NCERT Solutions Class 8 Social Science (History: Our Past III)
The NCERT Solutions in English Language for Class 8 Social Science (History : Our Past III) Chapter – 2 (From Trade to Territory The Company Establishes Power) has been provided here to help the students in solving the questions from this exercise.
History (Our Pasts – III)
- Chapter – 1 — How, When and Where
- Chapter – 3 — Ruling the Countryside
- Chapter – 4 — Tribals, Dikus and the Vision of a Golden Age
- Chapter – 5 — When People Rebel 1857 and after
- Chapter – 6 — Weavers, Iron Smelters and Factory Owners
- Chapter – 7 — Civilising the “Native”, Educating the Nation
- Chapter – 8 — Women, Caste and Reform
- Chapter – 9 — The Making of the National Movement: 1870s – 1947
- Chapter – 10 — India after Independence
Chapter – 2 (From Trade to Territory The Company Establishes Power)
Let’s Recall
1. Match the following:
| Diwani | Tipu Sultan |
| “Tiger of Mysore” | Right to collect land revenue |
| Faujdari Adalat | Sepoy |
| Rani Channamma | Criminal Court |
| Sipahi | Led an anti-British movement in Kitoor |
Answer –
| Diwani | Right to collect land revenue |
| “Tiger of Mysore” | Tipu Sultan |
| Faujdari Adalat | Criminal Court |
| Rani Channamma | Led an anti-British movement in Kitoor |
| Sipahi | Sepoy |
2. Fill in the blanks:
(a) The British conquest of Bengal began with the Battle of ___________.
(b) Haidar Ali and Tipu Sultan were the rulers of ___________.
(c) Dalhousie implemented the Doctrine of ___________.
(d) Maratha kingdoms were located mainly in the ___________ part of India.
Answer –
(a) The British conquest of Bengal began with the Battle of Plassey.
(b) Haidar Ali and Tipu Sultan were the rulers of Mysore.
(c) Dalhousie implemented the Doctrine of Lapse.
(d) Maratha kingdoms were located mainly in the South-western part of India.
3. State whether true or false:
(a) The Mughal empire became stronger in the eighteenth century.
(b) The English East India Company was the only European company that traded with India.
(c) Maharaja Ranjit Singh was the ruler of Punjab.
(d) The British did not introduce administrative changes in the territories they conquered.
Answer –
(a) The Mughal empire became stronger in the eighteenth century – (False)
(b) The English East India Company was the only European company that traded with India – (False)
(c) Maharaja Ranjit Singh was the ruler of Punjab – (True)
(d) The British did not introduce administrative changes in the territories they conquered – (False)
Let’s Discuss
4. What attracted European trading companies to India?
Answer – The European Companies saw great opportunities in trade with India. They could buy goods at a cheaper rate in India and carry them back to Europe to sell at a higher price. This opportunity attracted them to India.
5. What were the areas of conflict between the Bengal nawabs and the East India Company?
Answer – Areas of conflict between the Nawabs of Bengal and the East India Company:
- Requests to grant concessions to Company.
- The demand of large tributes from the Company for the right to trade.
- Denial of right to minting (making) coins.
- Stoppage of fortification expansion.
- Nawab claimed that the company was depriving the Bengal government of a huge amount of revenue.
- Undermining the authority of the nawab.
Actions are taken by the Company
- Refusal to payment of taxes by the Company.
- Writing of disrespectful letters by the Company.
- Trying to humiliate the nawab and his officials.
- Enlargement of settlements by the Company, Buying villages.
- The rebuilding of forts.
6. How did the assumption of Diwani benefit the East India Company?
Answer – The assumption of Diwani benefited the East India Company in the following ways:
- The Diwani allowed the Company to use the vast revenue resources of Bengal.
- The outflow of gold and silver which the Company imported to buy goods in India was stopped.
- The revenue from Bengal now could be used to purchase cotton and silk textiles in India, maintain Company troops, and meet the cost of building the Company fort and offices at Calcutta.
7. Explain the system of “subsidiary alliance”.
Answer – Under the subsidiary alliance;
- Indian rulers were not allowed to have their independent armed forces.
- The rulers were to be protected by the Company, but for this, they had to pay money.
- If the Indian rulers failed to make the payment, then part of their territory was to be taken away as a penalty.
8. In what way was the administration of the Company different from that of Indian rulers?
Answer – The difference in the administration of the company and that of the Indian rulers is given below:
| Company Administration | Indian Rulers Administration |
| The company divided the territories into presidencies | Indian rulers divided the territories into district, pargana, tehsil and parishad |
| Governor ruled the administrative units | Zamindar or Peasants were responsible for their units |
| Governor-General was the head of the state | King or Nawab was the head of the state |
The introduction of several acts:
|
Indian rulers brought no such acts but used to rule with their farmans. |
9. Describe the changes that occurred in the composition of the Company’s army.
Answer – During the eighteenth century, when the East India Company began recruitment for its own army, it started recruiting peasants and began training them as professional soldiers. Like the Mughal army, the Company’s army was also composed of the cavalry and the infantry regiments, with the cavalry dominating the army. However, as warfare technology changed during the nineteenth century, the cavalry requirements of the Company’s army declined. As the soldiers had to be armed with muskets and matchlocks, the infantry regiments became more important.
