History (Eighteenth Century Political Formation)

Q1.Explain the three types of states that existed in 18 century.

The states of the 18th century can be divided into three overlapping groups –
1.States that were old Mughal provinces like Awadh, Bengal and Hyderabad.
Although extremely powerful and quite independent, the rulers of these states
did not break their formal ties with the Mughal emperors.
2. States that had enjoyed considerable independence under the Mughals as
Watan Jagir. These included several Rajput principalities.
3. The last group included states under the control of Marathas, Sikhs and
others like the Jats. These were of differing sizes and had seized their
independence from the Mughals after a long drawn armed struggle.
Q2. Discuss the crisis of the Mughal Empire faced after the death of
Aurangzeb.
1. Emperor Aurangzeb had depleted military and financial resources of his
empire by fighting the long war in Deccan.
2. Under his successors, the efficiency of the imperial administration broke
down. It became difficult for later Mughals to keep a check on their
powerful Mansabdars.
3. Peasants and Zamindars rebelled in many parts of northern and western
India due to increasing taxes.
4. Nobles, appointed as governors, often controlled the offices of revenue
and military administration. They consolidated their control over the
provinces.
5. It was further weakened by competition amongst different groups of
nobles like Iranis and Turanis.
Q3. How did Sikhs become a political power?
1. Several battles were fought by Guru Govind Singh against the Rajput and
Mughal rulers, both before and after the set up of the Khalsa in 1699.
2. The Khalsa declared their sovereign rule by making coins in the name of
Guru Nanak and Guru Govind Singh.
3. They established their own rule between the Sutlej and Jamuna.
4. Their combined forces were known as grand Army (dal Khalsa).
Q4. Why did the Marathas want to expand beyond the Deccan?
Marathas wanted to expand beyond the Deccan because of the following
reasons:

1. They wanted to clip away the authority of the Mughal Empire.

2. Maratha king to be recognised as the overlord of the entire Deccan
peninsula.
 3. To possess the right to collect Chauth and sardeshmukhi in the
entire region.

Q5. Who was Shivaji?

Shivaji was the founder of the Maratha Kingdom.

Q6. What was Chauth?

25% of the land revenue claimed by zamindars was known as Chauth.

Q7. What was sardeshmukhi?

9-10% of the land revenue paid to the head revenue collector in the Deccan
was known as sardeshmukhi.

Q8. describe the common features of the three states- Hyderabad, Bengal and
Awadh.

1. They were all established by the Mughal nobles who were given the
governorship of the territory.
2. They contracted with Revenue farmers for collection of revenue and
practice of ijardari, though disapproved by the Mughals,spread all over
India.
3. All these regional states had relationship with the bankers and money
lenders.
4. Bankers received land as security and collected taxes from there through
agents.

Q9.what do you understand by watan jagir?

Many Rajput kings, particularly belonging to Amber and Jodhpur had served
extremely well under the Mughals. In exchange, they were allowed to enjoy
considerable autonomy in their watan jagirs. These rulers, in the 18th century,
attempted to extend their control over adjacent areas.

** OBJECTIVE TYPE QUESTIONS

Q. 1. Fill in the blanks with appropriate words:
1. Third battle of Panipat (1761) was fought between
Marathas and Ahmad Shah Abdali.
2. Ruler of Iran Nadir Shah plundered the city of Delhi in
1739.
 3. Mughal nobles were divided in two factions, the
Iranis and the Turanis.
4. Revenue in Bengal was collected in cash.
5.Chief Minister of Marathas was called Peshwa.
6.System of rakhi offered protection to cultivators on
payment of 20% of produce.