NCERT 8th Class (CBSE) Social Science: The Expansion Of British Power

Question: Who was the ruler of England in 1600?

Answer: Queen Elizabeth I was the ruler of England in 1600.

Question: What caused huge loss of revenue in Bengal?

Answer: Aurangzeb’s farman had granted the Company only the right to trade duty free. But the officials of the Company, who were carrying on private trade on side, also stopped paying duty. This caused a huge loss of revenue for Bengal.

Question: Why did the Company want a puppet ruler?

Answer: A puppet ruler would willingly give it trade concessions and other privileges.

Question: What was the main reason for the defeat of Sirajuddaulah at Plassey?

Answer: Mir Jafar, one of Sirajuddaulah’s commanders, did not fight the battle.

Question: Why did the Battle of Plassey become famous?

Answer: It was the first major victory the Company won in India.

Question: Whom did the Company install in place of Mir Jafar?

Answer: Company installed Mir Qasim in place of Mir Jafar.

Question: How did the Company purchase Indian goods?

Answer: It purchased Indian goods with gold and silver imported from Britain.

Question: Who were called ‘nabobs’?

Answer: Several Company officials returned to Britain with wealth and led flashy lives and showed their riches with great pride. They were called “nabobs”.

Question: Who were the Residents?

Answer: The Residents were the political or commercial agents and their job was to serve and further the interests of the Company.

Question: What purpose did the Residents serve?

Answer: Through the residents, the Company officials began interfering in the internal affairs of Indian states.

Question: Name the two rulers under whose leadership Mysore became powerful.

Answer: Haider Ali and his son, Tipu Sultan.

Question: Why did Tipu Sultan develop a close relationship with the French in India?

Answer: He did so in order to modernize his army with their help.

Question: What happened in the-Battle of Seringapatam?

Answer: Tipu Sultan was killed defending his capital Seringapatam.

Question: What was the result of the second Anglo-Maratha war?

Answer: The British gained Orissa and the territories north of the Yamuna river including Agra and Delhi.

Question: What was the objective behind the Company’s new policy of ‘paramountcy’?

Answer: The Company claimed that its authority was paramount or supreme and therefore its power was greater than that of Indian states.