Day: January 14, 2018

“It was not due to lack of valour or obsolete army that Marathas lost to British but internal quarrels, lack of strategy and poor diplomacy which consequently gave British the control of almost all the country”. Analyse in context of Anglo-Maratha wars. ©selfstudyhistory.com Ans: The British never conquered India by remaining undefeated. For e.g. they lost […]

“The growth of territorial empire in India was neither planned nor directed from Britain.” Critically Analyze. ©selfstudyhistory.com Ans: Imperialist historians have always argued that the growth of territorial empire in India was neither planned nor directed from Britain. P.J. Marshall’s views (1968) Until 1784 (i.e., the passage of Pitt’s India Act), there was no conscious or consistent […]

“The Ghadar Movement not only underestimated the armed and organizational might of the British, but the ideological foundations of their rule as well. It has been argued that they fought in vain.” Critically evaluate. ©selfstudyhistory.com Ans: The Ghadar movement was attempt by the revolutionary leaders of Ghadar party to launch a violent attack on British India. […]

 “… instead of rejecting the plan (Cabinet Mission Plan), they (the Congress Leadership) resorted to a half-baked legalistic stratagem to reserve their position on its long-term arrangements and accepted its short-term provisions.” Critically examine.  ©selfstudyhistory.com Ans: The Cabinet Mission consisting of three British Cabinet Ministers was sent in 1946 to India. It aimed to discuss the […]

“The Treaty of Salbai (1782) was neither honorable to the English nor advantageous to their interests.” Comment. ©selfstudyhistory.com Ans: The First Anglo-Maratha War (1775-1782) had happened when the British interfered in the matters of Marathas backing Ragunath Rao for Peshwaship against  Madhavrao II who was supported by Nana Phadnavis. The Treaty of Salbai was signed in […]

“Plassey did not complete the British conquest of India. Had the English been convincingly defeated in any subsequent battle in India, then (the battle of) Plassey would have remained as a minor episode in the history of India.” Critically examine. ©selfstudyhistory.com The Battle of Plassey was a decisive victory of the British East India Company over the Nawab of Bengal, Sirajudaullah on […]

What do you mean by commercialization of Indian Agriculture? Discuss its result. ©selfstudyhistory.com Ans: Commercialisation of agriculture Commercialisation of agriculture is a phe­nomenon where agriculture is governed by commer­cial consideration i.e. certain specialised crops began to be grown not for consumption in village but for sale in national and international market. Commercialization of agriculture in India […]

“In the summer of 1942 Gandhi was in a strange and uniquely militant mood.” Comment. ©selfstudyhistory.com Ans: Mahatma Gandhi had always followed nonviolence and Satyagraha during the freedom movements like Non-Cooperation Movement and Civil Disobedience Movement. He did not hesitate to take unpopular decision of withdrawing the movement once violence spread. He also opposed any class […]

The British conquered India “in a fit of absent minded-ness”. Comment.  ©selfstudyhistory.com Ans: British historian Lord Seely had coined the famous phrase that India was conquered “in a fit of absent-mindedness” in his book. ‘The Expansion of Britain‘ in 1883. This can be justified by the following facts: British conquest of India was unique as […]

The Christian Missionary propaganda from 1813 onwards was “often insensitive and wounding.” Comment. ©selfstudyhistory.com Ans: The chief proponent of spread of christianity in India was Charles Grant who argued in 1792 that the principle problem of India was the religious ideas that perpetuated the ignorance of Indian people. He claimed that this could be effectively changed […]