Chronologically arrange the following setting up of European commercial bases in different cities of India.
A. Dutch base in Masulipatnam.
B. French base in Pondicherry.
C. Portuguese base in Panaji.
D. British base in Madras.
Choose the correct answer from the options given below:
Answer & explanation
Correct answer: option 4
The correct answer is Option (4) → C, A, D, B
C. Portuguese base in Panaji. — 1510.
A. Dutch base in Masulipatnam. — 1605.
D. British base in Madras. — 1639.
B. French base in Pondicherry. — 1673; Pondicherry is present-day Puducherry.
All four European commercial companies had set up these bases early during the Mughal era, and towns grew around these trading centres.
Note: This question is taken from the chapter ‘Colonial Cities’ which was there in the pre-rationalised NCERT and has been deleted from subsequent editions of NCERT, including the NCERT book (2026-27).
NCERT (Pre-rationalised): “1.2 Changes in the eighteenth century … Changes in the networks of trade were reflected in the history of urban centres. The European commercial Companies had set up base in different places early during the Mughal era: the Portuguese in Panaji in 1510, the Dutch in Masulipatnam in 1605, the British in Madras in 1639 and the French in Pondicherry (present-day Puducherry) in 1673. With the expansion of commercial activity, towns grew around these trading centres.…” |