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.

Why have Sayyid Brothers been called Kingmakers?

There are two factors which made Sayyid Brothers 'Kingmakers':

(i) The Sayyid Brothers were convinced that administration on properly, the decay of the Mughal Empire.

(ii) The Sayyid Brothers deplored emperor Farukha Siyar to over through both brothers forced them to make kings their puppets.

Describe the conflicts between the English and the French Companies in India in the 18th century. What were the causes of these conflicts and how and when were these conflicts finally resolved?

or

Describe the system of Subsidiary Alliances introduced by the English East India Company's government in India. Give an assessment, with examples of the success of this system in the consolidation and expansion of the British Empire.

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.

or

The role of the subsidiary alliance system in the expansion of British Power in India:

1. The Subsidiary system: when Lord Wellesely in 1798, was much grieved to find the East India Company in a very critical situation. No one was ready with the English the weaker states. Hydrabad and Oudh were annoyed with the English because the English had completely failed to help them in time in spite of their promise. The powerful states (like those of the Marathas and Tipu Sultan) taking full advantage of the policy of non-intervention of the English had grown very powerful and were even contemplating to put an order to the power of the British in India. After pondering over the whole problem very carefully Lord Wellesley, in order to make an effective control over the Indian powers and to exclude the French influence from the Indian States, followed a system which is popularly known as 'the subsidiary system'.

2. Main Features: Any Indian ruler who entered into a Subsidiary Alliance with the English had to give money or some territory to them for maintenance of a British Contingent force in his state. He was also to agree that he would neither enter into alliance with any other power, nor would he declare war against any power without the permission of the English. He would not employ non-English Europeans and if there were any already , he would dismiss them. He was to have a British Resident in his state. If he had a dispute with any other ruler, it was to be submitted to the arbitration of the English he had to keep a British force in his state and pay for its maintenance. The Company in return was to protect him against rebellions and invasions. It is obvious that the ruler accepting the subsidiary system bartered away his political independence in return for British protection the subsidiary system came to be so called because the money paid by the native ruler for the maintenance of British forces in his territory was called subsidy.

Acceptance of System by Native Rulers

The Nizam was the first ruler to accept this system. The reason was that he was afraid of the Marathas as well as Tipu Sultan. The Marathas had badly defeated him at Kardla in 1795. He wanted to have the protection of the English. Hence he made subsidiary alliance with the Company in 1798. Wellesley compelled the Nawab of Oudh to make a new treaty by which he was forced to give Rohelkhand, and some more districts in lieu of subsidy payment. After the forth Mysore was the new ruler of the Mysore, Krishna rao accepted subsidiary system. Peshwa Baji Rao II was defeated by Holkar and made the treaty of Bassein in 1802 by which he accepted some of its clauses after the second Marathas war the Geckwad of Baroda and the ruler of several Rajput states accepted it.

What were the causes of the conflict between the English East India Company and Nawab Siraj-ud-Daulah of Bengal? When and how did the conflict end?

Or

How did the concept of equality before law introduced by the British in India operate in Practice? Explain.

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.

Or

The Indian Legal system under the British rule was based on the concept of equality before law. By equality before law was meant that all men are equal in the eyes of law. This also meant that the same law applied to all persons irrespective of their caste, religion or class.

But the equality before law was nothing more than a legal fiction. The Indians and the Europeans were not equal justice was neither imported freely nor impartially. The legal system was no expressive that it suited the rich. Thus equality before law was only legal equality on paper.

What were the causes of religious discontent against the British rule? How did they contribute to the outbreak of the revolt of 1857?

The modern educated Indians did not support Revolt of 1857. They were opposed to the rebels' appeal of superstitious and their opposition to progressive serial measures. They wanted to remove backwardness of the country, but thought it was possible only if the English stayed in India and brought in modernisation. Accordingly they did not oppose the English, for they wanted them to help in the development of the country. They thought that the rebels'--zamindars, chieftains, old rulers--were conservative and feudal elements, and as much need not be supported in their efforts to launch Revolt in 1857.

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

Or

Mention the causes of stagnation and deterioration of Indian agriculture under the British. What was their impact on India's rural population?

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.

Or

The impact of British economic policy on Indian Agriculture:

Agriculture has been the main occupation of the Indian from time immemorial. But the Britishers made it stable by adopting a policy of total neglect of this important industry. Day-by-day the agriculture continuously became backward. the following were the reasons for this stagnation and decline:

1. The British government adopted indifferent attitude towards Indian agriculture. The Britishers did not encourage Indian peasants to work according to modern technology and scientific methods of agriculture.

2. The Britishers did not fix the tax rate in accordance with the productivity soil. It was very wrong way of fixing land-revenue.

3. The British government adopted either Izaredary system or the permanent settlement or Mahalwari system for most of the areas for collecting land revenue. In those areas where they adopted Royatwari system, the British Government itself played the role of the Zamindars. For getting revenue regularly they appointed middle men (or the Zamindars). Those middlemen were not in favour of reforming land because if they did this, their profit would have been reduced. If a peasant was not in a position to pay tax in time they could take away land from this peasant immediately. That is why the peasants did not take much interest in working hard on land.

Mention the change in the attitude of the British towards the Indian Princely States after 1858. What was the reason for this change?

Generous policy towards Princely states: A large majority of the native rulers stood neutral in the revolt of 1857, so Lord Canning inferred that this class could be helpful to them if a generous and sympathetic attitude adopted towards them. Queen Victoria, in her proclamation said that the policy of annexation had been given up and all contracts with the Company would be ownered. The British Government was supreme still, the princes were provided internal autonomy. The princes were weak and their existence now depended on the British Government so they tended to be loyal to them.

Lord canning held two courts: one at Agra and the other at Lahore. He rewarded all such princes who helped the British rulers during the 1857 revolt and restored their ranks and rights. This had a natural impact on them who became increasingly attached to their English masters. The British rulers later used them for the consolidation of their Empire.

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.

When was the Hindustan Socialist Republican Association (HSRA) set up? Explain the ideas that the leaders of this Association advocated.

The Hindustan Socialist republican Association (HSRA) was set up in 1928 by Chandra Shekhar Azad. Its other members included Bhagat Singh, Rajguru. Their ideas were more akin to Marxism-Leninism. They wanted to overthrow the British rule in India, and establish socialism and democracy. They sought to inculcate feelings of patriotism and nationalism. They were for the independence of the country. They attempted the infuse awakening among the people for creating independence India.

What were the British objectives in partitioning Bengal 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 was the objective of the Khilafat movement?

The object of the Khilafat Movement was to oppose the British attempt in dismembering the Turkish Ottoman Empire and abolish the seat of Kaliph.

Read the following statement made by Rabindranath Tagore while renouncing his knighthood and answer the questions that follow.

"The time has come when badges of honour make our shame glaring in their incongruous context of humiliation, and 1 for my part wish to stand shorn of all special distinctions, by the side of my countrymen who, for their so called insignificance, are liable to suffer degradation not fit for human beings."

1. What was the incident because of which Tagore renounced his knighthood?

2. What were the developments that led to the incident?

3. Discuss the impact of that incident on the struggle for freedom.

1. The incident was the Jallianwala Bagh massacre in 1919 when the British General Dyer ordered firing on the peaceful gathering of the people who were protesting against their leader's arrest.

2. The development leading to the incident was the massacre of the people through indiscriminate firing.

3. The Jallianwala Bagh massacre (1919) had a great impact on the struggle for freedom. The masscre created an all-India stir. Gandhiji was so pained that he decided to launch Non-cooperation Movement. All the Indians gave back their titles to the British, and boycotted all the official functions.

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 centres.

What is the meant by 'Western Front' in the context of the 'First World War'?

By Western Front we mean the front where the Western European forces as of Great Britain and France came to confront the German forces during the first world war. As the war progressed, the German armies swept across Belgium and France. There was a long period of stalement on this front because each side conducted raid on the other in the pre-dawn hours with little success. There was a little war or negligible war during a long period. It was by 1916 that war, in the real sense of the term, became effective.

Why were the conflicts in Europe in the early years of twenthieth century connected with dismemberment of the Ottoman Empire? Explain with examples.

During the first World War (1914-18), the Turkish Ottoman Empire fought against the Anglo-French Group. One of the war aims agreed upon was that in case of the defeat of Turkey, the Empire would be divided into numerous parts. After the war, efforts were made to dismember the Turkish Ottoman Empire. As against the British move relating to dismemberment of Turkey, movements resisting the move were launched.

Do you agree with the view that the Treaty of Versailles sowed seeds of the Second World War? Give reasons in 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.

In February, 1933, the Reichstag (German Parliament) building was set up on fire. How was this incident made use of by Hitler?

With the Reichstag building set on fire by the Nazis themselves, Hitler attempted to create terror and intimidate the voters who were to participate in the eleesims to be held five days later.

How was Czechoslovakia effected by the signing of Munich Pact?

The Munich Pact was signed by Hitler on the one hand, and the British and the French Prime Minister in 1938. Through its, Sudetenland, a part of Czechoslovakia was handed over to Germany without even consulting Czechoslovakia.

Why is the battle of Stalingrad considered important in the history of the Second World War? Explain.

Throughout 1942, the war in Europe was fought exclusively between the Soviet troops and the German troops. Germany had attacked Moscow, and the Soviet troops were repulsed. In July, 1942, the German troops launched an offensive on Stalingrad. The Soviet Red Army fought bravely. In November, the German army was encircled by the Soviet troops. The German soldiers were helpless, wounded and that no supply could reach them. As a result, the German troops surrounded. The battle of Stalingard proved important because it had changed the course of the Second World War.

Describe the major European developments between 1945 and 1949 which created tension between USA and the Soviet Union and led to the Cold War.

Cold war is a situation of perpetual tension and conflict. It is a situation which is more close to war than to peace. With the emergence of the power blocs, mainly two (the American and the Soviet), there emerged tensions and conflicts among them. This led to the situation of cold war.

The situation so created, following the birth and development of two blocs, was full of suspicion and ill-will. The two blocs faced each other as enemies and got ready to dominate the other.

The developments between 1945 and 1950 accelerated the situation of cold war. The emergence of the USSR as a major power, facing the USA was one factor responsible for cold war. The fear of communism and its engulfing the whole of Europe alarmed the USA and other western powers. The formation of the communist governments in some of the eastern European countries was yet another factor that give rise to cold war. The division of Germany into two countries, one dominated by USA, and another, by the USSR to such as NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organisation) led the USSR to form its own military bloc. There factors made cold war inevitable.

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 any two writers of South Africa during the period of apartheid.

(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 twentieth 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 World War II.

The main features of Nazism can be stated briefly as under:

(1) Belief in the programme, one party, one leader.

(2) Idealization of state: nothing against the state, nothing above the state, and everything for the state.

(3) Emphasis on militaralism, expansionism, neo-colonialism.

(4) Abolition of all freedoms and rights of the people and stress on duties.

(5) Dictatorship inside and war with other nations as the motives of the Nazis.