Anglo-French Struggle Top 100 MCQs With Answer and Explanation

1. The Anglo-French struggle in India was mainly for control over___________.
A) Bengal
B) Carnatic & Deccan
C) Punjab
D) Sindh

2. The French East India Company was established in___________.
A) 1600
B) 1602
C) 1664
D) 1674

3. The headquarters of French possessions in India was___________.
A) Chandernagore
B) Pondicherry
C) Karaikal
D) Mahe

4. The French settlement in Bengal was at___________.
A) Chinsurah
B) Chandernagore
C) Balasore
D) Serampore

5. The French governor who dreamed of empire building in India was___________.
A) Francois Martin
B) Dupleix
C) Lally
D) Bussy

6. The English East India Company was founded in___________.
A) 1599
B) 1600
C) 1602
D) 1615

7. The British East India Company’s early headquarters on the Coromandel Coast was___________.
A) Calcutta
B) Masulipatnam
C) Madras (Fort St. George)
D) Pondicherry

8. The Anglo-French struggle in India was connected to which European conflicts?
A) Napoleonic Wars
B) Austrian War of Succession & Seven Years’ War
C) Hundred Years’ War
D) Anglo-Spanish War

9. The immediate cause of the First Carnatic War was___________.
A) French attack on Madras
B) Austrian War of Succession
C) English seizure of French ships
D) Mughal succession crisis

10. The French captured Madras in 1746 under___________.
A) Dupleix
B) Lally
C) La Bourdonnais
D) Bussy

11. The French settlement of Mahe was on which coast?
A) Coromandel Coast
B) Malabar Coast
C) Konkan Coast
D) Bengal Coast

12. The Anglo-French rivalry in the Deccan centered around___________.
A) Nizam succession
B) Nawab succession in Carnatic
C) Both a & b
D) None

13. The French officer Bussy was influential in___________.
A) Bengal
B) Hyderabad (Deccan)
C) Gujarat
D) Punjab

14. Which Indian ruler allied with the French in Deccan politics?
A) Chanda Sahib
B) Tipu Sultan
C) Haidar Ali
D) Nizam-ul-Mulk’s successors

15. Who led the British forces in early Carnatic Wars?
A) Robert Clive
B) Stringer Lawrence
C) Eyre Coote
D) Hector Munro

16. The French support to local rulers gave them temporary power in___________.
A) Arcot & Hyderabad
B) Bengal
C) Mysore
D) Gujarat

17. The First Carnatic War (1746–48) ended with___________.
A) Treaty of Aix-la-Chapelle
B) Treaty of Pondicherry
C) Treaty of Paris
D) Treaty of Alinagar

18. Which war proved French naval weakness in India?
A) First Carnatic War
B) Second Carnatic War
C) Third Carnatic War
D) Battle of Plassey

19. The French lost their dominance in Hyderabad after___________.
A) Death of Nizam-ul-Mulk
B) Treaty of Pondicherry (1754)
C) Recall of Dupleix (1754)
D) Treaty of Paris (1763)

20. The Second Carnatic War (1749–1754) was fought mainly over___________.
A) Control of Madras
B) Succession in Carnatic & Hyderabad
C) British vs. Dutch rivalry
D) Mughal succession

21. British supported whom in the Second Carnatic War?
A) Chanda Sahib & Muzaffar Jang
B) Muhammad Ali & Nasir Jang
C) Tipu Sultan & Haidar Ali
D) Bussy & Lally

22. The French supported whom in the Second Carnatic War?
A) Chanda Sahib & Muzaffar Jang
B) Muhammad Ali & Nasir Jang
C) Mir Jafar & Siraj-ud-Daulah
D) Haidar Ali

23. Robert Clive rose to prominence during___________.
A) First Carnatic War
B) Siege of Arcot (1751)
C) Battle of Plassey (1757)
D) Battle of Wandiwash (1760)

24. The Second Carnatic War ended with___________.
A) Treaty of Paris
B) Treaty of Pondicherry (1754)
C) Treaty of Aix-la-Chapelle
D) Treaty of Alinagar

25. The recall of which French governor marked the decline of French power?
A) Francois Martin
B) Dupleix
C) Lally
D) Bussy

26. The First Carnatic War (1746–1748) broke out because of___________.
A) British attack on Pondicherry
B) French capture of Madras
C) European War of Austrian Succession
D) Indian succession disputes

27. Who was the French naval commander who captured Madras in 1746?
A) Dupleix
B) Bussy
C) La Bourdonnais
D) Lally

28. Who was the French governor during the First Carnatic War?
A) Francois Martin
B) Dupleix
C) Lally
D) Bussy

29. Who was the British commander during the First Carnatic War?
A) Robert Clive
B) Stringer Lawrence
C) Eyre Coote
D) Warren Hastings

30. The naval battle of St. Thomé (1746) was fought between___________.
A) British and Portuguese
B) British and French
C) French and Dutch
D) British and Danes

31. The Nawab of Carnatic who tried to mediate between French and British during First Carnatic War was___________.
A) Chanda Sahib
B) Anwar-ud-din
C) Muhammad Ali
D) Nasir Jang

32. The Battle of Adyar (1746) is significant because___________.
A) French defeated Nawab’s large army
B) British defeated French navy
C) Portuguese defeated French
D) Dutch defeated British

33. The First Carnatic War ended with___________.
A) Treaty of Pondicherry (1754)
B) Treaty of Aix-la-Chapelle (1748)
C) Treaty of Paris (1763)
D) Treaty of Alinagar (1757)

34. The real significance of First Carnatic War was___________.
A) British defeat
B) French naval supremacy
C) Display of European military superiority over Indian armies
D) Annexation of Bengal

35. The Second Carnatic War (1749–1754) was fought mainly due to___________.
A) Disputes in Carnatic and Hyderabad succession
B) Capture of Madras
C) Control over Bengal
D) Anglo-Dutch rivalry

36. In Hyderabad succession, French supported___________.
A) Nasir Jang
B) Muzaffar Jang
C) Nizam-ul-Mulk
D) Asaf Jah II

37. In Hyderabad succession, British supported___________.
A) Muzaffar Jang
B) Nasir Jang
C) Tipu Sultan
D) Anwar-ud-din

38. In Carnatic succession, French supported___________.
A) Muhammad Ali
B) Chanda Sahib
C) Anwar-ud-din
D) Nawab of Arcot

39. In Carnatic succession, British supported___________.
A) Chanda Sahib
B) Muhammad Ali
C) Nasir Jang
D) Anwar-ud-din

40. Which British officer became famous during the Second Carnatic War?
A) Robert Clive
B) Eyre Coote
C) Warren Hastings
D) Stringer Lawrence

41. The Siege of Arcot (1751) demonstrated___________.
A) Weakness of French artillery
B) Bravery of Robert Clive
C) Naval power of British
D) Alliance with Marathas

42. The British success in Second Carnatic War was largely due to___________.
A) Robert Clive’s tactics
B) Support from local bankers (Jagat Seths)
C) French recall of Dupleix
D) All of the above

43. Dupleix was recalled to France in___________.
A) 1748
B) 1751
C) 1754
D) 1760

44. The Second Carnatic War ended with___________.
A) Treaty of Aix-la-Chapelle
B) Treaty of Pondicherry (1754)
C) Treaty of Paris
D) Treaty of Alinagar

45. The main outcome of Second Carnatic War was___________.
A) British supremacy in Bengal
B) French loss of prestige, British strengthened
C) Portuguese dominance
D) Anglo-Dutch conflict ended

46. Robert Clive’s defense of Arcot in 1751 was against___________.
A) Dupleix
B) Chanda Sahib’s forces
C) Nizam of Hyderabad
D) Marathas

47. The Carnatic Wars demonstrated___________.
A) Indian rulers’ unity
B) European armies’ superiority in organization and discipline
C) Indian rulers’ victory
D) Mughal resurgence

48. The real beneficiary of the First and Second Carnatic Wars was___________.
A) French
B) British
C) Danes
D) Portuguese

49. Which factor led to French decline in Second Carnatic War?
A) Stronger British navy
B) Lack of support from French government
C) Recall of Dupleix
D) All of the above

50. The Second Carnatic War prepared the way for___________.
A) British victory in Third Carnatic War
B) French supremacy in Deccan
C) Portuguese expansion
D) Dutch revival

51. The Third Carnatic War (1757–1763) coincided with which European conflict?
A) Austrian War of Succession
B) Seven Years’ War
C) Napoleonic Wars
D) Anglo-Spanish War

52. The Third Carnatic War broke out in India in___________.
A) 1754
B) 1757
C) 1760
D) 1763

53. The decisive battle of the Third Carnatic War was___________.
A) Battle of Plassey
B) Battle of Wandiwash
C) Battle of Buxar
D) Battle of Arcot

54. The British commander at the Battle of Wandiwash (1760) was___________.
A) Robert Clive
B) Stringer Lawrence
C) Eyre Coote
D) Hector Munro

55. The French commander defeated at Wandiwash was___________.
A) Dupleix
B) Bussy
C) Lally
D) La Bourdonnais

56. Who was the French officer who maintained French influence in Hyderabad?
A) Lally
B) Dupleix
C) Bussy
D) Francois Martin

57. The capture of Pondicherry by the British in 1761 was significant because___________.
A) It ended French political power in India
B) It gave British Bengal
C) It made British allies of Marathas
D) It ended Mughal rule

58. The Treaty of Paris (1763) ended___________.
A) First Carnatic War
B) Second Carnatic War
C) Third Carnatic War
D) Anglo-Maratha War

59. The Treaty of Paris (1763) allowed the French to retain___________.
A) No colonies in India
B) Only Pondicherry and Chandernagore
C) Pondicherry, Karaikal, Mahe, Yanam, Chandernagore
D) Goa and Diu

60. Which of the following was NOT a French settlement in India?
A) Pondicherry
B) Karikal
C) Chandernagore
D) Tranquebar

61. The main reason for British success in the Anglo-French struggle was___________.
A) Superior navy
B) Better financial resources
C) Political support from Britain
D) All of the above

62. The French failure was due to___________.
A) Weak navy
B) Recall of Dupleix
C) Lack of financial & political support
D) All of the above

63. The Anglo-French struggle in India ended effectively with___________.
A) Treaty of Aix-la-Chapelle (1748)
B) Treaty of Pondicherry (1754)
C) Treaty of Paris (1763)
D) Treaty of Alinagar (1757)

64. After 1763, the French possessions in India were kept only for___________.
A) Military bases
B) Naval stations
C) Trade purposes
D) Administrative headquarters

65. Which war confirmed British supremacy in Bengal AND Carnatic?
A) Battle of Plassey (1757) and Battle of Wandiwash (1760)
B) Battle of Buxar (1764) and Treaty of Paris (1763)
C) Both a & b
D) None

66. Who said the French had “lost an empire in India by a stroke of the pen”?
A) Dupleix
B) Lally
C) Clive
D) Napoleon

67. The French influence in India lingered on till 20th century mainly in___________.
A) Bengal
B) Tamil Nadu (Pondicherry, Karaikal)
C) Kerala (Mahe)
D) Andhra (Yanam)

68. The British commander who emerged famous after Wandiwash was___________.
A) Robert Clive
B) Eyre Coote
C) Stringer Lawrence
D) Hector Munro

69. The Anglo-French rivalry in India was mainly decided by___________.
A) Land battles
B) Naval supremacy
C) Indian alliances
D) Mughal support

70. Which French officer remained loyal to Nizam and strengthened French influence till 1758?
A) Dupleix
B) Bussy
C) Lally
D) Suffren

71. The last French challenge to the British in India ended at___________.
A) Battle of Arcot
B) Battle of Wandiwash
C) Battle of Plassey
D) Treaty of Buxar

72. The French influence in Deccan politics declined after___________.
A) Recall of Dupleix
B) Defeat at Wandiwash
C) Treaty of Paris (1763)
D) All of the above

73. The Anglo-French struggle was part of___________.
A) European colonial rivalry
B) Indian Mughal politics
C) Portuguese revival
D) Dutch resurgence

74. Which year is considered the decisive end of French challenge in India?
A) 1757
B) 1760
C) 1761
D) 1763

75. After 1763, the French presence in India was restricted to___________.
A) Small enclaves without political power
B) Powerful armies and forts
C) Naval stations
D) Bengal revenue collection

76. The Anglo-French rivalry in India is also known as___________.
A) Deccan Wars
B) Carnatic WarsD
C) Company Wars
D) Colonial Wars

77. The First Carnatic War demonstrated___________.
A) Naval supremacy of British
B) Naval supremacy of French
C) Mughal strength
D) Decline of Marathas

78. The Second Carnatic War proved decisive because___________.
A) Dupleix consolidated French empire
B) British emerged politically powerful in South India
C) French gained Bengal
D) Mughal Emperor supported French

79. The turning point in the Anglo-French struggle was___________.
A) Battle of Arcot (1751)
B) Battle of Plassey (1757)
C) Battle of Wandiwash (1760)
D) Treaty of Paris (1763)

80. The Anglo-French struggle in India ended formally with___________.
A) Treaty of Aix-la-Chapelle (1748)
B) Treaty of Pondicherry (1754)
C) Treaty of Paris (1763)
D) Treaty of Alinagar (1757)

81. The French governor who had the greatest political ambitions in India was___________.
A) Lally
B) Dupleix
C) Bussy
D) Francois Martin

82. The French officer who helped the Nizam in Deccan was___________.
A) Dupleix
B) Bussy
C) La Bourdonnais
D) Lally

83. Which was a major weakness of French policy in India?
A) Neglect by home government
B) Naval inferiority
C) Lack of finances
D) All of the above

84. The French were confined to only small trading enclaves after___________.
A) 1748
B) 1754
C) 1760
D) 1763

85. Which of the following was NOT retained by the French after 1763?
A) Pondicherry
B) Chandernagore
C) Serampore
D) Mahe

86. The Carnatic Wars revealed the weakness of___________.
A) Mughal authority
B) Indian states’ unity
C) Indian military against European-trained troops
D) All of the above

87. The Battle of Adyar (1746) was significant because___________.
A) British defeated French
B) French defeated Nawab’s large army
C) Marathas defeated Nizam
D) Portuguese defeated British

88. Robert Clive’s Siege of Arcot (1751) was important because___________.
A) It ended the First Carnatic War
B) It made British prestige rise among Indian rulers
C) It destroyed French navy
D) It gave Bengal to British

89. Which Carnatic War saw the participation of Siraj-ud-Daulah of Bengal indirectly?
A) First Carnatic War
B) Second Carnatic War
C) Third Carnatic War
D) None

90. Which of the following best explains British victory over French in India?
A) British had naval superiority
B) British had better financial backing from Company & Parliament
C) British had better leadership (Clive, Eyre Coote)
D) All of the above

91. French defeat in India was linked to which European event?
A) French Revolution
B) Defeat in Seven Years’ War
C) Napoleonic Wars
D) Hundred Years’ War

92. The Anglo-French struggle in India finally established___________.
A) British supremacy in India
B) Mughal revival
C) Maratha supremacy
D) Portuguese supremacy

93. The Anglo-French struggle demonstrated the role of___________.
A) Indian bankers and merchants
B) Local alliances
C) European politics affecting India
D) All of the above

94. The French could not match the British because___________.
A) They focused more on Europe than India
B) They lacked financial and naval resources
C) They lost key leaders like Dupleix
D) All of the above

95. Who called the Battle of Wandiwash the “Waterloo of French in India”?
A) James Mill
B) Mountstuart Elphinstone
C) Robert Orme
D) William Dalrymple

96. The Anglo-French rivalry was not just military but also___________.
A) Commercial and naval
B) Religious
C) Cultural
D) Social

97. The French never recovered after___________.
A) Loss of Madras (1746)
B) Recall of Dupleix (1754)
C) Defeat at Wandiwash (1760)
D) Treaty of Paris (1763)

98. The Anglo-French struggle marked the decline of___________.
A) Portuguese in India
B) Dutch in India
C) French in India
D) Danes in India

99. The Anglo-French rivalry was finally decided in favor of British because___________.
A) They had strong navy and money
B) They had support of Indian bankers (Jagat Seths, merchants)
C) They had stable support from Britain
D) All of the above

100. The Anglo-French struggle is important in Indian history because___________.
A) It showed Indian rulers’ weakness against Europeans
B) It established British supremacy
C) It decided colonial masters of India
D) All of the above