G8-HIS-L2 From Trade to Territory

What was the main reason for the East India Company's initial reluctance to acquire territories in India?

• They lacked military power
• Their primary objective was trade expansion
• They feared local resistance
• They didn't have permission from the British crown

Which battle marked a turning point in the East India Company's transition from a trading company to a territorial power?

• Battle of Buxar
• Battle of Seringapatam
• Battle of Plassey
• Third Anglo-Maratha War

What was the significance of the Company acquiring the Diwani of Bengal in 1765?

• It allowed them to collect land revenue
• It gave them control over the Mughal army
• It made them the official rulers of India
• It eliminated all other European trading companies

What was the 'Doctrine of Lapse' introduced by Lord Dalhousie?

• A policy to improve education in India
• A method to recruit more Indian soldiers
• A way to annex kingdoms without male heirs
• A system to collect more taxes

How did the Company's approach to expansion change in the early 19th century under Lord Hastings?

• They focused more on trade
• They initiated the policy of 'paramountcy'
• They reduced military interventions
• They granted more autonomy to Indian rulers

What was the main reason behind the Company's invasion of Afghanistan in the late 1830s?

• To expand trade routes
• Fear of Russian expansion
• To spread Christianity
• To find new sources of revenue

How did Warren Hastings reform the justice system in India?

• By eliminating all Indian laws
• By establishing separate civil and criminal courts
• By making British law supreme
• By giving more power to local zamindars

What was the role of the 'Collector' in the Company's administration?

• To command the army
• To negotiate with Indian rulers
• To collect revenue and maintain law and order
• To oversee trade operations

How did the Company's army recruitment strategy differ from the Mughal army?

• They relied more on cavalry
• They recruited and trained peasants as soldiers
• They only recruited British soldiers
• They didn't have a standing army

What challenge did the Company face when implementing European-style training in its army?

• Lack of equipment
• Language barriers
• Resistance from Indian rulers
• Conflict with caste and community feelings