From Trade to Territory: The Company Establishes Power – Short Answer Type Questions
CBSE Class 8 • Social Science
CBSE Assessment Guidance
Use these topic-wise short answer questions for class tests, revision and board-style practice. Answers are concise (3–4 lines) and strictly NCERT-aligned.
Content Bank: Key events, Diwani, Plassey, revenue, administration, economic impact, resistance, sources, maps, and exam tips.
Topic A: Background & Trade
1. When was the British East India Company founded?
The Company was founded in 1600 by English merchants with a royal charter to trade in Asia.
2. What products attracted the Company to India?
Textiles, spices, indigo, saltpetre and other commodities attracted Company traders to India.
3. Define a 'factory' in the Company context.
A factory was a trading post or establishment with warehouses and offices where Company agents conducted business.
4. Name two early trading ports used by the Company.
Surat and Calcutta (Kolkata) were important early ports for Company trade activities.
5. Why did European companies compete in India?
They competed for profitable trade routes, markets, and control over commodities, leading to rivalries and occasional conflict.
6. What role did local merchants play in Company trade?
Local merchants served as intermediaries, suppliers and partners in facilitating trade between producers and Company agents.
7. How did the Company protect its commercial interests?
The Company built fortifications, maintained armed forces and formed alliances to protect ships and trading posts.
8. What is meant by 'trade to territory'?
It refers to the process where trade dominance led the Company to acquire political control and territorial rights in India.
Topic B: Plassey and Military Involvement
9. What year was the Battle of Plassey fought?
The Battle of Plassey was fought in 1757, marking a turning point in Company influence in Bengal.
10. Who commanded Company forces at Plassey?
Robert Clive commanded the Company forces at the Battle of Plassey.
11. Who was the Nawab defeated at Plassey?
Siraj-ud-Daulah, the Nawab of Bengal, was defeated at Plassey.
12. Mention one reason for the Company's victory at Plassey.
Defections by some of the Nawab's commanders and secret agreements aided the Company's victory.
13. How did military strength influence Company power?
Military strength allowed the Company to intervene in local succession disputes and protect its interests, expanding influence.
14. What was the political impact of Plassey?
Plassey enabled the Company to control Bengal's politics and policies, increasing its political leverage.
15. How did alliances help the Company?
Alliances with local elites and military allies secured support and legitimised Company interventions in regional affairs.
16. Name a European rival of the Company in India.
The French were a significant European rival, contesting influence in India.
Topic C: Diwani and Revenue
17. What does 'Diwani' refer to?
Diwani refers to the right to collect revenue and manage land revenue administration.
18. In which year did the Company obtain Diwani for Bengal?
The Company obtained Diwani rights in 1765, gaining revenue collection authority.
19. Why was obtaining Diwani important for the Company?
Diwani provided a steady income to fund administration and military activities, strengthening control.
20. Who collected revenue for the Company?
Company-appointed officials, local agents and revenue contractors collected taxes on behalf of the Company.
21. What is a revenue farmer?
A revenue farmer paid a fixed amount to the Company and collected taxes, keeping any surplus as profit.
22. How did Diwani affect administrative structures?
It led to Company administrative systems, record-keeping and local intermediaries managing revenue collection.
23. What impact did revenue demands have on peasants?
Higher revenue demands often caused peasant indebtedness, distress and sometimes loss of land.
24. Name a negative consequence of revenue administration.
Corruption, exploitation by intermediaries and increased peasant hardship were common consequences.
Topic D: Administration and Economic Effects
25. What administrative institutions did the Company set up?
They set up offices for revenue, courts, policing and record-keeping to govern territories.
26. How were craft producers affected?
Many craft producers faced loss of patronage and competition from cheap imported manufactories.
27. What happened to local trade networks?
Local trade networks were reorganised or redirected to serve European markets and Company interests.
28. How did the Company finance its administration?
Administration was financed through land revenue, trade profits and contributions from local allies.
29. Give an example of economic exploitation.
Monopolising goods, forcing high taxes and exploiting peasants were examples of economic exploitation.
30. How did urban centres change under Company rule?
Some towns grew as administrative and trade hubs while others declined if their crafts suffered.
31. What was the effect on land ownership?
Changes in revenue systems led to shifts in land ownership, with some losing land and others gaining as intermediaries.
32. Why did some local elites collaborate with the Company?
They collaborated for security, profit and to maintain or enhance local influence under new structures.
33. How did Company policies affect peasants' livelihoods?
Increased taxation and changing markets often reduced incomes and increased vulnerability among peasants.
34. Mention one administrative reform introduced by the Company.
Introduction of systematic record-keeping and revenue registers was a key administrative reform.
Topic E: Resistance and Local Responses
35. Name one form of resistance to Company rule.
Peasant uprisings and complaints, local revolts by zamindars, and protests were common forms of resistance.
36. Did all local rulers accept Company power?
No, some resisted while others negotiated or allied with the Company for advantage.
37. How did peasants voice grievances?
Peasants petitioned officials, staged protests, or sometimes revolted against oppressive practices.
38. What was the Company's usual response to rebellion?
The Company often used military force, negotiated settlements, or co-opted local leaders to restore order.
39. How did changing power affect zamindars?
Some zamindars gained authority as Company intermediaries while others lost revenue and influence.
40. Why are petitions historically important?
Petitions provide written evidence of popular grievances and attempts to seek redress from authorities.
Topic F: Sources and Historiography
43. Name two primary sources for studying Company expansion.
Company correspondence and revenue records are key primary sources for this period.
44. What limits Company records might have?
They may be biased to present Company actions favourably and often ignore local perspectives.
45. How do local chronicles help historians?
Local chronicles provide alternate viewpoints, social details, and records of resistance or impact on people.
46. What does historiography study?
Historiography studies how historians have interpreted events and how those interpretations have changed over time.
47. Why do historians revise earlier views?
New evidence, different methodologies and changing perspectives lead historians to revise earlier interpretations.
48. Give one method historians use to cross-check sources.
Corroboration—comparing multiple independent sources—is a key method to verify facts and interpretations.
Topic G: Revision and Exam Tips
49. Suggest one quick revision strategy for this chapter.
Make a one-page timeline and a two-column table: Event/Policy and its Effect on society for quick recall.
50. What should a student include when answering a source-based question on this chapter?
Mention the source type, its usefulness, at least one limitation, and corroborative evidence if available.
Note: These short answer questions are strictly aligned with NCERT Class 8 Chapter 2 and suitable for CBSE Class 8 board exam preparation.