TEST 02: MODERN INDIAN HISTORY

Syllabus : Advent of Europeans

1. Bahadurshah of Gujarat ceded Bassein to

A. English

B. French

C. Portuguese

D. Dutch

Ans. C

• Explanation: Bahadurshah ceded Bassein to Nini Da Cunha as he wanted to make friendly relations with Portuguese. He had to counter Mughal expansionist policy on the other front.

2. Which of the following statements are correct?

1. Vasco Da Gama was welcomed by Zamorin king at Muziris port.

2. Thomas Roe visited the court of Aurangzeb to get permission to trade in India.

A. 1 only

B.  2 only

C.  Both 1 and 2

D.  Neither 1 nor 2

Ans.D

• Explanation : Vasco Da Gama was received at Calicut port. Thomas Roe visited the court of Jahangir.

3. Which of the following crops were introduced by the Portuguese in India?

1. Sugarcane

2. Maize

3. Tomato

4. Potato

A. 1 and 2 only

B. 2, 3 and 4 only

C. 2 and 3 only

D. 1, 2, 3 and 4

Ans. B

• Explanation: Sugarcane was already cultivated in India. Potato, tomato, tobacco and maize were introduced from South America by Portuguese.

4. Which of the following were the reasons for French decline in India?

1.  French army was no match for British army

2.  French monarchy had no stakes in the French company

3.  French were engaged in continental expansion in Europe

A.  1 and 2 only

B.  2 and 3 only

C. 1 only

D. All of these

Ans. B

• Explanation: The French used their well-organized army to expand their territory in Europe. British navy was better than the French navy.

5. Who among the following was the first European to come to India?

A. Portuguese

B. British

C. French

D. Dutch

Ans: A

• Explanation: Portuguese was the first European to come to India. They established trading stations at Calicut, Cochin and Cannanore.

6. Who among the following discovered the Cape Route from the Europe to India?

A. Christopher Columbus

B. Vasco-da-Gama

C. Ferdinand Magellan

D. Amerigo Vespucci

Ans: B

• Explanation: The Cape Route was discovered from the Europe to India by Vasco-da-Gama. He reached the port of Calicut on 20th May, 1498 AD..

7. Who among the following navigator helped Vasco da Gama to find his way from Africa to India?

A. Monte Verde

B. Churamal

C. Ahmad ibn Majid

D. Davis quadrants

Ans: C

• Explanation: Ahmad ibn Majid was an Arabian navigator and cartographer born in 1421 in Oman. He was raised with a family famous for seafaring; at the age of 17 he was able to navigate ships. He was so famous that he was known as the first Arab seaman. The exact date is not known, but ibn Majid probably died in 1500. He became famous in the West as the navigator who helped Vasco da Gama to find his way from Africa to India.

8. Which of the following Portuguese Governor in India who introduced the ‘Policy of imperialism’?

A. Francisco de Almeida

B. John Mildenhall

C. Gerald Angier

D. Alfanso de Albuquerque

Ans: D

• Explanation: Alfanso de Albuquerque was the second Portuguese Governor in India who introduced the ‘Policy of Imperialism’.

9. Which of the following Portuguese Governor in India who captured Goa from the ruler of Bijapur?

A. Francisco de Almeida

B. John Mildenhall

C. Gerald Angier

D. Alfanso de Albuquerque

Ans: A

• Explanation: Francisco de Almeida was the first Portuguese Governor in India who captured Goa from the ruler of Bijapur in 1510 AD.

10. The English East India Company was formed by a group of merchants known as the ______ in 1600 AD.

A. Merchant Adventures

B. English Trader

C. Duke Trading Community

D. Cox & King

Ans : A

• Explanation: The English East India Company was formed by a group of merchants known as the Merchant Adventures in 1600 AD.

11. Who among the following British explorer and adventurer and one of the first to make an overland journey to India?

A. Francis Dey

B. John Mildenhall

C. Gerald Angier

D. Captain Hawkins

Ans: B

• Explanation: John Mildenhall or John Midnall was a British explorer and adventurer and one of the first to make an overland journey to India. He was the self-styled ambassador of the British East India Company in India.

12. In which place the first factory of East India Company was built?

A. Masulipatnam

B. Nagapatnam

C. Surat

D. Bombay

Ans: C

• Explanation: The first factory of East India Company was built at Surat in 1613 AD.

13. Who among the following European forced to sell all their settlements in India to the British?

A. Dutch

B. Portuguese

C. Danes

D. French

Ans: C

• Explanation: The Danes formed an East India Company and arrived in India in 1616 AD. They established settlements at Tranquerbar (in Tamil Nadu) in 1620 AD and at Serampore (Bengal) in 1676 AD. However, they failed to strengthen themselves in India and were forced to sell all their settlements in India to the British.

14. Who among the following obtained the site of Madras from the Raja of Chandragiri?

A. Francis Dey

B. John Mildenhall

C. Gerald Angier

D. Captain Hawkins

Ans: A 

• Explanation: In 1639, Francis Dey obtained the site of Madras from the Raja of Chandragiri with permission to build a fortified factory, which was named Fort St. George.