With reference to Pondicherry (now Puducherry), consider the following statements 1. The first European power to occupy Pondicherry were the Portuguese 2. The second European power to occupy Pondicherry were the French 3. The English never occupied Pondic

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Q: 80 (IAS/2010)
With reference to Pondicherry (now Puducherry), consider the following statements
1. The first European power to occupy Pondicherry were the Portuguese
2. The second European power to occupy Pondicherry were the French
3. The English never occupied Pondicherry
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

question_subject: 

History

question_exam: 

IAS

stats: 

0,63,182,94,26,44,81

keywords: 

{'pondicherry': [1, 0, 1, 0], 'first european power': [0, 0, 1, 0], 'second european power': [0, 0, 1, 0], 'english': [1, 0, 0, 0]}

This question is asking for the correct series of events with regard to the European powers occupying Pondicherry (now Puducherry).

Option 1 states that the first European power to occupy Pondicherry were the Portuguese. This statement is true which means option 1 is correct.

Option 2 states that the second European power to occupy Pondicherry were the French. While it is true that the French established a colony in Pondicherry, they were not the second European power to do so; the Dutch were. Thus, statement 2 is incorrect.

Option 3 states that the English never occupied Pondicherry, this statement is false as indeed, the British did occupy Pondicherry twice, first in 1793 for a short period, and then from 1802 till 1816 during the Napoleonic Wars.

Hence, the correct answer is option 1 which corresponds to statement 1 only.

The answer provided is correct. Option 2 and 3 are incorrect, and option 4 is incorrect as it includes all three statements, out of which statement 2 and 3 are incorrect.