NCERT Solutions for Class 8 Social Science (History – Our Pasts III) Chapter 2 From Trade to Territory

Ans : 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. 

Ans : (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. 

Ans : (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 

Ans : 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. 

Ans : After the death of Aurangzeb, the Bengal nawabs asserted their power and autonomy. Through the eighteenth century, the conflicts between them and the East India Company intensified. The nawabs refused to grant the Company concessions, demanded large tributes, denied it the right to mint coins, and stopped it from extending its fortifications. They claimed that the Company was depriving the Bengal government of huge amounts of revenue, and also undermining their authority by refusing to pay taxes, writing disrespectful letters, and humiliating them and their officials. On its part, the Company declared that its trade was getting ruined because of the unjust demands of the local officials. It believed that trade could only flourish if the duties were removed. To expand trade, it wanted to enlarge its settlements, buy up villages, and rebuild its forts.