✅ Answer: B) Calicut (Kozhikode)Vasco da Gama landed at Calicut (Kozhikode, Kerala) in 1498 CE. He was received by the Zamorin (ruler of Calicut). This discovery of the sea route to India opened the Age of European Exploration. The Portuguese later captured Goa in 1510 CE under Alfonso de Albuquerque, making it their headquarters in India.

✅ Answer: B) Beginning of British political ruleThe Battle of Plassey (June 23, 1757) marked the beginning of British political rule in India. Robert Clive defeated Siraj-ud-Daulah (Nawab of Bengal) with the help of Mir Jafar’s betrayal. Mir Jafar was made puppet Nawab. Bengal’s enormous wealth financed British expansion across India.

✅ Answer: C) Shah Alam IIThe Treaty of Allahabad (1765) was signed with Shah Alam II (Mughal Emperor) after the Battle of Buxar. Shah Alam II granted the Diwani (revenue collection rights) of Bengal, Bihar, and Orissa to the British East India Company. This was a turning point — the British now had legal authority to collect revenue from these provinces.

✅ Answer: B) Lord WellesleyThe Subsidiary Alliance was introduced by Lord Wellesley (Governor-General 1798–1805). The first Indian ruler to sign was the Nizam of Hyderabad (1798). Under this system, Indian rulers accepted British troops, paid for their maintenance, and lost control of foreign policy. This made them British puppets while appearing to be independent.

✅ Answer: C) 1853Jhansi was annexed in 1853 CE under the Doctrine of Lapse when Raja Gangadhar Rao died without a natural heir. His adopted son was not recognised. Rani Lakshmibai (widow) protested but was denied. This became a major grievance leading to the 1857 Revolt. Rani Lakshmibai became a symbol of resistance against British rule.

✅ Answer: B) MysoreTipu Sultan was the ruler of Mysore. He died fighting the British in the Fourth Anglo-Mysore War (1799) at the Battle of Seringapatam. He is called “Tiger of Mysore” for his fierce resistance. He was the son of Hyder Ali. He introduced rocket artillery in warfare and sought alliances with France against the British.

✅ Answer: B) Defeated three powers combinedThe Battle of Buxar was more decisive because the British defeated a combined force of three powers — Mir Qasim (Bengal), Shuja-ud-Daulah (Awadh), and Shah Alam II (Mughal Emperor). This proved British military superiority over all major Indian powers. The Treaty of Allahabad (1765) gave the British the Diwani of Bengal.

✅ Answer: C) MisgovernanceAwadh was annexed in 1856 on the grounds of “misgovernance” — not the Doctrine of Lapse (Nawab Wajid Ali Shah had no succession issue). Lord Dalhousie claimed the Nawab was mismanaging the state. This was widely seen as a pretext. The annexation of Awadh was a major cause of the 1857 Revolt — many sepoys were from Awadh.

✅ Answer: B) Lord Cornwallis (1793)The Permanent Settlement was introduced by Lord Cornwallis in 1793 CE in Bengal, Bihar, and Orissa. It fixed the land revenue permanently — zamindars paid a fixed amount to the British and kept the rest. This created a class of loyal zamindars but exploited peasants. The Ryotwari system (Madras, Bombay) and Mahalwari system (UP, Punjab) were introduced later.

✅ Answer: B) Travancore defeated the DutchThe Battle of Colachel (1741) is significant because Travancore (Kerala) under King Marthanda Varma defeated the Dutch — the only Asian victory over a European power in the 18th century. The Dutch commander Eustachius De Lannoy was captured and later served as a naval commander for Travancore. This ended Dutch power in India.