(SET-II)

Time allowed: 3 Hours

Maximum Marks : 100

General Instructions :

(i) Answer all the questions.

(ii)Answer to each question carrying 5 marks should not exceed 125 words.

(iii)Answer to each question carrying 10 marks should not exceed 250 words.

(iv) Answer to each question carrying 15 marks should not exceed 350 words.

What was the impact of Nadir Shah's invasion on the Mughal Emperor?

Nadir Shah invaded India in 1739. The two armies (Nadir Shah's and the Mughal's) met at Karnal. The Mughal's were defeated. Though Nadir Shah left India, but the Mughal's strength had been already exposed.

Describe the conflicts between the English and the French companies in India and the eighteenth century. What were the causes of these conflicts and how and when were these conflicts finally resolved?

The European companies had settled in India with a view to have trade relations eversince 15th century. There companies included trading companies from Portugal, Holland, France and England. The Portuguese and the Dutch companies were the first to have trade. as they touched India through the sea-route, all of them built their establishment on the banks of the sea. Bombay, Calcutta, Madras, Pondicharry, Goa etc. are all located on the banks of the various seas.

the trade rivalries among these trading companies led them to wage war against the other. The Dutch were the first to be driven and of India by the other European companies. Portugal confined itself to Goa, Diu and Daman. There was a reverse struggle spread over a long period between the French and the English companies for attaining monopoly of trade. The chief causes of rivalries and conflicts among the European companies in the 18th century can be summed up as under:

(1) The commercial and political interest of the European companies brought them in constant struggle with one another.

(2) Each such company had commercial interests in so far as each wanted to have control over India's trade. Besides, each trading company had its geo-graphical and territorial designs, i.e., capturing and controlling the areas of our country.

(3) these trading companies belonged to their respective countries. As their countries fought over some issue in Europe, there companies found ways and means to wage war against one another. The various Carnetic wars are such example of such wars.

(4) These trading companies attempted to interfere in the affairs of native provinces by taking the opposite side and thus instigated the warning side of a province. In Hydrabad, Bengal, Mysore, the English and the French took the opposite sides and kept alive the rivalries.

these rivalries and conflicts led to wars. The Dutch left India by leaving their territories, mostly in farmer of English East India company. The Portuguese remained confined to a very small area. The French, after long and numerous wars, were out-witted by the English. Thus by 1765, the English had become masters of Bengal, Bihar and Orissa through the battle of Buxer (1764) and this opened their way in capturing major part of India.

Describe the developments that led to the battle of Buxor. What were the consequences of this battle?

Mir Jafar was disgusted by the continued dominance of the English and even after three years he was not able to pay the large sum of money that he promised to company. The English, therefore deposed him in 1760 and made his son in law Mir Qasim the new Nawab of Bengal. Mir Qasim was an ambitious young man and did not like the unnecessary control of the English. He wanted to exert an authority and improve the financial condition of his kingdom. This he could not do with first getting rid of the English from Bengal. The servant of the company by including in private trade. They sold the right to the Indian traders those goods were also exempted from taxes. Qasim tried to stop all those abuses by removing all taxes and duties. This led to dispute between the English and Mir Qasim. Eventually this led to war. Mir Qasim managed to get help of Siraj-ud-Daulah the Nawab of Oudh and the Mughal emperor Shah Alam. The three of them marched together towards Patna with their combined forces about 50,000 soldiers. The English met them at Buxor under a command of Major Munro who led an army about 7,000 soldiers and 20 guns. This battle was fought on 23 October, 1764. The war ended with a victory of the English under Major Munro who defeated the combined forces of Alam, Siraj-ud-Daulah and Mir Qasim.

Explain the general economic and political causes of the Revolt of 1857.

The causes of the Revolt of 1857: In 1857 A.D. there took place a revolt which shock the very foundation of the British rule in India. The political and economic causes of this revolt of 1857 were the following:

1. The Political Causes: The political causes of the Revolt of 1857 had their origin in the policy of Subsidiary Alliances initiated by Lord Wellsely and the doctrine of lapse introduced by Lord Dalhousie. These causes were:

(1) The British has annexed several native states of their Indian Empire through Subsidiary Alliance and the Doctrine of Lapse. This had offended the Indian rulers and soldiers.

(2) The British had stripped the Mughal Emperor Bahadur Shah Jafar of his royal title. He had a turned against them.

(3) Lord Dalhousie had refused adoption to Laxmi Bai, the queen of Jhansi and so she had become immical to the British.

(4) Lord Dalhousie had refused to accept Nana Sahib as the adopted son of the late Peshwa Bazi Rao II and abolished his pension of 8 lacs a year.

(5) The state of Stara and Nagpur had been annexed against the will of the Marathas who were smarting under a feeling of bitterness.

II. Economical Causes: The economic causes of the Revolt of 1887 were as below:

(1) The British used to buy Indian raw materials on very cheap rates and send them to England. The finished goods of their factories began to reach the markets in India. These goods hit the arts and crafts of India very hard with the result that native bankers, workers, artisans and labourers were rendered jobless.

(2) Indian traders were not provided facilities similar to those given to British traders.

(3) Economical policies of the British Government had led to drainage of Indian wealth to Britain and destruction of Indian traders and industry. Consequently Indian traders and industrialists had turned hostile with British.

(4) The condition of peasants was not good under the British rule. The landlords collected the revenue from them as they liked and a very harsh manner. So the peasants too were at enmity with the British.

(5) Indian people were subjected to heavy taxes by the British Finding no way out, the people choose the path of open revolt against the foreigners.

What were the causes of the sudden and quick collapse of the Indian handicrafts industry under the British? What were its consequences?

1. There was a sudden and quick collapse of the urban handicrafts which had for centuries made India's name good in the markets of the entire civilised world. This collapsed caused largely by competition with the cheaper imported machine-goods from Britain.

2. The ruin of Indian industries, particularly rural industries proceeded even more rapidly once the railways were built. The cotton wearing and spinning industries were the worst hit. Silk and wollen textiles fared no better a similar fate overtook the iron, pottery, glass, paper, metals, shippings, oil-pressing, tanning and dyeing industries.

3. Apart from the infix of the foreign goods, some other factors arising out of British conquest also contributed to the ruin of Indian industries. the oppression practiced by the East India Company on the craftsman of India during the 18th and 19th centuries, compelled a large number of them to abandon the ancestral professions.

Mention the changes introduced by the British in the Indian army after 1858. Why were these changes introduced?

To prevent any other revolt, the British recognised the Indian Army after 1858. They did the following:-

Attempts were made to minimise the strength of the Indian soldiers. The proportion of the Indians in the army as against the Europeans was reduced at two to one in Bengal and 5 to 2 in Bombay and Madras. The European troops were kept in key geographical and military positions. Artilley, tanks and armoured and rule was adopted in army as well. The divisions were made in army on the basis of races and regions.

Mention the main contribution of Sayed Ahmad Khan in the field of education.

For Sir Syed Ahmad Khan's role in modernising the Muslim community, the following facts can be mentioned:

(1) Sir Sayed Ahmad Khan strongly recommended the knowledge of Western education for the Muslims. He was convinced that the Muslims could progress only if they receive the Western education.

(2) He founded institutions for imparting education. The MAO College, which later become Aligarh University, was founded by him.

(3) He strongly condemned the purdah system and worked hard to bring the Muslims in public life.

(4) He actively worked for the spread of education among the Muslim women so to enable them to raise their status.

(5) He denounced the social evils like polygamy and divorce and thought of them is obstacles in the path of modernisation of the Muslim community.

By the end of the 19th century, the Muslim community was, by and large, fairly backward. The Muslims were mostly illiterate and led economically a very poor life. They did mostly the traditional jobs. As they spent mostly a backward life, they are usually lazy and lethargic. They were mostly fanaties so far as the religion was concerned. As they were not highly educated, they were only the lower arts. The higher Muslim classes led a very luxurious and hence little tune to get educated. Thus the Muslims were either very poor or very rich and socially and economically, they were generally backward.

What were the methods of political work adopted by the early nationalists. How were these different from those of the 'Extremists'?

The early nationalists also known as the moderates (1885-1905) included A.O. Hume, W.C. Bannerjee, Sundernath Bannerjee, Pherozshah Mehta. They were basically moderates in their methods of political work and moderates in their objectives. They demanded reforms, and their means included peaceful methods such as passing annual resolution, seeking audience, doing prayers and petitions.

The extremists (1905-16) on the other hand, sought harsher measures. They demanded Swaraj as a matter of rights and resorted to strike passive resistance and the like. They were extremists in their approach.

What were the British objectives in partitioning Bengal in 1905? What were its consequences?

The British objectives in partitioning India were to create division in the country, to make the Hindus against the Muslims and vice-verse and also undermine the nationalist spirit growing strong Bengal. But the partition was made in the name of administrative convenience. Lord Curzon was the author of partition. The partition proposal created a lot of anguish among the Indians. The Indians stood up against the British move of splitting India. The swadeshi Movement began from this partition more vigorously.

What is the importance of the Lucknow session of the Congress held in 1916 in the history of the Indian National Movement?

The Lucknow session of the Congress (1916) was important on account of two reasons -- (i) It brought the moderates and the extremists together; (ii) It brought an agreement between the Congress and the Muslim League under the pact of 1916.

When and why did the Congress decide to launch the Civil Disobedience Movement? How was the Movement started? Describe the main methods of struggle which were adopted.

Following the report of the Simon Commission (1930) and before that failure of the British government to resolve the Indian problem in the light of the All-Parties conference, there was a historical session of the Congress at Lahore in 1929. At his session a resolution for the complete independence of India was passed. It was also decided that Gandhiji would launch a civil disobedience movement. Thus, under these circumstances , Gandhiji began his civil disobedience in 1930. In March 1930, he proceeded from his Ashram to a place Dandi, near the sea where he was to violate the Salt Law. He violated the Salt Law in April, 1930. With that began the Civil Disobedience Movement.

Civil Disobedience meant violation of civil laws. Throughout the country, numerous laws were violated. The Indian National Congress was declared an illegal organisation. The people resorted to boycott of the English goods and adopted Swadeshi. The women held Dharnas at the wine shops and burnt the foreign goods.

Gandhiji was arrested alongwith other members of the Congress Working Committee. In the meantime the First Round Table Conference was held in London in 1930 which was boycotted by the Congress. As a result, the conference was a failure. In order to bring the Congress to the Round Table Conference, a situation was created - Gandhiji was released ; the Gandhi - Irwin pact of 1931 was concluded; and Gandhiji attended the Second Round Table Conference as a sole representative of the Congress in 1931.

On the given outline map of India, mark and show the following : Extent of the Maratha territory in 1805, with any four of its important countries.

What is the meant by the 'war of attrition' in the context of the First World War?

'The war of attrition' meant that each warring side tried to wear out the other side by mobilising more and more men and using enormous amounts of artillery and other weapons.

Describe, with examples, the main features of the policy persued by USA towards the countries of Latin America from 1890 to 1914.

The United States of America is a powerful state on the continent of North America. Its policy towards the countries of the continent of South America had been that of a big brother. The USA used the rich resources of the South American countries for her own benefits. Some of those were bartered away to the European companies, and later to the US Corporations. As a result, these countries had become the American informal empire. Through dollar diplomacy and the policy of 'Big State', these countries remained under the US domination.

Do you agree with the view that the Treaty of Versailles sowed seeds of Second World War? Give reasons to support of your answer.

The treaty of Versailles was concluded between the defeated Germany and the victories Allied powers. Germany was put under all kinds of restrictions. Alsace-Lorraine was given to France, her other Europeans areas were given to the neighbouring states, All her overseas colonies were distributed among the Allied countries. Germany's armed forces were reduced to national security level. She was made to pay a huge war bill.

The provisions of the treaty of Versailles were, obviously, very harsh. The Germans found themselves insulted. They were to react and avenge the national insult. They were ready to face the world for a war in 1939.

What is the meant by the negritude movement?

The negritude movement was a movement seeking to achieve the awareness, defence, and development of the African culture values. Leopoid Seeder Senghor, the first President of Senegal, was the apostle of the negritude movement.

Explain the systems of Mandates which came into being after the First World War.

Under the League of Nations, a new system was introduced. It was called the system of Mandates. Through it, some mandatory powers were given mandatory territories so to develop them and administer them during the mandatory period.

Explain the two major development in 1941 which changed the course of the Second World War.

The two major developments which changed the course of the Second World War in 1941 were --

(i) German invasion on the USSR followed by the battle of Stalingard in which the Germans suffered heavy losses. Eventually the Germans surrendered.

(ii) The US entry in the Second World War gave moral and material strength to the Allied powers.

Through these developments, the course of the war changed completely. The Axis attack came to be halted. With the opening of the 'Second' front, the Allied began to achieve successes. The Second World War came to an end in 1945 with the Axis defeat.

Describe the developments that led to the division of Germany after the Second World War. When and how was the reunification of Germany achieved.

One of the decisions taken at Potsdam was the abolition of Nazism and introduction of democracy in Germany after her defeat in Second World War. As the war ended with the German surrender, the country came under the control of Allied powers. The three sides of Germany were under the effective control of the USA, Britain and France. One side of Germany, the eastern side, was under the USSR. The three sides under the western powers became West Germany and the Soviet controlled Germany became Eastern Germany. Even Berlin was also divided and a wall came to be created. Once the liberal and the socialist would got seperated, there had started cold war between the two. All this happened till 1950.

After a period of about four decades, the two parts of Germany got united. Germany is now a united country.

What is the theme of Pablo Picasso's painting 'Guernica'?

Guernica is the famous painting exhibition a town on which Nazis' atrocities were inflicted. Picasso prepared this in 1973.

Mention the names of the writers of South Africa during the period of aparthied.

(i) Denis Brutus, and (ii) Alex la Guma are the writers of South Africa during the period of apartheid.

Mention any one major scientific discovery of the 20th century which led to dangerous consequences for human kind.

Proton and Neutron were scientific discoveries of the twentieth century which led to the dangerous consequences for human kind.

On the given outline map of Europe, mark and show any five countries of Europe which were ruled by Communist Parties after the Second World War.