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BPSC Modern history Question Bank

BPSC Modern history Question Bank of BPSC Previous Year’s Papers for preparation of BPSC Prelims and other Bihar state examinations.

1. Who was the first Portuguese Viceroy in India? (BPSC – 2001)

(a) Diaz
(b) Vasco da Gama
(c) Francisco de Almeida
(d) Albuquerque

Correct Answer –  (c) Francisco de Almeida

  • Vasco da Gama arrived on western coast of India at Calicut on May 20, 1498 A.D. 
  • He discovered a new sea route to India which opened the new trade dimensions of the Indo-Portuguese alliance. 
  • Francisco de Almeida came to India in 1505 as the first Portuguese Viceroy.
  • He was followed by Albuquerque who came to India in 1509 and annexed Goa in 1510 from Bijapur ruler Adilshah. 

2. Where in India did Britishers set up their first factory in 1613 ? (BPSC – 1994)

(a) Goa
(b) Hooghly
(c) Amarkot
(d) Surat

Correct Answer – (d) Surat

  • Captain William Hawkins reached the Mughal Court in 1608 but did not succeed to get permission to set up a factory. 
  • Even after Portuguese resistance, the British established a permanent factory in Surat in 1613 and later expanded their trade to other parts of India.

3. Which of the British officials defeated the Portuguese at Sowlley ? (BPSC – 2000)

(a) William Hawkins
(b) Thomas Best
(c) Thomas Roe
(d) Josiah Child

Correct Answer –  (b) Thomas Best

  • The British East India Company defeated the Portuguese in the Battle of Swally, also known as the Battle of Suvali, on November 30, 1612. 
  • The battle took place off the coast of Suvali, a village near Surat, Gujarat, India. 
  • Thomas Best, who led the British side dissolved the Portuguese monopoly with the victory of Surat port.
  • Consequently, the British established their first factory in Surat in 1613.

4. Which one of the following was the immediate cause of the First Carnatic War ? (BPSC – 2000)

(a) Anglo-French Rivalry
(b) Austrian War of Succession
(c) Issues of Carnatic Succession
(d) Capture of French ships by the British

Correct Answer – (d) Capture of French ships by the British

  • The first Carnatic War (1746-48) was an offshoot of the Anglo-French rivalry in the Austrian war of succession that took place in Europe in the 1740s.
  •  The British Captain Bennett captured some French ships which became the immediate cause of war. 
  • Treaty of Aix-La-Chapelle ended the war of Austrian succession and with it the first Carnatic war ended and Madras was returned to the Britishers again.

5. Emperor Shah Alam- II gave the Diwani of Bengal – Bihar and Orissa to the East India Company on ? (BPSC – 2008)

(a) 12 August, 1765
(b) 18 August, 1765
(c) 29 August, 1765
(d) 21 August, 1765

Correct Answer –  (a) 12 August, 1765

  • The Treaty of Allahabad was signed on August 12, 1765 after the Battle of Buxar.
  • It was signed between Mughal Emperor Shah Alam II, Robert Clive of the East India Company, and Nawab Shuja-ud-Daulah.
  • As per the treaty the Mughal Emperor Shah Alam II was taken under the company’s protection and was to reside at Allahabad. 
  • The Emperor issued an order dated 12th August, 1765 granting Company the Diwani of Bengal, Bihar and Orissa in return the company had to make an annual payment of Rs 26 Lakhs to him and provide Rs 53 Lakhs for the expenses of the Nizamat. 

6. Identify the region from where Europeans got the best Shora and Opium ? (BPSC – 1995)

(a) Bihar
(c) Bengal
(b) Gujarat
(d) Madras

Correct Answer – (a) Bihar

  • The Europeans obtained the best Shora and Opium from Bihar.

7. During British rule which region of India was famous for the production of opium? (BPSC – 2005)
(a) Bihar
(c) Gujarat
(b) Southern India
(d) Assam

Correct Answer – (a) Bihar

  • During British rule, the state of Bihar was famous for the production of opium.
  • Opium grown in Bihar was traded in the neighboring countries by the British government.

8. Who was appointed Deputy Diwan of Murshidabad by Robert Clive after the Allahabad Treaty? (BPSC – 2001)

(a) Mohd. Raza Khan
(b) Shitab Rai
(c) Rai Durlabh
(d) Syed Ghulam Hussain

Correct Answer – (a) Mohd. Raza Khan

  • Treaty of Allahabad conferred Diwani rights(fiscal revenue collection authority) of Bengal, Bihar and Orissa to the Company.
  • Company appointed Mohammad Raza Khan as Deputy Diwan of Murshidabad and Raja Shitab Rai as Deputy Diwan of Bihar for tax collection.

9. Ranjeet Singh got the famous Kohinoor diamond from ? (BPSC – 1996)

(a) Shah Suza
(b) Zaman Shah
(c) Dost Mohammad
(d) Sher Ali

Correct Answer – (a) Shah Suza

  • In 1800 AD, Shah Shuja (grand son of Ahmad Shah Abdali) sat on the throne of Kabul but Shah Mahmud (brother of Shah Shuja) along with Fateh Singh and Dost Muhammad dethroned him and occupied Kashmir and Peshawar. 
  • In that situation, Shah Shuja asked Ranjeet Singh for help and in return presented him with Kohinoor diamond.

10. Tipu Sultan set up his capital at ? (BPSC – 1992)

(a) Srirangapatnam
(c) Banglore
(b) Mysore
(d) Coimbatore

Correct Answer – (a) Srirangapatnam

  • Tipu Sultan, commonly referred as Tiger of Mysore, set up his capital at Srirangapatnam.
  • He was the son of Hyder Ali.
  • He  was the founding member of ‘Jacobin Club’ and also planted “the tree of liberty” as a symbol of alliance between France and Mysore in Srirangapatnam.

11. The British made the Treaty of Srirangapatnam with who among the following ? (BPSC – 1997)

(a) Hyder Ali
(b) Dupleix
(c) Tipu Sultan
(d) Nandraj

Correct Answer – (c) Tipu Sultan

  • The Third Anglo-Mysore War (1790-92) ended with the Treaty of Srirangapatnam (1792). 
  • It was signed by Tipu Sultan and British Governor Cornwallis. 
  • Terms of the treaty were very harsh for Tipu as half of the territories of Tipu were snatched away from him.
  • Tipu also had to pay Rs. 3.30 crore as war indemnity to the British and his two sons were kept hostage.

12. Queen Victoria was appointed the Empress of India in ? (BPSC – 1992)

(a) 1858
(b) 1876
(c) 1877
(d) 1885

Correct Answer –  (a) 1858

  • Queen Victoria was appointed the Empress of India in 1858.
  • It is to be noted here that Queen Victoria was given the title of ‘Kaiser-i-Hind’ in 1877 during Delhi Durbar.

13. Who among the following abolished the ‘Dual Government’ system in Bengal ? (BPSC – 2005)

(a) Robert Clive
(b) Lord Cornwallis
(c) Warren Hastings
(d) None of the above

Correct Answer – (c) Warren Hastings

  • Dual Government was introduced at the time of Rober Clive after the Treaty of Allahabad.
  • It was abolished by Warren Hastings.
  • Subsequently both the deputy Divans Muhammad Raza Khan and Raja Shitab Roy were removed by Warren Hastings.

14. First Maratha Sardar to accept the subsidiary alliance of Lord Wellesley was ? (BPSC – 1996)

(a) Bajirao- II
(b) Raghuji Bhosle
(c) Daulatrao Sindhia
(d) None of the above

Correct Answer – (a) Bajirao- II

  • The subsidiary alliance system was introduced in India by Lord Wellesley. 
  • The Nizam of Hyderabad was the first to enter into such an alliance. 
  • The Nawab of Awadh was next to accept the alliance.
  • Maratha ruler Bajirao II was the first Maratha ruler who accepted a subsidiary alliance.
  • Subsequently, Hyderabad (1798), Tanjore and Mysore (1799), Awadh (1801), Bhonsle (1803), Sindhiya (1804), Indore (1817)were brought under this system.

15. The first railway in India was laid down during the period of ? (BPSC – 2008)

(a) Lord Dalhousie
(b) Lord Curzon
(c) Lord Wellesley
(d) Lord Lytton

Correct Answer – (a) Lord Dalhousie

  • The development of the railway line in India was started during the period of British Governor-General Lord Dalhousie.
  • The first railway line was laid down from Mumbai to Thane in 1853.
  • The main objective of the development of railways in India:
    • To carry raw materials from internal parts of the country to the ports
    • To carry finished goods from ports to the internal parts
    • To carry the army to remote areas, to crush the local uprisings and revolts.

16. In which among the following viceroy period, the title of ‘Rai Bahadur’ and ‘Khan Bahadur’ were begun to be conferred to Indians? (BPSC – 2016)

(a) Lord Ripon
(b) Lord Lytton
(c) Lord Mayo
(d) Lord Dufferin
(e) None of the above/More than one of the above

Correct Answer –  (b) Lord Lytton

  • The title of ‘Rai Bahadur’ and ‘Khan Bahadur’ were begun to be conferred to Indians during the period of viceroy Lytton.

17. “In my belief, Congress is tottering to its fall and one of my great ambitions while in India is to assist it to a peaceful demise.” Who wrote it? (BPSC – 2016)

(a) Lord Lytton
(b) Lord Dufferin
(c) Lord Curzon
(d) Lord Minto
(e) None of the above/More than one of the above

Correct Answer – (c) Lord Curzon

  • Lord Curzon became India’s Viceroy between 1899 and 1905.
  • He was the youngest Viceroy of India at the age of 39.
  • The partition of the undivided Bengal in 1905 was one of Curzon’s most controversial decisions, which triggered widespread opposition not only in Bengal but across India.
  • In 1900 AD Curzon said – “My own belief is that the congress is tottering to its fall, and one of my great ambitions while in India is to assist it to a peaceful demise”.

18. “The Muslims, if contented and satisfied, would become the greatest bulwark of British power in India”. Who wrote it ? (BPSC – 2016)

(a) Herbert Risley
(b) Lord Lytton
(c) W.W. Hunter
(d) H.N. Brailsford
(e) None of the above/More than one of the above

Correct Answer –  (c) W.W. Hunter

  • W.W. Hunter in his book ‘The Indian Musalmans’ wrote “The Muslims, if contented and satisfied, would become the greatest bulwark of British power in India”.

19. The ‘Permanent Settlement’ was made with ? (BPSC – 2011)

(a) Zamindars
(b) Village communities
(c) Muqaddamas
(d) Peasants

Correct Answer –  (a) Zamindars

  • The Permanent Settlement (1793 AD) was introduced by Lord Cornwallis.
  • It was an agreement between East India company and Bengali landlords to fix revenues to be raised from the land. 
  • The total amount of revenue to be paid by each landlord for his Zamindari was fixed once for all.
  • The Permanent Settlement recognized the landlords as the proprietors of the land. 
  • The landlords were given the right to transfer or sell their land however all their rights ended if they failed to pay the amount fixed by the East India company.

20. Which one of the following is correct about the permanent settlement introduced in Bihar ? (BPSC – 2008)

(a) The Zamindars were deprived of the ownership of the land.
(b) The right of ownership of land was made hereditary and transferable for the Zamindars.
(c) Land revenue was constitutionalised
(d) Abolition of Zamindari

Correct Answer –  (b) The right of ownership of land was made hereditary and transferable for the Zamindars.

  • As per the permanent settlement system, the right of ownership of land was made hereditary and transferable for the zamindars. 
  • The landlords were given the right to transfer or sell their land however all their rights ended if they failed to pay the amount fixed by the East India company.

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