K.R.
Mangalam World School, Gurugram
Class VIII
History Revision Worksheet
2. FROM TRADE TO TERRITORY
I. FILL IN THE BLANKS
1. Trade was carried on with _____________ and trading posts were protected through
____________.
With arms and fortification
2. On hearing the news of fall of Calcutta, Company officials sent forces under the command
of
Robert Clive
3. Alivardi Khan died in the year ___________.
Oct 16, 1751
4. In 1765, the __________ emperor appointed the company as the __________ of the
provinces of Bengal.
Shah Alam II, Diwani
5. Mysore controlled the profitable trade of the Malabar coast where the company purchased
__________ and __________.
cotton and silk
6. __________________ was the Governor General of India from 1773 to 1785.
Warren Hastings
7. British territories were broadly divided into administrative units called ______________.
Presidencies
8. Under Regulating Act of _______________, a new Supreme Court was established.
1773
II MULTIPLE CHOICE QUESTIONS
1. Battle of Buxar was held in the year
a. 1784 b. 1764 c. 1760 d. 1769
b. 1764
2. Who was the Governor- General of India from 1798 to 1805?
a. Robert Clive b. Lord Ripon c. Richard Wellesley d. Lord Mayo
c. Richard Wellesley
3. In which year, the Mughal Emperor appointed Company as the Diwan of the provinces of
Bengal?
a. 1775 b. 1765 c. 1780 d. 1782
b. 1765
4. The first English factory was set-up on the banks of river Hugli in the year
a. 1691 b. 1720 c. 1630 d. 1651
d. 1651
III STATE WHETHER TRUE OR FALSE
1. By the early seventeenth century, the Dutch too were exploring the possibilities of trade in
the Indian Ocean. True
2. The territorial ambitions of the mercantile East India Company were viewed with distrust
and doubt in England. True
3. Hyderabad was forced to recede their territories. True
4. From the late eighteenth century, the company also sought to curb Maratha power. True
5. The final wave of annexations occurred under Lord Dalhousie. True
6. Between 1773-1785, the company had acquired power not only in Bengal, but also in
Bombay and Madras. True
7. The Nawabs of Bengal granted the East India Company all the concessions it wanted.
False
IV Question & Answers:
1. What attracted European trading companies to India?
Answer: European trading companies ventured across the oceans so as to look for new lands
from where they could buy goods at a cheap price, and carry them back to Europe to sell at
higher prices. The fine qualities of cotton and silk produced in India had a big market in
Europe. Indian spices like pepper, cloves, cardamom and cinnamon too were in great
demand. Hence, European trading companies were attracted to India.
2. What were the areas of conflict between theBengal Nawabs and the East India
Company?
Answer: After the first British factory was set up in 1651 on the banks of the river Hooghly,
East India company started allowing more of its merchants and traders to visit and settle
down at the city of Bengal. The reasons that caused the conflicts between Bengal nawabs and
East India Company were:
(i) Nawabs denied concessions to the East India Company on many occasions
(ii) Nawabs also demanded large tributes from the company
(iii) The company denied paying taxes
(iv) The company officials wrote insulting letters to the nawabs
3. How did the assumption of Diwani benefit the East India Company?
Answer: On being appointed the Diwan of the provinces of Bengal, the East India Company
acquired greater power and authority. After the assumption of the Diwani, East India
Company was benefited in several ways as mentioned below:
(i) It allowed the Company to use the vast revenue resources of Bengal.
(ii) Now, trade was fully controlled by the East India Company.
(iii) Company used the revenues from India to finance its expenses like to purchase cotton
and silk textiles in India, maintain Company troops, and meet the cost of building the
Company fort and offices at Calcutta.
(iv) Revenue of Bengal was used to finance exports of Indian goods.
4. Explain the system of “subsidiary alliance”.
Answer: From 1757 to 1857, the East India Company used a variety of political, economic
and diplomatic methods to annex Indian kingdoms. The subsidiary alliance was one such
method. According to the terms of this alliance, Indian rulers were not allowed to have their
independent armed forces. They were to be protected by the Company, and had to pay for the
“subsidiary forces” that the Company had to maintain for the purpose of protecting them. If
Indian rulers failed to make the payment, then part of their territory was taken away as
penalty. For example, in 1801, the nawab of Awadh was forced to give over half of his
territory to the Company for failing to pay for the “subsidiary forces”.
