Q 1 – When was the ‘Diwani’ of Bengal granted to the East India Company?
Ans – The ‘Diwani’ of Bengal was granted to the British East India Company, in 1765.
Q 2 – During the Mughal rule what was the status of the ‘Diwan’?
Ans – During the rule of the Mughal Empire, the Diwan served as the chief revenue officer of a province.
Q 3 – What were the benefits reaped by the East India Company as the Diwan of Bengal?
Ans – With the appointment as the Diwan, the Company became the chief financial Administrator of Bengal. The company could now administer the land and revenue resources of Bengal and could utilize the revenue to meet the expanses of the Company. The Company now had the liberty to trade in all the goods it wanted to.
Q 4 – What were the ambitious plans of the East India Company?
Ans – The East India Company wanted to colonise the countryside and organise revenue resources. Its priority was to redefine the rights of the people. The Company was also keen to produce the crops it wanted, in India.
Q 5 – Give a brief description of the ‘ryotwari system’
Ans – The ‘ryotwari system’ was introduced by Captain Alexander Read. This system was further developed by Thomas Munroe. According to the new system, the revenue was to be collected directly from the farmers or ryots. This was necessary as the zamindari system was not prevalent in the southern regions. The lands of each farmer were separately assessed and the revenue was fixed accordingly. This system was also known as the Munro System.
Q 6 – What were the disadvantages of the ryotwari system?
Ans – The revenue fixed by the British o¨cials in the ryotwari system was too high for the farmers. The farmers who were unable to pay the revenue left the farms. As the farmers left their farms the villages in the region wore a deserted look.
Q 7 – Why did the British want to grow the ‘indigo plant’ in India?
Ans – The indigo plant grows primarily in the tropics and this was the primary reason for the British to turn to India for the growth of the indigo plant. By the thirteenth century, Indian indigo was being used by cloth manufacturers in Italy, France and Britain to dye cloth.
The demand for Indian indigo grew, as European cloth manufacturers wanted only Indian Indigo as it produced a rich blue colour. Due to this demand, the price of Indian indigo rose in the European market and mediated the British to grow more indigo in Indian soil.
Another reason was the industrialisation of Britain as this resulted in the expansion of cotton production creating an enormous new demand for cloth dyes. Indigo production in other countries began to decline and the demand for Indian Indigo increased in European countries. This demand made the East India Company expand the area under indigo cultivation.
Q 8 – What was to the two major systems of indigo cultivation in India?
Ans – The two major systems of indigo cultivation in India were the ‘Nij’ system of cultivation and the ‘Ryoti’ system of cultivation.
Q 9 – What were the main features of the ‘Nij’ system of cultivation?
Ans – In the ‘nij’ system of indigo cultivation the planter produced indigo in lands that he directly owned. He either bought the land or rented it from other zamindars and produced indigo by directly employing hired Labourers.
Q 10 – What were the main features of the ‘Ryoti’ system of cultivation?
Ans – Under the Ryoti system, the planters forced the ryots or peasants to sign a contract. The village headman was also forced to sign an agreement on behalf of the ryots. The peasants received a loan from the planters to cultivate their land. Due to this, the peasants were forced to cultivate indigo in 25% of their land. The peasants received seeds and ploughs for cultivation from the Planters. They had to cultivate the crop and harvest it. The harvested indigo crop had to be given to the planters.
Q 11 – Give a brief description of the method of producing indigo dye?
Ans – The indigo leaves were fermented in a steeping vat. Then the liquid was extracted and oxidized in a beating vat. Finally, a blue precipitate was allowed to form from the liquid in a settling vat. This precipitate was collected, dried, and compacted. This dried compacted material is the indigo dye.
Q 12 – When did the ‘Blue rebellion’ break out?
Ans – Indian farmers rebelled against being forced to grow indigo plants. In March 1859, thousands of ryots in Bengal refused to grow indigo. This was known as the ‘Blue rebellion’.
Q 13 – What were the findings of the Indigo Commission?
Ans – The Indigo Commission was set up to enquire into the system of indigo production. The Commission declared that the Planters were unfair and that the farmers were not paid enough for their toil. The
Commission also stated that in future the farmers could refuse to grow indigo plants and the Planters did not have a right to force them.
Q 14 – What was the outcome of the Blue Rebellion?
Ans – After the ‘Blue Rebellion’, indigo production collapsed in Bengal. Planters shifted their operation to Bihar.
Q 15 – When did the Mughal Emperors appoint the East India Company as the Diwani of Bengal?
Ans – On 12 August, 1765.
Q 16 – After the Company got the Diwani, why did artisans begin deserting villages?
Ans – This was because they were forced to sell their goods to the Company at lower prices.
Q 17– When was a terrible famine observed in Bengal?
Ans – In 1770.
Q 18– When and where was the Permanent Settlement introduced?
Ans – Permanent Settlement was mainly introduced in the province of Bengal in 1793.
Q 19 – Who introduced Permanent Settlement?
Ans – Charles Cornwallis
Q20 – Who were authorised to collect rent from the peasants under Permanent Settlement?
Ans – Rajas and taluqdars.
Q 21 – What was the benefit of Permanent Settlement to the Company?
Ans – It ensured a regular flow of revenue to the Company.
Q 22 – Which revenue system was introduced in the North-Western province of Bengal Presidency?
Ans – The mahalwari settlement.
Q 23 – Who introduced mahalwari settlement?
Ans – Holt Mackenzie
Q 24 – In which area was the ryotwari system introduced?
Ans – In Southern India.
Q 25 – Who introduced the ryotwari system?
Ans – Thomas Munro.
Q 26 – Name a few crops and related areas which the British forced people to grow?
Ans – 1. Jute – in Bengal
2. Tea – in Assam
3. Sugarcane – in the United Province
4. Wheat – in Punjab
5. Cotton – in Maharashtra and Punjab
6. Rice – in Madras
Q 27 – Where was the Kalamkari print created?
Ans – Kalamkari print was produced by the weavers in Andhra Pradesh.
Q 28 – In which climate do the indigo plants grow?
Ans – In tropical climate.
Q 29 – Which other plant was used in the place of indigo in Europe?
Ans – Woad
Q 30 – In which climate was woad grown?
Ans – In temperate climate.
Q 31 – Name a few areas where woad plants were grown?
Ans – Northern Italy, Southern France and in parts of Germany and Britain.
Q 32 – Which type of dyes were made from woad plants?
Ans – Woad plants were used to make blue and yellow dyes.
Q 33 – Why did dyers prefer indigo?
Ans – Because indigo produced a rich blue colour, whereas the dye from woad was pale and dull.
Q 34 – Where did the French begin cultivating indigo?
Ans – In St. Domingue in the Caribbean island.
Q 35 – Where was indigo cultivation initiated in India?
Ans – In Bengal province
Q 36 – What were the two main systems of indigo cultivation?
Ans – nij and ryoti.
Q 37 – What was the impact of indigo cultivation on the soil?
Ans – Indigo plants had deep roots and exhausted the soil. After indigo harvest, the land could not be sown with rice.
Q 38 – When did indigo ryots occur in Bengal?
Ans – In 1859
Q 39 – Who supported indigo ryots?
Ans – Indigo peasants, local zamindars and village headmen.
Q 40 – Why was the Indigo Commission appointed?
Ans – The Indigo Commission was appointed to enquire into the system of indigo production.
Q 41 – What was the report of the Indigo Commission?
Ans – The Indigo Commission held the planters guilty and criticised them for the coercive methods they used with indigo cultivators.
Q 42– After the indigo revolt in Bengal, to which area was indigo cultivation shifted?
Ans – Indigo cultivation was shifted to Bihar
Q 43 – How Diwani of Bengal was seen by the British?
Ans – 1.As Diwan, the Company became the chief Ênancial administrator of the territory under its control.
2. Now the Company had to think of administering the land and organising its revenue resources.
3. It had to ensure that it could buy the products it needed and sell what it wanted.
Q 44 – Name two problems created by the Permanent Settlement.
Ans – 1.Zamindars were now not interested in the improvement of land.
2. The revenue was very high. So many zamindars were unable to pay this revenue. Thus, their zamindaris were sold off.
Q 45 – Why were the zamindars not interested in improving land?
Ans – 1. They saw the possibility of earning without trouble and risk of investment.
2. They were given land on rent to tenants, so they did not need to improve it.
Q 46 – Why did Munro choose the ryotwari system for South India?
Ans – (i) In South India, there was no’ tradition of zamindars.
(ii) The ryots (cultivators) tilled the land for generations.
So, Munro decided to have contracts directly with the ryots. Hence, the ryotwari system was introduced.
Q 47 – What were the results of the new revenue systems?
Ans – Peasants were unable to pay revenue, ryots fled the countryside, and villages became deserted in many regions. This all was due to the over-optimistic imagination of revenue collection by the officials.
Q 48 – Why did the demand for indigo increase by the end of the eighteenth century?
Ans – 1. This was because by this time Britain began to industrialise
2. In Britain, cotton production expanded dramatically.
3. This created an enormous new demand for cloth dyes
That was why the demand for indigo increased by the end of the eighteenth century.
Q 49 – What do you mean by nij system of indigo cultivation?
Ans – 1. In this system, the planters produced indigo on lands that they directly controlled.
2. The planters either bought the land or rented it from other zamindars and produced indigo by directly employing hired labourers.
Q 50 – Why were the planters reluctant to expand area under nij cultivation till the late nineteenth century?
Ans – 1. The large area required for indigo cultivation was not available.
a.They attempted to lease land near the factory. The eviction of peasants in these fields often led to conflicts.
b. The time of rice cultivation matched that of the indigo. So, labours were not available in plenty.
Nij cultivation on large scale also required many ploughs and bullocks e., huge investment.
Q 51 – Comment on the reports of the Indigo Commission.
Ans – a. The Commission held the planters guilty of oppressive methods used against the cultivators.
- It declared that indigo production was not profitable for ryots
- It asked the ryots to fulfil their existing contracts but refuse to grow indigo in future..
Q 52 – Give a brief description of the Mahalwari System.
Ans – 1. The revenue of all the plots of the village was calculated and added to the mahal.
2. The demand for revenue was to be reversed periodically.
3. The responsibility of collecting revenue was given to the village headman.
Q 53 – Discuss the mahalwari system introduced in the North-West provinces of the Bengal
Ans – 1. In this system, the village was taken as a revenue unit.
2. In this system, the land was inspected, Êelds were measured, rights and customs of diÌerent groups were noted and then revenue of all the plots of the village was calculated and added so as to estimate the revenue of the mahal.
3. The demand for the revenue was to be revised periodically.
4. The responsibility of collecting revenue was given to the village headmen.
Q 53 – Discuss how the British people looked at indigo cultivation as an opportunity.
Ans – 1. With a remarkable growth in indigo trade, commercial agents and oÍcials of the Company began investing in indigo production.
2. Many oÍcials resigned from the Company job and looked after their indigo business.
3. Those who had no money to produce indigo could get loans from the Company and the banks.
Q 54 – Explain the reaction of the ryots during the indigo revolt of Bengal.
Ans – 1. The ryots refused to pay rent to the planters.
2. They attacked indigo factories armed with locally available weapons.
3. They boycotted those who worked for the planters.
4. The gomasthas were beaten up.
5. They swore they would no longer take advances to sow indigo.
6. They decided not to be bullied by the lathiyals of the planters.