NCERT Solutions Class 8th History Chapter – 2 From Trade to Territory Question & Answer

Question 1. Match the following –

Question 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.

Question 8. In what way was the administration of the Company different from that of Indian rulers?Ans – Administration of Company was different from that of Indian Ruler

Question 9. Describe the changes that occurred in the composition of the Company’s army.Ans –

1. The East India Company recruited professional soldiers in place of sawars and paidal soldiers.
2. The soldiers were trained in new warfare technology in European style.
3. The soldiers were armed with muskets and matchlocks.

Question 9. Describe the changes that occurred in the composition of the Company’s army.

Ans –

1. The East India Company recruited professional soldiers in place of sawars and paidal soldiers.
2. The soldiers were trained in new warfare technology in European style.
3. The soldiers were armed with muskets and matchlocks.

Question 10. After the British conquest of Bengal, Calcutta -grew from a small village to a big city. Find out about the culture, architecture, and the life of Europeans and Indians of the city during the colonial period.

Ans –
(i) Hints – Visit the school library or get information from the internet.
Indians were influenced by the British culture, architecture, and lifestyle.
(ii) Culture – British influence began.
(iii) Architecture – Influenced by British Architecture (fortification of the city, churches, etc.). Rich Indians started constructing bungalows in the English style.
(iv) Life – English education, English clothes, became be popular.

Question 11. Collect pictures, stories, poems, and information about any of the following—the Rani of Jhansi, Mahadji Sindhia, Haidar Ali, Maharaja Ranjit Singh, Lord Dalhousie, or any other contemporary ruler of your region.

Ans –
The Rani of Jhansi – Collect information and photographs
Hints-

1.  Early childhood
2. Early marriage
3. Death of husband
4. Adopted son
5. Fight with British
6. Died fighting with the British.
7. History would always remember her.

1. Rani Of Jhansi –

(i) Lakshmibai was born probably on 19 November 1828 in the holy town of Varanasi in a Marathi brahmin family. Her father was Moropant Tambe. Her father worked for a court of Peshwa of Bithoor district. Peshwa brought Manikarnika up like his own daughter. The Peshwa called her “Chhabili”, which means “playful”.

She was educated at home and was more independent in her childhood than others of her age; her studies included archery, horsemanship, and self-defense.

Rani Lakshmibai was accustomed to ride on horseback accompanied by a small escort between the palace and the temple. The Rani Mahal, the place of Rani Lakshmibai, has now been converted into a museum. She died, fighting British Army bravely, to save her state Jhansi.

2. Mahadaji Shindhia

Mahadaji Shinde (1730-1794 A.D.) also spelled as Mahadji Scindia or Mahadaji Scindia, was a Maratha ruler of the state of Gwalior in central India.

Mahadaji was instrumental in resurrecting Maratha power in North India after the Third Battle of Panipat in 1761 and rose to become a trusted lieutenant of the

Peshwa, leader of the Maratha Empire. During his reign, Gwalior became the leading state in the Maratha Empire and one of the foremost military powers in India.

He accompanied Shah Alarm II (Mughal Badshah) in 1771 to Delhi in order to restore the Mughals in Delhi. The Marathas were practically at that time ruling Delhi.

He annihilated the power of Jats of Mathura and during 1772-73 and destroyed the power of Pashtun Rohillas in Rohilkhand and captured Najibabad. His role during the First Anglo Maratha War was greatest from the Maratha side since he humbled the British in Central India, single-handed, which resulted in the Treaty of Salbai in 1782, where he mediated between the Peshwa and the British.

3. Hyder Ali Of Mysore

Hyder Ali (1721-1782) was the sultan and de facto ruler of the Kingdom of Mysore in southern India. Born Hyder Naik, he distinguished himself militarily, eventually drawing the attention of Mysore’s rulers. Rising from the post of Dalavayi (commander-in-chief) to Krishnaraja Wodeyar II, he came to dominate the titular monarch and the Mysore government. He became the de facto ruler of Mysore as Sarvadhikari (Chief Minister) by 1761. He offered strong anti-colonial resistance against the military advances of the British East’India Company during the First and Second Anglo Mysore Wars and he was the innovator of military use of the ‘iron-cased Mysorean rockets.

4. Maharaja Ranjit Singh

Ranjit Singh was born to Sardar Maha Singh and Raj Kaur on 13 November 1780, in Gujranwala, Punjab (now in Pakistan). As a child, he suffered from smallpox which resulted in the loss of one eye. At the time, much of Punjab was ruled by the Sikhs under a Confederate Sarbat Khalsa system, which had divided the territory among factions known as misls Ranjit Singh’s father was the commander of the Sukerchakia Misl and controlled a territory in west Punjab based around his headquarter at Gujranwala.

In 1799, Ranjit Singh captured Lahore (now in Pakistan) from the Bhangi Misl and later made it his capital. This was the first important step in his rise to power. In the following years, he brought the whole of central Punjab from the Sutlej to the Jhelum under his sway. This area includes north of Satluj (Jullundhar, Amritsar, Pathankot, etc.); and Lahore, Multan, etc. of Pakistan.

5. Lord Dalhousie

Governor-general of India (1848 to 1856): Lord Dalhousie is one the most negatively remembered personality in the rule of East India Company. He ruled India with his full efficiency from 1848 to 1856 A.D. In India, he was famous for various negative and positive reasons.
Positive – 

1. Starting of Railway in 1853 A.D. for the first time, between Bombay to Thane.
2. Starting of postal and telegraph services in India.
3. Starting of widow remarriage in 1856 A.D.
4. Completion of Ganges Canal.
5. Reform in Indian civil services.

Negative – 

1. East India Company captured the princely state of Punjab in 1849 A.D.
2. Second Anglo-Burmese War.
3. The doctrine of Lapse (Most Controversial).
4. The annexation of Awadh.

1. Match the following

Ans –
(i)  c
(ii) d
(iii) a
(iv) b
(v)  f
(vi) e