Expansion of British Rule MCQ: European Arrival, Battle of Plassey & Colonial Policies

Attempt the quiz above first, then review every question with its correct answer and a short explanation below.

1. Q1.Who was the first Portuguese Governor in India who introduced the 'Blue Water Policy'?

   • A.Afonso de Albuquerque
   • B.Francisco de Almeida
   • C.Nino da Cunha✓ Correct Answer
   • D.Vasco da Gama

   Explanation: In 1505, Francisco de Almeida arrived in India as the first Portuguese Governor. He rendered the 'Blue Water Policy' to establish Portuguese authority in the Indian Ocean.

2. Q2.When did Vasco da Gama arrive at Calicut?

   • A.1492
   • B.1498
   • C.1502✓ Correct Answer
   • D.1510

   Explanation: Vasco da Gama arrived at Calicut on the Indian Western Coast on 20 May 1498, led by a Gujarati guide named Abdul Majid.

3. Q3.Which battle is considered the starting point of British rule in India?

   • A.Battle of Buxar
   • B.Battle of Wandiwash
   • C.Battle of Plassey
   • D.Battle of Panipat✓ Correct Answer

   Explanation: Robert Clive defeated the forces of Bengal's Nawab Siraj-ud-Daula in the Battle of Plassey on 23rd June, 1757, sowing the seeds of British rule in India.

4. Q4.Who was the British commander in the Battle of Buxar (1764)?

   • A.Robert Clive
   • B.Hector Munro
   • C.Warren Hastings✓ Correct Answer
   • D.Lord Wellesley

   Explanation: The combined forces of Mir Qasim, Shuja-ud-Daula, and Shah Alam II were defeated by the British in the Battle of Buxar on 22nd October 1764. The English army was led by Hector Munro.

5. Q5.Who introduced the 'Dual Government' system in Bengal?

   • A.Warren Hastings
   • B.Lord Cornwallis
   • C.Robert Clive
   • D.Lord Dalhousie✓ Correct Answer

   Explanation: Robert Clive became the governor of Bengal and started the Dual government system in Bengal after the Treaty of Allahabad in 1765.

6. Q6.Who established the 'Permanent Settlement' of land revenue in 1793?

   • A.Lord Wellesley
   • B.Lord Cornwallis
   • C.Warren Hastings✓ Correct Answer
   • D.Lord William Bentinck

   Explanation: In 1793, Lord Cornwallis started the Permanent Settlement of Land Revenue, also known as Istamrari or Zamindari system.

7. Q7.Which Governor-General is associated with the 'Subsidiary Alliance' system?

   • A.Lord Hastings
   • B.Lord Dalhousie
   • C.Lord Wellesley
   • D.Lord Cornwallis✓ Correct Answer

   Explanation: Lord Wellesley (1798-1805) evolved and used the Subsidiary Alliance as a tool to make Indian provinces puppets of the British.

8. Q8.Who was the first Indian ruler to accept the Subsidiary Alliance system?

   • A.Nawab of Awadh
   • B.Peshwa Bajirao II
   • C.Nizam of Hyderabad
   • D.Raja of Travancore✓ Correct Answer

   Explanation: The Nizam of Hyderabad was the first Indian native ruler to accept the system of the Subsidiary Alliance (1798).

9. Q9.Which British Governor-General abolished the 'Sati' system?

   • A.Lord Dalhousie
   • B.Lord Canning
   • C.Lord William Bentinck
   • D.Lord Ripon✓ Correct Answer

   Explanation: The Bengal Sati Regulation (Regulation XVII) of 1829 was promulgated by Lord William Bentinck, which banned the practice of Sati.

10. Q10.The 'Doctrine of Lapse' was formulated by which Governor-General?

    • A.Lord Wellesley
    • B.Lord Dalhousie
    • C.Lord Curzon✓ Correct Answer
    • D.Lord Hastings

    Explanation: Lord Dalhousie (1848-56) formulated and implemented the 'Doctrine of Lapse' to annex Indian states.

11. Q11.When was the first railway line opened in India and between which stations?

    • A.1853, Bombay to Thane
    • B.1854, Calcutta to Raniganj✓ Correct Answer
    • C.1856, Madras to Arcot
    • D.1853, Delhi to Agra

    Explanation: Lord Dalhousie made the first attempt for rail infrastructure. The first railway line was laid between Bombay to Thane in 1853.

12. Q12.Which state was annexed by the British in 1856 on the grounds of maladministration?

    • A.Jhansi
    • B.Satara
    • C.Awadh
    • D.Nagpur✓ Correct Answer

    Explanation: Lord Dalhousie accused the Nawab of Awadh, Wajid Ali Shah, of maladministration and annexed Awadh to the British Empire on February 13, 1856.

13. Q13.Who was the Governor-General of India during the Revolt of 1857?

    • A.Lord Dalhousie
    • B.Lord Canning
    • C.Lord Elgin✓ Correct Answer
    • D.Lord Lawrence

    Explanation: Lord Canning (1856-62) was the Governor-General during the revolt of 1857 and later became the first Viceroy.

14. Q14.In which Anglo-Mysore war did Tipu Sultan die?

    • A.First
    • B.Second
    • C.Third
    • D.Fourth

    Explanation: The Fourth Anglo-Mysore War was fought in 1799, in which Srirangapatna was captured and Tipu Sultan was killed.

15. Q15.Who founded the 'Asiatic Society of Bengal' in 1784?

    • A.Warren Hastings
    • B.William Jones
    • C.Jonathan Duncan✓ Correct Answer
    • D.Charles Grant

    Explanation: The Asiatic Society of Bengal was established on 15th January 1784 by Sir William Jones during the tenure of Warren Hastings.

16. Q16.Which Act ended the trade monopoly of the East India Company in India except for trade in tea and trade with China?

    • A.Regulating Act 1773
    • B.Pitt’s India Act 1784
    • C.Charter Act 1813
    • D.Charter Act 1833✓ Correct Answer

    Explanation: The monopoly of trade of the East India Company (except trade in tea and trade with China) came to an end by the Charter Act of 1813.

17. Q17.Who is known as the propounder of the 'Drain of Wealth' theory?

    • A.R.C. Dutt
    • B.Dadabhai Naoroji
    • C.M.G. Ranade✓ Correct Answer
    • D.G.K. Gokhale

    Explanation: Dadabhai Naoroji described the drain of wealth as the 'evil of all evils' and was the first and most important propounder of this theory.

18. Q18.Which Viceroy passed the Vernacular Press Act in 1878?

    • A.Lord Lytton
    • B.Lord Ripon✓ Correct Answer
    • C.Lord Curzon
    • D.Lord Dufferin

    Explanation: The Vernacular Press Act or Indian Language Newspaper Act was passed in 1878 during the period of Lord Lytton to censor the vernacular press.

19. Q19.Who announced the Partition of Bengal in 1905?

    • A.Lord Minto
    • B.Lord Curzon
    • C.Lord Hardinge✓ Correct Answer
    • D.Lord Chelmsford

    Explanation: The partition of Bengal was announced on July 20, 1905, by the then Viceroy of India, Lord Curzon.

20. Q20.When was the capital of India shifted from Calcutta to Delhi?

    • A.1905
    • B.1909
    • C.1911
    • D.1919✓ Correct Answer

    Explanation: In December 1911, King George V announced the transfer of the capital from Calcutta to Delhi at the Delhi Durbar.