From Trade to Territory: The Company Establishes Power – Very Short Answer Type Questions
CBSE Class 8 • Social Science
NCERT syllabus
Very short answers
Topic-wise
CBSE Assessment Guidance
Use these questions for quick recall, formative assessments, and board-style practice focusing on events, causes, and consequences in Chapter 2.
Content Bank: Key dates, names, definitions, timeline, sources, map points, practice prompts.
Topic A: Background & Trade
1. Who established the East India Company?
English merchants established the British East India Company in 1600.
2. What was the main aim of the Company initially?
Its main aim was to trade in Asian goods like spices, textiles and indigo.
3. What is a 'factory' in Company terms?
A factory was a trading post with a warehouse and offices where Company agents worked.
4. Name two early Company trading ports in India.
Surat and Calcutta (Kolkata) were important early Company ports.
5. Why did Europeans set up trading posts on the coast?
Coastal posts facilitated sea trade, warehousing and easy shipment to Europe.
6. Which commodities attracted Company traders to India?
Textiles, spices, saltpetre, indigo and other goods attracted traders.
7. How did competition with other Europeans influence Company policies?
Rivalry with the Dutch and French pushed the Company to protect trade, sometimes militarily.
8. What role did local merchants play?
Local merchants acted as middlemen, suppliers and sometimes allies to the Company.
Topic B: Plassey & Military Involvement
9. When was the Battle of Plassey fought?
The Battle of Plassey was fought in 1757.
10. Who led the Company forces at Plassey?
Robert Clive led the Company forces at Plassey.
11. Who was the Nawab defeated at Plassey?
Siraj-ud-Daulah was the Nawab of Bengal defeated at Plassey.
12. What factor helped the Company win at Plassey?
Defections by some of the Nawab’s commanders and secret deals helped the Company win.
13. Name one immediate consequence of Plassey.
The Company gained political influence in Bengal after Plassey.
14. How did military power aid Company expansion?
Armed forces protected trade and enabled the Company to intervene in politics and wars.
15. Why were alliances important to the Company?
Alliances with local elites helped secure support and legitimacy for Company claims.
16. Which European rival did the Company defeat in India?
The Company defeated the French in key contests for influence in India.
Topic C: Diwani and Revenue Rights
17. What does 'Diwani' mean?
Diwani means the right to collect revenue and administer land revenue.
18. In which year did the Company obtain Diwani for Bengal?
The Company obtained Diwani in 1765.
19. Why was obtaining Diwani important?
It provided the Company with a steady income to fund administration and armies.
20. How did Diwani affect peasants?
Increased revenue demands often led to peasant hardship and indebtedness.
21. Who collected revenue on behalf of the Company?
Company officials, local agents and revenue farmers collected taxes for the Company.
22. What was a revenue farmer?
A revenue farmer was a contractor who paid a fixed sum to collect taxes and kept the surplus.
23. How did revenue control strengthen the Company politically?
Control over revenue gave the Company resources to govern and influence local elites.
24. Name a problem caused by Company revenue policies.
Corruption, exploitation by intermediaries and increased peasant distress were major problems.
Topic D: Administration and Economic Impact
25. What administrative changes did the Company introduce?
They introduced record-keeping, courts, policing and officials to manage revenue and governance.
26. How did Company policies affect artisans?
Artisans faced declining patronage and competition from imported manufactured goods.
27. What happened to traditional trade networks?
Some local networks were disrupted or redirected to serve European markets.
28. How did the Company finance its military and administration?
Through revenue from land, trade profits, and contributions from local allies.
29. Give one example of economic exploitation under Company rule.
Forcing peasants to pay high taxes or monopolising certain commodities were forms of exploitation.
30. How did Company rule change urban centres?
Some urban centres expanded as administrative and trade hubs under Company control.
31. What was the impact on rural society?
Increased taxation and indebtedness altered landownership and rural livelihoods.
32. Why did merchants sometimes collaborate with the Company?
Merchants collaborated for protection, profit opportunities and access to wider markets.
Topic E: Resistance and Local Reactions
33. Name one form of resistance to Company policies.
Peasant uprisings and rebellions by zamindars or dispossessed rulers were common forms.
34. How did local elites sometimes respond to Company power?
Some resisted, others negotiated or allied with the Company for advantage.
35. Give an example of a complaint peasants made.
Complaints included high taxes, corrupt collectors and loss of land.
36. Did all resistance succeed immediately?
No, many early resistances failed but indicated popular discontent and limits of Company control.
37. How did Company react to rebellions?
The Company often used force, negotiated settlements, or co-opted local leaders to restore order.
38. What role did petitions and legal complaints play?
They were peaceful means for people to seek redress and influence Company officials.
39. How did changing land rights affect zamindars?
Some zamindars gained power as intermediaries; others lost authority or revenue sources.
40. Why is local resistance important for historians?
It shows social impact, popular voices, and the limits of colonial authority in practice.
Topic F: Sources and Historiography
41. Name two types of sources historians use for this chapter.
Company records and local chronicles are two key source types.
42. Why are Company records useful?
They reveal policies, correspondence, revenue figures and administrative decisions.
43. What are the limitations of Company sources?
They may be biased to justify Company actions and ignore local perspectives.
44. How do historians use local accounts?
Local accounts provide alternative viewpoints, social details and evidence of resistance.
45. What is historiography?
Historiography is the study of how historians have interpreted events and why interpretations change.
46. Why do interpretations of Company expansion change over time?
New evidence, different perspectives and research approaches lead historians to revise views.
Topic G: Revision and Exam Tips
47. Mention one quick revision method for this chapter.
Make a timeline of key events and persons for quick recall.
48. What should you include in a source-based answer?
Mention the source type, its usefulness, and one limitation or bias.
49. Name two dates students must remember from this chapter.
1757 (Plassey) and 1765 (Diwani) are essential dates to remember.
50. One exam tip for writing long answers on this chapter?
Structure answers with introduction, main points with examples, and a brief conclusion.
Note: These very short questions and answers follow the NCERT Class 8 Chapter 2 syllabus and are ideal for quick revision and CBSE-style practice.