Question

Arrange the following events in a chronological order:
(A) Santhals begin to come and settle in the Rajmahal hills
(B) Permanent Settlement in Bengal
(C) Cotton boom begins
(D) Santhal rebellion
Choose the correct answer from the options given below:

• A. (A), (B), (C), (D)
• B. (A), (C), (B), (D)
• C. (B), (A), (D), (C)
• D. (C), (B), (D), (A)

Hint:

Memorizing a few anchor dates is essential for chronological questions: Permanent Settlement (1793), Santhal Rebellion (1855), Revolt of 1857, and the start of the American Civil War (1861).

Answer 1

The Correct Option is C

Step 1: Understanding the Concept:
The question requires arranging four significant events from the economic and social history of colonial India in their correct time sequence.
Step 2: Detailed Explanation:
Let's assign dates to each event:

(B) Permanent Settlement in Bengal: Lord Cornwallis introduced this land revenue system in 1793.
(A) Santhals begin to come and settle in the Rajmahal hills: Following the Permanent Settlement, the British encouraged forest clearing for agriculture. The Santhals were settled in the Damin-i-Koh region of the Rajmahal hills in large numbers from the early 1800s, with the area being formally demarcated in 1832. This event follows the Permanent Settlement.
(D) Santhal rebellion (Hul): After suffering under the exploitative system of moneylenders (\textit{mahajans}) and zamindars, the Santhals rose in a massive rebellion in 1855-56.
(C) Cotton boom begins: The demand for Indian cotton in Britain surged dramatically after the outbreak of the American Civil War in 1861, which cut off supplies from the American South. This triggered a cotton boom in India, especially in the Deccan.
Step 3: Final Answer:
The correct chronological order is: Permanent Settlement (B), Santhal settlement (A), Santhal rebellion (D), and the Cotton boom (C). The sequence is (B), (A), (D), (C).