Q31. Identify the incorrect statement regarding the political settlement of Mysore after the Fourth Anglo-Mysore War:
British Imperialism and Early Resistance: RAS Prelims MCQs
50 RAS Prelims MCQs on British imperialism and early resistance follow the Company from its charter to the Mysore and Maratha wars. The Treaty of Allahabad, Dual Government, the four Anglo-Mysore wars, Tipu Sultan’s reforms and the Maratha struggle with the British are asked as facts, treaties and sequences.
Practice questions based on the RPSC RAS Prelims syllabus. They follow the exam pattern but are not past-paper questions.
Showing 31–40 of 50 questions
Q32. Following the fall of Tipu Sultan, who among the following was appointed as the British Resident at the court of the new Wodeyar ruler of Mysore?
Explanation
Following the British victory in 1799, Colonel Barry Close was appointed as the first Resident at the court of the young Wodeyar ruler, Krishnaraja III. The Resident’s role was to monitor the state’s administration and ensure that the terms of the Subsidiary Alliance were strictly followed, effectively giving the British control over the kingdom’s internal and external policies.
Q33. Consider the following statements regarding the treaties associated with the First Anglo-Maratha War:
I. The Treaty of Surat was signed by Raghunathrao and the English at Bombay.
II. The Treaty of Purandhar was signed by the Calcutta Council, invalidating the Treaty of Surat.
III. The Convention of Wadgaon was a humiliating defeat for the British.
IV. The Treaty of Salbai permanently restored Raghunathrao as the Peshwa.
Which of the above statement(s) is/are correct?
I. The Treaty of Surat was signed by Raghunathrao and the English at Bombay.
II. The Treaty of Purandhar was signed by the Calcutta Council, invalidating the Treaty of Surat.
III. The Convention of Wadgaon was a humiliating defeat for the British.
IV. The Treaty of Salbai permanently restored Raghunathrao as the Peshwa.
Which of the above statement(s) is/are correct?
Explanation
The Treaty of Surat (1775) began the conflict, while the Treaty of Purandhar (1776) was an attempt by the Calcutta Council to stop the war. The Convention of Wadgaon (1779) marked a major British defeat. However, the Treaty of Salbai (1782) did not restore Raghunathrao as Peshwa; instead, it recognized the young Madhavrao II as the legitimate ruler.
Q34. Read the following statements carefully:
Statement I: The primary trigger for the First Anglo-Maratha War was the internal succession dispute in Pune following the assassination of Peshwa Narayanrao.
Statement II: Raghunathrao sought the help of the British in Bombay to secure the position of Peshwa.
Which of the following is correct?
Statement I: The primary trigger for the First Anglo-Maratha War was the internal succession dispute in Pune following the assassination of Peshwa Narayanrao.
Statement II: Raghunathrao sought the help of the British in Bombay to secure the position of Peshwa.
Which of the following is correct?
Explanation
The assassination of Peshwa Narayanrao created a power vacuum in the Maratha administration. Raghunathrao, who was suspected of the murder, claimed the title but faced opposition from the Council of Ministers led by Nana Phadnavis. His subsequent appeal to the British in Bombay for military support directly led to the outbreak of the First Anglo-Maratha War in 1775.
Q35. The greatest significance of the Treaty of Salbai (1782) for the British East India Company was:
Explanation
The Treaty of Salbai in 1782 was a diplomatic success for Warren Hastings. By ending the conflict with the Marathas, the British were able to redirect their military and financial resources toward the ongoing threat from Hyder Ali in Mysore. This period of peace allowed the East India Company to consolidate its holdings in Bengal and prepare for future territorial expansions.
Q36. Arrange the following treaties related to the First Anglo-Maratha War in chronological order:
I. Convention of Wadgaon
II. Treaty of Purandhar
III. Treaty of Salbai
IV. Treaty of Surat
Select the correct order from the options given below:
I. Convention of Wadgaon
II. Treaty of Purandhar
III. Treaty of Salbai
IV. Treaty of Surat
Select the correct order from the options given below:
Explanation
The First Anglo-Maratha War saw a sequence of diplomatic agreements starting with the Treaty of Surat in 1775. This was followed by the Treaty of Purandhar in 1776. As the conflict continued, the British suffered a defeat leading to the Convention of Wadgaon in 1779. Finally, the war was formally concluded by the Treaty of Salbai in 1782.
Q37. Which of the following was NOT a provision of the Treaty of Salbai (1782)?
Explanation
Under the Treaty of Salbai, the British agreed to stop supporting Raghunathrao’s claim to the Peshwaship. He was not given a kingdom but was instead granted a generous pension for his maintenance. The treaty focused on recognizing Madhavrao II as the legitimate Peshwa and ensuring the Marathas did not maintain any formal political or military relationship with the French.
Q38. Consider the following statements regarding the Second Anglo-Maratha War (1803-1805):
I. It was fought because the Maratha chiefs refused to accept the Treaty of Bassein.
II. The British defeated the combined forces of Sindhia and Bhosle at Assaye.
III. The Treaty of Deogaon was signed by the Bhosle chief.
IV. The Treaty of Surji-Anjangaon was signed by the Sindhia chief.
V. The Holkars surrendered without fighting a single battle against the British.
Which of the above statement(s) is/are correct?
I. It was fought because the Maratha chiefs refused to accept the Treaty of Bassein.
II. The British defeated the combined forces of Sindhia and Bhosle at Assaye.
III. The Treaty of Deogaon was signed by the Bhosle chief.
IV. The Treaty of Surji-Anjangaon was signed by the Sindhia chief.
V. The Holkars surrendered without fighting a single battle against the British.
Which of the above statement(s) is/are correct?
Explanation
The Second Anglo-Maratha War involved major campaigns against the Sindhias and Bhosles, who rejected the Treaty of Bassein. The British won significant victories at Assaye and Argaon. While the Sindhias and Bhosles signed treaties after their defeats, the Holkars did not surrender initially; they continued to fight a prolonged and effective guerrilla campaign against the British forces.
Q39. Identify the incorrect statement regarding the Maratha resistance against British imperialism:
Explanation
The Marathas were a decentralised confederacy, Mahadji Sindhia modernised his army with European help and Nana Phadnavis held the Marathas together until 1800. In the Third Anglo-Maratha War the chiefs did not unite under the Peshwa, so B is incorrect.
Q40. Given below are two statements, one labeled as Assertion (A) and the other as Reason (R). Choose the correct option from the choices given below:
Assertion (A): Lord Wellesley’s Subsidiary Alliance system was primarily designed to improve the internal civil administration of native Indian states.
Reason (R): The system aimed to keep French influence out of India and maintain British military supremacy at the expense of native rulers.
Assertion (A): Lord Wellesley’s Subsidiary Alliance system was primarily designed to improve the internal civil administration of native Indian states.
Reason (R): The system aimed to keep French influence out of India and maintain British military supremacy at the expense of native rulers.
Explanation
The Subsidiary Alliance was not meant to improve the internal administration of Indian states, so the assertion is false. It was meant to keep the French out and to secure British military supremacy, so the reason is true.Answer key for these questions
| Q | Correct answer |
|---|---|
| 31 | (b) The Marathas were granted the northern half of Tipu’s empire for their military support. |
| 32 | (b) Barry Close |
| 33 | (a) I, II and III only |
| 34 | (a) Both Statement I and Statement II are correct, and II explains I. |
| 35 | (d) Securing twenty years of peace with the Marathas, allowing focus on the Mysore wars. |
| 36 | (a) IV, II, I, III |
| 37 | (b) Raghunathrao was granted an independent kingdom in Gujarat. |
| 38 | (a) I, II, III and IV only |
| 39 | (b) In the Third Anglo-Maratha War, all chiefs successfully united under the Peshwa. |
| 40 | (d) A is false but R is true. |
Key facts from British Imperialism and Early Resistance
- The Charter of 1600 gave the English East India Company a trading monopoly; the Company moved its western headquarters from Surat to Bombay in 1687.
- By the Treaty of Allahabad (1765) the Company got the Diwani of Bengal, Bihar and Orissa; Dual Government separated Diwani (revenue) from Nizamat (police and justice) and was ended by Warren Hastings.
- The Treaty of Madras ended the First Anglo-Mysore War; the Third War (1790-92) began with Tipu’s attack on the Raja of Travancore.
- Lord Cornwallis said after the Third Mysore War that the British had crippled their enemy without making friends too strong.
- David Baird led the assault on Seringapatam in 1799.
- Tipu Sultan planted a Tree of Liberty, set up a Board of Admiralty and tried to monopolise trade in goods like sandalwood and pepper.
Frequently asked questions
How many RAS Prelims practice MCQs are there on British Imperialism and Early Resistance?
This page has 50 practice MCQs on British Imperialism and Early Resistance (Modern Indian History). Each has the correct answer, and most have an explanation.
What did the Treaty of Allahabad (1765) give the Company?
The Diwani rights of Bengal, Bihar and Orissa, meaning the right to collect revenue. This gave the Company financial control over the richest provinces of India and is seen as the real beginning of its political power.
What was Dual Government in Bengal?
A system in which the Company held the Diwani (revenue collection) while the Nawab kept the Nizamat (police and judicial functions). Power and responsibility were split, which led to misrule, and Warren Hastings abolished it.
What caused the Third Anglo-Mysore War?
Tipu Sultan’s attack on the Raja of Travancore, an ally of the British. The war ended in 1792 with the Treaty of Seringapatam, by which Tipu lost about half his territory.