Advent of Europeans in India — UPSC Prelims Practice
Answer all questions carefully. Each question has exactly one correct answer.
hard•12 questions•~15 min
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Question 01
medium
Which of the following statements about the Treaty of Tordesillas (1494) is correct?
(a) It was signed between Portugal and the Dutch to divide the Indian Ocean trade
(b) It gave Portugal rights to everything west of an imaginary line in the Atlantic, and Spain everything to the east
(c) It gave Portugal rights to everything east of the imaginary line, and Spain everything to the west
(d) It was negotiated by Prince Henry the Navigator and ratified by Pope Nicholas V
Question 02
hard
Consider the following statements about Francisco De Almeida:
1. He was the first Portuguese governor in India, appointed in 1505.
2. His policy of maintaining naval supremacy over land fortifications is known as the Blue Water Policy.
3. He captured Goa from the Sultan of Bijapur in 1510.
4. He defeated the combined Egyptian-Gujarat fleet in a naval battle.
Which of the above statements are correct?
Question 03
medium
The 'Magna Carta of the East India Company' refers to:
(a) The Charter of Queen Elizabeth I (1600) which granted monopoly rights to the Company
(b) The farmans issued by Mughal Emperor Farrukhsiyar in 1717 granting trade privileges
(c) The Golden Farman of the Sultan of Golconda issued in 1632
(d) The treaty concluded by Sir Thomas Roe with Emperor Jahangir in 1619
Question 04
hard
Which of the following correctly matches the European power with the battle/event that effectively ended its ambitions in India?
(a) Dutch — Battle of St. Thome (1746)
(b) French — Battle of Plassey (1757)
(c) Dutch — Battle of Bidara/Hooghly (1759)
(d) French — Battle of Ambur (1749)
Question 05
hard
Consider the following pairs:
1. Dupleix — Originator of the Subsidiary Alliance system in India
2. Albuquerque — Blue Water Policy (cartaze system)
3. Francois Martin — Founded Pondicherry
4. Job Charnock — Foundation of Calcutta
Which of the above pairs are correctly matched?
Question 06
medium
The 'Battle of St. Thome' — significant in the context of the First Carnatic War — was fought between:
(a) English forces under Robert Clive and French forces under Admiral La Bourdonnais
(b) French forces under Captain Paradise and the army of Nawab Anwar-ud-din of Carnatic
(c) Portuguese forces and the Zamorin of Calicut
(d) English and French forces for control of Pondicherry
Question 07
medium
Arrange the following events in correct chronological order:
1. Formation of the Dutch East India Company (VOC)
2. English East India Company's first permanent factory at Surat
3. Founding of Pondicherry by Francois Martin
4. Formation of the French Compagnie des Indes Orientales
Select the correct sequence:
Question 08
medium
Which of the following is NOT a correct reason for why the English East India Company succeeded over the French East India Company in India?
Question 09
hard
Robert Clive's capture of Arcot in 1751 with only 210 men was a turning point in the Second Carnatic War because:
(a) It directly captured the French headquarters and forced Dupleix to retreat to Pondicherry
(b) It diverted Chanda Sahib from Trichinopoly to save his capital, relieving pressure on Muhammad Ali who was besieged there
(c) It led to the immediate signing of the Treaty of Aix-La-Chapelle, ending the war
(d) It was the first time European troops faced Indian troops in open battle
Question 10
medium
Which of the following statements about the Danish East India Company is correct?
(a) It was established in 1602 and its first factory in India was at Masulipatnam
(b) It was established in 1616; its first Indian factory was at Tranquebar; and its factories were sold to the British in 1845
(c) It was established in 1616; its principal settlement was at Tranquebar; and it was known mainly for commercial activities
(d) Its factories were incorporated into the French East India Company before being transferred to the British
Question 11
hard
Consider the following about the Carnatic Wars:
1. The First Carnatic War ended with the Treaty of Aix-La-Chapelle (1748) which returned Madras to the English.
2. In the Second Carnatic War, Dupleix supported Muzaffar Jang for Hyderabad and Nasir Jang for Carnatic.
3. The Battle of Wandiwash (1760) was won by General Eyre Coote; French commander Bussy was taken prisoner.
4. The Treaty of Paris (1763) restored French factories in India but banned their fortification.
Which of the statements given above are correct?
Question 12
hard
The Mughal siege of Hooghly in 1632 under Shah Jahan was primarily triggered by which of the following?
(a) The Portuguese refusal to pay customs duties to the Mughal government
(b) The Portuguese capture of Mughal ships and trade monopoly on salt, combined with slave trade that included seizure of slave girls of Mumtaz Mahal
(c) The Portuguese attempt to convert Mughal nobles to Christianity with Jesuit missionaries
(d) Portuguese military support to the Deccan Sultans against the Mughal empire