Modern India Drill - I

After Aurangzeb's death in 1707, his successor Bahadur Shah I released Shahu (Shivaji's grandson) from prison to create division among the Marathas. This was a political strategy to weaken the unified Maratha resistance.

Shivaji Bhonsle founded the Maratha Kingdom in 1674, crowning himself Chhatrapati. This occurred during Aurangzeb's reign (1658-1707). Shivaji established Swaraj (self-rule) through guerrilla warfare against the Adil Shahi Sultanate and later the Mughals.

Misl refers to the sovereign Sikh confederacies that existed in Punjab during the 18th century. These small political groups formed a loose military and administrative system under Ahmad Shah Abdali's regime, eventually uniting under Ranjit Singh.

The Third Battle of Panipat (1761) was a decisive conflict where Ahmad Shah Abdali defeated the Marathas. It marked a turning point in Indian history, weakening Maratha power and allowing the British to expand their influence later.

Vasco da Gama discovered the sea route from Europe to India in 1498 by sailing around the Cape of Good Hope. This Portuguese explorer's voyage opened direct trade between Europe and Asia, ending the Arab monopoly on the spice trade.

Swarajya means self-rule and refers to the Maratha kingdom Shivaji established in Maharashtra. While not strictly a geographical area, it represents the sovereign Hindu kingdom he founded to challenge Mughal rule, based in the Western Ghats of Maharashtra.

Sardeshmukhi was a Maratha tax equivalent to 10% of land revenue, collected in addition to regular taxes. It was based on the claim of being the chief headman (Sardeshmukh) of the region. Chauth was another 25% tax they collected for protection.

In the 15th-17th centuries, European trading posts in India were called factories. These were fortified settlements where merchants (factors) lived and conducted trade, not manufacturing plants, but commercial centers with warehouses and offices.

The Battle of Plassey (1757) was Robert Clive's decisive victory over Siraj-ud-Daulah of Bengal. It marked the beginning of British political and military dominance in India, though the East India Company had been trading since earlier.

Jahandar Shah ascended the Mughal throne in 1712 with the support of his wazir Zulfiqar Khan (also spelled Zulfiquar Khan). He ruled briefly until 1713 when he was defeated and killed by his nephew Farrukhsiyar.

Warren Hastings became the first Governor-General of Bengal in 1772, later consolidating power as Governor-General of India (1773-1785). He implemented significant administrative and judicial reforms but faced impeachment proceedings in Britain.

Lord Wellesley (Richard Colley Wellesley) served as Governor-General of India from 1798 to 1805. He is known for his expansionist policies and the Subsidiary Alliance system. The other options were Governor-Generals in different periods: Cornwallis (1786-1793, 1805), Curzon (1899-1905), and Warren Hastings (1773-1785).

Diwani was the term used for the revenue collecting department or the right to collect revenue in the Mughal and later British administrative system. The British East India Company obtained the Diwani of Bengal, Bihar, and Orissa in 1765 after the Battle of Buxar. Chavni referred to military camps, while Kachehri was an administrative office.

The Battle of Buxar was fought on October 22, 1764 between the British East India Company and the combined forces of Mir Qasim, Nawab of Awadh, and the Mughal Emperor Shah Alam II. The British victory marked a significant turning point in establishing British supremacy in India. Note that options A and B have incorrect dates (1865 and 1864 are post-Independence eras).

Guru Gobind Singh (1666-1708) was the tenth and last human Sikh Guru. He founded the Khalsa Panth in 1699 and formalized the Sikh identity with the Five Ks. Guru Nanak Dev was the first Guru, Guru Angad Dev the second, and Guru Arjun Dev the fifth. After Guru Gobind Singh, the Guru Granth Sahib became the eternal Guru.

Pitt's India Act was passed in 1784 to regulate and improve the administration of the East India Company's Indian territories. It established dual control - the Company controlling commercial affairs and the British Crown overseeing political matters through the Board of Control. The Rowlatt Act came much later (1919), and the other options are not real acts.