Arrival of Europeans - Part 2 - Topic Guide and MCQs

1. Who granted the English company a charter with exclusive trading rights on 31 December 1600?

   1. Queen Victoria
   2. King James I
   3. Charles II
   4. Queen Elizabeth I
   Show answer

   Answer: (D) Queen Elizabeth I

   Explanation: The correct option is supported because Queen Elizabeth I granted the charter with exclusive trading rights on 31 December 1600. James I sent Thomas Roe later, Charles II received Bombay as dowry, and Victoria is not connected with this charter. The chartered company was named Governor and Company of Merchants of London trading into the East Indies.

2. Which statement about William Hawkins is correct?

   1. In 1715 he led the mission to Farrukhsiyar.
   2. In 1668 he became the first governor of Bombay.
   3. In 1609 he obtained trading rights from Jahangir.
   4. In 1613 he established the factory at Surat under Thomas Aldworth.
   Show answer

   Answer: (C) In 1609 he obtained trading rights from Jahangir.

   Explanation: The correct option is supported because William Hawkins obtained trading rights from Jahangir in 1609. Thomas Aldworth, John Surman and Gerald Aungier are connected with the other events listed. The first English factory at Surat was established in 1613 under Thomas Aldworth.

3. Who supervised the first English factory at Surat in 1613?

   1. Captain Middleton
   2. Thomas Aldworth
   3. William Hawkins
   4. Sir Thomas Roe
   Show answer

   Answer: (B) Thomas Aldworth

   Explanation: The correct option is supported because The first English factory at Surat was set up in 1613 under Thomas Aldworth. Hawkins obtained rights in 1609, Roe arrived as ambassador in 1615, and Middleton received permission in 1611. The Surat factory is identified as the first English factory in India.

4. Why did Bombay come to Charles II in 1662?

   1. It was given as dowry when he married Catherine of Portugal.
   2. He captured it from the Sultan of Bijapur.
   3. It was granted by the Mughal emperor.
   4. It was purchased from the Dutch.
   Show answer

   Answer: (A) It was given as dowry when he married Catherine of Portugal.

   Explanation: The correct option is supported because The King of Portugal gave Bombay to Charles II as dowry when he married the Portuguese princess Catherine in 1662. The other options describe no event stated for Bombay’s transfer to Charles II. Bombay was later handed to the East India Company in 1668.

5. In 1668, Bombay was handed to the East India Company for what annual payment?

   1. One hundred pounds
   2. Three thousand rupees
   3. Twelve hundred rupees
   4. Ten pounds
   Show answer

   Answer: (D) Ten pounds

   Explanation: The correct option is supported because Bombay was handed to the East India Company in 1668 for an annual payment of ten pounds. Rs 3,000 refers to the Bengal trade arrangement and Rs 1,200 to the Calcutta zamindari; the other amount is not stated. Gerald Aungier became Bombay’s first governor.

6. Who became the first governor of Bombay under the English?

   1. Sir William Norris
   2. John Surman
   3. Gerald Aungier
   4. William Hedges
   Show answer

   Answer: (C) Gerald Aungier

   Explanation: The correct option is supported because Gerald Aungier became the first governor of Bombay. Hedges was the first agent and governor of the Company in Bengal; Norris was an ambassador; Surman led the 1715 mission. Bombay had been received by Charles II as dowry in 1662 and transferred to the Company in 1668.

7. The Golden Farman of 1632 was issued by which ruler?

   1. Shah Shuja
   2. The Sultan of Golconda
   3. The Sultan of Bijapur
   4. Jahangir
   Show answer

   Answer: (B) The Sultan of Golconda

   Explanation: The correct option is supported because The Golden Farman was issued by the Sultan of Golconda in 1632 and improved the English position in India. Bijapur is linked with Albuquerque’s capture of Goa, Jahangir with Hawkins, and Shah Shuja with Bengal trade in 1651. It is also called the Golden Farman in the English summary.

8. In 1651, who allowed the English to trade in Bengal for Rs 3,000 annually in place of all duties?

   1. Shah Shuja
   2. Farrukhsiyar
   3. The Sultan of Golconda
   4. Jahangir
   Show answer

   Answer: (A) Shah Shuja

   Explanation: The correct option is supported because Shah Shuja, the subahdar of Bengal, allowed this arrangement in 1651. Farrukhsiyar granted the later farmans, Golconda issued the Golden Farman, and Jahangir dealt with Hawkins. The annual payment was Rs 3,000 instead of all duties.

9. Who was the first agent and governor of the Company in Bengal?

   1. Gerald Aungier
   2. Thomas Aldworth
   3. Sir Thomas Roe
   4. William Hedges
   Show answer

   Answer: (D) William Hedges

   Explanation: The correct option is supported because William Hedges was the first agent and governor of the Company in Bengal and started factories at Hooghly. Aungier was Bombay’s first governor, Aldworth supervised Surat, and Roe was an ambassador. Shah Shuja’s 1651 permission preceded the Hooghly factories.

10. Which three villages did the English obtain as zamindari for Rs 1,200 in 1698?

    1. San Thome, Nagapatnam and Daman
    2. Masulipatnam, Balasore and Hooghly
    3. Sutanuti, Gobindapur and Kalikata
    4. Surat, Calicut and Cochin
    Show answer

    Answer: (C) Sutanuti, Gobindapur and Kalikata

    Explanation: The correct option is supported because In 1698, the English obtained the zamindari of Sutanuti, Gobindapur and Kalikata for Rs 1,200. The other groups combine Portuguese, Dutch or other English factory locations rather than the three Calcutta villages. The settlement was fortified as Fort William in 1700.

11. In which year was the settlement of the three Calcutta villages fortified as Fort William?

    1. 1717
    2. 1700
    3. 1698
    4. 1708
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    Answer: (B) 1700

    Explanation: The correct option is supported because The English fortified the settlement as Fort William in 1700. 1698 was the year of obtaining the zamindari, 1708 the company merger, and 1717 the farmans’ concessions. The villages were Sutanuti, Gobindapur and Kalikata.

12. Who was sent as ambassador to Aurangzeb’s court by the rival English company?

    1. Sir William Norris
    2. John Surman
    3. Sir Thomas Roe
    4. William Hawkins
    Show answer

    Answer: (A) Sir William Norris

    Explanation: The correct option is supported because The rival company sent Sir William Norris to Aurangzeb’s court from January 1701 to April 1702. Surman led the 1715 mission to Farrukhsiyar, Roe was James I’s ambassador to Jahangir, and Hawkins visited Jahangir earlier. The rival company arose after the English Revolution of 1688.

13. Arrange these English company events chronologically: charter, first Surat factory, merger of the two companies, Farrukhsiyar’s farmans.

    1. 1613–1600–1717–1708
    2. 1708–1600–1613–1717
    3. 1717–1708–1613–1600
    4. 1600–1613–1708–1717
    Show answer

    Answer: (D) 1600–1613–1708–1717

    Explanation: The correct option is supported because The charter was in 1600, the first Surat factory in 1613, the company merger in 1708, and the farmans in 1717. The other sequences place one or more dated events out of order. The 1717 farmans are called the Magna Carta of the Company.

14. Who led the English mission that visited Farrukhsiyar’s court in 1715?

    1. William Hedges
    2. Captain Middleton
    3. John Surman
    4. Sir William Norris
    Show answer

    Answer: (C) John Surman

    Explanation: The correct option is supported because An English mission led by John Surman visited Farrukhsiyar’s court in 1715. Norris was sent to Aurangzeb, Hedges worked in Bengal, and Middleton received permission at Surat in 1611. The mission secured three farmans granting privileges in Bengal, Gujarat and Hyderabad.

15. Why are Farrukhsiyar’s farmans called the Magna Carta of the Company?

    1. They transferred Bombay to the Company.
    2. They granted valuable privileges in Bengal, Gujarat and Hyderabad.
    3. They created the French East India Company.
    4. They ended the Third Carnatic War.
    Show answer

    Answer: (B) They granted valuable privileges in Bengal, Gujarat and Hyderabad.

    Explanation: The correct option is supported because The three farmans secured valuable Company privileges in Bengal, Gujarat and Hyderabad, so they are called its Magna Carta. The other options refer to French company formation, a Carnatic treaty and Bombay’s separate transfer. The mission was led by John Surman in 1715.

16. Who founded the French East India Company in 1664?

    1. Colbert
    2. Dupleix
    3. Francois Caron
    4. Francois Martin
    Show answer

    Answer: (A) Colbert

    Explanation: The correct option is supported because Colbert, the minister of Louis XIV, founded the Compagnie des Indes Orientales in 1664. Dupleix became governor in 1742, Caron set up the first French factory, and Martin developed Pondicherry. The company was founded during the reign of Louis XIV.

17. Who established the first French factory at Surat in 1668?

    1. Francois Martin
    2. Dupleix
    3. Colbert
    4. Francois Caron
    Show answer

    Answer: (D) Francois Caron

    Explanation: The correct option is supported because Francois Caron established the first French factory at Surat in 1668. Martin developed Pondicherry, Dupleix became governor in 1742, and Colbert founded the company. Surat was also the site of the first English factory in 1613, under Thomas Aldworth.

18. Who developed Pondicherry after its foundation by the French in 1674?

    1. Colbert
    2. Count de Lally
    3. Francois Martin
    4. Francois Caron
    Show answer

    Answer: (C) Francois Martin

    Explanation: The correct option is supported because Francois Martin developed Pondicherry, which became the French stronghold in India. Caron established the first French factory, Colbert founded the company, and Lally led the French in the Third Carnatic War. Pondicherry was founded by the French in 1674.

19. What did the Treaty of Ryswick of September 1697 do?

    1. It gave Bombay to the Company.
    2. It restored Pondicherry to the French.
    3. It ended the First Carnatic War.
    4. It ended the Third Carnatic War.
    Show answer

    Answer: (B) It restored Pondicherry to the French.

    Explanation: The correct option is supported because The Treaty of Ryswick in September 1697 restored Pondicherry to the French after conflict with the Dutch. Aix-La-Chapelle ended the First Carnatic War, Paris ended the Third, and Bombay’s transfer was separate. The Dutch-French conflict had badly affected the French position in India.

20. Dupleix became the French governor in India in which year?

    1. 1742
    2. 1664
    3. 1674
    4. 1758
    Show answer

    Answer: (A) 1742

    Explanation: The correct option is supported because Dupleix became French governor in 1742, beginning the Anglo-French conflict known as the Carnatic Wars. 1664 marks the French company, 1674 Pondicherry, and 1758 the beginning of the Third Carnatic War. The Carnatic Wars ended with the final defeat of the French in India.

21. Which pair is correctly matched?

    1. First Carnatic War — Treaty of Paris
    2. Second Carnatic War — Treaty of Aix-La-Chapelle
    3. Third Carnatic War — Treaty of Pondicherry
    4. First Carnatic War — Treaty of Aix-La-Chapelle
    Show answer

    Answer: (D) First Carnatic War — Treaty of Aix-La-Chapelle

    Explanation: The correct option is supported because The First Carnatic War lasted from 1740 to 1748 and ended with the Treaty of Aix-La-Chapelle. The Treaty of Paris ended the Third War, and the Treaty of Pondicherry ended the Second; the other pairings are therefore wrong. Dupleix represented the French in the First Carnatic War.

22. Which pair correctly describes the Second Carnatic War?

    1. 1758–63; Dupleix and Robert Clive; Treaty of Aix-La-Chapelle
    2. 1749–54; Count de Lally and Robert Clive; Treaty of Ryswick
    3. 1749–54; Dupleix and Robert Clive; Treaty of Pondicherry
    4. 1740–48; Dupleix and Count de Lally; Treaty of Paris
    Show answer

    Answer: (C) 1749–54; Dupleix and Robert Clive; Treaty of Pondicherry

    Explanation: The correct option is supported because The Second Carnatic War lasted from 1749 to 1754, involved Dupleix and Robert Clive, and ended with the Treaty of Pondicherry, also called the Treaty of Godeheu. The other options mix the dates, leaders or treaties of the First and Third Carnatic Wars or of Ryswick. The First Carnatic War ended with Aix-La-Chapelle and the Third with Paris.

23. Consider the following statements about the Third Carnatic War:1.It lasted from 1758 to 1763.2.The English defeated the French at Wandiwash.3.Count de Lally led the French.Which of the statements is/are correct?

    1. 1 and 3 only
    2. 1, 2 and 3
    3. 1 and 2 only
    4. 2 and 3 only
    Show answer

    Answer: (B) 1, 2 and 3

    Explanation: The correct option is supported because All three statements are correct: the Third Carnatic War was 1758–63, Wandiwash was an English victory, and Count de Lally led the French. The other options omit one correct feature of the war. The war ended with the Treaty of Paris in 1763.

24. Under the Treaty of Paris of 1763, what did the French agree to do in India?

    1. Not interfere in British activities
    2. Withdraw all trade from Indonesia
    3. Transfer Bombay to the Dutch
    4. End the English East India Company
    Show answer

    Answer: (A) Not interfere in British activities

    Explanation: The correct option is supported because Under the Treaty of Paris of 1763, the French agreed not to interfere in British activities in India. The other options are not provisions stated for this treaty. The Treaty of Paris closed the Third Carnatic War.

25. Why did the English become the supreme European power in India?

    1. The French founded Pondicherry and the Dutch built a factory at Masulipatnam.
    2. The Portuguese gave Bombay as dowry and the French founded their company.
    3. The Dutch won Bedara and the French won Wandiwash.
    4. The French were defeated at Wandiwash and the Dutch had already been defeated at Bedara.
    Show answer

    Answer: (D) The French were defeated at Wandiwash and the Dutch had already been defeated at Bedara.

    Explanation: The correct option is supported because The English became supreme after defeating the French at Wandiwash, while the Dutch had already been defeated at Bedara in 1759. The other options describe factory foundations, transfers or reverse the results of the two battles. Wandiwash decided the fate of the French in India.

Arrival of Europeans - Part 2 is factual rather than analytical: you either recall it in seconds or you lose the mark to somebody who did. That makes it one of the cheapest sections to convert - a handful of short sittings usually settles the whole cluster.

Expect one-line recall questions - definitions, stand-for expansions, identifiers and the ordering of things. Practise the wording as well as the concept: these papers test terminology, and the set above uses the same four-option shape they do.

Past papers reuse clusters like this almost verbatim across years and posts. Run the same set until every distractor is familiar - previous-year style questions stop being recall and start being free marks.