Looking for an exam-oriented collection of extra questions and answers for SEBA Class 9 Social Science History Chapter 5 (Beginnings of British Rule in Assam / অসমত ব্ৰিটিছ শাসনৰ আৰম্ভণি) for the 2026–27 academic session? Access thoroughly solved Short Answer Questions (2–3 marks), Long Analytical Questions (4–5 marks), comparative distinction tables, and administrative timelines. Master high-yield exam topics covering the administrative consolidation by the English East India Company following the Treaty of Yandaboo (1826); the pioneering administrative arrangements and revenue policies of Agent to the Governor-General David Scott; the division of Assam into Upper and Lower administrative units; early anti-British uprisings led by the Ahom aristocracy, including the armed rebellion of Prince Gomdhar Konwar (1828) and Dhananjoy Borgohain; the rebellion of Piyoli Borphukan and Jeuram Dulia Baruah (1830) and their subsequent execution; the experiment with Ahom restoration under Purandar Singha in Upper Assam (1833–1838) and its failure due to tribute default; the formal annexation of Upper Assam in 1838; the annexation of Cachar under the Doctrine of Lapse following the death of King Gobinda Chandra (1830); annexation of the Jaintia kingdom (1835) and the Matak-Khamti territories; introduction of cash-based land revenue assessments; dismantling of the traditional Paik and Khel systems; and structured model answers designed strictly according to the Assam Board (SEBA) examination pattern.
Q.1. Who was the founder of the Ahom dynasty in Assam?
Ans: Siu-ka-pha.
Q.2. Which invasion brought an end to the Ahom rule in Assam?
Ans: The Burmese invasion.
Q.3. Which war was fought between the British and the Burmese from 1824 to 1826 AD?
Ans: The First Anglo-Burmese War.
Q.4. Name the treaty that ended the First Anglo-Burmese War.
Ans: The Treaty of Yandaboo.
Q.5. Who was the British Governor-General of India during the outbreak of the First Anglo-Burmese War?
Ans: Lord Amherst.
Q.6. Who was the British commander of the forces that arrived in Gauhati?
Ans: Colonel Richards.
Q.7. Who was appointed as the Agent to the Governor General for the Brahmaputra Valley in November 1820?
Ans: David Scott.
Q.8. What were the two main divisions into which the British partitioned Assam for administrative convenience?
Ans: Western (Lower) Assam and Eastern (Upper) Assam.
Q.9. What was made the headquarters of Upper Assam?
Ans: Rangpur (later shifted to Jorhat).
Q.10. What was made the headquarters of Lower Assam?
Ans: Gauhati (Guwahati).
SEBA Class 9 History Chapter 5 Extra Questions
Q.11. In which year was the Assam Light Infantry formed?
Ans: 1826 AD.
Q.12. Who was the Ahom high official entrusted with the general management of revenue in Upper Assam?
Ans: Janardan Barbarua.
Q.13. Who supervised the survey of land in Lower Assam?
Ans: Captain Matthews.
Q.14. Who succeeded David Scott as the Agent to the Governor-General in 1832?
Ans: T.C. Robertson.
Q.15. Who succeeded T.C. Robertson as the Commissioner of Assam?
Ans: Captain Jenkins.
Q.16. In which year was the slave system abolished in Assam?
Ans: 1843 AD.
Q.17. Who was the first man to lead an anti-British uprising in Assam?
Ans: Gomdhar Konwar.
Q.18. In which year were Peoli Phukan and Jeuram Dulia Baruah hanged to death?
Ans: August 1830 AD.
Q.19. Where were Peoli Phukan and Jeuram Dulia Baruah executed?
Ans: Sivasagar.
Q.20. Which Ahom king was restored to the throne of Upper Assam in 1833 under treaty conditions?
Ans: Purandar Singha.
Beginnings of British Rule in Assam Important Questions and Answers 2026-27
Q.21. How much annual tribute did Purandar Singha agree to pay the British?
Ans: Rupees 50,000.
Q.22. In which year was Purandar Singha deposed and Upper Assam brought under direct British rule?
Ans: 1838 AD.
Q.23. What was the capital of the Muttock kingdom?
Ans: Rangagora.
Q.24. Who was the Khasi chief who fought against the British for constructing a road through the Khasi Hills?
Ans: Tirot Singh.
Q.25. When did Tirot Singh finally surrender to the British?
Ans: June 13, 1833.
Q.26. Who occupied the Jaintia kingdom in 1835 AD?
Ans: Captain Lister.
Q.27. What was the original name of the Nowgong (Nagaon) district in old records?
Ans: Khagarijan.
Q.28. In which year was the headquarters of the Darrang district shifted from Mangaldoi to Tezpur?
Ans: 1836 AD.
Q.29. Who was the last Ahom king defeated by the Burmese?
Ans: Chandra Kanta Singha.
Q.30. In which year was Tura made the district headquarters of the Garo Hills?
Ans: 1839 AD.
Class 9 Social Science History Chapter 5 Extra Q&A SEBA
Extra Short Questions and Answers
Q.1. Why did the British enter Assam initially?
Ans: The British entered Assam to check Burmese aggression and protect their own territories from Burmese attacks.
Q.2. What was the second article of the Treaty of Yandaboo about?
Ans: It stated that the Burmese could no longer interfere in the internal affairs of Assam, Cachar, and the Jaintia kingdom.
Q.3. Why did the Ahom nobility initially welcome the British forces?
Ans: They welcomed the British because they hoped the British would free Assam from brutal Burmese misrule and restore their kingdom.
Q.4. What changes did David Scott make regarding the traditional Ahom administrative structure in Upper Assam?
Ans: He kept the traditional structure largely unchanged to avoid public resentment, but employed local aristocrats in Company services.
Q.5. Why did the British introduce new taxes in Assam?
Ans: The British introduced new taxes to accumulate capital and raise money to invest in the industrial sector in England.
Q.6. What types of professional taxes were imposed during David Scott’s administration?
Ans: Taxes were imposed on weavers, goldsmiths, fishermen, and brassworkers, as well as on rent-free lands.
Q.7. What was the main contribution of T.C. Robertson regarding land revenue?
Ans: Robertson fixed tax rates based on land quality and quantity, and started the system of issuing official receipts (pattas) to cultivators.
Q.8. How did Captain Jenkins contribute to the economic development of Assam?
Ans: Captain Jenkins laid the foundation for the development of tea, coal, and oil industries in Assam.
Q.9. Why did Captain Jenkins shift the district headquarters from Jorhat to Sivasagar?
Ans: He believed Jorhat’s river (Bhogdoi) was shallow and prone to floods, whereas Sivasagar offered better water communication via the Dikhow river.
Q.10. How did the banning of opium cultivation affect the local people?
Ans: It ruined the income of local opium cultivators and forced addicts to buy expensive government opium, leading to widespread physical and mental deterioration.
Q.11. Why did the Ahom nobility launch anti-British uprisings after two years of British rule?
Ans: They realized the British had broken their promise of restoring native rule and had stripped the nobility of their land, status, and privileges.
Q.12. Who were the main leaders sentenced to death after the second anti-British conspiracy?
Ans: Peoli Phukan and Jeuram Dulia Baruah.
Q.13. Why was Purandar Singha deposed by the British in 1838?
Ans: He failed to pay the heavy annual tribute of Rs. 50,000 on time due to maladministration, giving the British an excuse to annex Upper Assam.
Q.14. How did the conflict arise in the Khamti kingdom leading to its annexation?
Ans: The Khamtis demanded land in the Muttock area, killed the British Agent when he resisted, prompting the British to annex their kingdom in 1842.
Q.15. Why did Tirot Singh attack the British in the Khasi Hills?
Ans: Tirot Singh attacked the British because he feared their road construction project through the hills was a step toward occupying Khasi territory.
Q.16. What led to the British annexation of the Jaintia kingdom?
Ans: The Jaintia king failed to assist the British during the Burmese war, and his subordinates captured and sacrificed British subjects at Gobha.
Q.17. Why was the kingdom of Cachar taken over by the British?
Ans: After King Gobinda Chandra died without an heir and local rulers like Tularam’s sons fought among themselves, the British annexed Cachar to restore order.
Q.18. How was the administration of the Garo Hills managed?
Ans: The Garo Hills were initially treated as part of Goalpara, but later made a separate district with its headquarters established at Tura in 1839.
Q.19. Why did the British introduce Bengali bureaucrats (Amollahs) into Assam?
Ans: Because the local Ahom aristocracy initially refused to serve under the East India Company, forcing the British to recruit youth from Bengal.
Q.20. What was the ultimate result of the British administration spreading across Assam?
Ans: Both the hills and the plains of Assam were brought under direct British imperial rule, ending centuries of native dynastic governance.
SEBA Class 9 History David Scott Gomdhar Konwar Purandar Singha Notes
Extra Long (3-Mark) Questions and Answers
Q.1. Explain the circumstances that led to the First Anglo-Burmese War (1824–1826).
Ans:
- Burmese Expansion: The Burmese conquered Arakan, Manipur, and Cachar, and eventually invaded and occupied Assam, causing widespread misery and depopulation.
- Threat to British Borders: Burmese forces crossed into British-influenced territories in North Bengal, Goalpara, and Chittagong, ignoring warnings from Lord Amherst.
- Declaration of War: To protect their borders and eliminate the Burmese threat to the North-East, the British declared the First Anglo-Burmese War in 1824.
Q.2. Describe the revenue reforms introduced by David Scott in Assam.
Ans:
- Abolition of Paik System: In Upper Assam, the old paik system was abolished, and paiks had to pay a fixed tax of three rupees on cultivated lands and homesteads.
- Lower Assam Management: Lower Assam was kept under direct British rule, divided into parganas managed by Choudhurys and assisted by local revenue officers like Patowaris.
- Professional and Land Taxes: Scott imposed taxes on various professions (weavers, fishermen) and levied half-taxes on rent-free religious lands (Devottar and Brahmottar).
Q.3. What were the main causes of the first series of anti-British uprisings (1828–1830) in Assam?
Ans:
- Loss of Privileges: The Ahom nobility lost their hereditary posts, land grants, paiks, and high social status under British rule.
- Broken Promises: Assamese leaders realized that the British proclamation of leaving Assam after expelling the Burmese was false and that the British intended to stay permanently.
- Economic Hardship: Heavy cash-based land taxes and scarcity of money created severe hardships for both the common people and the aristocracy.
Q.4. Write a short note on the revolt and tragic end of Peoli Phukan and Jeuram Dulia Baruah.
Ans:
- Secret Conspiracies: After Gomdhar Konwar’s failure, leaders like Dhananjoy, Peoli Phukan, and Jeuram Dulia Baruah organized a widespread rebellion, appealing to neighboring hill tribes for help.
- Attack and Arrest: The revolutionaries attacked a British garrison, but their plot was betrayed, and they were captured by the British forces.
- Death Sentence: Following a trial at Cherrapunji, Peoli Phukan and Jeuram Dulia Baruah were sentenced to death and publicly hanged at Sivasagar in August 1830.
Q.5. Explain why the experiment of restoring King Purandar Singha in Upper Assam failed.
Ans:
- Heavy Financial Burden: Purandar Singha was required to pay a very high annual tribute of Rs. 50,000 to the British, which was nearly impossible to collect from a war-ruined region.
- Economic Ruin: Upper Assam had been heavily devastated by civil wars and Burmese atrocities, leaving the population impoverished and agricultural production severely damaged.
- British Annexation: Due to alleged corruption, falling revenue collection, and non-payment of taxes, the British deposed Purandar Singha in 1838 and annexed Upper Assam.
Q.6. How did Captain Jenkins contribute to administrative and economic changes in Assam?
Ans:
- Industrial Pioneer: Jenkins promoted the development of tea cultivation, coal mining, and oil industries, which transformed Assam’s economy.
- Revenue and Infrastructure: He replaced head taxes with land revenue, imposed stamp and income duties, and improved river and road communications (including the first steamships).
- Relocation of Headquarters: He shifted the district headquarters from Jorhat to Sivasagar to secure better water transport and flood management.
Assam Board Class 9 History Chapter 5 Solved Extra Questions PDF
Q.7. Describe the circumstances that led to the annexation of the Muttock kingdom.
Ans:
- Treaty of 1826: After the Anglo-Burmese war, the British had handed over the administration of the Muttock region between Burhi Dihing and the Brahmaputra to Barsenapati.
- Increased Demands: When the initial treaty terms expired, the British demanded a larger portion of territory and higher monetary tribute from the new Muttock ruler, Maju Gohain.
- Hostilities and Annexation: Because the Muttock rulers resisted these unfair British demands, hostilities broke out, leading to the British annexation of the kingdom and pensioning off the king.
Q.8. Explain the conflict between the British and Tirot Singh in the Khasi Hills.
Ans:
- Road Construction Project: The British wanted to build a strategic military and trade road connecting Assam and Sylhet directly through the Khasi Hills.
- Fear of Occupation: Khasi Chief Tirot Singh initially permitted the road, but soon realized that the British intended to subjugate and occupy their lands.
- War and Surrender: Tirot Singh attacked the British in 1829, sparking a bitter four-year war that ended with his defeat and surrender on June 13, 1833.
Q.9. What were the negative impacts of the ban on opium cultivation introduced by Captain Jenkins?
Ans:
- Loss of Livelihood: Banning local opium cultivation instantly destroyed the income and livelihood of Assamese opium farmers.
- Forced Labor: Addicts could now only buy government-imported opium, compelling many desperate peasants to work in European tea gardens to pay for it.
- Widespread Addiction: Increased availability through government stores led to heavy consumption, ruining the physical, mental, and agricultural health of the Assamese society.
Q.10. Summarize how the British gradually expanded their control over the hill and plain territories of Assam.
Ans:
- Initial Strategy: The British initially governed Lower Assam directly while restoring native rulers in Upper Assam and surrounding regions under strict treaty conditions.
- Annexation of Kingdoms: One by one, territories like Upper Assam, Muttock, Khamti, Cachar, and Jaintia were annexed due to non-payment of taxes, local conflicts, or administrative disputes.
- Subjugation of Hills: Military expeditions were later sent to bring strategic hill tracts—including the Khasi, Naga, Garo, and Lushai hills—under complete British imperial administration.
📜 Class 9 Social Science Exam Preparation Notice: This page features curated SEBA Class 9 Social Science (History Section) Chapter 5: Beginnings of British Rule in Assam Extra Questions, Answers & Solutions updated for the 2026–27 academic session. Tailored strictly to target high-frequency analytical and descriptive questions tested in unit tests, half-yearly exams, and annual school examinations, this revision guide explores beyond standard textbook exercises—providing structured, point-wise evaluations of David Scott’s early administrative and revenue reforms, early patriotic resistance under Gomdhar Konwar and Piyoli Borphukan, the puppet-rule experiment and annexation of Purandar Singha’s Upper Assam territory (1838), and the colonial expansion across Cachar, Jaintia, and tribal tracts—to guarantee full marks in your 2-mark, 3-mark, and 5-mark exam questions.
💡 Master SEBA Class 9 History Chapter Extra Questions:
- Having difficulty structuring a comprehensive 5-mark answer detailing the primary reasons behind the uprising of Gomdhar Konwar (1828), analyzing why the British administrative experiment of restoring Purandar Singha in Upper Assam ended in failure, or explaining the radical economic consequences of replacing the traditional Paik labor system with cash revenue taxation? Leave your query in the comments section below!
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