, the Mughal Emperor Shah Alam II, and Suja-ud-Daula, the Nawab of Oudh, formed an alliance against the British.
The British forces, led by Hector Munro, defeated the allied forces at Buxar, marking a decisive victory for the British. The Nawab was forced to flee and eventually died in Delhi.
The Allahabad Treaty was signed in 1765, marking a significant shift in power.
The treaty established the British as the de facto rulers of Bengal.
The British obtained the Diwani (right to collect revenue) from the Mughal Emperor in return for a yearly payment.
Mir Jafar died in 1765 and was succeeded by Nizam-ud-Daula.
Robert Clive introduced the system of Dual Government in Bengal in 1765, where the Company controlled revenue collection while the Nawab retained administrative power.

Tribal Revolts against British rule

The Naikdas tribe in Panchamahal hills of Gujarat revolted against British expansion and interference in 1858 under the leadership of Roop Singh and Jaria Bhagath. They declared the formation of a second independent tribal kingdom.
The Oroans tribe of Chota Nagpur revolted in 1915 under Jatra Bhagath. This rebellion started as a religious reform movement called the Bhagath Movement and later evolved into anti-British resistance.
The Santhal Rebellion, which took place in the Rajmahal hills of Bihar from 1854 to 1856, was led by Siddhu and Kanhu.
This rebellion, which opposed the British land revenue policy, was notable for its success in defeating British forces under General Borraugh and declaring the formation of the first independent tribal kingdom in modern India.
The Savara people in Srikakulam Agency Area, Andhra Pradesh, revolted in 1857 under the leadership of Dundasena in opposition to the British Forest Laws.
Thadoe tribe of Kuki, Manipur, revolted against British presence in the agency areas in 1917 under Rani Gindinilu and her cousin Zodanang. Rani Gindinilu was imprisoned but later released in 1947.
The Bhil tribe in 1913 launched a rebellion against British revenue policy under the leadership of Govind Guru.
The Chenchu tribe of Nallamala Hills in Andhra Pradesh revolted against British Forest Laws in 1922-1923 under K.Hanumanthu.

Zamindar Revolts and Annexations

The Zamindar of Bobbili in Madras Presidency became the first to revolt against British dominance in 1757. Rangarao, the Zamindar, opposed the French and challenged the French Commander Bussey in the Battle of Bobbili.
The Battle of Padmanabham in 1794 resulted in the death of Raja Vijay Ramraj, the Zamindar of Vijayanagaram, at the hands of the British.
Lord Wellesley’s Subsidiary Alliance system, introduced in the late 18th century, sought to solidify British control by forcing native rulers into alliances and annexing their territories.
Lord Dalhousie, in the mid-19th century, implemented the ‘Doctrine of Lapse’ to annex states.
This doctrine allowed the British to annex states that lacked a male heir.
The British annexed several kingdoms including Satara (1848), Jaitpur (1849), Sambalpur (1850), the Hill State of Bhagat (1852), Jhansi (1853), and Nagpur (1854). However, Sambalpur and Bhagat were later restored.
Lord Dalhousie abolished the titles of native Nawabs and denied a pension to Nana Sahib, the adopted son of the last Peshwa Baji Rao II.
In 1856, Dalhousie annexed the State of Ayodhya and deposed Wajid Ali Shah, the Nawab, on the grounds of mal-administration.
Lord Canning, Dalhousie’s successor, declared that the Mughal Emperor would not be allowed to use the title “Zil-e-illahi” (the shadow of God).

The British implemented several social reforms, particularly with regards to the status of women.
In 1802, Lord Wellesley abolished the practice of female infanticide among the Rajputs with his Regulation VI.
In 1829, Lord William Bentick abolished Sati under the influence of Raja Ram Mohan Roy with his Regulation XVII.
In 1856, Lord Dalhousie passed the Widow Remarriage Act, a significant move initiated by Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar.
The 1856 Religious Disabilities Act or Indian Inheritance Act, which retained property rights for converts against the spirit of Hindu tradition, was one of the most controversial measures taken by the British.
The British actively promoted Christian missionary activity.
The Company historian William Grant declared in the House of Commons that it was God's will to convert India to Christianity.

The Sepoy Mutiny: Causes and Precursors

The early 18th century saw the first recorded revolt of Sepoys against the British in 1675.
The Burhampore Regiment was the first to revolt against Robert Clive, an event known as the ‘White Mutiny’ because English soldiers also participated.
The Vellore Sepoy Mutiny in 1806 was a significant event in which Sepoys revolted in support of Tipu Sultan and his family.
The Mutiny was triggered by discriminatory practices and resentment over the enforced new cartridges that were rumored to be greased with animal fat, which was offensive to both Hindus and Muslims.

Jyotiba Phule, a Mali by caste, became a leading figure in the struggle for the rights of the untouchable Mahar community.
He founded the Satya Sodhak Samaj, a social reform movement aiming to uplift the downtrodden.
He authored works like Gulamgiri and Sarvajanik Satyadharmadha Pustak.
V.M. Shinde founded the Bombay Presidency Depressed Class Mission Society in 1904.
Dr. B.R. Ambedkar, the first graduate from the Mahar community, emerged as a prominent leader, advocating for the rights of the depressed classes.
Ambedkar submitted his thesis on the ‘Indian Rupee’.
He founded the All India Depressed Class Association Federation and organized the Mahar Satyagraha, demanding temple entry and equal access to public amenities.
Ambedkar participated in all three Round Table Conferences and advocated for separate communal electorates for the depressed classes.
The ‘Communal Award’ in 1932, announced by British Prime Minister Ramsay MacDonald, granted separate communal electorates to the depressed classes.
Gandhiji’s fast unto death in protest of the Communal Award led to the Poona Pact, wherein the caste Hindus agreed to reserve double the number of seats in the general electorate for the depressed classes in exchange for abandoning the demand for separate communal electorates.

Labour Class Movements and the Rise of Trade Unions

The emergence of the railway industry in India saw the formation of a distinct labor class.
N.M. Lokhande founded the Bombay Mill Hands Association, marking the initial stage of labor organization.
Trade unionism gained momentum during World War I and the Russian Revolution in 1917.
The Madras Mill Workers Association, founded in 1918 by B.P. Wadia, became the first major trade union in India.
In 1920, N.M. Joshi established the All India Trade Union Congress (AITUC), holding its first session in Bombay in 1928 under the presidency of Lala Lajpat Rai.
The AITUC became divided when N.M. Joshi left to form the Indian Trade Union Federation (ITUF) due to the growing dominance of Communist elements within the AITUC.
Joshi also established the Hind Mazdoor Sevak Sangh in 1940 as another platform for labor advocacy.

The Indian National Congress: Moderate Politics and Key Figures

The Moderate approach to Indian nationalism emphasized constitutional means of agitation, as opposed to a more radical, populist approach.
Gokhale, a prominent figure within the Indian National Congress (INC), advocated for this moderate strategy, which was often referred to as the method of "Petition, Prayer and Protest".
The INC was founded in 1885 by a group of educated Indians, including Dadabhai Naoroji, Ferozeshah Mehta, and Gopal Krishna Gokhale.
The key demands of the moderates included:
- Expansion of legislative councils.
- Meaningful representation of Indian members in government.
- Separation of the executive from the judiciary.
- Increasing the upper age limit for Indian Civil Service aspirants.
- Conducting Civil Service examinations both in India and England simultaneously.
- Reducing rent, export duties and military expenditure by 50%.
The INC’s formation was generally welcomed by Lord Dufferin, then Governor General, and Lord Goss, the Secretary of State for India.
The relationship between the moderates and British authorities became strained in the Madras Session of 1887, presided over by Badruddin Tyabji, the first Muslim President of the INC.
The Moderates began advocating for self-governance in the Madras Session.
Lord Dufferin criticized the INC as a ‘Microscopic Minority’.
The Allahabad Session of 1888 saw George Yule, the first Englishman, presiding over the INC.
The Moderates played a pivotal role in the formation of the Aitchison Committee on Indian Civil Services in 1886.
The committee’s recommendations led to an increase in the upper age limit for Indian Civil Service aspirants to 22 years.
The 1892 Indian Council Act, which expanded legislative councils, resulted from the Moderates’ sustained advocacy.
The Calcutta University Act and Calcutta Municipal Corporation Act, passed in 1904, were largely attributable to the influence of the Moderates, though Lord Curzon later revoked these measures.
The Moderates’ economic critique of colonialism, known as the ‘Drain Theory’, exposed the exploitative nature of British rule in India.
Some of the shortcomings of the Moderate approach included:
Their restricted social base, limiting participation primarily to the elites.
Their failure to fully grasp the conflict between colonialism and nationalism.
Their inability to prevent the partition of Bengal in 1905, which was widely unpopular.

The Rise of Extremist Thought: Aurobindo Ghosh and the Swadeshi Movement

Aurobindo Ghosh is regarded as the founder of extremist thought in the Indian nationalist movement.
The Extremists advocated for a more active and assertive approach to achieving independence, including methods like boycotts and mass movements.
Extremist thought gained momentum as a response to the growing dissatisfaction with the Moderates’ approach and the perceived failures of the British government in addressing Indian grievances.
The Swadeshi Movement, which encouraged the use of Indian-made goods as a form of economic resistance, was a notable manifestation of the extremist approach.
The movement, often associated with the later phases of the freedom struggle, gained significant popular support and contributed to the rise of nationalist sentiment.

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Test your knowledge on revolts and significant events during British rule in India. This quiz covers various uprisings, key figures, and legislation that influenced the country's history. Challenge yourself to see how well you understand this pivotal era!