Chapter 7. Popular Resistance to the British Rule Textbook Solutions

NIOS Social Science Class 10 Chapter 7 Solutions

INTEXT QUESTIONS 7.1

1. Explain the following terms in one sentence each:

(a) Faqirs (b) Mahajan (c) Mappilas

Ans:

(a) Faqirs were a group of wandering Muslim religious mendicants.
(b) Mahajan was the term used for moneylenders.
(c) Mappilas were the Muslim cultivating tenants, landless laborers and fishermen of the Malabar region.

2. List three groups involved in the exploitation of the Indian peasantry.

Ans: The three groups of exploiters were:

(a) Officials of the British Government
(b) Landlord
(c) Money lender

3. List three causes of popular resistance movements in the given space.

Ans: The four causes of popular resistance movements were:

(a) Exploitation by the British
(b) High revenue rates on the peasants
(c) Compulsory growing of commercial/cash crops
(d) Interference in the religious practices of the people by the British.

INTEXT QUESTIONS 7.2

1. List two grievances of the Indian sepoys against the colonial rulers.

Ans:

(a) Low pay and no bhatta, that is, no extra payment for their duty overseas,
(b) Social discrimination in promotion, pension & in terms of service,
(c) Use of greased cartridges rumoured to contain the fat of cows and pigs, which hurt their religious sentiments.

2. Name any three important leaders of the Revolt of 1857.

Ans: Rani Laxmi Bai, Tantia Tope, Begum Hazrat Mahal, Nana Saheb, Kunwar Singh of Arrah.

3. When and how was the East India Company’s rule abolished?

Ans: The East India Company’s rule was abolished in 1858 through a declaration of the Queen’s Proclamation by the British Parliament.

4. Enlist any three major causes of the failure of the Revolt of 1857.

Ans: The major causes of the failure of the Revolt of 1857 were:

(a) The revolt was a big event in the history of India. It had very little chance of success against an organised and powerful enemy.
(b) It remained confined to north and central India.
(c) There was no unity of purpose among the rebels
(d) The leadership of the movement was weak.
(e) The rebels were short of weapons and finances.

Terminal Exercises

1. Explain two common features of the Peasant and Tribal Revolts.

Ans:

Both the Peasant Revolt and Tribal Revolt were against the British policies that affected the autonomy and traditions of the peasants and tribals, respectively.
Both groups had to endure economic hardships and oppression.

2. How did the political and socio-religious factors lead to the Revolt in 1857?

Ans:

Political: British policy of annexation, called the Doctrine of Lapse and Subsidiary Alliance, led to several independent kingdoms being annexed to the British Empire. When the rulers of these states died without leaving a natural heir to the throne, their adopted sons could no longer legally inherit the property or receive the pension which was granted to them by the British. Before the policy of the Doctrine of Lapse, the Indian ruler had the right to adopt an heir to his throne even if he was childless, but now they had to take prior consent from the British.
Socio-religious factors: Social reforms against sati, female infanticide, widow remarriage and the education of woman made many people unhappy.
- People believed that the Government was in collusion with the missionaries to eradicate their religion and convert them to Christianity.
- The passing of Act XXI of 1850 enabled converts to Christianity to inherit ancestral property. The new law was naturally interpreted as a concession to Christian converts, which further created anxiety and fear among the people.
- The religious sentiments of the sepoys were hurt in 1806 in the Madras presidency.
- The Hindus were asked to remove their caste marks from their foreheads, and the Muslims were asked to trim their beards.

3. Explain the significance of the Revolt of 1857.

Ans: The Revolt of 1857 was the first sign that the Indians wanted to end British rule and were ready to stand united for this cause. Even though they failed to achieve their objective, they succeeded in sowing the seeds of nationalism among the Indians. Indian people became more aware of the heroes who sacrificed themselves in the Revolt. However, it was the beginning of distrust between Hindus and Muslims, which the British later exploited to continue their rule in India.

4. Make a table listing the main leaders of the Revolt of 1857 and the reasons for their joining it.

Ans: Bakht Khan, Nana Sahib, Tantia Tope, Azimullah, Begum Hazrat Mahal, Maulvi Ahmadullah, Rani Lakshmi Bai, Khan Bahadur Khan and Kunwar Singh.

5. Do you think the Revolt of 1857 made any impact on the British and their rule in India? Analyse the situation and give your inference.

Ans: Even though they failed to achieve their objective, they succeeded in sowing the seeds of nationalism among the Indians. Indian people became more aware of the heroes who sacrificed themselves in the Revolt. However, it was the beginning of distrust between Hindus and Muslims, which the British later exploited to continue their rule in India.

6. History tells us that people normally protect when their means of livelihood are threatened. Do you think this holds true even today? Identify one incident that has happened recently published from the newspaper or magazines and make a report of about 50 words.

Ans: Individual answer.

7. (a) On the given outline map of India locate the region of the following rebellions.

(i) Faqir and Sanyasis rebellion

(ii) Santhal rebellion

(iii) Munda Rebellion

(iv) Jaintia and aro Rebellion

(b) Give one cause for each of the rebellion

Ans:

(i) Faqir and Sanyasis rebellion: Bengal- Peasants whose lands were confiscated, displaced zamindars, disbanded soldiers and poor to come together in a rebellion joined the Sanyasis and Fakirs.
(ii) Santhal rebellion: From Bhagalpur in Bihar in the north to Orissa in the south, stretching from Hazaribagh to the borders of Bengal. They were sometimes forced to give the mahajan not only their crops but also their ploughs, bullocks, and, finally, the land.
(iii) Munda Rebellion: Birsa Munda encouraged his tribe’s people to keep the tradition of worshipping the sacred groves alive to prevent the Britishers from taking over their wastelands.
(iv) Jaintia and Faro Rebellion: Brahmaputra Valley (present-day Assam) with Sylhet (present-day Bangladesh). The Jaintias and the Garos in the Northeastern part of India (present-day Meghalaya) opposed the construction of this road, which was of strategic importance to the British for troop movement.