Very Short Answer Type Questions
Colonial Cities – The Urbanisation of the Imperial Capital
Very Short Answer Type Questions with Answers
CBSE Class 12 History | NCERT Based
1. What is the main theme of the chapter “Colonial Cities”?
The chapter focuses on urban history under colonial rule.
2. Which cities were known as presidency cities in colonial India?
Calcutta, Bombay, and Madras were presidency cities.
3. Why did colonial cities grow rapidly?
They grew as centres of administration, trade, and imperial control.
4. Which city was the capital of British India before 1911?
Calcutta was the capital of British India before 1911.
5. In which year was the British capital shifted from Calcutta to Delhi?
The capital was shifted in 1911.
6. Why was Delhi chosen as the new imperial capital?
Delhi had historical significance and a central location.
7. What new city was built as the imperial capital?
New Delhi was built as the new imperial capital.
8. Who was the main architect of New Delhi?
Edwin Lutyens was the main architect of New Delhi.
9. What did the layout of New Delhi symbolise?
It symbolised British power, order, and authority.
10. What were cantonments in colonial cities?
Cantonments were military areas reserved for British troops.
11. What were civil lines meant for?
Civil lines were residential areas for British officials.
12. What is meant by racial segregation in colonial cities?
It refers to the physical separation of Europeans and Indians.
13. What were “White Towns”?
White Towns were residential areas for Europeans.
14. What were “Black Towns”?
Black Towns were areas where Indians lived and worked.
15. How did colonial planning affect Indian neighbourhoods?
Indian areas were overcrowded and poorly serviced.
16. Why were British officials concerned about sanitation?
They feared diseases like plague and cholera.
17. Which sections benefited most from sanitary reforms?
European residential areas benefited the most.
18. Name one major feature of colonial architecture.
Colonial architecture emphasised grandeur and symmetry.
19. Why were government buildings built on high ground?
They were meant to visually dominate the city.
20. What role did railways play in urban growth?
Railways connected cities with hinterlands and expanded urban areas.
21. Which transport system improved movement within cities?
Trams improved movement within colonial cities.
22. Which social group expanded rapidly in colonial cities?
The Indian middle class expanded rapidly.
23. Which professions grew in colonial urban centres?
Clerks, lawyers, teachers, and doctors grew in number.
24. How did English education influence urban society?
It created new professions and social identities.
25. Why did cities become centres of political activity?
They provided spaces for meetings, newspapers, and associations.
26. What forms of entertainment developed in colonial cities?
Theatres, cinema halls, and clubs developed.
27. Were all public spaces equally accessible to Indians?
No, many spaces were restricted by race and class.
28. How did colonial cities differ from traditional Indian cities?
They were planned, segregated, and administratively controlled.
29. What role did print media play in urban life?
It spread political ideas and public opinion.
30. How did Indians adapt to colonial urban culture?
They adopted new jobs, lifestyles, and education.
31. Why did colonial authorities prefer wide roads?
Wide roads helped in surveillance and troop movement.
32. What was the purpose of public parks in colonial cities?
They served recreation and control of public gatherings.
33. How did colonial rule change the meaning of cities?
Cities became symbols of imperial authority.
34. What kind of housing conditions did Indians face?
They lived in congested and poorly maintained areas.
35. Which factor limited equality in colonial cities?
Racial discrimination limited equality.
36. How did colonial cities contribute to nationalism?
They provided spaces for political organisation and protest.
37. What was the British attitude towards Indian urban spaces?
They viewed them as unhygienic and disorderly.
38. Why is New Delhi called a planned city?
It was designed systematically before construction.
39. What does urban history help historians understand?
It reveals everyday life under colonial rule.
40. Why is this chapter important for CBSE Class 12 students?
It explains how colonialism reshaped Indian cities and society.