CUET UG History Booster Test 2 - Deccan Riots and Revenue System -

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CUET UG History Booster Test 2 - Deccan Riots and Revenue System

⏱️ 30 Minutes

❓ 20 Questions

📌 Answers are locked once submitted — results and explanations appear at the end.

CUET UG History Booster Test 2 - Deccan Riots and Revenue System

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QUESTION 1 OF 20

Based on the historical shift in colonial revenue systems, why did the British choose a different approach in Western India compared to Bengal?

Answer Review

1 Based on the historical shift in colonial revenue systems, why did the British choose a different approach in Western India compared to Bengal?

A Bengal was seen as a failure because peasants refused to pay rent.

B British officials believed the Bengal system turned zamindars into rentiers without productive investment, a situation they wanted to avoid in the Deccan.

C The soil in Western India was too fertile for the Permanent Settlement.

D The Santhal rebellion forced them to change the laws in Western India.

💡 Short Explanation

�� Permanent Settlement created powerful zamindars. �� Officials feared emergence of rentiers. �� Deccan policy emphasized direct assessment.

✅ Correct Answer Explanation

British officials criticized the Bengal Permanent Settlement because many zamindars were viewed as rentiers who lived on rental income rather than investing productively in agriculture. → Influenced by Ricardian ideas, officials in Western India preferred systems like Ryotwari that allowed the state to directly assess cultivators and periodically revise revenue. → Option B correctly explains why a different revenue policy was adopted in the Deccan.

❓ Why Other Options Are Incorrect

�� Option A → Peasant refusal to pay rent was not the main reason for policy change.
�� Option C → Soil fertility was not the deciding factor.
�� Option D → The Santhal Revolt occurred in eastern India and was unrelated to this revenue-policy shift.

🎯 Strategy

Used: Contextual/Tonal Matching

Application:

Link British revenue policy with Ricardian criticism of rentier landlords.

Final Logic:

The British wanted to avoid creating a rentier landlord class like that seen in Bengal.

🧠 Memory Trick

"Bengal = Rentiers, Deccan = Ryots"

📚 Class XII – Themes in Indian History Part III – Chapter: Colonialism and the Countryside – Topic: Criticism of Permanent Settlement

2 The peasant unrest in the Deccan was fundamentally a reaction against which combination of factors?

A Sunset laws and the arrival of the Santhals.

B The forced cultivation of indigo and high export taxes.

C Famine and the introduction of police posts.

D A rigid revenue demand by the state and the deceitful practices of the sahukars.

💡 Short Explanation

�� Revenue pressure remained high. �� Debt burden increased. �� Sahukar exploitation intensified distress.

✅ Correct Answer Explanation

The Deccan Riots emerged from a combination of heavy revenue demands imposed by the colonial state and exploitative lending practices of moneylenders. → Peasants suffered from debt, manipulation of accounts, high interest rates, and pressure to pay land revenue regardless of circumstances. → Therefore Option D correctly identifies both causes.

❓ Why Other Options Are Incorrect

�� Option A → Santhals were unrelated to the Deccan Riots.
�� Option B → Indigo cultivation was associated with Bengal.
�� Option C → Police posts were a response to the revolt, not a cause.

🎯 Strategy

Used: Elimination

Application:

Separate causes from consequences.

Final Logic:

Revenue pressure plus sahukar exploitation triggered unrest.

🧠 Memory Trick

"Revenue + Sahukar = Revolt"

📚 Class XII – Themes in Indian History Part III – Chapter: Colonialism and the Countryside – Topic: Causes of Deccan Riots

3 Arrange the following events related to the Deccan agrarian crisis in chronological order:
1. Supa uprising begins.
2. First revenue settlement in the Bombay Deccan.
3. The Limitation Law is passed.
4. American Civil War breaks out.

A 2, 3, 4, 1

B 1, 2, 3, 4

C 3, 2, 1, 4

D 2, 4, 3, 1

💡 Short Explanation

�� Early settlement came first. �� Limitation Law followed. �� Cotton boom occurred later. �� Revolt happened in 1875.

✅ Correct Answer Explanation

Chronology: First Revenue Settlement (1820s) Limitation Law (1859) American Civil War (1861) Supa Uprising (1875) Thus Option A is correct.

❓ Why Other Options Are Incorrect

�� Option B → Begins with the latest event.
�� Option C → Limitation Law came after settlement.
�� Option D → Places Limitation Law after Civil War.

🎯 Strategy

Used: Elimination

Application:

Arrange events by historical dates.

Final Logic:

Settlement → Law → Cotton Boom → Revolt.

🧠 Memory Trick

"Settlement–Law–War–Revolt"

📚 Class XII – Themes in Indian History Part III – Chapter: Colonialism and the Countryside – Topic: Timeline of Deccan Crisis

4 The newspaper Native Opinion (1876) described how ryots used spies during the revolt. What was the purpose of these spies?

A To find out where the moneylenders had hidden their grain.

B To inform the British troops about rebel hideouts.

C To give timely intimation of the arrival of any Government officers so the offenders could disperse.

D To calculate the exact amount of debt accumulated by the village.

💡 Short Explanation

�� Rebels organized themselves strategically. �� Spies monitored government movement. �� Avoided immediate arrest.

✅ Correct Answer Explanation

Contemporary reports indicate that ryots maintained networks of spies who informed them about approaching government officials. This allowed participants to disperse before authorities arrived. → Option C accurately reflects the historical evidence.

❓ Why Other Options Are Incorrect

�� Option A → No such function is mentioned.
�� Option B → Spies aided rebels, not British troops.
�� Option D → Debt calculation was not their purpose.

🎯 Strategy

Used: Contextual/Tonal Matching

Application:

Match the newspaper account with the rebels' objective.

Final Logic:

Spies helped avoid government suppression.

🧠 Memory Trick

"Spy = Spot Officials"

📚 Class XII – Themes in Indian History Part III – Chapter: Colonialism and the Countryside – Topic: Organization of the Revolt

5 Assertion (A): During the 1875 revolt, many sahukars fled the villages, leaving their property behind.
Reason (R): The British passed the Limitation Law in 1859 to check the accumulation of interest over time.

A Both A and R are true and R is the correct explanation of A.

B Both A and R are true, but R is NOT the correct explanation of A.

C A is true but R is false.

D A is false but R is true.

💡 Short Explanation

�� Sahukars fled due to fear of attack. �� Limitation Law was a separate legal issue. �� No direct causal link exists.

✅ Correct Answer Explanation

Assertion is true because many sahukars fled during the riots. → Reason is also true because the Limitation Law was introduced in 1859. → However, sahukars fled because peasants attacked them, not because the Limitation Law existed. → Therefore Option B is correct.

❓ Why Other Options Are Incorrect

�� Option A → Reason does not explain the Assertion.
�� Option C → Reason is true.
�� Option D → Assertion is also true.

🎯 Strategy

Used: Elimination

Application:

Test whether the Reason actually explains the Assertion.

Final Logic:

Both statements are true, but unrelated.

🧠 Memory Trick

"True + True ≠ Explanation"

📚 Class XII – Themes in Indian History Part III – Chapter: Colonialism and the Countryside – Topic: Sahukars and Limitation Law

6 The looting of shops in Supa demonstrates that the ryots:

A Were targeting both the debt records and the physical resources (like grain) hoarded by the sahukars.

B Only cared about acquiring luxury goods from the market.

C Wanted to distribute cotton seeds among the poor.

D Were acting on the orders of the Deccan Riots Commission.

💡 Short Explanation

�� Economic exploitation was targeted. �� Debt records were destroyed. �� Grain was also looted.

✅ Correct Answer Explanation

The revolt focused on eliminating both symbolic and material sources of oppression. Ryots destroyed debt records while also looting grain stored by moneylenders. → This shows the revolt was directed against the economic power of sahukars.

❓ Why Other Options Are Incorrect

�� Option B → Luxury goods were not the objective.
�� Option C → Cotton seed distribution is unsupported.
�� Option D → The Commission was formed later.

🎯 Strategy

Used: Contextual/Tonal Matching

Application:

Connect actions of rebels with their grievances.

Final Logic:

The revolt targeted economic exploitation in all forms.

🧠 Memory Trick

"Bonds Burned, Grain Taken"

📚 Class XII – Themes in Indian History Part III – Chapter: Colonialism and the Countryside – Topic: Targets of the Deccan Riots

📄 Passage

"On arrival at Supa on Saturday 15 May I learnt of the disturbance. One house of a moneylender was burnt down; about a dozen were forcibly broken into and completely gutted of their content. Account papers, bonds, grains, country cloth were burnt in the street where heaps of ashes are still to be seen."

What does the specific targeting of "account papers and bonds" signify about the nature of the revolt?

A It was a random act of vandalism by criminals.

B The peasants wanted to protest against the use of country cloth.

C The rebels wanted to sell the ashes to the British.

D The revolt was a calculated attempt to destroy the legal instruments of their indebtedness.

💡 Short Explanation

�� Bonds represented debt obligations. �� Account books recorded liabilities. �� Rebels targeted instruments of exploitation.

✅ Correct Answer Explanation

The passage clearly shows that peasants deliberately burned account papers and bonds, which were the legal documents used by moneylenders to claim debts. → This was not random violence. It was a conscious attempt to destroy records that bound peasants to perpetual indebtedness. → Option D correctly captures the political and economic significance of the action.

❓ Why Other Options Are Incorrect

�� Option A → The attack was organized and targeted, not random vandalism.
�� Option B → Country cloth was burned alongside other items but was not the main target.
�� Option C → There is no evidence that ashes were intended for sale.

🎯 Strategy

Used: Contextual/Tonal Matching

Application:

Identify which items were deliberately selected and why.

Final Logic:

Debt bonds symbolized oppression, so peasants destroyed them.

🧠 Memory Trick

"Burn Bonds, Break Debt"

📚 Class XII – Themes in Indian History Part III – Chapter: Colonialism and the Countryside – Topic: Destruction of Debt Records

📄 Passage

Based on the passage, the Magistrate's observation of "heaps of ashes" primarily serves as evidence of:

A The use of gunpowder by the peasant rebels.

B The destruction of crops due to the drought.

C The successful destruction of the oppressive debt records by the ryots.

D The burning of British police posts.

💡 Short Explanation

�� Ashes indicate large-scale burning. �� Debt records were among the materials destroyed. �� Destruction symbolized rejection of exploitation.

✅ Correct Answer Explanation

The passage states that account papers and bonds were burned publicly. The "heaps of ashes" provide physical evidence that these documents had been destroyed. → Since debt records were central to moneylender control, their destruction represented a direct challenge to the system of indebtedness. → Therefore, Option C is correct.

❓ Why Other Options Are Incorrect

�� Option A → Gunpowder is not mentioned in the passage.
�� Option B → The ashes came from burned documents and goods, not crops.
�� Option D → Police posts are not mentioned in the passage.

🎯 Strategy

Used: Contextual/Tonal Matching

Application:

Connect the evidence (ashes) to the items specifically mentioned as burned.

Final Logic:

Ashes confirm the destruction of bonds and account books.

🧠 Memory Trick

"Ashes = Burned Bonds"

📚 Class XII – Themes in Indian History Part III – Chapter: Colonialism and the Countryside – Topic: Symbolism of Record Destruction

9 Which of the following is an INCORRECT statement about the British response to the Deccan revolt?

A Troops were quickly called in to suppress the rebellion.

B Police posts were established in villages.

C The Government of India pressurized Bombay to set up a commission of enquiry.

D The British immediately forgave all peasant debts to restore order.

💡 Short Explanation

�� British suppressed the revolt militarily. �� Police posts were established. �� Inquiry commission was formed. �� Debts were not cancelled.

✅ Correct Answer Explanation

The colonial administration responded through force, arrests, police deployment, and investigation. → The Government of India insisted on a formal inquiry, resulting in the Deccan Riots Commission. → However, the British did not immediately forgive all debts. Therefore Option D is the incorrect statement and thus the correct answer.

❓ Why Other Options Are Incorrect

�� Option A → Troops were indeed called in quickly.
�� Option B → Police posts were established in villages.
�� Option C → A commission of enquiry was set up under pressure from higher authorities.

🎯 Strategy

Used: Odd One Out

Application:

Identify the statement inconsistent with the documented British response.

Final Logic:

Suppression and inquiry occurred, but debt cancellation did not.

🧠 Memory Trick

"Troops, Police, Commission — Not Debt Waiver"

📚 Class XII – Themes in Indian History Part III – Chapter: Colonialism and the Countryside – Topic: British Response to Deccan Riots

10 The establishment of the Deccan Riots Commission was largely driven by:

A The desire to promote the American cotton trade.

B The Government of India's anxiety fueled by the memory of the 1857 revolt.

C The sahukars' demand for compensation for their burnt houses.

D The ryots' petition to the British Parliament.

💡 Short Explanation

�� Officials feared wider rebellion. �� Memory of 1857 remained strong. �� Inquiry aimed to identify causes.

✅ Correct Answer Explanation

British officials viewed the Deccan disturbances with concern because memories of the Revolt of 1857 remained vivid. → The Government of India feared that agrarian unrest could spread and become a larger political challenge. This anxiety encouraged the creation of the Deccan Riots Commission to investigate causes and recommend measures. → Hence Option B is correct.

❓ Why Other Options Are Incorrect

�� Option A → The Commission was not established to promote cotton trade.
�� Option C → Compensation demands were not the primary reason.
�� Option D → The Commission was created by colonial authorities, not by parliamentary petitions from ryots.

🎯 Strategy

Used: Contextual/Tonal Matching

Application:

Link the Commission's formation to broader colonial fears.

Final Logic:

Fear of another large-scale rebellion led to the inquiry.

🧠 Memory Trick

"1857 Fear → Deccan Commission"

📚 Class XII – Themes in Indian History Part III – Chapter: Colonialism and the Countryside – Topic: Deccan Riots Commission

11 How did the end of the American Civil War indirectly increase the debt burden on the Deccan peasants?

A American soldiers migrated to India and took over the land.

B The British imposed a war tax on the Indian peasants.

C Cotton prices collapsed, export merchants restricted credit, and the revenue demand was simultaneously increased.

D The moneylenders were forced to invest in American cotton instead.

💡 Short Explanation

�� Cotton boom ended after the Civil War. �� Prices fell sharply. �� Revenue demand remained high.

✅ Correct Answer Explanation

During the American Civil War (1861–65), Indian cotton exports increased dramatically because supplies from America were disrupted. When the war ended, American cotton returned to the global market and cotton prices in India collapsed. → Export merchants reduced advances and credit, while the colonial government simultaneously increased revenue assessments after resurvey. → Thus peasants faced declining income, reduced credit, and higher revenue demands, leading to deeper indebtedness. → Therefore, Option C is correct.

❓ Why Other Options Are Incorrect

�� Option A → No migration of American soldiers affected Deccan agriculture.
�� Option B → No specific war tax was imposed on Deccan peasants.
�� Option D → This was not the reason for rising peasant debt.

🎯 Strategy

Used: Contextual/Tonal Matching

Application:

Link global economic changes with local agrarian distress.

Final Logic:

Falling cotton prices + higher revenue demand = increased debt burden.

🧠 Memory Trick

"War Ends → Cotton Falls → Debt Rises"

📚 Class XII – Themes in Indian History Part III – Chapter: Colonialism and the Countryside – Topic: Impact of American Civil War

12 In the Deeds of hire, a peasant who could not repay a loan had to sign over his land, carts, and animals to the moneylender, and then take the animals on __________ just to continue cultivation.

A hire

B permanent lease

C ryotwari settlement

D benami transfer

💡 Short Explanation

�� Debt led to loss of property. �� Farmers lost ownership rights. �� Cultivation continued through hired assets.

✅ Correct Answer Explanation

NCERT describes cases where indebted peasants were forced to transfer land, cattle, and equipment to moneylenders. → To continue farming, they then had to take back the same animals and implements on hire, paying charges for their use. → This reflected the exploitative nature of debt relations.

❓ Why Other Options Are Incorrect

�� Option B → Permanent lease is not mentioned in these agreements.
�� Option C → Ryotwari was a revenue system, not a debt arrangement.
�� Option D → Benami transfer is unrelated to the deed described.

🎯 Strategy

Used: Direct Recall

Application:

Recall the exact term used in NCERT.

Final Logic:

The property was returned for use only on hire.

🧠 Memory Trick

"Lost Cattle, Hired Back"

📚 Class XII – Themes in Indian History Part III – Chapter: Colonialism and the Countryside – Topic: Deeds of Hire

13 A key difference between the Permanent Settlement in Bengal and the new systems in the Deccan was that:

A Bengal had temporary settlements, while Deccan had permanent ones.

B Deccan settlements relied on zamindars, while Bengal relied on the ryot.

C The Deccan system allowed the state to periodically revise and increase the revenue demand.

D The Bengal system was based on David Ricardo's theories.

💡 Short Explanation

�� Permanent Settlement fixed revenue. �� Deccan settlements were temporary. �� Revenue could be revised periodically.

✅ Correct Answer Explanation

Under the Permanent Settlement, revenue demand remained fixed permanently. → In contrast, temporary settlements in the Deccan permitted periodic surveys and reassessments, enabling the state to increase revenue when agricultural conditions improved. → Option C accurately identifies the key distinction.

❓ Why Other Options Are Incorrect

�� Option A → Exactly the reverse of reality.
�� Option B → Bengal relied on zamindars, not ryots.
�� Option D → Ricardian influence shaped Deccan policy, not Bengal's Permanent Settlement.

🎯 Strategy

Used: Elimination

Application:

Compare fixed and revisable revenue systems.

Final Logic:

The right to revise revenue distinguished Deccan settlements.

🧠 Memory Trick

"Permanent Fixed, Deccan Revised"

📚 Class XII – Themes in Indian History Part III – Chapter: Colonialism and the Countryside – Topic: Revenue Systems Compared

14 Why did the temporary settlements initially lead to disaster for the Deccan peasants in the 1820s and 1830s?

A The Santhals rebelled and destroyed the crops.

B The peasants refused to grow cotton.

C The British established too many police posts, disrupting farming.

D The revenue demand was exorbitant, inflexible, and enforced severely even during famines.

💡 Short Explanation

�� Revenue assessments were excessive. �� Payments remained compulsory. �� Famines worsened the crisis.

✅ Correct Answer Explanation

Revenue officials fixed demands at very high levels and enforced collection strictly. → Even during poor harvests and famine conditions, peasants were expected to pay. Failure often resulted in crop seizure and fines. → Therefore Option D correctly explains the agrarian disaster.

❓ Why Other Options Are Incorrect

�� Option A → Santhals were unrelated to Deccan revenue problems.
�� Option B → Cotton refusal was not the issue.
�� Option C → Police posts appeared later during revolt suppression.

🎯 Strategy

Used: Contextual/Tonal Matching

Application:

Connect rural distress with revenue policy.

Final Logic:

Rigid revenue demand created agrarian hardship.

🧠 Memory Trick

"High Tax + Famine = Disaster"

📚 Class XII – Themes in Indian History Part III – Chapter: Colonialism and the Countryside – Topic: Early Revenue Settlements

15 Match the concepts to their historical impact:

List 1	List 2
1. Ricardian Theory	a. Led to the system of renewing bonds every 3 years
2. Limitation Law	b. Dictated that interest cannot exceed principal
3. Customary norms	c. Stimulated the cotton boom in Deccan
4. American Civil War	d. Shaped the Ryotwari system to tax surplus

A 1-d, 2-a, 3-b, 4-c

B 1-a, 2-d, 3-c, 4-b

C 1-c, 2-a, 3-d, 4-b

D 1-d, 2-c, 3-a, 4-b

💡 Short Explanation

�� Ricardo influenced taxation. �� Limitation Law caused bond renewal. �� Customary norms limited interest. �� Civil War boosted cotton exports.

✅ Correct Answer Explanation

Ricardian Theory → Taxing surplus (d) → Limitation Law → Renewal of bonds (a) → Customary norms → Interest should not exceed principal (b) → American Civil War → Cotton boom (c) Thus Option A correctly matches all pairs.

❓ Why Other Options Are Incorrect

�� Option B → Multiple mismatches.
�� Option C → Incorrect pairing of Ricardian theory.
�� Option D → Misplaces Limitation Law and customary norms.

🎯 Strategy

Used: Option Grouping

Application:

Match each concept with its historical consequence.

Final Logic:

Only Option A correctly matches all four relationships.

🧠 Memory Trick

"Ricardo–Surplus, Law–Bond, Custom–Interest, War–Cotton"

📚 Class XII – Themes in Indian History Part III – Chapter: Colonialism and the Countryside – Topic: Ricardian Influence and Debt Laws

16 British officials applied Ricardian logic in Maharashtra because they observed that in Bengal:

A The state was gaining too much revenue from the peasants.

B The zamindars had become rentiers living on rental incomes instead of productively investing surplus.

C The ryots were directly paying huge surpluses to the state.

D The Paharias had taken over the agricultural lands.

💡 Short Explanation

�� Bengal experience influenced policy. �� Zamindars became rentiers. �� British wanted direct assessment.

✅ Correct Answer Explanation

British officials believed the Permanent Settlement had created a class of landlords who merely collected rents without improving agriculture. → Influenced by Ricardo, officials argued that surplus should be taxed by the state rather than accumulating with rentiers. → Hence Option B is correct.

❓ Why Other Options Are Incorrect

�� Option A → Revenue loss, not excess revenue, was the concern.
�� Option C → Bengal operated through zamindars, not direct ryot payments.
�� Option D → Paharias were unrelated to this policy debate.

🎯 Strategy

Used: Contextual/Tonal Matching

Application:

Connect Ricardian theory with British criticism of Bengal.

Final Logic:

Fear of rentier landlords shaped Deccan policy.

🧠 Memory Trick

"Bengal Rentiers, Deccan Ryots"

📚 Class XII – Themes in Indian History Part III – Chapter: Colonialism and the Countryside – Topic: Ricardian Critique

17 Under the Ryotwari system, if a peasant failed to pay his revenue, what was the immediate consequence enforced by the collectors?

A His crops were seized and a fine was imposed on the whole village.

B His land was permanently given to the sahukar.

C He was sent to jail in Britain.

D He was exempted from paying due to the Sunset Law.

💡 Short Explanation

�� Revenue enforcement was strict. �� Crop seizure was common. �� Collective penalties were imposed.

✅ Correct Answer Explanation

Revenue officials used harsh measures to ensure collection. → When peasants failed to pay, crops could be confiscated and entire villages fined. → Option A accurately reflects NCERT's description.

❓ Why Other Options Are Incorrect

�� Option B → Land was not automatically transferred to sahukars.
�� Option C → No such punishment existed.
�� Option D → No exemption was granted.

🎯 Strategy

Used: Elimination

Application:

Identify the actual revenue enforcement method.

Final Logic:

Crop seizure was the standard colonial response.

🧠 Memory Trick

"No Revenue = Crop Seizure"

📚 Class XII – Themes in Indian History Part III – Chapter: Colonialism and the Countryside – Topic: Ryotwari Enforcement

18 How frequently was the land resurveyed and the revenue rate increased under the Ryotwari settlement?

A Every year

B Every 10 years

C Every 30 years

D Every 50 years

💡 Short Explanation

�� Temporary settlements required revision. �� Surveys reassessed productivity. �� Revenue generally increased.

✅ Correct Answer Explanation

The Ryotwari Settlement involved periodic revision of land assessments. → Approximately every 30 years, land was resurveyed and revenue rates were revised, usually upward.

❓ Why Other Options Are Incorrect

�� Option A → Surveys were not annual.
�� Option B → Revision period was longer.
�� Option D → Too infrequent according to NCERT.

🎯 Strategy

Used: Direct Recall

Application:

Remember the standard revision interval.

Final Logic:

Thirty-year reassessment was the norm.

🧠 Memory Trick

"Ryotwari = 30-Year Revision"

📚 Class XII – Themes in Indian History Part III – Chapter: Colonialism and the Countryside – Topic: Revenue Revision Cycle

19 When the colonial government moderated the revenue demand by the mid-1840s to encourage cultivation, what unintended consequence did this have on the peasants?

A They became completely self-sufficient and independent of British rule.

B They shifted entirely to growing indigo instead of cotton.

C They abandoned their farms to work in British factories.

D They fell back into debt because expanding cultivation required taking loans for seeds and cattle.

💡 Short Explanation

�� Expansion required investment. �� Farmers borrowed for inputs. �� Debt increased again.

✅ Correct Answer Explanation

Lower revenue encouraged cultivation, but expansion required seeds, cattle, and tools. → Since peasants lacked capital, they borrowed from moneylenders. → This increased indebtedness and dependence on sahukars.

❓ Why Other Options Are Incorrect

�� Option A → Economic dependence continued.
�� Option B → Indigo was not the primary outcome.
�� Option C → Farming expansion, not factory migration, occurred.

🎯 Strategy

Used: Contextual/Tonal Matching

Application:

Trace the economic consequences of agricultural expansion.

Final Logic:

Cultivation expanded through borrowed capital.

🧠 Memory Trick

"More Farming = More Loans"

📚 Class XII – Themes in Indian History Part III – Chapter: Colonialism and the Countryside – Topic: Debt and Agricultural Expansion

20 The dramatic increase in revenue demand (from 50 to 100 percent) after the first settlement cycle ended, coincided with which economic event, causing massive rural instability?

A The start of the American Civil War.

B The sliding downwards of cotton prices following the end of the American Civil War.

C The introduction of the Permanent Settlement in Bengal.

D The abolition of the Limitation Law.

💡 Short Explanation

�� Revenue increased sharply. �� Cotton prices collapsed. �� Peasant incomes declined.

✅ Correct Answer Explanation

After the American Civil War ended, global cotton supplies recovered and cotton prices fell sharply. → At the same time, revenue assessments were revised upward, in some places increasing dramatically. → The combination of falling income and rising taxes created severe rural instability and contributed to the Deccan Riots.

❓ Why Other Options Are Incorrect

�� Option A → Cotton prices rose during the war, not collapsed.
�� Option C → Permanent Settlement was unrelated.
�� Option D → Limitation Law was not abolished.

🎯 Strategy

Used: Contextual/Tonal Matching

Application:

Connect economic downturn with revenue revision.

Final Logic:

Falling cotton prices plus rising taxes produced agrarian crisis.

🧠 Memory Trick

"Cotton Falls, Revenue Rises, Revolt Follows"

📚 Class XII – Themes in Indian History Part III – Chapter: Colonialism and the Countryside – Topic: Economic Causes of the Deccan Riots

CUET UG History Booster Test 2 - Deccan Riots and Revenue System

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