British Policies and Impacts — Chapter Summary
ICSE · Class 8 · History & Civics
Summary of British Policies and Impacts for ICSE Class 8 History & Civics. Part of the ICSE Class 8 History & Civics syllabus.
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Overview
British rule changed India’s economy, trade, education, and social life. The East India Company first came for trade, but British policies were designed to serve British interests. Land revenue systems changed village life, Indian crafts declined, wealth flowed out of India, and modern education was
Key Concepts
Lord Cornwallis introduced the Permanent Settlement
Lord Cornwallis introduced the Permanent Settlement in 1793 in Bengal and Bihar. The revenue was fixed and had to be paid in cash by the zamindars. If
The Ryotwari System was introduced
The Ryotwari System was introduced in 1820 by British officials Alexander Reed and Thomas Munro. The settlement was made directly with cultivators or
The Mahalwari System was introduced
The Mahalwari System was introduced in parts of Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, North-West provinces and Punjab. Revenue settlement was made village by
Farmers were forced to produce cash
Farmers were forced to produce cash crops such as indigo, cotton, jute, poppy and sugarcane instead of food crops like wheat and rice. Cash crops were
Before British rule
Before British rule, Indian textiles and crafts were famous in centres such as Dhaka, Benaras, Lucknow, Multan, Ahmedabad, Madurai and Surat. British
Learning Objectives
- Understand why the British introduced new economic and administrative policies
- Explain the three land revenue systems and their effects on farmers
- Describe how British trade policies weakened Indian handicrafts and village industries
- Understand the idea of the drain of wealth and its impact on India
- Explain the main features of Wood's Despatch and the rise of modern education
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Sources & Official References
Content is aligned to the official syllabus. Refer to the board website for the latest curriculum.
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