WBBSE Solutions For Class 10 History And Environment Chapter 3 Resistance And Rebellion (Characteristics And Analyses) Short Answer Questions

Chapter 3 Resistance And Rebellion (Characteristics And Analyses) Short Answer Questions

Question 1. Write a short note on the Bheel revolt.
Answer:

Bheel revolt

Introduction: The Bheels were tribal and backward people of the western ghat region of Maharastra and Gujarat. The Bheel burst out into rebellion between 1818 and 1857 against rich landholders and the East India Company.

Causes:
1. The Bheels wanted to stop the exploitations of the British rulers.
2. The British laws oppressed the people.
3. The women were also exploited by the Britishers.
4. The Christian Missionaries started to convert them to Christianity.
The Bheels had monopoly power at Khandesh. They restored to plunder and loot on rich landholders. Continuo’s plunder seriously affected the law and order of Khandesh. To bring an end to anarchical conditions, the British government occupied Khandesh in 1818. From that time onwards the Bheels under different leaders like Chil Naik, Hiria, Dra, etc. burst out into rebellion. Exaction and encroachments of the Government were the causes of the Bheel Revolt. After the 1st phase of the revolt was over, the Bheels once again appeared in full strength under the leadership of Bheema Naik, Daulat Singh, and others in 1857 and attacked the British sepoys.

The Uprising: The Bheels revolted many times but the revolt was suppressed. But at last, they once again appeared in full strength in 1857. The leaders of the Bheel revolt were Bheema Naik, Kajee Singh, Daula Singh, and others. The revolt was supported by the zamindars and the rulers of the nearby areas. The women came out of their areas and showed their power also. Then was a time when the British army left the field and did not dare fight the Bheels. But the revolt ultimately became unsuccessful.

Nature: The movement was a mass uprising due to the participation of huge numbers of Bheels. It was marched against exploitation and especially against the corrupt British government. The revolt was supported by Zamindars and rulers of nearby areas.

Question 2. Write a short note on the Chuar movement.
Answer:

Chuar movement

Introduction: The tribal people living in Bankura, Medinipur were known as Chuars. They burst out in revolt against the oppressions of the East India Company and its agents.
Causes:
(1) As a result of the permanent settlement, the tribal people lost their estates.
(2) They were forced to pay the revenue of land at a high rate.
(3) The oppression and exploitation resulted in this revolt.
(4) The Chuars were forced to take loans at a high rate from the money lenders.
(5) The most important was the resumption of the rent-free lands.

Uprising:
(1) In 1768 Jagannath Singh, the zamindar of Ghatshila attacked the government with 5000 Chukars. They frightened the government and returned the land to Jagannath.
(2)In 1771, Chuars rose again; led by Dhadkar Jhyamganjam. They failed this time.
(3) The most important uprising was in 1798-99 led by Durjon Singh which was brutally put down by the government.

Result: The Chuars led the British to immediately stop the management of the package land. Also, some concessions were made to the zamindars who failed to pay the revenue demand within the stipulated period.
Nature: According to Narahari Kabiraj, “It was a spontaneous and extensive uprising of the poor and lower class. Peasants were the pillars of this movement”.

Question 3. Discs the importance of the Wahabi movement in Bengal under the leadership of Titumir.
Answer:

Importance of the Wahabi Movement:
1. The Tariqah-i-Muhammadia movement has been characterized by some scholars as the ‘Indian Wahabi’ movement. William Hunter has pointed out that the Wahabi movement under Titumir was in reality a struggle of the oppressed peasantry against zamindari oppression. There are indeed many similarities between these two movements but there is no historical evidence of any contact between the two. The Wahabis rejected mysticism as an un-Islamic innovation whereas the followers of Titumir regarded it
2. In the politico-economic program of the Barasat Uprising the elements of class struggle and anti-imperialism were present. The rebels were inspired by the motive of freeing India from British rule, but their struggle was not for securing freedom for India but for the re-establishment of Muslim supremacy. According to R.C. Majumdar, ‘”It was a movement of the Muslims, by the Muslims and for the Muslims  But we have to note that the movement was not directed against the ordinary Hindu masses. The movement had certainly paved the way for the solidarity that the Hindu and Muslim peasants were to demonstrate during the Indigo Rebellion in 1860. In the dual analysis, one has to admit, however, that the politico-economic program of the Ferazi and Wahabi movements was overshadowed by religious fanaticism at times.

Question 4. What are the causes of the peasant revolt?
Answer:
Causes of the peasant revolt :
The hardship of Indian peasants intensified when the company took the revenue administration in its hands. The causes of peasant revolt were as follows
1. The peasants were tortured, exploited, and humiliated.
2. Under the permanent settlement the peasants lost their rights to land. The zamindars became the proprietors of the land and enhanced the rate of land revenue for the peasants.
3. In the Ryotwari area the rate of land revenue was 45% – 55% more than that of the Zamindari areas.
4. The revenue collectors were oppressive and corrupt.
5. The poor peasants had to take loans or Madani from Mahajans or money lenders at a high rate of interest (50% – 500%).
6. The peasant families began to starve because they were forced to do the cultivation of indigo instead of food grains.
7. The company’s officials, police, etc. favored the Mahajan of money lenders.
8. The Christian missionaries ed to convert the peasants and tribal people to Christianity by offering them jobs, rewards, etc., and many peasant revolts like Santhal, Kol, Rangpur, Sandwip revolt, etc. broke out.

Question 5. What were the causes, nature, and importance of the Rangpur rebellion (1783)?
Answer:

Rangpur rebellion (1783)

Causes: Debi Singh, the ijaradar, exploited the zamindars and the ryots. He imposed an unbelievably high amount of tax on zamindars and extremely humiliated the ryots. He evicted many small and big zamindars.

Nature: The Revolt of 1783 was a real peasant uprising.
(1) The uprising was led by the village headmen who played a very important role in the uprising. This is one of the examples to show that the uprising was a peasant rebellion.
(2) The mass character of the revolt is reflected in the huge assembly of peasants in times of action.
(3) The peasant character of the uprising is also attested by the mass of local evidence collected at that time. The peasants showed a marvelous initiative throughout the uprising.

Importance: The Rangpur rebellion of 1783 was significant on many accounts. First, the uprising of 1783 exposed the evils associated with the system of colonial exploitation. Second, the rebellion of 1783 demonstrated colonial oppression. It also exposed how the law of independent social development was being suppressed by the foreign rulers of the country. Third, the Rangpur rebellion made clear the evils of the Ijaradari system.

Question 6. Who were Kols? Why did they burst out in rebellion? What was the nature of the revolt?
Answer:

Kols: The Kols were the tribal people of the Chotanagpur plateau region. They broke out into rebellion in 1820 and 1831 against the oppressions and exploitation of the Zamindars and the English East India Co.

Causes:
1. Kols were forced to pay huge taxes.
2. The Kols were cheated, tortured, oppressed, exploited, and humiliated.
3. They were forced to take loans by the money lenders at a very high rate of interest.
4. The shopkeepers sold goods to the Kols at a higher price giving them less weight goods.
5. The Christian missionaries started to convert them to Christianity. Th, all factors led to the Kol Insurrection.

Nature: The movement was marked against the British government and exploitation and was not only led by tribals but was supported by the peasants and poor people. Hence, the movement was anti-British, anti-exploitation, and pro-tribal.

Question 7. Write about the Ferazi movement under Hazi Shariatullah and Dudu Mian. What was the nature of their movement? Or, Write a note on the Ferazi movement.
Answer:

Introduction: The Ferazi movement was founded by Hazi Sariatullah and then was run by Dudumian.
Hazi Sariatullah wanted to suggest some reforms in Islam because it was corrupted by many malpractices were present in it. Though stated as a religious movement, it soon earned a political overtone. He termed British-ruled India a ‘Dar-ul-harb’ or land of the enemy and felt that it was unsuitable for the Muslims. He said Allah didn’t discriminate among people by economic or social status. All men are equal in the eyes of God. Th, many artisans, weavers, and peasants being influenced by him started this movement.

Dudu Mian: After the death of Shariatullah his son Dudu Mian took over the leadership. He made the move from socio-religio to socio-economic-political. Dudu Mian declared that Allah is the owner of the land. Hence, no tax should be levied on it. He called upon his men to abstain from paying taxes, farming Indigo, and supporting the British. He declared a great revolt but it was suppressed by the British.

Nature: As regards the nature of the movement, it started as a religious movement but it had also a political overtone. Narahari Kabiraj says, “The Ferazi movement was essentially an agrarian movement…. though the demands were carefully dressed up in religious catchwords”.

Question 8. Mention the name of one leader of the Santhal Rebellion. What were the principal causes of this Rebellion? Bring out the importance of this Rebellion. Or, Name one leader of the Santhal Revolt. What were the main reasons for this revolt? Analyze the importance of the revolt. Or, Write a note on the Santhal Rebellion (1855).
Answer:

A Santhal boy Sidhu was one of the remarkable leaders of the Santhal Rebellion.

Causes:
(1) It was the rent question that created discontent among the Santhals. The rate of tax went on increasing continuously and the Santhal peasants found it difficult to pay.
(2)Besides regular tax, certain illegal taxes were imposed by the Naibs or tax collectors which were collected from the Santhal peasants oppressively.
(3)The Santhals were also subjected to oppression by the money-lenders who charged high rates of interest ranging from 50% to 500%.
(4)The contractors, who were mostly Europeans, were no less oppressive. Examples are not rare to show how the tribal people were subjected to oppression like taking of kids, fowls, etc. without making any payment.
(5)The Santhals themselves took up arms against the oppressors only after they had become convinced that complaints made in the court or to higher officials would be of no avail.
Th, the first mass gathering took place at Baghnadihi where Santhals were supported by non-Santhal peasants. Later on, Santhal revolt (hul) took place under the leadership of Siddhu Santhal and Kanu Santhal.

Importance: The Santhal rebellion could not attain the objective of bringing an end to the ‘rule of sin’ (of the British) but it had immense significance.
(1)The government created a new administrative zone for the Santhals named Santhal Pargana.
(2)The Santhal revolt exposed the true nature of colonial exploitation of the people by the collaboration of zamindars and the money-lending class.
(3)The revolt represented a revolt of the subaltern people against the colonial power.
(4) Despite the failure of the rebellion, the Santhals drew inspiration from it and subsequently organized another resistance movement against the British and their agents.

Question 9. Mention the features of Indigo Revolt.
Answer:

Features of Indigo Revolt:
1. Indigo Revolt was quite spontaneous and there was no instigation from outside to the ryots.
2. The movement had no central organization or brain to guide it.
3. The movement did not get any middle-class urban leadership and no support from the Calcutta Middle Class. Mahatma Sisir Kr. Ghosh and Harish Chandra Muk’nerjee lent support out of their own human, liberalism, and general sympathy for Bengal.
4. It was a mass movement. Nearly 60 lakh peasants joined the revolt. According to Amrit Bazar Patrika, “Indigo was the first mass movement against it”
5. The Indigo Revolt was a secular movement. Hindu and Muslim peasants joined the movement to resist the planters.

Question 10. Write a short note on the Pabna revolt.
Answer:

Peasants’ Revolt in Pabna (1870) :
1. Introduction: Peasants’ Revolt in Pabna (presently in Bangladesh) is an ideal example of how the question of rent (khana) created a bitter relationship between the zamindars and the ryots
2. Tenancy Act, 1859: The Tenancy Act of 1859 was put into force to safeguard the interests of rich peasants and the landed peasantry (jotted). It was expected that the two classes of people would act as precursors to the development of agriculture. But this did not take place. The zamindars did never follow the provisions of the Act. While the Tenancy Act did not allow occupancy rights to the peasants, it allowed the zamindars to enhance rent at their sweet will.
3. Coercion of Rent: Official records show that enhancement of rent proceeded after 1859. The peasants were forced to pay the increased rent, failing which they were evicted. In such a condition the discontent of the peasants found expression in local
4. The Revolt: The resistance finally took the shape of a revolt in 1873 when an agrarian league was formed at Esafshah, in the Pabna district of present Bangladesh. All evidence shows that the revolt was for the enhancement of the rent of the tears.
5. Characteristics feature: The characteristic feature of the revolt was that the Muslim peasants of Pabna fought hand in hand with the Hind. The revolt took the form of a rent strike as the peasants refused to pay rent to the zamindars.
6. Leaders: Leaders of the movement came from the rich peasants, tears, village headmen, and others. Ishan Chandra Roy, a small talukdar (landed magnate) and a trader, called Bidrohi Raja by the rebel peasants, were important leaders. He with his assistant Sambhunath Pal moved from village to village organizing the league. Khoodi Mollah, a Muslim jotedar, also organized the peasants against the zamindar.
7. Bengal Tenancy Act: As the Act of 1859 had failed to ensure the security of the ryots, the Bengal Tenancy Act was passed in 1885. The Act sought to protect the interests of the ryots.

Question 11. What do you mean by Tariqah-i-Muhammadiya? Explain in brief.
Answer:

Tariqah-i-Muhammadiya:
1. Introduction: The real name of the Wahabi Movement was Tariqah-i-Muhammadiya. The term Tariqah-i-Muhammadiya means the path shown by Muhammad. In India, the founder of the movement was Syed Ahmed Barelvi. He toured extensively preaching the ideal of Tariqah-i-Muhammadiya. Between 1820 and 1822, the movement gained considerable momentum and its centers were established in many parts of north India.
2. Objective: The movement initiated by Syed Ahmed Barelvi was designed to revive the ways of the Prophet. Along with this, he put forward the objective of driving the British out of the country.
3. Nature: Under British rule, India had become an ‘unholy land’ (dar-u!-harb), and Barelvi desired, through the movement, to convert the country into a ‘land of Islam’ (dar- ul-Islam). The movement crossed the narrow limits of religion exclusively. Under the instructions of Syed Ahmed Barelvi training centers were set up in different parts of north India where the followers had some sort of military training. The peasantry formed the core of the Tariqah-i-Muhammadiya and the movement was directed against the oppressors like the zamindars, indigo planters, money-lenders, and others
4. Battle Against the Sikhs: However, before a holy war could be started the followers of the Tariqah-i-Muhammadiya or the Wahabis had to face the Sikh power. For, the military preparation of the Wahabis in the northwest part of India was considered an attempt to ot the Sikhs from Punjab. In the Battle of Balako! (1831), fought between the Wahabis and the Sikhs, Syed Ahmed Barelvi with many of his followers died. Nevertheless, the followers of Syed Ahmed Barelvi continued their fight vigorously against the British and other oppressors.

Question 12. Write a note on the Pagla Panthi Revolt.
Answer:

Pagla Panthi Revolt (First Phase, 1825-27): Pagla Panthi Revolt started in the first half of the nineteenth century in the Sherpur area of Mymensingh District in the erstwhile East Bengal. The ‘Pagla Panthi’ people belonged to a particular religious sect.
The Pagla Panthi Revolt took place in two phases: in the first phase against the bad governance of the landlords, and in the second phase, from the end of 1825 against the combined forces of the British Government and local landlords. Karim Shah or Karam Shah founded this sect. After the death of Karim Shah in 1813, his son Tipu Garo started a new religious movement. Though the Pagla Panthi was a religious sect, religion took a backseat in its publicity. The inevitable outcome of escalating bitterness and hatred among the farmers against oppression by the landlords was the Pagla Movement.

Question 13. State the characteristics of the Sanyasi-Fakir rebellion.
Answer:

Characteristics of Sanyasi-Fakir Rebellion: The sanyasi and fakir are very much part of Indian society; they lived on charitable gifts. Majnu Shah was the leader of fakirs while Bhawani Pathak led the sanyasis.

The chief characteristics of the Sanyasi-Fakir rebellion are:
1. The Sannyasi-Fakir revolt was purely a peasant revolt
2. Many hungry peasants, landless zamindars, and jobless army adders were united under Sanyasis and Fakirs
3. Their objective was to attack the company’s Kuthis, treasury, Granary and Godowns of money-lenders, and Kacharis of rich zamindars.
4. The leaders of the revolts were religious-minded, but the revolt was free from the religious role
5. The leaders of the revolt introduced guerilla tactics of warfare against the British
6. Internal conflict among the leaders was an important feature, for the revolt was weakened.

Question 14. State the concepts of rebellion, uprising, and revolution.
Answer:

Rebellion, Uprising, and Revolution: Etymologically, the three words rebellion, uprising, and revolution differ in meaning. When turmoil and unrest accumulate inside people, it takes the form of rebellion. For torture, injustice, and oppression over a long period people organize protests and rebellions. A rebellion, generally, is started by a particular group of people, in a particular location and for a particular cause. It is just the beginning of a larger movement. For instance, take the example of the Santhal Rebellion or the Sepoy Mutiny. An uprising took place as the major outcome of a rebellion. The ‘uprising’ and ‘rebellion’ are closely related to each other. For example, the uprising of the western educated middle class of India resulted in a national movement on a larger scale. Similarly, the word ‘revolution’ means a rapid change in society and thoughts against traditional defective systems and society. Its main objective is to change anything for the benefit of man and civilization. Revolution does not become imperative unless a great change takes place through rebellion and uprising. A revolution takes place only after transcending the preliminary stages of rebellion and uprising. For example, the French Revolution, the Industrial Revolution, the Russian Revolution, and the Armed Revolution in India, etc. brought changes.

Question 15. What was the nature of the Ferazi rebellion? State the importance of the Rangpur rebellion.
Answer:

Nature of the Ferazi Rebellion: The Ferazi movement was ultimately unsuccessful as they had no political training. They could not come out of the influence of religion. As regards the nature of the Ferazi movement, it may be said that the movement was essentially an agrarian movement. It, indeed, started as a religious reform movement, but soon the movement was strengthened by the participation of the peasant masses. Nevertheless, it is not possible to identify the nature of the movement as anti-British.

Importance of the Rangpur Rebellion:
1. The revolt manifested the evils of the colonial rule
2. The uprising also proved beyond doubt that the Company’s authorities in London, their officers posted in India, and their Indian agents such as gomostas, daisies, and others were all linked up forming a chain as it were
3. The uprising also brought to the fore the weaknesses of the system of leasing out of the land, that is to say, the ijaradari system. The system introduced by Warren Hastings was subjected to criticism
4. Also the importance of the rebellion lies in the fact that discussions were now on amongst the official circle for the reform of the revenue system.

Question 16. State some causes of tribal uprisings.
Answer:

Causees of Tribal Uprisings:

Some of the important causes of tribal uprisings were :
1. The British land settlements in India had eroded the tribal traditions of joint ownership and sharpened tensions within the tribal society.
3. The tightening of governmental control over the forest zones, creation of reserved forests, and attempts to monopolize forest wealth through curbs on the e of timber, and grazing facilities, caused great unrest among the tribals on account of dislocation in the tribal economy.
4. The tribals also resented the introduction of general laws which they considered as intrusions into their personal lives.
5. The tribals were also greatly influenced by movements of internal religious and sociocultural reform.
6. Some of the tribal uprisings took place in reaction to the efforts of the landlords to enhance taxes on timber and grazing, police exactions, new excise regulations, exploitation by low-country traders and money lenders, and restrictions on shifting cultivation in forests.