Which of the following statements about the Deccan Riots of 1875 in western India is or are true? 1. The Deccan Riots resulted in protection for peasants through the Deccan Agriculturalists Relief Act of 1879. 2. The riots did not spread to the whole of Maharashtra because of prompt suppression by the British authorities. 3. The British were unable to contain the riots and they spread throughout Maharashtra. 4. The cotton boom in the Deccan, caused by the artificial demand generated by the American Civil War, ultimately contributed to the impoverishment of peasants.

Introduction / Context:
The Deccan Riots of 1875 were an important episode in the history of colonial agrarian unrest. They reflected tensions between indebted peasants and moneylenders in the Deccan region of western India. This question asks you to evaluate four statements related to the causes, spread, and consequences of these riots, including the later Deccan Agriculturalists Relief Act and the impact of the cotton boom linked to the American Civil War.

Given Data / Assumptions:

- Statement 1 links the riots to the passage of the Deccan Agriculturalists Relief Act of 1879. - Statement 2 says that the riots did not spread throughout Maharashtra because of prompt British suppression. - Statement 3 says the opposite, claiming that the riots spread widely and could not be contained. - Statement 4 mentions the cotton boom during the American Civil War as a factor in later peasant impoverishment. - We assume standard textbook interpretations of the Deccan Riots.

Concept / Approach:
To answer correctly, we must recall three key points. First, the Deccan Agriculturalists Relief Act was passed in 1879 to provide some legal protection to indebted peasants after the riots. Second, the riots were geographically limited, particularly in parts of Poona and Ahmednagar, and were quickly controlled by colonial authorities, so they did not engulf the whole of Maharashtra. Third, the cotton boom brought temporary prosperity during the American Civil War, but when the war ended and prices fell, many peasants were left deeply indebted to moneylenders, which contributed to their impoverishment and anger. Therefore, we need to pick the statements that match this historical understanding.

Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Consider Statement 1. It is correct that after the Deccan Riots, the British government passed the Deccan Agriculturalists Relief Act of 1879 to regulate moneylending practices and offer some relief to peasants. Step 2: Consider Statement 2. Historical accounts show that the riots were confined mainly to certain areas and were suppressed by the British through police and military action, so they did not spread to the whole of Maharashtra. This makes Statement 2 correct. Step 3: Statement 3 directly contradicts Statement 2 by claiming that the British were unable to contain the riots and that they spread widely. This is not supported by historical evidence, so Statement 3 is false. Step 4: Statement 4 notes that the cotton boom caused by wartime demand led, in the long term, to peasant impoverishment when prices crashed and debts remained. This interpretation is widely accepted, so Statement 4 is correct. Step 5: Combine the results: Statements 1, 2, and 4 are true, while Statement 3 is false. Therefore the correct combination is 1, 2 and 4 only.

Verification / Alternative check:
Histories of colonial India explain that in the 1860s, Deccan peasants experienced a temporary boom because of high cotton prices during the American Civil War. They borrowed heavily to expand cultivation. When the war ended, prices collapsed, but debts remained, leading to dispossession and anger against moneylenders. The Deccan Riots in 1875 involved attacks on moneylenders’ houses and records. These uprisings were quickly suppressed by the colonial state, and as a response, legal changes like the Deccan Agriculturalists Relief Act were introduced. This narrative clearly supports Statements 1, 2, and 4 while contradicting Statement 3.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:
Option a: Includes only Statement 1 and ignores the accurate information in Statements 2 and 4, so it is incomplete.
Option b: Includes Statement 3, which is wrong, and omits Statement 2 and 4 in the right combination.
Option c: Picks Statements 2 and 4 but leaves out Statement 1, even though the Relief Act is a direct consequence of the riots.

Common Pitfalls:
Learners may mistakenly assume that any major riot in colonial India must have spread widely, leading them to accept Statement 3. Another pitfall is forgetting the chronological link between the 1875 riots and the 1879 Relief Act, which can cause doubt about Statement 1. Finally, some students misinterpret the cotton boom as purely beneficial, overlooking how the later price collapse and accumulated debt created conditions for unrest and impoverishment.

Final Answer:
The statements that are true about the Deccan Riots of 1875 are 1, 2 and 4 only.