Consider the following statements: 1. In the 19th century, peasants in various parts of India rose in revolt against moneylenders and grain dealers. 2. In May 1875, at village Supa in Poona District in the Bombay Deccan, peasants attacked shopkeepers, burnt the bahi khatas (account books), looted grain shops and set fire to the houses of Sahukars. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
- A.1 only
- B.2 only
- C.Both 1 and 2
- D.Neither 1 nor 2
Correct answer
Explanation
The correct answer is C, Both 1 and 2. Peasant risings against moneylenders were common in the 19th century, and the Deccan Riots began at Supa in May 1875.
Under the British revenue system peasants had to pay fixed land tax in cash, often at harsh rates, so they borrowed from moneylenders (sahukars) at high interest and lost their land when they could not repay. In the Bombay Deccan, the cotton boom of the American Civil War ended in 1865, prices fell and the Ryotwari revenue was raised. On 12 May 1875 ryots at Supa in Poona district attacked the sahukars, burnt their bahi khatas and debt bonds, and looted grain shops. The revolt spread to Ahmednagar, and the Deccan Agriculturists' Relief Act, 1879 followed.
A is wrong because statement 2 is also correct. B is wrong because statement 1 is also correct. D is wrong because both statements are true.
Exam tip: Deccan Riots = Supa, Poona, May 1875, against sahukars; led to the Deccan Agriculturists' Relief Act, 1879.
Practice Questions
View allWhich one of the following is not a change brought about by the Indian Independence Act of 1947?
- A.The Government of India Act, 1935 was amended to provide an interim Constitution.
- B.India ceased to be a dependency.
- C.The Crown was the source of authority till new Constitution was framed.
- D.The Governor-General was the constitutional head of Indian Dominion.
Show answer
The Indian Independence Act did not keep the Crown as the source of authority; it ended British authority over India from 15 August 1947.
Read the full explanation →Which of the following statements about the Vaishnava saint of Assam, Shankardeva, is/are correct ?
1. His teachings are often known as the Bhagavati dharma.
2. He encouraged the establishment of satras or monasteries and namghars or prayer halls for the transmission of spiritual knowledge.
3. His major compositions include the Kirtana-ghosha.
Select the correct answer using the code given below :
- A.1 and 2 only
- B.2 and 3 only
- C.1, 2 and 3
- D.3 only
Show answer
All three statements about Shankardeva are correct. Shankardeva (Sankaradeva) was the leading Vaishnava saint of Assam in the late fifteenth and early sixteenth centuries.
Read the full explanation →Consider the following pairs :
1. Gajapati - Name of a powerful Dynasty in Orissa
2. Ashvapati - Deccan Sultans
3. Narapati - Rayas of Vijayanagara
Which of the above pairs is/are correctly matched ?
- A.1 only
- B.2 only
- C.1, 2 and 3
- D.None of the above
Show answer
All three titles were in use in fifteenth- and sixteenth-century India, and each pair is matched correctly. Gajapati means 'lord of elephants' and was the title of a powerful ruling family of Orissa, the Gajapatis who succeeded the Eastern Gangas.
Read the full explanation →Which one of the following statements about the Revolt of 1857 is correct ?
- A.It was a Revolt carefully organised and planned by the Rajas, Nawabs and Taluqdars
- B.Rumours and prophecies did not play any role in its outbreak and spread
- C.The rebel proclamations in 1857 repeatedly appealed to all sections of the population irrespective of their caste and creed.
- D.The British succeeded in quickly and easily controlling the rebels
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The rebels wanted Hindus and Muslims to stand together against British rule. Proclamations issued in the name of Bahadur Shah Zafar called on everyone to join the fight, recalling the Mughal past when different communities had lived together.
Read the full explanation →Which Chinese traveller in ancient India wrote the diary called 'Records of the Travels to Middle India'?
- A.Wang Xuance
- B.Xuanzang
- C.Yijing
- D.Li Yibiao
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Wang Xuance, a Tang envoy who came to India several times in the seventh century, wrote an account called Records of the Travels to Middle India, of which only fragments survive.
Read the full explanation →