I. Answer the following questions in one sentence each:
1. In Britain, which cities grew rapidly in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries?
Ans: In Britain, industrial cities like Leeds and Manchester grew rapidly in the nineteenth and twentieth century’s and more and more people sought jobs, housing and other facilities in these places.
2. Explain the term presidency?
Ans: For administrative purposes, colonial India was divided into three “Presidencies” (Bombay, Madras, and Bengal), which developed from the East India company’s a factories” (trading posts) at Surat, Madras and Calcutta.
3. Which process is often described as de-urbanisation?
Ans: Old trading centre’s and ports could not survive when the flow of trade moved to new centre’s earlier centre’s of regional power collapsed when local rulers were defeated by the British and new centre’s of administrative emerged.
4. Which cities became the centre’s of British power in the different regions in India in the late eighteenth century?
Ans: Calcutta, Bombay and Madras became the centres of British power in the different regions in India.
5. Which cities were de-urbanised during the nineteenth century?
Ans: Cities such as Machlipatnam ,Surat and Seringapatam were de-urbanised during the nineteenth century.
6. Why did Delhi became a dusty provisional town?
Ans: The historical imperial city of Delhi became a dusty provincial town in the nineteenth century before it was rebuilt as the capital of British India after 1912.
7. Who said “The streets of Delhi aren’t mere streets; they are like the album of a painter”?
Ans: The poet “Mir Taqi Mir” said these words.
8. What led to serious conflicts in Delhi?
Ans: Celebrations and processions often led to serious of conflicts in Delhi.
9. When did the British gain control of Delhi?
Ans: In 1803, the British gained control of Delhi after defeating the Marathas.
10. When did Delhi become the capital of British India?
Ans: After 1911, Delhi becomes the capital of British India.
11. Who persuaded Bahadur Shah to become the leader of the uprising?
Ans: The rebel gathered in the city, and persuaded Bahadur Shah to become the leader of the uprising.
12. How did the poet Ghalib describe the Revolt of 1857 after regaining the city?
Ans: Poet Ghalib described it as “when the angry lions (British) entered the town,they killed the helpless and burned houses. Hordes of men and women, commoners and noble men, poured out of Delhi from the three gates and took shelter in small communities and tombs outside the city”.
13. How did the British take revenge on Bahadur Shah after they regained the city?
Ans:
1) The British exited Bahadur Shah to Burma (Myanmar).
2) They dismantled his court, razed several palaces, closed down gardens and built barracks for troops in their place.
14. Delhi became the city of refugees at the time of partition. Explain?
Ans:
1) Nearly 5, 00,000 people were added to Delhi’s population.
2) Most of these migrants were from Punjab. They stayed in camps, schools, military barracks and gardens hoping to build new homes. New colonies came up.
15. Who was crowned the king of England in 1911?
Ans: King George V was crowned the king of England in 1911.
16. Who were called on to design New Delhi and its buildings?
Ans: Two architects Edward Lutyens and Herbert Baker were called on to design New Delhi and its buildings.
17. When was India partitioned?
Ans: India was partitioned in the year 1947.
18. Who lived in the havelis in the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries?
Ans: The Mughal aristocracy lived in the havelis in the seventeenth and eighteenth century.
19. Who planned the Lahore gate improvement scheme for residents?
Ans: Robert Clarke planned the Lahore gate improvement scheme for the walled city residents.
20. Which buildings did Herbert Baker design at Pretoria in South Africa?
Ans: Herbert Baker designed the union building in South Africa.
II. Answer the following questions in four sentences each:
1. What changes took place in India in the late eighteenth century?
Ans:
1) In the late eighteenth century, Calcutta, Bombay and Madras rose in importance as presidency cities. They became the centres of British power in the different regions in India.
2) A host of smaller cities declined. Many towns manufacturing specialized goods declined due to the drop in the demand for what they produced.
3) Old trading centres and ports could not survive when the flow of trade moved to new centres.
4) Earlier centres of regional power collapsed when local rulers were defeated by the British and new centres of administration emerged.
2. Describe Delhi during Shah Jahan’s time?
Ans:
1) During Shah Jahan’s time Delhi was an important centre of Sufi culture. It had several dargahs, Khankahs and idgahs.
2) It had open squares, winding lanes, quiet all-de-sacs and water channels were the pride of Delhi’s residents.
3. What were the effects of the broken down canals in Shahjahanabad at the end of the nineteenth century?
Ans:
1) The broken down canals could not serve the needs of the rapidly increasing population. At the end of the nineteenth century, the Shahjahanabad drains were closed and a new system of open surface drains was introduced.
2) This system was overburdened and many of the wealthier inhabitants complained about the stench from roadside privies and overflowing open drains.
4. Which was the splendid construction of Shah Jahan?
Ans:
1) The most splendid capital of all was built by Shah Jahan.
2) Shahjahanabad was begun in 1639 and consisted of a fort palace complex and the city adjoining it.
3) Lal Qila or the Red fort, made of red sandstone, contained the palace complex. To its west lay the walled city with 19 gates.
4) The main streets of Chandni chowk and Faiz Bazaar were broad enough for royal processions to pass. A canal ran down the centre of chandni chowk.
5. The delights of Delhi were enjoyed only by some. Explain?
Ans:
1) Even though Delhi was no ideal city and its delights were enjoyed only by some. There were sharp divisions between rich and poor.
2) Havelis or mansions were scattered here ad there along with thee numerous mud houses of the poor.
3) The colorful world of poetry and dance was usually enjoyed only by men. Furthermore, celebrations and processions often led to serious conflict.
6. Delhi became the capital of British India. Explain?
Ans:
1) In 1803, the British gained control of Delhi after defeating the Marathas. Since the capital of British India was Calcutta, the Mughal emperor was allowed to continue living in the palace complex in the red fort.
2) The modern city as we know it today developed only after 1911 when Delhi became the capital of British India.
7. The period from 1830 to 1857 was referred to as the period of Delhi renaissance.
Ans:
1) The establishment of the Delhi college in 1792 led to a great intellectual flowering in the sciences as well as the humanities, largely in the urdu language .
2) Many refer to the period from 1830 to 1857 as a period of the Delhi renaissance
8. What were the living spaces of the Indians and the British before 1857?
Ans:
1) The Indians lived in the “black areas”. The British lived alone with the wealthier Indians in the walled city, well laid out” white areas”
2) The British learned to enjoy urdu /Persian culture and poetry and participated in local festivals.
9. How did the British try to forget about the Mughal past in Delhi?
Ans:
1) The areas around the fort was completely cleared of gardens, pavilions and mosques.
2) The British wanted clear grounds for security reasons. Mosques were either destroyed or put to other uses
3) The zinat –ul- Masjid was converted into a bakery. No worship was allowed in the Jama –Masjid for five years.
4) One third of the city was demolished and its canals were filled up.
10. Why were the walls of Shahjahanabad broken in 1870’s?
Ans:
1) In 1870’s the western walls of Shahjahanabad were broken to establish the railway and
2) To allow the city to expand beyond the walls.
11. How was the new capital of Delhi constructed?
Ans:
1) New Delhi was constructed as a 10 square mile city on Raisina Hill and south of the existing city.
2) To architects, Edward Lutyens and Herbert Baker were called on to design New Delhi and its buildings.
3) The government complex in New Delhi consisted of a two mile avenue, Kings way that led to the viceroy’s palace, with secretariat buildings on either sides of the avenue.
12. How were the features of the government buildings borrowed?
Ans:
1) The features were borrowed from different periods of India’s imperial history, but the overall look was classical Greece.
2) The central dome of the viceroy’s palace was copied from the Buddhist stupa at Sanchi, and the red sandstone and carved screens or Jalis were borrowed from mughal architecture.
3) But the new buildings had to assert British importance.The architect made sure that the viceroy’s palace was higher than Shah Jahan’s Jama Masjid.
13. What precautions did the British take while constructing the new city of Delhi?
Ans:
1) New Delhi took nearly 20 years to build. There were to be no crowded Mohallas, no mazes of narrow by lanes. There were to be broad, straight streets lined with sprawling mansions set up in the middle of large compounds.
2) The architects wanted New Delhi to represent a sense of law and order, in contrast of the chaos of old Delhi.
3) The New Delhi had to have better water supply, sewage disposal and drainage facilities than the old city.
4) It had to be green, with trees and parks ensuring fresh air and adequate supply of oxygen.
14. What were the conditions in Delhi after the partition of India?
Ans:
1) After the partition of India fierce rioting began. Thousands of people in Delhi were killed and their homes looted and burned.
2) Streams of Muslims left Delhi for Pakistan; their place was taken by equally large numbers of Sikh and Hindu refugees from Pakistan.
3) Refugees moved the streets of Shahjahanabad, searching for empty homes to occupy.
4) They forced Muslims to leave or sell their properties. Terrorised Muslims lived in makeshift camps till they could leave for Pakistan.
15. What were the skills and occupations of the refugees?
Ans:
1) The skills and occupation of the refugees were different .Many muslims who went to Pakistan were artisans, petty traders and labourers.
2) The new migrants coming to Delhi were rural landlords, lawyers, teachers, traders and small shopkeepers.
3) Partition changed their lives and their occupation.
4) They had to take up new jobs as hawkers, vendors, carpenters and iron smiths.
16. What was the fate(situation) of the old city of shahjahanabad?
Ans:
1) Mughal Delhi’s famed canals had brought fresh drinking water to homes. It also brought water for other domestic uses. This system was neglected in the nineteenth century.
2) The system of wells was broken down and channels to remove household waste were damaged.
3) This took place at the time when the population of the city was continuously growing.
17. What was the Lathore Gate improvement scheme regarding the walled city?
Ans:
1) In 1888, an extension scheme called “The Lathore Gate improvement scheme” was passed by Robert Clarke. The idea was to draw residents away from the old .
2) Streams of Muslims left Delhi for Pakistan; their place was taken by equally large numbers of Sikh and Hindu refugees from Pakistan.
3) Land was divided into regular areas for the construction of neighborhoods.
18. In 1877, Viceroy Lytton organised a Durbar in Delhi. Comment?
Ans:
1) In 1877, Viceroy Lytton organised a Darbar in Delhi because British were fully aware of the symbolic importance of Delhi.
2) Viceroy Lytton organised a Darbar to acknowledge Queen Victoria as the empress of India.
3) The British had realized that the Mughal emperor was still important to the people and they saw him as their leader.