End of Burmese Influence and British Ascendancy in Assam MCQs
End of Burmese Influence and British Ascendancy in Assam: Key Events and Administration MCQs
The end of Burmese influence in Assam was closely connected with the First Anglo-Burmese War (1824–1826) and the Treaty of Yandabo of 24 February 1826. The treaty ended Burmese claims over Assam and opened the way for the gradual establishment of British political and administrative authority. On 28 February 1826, David Scott was appointed Senior Commissioner of Western Assam and Agent to the Governor-General, while Colonel Richards became Junior Commissioner of Eastern Assam. (Jorhat District)
MCQs with Answers and Explanations
1. Which event formally ended Burmese political claims over Assam?
A. Treaty of Sugauli
B. Treaty of Yandabo
C. Treaty of Allahabad
D. Treaty of Salbai
Correct Answer: B. Treaty of Yandabo
Explanation:
The Treaty of Yandabo, concluded on 24 February 1826, ended the First Anglo-Burmese War. The Burmese agreed to renounce their claims and abstain from future interference with Assam and its dependencies. This removed Burmese political influence as the principal external obstacle to British ascendancy in Assam. (Jorhat District)
2. The First Anglo-Burmese War was fought during which period?
A. 1817–1820
B. 1821–1824
C. 1824–1826
D. 1826–1830
Correct Answer: C. 1824–1826
Explanation:
The First Anglo-Burmese War lasted from 1824 to 1826. Burmese expansion into Assam and other frontier areas contributed to the wider conflict between the Burmese Empire and the British. Its conclusion through the Treaty of Yandabo transformed the political situation of Assam.
3. Who led the British forces associated with the conclusion of the Treaty of Yandabo?
A. David Scott
B. Sir Archibald Campbell
C. Lord William Bentinck
D. Colonel Richards
Correct Answer: B. Sir Archibald Campbell
Explanation:
General Sir Archibald Campbell led the British military forces during the First Anglo-Burmese War. He was the principal British military figure associated with the negotiations that resulted in the Treaty of Yandabo. David Scott, by contrast, became a major figure in the subsequent civil administration of Assam. (Jorhat District)
4. What was the most significant consequence of the Treaty of Yandabo for Assam?
A. Restoration of Burmese sovereignty
B. End of Burmese claims and beginning of British ascendancy
C. Restoration of the Ahom Empire
D. Incorporation of Assam into Nepal
Correct Answer: B. End of Burmese claims and beginning of British ascendancy
Explanation:
The treaty ended Burmese claims over Assam and created the conditions for the gradual establishment of British rule. The Directorate of Archives records that at the end of the First Burmese War in 1826, the whole of Assam gradually came under British rule. (Assam Archives)
5. Which political kingdom had been severely weakened before the British defeated Burmese forces in Assam?
A. Ahom Kingdom
B. Mughal Empire
C. Sikh Empire
D. Maratha Confederacy
Correct Answer: A. Ahom Kingdom
Explanation:
The Ahom Kingdom had experienced prolonged internal political instability, including the Moamoria Rebellion, factional struggles and succession disputes. Burmese intervention further weakened the traditional political order. Thus, British ascendancy occurred after both the Ahom political system and Burmese occupation had destabilised the region.
6. Which year is associated with the establishment of effective Burmese dominance over the Ahom kingdom?
A. 1794
B. 1809
C. 1819
D. 1826
Correct Answer: C. 1819
Explanation:
1819 is an important date in the history of Burmese intervention in Assam. Burmese forces established effective dominance over the Ahom kingdom, although resistance and political struggles continued. This Burmese presence eventually brought the region into the Anglo-Burmese conflict.
7. Who was the Ahom ruler associated with attempts to recover his kingdom from Burmese control?
A. Rudra Singha
B. Chandrakanta Singha
C. Pramatta Singha
D. Gadadhar Singha
Correct Answer: B. Chandrakanta Singha
Explanation:
Chandrakanta Singha attempted to recover his authority after the Burmese intervention. His efforts demonstrate that Burmese control was contested and that the transition from Ahom rule to Burmese domination was not politically uncontested.
8. Which event directly facilitated British political entry into Assam?
A. Mughal conquest of Assam
B. First Anglo-Burmese War
C. Battle of Plassey
D. Revolt of 1857
Correct Answer: B. First Anglo-Burmese War
Explanation:
The First Anglo-Burmese War brought British military forces into Assam. The British campaign resulted in the expulsion of Burmese forces and the subsequent Treaty of Yandabo. Therefore, the war forms the immediate military background to British ascendancy in Assam.
9. Which date marks the conclusion of the Treaty of Yandabo?
A. 24 February 1824
B. 28 March 1824
C. 24 February 1826
D. 28 February 1827
Correct Answer: C. 24 February 1826
Explanation:
The treaty was concluded on 24 February 1826. It is one of the most important dates in Assam’s modern history because it marked the formal end of Burmese claims over Assam and the beginning of the British political transition. (Jorhat District)
10. Which British administrator was appointed Senior Commissioner of Western Assam in February 1826?
A. Colonel Richards
B. David Scott
C. Robert Bruce
D. John Bryan Neufville
Correct Answer: B. David Scott
Explanation:
On 28 February 1826, David Scott was appointed the first Senior Commissioner of Western Assam and Agent to the Governor-General. His headquarters were at Guwahati. This appointment illustrates the rapid transition from military operations to organised British civil administration. (Jorhat District)
11. Where was the headquarters of David Scott’s administration located?
A. Rangpur
B. Jorhat
C. Guwahati
D. Sivasagar
Correct Answer: C. Guwahati
Explanation:
David Scott’s headquarters were established at Guwahati. Its strategic location helped make it an important administrative centre under the emerging British system. The official Jorhat district history records Guwahati as the headquarters of the Senior Commissioner of Western Assam. (Jorhat District)
12. Who became the first Junior Commissioner in charge of Eastern Assam?
A. David Scott
B. Colonel Richards
C. Sir Archibald Campbell
D. Captain Neufville
Correct Answer: B. Colonel Richards
Explanation:
Colonel Richards became the first Junior Commissioner responsible for Eastern Assam, with headquarters at Rangpur. The two administrative units were popularly known as Senior Khanda and Junior Khanda. (Jorhat District)
13. What were “Senior Khanda” and “Junior Khanda”?
A. Ahom military divisions
B. Burmese provinces
C. Early British administrative divisions
D. Revenue villages
Correct Answer: C. Early British administrative divisions
Explanation:
After the British takeover, the Brahmaputra Valley was initially divided into two administrative units. The western division under the senior commissioner became known as Senior Khanda, while the eastern division under the junior commissioner became Junior Khanda. (Jorhat District)
14. Which place served as the headquarters of the Junior Commissioner of Eastern Assam?
A. Guwahati
B. Rangpur
C. Goalpara
D. Tezpur
Correct Answer: B. Rangpur
Explanation:
The headquarters of the Junior Commissioner of Eastern Assam was at Rangpur, the former Ahom capital associated with the Sivasagar region. This demonstrates the continued importance of the former Ahom political centre during the initial British administrative transition. (Jorhat District)
15. Which statement best describes British ascendancy in Assam after 1826?
A. It was completed through a single administrative act on 24 February 1826
B. It developed gradually after the end of Burmese influence
C. It restored Ahom sovereignty
D. It transferred Assam to Nepal
Correct Answer: B. It developed gradually after the end of Burmese influence
Explanation:
The Treaty of Yandabo created the conditions for British ascendancy, but British administration developed progressively. The Directorate of Archives specifically describes Assam as having gradually come under British rule after the end of the First Burmese War in 1826. (Assam Archives)
16. Which factor most directly explains the decline of Burmese influence in Assam?
A. Burmese victory over Britain
B. British military success during the First Anglo-Burmese War
C. Restoration of Mughal authority
D. Ahom conquest of Burma
Correct Answer: B. British military success during the First Anglo-Burmese War
Explanation:
The Burmese position in Assam was undermined by British military operations during the First Anglo-Burmese War. The Burmese defeat led to the Treaty of Yandabo, under which Burma abandoned its claims over Assam. This marked the end of Burmese political influence and the beginning of British ascendancy.
17. Which of the following was a major background factor behind Burmese intervention in Assam?
A. Complete political stability of the Ahom kingdom
B. Weakening of Ahom political authority
C. British control of Assam since 1757
D. Mughal administration of Upper Assam
Correct Answer: B. Weakening of Ahom political authority
Explanation:
The Ahom state had been weakened by prolonged internal conflict and political instability. This reduced its ability to resist external intervention. Burmese expansion therefore occurred during a period when the traditional political system was already under considerable stress.
18. Which city was the last capital of the Ahom Kingdom before British rule?
A. Guwahati
B. Jorhat
C. Rangpur
D. Goalpara
Correct Answer: B. Jorhat
Explanation:
Jorhat was the last capital of the Ahom Kingdom. Ahom king Gaurinath shifted the capital from Rangpur/Sivasagar to Jorhat in 1794. The city subsequently suffered extensive destruction during the Burmese invasions before the arrival of British forces in 1824. (Jorhat District)
19. Which event occurred in 1828 and demonstrated that British control of Assam still faced indigenous resistance?
A. Gomdhar Konwar’s revolt
B. Treaty of Yandabo
C. First Anglo-Burmese War
D. Moamoria Rebellion
Correct Answer: A. Gomdhar Konwar’s revolt
Explanation:
In 1828, Gomdhar Konwar declared himself king and led a revolt against British authority. The British suppressed the revolt, and he was later sentenced to fourteen years’ imprisonment. The event demonstrates that the end of Burmese influence did not mean immediate acceptance of British rule. (Jorhat District)
20. Which later resistance leader was executed by the British in 1830 and is associated with the early anti-British resistance in Assam?
A. Piyali Phukan
B. Maniram Dewan
C. Kanaklata Barua
D. Kushal Konwar
Correct Answer: A. Piyali Phukan
Explanation:
Piyali Phukan, son of Badan Barphukan, was publicly hanged by the British in 1830 at Sivasagar. The Directorate of Archaeology identifies the gallows site as an important historical monument and describes Piyali Phukan as the first martyr of Assam during British rule.
21. Which archaeological site is particularly important for understanding the royal heritage of the Ahom state that preceded British ascendancy?
A. Charaideo Maidams
B. Ambari Archaeological Site
C. Madan Kamdev
D. Deoparbat
Correct Answer: A. Charaideo Maidams
Explanation:
The Charaideo Maidams are the sacred royal burial grounds of the Ahom monarchy. They provide important material evidence of Ahom royal traditions and political culture. The Directorate of Archaeology describes Charaideo as the sacred royal burial abode of the Ahom monarchy.
22. What do the Charaideo Maidams primarily represent?
A. British military cemeteries
B. Burmese administrative centres
C. Royal burial traditions of the Ahom dynasty
D. Colonial revenue offices
Correct Answer: C. Royal burial traditions of the Ahom dynasty
Explanation:
The Maidams are burial mounds associated with Ahom royalty and high-ranking members of the royal establishment. They are significant archaeological evidence of Ahom funerary customs and political culture. The site therefore provides useful heritage context for studying the political order that existed before British ascendancy.
23. Which source type is especially useful for reconstructing the transition from Burmese to British authority?
A. Colonial administrative records
B. Only modern textbooks
C. Only oral legends
D. Only temple architecture
Correct Answer: A. Colonial administrative records
Explanation:
Colonial administrative records provide documentary evidence about appointments, territorial administration, political relations and governance after 1826. The Assam State Archives preserves records relating to the colonial administration and describes the systematic maintenance of records by British administrators. (Assam Archives)
24. Which major administrative change occurred in Assam in 1874?
A. Assam became a separate Chief Commissionership
B. Assam became independent
C. Assam was annexed by Burma
D. Assam became an Ahom kingdom again
Correct Answer: A. Assam became a separate Chief Commissionership
Explanation:
The establishment of a separate Chief Commissionership in 1874 was a later stage of British administrative reorganisation. Assam was detached from the administrative control of Bengal. This should not be confused with the beginning of British rule in 1826. (Assam Archives)
25. Which later constitutional development followed the separate Chief Commissionership of Assam?
A. Assam became part of Eastern Bengal and Assam in 1905
B. Assam returned to Burmese rule
C. Assam became a Mughal province
D. Assam became an Ahom kingdom
Correct Answer: A. Assam became part of Eastern Bengal and Assam in 1905
Explanation:
Following the partition of Bengal in 1905, Assam was joined with Eastern Bengal to form the province of Eastern Bengal and Assam under a Lieutenant Governor. The Chief Commissionership of Assam was subsequently revived in 1912, and Assam became a Governor’s Province in 1921. (Assam Archives)
26. Which sequence correctly represents the broad political transition in Assam?
A. British rule → Burmese occupation → Ahom decline → Yandabo
B. Ahom decline → Burmese dominance → Anglo-Burmese War → Treaty of Yandabo → British ascendancy
C. Yandabo → Ahom decline → Burmese invasion → British withdrawal
D. Burmese withdrawal → Ahom restoration → British conquest
Correct Answer: B. Ahom decline → Burmese dominance → Anglo-Burmese War → Treaty of Yandabo → British ascendancy
Explanation:
The chronology is fundamental: the Ahom political system weakened; Burmese forces established dominance; the First Anglo-Burmese War began in 1824; the Treaty of Yandabo ended the conflict on 24 February 1826; and British authority subsequently expanded across Assam.
27. Which statement correctly distinguishes the Treaty of Yandabo from the later British administrative system?
A. Yandabo itself created the Chief Commissionership in 1874
B. Yandabo ended the war and Burmese claims, while British administration developed progressively afterward
C. Yandabo established the province of Eastern Bengal and Assam
D. Yandabo created the Governor’s Province of Assam
Correct Answer: B. Yandabo ended the war and Burmese claims, while British administration developed progressively afterward
Explanation:
The Treaty of Yandabo belongs to 1826, whereas the separate Chief Commissionership dates from 1874, the province of Eastern Bengal and Assam from 1905, and Assam’s Governor’s Province status from 1921. These are separate stages in the colonial administrative transformation. (Assam Archives)
28. Which statement most accurately summarises the end of Burmese influence in Assam?
A. It resulted in the immediate restoration of the Ahom state
B. It followed Burmese defeat in the First Anglo-Burmese War and the Treaty of Yandabo
C. It occurred after the Revolt of 1857
D. It resulted from the Moamoria Rebellion alone
Correct Answer: B. It followed Burmese defeat in the First Anglo-Burmese War and the Treaty of Yandabo
Explanation:
The end of Burmese influence was a direct consequence of the First Anglo-Burmese War and the Treaty of Yandabo. The treaty required Burma to renounce its claims and abstain from interference in Assam. British authority subsequently developed through administrative institutions and personnel. (Jorhat District)
Targeting Exams
Assam State-Level Exams
- APSC Combined Competitive Examination
- Assam Direct Recruitment Examination (ADRE)
- Assam Police Recruitment Examinations
- Assam TET
- Assam Forest Department Examinations
National-Level Exams
- UPSC Civil Services Examination
- SSC Examinations
- Railway Recruitment Examinations
Teaching & Academic Exams
- CTET
- State TET Examinations
- UGC-NET History
Other Competitive Exams
- Assam History and General Knowledge examinations
- Northeast India-focused competitive examinations
- University entrance examinations
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
1. When did Burmese influence end in Assam?
Burmese political influence ended following their defeat in the First Anglo-Burmese War and the Treaty of Yandabo in 1826.
2. What was the Treaty of Yandabo?
It was the peace settlement that ended the First Anglo-Burmese War on 24 February 1826 and required Burma to renounce its claims over Assam. (Jorhat District)
3. Who was David Scott?
David Scott was the first Senior Commissioner of Western Assam after the Treaty of Yandabo and also served as Agent to the Governor-General. His headquarters were at Guwahati. (Jorhat District)
4. Who was Colonel Richards?
Colonel Richards became the first Junior Commissioner of Eastern Assam, with headquarters at Rangpur. (Jorhat District)
5. What were Senior Khanda and Junior Khanda?
They were popular names for the two initial British administrative divisions of the Brahmaputra Valley established after Burmese withdrawal.
6. Did the Treaty of Yandabo immediately establish the final administrative structure of Assam?
No. British administration developed progressively after 1826. Assam became a separate Chief Commissionership only in 1874. (Assam Archives)
7. Who led the revolt of 1828 against early British rule?
Gomdhar Konwar declared himself king and led a revolt against the British in 1828. The revolt was suppressed. (Jorhat District)
8. Why are Charaideo Maidams important for Assam history?
They are the royal burial mounds of the Ahom dynasty and provide archaeological evidence of Ahom royal traditions and cultural practices.
9. Who was Piyali Phukan?
Piyali Phukan was an early opponent of British rule who was publicly executed at Sivasagar in 1830. His gallows site is preserved as a historical monument.
10. When did Assam become a separate Chief Commissionership?
Assam was detached from Bengal and made a separate Chief Commissionership in 1874. (Assam Archives)
External Links & Authoritative Sources
- Directorate of Archives, Government of Assam – Our History — Official chronology of the transition from Burmese influence to British rule and subsequent administrative changes. (Assam Archives)
- Jorhat District, Government of Assam – History of Jorhat — Important source for the Treaty of Yandabo, David Scott, Colonel Richards, Senior/Junior Khanda and the 1828 revolt of Gomdhar Konwar. (Jorhat District)
- Jorhat District, Government of Assam – About Jorhat — Useful for the history of Jorhat as the last Ahom capital and its destruction during the Burmese invasions. (Jorhat District)
- Directorate of Archaeology, Government of Assam – Protected Archaeological Sites — Authoritative information on Charaideo Maidams, Piyali Phukan’s gallows site and other archaeological evidence relevant to the transition from Ahom to British rule.
- Directorate of Archaeology, Government of Assam – Charaideo Archaeological Site — Information about the cultural and archaeological significance of the Ahom royal burial system. (Assam Archaeology)
Quick Revision Chronology
| Year/Date | Event |
|---|---|
| 1794 | Gaurinath Singha shifted the Ahom capital from Rangpur to Jorhat |
| 1817–1819 | Burmese invasions and increasing Burmese dominance in Assam |
| 1824 | First Anglo-Burmese War began |
| 24 February 1826 | Treaty of Yandabo concluded |
| 28 February 1826 | David Scott appointed Senior Commissioner of Western Assam |
| 1826 | Assam gradually came under British rule |
| 1828 | Gomdhar Konwar’s revolt against British authority |
| 1830 | Piyali Phukan executed by the British |
| 1874 | Assam became a separate Chief Commissionership |
| 1905 | Assam became part of Eastern Bengal and Assam |
| 1912 | Chief Commissionership of Assam revived |
| 1921 | Assam became a Governor’s Province |
The central examination sequence to remember is:
Ahom decline → Burmese dominance → First Anglo-Burmese War → Treaty of Yandabo (1826) → British ascendancy → Early resistance → Colonial administrative reorganisation. (Jorhat District)