Question

Which of the following statements accurately describe the conditions of Bombay-Deccan from 1840 to 1850?
I. There was significant agrarian expansion during this period.
II. Prices of the agricultural products were rising steadily.
III. There were frequent peasant uprisings due to economic distress.
IV. The agrarian landscape largely remained progressive.

• A. Only I and III are correct.
• B. Only II and IV are correct.
• C. Only I and II are correct.
• D. Only III and IV are correct.

Hint:

The brief economic recovery of the late 1840s and early 1850s was later accelerated by the American Civil War (1861--1865), which created a temporary cotton boom before causing another economic crash for Deccan farmers.

Answer 1

The Correct Option is C

Step 1: Historical Context of the Bombay-Deccan:
Following the agricultural depression and low prices of the 1820s and 1830s, the economy of the Bombay-Deccan began to recover in the mid-1840s.

Step 2: Evaluating Statements I and II:

• Statement I: After 1845, there was a notable expansion in cultivation. Peasants began clearing waste and scrub lands, extending agriculture across the region. (Correct)
• Statement II: During this decade, agricultural prices began to rise steadily. This recovery provided some fincial relief to the peasantry and encouraged them to expand cultivation. (Correct)

Step 3: Evaluating Statements III and IV:

• Statement III: The major, widespread peasant uprisings (the Deccan Riots) occurred much later, in 1875. The period from 1840 to 1850 did not see frequent or widespread violent peasant uprisings. (Incorrect)
• Statement IV: The term “progressive” is historically iccurate for a colonial system characterized by high taxes and growing peasant debt. (Incorrect) Therefore, since Statements I and II are correct, the correct option is (C).