British Period PDF

1 British Period European Exploration and Entry of East India Company into Bengal Reasons for European Exploration Europeans like the British, Spanish, Portuguese, and French began the exploration to discover and colonize parts of Asia, Afr...

1 British Period European Exploration and Entry of East India Company into Bengal Reasons for European Exploration Europeans like the British, Spanish, Portuguese, and French began the exploration to discover and colonize parts of Asia, Africa, and the Americas as early as the 15th century. This age of discovery was influenced by three major factors or reasons that facilitated this exploration and colonization. Often some people refer to this adventure as “3Gs”. The elements comprising the triad that best describes motives for European exploration and colonization are, 1. Economic Pursuits (Gold): New sources of wealth, especially in the form of gold, silk, and spices, were pursued by the European nations in a bid to establish direct trade routes to lucrative markets, such as that of India. 2. Religious Expansion (God): The Catholic Church wanted to spread Christianity to all parts of the world, while Protestants looked for a place of refuge against persecution within Europe. 3. Political Prestige (Glory): Expanding empires meant much about national strength and political influence, as it increased the political importance of a nation within Europe. Ascent of the British East India Company in Bengal By the early 18th century, Bengal had become a much-coveted province amongst European trading nations, especially the British, due to the prosperity it enjoyed under the Mughals. The wealth of its alluvial soils and a textile industry that was a continental business made Bengal the "Jewel in the Crown" of British possessions. The East India Company (EIC) had, from the outset, kept a trading presence. It did so under a royal Farman (decree) given by Mughal Emperor Farrukh Siyar in 1717. This allowed the Company to trade duty-free in Bengal, Bihar, and Orissa. Abuses of trade passes by British officials soon caused increasing tensions with that area's rulers of Bengal. The Battle of Plassey, 1757 The Battle of Plassey in 1757 was the result of expanding conflict with the ruler of Bengal, Siraj- ud-Daulah. Robert Clive led the EIC to victory against Siraj-ud-Daulah through political alliances and with support from local elites such as Mir Jafar and Jagath Sheth. The EIC appoint Mir Jafar as their puppet Nawab. This victory marked the beginning of British rule in Bengal and marked the shift of their interests from commerce toward exercising direct political authority. By the end of the battle, the British had gained Bengal as the base for their nascent empire on the subcontinent. Consolidation of Power: The Battle of Buxar and the Treaty of Allahabad Battle of Buxar, 1764 In 1764, the British faced a united coalition of Indian rulers-Mir Qasim, Nawab of Bengal; Shuja- ud-Daula, Nawab of Awadh; and Mughal Emperor Shah Alam that aimed to re-establish regional British Period, Dr. Shibli A. Khan  2 authority. The combined forces were routed by the British under Hector Munro in the Battle of Buxar (Bihar). The victory at Buxar consolidated the British position, dislocated local resistance, and sealed their political ascendancy in Bengal. The Treaty of Allahabad, 1765 After the victory at Buxar, the EIC entered into the Treaty of Allahabad in 1765 with the defeated rulers. It was through this treaty that the EIC obtained the Diwani right, that is, the right to collect revenue, over Bengal, Bihar, and Orissa. This was a significant turning point as far as governance was concerned. The Mughal Emperor could retain his nominal authority, though the EIC emerged with substantial acquisition of revenue resources. In return, the British had much influence on the finances of Bengal, with the use of regional wealth to further expansion across the subcontinent. Permanent Settlement and the Emergence of the Zamindari System Permanent Settlement of 1793 The British designed a permanent settlement under Governor-General Lord Cornwallis in Bengal to attain stable revenue collection. This policy, the Permanent Settlement of 1793, fixed revenues on land and placed the revenue-collection responsibility on the zamindars, thus serving as an intermediary between the British and Bengal's agrarian society. The Permanent Settlement resulted in the following widespread impacts on society and economy. 1. Absentee Landlordism: Rich zamindars, usually residing in Calcutta or even abroad, extracted very high rents from the peasants, which widened the economic gap between them. 2. Growing Indebtedness Among Peasants: Invariable demands for revenues compelled zamindars to increase the rents from their tenant farmers, making the rural population of Bengal suffer a vicious cycle of poverty and indebtedness. 3. Negligence of Agriculture Innovation: The zamindars, being interested only in immediate profit, seldom invested in land improvement or agricultural innovation. This resulted in frequent failures of crops and further impoverished the rural society of Bengal. The system alienated the zamindars from the peasants and developed a socio-economic structure that prevented long-term agriculture and social growth. Mughal Jaigirdar vs. British Zamindari Systems After the Permanent Settlement of 1793, the EIC assigned or sold land to selected people. Many Jaigirdars, wealthy merchants, and people who supported the EIC’s activities became Zamindars. The Hindus got larger and more Zamindari because of their loyalty to the British rulers. The British rewarded their supporters and those who showed loyalty. British Period, Dr. Shibli A. Khan  3 The new Zamindars, or the landlords, were required to collect from the tenant farmers a fixed land tax on behalf of the British. This system was brutal in the respect that, regardless of crop yields and economic conditions, Zamindars needed to meet the demands for taxes that brought exploitation to the peasants and widespread debt in rural Bengal. In contrast, the previous Mughal system had been more flexible: the Mughals had granted land temporarily to officials, or Jaigirdars, in return for service; taxes varied with agricultural productivity, balancing the state's income with the welfare of the locality. The farmers could grow the type of crops they needed. In the British system, on the other hand, more importance was given to the generation of quick and steady revenue at the expense of good land management, and this therefore further entrenched rural poverty. The Economic Drain: How British Rule Depleted Bengal's Wealth The British, under their rule, systematically drained Bengal of all its erstwhile booming economy, turning one of the richest regions in the world into a land infested with poverty and famine. Shashi Tharoor, a historian, in his controversial book An Era of Darkness, gives an account of how the British economic policies drained wealth from Bengal: Key contributors to this economic drain included : 1. Revenue Extraction and Taxation: The zamindars had to pay a fixed tax to the British government, irrespective of crop failures or economic depression. This resulted in rampant poverty among the peasants. It created a wealthy class of landlords while the farmers were reduced to perpetual debt. Figure 1 Jugantar, October 29, 1943 2. Trade Imbalance and Suppression of Industry: The vast textile industry of Bengal was being systematically undermined through the British policy that allowed British- manufactured textiles to flood the market of Bengal when high duties were laid on local goods. This deindustrialization caused mass unemployment among the weavers and artisans, thus stagnating the centuries-old textile industry of Bengal. British Period, Dr. Shibli A. Khan  4 3. Extraction of Wealth to Britain: Tharoor estimates that tens of millions of pounds were extracted annually out of Bengal and directly financed Britain's Industrial Revolution. British officials were also not lagging in extracting personal wealth; corruption and misappropriation were at their peak. Bribery and nepotism became a part of the administration and statecraft. 4. Negligence during Famines: British response to famine was very inadequate, as almost ten million people died in the Bengal Famine of 1770 due to hoarding encouraged by EIC policies and forced farming of indigo plants. Later, during the Bengal Famine of 1943, foods were diverted for the war efforts, thereby aggravating the death toll. These famines epitomized the exploitative governance of the British in Bengal. British-imposed economic policies had consequences that permanently damaged Bengal's social and economic fabric, impacts which lasted well into the 20th century. Repeated Famines While ruled by the British, India witnessed the occurrence of nearly 31 famines leading to the loss of about 60 million. In several regions, famines became almost common within a year as the colonial policies, excessive taxation and exporting of foodstuff contributed to food shortage in the country. The Great Bengal Famine of 1770, which caused the death of 10 million people, and the Bengal Famine in 1943 which led to the deaths of 2-3 million, are notoriously known. A recent study indicates that the effects of these famines go down to the present day in that a generation that experienced severe starvation has higher cases of diabetes suffered due to metabolic adaptations across generations caused by the long absence of adequate nutrition. Thus, colonial exploitation affects the contemporary situation the way it did in history as such problems Figure 2 Residents at a relief camp influence population health in India today. British Period, Dr. Shibli A. Khan  5 The Cultural Awakening This period of economic hardship in Bengal, spanning from the late 18th to the early 20th century, saw an extremely dynamic cultural and intellectual movement that has been termed the Bengal Renaissance. This was also known as the Bengal Awakening. The Bengal Renaissance saw an uptick in the various streams of art, literature, social reform, and pride in the Bengali heritage. Bengal Renaissance was primarily a reaction by educated Hindu Bengalis against traditional beliefs and practices. Intellectuals such as Raja Rammohan Roy, Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar, and Rabindranath Tagore pleaded for modern education, social reforms, and a renaissance in Bengali language and culture. They worked toward the abolition of retrogressive practices, including Sati, or the immolation of the widow, and caste-based discrimination, and established institutions like Hindu College in Calcutta to propagate rationalist thinking. The Muslim Renaissance started late in the 19th century and aimed to meet the peculiar social and educational requirements of the Muslims of Bengal. Iconic personalities such as Kazi Nazrul Islam, Rokeya Sakhawat Hussain, and Syed Amir Ali stirred up among their communities the essence of education, cultural pride, and reformation of Islamic social practices. Rokeya Sakhawat Hussain also opened schools for Muslim girls and championed women's rights. While the goals of each were separate, the Muslim Renaissance ran in a sense parallel to the Bengal Renaissance as both created a strong identity and social reform within Bengal's Muslim population. All these through the Bengal and Muslim Renaissances joined Bengal's society and culture with a politically conscious middle class that would rise to rebel against British rule. Figure 3 Rashid Ali Khan, Pabna c. 1909 Resistance and Rebellion The 1857 Sepoy Rebellion The Sepoy Rebellion of 1857, which is also called the First War of Independence of India, was a widespread uprising against British rule with notable events in Bengal. Officially, the widespread rebellion started on May 10, 1857, in Meerut (Uttar Pradesh, India) and lasted until July 8, 1859. However, several smaller violent incidents preceded the army in Bengal. One such incident took place on 29 March 1857 when Mangal Pandey, a sepoy in the Bengal Army, opened fire on a British officer at Barrackpore parade ground near Calcutta. This he did as a form of protest against the new rifle cartridges issued to the soldiers reportedly greased with cow and pig fat thereby injuring both Hindu and Muslim religious sentiments. Even though Pandey missed his target, he was tried and hanged for mutiny! Military grievances, along with political and economic factors, cultural and religious insensitivity, and social discontent, were the driving factors behind this rebellion. Indian sepoys in the military were discontented with their pay and treatment in the hands of their British Army officers. Certain policies like the Doctrine of Lapse (if a ruler died without a natural male heir, British Period, Dr. Shibli A. Khan  6 the state would “lapse” and be annexed by the British) and heavy taxation added fuel to the fire. People viewed Westernization and reform were designed to destroy the Indian culture. As the population of sepoys participating in it was immensely high, the revolt in Bengal was most fierce and violent. Major places like Barrackpore and Calcutta were the sites of heavy fights. Approximately, around 100,000 Indian soldiers and civilians were killed nationwide. Victoria Park, or Bahadur Shah Park (Dhaka), became notorious for the public execution of the mutineers. Many sepoys were hanged here as part of British efforts to suppress the uprising. In fact, despite initial successes, the rebellion was suppressed by mid-1858. As such, the British East India Company was dissolved, with direct British government rule established over the beginning of the era of the British Raj. Other Rebel Movements against British Rule Throughout British rule, Bengal was an important focal point of resistance and a trail for different rebel movements against the colonial masters. It thus became "a cemetery of British imperialism". The socio-economic hardship brought upon by the oppressive policies of the British, along with growing nationalist sentiment, called for various uprisings throughout Bengal. Localized peasant rebellions focused nationalist movements in various forms adding to the growing momentum for independence. The Sannyasi and Fakir Rebellion (Late 18th Century) The Sannyasi and Fakir Rebellion constitutes one of the early rebellions in Bengal, instigated by Hindu and Muslim ascetics whose livelihood was severely affected by British taxation policy. Following the Bengal Famine of 1770, the British continued to impose heavy taxation on land and staples, thereby forcing rural Bengal into abject poverty. The Sannyasis and Fakirs jointly resisted the British economic policies through a guerrilla type of attack on British revenue collectors and their local agents. The rebellion was eventually crushed, yet it nonetheless marked the inauguration of organized resistance in Bengal, prefiguring later rebellions. The Indigo Rebellion (1859–1860) Another important movement in Bengal was the Indigo Rebellion or "Nil Bidroho," during which indigo farmers of Bengal revolted against British planters. Indigo planters in Bengal imposed exorbitant terms on the locals for indigo cultivation, highly unfair and mostly denying farmers their due share of profit; sometimes, it even pushed them into debt. Oppressed over time, the indigo cultivators of Bengal rebelled in 1859 with the support of local landlords and leaders who publicly protested these injustices. The rebellion quickly spread across Bengal, finding extensive support before finally compelling the British to rethink indigo policies. It thus became the strongest symbol of agrarian resistance in colonial India and a source of inspiration for future peasant uprisings. The Pabna Peasant Revolt, 1873–1876 The Pabna Peasant Revolt was one of the most articulated and durable agrarian revolts in British India, which took place in the Pabna district of Bengal. For excessive rents and arbitrary evictions, the peasants in Pabna organized mass protests and agrarian leagues to negotiate for better conditions with the landlords. Though non-violent, the movement saw the deployment of troops by the British to British Period, Dr. Shibli A. Khan  7 suppress the movement. The only difference, however, is that the Pabna Peasant Revolt succeeded in bringing attention to peasant grievances and led to reforms that checked landlord abuses. The revolt underlined the growing discontent with the colonial policy and the probable option of organized peasant resistance. Anushilan Samiti and Jugantar (Early 20th Century) By the early 20th century, Bengal had also emerged as a center of revolutionary nationalist groups like Anushilan Samiti and Jugantar. These were the organizations formed by the educated youths of Bengali with the purpose of removing the British rule through armed revolution. Inspired by the international diffusion of anti-colonial movements, these revolutionaries used assassinations, bombings, and other forms of attack against British officials and their buildings. Both gained momentum after 1905 because the Partition of Bengal enraged the people against the British. Repression, imprisonment, and execution of a number of its activists could not halt the groups from gaining significant support among Bengal's educated youths. Their activities helped build anti-colonial passion in all of Bengal but also paved the ground for larger, all-India movements. The Swadeshi Movement This movement began on August 7, 1905, at the Calcutta Town Hall, as a reaction to what many saw as a British strategy to weaken Indian nationalism by dividing Bengal. The movements main goal was to achieve self-reliance by using local products and revitalization of traditional crafts and industries. Bal Gangadhar Tilak (Bombay), Lala Lajpat Rai (Punjab), and Bengali leaders Bipin Chandra Pal, Aurobindo Ghosh, Rabindranath Tagore, and Surendranath Banerjee led the movement. They urged people to boycott of British goods.. The Swadeshi Movement brought a new wave of Indian nationalism and self-reliance, and it laid the necessary groundwork that would later be taken over by Mahatma Gandhi in later movements aimed at independence. It formed one of the foundations in India's road to cultural, political, and economic independence from British rule. The Noncooperation Movement The Nononcooperation movement led by Mahatma Gandhi in 1920, marked a major shift in India's freedom struggle, responding to British injustices like the Jallianwala Bagh massacre and the mistreatment of Indian leaders after World War I. Gandhi called on Indians to withdraw from British institutions, renounce British goods, titles, and services, and embrace khadi and indigenous products to promote self- sufficiency. Prominent leaders, including Motilal Nehru, and Maulana Abul Kalam Azad, joined the movement, alongside masses of students, professionals, and rural Indians. Though Gandhi ended the movement in 1922 after the Chauri Chaura incident, it marked a pivotal transition from constitutional methods to widespread civil disobedience, embedding nonviolence and self-rule as core principles of the independence movement. Khilafat Movement The Khilafat Movement (1919–1924) was a significant campaign by Indian Muslims against European efforts to dismantle the Ottoman Caliphate after World War I, as British Period, Dr. Shibli A. Khan  8 the Khalif was a key spiritual leader symbolizing unity for the Islamic world. Led by Maulana Mohammad Ali, Shaukat Ali, Abul Kalam Azad, and Mukhtar Ahmed Ansari, the movement mobilized nationwide support, urging the British to preserve the Khalif’s authority. It aligned with the Indian independence struggle through an alliance with Mahatma Gandhi and the Indian National Congress, aiming to unite Hindus and Muslims in a shared anti-colonial cause. The Khilafat Movement strengthened Indian Muslims' participation in the freedom struggle and promoted communal unity at a critical time in India’s path to independence. The movement died after the Ottoman Khilafat was abolised in 1924. The Raid on Chittagong Armory (1930) One of the boldest revolutionary actions ever undertaken in Bengal took place on April 18, 1930. The Chittagong section of the Indian Republican Army, under the command of Surya Sen, launched an attack that has come to be known as the Chittagong Armory Raid. Their goals were arms acquisition, disruption of communications owned by the British, and inciting mass rebellion. Although the raid failed to achieve its immediate objectives, it was a symbolic gesture to the lengths the youth of Bengal were willing to go to challenge the British. Surya Sen and his followers, against whom searches and hunts were conducted and who eventually were either executed or imprisoned, inspired a generation of young Bengalis to join the freedom struggle. The Chittagong Armory Raid remains one of the most iconic events of the revolutionary nationalist movement in Bengal. During the raid and the subsequent encounters, 12 revolutionaries and over 80 British troops were killed. [Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi, commonly known as Mahatma Gandhi, played key roles in the Non-Cooperation and Quit India movement. He promoted non- violent resistance against British rule and called for self-rule. It aimed to resist British authority through non-violent means, encouraging Indians to withdraw from British institutions, use local products, boycott British goods, and refuse to pay taxes. Gandhi called off the movement after 22 police were killed in a violent event in Chauri Chaura (Uttar Pradesh). In 1942, the Quit India Movement began which aimed to end British Rule. It was initiated by Mahatma Gandhi on August 8, 1942, and supported by the All India Congress. This movement was much more decisive and bolder than the previous non-cooperation movement. Note: India’s former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi was not related Mahatma Gandi. Indira Gandhi’s father was Jawaharlal Nehru. She got the name from her husband “Feroze Gandhi”, a politician. His was a Zoroastrian.] While differing in the methods and motivations, all of these rebellions spoke to the deep-seated resistance to British rule in Bengal. This combination of agrarian discontent, intellectual awakening, and revolutionary nationalism made it an important force in the Indian independence movement as a whole. Partition of Bengal, 1905 – Divide and Rule Partition as a Political Strategy In 1905, Viceroy Curzon decreed the partition of Bengal into Muslim-majority East Bengal and Hindu-majority West Bengal. The ostensible reason behind it was administrative efficiency, but British Period, Dr. Shibli A. Khan  9 the partition was widely interpreted as a British move to weaken the growing nationalist movement in Bengal by fanning sentiments of religious differences. Opposition and the Swadeshi Movement It was the Hindu elites in Calcutta who spearheaded the opposition to the partition by starting the Swadeshi Movement, which called for the boycott of all British goods and the buying of only Indian-made products. This movement entered a new phase of organized resistance as it united Bengalis across the religious divide, though the partition also fanned communal sentiments. Mass demonstrations eventually led the British to cancel the partition in 1911, even as it had set the stage for future divisions that would eventually lead to the partition of Bengal in 1947. The Lahore Proposal and the End of British Rule The Lahore Proposal of 1940 The Lahore Proposal, also called the Pakistan Resolution, was moved by A.K. Fazlul Huq, the prominent Bengali Muslim statesman, while presiding over the annual session of the All-India Muslim League on March 23, 1940. The resolution called for "independent states" to be formed in northwestern and eastern zones of India, "where the Muslims are in a majority." This was the formal beginning of the demand for a separate Muslim homeland which finally materialized into Pakistan. The motion moved by Fazlul Huq represented the high-water mark for the Muslims of Bengal, giving as it did a political articulation to the identity and dreams of a distinct community in British India. Second World War and the Final Exit Britain entered the Second World War in 1939. The war efforts severely strained British resources, and it became unwieldy to maintain colonial control over Bengal. In 1942, the Indian National Congress issued the Quit India Movement, a resolution calling for an immediate end to British rule in India. Meanwhile, the All-India Muslim League, now headed by Muhammad Ali Jinnah, proposed a separate state for Muslims, thus setting the stage for partition. Figure 4 The Statesman, August 15, 1947 Partition of 1947 and Division of Bengal In 1947, under the then Prime Minister Clement Attlee, the British were finally committed to a transfer of power. Under the last Viceroy, Lord Mountbatten, the Indian subcontinent would be British Period, Dr. Shibli A. Khan  10 divided into two states: India and Pakistan, partitioned based on the Radcliffe Line. Bengal was itself partitioned, the eastern part joined as East Bengal with Pakistan, later as East Pakistan, and the western part remained with the Indian Union as West Bengal. This led to large-scale uprooting and bloodshed, affecting the lives of millions. It was indeed the emergence of Bengal from British bondage; however, colonial exploitation and communal divisions which had taken deep roots, posed a considerable challenge to the two newly born nations. Advances made in British Rule British rule strongly impacted the region of Bengal with exploitation and advancement that was to influence the long-term development of the region. Though guided by the British economic and political interest in the main, a few changes were adequate to have an impact on modern Bengal, namely: 1. Educational: - Calcutta, an Educational Hub: Western-style education found its nucleus in the then Calcutta in the 19th century. Hindu College, which was founded in 1817, now Presidency University, was given the prime task of imparting Western sciences and liberal arts to the elitist sections of Bengal. The University of Calcutta, established in 1857, became one of the first universities in Asia and established formal degree programs to serve as a model for higher education throughout the subcontinent. The establishment of the University of Dacca took place in 1912. English as a Medium of Education: Emphasis placed by the British on the English language helped the intellectual fraternity in Bengal gain access to European scientific, philosophical, and political works. It nurtured progressive thought and helped establish a connection with global academic and scientific developments. 2. Infrastructure and Transportation: Railway Development: The Eastern Bengal Railway line was opened in 1854, connecting Howrah in Kolkata with other parts of Bengal and beyond, which facilitated trade and people's movement immensely. By 1884, the railway network had spread over much of the Bengal area, developing economic activities and connectivity. However, the railroad was often used to benefit the support of their military and goods. 3. Printing Press and Publishing: Introduction of Print Media: British missionaries and administrators introduced the printing press, and Bengal emerged as the publishing center. Newspapers like Samachar Darpan, the first Bengali newspaper initiated in 1818, and Dhaka Prokash, the first newspaper in Dhaka, triggered literacy and awareness. Other newspapers included The Bengal Gazette in Calcutta and the Amrita Bazar Patrika which incessantly spoke against British policies and introduced political consciousness to Bengal. British Period, Dr. Shibli A. Khan  11 4. Legal and Administrative Reforms: Judicial System and Codified Laws: British reforms brought in the modern judicial system, and the laws were codified, such as the Indian Penal Code, which came into effect in 1860. Thus, the legal machinery provided a semblance of uniformity in governance and justice implored since courts came into being throughout Bengal, replacing the traditional systems of justice, which were very fragmented. 5. Public Health and Sanitation: Hospital and Health System Initiatives: Basic healthcare infrastructure emerged in Bengal as the British responded to repeated outbreaks of cholera, malaria, and smallpox. It is in institutions like the Calcutta Medical College that the formal beginning of organized health care began in Bengal through the training of Indian physicians. While British rule chiefly served the interests of the colonial masters, such educational, infrastructural, legal, and health advances created a framework that propelled the modernization and development of Bengal into the 20th century. These unintended consequences of colonial policies set the bedrock for the intellectual, social, and economic rise of Bengal. Conclusion The British colonial period transformed Bengal from an economically flourishing region to an economically badly off region with a victim of social turmoil. While policies such as the Permanent Settlement and systematic extraction of wealth weakened the economy of Bengal, the imposition of divisive policies evoked communal conflicts. However, there was intellectual and cultural resilience in the Bengal and Muslim Renaissances, the Swadeshi Movement- imbuing a sense of nationalism and pride in themselves that helped greatly in gaining independence. Thus, the Lahore Proposal of 1940 was an important event in the definition of the political aspirations and future of Bengal. It thus led to the partition which would etch the course of history of the subcontinent in its flow. The experiences of British rule in Bengal reflect the deep impacts of colonial exploitation and the strength of Bengal's cultural and political heritage. -------- Exercises MCQs: 1. What were the three main motives for European exploration and colonization, often summarized as the "3Gs"? - A) Gold, God, and Government - B) Gold, Glory, and Government - C) Gold, God, and Glory XX - D) Gold, Goods, and Government 2. Which Mughal emperor granted the East India Company the right to trade duty-free in Bengal, Bihar, and Orissa? - A) Aurangzeb - B) Jahangir - C) Shah Jahan British Period, Dr. Shibli A. Khan  12 - D) Farrukh Siyar XX 3. The Battle of Plassey in 1757 marked the beginning of British control in Bengal. Who led the East India Company forces? - A) Lord Clive XX - B) Hector Munro - C) Warren Hastings - D) Charles Cornwallis 4. Which 1764 battle further consolidated British power in Bengal and involved a coalition of Indian rulers? - A) Battle of Buxar XX - B) Battle of Panipat - C) Battle of Seringapatam - D) Battle of Wandiwash 5. The Treaty of Allahabad in 1765 granted the East India Company what significant right? - A) Trade monopoly in Bengal - B) Diwani, or revenue collection XX - C) Political representation in Delhi - D) Exclusive rights over Bengal’s cotton industry 6. The Permanent Settlement of 1793 led to the rise of which class in Bengal? - A) Zamindars XX - B) Marathas - C) Rajputs - D) Mughal Nobles 7. The British system of fixed land taxes and absentee landlordism primarily affected which group in Bengal? - A) Zamindars - B) British traders - C) Rural peasants XX - D) East India Company officials 8. The Bengal Famine of 1770 was exacerbated by which British policy? - A) High tariffs on British goods - B) Forced indigo farming and hoarding XX - C) Imposing military draft on peasants - D) Partition of agricultural lands 9. What was the main consequence of British policies on Bengal’s textile industry? - A) The industry became a monopoly - B) Increased textile production - C) Deindustrialization and unemployment XX - D) Promotion of local weaving traditions 10. Which prominent movement in Bengal was known as the 'Bengal Renaissance'? - A) The Swadeshi Movement - B) The Bengal Renaissance XX - C) The Peasant Revolt - D) The Sannyasi Rebellion 11. Who is known for his role in social reforms during the Bengal Renaissance? - A) Robert Clive - B) Raja Rammohan Roy XX - C) Lord Cornwallis British Period, Dr. Shibli A. Khan  13 - D) Lord Curzon 12. Which 1857 event sparked the First War of Independence in India? - A) Indigo Rebellion - B) Chittagong Armory Raid - C) Battle of Plassey - D) Sepoy Rebellion at Barrackpore XX 13. The Indigo Rebellion (1859-1860) was a protest by whom? - A) Textile weavers - B) Indigo merchants - C) Indigo farmers XX - D) Zamindars 14. Which event in Bengal led to the eventual cancellation of the Partition of Bengal in 1911? - A) The Quit India Movement - B) The Swadeshi Movement XX - C) The Bengal Renaissance - D) The Sannyasi Rebellion 15. Which movement in 1942 called for an end to British rule in India? - A) Swadeshi Movement - B) Pabna Peasant Revolt -C) Quit India Movement XX - D) Indigo Rebellion 16. The 1940 Lahore Proposal called for the formation of what? - A) A unified India - B) An independent Bengal - C) Separate Muslim states XX - D) British dominion rule in India 17. What was the result of the 1947 partition of India? - A) Creation of three separate nations - B) Independence without borders - C) Division of Bengal and Punjab XX - D) Re-unification of Bengal 18. Who led the Chittagong Armory Raid of 1930? - A) Mangal Pandey - B) Surya Sen XX - C) Raja Rammohan Roy - D) Syed Amir Ali 19. The Doctrine of Lapse was a policy that allowed the British to annex states without heirs. Which ruler protested it? - A) Rani Laxmi Bai XX - B) Nawab Shuja-ud-Daula - C) Mir Jafar - D) Hector Munro 20. Which British-imposed system entrenched rural poverty by demanding fixed taxes from zamindars? - A) Ryotwari System - B) Permanent Settlement XX - C) Diwani Rights - D) Subsidiary Alliance British Period, Dr. Shibli A. Khan  14 Short Questions 1. What were the motives behind European exploration known as the 3Gs? - The 3Gs stand for Gold, God, and Glory, which motivated Europeans to explore new territories. 2. How did the East India Company gain trade rights in Bengal? - The East India Company secured trade rights through treaties with Mughal emperors, including Emperor Jahangir. 3. What was the impact of Robert Clive on Bengal? - Clive’s victory at the Battle of Plassey established British control over Bengal, marking a power shift. 4. Why was the Battle of Plassey considered a turning point? - It marked the beginning of British dominance in Bengal, which expanded to the entire Indian subcontinent. 5. What was the Treaty of Allahabad, and why was it significant? - The treaty granted the East India Company revenue collection rights in Bengal, Bihar, and Orissa, solidifying British control. 6. What was the Permanent Settlement system? - It was a land revenue system that made landlords (Zamindars) responsible for tax collection and ensured fixed taxes. 7. What was the economic drain theory? - The economic drain theory describes how wealth was extracted from Bengal and transferred to Britain, impoverishing Bengal. 8. Who was Mangal Pandey, and why was he remembered? - Mangal Pandey was a sepoy who rebelled against British officers, inspiring the 1857 uprising. 9. What was the Swadeshi Movement? - It was a boycott of British goods in response to the partition of Bengal in 1905, promoting local industry. 10. What were the consequences of the 1947 partition of Bengal? - Bengal was divided between India and Pakistan, leading to mass migration, social upheaval, and economic disruption. Figure 5 Pilkhana, Dacca, 1880 British Period, Dr. Shibli A. Khan