Chapter 4 Early Stages Of Collective Action Short Answer Questions
Question 1. What were the results of the Great Revolt of 1857?
Answer:
Results of the Great Revolt of 1857
Though the Revolt of 1857 proved unsuccessful, it produced many far-reaching consequences. Some of the important results are mentioned as follows:
1. End of the Company’s rule: The British parliament in 1858 passed ‘An Act for Better Government’ by which the responsibility of the administration of India passed into the hands of the British parliament and the rule of the Company came to an end. The Board of Council was abolished. A secretary of state for India was appointed. The designation (post) of Governor General was changed to Viceroy.
2. End of Peshwaship and Mughal rule: As Nana Saheb could not be traced after he escaped to Nepal, the office of Peshwa was abolished. The title of the Mughal emperor was also abolished after the death of Bahadur Shah II.
3. Change In British policy towards Indian states: To appease the native princes, the English declared that they would honor all the treaties and agreements signed between the Company and native rulers. The doctrine of lapse was canceled. The Indian princes were assured that their territories would never be annexed.
4. Reorganisation of the Army: The percentage of English soldiers was increased to create a favorable ratio against Indian soldiers. Indians were removed from important posts like artillery and other higher posts.
5. Queen’s Proclamation: The transfer of power from the Company to the crown was declared by Queen’s proclamation which was read by Viceroy Canning on 1st Nov. 1858 at Allahabad. The Indians were assured of religious toleration. The government promised not to make discrimination based on caste, creed, and religion. The government also promised to work for the material and moral progress of India.
Thus, the sacrifices of great Indian leaders like Lakshmi Bai, Kunwar Singh, Tatia Tope, Naha Saheb, etc. developed feelings of nationalism among IndiAnswer: According to Tara Chand, “The memory of 1857 substantiated the later movement, infused courage into the hearts of the fighters”.
Question 2. Mention the causes of the failure of the Great Revolt of 1857.
Answer:
Causes of the failure of this revolt
(1)Local limitations: Though the sepoys revolted over a large area from Eastern Punjab to Western Bihar, it did not affect the entire sub-continent. It was not felt elsewhere except in some portions of Uttar Pradesh, Delhi, Bundelkhand, Oudh, Bengal, and Bihar. There was no revolt in Sind, Rajasthan, Nepal, or South India. So this localized nature of the revolt made it less powerful.
(2)Lack of public support: Though there was public support for the revolt in many places like Jhansi, Oudh, and Delhi, people of the other areas were reluctant to sympathize with the sepoys. The king of Gwalior, Scindhia, and his minister Dinkar Rao, Jang Bahadur of Nepal, the Nawab of Hyderabad, the Begum of Bhopal, the king of Jodhpur had helped the British to subdue the rebels. Besides, the kings and the common people of Patiyala and Sind supported the British.
(3)Lack of definite aim: The leaders could not place a definite aim before the sepoys. As there was no national interest or proper planning, the revolt could not start together at all places. It occurred at different times in different places. So though the revolt was strong enough, it ultimately broke down.
(4)Aloofness of Martial Races: The martial races of India like Sikhs, Gurkhas, Rajputs, etc. either supported the English or kept themselves aloof which led to the failure of the revolt.
Question 3. Analyze the political causes of the Great Revolt of 1857.
Answer:
Political causes of the Great Revolt :
1. Colonial Domination: The company had spread its domination over the whole of India over 100 years step by step.
2. Lord Wellesley: Lord Wellesley followed the policy of the subsidiary alliance to bring the native powers under the Company’s grip. Tipu Sultan preferred to resist the English than to sign a subsidiary alliance and he was defeated and killed. Sindhia, Ghosle, etc. were forced to sign the subsidiary treaty.
3. Lord Dalhousie: Dalhousie annexed the kingdoms of Satara, Jhansi, Nagpur, Jaipur, etc. by doctrine ine of lapse.
4. Conspiracy of Indian Muslims: According to Rav Duff, the revolt of 1857 was a result of the conspiracy of Indian Muslims. The Indian Muslims were full of discontent because Compathe replaced Bahadur Shah II by itself besides the Company snatched the titles of Mirza and Mir and also deprived them of their jobs and pensipensions
Corrupt Police: The police officers were involved in deep corruption. According to William Edward, “People hated the police as leopards”.
6. Annexation of Oudh: Dalhousie committed plunder by annexing Oudh on the pretext of bad government. Thousands of officials, soldiers, etc. who served under the Nawab became citizens. Such jobless people and their family members joined the revolt to bring down the company’s rule.
Question 4. Discuss the military causes of the Great Revolt of 1857.
Answer:
The military causes of the Great Revolt of 1857 were:
(1) Low Salary: The Indian sepoys were not appointed to high posts in the army and were not given handsome salaries.
(2) Discrimination: Indian soldiers were considered inferior to the English soldiers and their salaries were less than that of an average English soldier. Their food was bad and they were treated with contempt by the British officers.
(3)Travel across the sea: The General Service Enlistment Act, 1856 of Lord Canning decreed that the members of the Bengal Army should give an undertaking to the effect that they would serve anywhere in the world. This hurt the sentiments of the Hindu sepoys because according to the religious beliefs of the Hindus, travel across the sea was forbidden.
(4) Annexation of Oudh: The Bengal Army consisted mostly of soldiers from Oudh. The annexation of Oudh sent a wave of resentment among them and inflamed their feelings.
(5) Greater Number: The number of Indian soldiers was five times that of the British troops. It encouraged Indian soldiers to take arms against the English.
(6) Enfield Rifle: The introduction of a new type of rifle, called Enfield Rifle, among the sepoys, drove them to the path of rebellion
(7) Failure of the British: The failure of the British army in the First Afghan War (1839) and the Crimean War (1854-56) emboldened the Indian sepoys and the desire to defeat them rose in their minds.
Question 5. Why were the Indian sepoys aggrieved at the introduction of the Enfield Rifle?
Answer:
Enfield Rifle: The Indian sepoys in the army of the East India Company had some specific grievances against the British Government. The most important factor that intensified the hatred of the Indian sepoys against the British was the introduction of the Enfield Rifle.
The Enfield Rifle needed a paper cartridge smeared with grease to keep the bullets effective. Before the cartridge could be loaded in the rifle, its outer cover had to be bitten off. This the sepoys were reluctant to do as they had reason to believe that the grease was made from the fat of pigs and cows.
The cow was held sacred by the Hindus and the pig was considered unclean by the Muslims. There developed a firm conviction among the sepoys that it was a trick to convert them to Christianity. Thus the Indian sepoys were aggrieved at the introduction of the Enfield Rifle.
Question 6. Analyze the economic causes of the Sepoy Mutiny.
Answer:
Economic Causes: One of the important causes responsible for the Sepoy Mutiny was the long hundred years of economic exploitation by the English East India Company. After the victory of Plassey, the English began to plunder the wealth of India and started to send it to their homeland.
The Grant of Dewani to the Company in 1765 and in the later years the new land revenue policies such as the Permanent Settlement, Ryotwari Settlement, and Mahalwari Settlement introduced by the Company brought permanent ruin to agriculture and peasants of the country.
Question 7. Write a short note on Queen’s Proclamation, 1858 A.D.
Answer:
Queen’s Proclamation, 1858 A.D
Introduction: Queen Victoria was reigning in England when the sepoy revolt took place in India in 1857. The mismanagement of East India Company and the constant news of suffering with pain at the hands of the Company made the Queen think and then make a complete decision to bring an end to the Company’s rule and also to transfer the power of administration in India into the hands of the Government of England.
This was made public in India by Queen Victoria’s Proclamation. This proclamation was read by Lord Canning in a Grand Durbar at Allahabad on November 1, 1858. It declared the principles on which the Government of India was to be conducted in the future. It showed the feelings of generosity, benevolence, and religious tolerance to India.
The Indian princes were assured that their rights and honor would be respected. They were also told that the treaties that they had entered into with the Company would be honored and their right of adoption would be recognized. The government assured that it would not interfere in the social and religious matters of Indians.
Promises to the people of India: The proclamation also laid down that the people of India would be considered eligible for all public offices provided they were fit for them. The Government would make no distinction of caste, color, or creed in this matter. The people would be given the freedom to follow their social customs and the freedom to practice their religion. It is easy easier to implement. “The period of administration by the crown was thus a period of broken pledges”.
Question 8. Discuss the Hindu-Musiim unity during the Great Rebellion of 1857.
Answer:
Hindu-Musiim Unity During the Revolt of 1857: The Great Rebellion of 1857 showed unprecedented unity and coordination of the Indian people. The Hindus and the Muslims fought shoulder-to-shoulder against the British. In Delhi, a proclamation was issued that expressed the urgent need for Hindu-Musiim unity.
The sepoys proclaimed Bahadur Shah 2 as the Emperor of Hindustan and he appealed to all Hindus and Muslims to join hands in driving out the British from India. Karl Marx remarked, “Mussalmans and Hindus, renouncing mutual antipathies, have combined against the common masters that disturbances beginning with the Hindus have acted in placing on the throne of Delhi a Muhammedan Emperor”.
The British tried their best to create communal tension among the two communities. Aitchison, a senior British official commented: “In this instance, we could not play off the Muhammedans against the Hindus.” Thus, it may be said that the Hindus and Muslims displayed unity and amity between them, and herein lies the strength of the Great Rebellion of 1857.
The Hindu and Muslim sepoys unitedly stood against the introduction of greased catricartridgeadur Shah Jafar prohibited ‘Kurbani’ to maintain Hindu- Muslim unity in the year of sepoy mutiny. The Hindu leaders were Lakshmi Bai, Tantia Pope, Nana Saba, etc. The Muslim leaders were Bahadur Shah 2, Barakat Khan, etc.
Question 9. Discuss the religious and social causes of the Revolt of 1857.
Answer:
Religious causes:
1. Indians had a lurking suspicion that they would be converted to Christianity
2. The English had begun to interfere in religious affairs by abolishing both the sati system and child marriage and encouraging widow remarriage.
3. The religious sentiments of the people were further hurt when a tax was levied on property held by temples and mosques.
Social causes: It is known from the text ‘Siyar-ul-Mutakherin’ that social discrimination took a bad shape on the eve of the revolt.
1. The British people used to hate the Indians as Black Skinned
2. The British looked down upon Indian customs and rituals and considered Indians no better than barbarians
3. The introduction of Railways, Telegram, and Western education created suspicions in the minds of the Indians
4. Lord Cornwallis once said, “Each person in Hindustan is a downtrodden and heathen one”
5. Entry of Indian people was prohibited in restaurants, and clubs specially reserved for Britishers. It was written at the entrance of many European nightclubs- “No entry for dogs and Indians”
Question 10. What was the immediate cause of the Great Revolt of 1857? Write the causes of the failure of the Revolt. Or, What was the immediate cause of the Great Revolt of 1857? State three reasons for the failure of this revolt.
Answer:
Immediate Cause: The episode of the greased cartridges constituted the immediate cause of the revolt of 1857. The new Enfield Rifle introduced by the British had a greased paper cover in its cartridge that had to be bitten off before it was loaded. The rumor that the paper was made of beef and pig fat enraged both the Hindu and Muslim sepoys who burst out in rebellion.
Causes of failure of this revolt:
(1)Local limitations: Though the sepoys revolted over a large area from Eastern Punjab to Western Bihar, it did not affect the entire sub-continent. It was not felt elsewhere except in some portions of Uttar Pradesh, Delhi, Bundelkhand, Oudh, Bengal, and Bihar. There was no revolt in Sind, Rajasthan, Nepal, or South India. So this localized nature of the revolt made it less powerful.
(2)Lack of public support: Though there was public support for the revolt in many places like Jhansi, Oudh, and Delhi, people of other areas were reluctant to sympathize with the sepoys. The king of Gwalior, Scindhia, and his minister Dinkar Rao, Jang Bahadur of Nepal, the Nawab of Hyderabad, the Begum of Bhopal, the king of Jodhpur had helped the British to subdue the rebels. Besides, the kings and the common people of Patiala and Sind were supporting the British.
(3)Lack of definite aim: The leaders could not place a definite aim before the sepoys. As there was no national interest or proper planning, the revolt could not start together at all places. It occurred at different times in different places. So though the revolt was strong enough, it ultimately broke down.
Question 11. State the limitations of early political associations.
Answer:
Limitations of Early Political Associations: The early political associations did not raise any demand more than mild administrative reforms. Secondly, these early associations were mostly dominated by zamindars or upper-class men who had no wide social base. Hence they lacked mass character and were mostly local.
Thirdly, the landlord and the aristocratic class who controlled these associations had no intention of transforming them by opening the doors of these organizations to the middle class and others and giving them a democratic character. The limitations of these early associations were patent. The British- Indian Association of Bengal had 68% zamindar members and altogether 85% rich, aristocratic members.
The membership fee was Rs. 50.00 which was too high for the middle-class Bengalees. The Bombay Association and Madras Native Association had no deep patriotic character and lost their appeal. Hence, the middle-class Indians felt the need for a political association that would be truly representative, democratic, and nationalist in outlook. Out of the sentiment, three important presidential associations were formed by English-educated, middle-class IndiAnswer: These associations spread political consciousness among the people and gave a new tone to political demands.
Question 12. Give an account of the attitude of educated Bengali society towards the Sepoy Mutiny.
Answer:
Attitude of the Educated Bengali Society Towards the Revolt of 1857 :
The Bengali intelligentsia was apathetic to the Revolt of 1857. This is such a ticklish problem that no one has been able to offer any satisfactory explanation.
Promotion of Self-Interest: One thing that may be relevant to note is that the Bengali intellectuals, in the mid-eighteenth century, were very much conscious of their interest. As such it will not be fair to say that they merely echoed the sentiments of the British rulers in taking a negative attitude towards the rebels of 1857. in any case, their hostile attitude towards the Revolt of 1857 cannot be overlooked.
Issue of Enfield Rifle: In Bengal, Barrackpore, near Calcutta was the center of the initial spark of the Revolt of 1857. The revolt broke out over the religious question that there was a conspiracy to destroy the religions of the sepoys (over the Enfield Rifle issue). This was in tune with the cry of the orthodox Hindus of the city of Calcutta who had long suspected that the British wanted to destroy their religion and caste and convert them to Christianity. The intellectuals of Bengal, who were against orthodoxy and fanaticism, considered the rebel sepoys as the allies of social reaction. Under the circumstances, the Bengali intelligentsia had no option but to oppose the rebellion.
Socio-Economic Reasons: There were also socio-economic reasons for which the Bengali intelligentsia opposed the Revolt of 1857. The intellectuals belonged to middle-class well-to-do families that had been the product of the colonial structure. Their economic status was raised because of trade and commerce, and their intellectual status was due to their English education. In the success of the Revolt of 1857, the return of the old social order with all the reactionary principles and ideals was recognized by the Bengali intelligentsia. Hence, the Bengali intelligentsia did not sympathize with the rebels of 1857.
Conclusion: It has been pointed out by Sri Benoy Ghose that the growing political consciousness of the English-educated Bengali middle class also shaped their hostility towards the Revolt of 1857. The educated Bengali middle class saw no hope in the Revolt of 1857. Thus they condemned the rebels of 1857.
Question 13. Why was the 19th century called the Age of Associations?
Answer:
Age of Associations:
1. Introduction: Political consciousness was a direct outcome of nationalism that developed in the nineteenth century. The main purpose of organizing meetings was to develop political consciousness as it spread its activities and also to discuss various socio-political issues
2. Organisation During the Early Decades: Several organizations were formed during the period from 1828 to 1830. The Academic Association formed by Derozio was open to all independent discussions. In Calcutta, the Society for the Acquisition of General Knowledge was formed by Pyarichand Mitra, Debendranath Tagore, and their two hundred associates. The whole of the nineteenth century has seen the formation and development of many such associations. So, Cambridge historian Dr Anil Sil, in his book ‘The Emergence of Indian Nationalism; Competition and Collaboration in the Late Nineteenth Century, has called this period “an age of associations”
3. Organisation During the Second Half: In the second half of the nineteenth century several political organizations emerged. They were instrumental in the development of political consciousness. Some of the well-known political organizations were: ‘Puna SarbojonikSabha’ of Gopal Hari Deshmukh (1867), ‘Madras Mahajan Sabha’ (1884), ‘Madras Native Association (1852) and ‘East India Association, London’ of Dadabhai Naoroji and K. R. Kama (1866).
In 1871 a branch of the East India Association was formed in Bombay. Rangaiyya Naidu, the President of Mahajana Sabha (1884), spread the popularity of his association among small towns and villages. In 1885, Firoz Shah Mehta, Badruddin Tayebji, and KashinathTrimbak Telang formed ‘The Bombay Presidency Association’. In 1886 Rajnarayan Basu formed a ‘Secret Samity’ in Midnapore and Jyotirindra Nath Tagore established ‘Sanjeebani Sabha’. ‘India Reform Society’ and ‘London Indian Society’ (1865) were formed through foreign initiative.
Question 14. Write about Swamiji’s ‘Bartaman Bharat’.
Answer: Bartaman Bharat (of Swami Vivekananda):
1. Harmony Among All Classes: The Bartaman Bharat amplifies and elaborates our ideas on society. It is stated that human society is governed by the four castes — the priests, soldiers, traders, and laborers. The priestly rule is exclusive on hereditary grounds; the military rule is tyrannical and cruel.
The commercial rule is crushing and blood-sucking. But the traders go everywhere and they are good disseminators of ideas. The rule of the laborers has the advantage of distributing physical comforts.
But it has the disadvantage of lowering culture. In the Bartaman Bharat, Vivekananda predicts forming a state (Title page, 1905 edition) in which the knowledge of the priest period, the culture of the military, the distributive spirit of the commercial, and the ideal of equality of the last (laborers) are brought into harmony.
2. Establishment of an Ideal State: Vivekananda considered it an ideal state. Bartaman Bharat ends with a calling to give up imitating the Western lifestyle in dress and manners. People should cherish the feeling of self-respect and a sense of pride in being Indian. The closing paragraph of the Bartaman Bharat is titled by Vivekananda as Swadesh Mantra, an incantation (magical chant) for the homeland. It is addressed to every Indian.
It is a call to arise and awake to the national ideal of identity with the Indian heritage. The Indian people, even if they are the poorest and the lowest, should take pride in having been born Indian. Patriotism and nationalism for Vivekananda was never a matter of political strategy, rather it had to do with spiritual belonging to one’s culture and history. Religion and nationalism became interchangeable for Vivekananda.
Question 15. What was the importance of the novel ‘Anandamath’ from the Nationalist perspective?
Answer:
Anandamath (of Bankim Chandra Chatterjee): Anandamath of Bankim Chandra bears historic worth in the narrative of nationalism in modern India
1. Subject Matter: Written in the shadow of the memory of the Sannyasi Rebellion, the novel centers around the organization of the satans (or children of Mother India). Now that the Mother is in the chains of foreigners, her children vow to tear asunder the bondage. The novel narrates how the children of the Mother take up arms against the rule and domination of the aliens
2. Bande Mataram: It is in Anandamath that the Indian people get the famous song Bande Mataram. The opening stanza of the song is full of appreciation for the Mother’s natural endowments. In the song, the sacredness of the land has been raised to a religious level. The song combines patriotism with religious fervor
3. Inspiring the Revolutionaries: Anandamath was a Bible for secret revolutionaries. They modeled their societies on the organization founded by Satyananda, the hero of the novel. Some people accused Bankim Chandra as the propounder of the principle of aggressive Hinduism. But the fact remains that he was the seer of modern Indian nationalism and even politics. The mantra was Bande Mataram and politics was a commitment to leading a life of religion,
4. Conclusion: The concept of Bharatmata emerges from Anandamath. As for women’s participation in the national struggle, one finds a young lady, Shanti, who could jump and ride on a horse as any horseman. Thus, in many ways, Anandamath played a crucial role in developing national awareness.
Question 16. What was the role of Rabindranath’s ‘Gora’ in awakening nationalist feeling?
Answer:
Influence of Gora: The novel ‘Gora’ by Rabindranath Tagore is more than a hundred years old. ‘Gora’ was written before ‘Gitanjali’. ‘Gora’ is the only novel by Rabindranath Tagore where the character Gora is the main protagonist. This feature is absent in any of his other novels.
Through the character of Gora, the writer has expressed his opinion that rebellion does not exist in the outside world, but lies within one’s self. However, the novel is not about a fine analysis of the Bengali language and Bengali people, but there is more to it. India is a diverse land that abounds in multiple races, languages, and ideals, and iora, we find a unification of all these diverse forces.
Gora was written when the writer’s age was 47 to 49 years. The wonderful reminiscences of Jibansmriti have not been written then. The easygoing style of writing brought out the spirit of Gora in a wonderful way. In the novel ‘Gora’, the helplessness and traditional beliefs of the Hindu religion have come to the forefront time and again. At a later stage, it was revealed that Gora was born a westerner. His father had to give up ritualistic practices because of Gora’s staunch beliefs.
Again, we find, that the same Gora preferred to take a holy dip at the confluence of the three rivers instead of the holy Ganges. It is written in the novel, “I am yours and you are mine”.
Gora thinks, ‘Undifferentiated Brahman can also be found in particular. He is infinite, at the same time undifferentiated; he who is infinite is also formless. No faithful Indian will ever deny that God has surpassed even the Infinite.’
Gora, being a traveler, is bound to move forward toward the future having expressed himself in this way. Many thinkers feel that Gora is none other than Rabindranath himself.
Question 17. State the importance of the cartoons of Gaganendranath Tagore.
Answer: Gaganendranath Tagore:
1. Introduction: Gaganendranath Tagore (1867-1938) was the elder brother of Abanindranath Tagore (1871-1951). He learned painting from a Japanese artist and a Bengali artist. However, unlike Abanindranath, he did not follow Indigenous tradition; instead, we find the influence of French Cubism in his drawings
2. Criticism of Colonialism: Through his cartoons, he criticized colonialism in contemporary society. He criticized certain sections of the British Indian colonialist society and the ‘babu culture’ of Western-educated people through his cartoons and he inspired affection for traditional Indian culture among the Bengali gentry
3. Inspiring Nationalism: His cartoons should not be taken at face value, because they inspired nationalism among all sections of society. Gaganendranath emerged as a cartoonist in the second half of the nineteenth century. His cartoons mocked, satirized, and caricatured the then-British rule and helped to inspire nationalism: Montague-Chemsford reforms were criticized by a cartoon as a weak rule.
This is why Lord Chelmsford became angry to see the Cartoon of Gaganendranath Tagore. He compared the Western education system in India with the factory. His book ‘Reform Screams’ was published in 1922. His cartoons were published in ‘Prabasi’ and ‘Modern Review’. The single-coloured or bi-coloured cartoons mirrored the Bengali society of that time.
4. Conclusion: It was not just in Bengal, but also in the whole country that the importance of cartoons increased manifold under Gaganendranath. Hence, he is often called the father of modern nationalist Bengali cartoons. Bengali cartoons became very popular in illustrated magazines like ‘Panchananda’, ‘Bibhor’, ‘Bangabashi’, ‘Sachitra Bharat’, etc. Rabindranath Tagore was the inspiration for Bengali cartoonists like Jatindranath Sen, Rebati Bhushan, Chandi Lahiri, Debashish Deb and Amal Chakraborty.
Question 18. Describe the characteristics of Anandamath.
Answer:
Characteristics of Anandamath: The great writer Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay (1838-1898) helped in the development of militant nationalism in India through his essays and novels. His essay ‘Krishnacharitra’ stressed the need to establish the kingdom of Krishna in India. This emotion was refined and exquisitely expressed in his novel ‘Anandamath’. Written in 1882, this was the first historical novel by Bankim Chandra. ‘Debi Chowdhurani’ written in 1884 was second in the line of such novels.
Militant Nationalism: In ‘Anandamath’ he promoted militant nationalism. In ‘Anandamath’ he has portrayed the self-sacrifice of a group of patriots. This book influenced the youth to develop patriotism and groomed them into militant nationalism. Barrister Promothonath Mitra used the term ‘Anushilan Samiti’ (1902) in this book. For the revolutionaries of the ‘Anushilan Samiti’, ‘Anandamath’ was like a nationalist Bible.
In this novel, the two characters of ‘Shanti’ and ‘Bhabananda’ are extremely strong of mind. At the request of Surendranath Banerjee, Bankim Chandra composed the song ‘Bande Mataram’ in 1875, which was later included in ‘Anandamath’ as a guiding force. Through the song ‘Bande Mataram’ in this novel, Bankim Chandra portrays a real-life picture of India, our motherland. So, ‘Anandamath’ is considered to be an immortal creation of Bankim Chandra.
Question 19. Write a note ort Bangabhasa Prakashika Sabha.
Answer:
Bangabhasa Prakashika Sabha :
1. Introduction: As English education was more widely diffused in Calcutta, it is not surprising that the first political association sprang up here. Gradually the politically conscious people of Bengal felt that for political movement it was necessary to set up a permanent association. In 1836 a humble attempt was made in Bengal to organize political deliberations by the foundations of the Bangabhasa Prakashika Sabha. The Sabha of Bengal is regarded as the first political association in India
2. Activities: Details about the activities of the association are not available. But whatever little is known from its reference in different contemporary newspapers is very interesting. Its meeting used to be held every Thursday. In the beginning, discussions were held on various subjects like religion, philosophy, etc. In a letter published in the 17th December edition of the Jnananneshan, a newspaper published in Calcutta and edited by Dakshina Ranjan Mukherjee, it was said that the members agreed to deliberate over matters that would hamper the country’s welfare
3. Discussion on British Administrative Policies: The members of the Sabha also discussed the imposition of tax on rent-free lands by the British administrators in India. Reporting the discussion held in a meeting of the weekly paper Sambad Prabhakar (editor: Iswar Chandra Gupta) wrote that Ramlochan Ghosh, a government employee, had sent a letter to the Secretary of the Bangabhasa Prakashika Sabha in which he supported the government’s decision tax.
The letter was placed in the meeting for discussion. The members agreed that as a government employee, Ramlochan was quite justified in supporting the government’s action in the matter. But a different resolution was adopted. It was resolved that a meeting should be convened to decide the propriety of sending a memorandum signed by four to five thousand people irrespective of religious faith as a protest against the governmental measure.
It is not known if any such meeting was held at all. Dr. R. C. Majumdar expressed the opinion that nothing followed the resolution adopted in the meeting. Despite the failure of the Bangabhasa Prakashika Sabha, it must be admitted that the Sabha helped in organizing later on the formation of political associations.
Inspired by the example of the Bangabhasa Prakashika Sabha, many such associations came to be established. Sambad Prabhakar in its 2 March 1852 edition, reported about the failure of all the associations that followed the Bangabhasa Prakashika Sabha. The associations could not survive because of the ‘lack of unity’ (Bangla Desher Itihas Vol. IV : p 508: Ramesh Chandra Majumdar).
Question 20. Explain the inner meaning of the cartoon under the title University Machine.
Answer:
University Machine: The outlook of the cartoon is that of liberalism of the last decade of the nineteenth century and the first twenty years of the twentieth century. In the above context, a better-known cartoon of Gaganendranath may be taken up for discussion. One of the famous cartoons was the ‘University Machine’.
The cartoon University Machine shows a clock striking at 10.30 am. The smoke comes out of the chimney, while the students strike at the gate. The university building is in the shape of a very large heavy book. Pressed between them, after the courses are done, the students come out flattened and crippled.
One would also notice the two figures in silhouette standing on two pillars. One of them appears to be in European costume, while the other is in an Indian turban. They have probably helped in founding the university. They are no longer moving forces but are now shadowed out. The crowd at the gate is in Bengali dress. The cartoon has an undercutting of sadness despite the satire.
Question 21. Discuss the role of peasants in the Great Revolt of 1857.
Answer:
Peasant Participation in the Revolt of 1857: No uniform pattern of peasant participation in the disturbed areas can be discerned. However, in most of Oudh and Western U.P., the peasants forgot the oppressive hands of the local zamindars and joined the local feudal leadership in a bid to uproot foreign imperialism.
Canning’s announcement of confiscation of proprietary rights in the soil was meant to punish those who had taken an active part against the Government. The post-1857 settlement was made with the taluqdars of Oudh, restoring most of the land to them; rather the position of the taluqdars was strengthened by conferring on them some magisterial and revenue powers.
The interests of the occupancy peasants were ignored and the Chief Commissioner even refused to extend the provisions of the Bengal Rent Act of 1859 to Oudh. Rather, the peasants of some areas like the Meerut division were made to pay some additional taxes as a punitive impost for participation in the revolt.
Question 22. Write short notes on 1. Bahadur Shah, 2. Nana Sahib, 3. Tantia Tope, 4. Rani of Jhansi and 5. Kunwar Singh.
Answer:
1. Bahadur Shah: Bahadur Shah Jafar was the last emperor of the Mughal Empire. After the death of his father, Akbar II came to the throne. He too had taken part in the revolt of 1857 AD. But he was defeated, had been imprisoned, and sent to Rangoon. Two of his sons were butchered. He expressed his heartfelt feelings which escaped his lips on his death through an Urdu couplet. “So unfortunate did Jafar throve at his burials and Got deprived of two yards of land in native land”.
Exiled to Rangoon: The last days of his life were spent at Rangoon and he was sorry since he had no claim even on his right for burial in his native land. These lines reflect his patriotism. The rebellious people of the revolt of 1857 had acknowledged him as their emperor. However, due to his weak personality and senility right from the very inception, he began slipping down the ladder of success.
2. Nana Sahib: Nana Sahib was the foster son of Peshwa Baji Rao II. When the Peshwa died in 1851, the English stopped Nana Sahib’s pension. Hence Nana Sahib got furious over the Britons and he imprisoned the British soldiers at Kanpur. The British commander Wheeler staying for three weeks in the prison supplicated Nana Sahib not to put him to death. Wheeler along with the other soldiers was released.
But as soon as they were about to cross the Ganges by boat, a volley of bullets fell upon them which calmed down the anger of the Indian soldiers, and caused the death of 400 British soldiers. The commanders Neel and Havelock invaded Kanpur and captured it.
But soon after as a result of the endeavours on the part of Nana Sabib and Tantiya Tope, Kanpur was recaptured. But once again in December 1857, the British army under the leadership of Sir Collin Campbell captured Kanpur. At last, being disappointed Nana Sahib marched towards Nepal. There he met his death.
3. Tantiya Tope: Tantiya Tope was the commander of Nana Sahib who was famous for his discretion, variance, and qualities like courage, etc. He put his heart and soul into Nana Sahib to defend Kanpur. Guerilla warfare was his device of fighting with which the British soldiers were unfamiliar. Hence, he was peerless in his fighting skills.
Many notorious British commanders shuddered at his sight. Support to the Rani of Jhansi: He lent whole-hearted support to the Rani of Jhansi. The army fighting under the leadership of Sir Collin Campbell defeated and captured him. The brave commander was hanged to death in 1858.
4. Rani of Jhansi: The Rani of Jhansi too was the victim of the crooked policy of the British Government. The Britons had challenged her right to adoption and merged her territories with the British empire. Hence, Laxmi Bai played an active role in the revolt of 1857 AD. On seeking help from Tantiya Tope, the commander of Nana Sahib, and from other Afghan chiefs, the Rani took possession of Gwalior. She fought hard with the Britons in the dreadful fight of Kalpi.
She kept butchering the enemy till her last breath. In her praise, even the British commanders spoke lavishly that the Rani of Jhansi was the bravest opponent fighter. There is no denying the fact that though she was a woman she fought as men in bravery. Therefore, some poets expressed her feelings, “The manly queen who fought so valiantly was the queen of Jhansi.”
5. Kunwar Singh: Kunwar Singh, a ruined and discontented zamindar of Jagdishpur near Arrah was the chief organizer of the Revolt in Bihar. This young man of years unnerved the Britons. Kunwar Singh not only harassed the Britons in Bihar but also joined Nana Sahib and kept in constant conflict with the Britons in Central India while they were returning, the Britons besieged them near Arrah.
They defeated the Britons but received many deep wounds during the battle, consequent upon which he died later on 27th April 1858. His brother rushed forward to enflame the fire ignited by him. But he also could not face the Britons for a long time.
Question 23. Given an account of the growth of political associations in Bengal.
Answer:
Growth of Political Associations in Bengal:
Introduction: Raja Rammohan Roy was the pioneer of political movements in India. He was greatly influenced by Western ideas. He was a widely read man. His extensive studies had freed his mind from the bigotry that characterized an average Bengali. His sympathies in the domain of politics were cosmopolitan and his heart went in sympathy for popular movements all over the world. In 1821 the Raja celebrated in Calcutta the establishment of a constitutional government in Spain.
Raja Rammohan Roy’s contribution: Rammohan Roy was the first Indian to persuade the English to focus their attention on the grievances of India and to ask for remedial measures. He demanded liberty of the press, the appointment of Indians in civil courts and other higher posts, the codification of law, etc. It was generally believed that some of the beneficent provisions in the Charter Act of 1833 were due to his lobbying in England.
Bangabhasa PrakasikaSabha: The task of organizing political associations was, however, done by the associates of Rammohan Roy. The first such association called “Bangabhasha Prakasika Sabha” was formed in 1836. This Sabha deliberated on topics connected with the policy and administration of the Government and sought redress by sending petitions and memorials to the Government.
Zamindary Association: In July 1838 the “Zamindary Association”, more popularly known as the “Landholders’ Society” was founded to safeguard the interests of the landlords. Although limited in its objectives, the Landholders’ Society pioneered the start of organized political activity and the use of methods of constitutional agitation for the redressal of grievances. The Landholders’ Society of Calcutta cooperated with the British India Society founded by Mr Adams in London in July 1839.
Bengal British India Society: In April 1843 another political association under the name of the Bengal British India Society was founded with the object of “the collection and dissemination of information relating to the actual condition of the people of British India…and to employ such other means of peaceful and lawful character as may appear calculated to secure the welfare, extend the just right, and advance the interests of all classes of our fellow subjects”
However, the Landholders’ Society and the Bengal British India Society did not flourish well and on 29 October 1851 the two associations were merged into a new one named the British Indian Association. This Association was dominated by members of the landed aristocracy and its chief aim was safeguarding their class interests.
However, the Association became a hub of liberalists and when the time came for the renewal of the Charter of the East India Company, it sent a petition to the Parliament praying for the establishment of a separate legislature of a popular character, separation of judicial from executive functions, reduction in the salaries of higher officers, abolition of the salt duty, abkari and stamp duties, etc.
The prayers of the Association were partially met and the Charter Act of 1853 provided for the addition of six members to the Governor-General’s Council for legislative purposes. The British Indian Association continued its existence as a political body down to the 20th century, even though it was subservient to the more popular Indian National Congress.
Indian League and Indian Association: By the 1870s there were signs of change inside Indian society. In the Presidency towns, higher education was well established and the members of the new professions were acquiring a status and developing new ambitions. A new elite had grown in all the Presidencies whose aspirations and status were incomparable. These were good developments for the formation of more popular and broad-based associations.
In September 1875 Babu Sisir Kumar Ghose founded the Indian League with the object of “stimulating the sense of nationalism amongst the people” and encouraging political education. Within a year of its foundation, the Indian League was superseded by the Indian Association founded on 26 July 1876 by Ananda Mohan Bose and Surendranath Banerjee.
The Indian Association hoped to attract not only “the middle classes” but also the masses and therefore kept its annual subscription at Rs. 5 as opposed to the subscription of Rs. 50 p.a. fixed by the British Indian Association. Soon the Indian Association became ‘the center of the leading representatives of the educated community of Bengal’.
Chapter 4 Early Stages Of Collective Action Very Short Answer
Question 1. Name a few English people who called the Sepoy Mutiny a National Revolt.
Answer: Tory leader Disreily and English thinkers like J.B. Norton, Alexander Duff, Maleson, Bol, James, Outram, and Holmes.
Question 2. Who formed the Society for the Acquisition of General Knowledge?
Answer: Pyarichand Mitra, Debendranath Tagore, and two hundred other like-minded people.
Question 3. What was the name of the society formed by Kalinath Chowdhury, Prasanna Kumar Tagore, and Dwarkananth Tagore?
Answer: Bangabhasha Prakashika Sabha.
Question 4. Which was the largest political institution in the pre-Congress era?
Answer: Bharat Sabha or Indian Association.
Question 5. Name a few old kinds of literature that helped in the growth of nationalist feelings by influencing Indian Literature.
Answer: ‘Pamela’ by Samuel Richardson, ‘Hard Times’ and ‘Oliver Twist’ by Charles Dickens, ‘Germinal’ by Emil Zola, ‘Mayor of Casterbridge’ by Thomas Hardy, and ‘Robinson Crusoe’ by Daniel Defoe.
Question 6. Name the famous painting by Abanindranath Tagore which greatly inspired nationalist feelings among Indian people.
Answer: Bharat Mata.
Question 7. Who wrote ‘Anandamath’?
Answer: Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay.
Question 8. Who said these words: ‘The soil of India is my heaven, India’s well-being is my well-being’?
Answer: Swami Vivekananda.
Question 9. Who is called the father of modern nationalist Bengali cartoons?
Answer: Gaganendranath Tagore.
Question 10. Who was given the title of the ‘Empress of India’ in 1877?
Answer: Queen Victoria.
Question 11. Who organized a special court in Allahabad as a representative of Queen Victoria?
Answer: Lord Canning.
Question 12. Who was the editor of the journal ‘Sangbad Prabhakar’?
Answer: Ishwar Chandra Gupta.
Question 13. Who established ‘Bharat Sabha’?
Answer: Surendranath Banerjee.
Question 14. Which was the first historical novel of Bankim Chandra?
Answer: Anandamath.
Question 15. Who was the editor of the journal ‘The Bengalee’?
Answer: Surendranath Banerjee.
Question 16. Who said these words ‘The soil of India is Heaven to me’?
Answer: Swami Vivekananda.
Question 17. Who introduced the Enfield Rifle?
Answer: The British.
Question 18. Name a Rani who valiantly fought against the British.
Answer: Lakshmi Bai.
Question 19. When was the Azamgarh Proclamation issued?
Answer: 1857.
Question 20. The Queen’s Proclamation was issued in the name of which Queen of England?
Answer: Victoria.
Question 21. Who was the Mughal Emperor at the time of the Great Mutiny (1857)?
Answer: Mughal Emperor Bahadur Shah.
Question 22. Who was the Governor-General of India at the time of the Great Revolt of 1857?
Answer: Lord Canning.
Question 23. Write the name of a leader of the Great Revolt of 1857.
Answer: Nana Saheb.
Question 24. In which year did the Sepoy Mutiny break out?
Answer: In 1857 AD.
Question 25. What was the immediate cause of the Revolt of 1857?
Answer: Introduction of Enfield Rifle.
Question 26. What was the new type of rifle introduced by the British for the use of the Indian sepoys?
Answer: Enfield Rifle.
Question 27. Who was the first martyr of the Revolt of 1857?
Answer: Mangal Pandey.
Question 28. Name two women leaders of the Sepoy Mutiny.
Answer: Rani Laxmi Bai and Begum Hazrat Mahal.
Question 29. Who led the Revolt of 1857 in Lucknow?
Answer: Begum Hazrat Mahal.
Question 30. Who was the leader of the Revolt of 1857 at Jhansi?
Answer: Rani Laxmi Bai.
Question 31. Who was the leader of the Revolt of 1857 at Kanpur?
Answer: Nana Saheb.
Question 32. Name two centers of the Sepoy Mutiny.
Answer: Meerut and Barrackpur.
Question 33. Who was the adopted son of Peshwa Baji Rao 2?
Answer: Nana Saheb.
Question 34. Whom did the mutineers proclaim the emperor of Hindustan?
Answer: Bahadur Shah 2
Question 35. In which year was the Queen’s Proclamation issued?
Answer: In 1858.
Question 36. Who was the Queen of England at the time of the transfer of power?
Answer: Victoria.
Question 37. Where did the revolt of 1857 break out?
Answer: At Meerut in UP.
Question 38. When was the Act for Better Government of India passed?
Answer: In 1858 AD.
Question 39. Who was the first Viceroy of India?
Answer: Lord Canning.
Question 40. Name a leader of Bihar in the Revolt of 1857.
Answer: Kunwar Singh.
Question 41. What was the nature of the Revolt of 1857?
Answer: Popular revolt.
Question 42. Who passed the Act for the Better Government of India?
Answer: British Parliament.
Question 43. By what name is the Act of 1858 known?
Answer: Queen’s Proclamation of India Act or Better Government of India.
Question 44. When did the East India Company’s rule in India come to an end?
Answer: In 1858 AD.
Question 45. In which year did Queen Victoria get the title ‘Empress of India’?
Answer: Queen Victoria got the title ‘Empress of India’ on 1st January 1877 AD.
Question 46. Under which Act, did the Company’s rule end?
Answer: The rule of the company was ended by an Act for the Better Government of India, which was passed on 2nd August 1858 AD.
Question 47. In which year the Board of Control and Court of Directors were abolished?
Answer: These were abolished in 1858 AD.
Question 48. Who started the Sepoy Mutiny and when and where?
Answer: The Sepoy Mutiny was started by Mangal Pandey on 29th March 1857 AD in the military base at Barrackpore.
Question 49. Which revolt was initiated at Bhagmidi field?
Answer: Santhal revolt.
Question 50. Name the last Governor General of East India Company.
Answer: Lord Dalhousie.
Question 51. When was the proclamation of Queen Victoria published?
Answer: The proclamation of Queen Victoria was published on 1st November 1858 A.D.
Question 52. What is the meaning of the word Viceroy?
Answer: The meaning of the word Viceroy is Royal representative.
Question 53. In which year did the ruling of the Viceroy start in India?
Answer: The Ruling of Viceroy started in India in 1858 A.D
Question 54. Name the Patrika in which the first modern Indian cartoon was published.
Answer: Amrit Bazar Patrika.
Question 55. Name the first Indian Cartoon Magazine.
Answer: Dechi Sketch Book.
Question 56. In which year was Dechi Sketch Book published?
Answer: 1850.
Question 57. What kind of magazine was Dechi Sketch Book?
Answer: Monthly Magazine.
Question 58. In which year was Zamindar Sabha formed?
Answer: In 1837.
Question 59. Which organization is regarded as the first political association of Bengal?
Answer: Bangabhasa Prakashika Sabha.
Question 60. Who was the first chairman of Bangabhasha Prakashika Sabha?
Answer: Gaurishankar Tarkabagish.
Question 61. Who called the Queen’s proclamation a political bluff?
Answer: Bipin Chandra.
Question 62. Who called the period of Queen Victoria the ‘era of broken pledges’?
Answer: R.C. Majumdar.
Question 63. Who formed Puna Sarbojonik Sabha?
Answer: Gopal Hari Deshmukh.
Question 64. Who formed ‘The East India Association, London’?
Answer: Dadabhai Naoroji and K. R. Kama.
Question 65. Who formed ‘The Bombay Presidency Association’?
Answer: Firoz Shah Mehta, Badruddin Tayebji, and Kashinath Trimbak Telang.
Question 66. Who formed ‘Sanjeebani Sabha’?
Answer: Jyotirindra Nath Tagore.
Question 67. Who declared the revolt of 1857 as ‘The National Revolt’?
Answer: Disraeli, the leader of the Tory party.
Question 68. Which historian thinks that the revolt of 1857 was feudal?
Answer: R. C. Majumdar.
Question 69. Name the largest political institution in the pre-congress era.
Answer: Indian Association or Bharat Sabha.
Question 70. Who wrote the book Eighteen Fifty-Seven (1857)?
Answer: Surendra Nath Sen wrote the book ‘Eighteen Fifty-Seven’, (1857).
Question 71. What do you understand by collective action?
Answer: “United we stand”: Thus goes the proverbial saying. This power develops through collective action. Numerous institutions and organizations have been formed for the development of united and collective power. Initially, it was the rich and socially higher classes of people, influenced by Western education, who took the initiative for some united movement. Later on, the movement became universal among people irrespective of their race, caste, or creed.
Question 72. Who announced the Queen’s Proclamation and when?
Answer: Lord Canning after being appointed as the first Viceroy of India, representing Victoria, the Queen of England (1837-1901), organized a formal court in Allahabad. In this court, on 1st November 1858, he read out a proclamation on behalf of the Queen. This came to be known as “The Proclamation of the Queen”
Question 73. What was the ‘Queen’s Proclamation’?
Answer: Queen Victoria of England announced a proclamation after the Sepoy mutiny promising to provide some facilities and benefits to India This was made just to pacify them. Her representative Lord Canning announced this as the Queen’s proclamation in the Allahabad Conference.
Question 74. What was the purpose of the Hindu Mela?
Answer: The main purpose of the Hindu Mela was to re-establish the dignity of the ancient Hindu religion and inspire people in the ideal of patriotism and freedom movement.
Question 75. Name the authors of the two novels ‘Gora’ and ‘Anandamath’.
Answer: Gora was written by Rabindranath Tagore and Anandamath was written by Bankim Chandra Chatterjee.
Question 76. Describe the painting ‘Bharat Mata’ by Abanindra Nath Tagore.
Answer: Abanindranath’s Bharatmata has four hands. A special characteristic of this painting is that the nationalist spirit flows through it. She wears saffron clothes and appears as a woman saint. On her two left hands, she holds a book and a bunch of paddies. On the two right hands, we find a pair of white clothing and a sting of Rudraksha (sacred beads).
Question 77. Why is the 19th century called the Age of Associations?
Answer: The whole of the nineteenth century has seen the formation and development of many associations. So, Cambridge historian Dr. Anil Sil, in his book ‘The Emergence of Indian Nationalism: Competition and Collaboration in the Late Nineteenth Century’, has called this period “an age of associations”.
Question 78. Who was the main founder of Bharat Sabha and what was the name of its main journal?
Answer: Surendranath Banerjee was the main founder of Bharat Sabha. Its main journal was ‘The Bengalee’.
Question 79. Why was Gaganendra Nath called the father of Bengali cartoon pictures?
Answer: The single-coloured or bi-coloured cartoons mirrored the Bengali society of that time. It was not just in Bengal, but the importance of Indian cartoons increased manifold under Gaganendranath. Hence, he is often called the father of modern nationalist Bengali cartoons.
Question 80. Mention two causes of failure of the Great Revolt of 1857.
Answer: The causes of the failure of the revolt of 1857 are as follows:
(1)Local limitations: Though the sepoys revolted over a large area from Eastern Punjab to Western Bihar, it did not affect the entire sub-continent. It was not felt elsewhere except in some portions of Uttar Pradesh, Delhi, Bundelkhand, Oudh, Bengal, and Bihar.
(2)Lack of public support: Though there was public support for the revolt in many places like Jhansi, Oudh, and Delhi, people of other areas were reluctant to sympathize with the sepoys. The king of Gwalior, Sindhia, and his minister Dinkar Rao, Jang Bahadur of Nepal, the Nawab of Hyderabad, the Begum of Bhopal, and the king of Jodhpur had helped the British to subdue the rebels.
Question 81. In 1857 who was declared to be the ‘Emperor of Hindustan’ by the rebel sepoys? Where was he banished later on?
Answer: Bahadur Shah 2, the then Mughal Emperor, was declared the ‘Emperor of Hindustan’ by the rebels of 1857. The British suppressed the Revolt of 1857 within a very short time. Immediately after that, the British had done away with the very existence of the Mughal emperor in India. Bahadur Shah 2 was banished from India to Rangoon, present Yangon.
Question 82. What international events encouraged the Revolt of 1857?
Answer: When the resentment against the British was growing among the Indian sepoys, news of some international events helped to generate a sense of self-confidence in them. The setback of the British soldiers in the first Afghan War (1839) and the Crimean War (1854) indirectly helped the sepoys to be so determined as to rise in revolt against the British.
Question 83. Name two centres other than Meerut which became important for rebel activities. How did the Rani of Jhansi fight the British?
Answer: Lucknow and Kanpur were the two important centers of the Revolt of 1857. Rani of Jhansi, to recover her kingdom Jhansi from the British herself, took command of her army. She wrested Gwalior from the British with the help of Tanya Tope.
Question 84. Who was known as the ‘Tiger of the Revolt of 1857’? Where did he hoist his flag?
Answer: Kunwar Singh was known as the ‘Tiger of the Revolt of 1857’. He was a big zamindar of Jagadishpur in Bihar. He hoisted his flag at the top of his royal palace at Jagadishpur.
Question 85. What was the immediate cause of the Revolt of 1857?
Answer: The episode of the greased cartridges constituted the immediate cause of the revolt of 1857. The new Enfield Rifle introduced by the British had a greased paper cover in its cartridge that had to be bitten off before it was loaded. There was a rumor that the paper was made of beef and pig fat. This enraged both the Hindu and Muslim sepoys who burst out in rebellion.
Question 86. Name two historians who called the revolt of 1857 A.D. a Sepoy Revolt.
Answer: Sir John Silly & Charles Robert said that the revolt of 1857 was just a sepoy mutiny.
Question 87. Who said the revolt of 1857 A.D. was the First War of Indian Independence?
Answer: S.C.Bose & V.D. Savarkar said that the revolt of 1857 was the first war of Independence.
Question 88. What information do we get from the caricature of Gaganedra Nath Tagore?
Answer: Through his cartoons, he criticized colonialism in contemporary society. He criticized certain sections of the British Indian colonialist society and the ‘babu culture’ of Western-educated people through his cartoons and was able to enhance the fondness for traditional Indian culture among the Bengali gentry.
Question 89. When was Nana Sahab declared the Peshwa of Kanpur?
Answer: Nana Saheb was declared Peshwa of Kanpur on 6th June 1857.
Question 90. When and who founded the Landholders’ Society?
Answer: The Landholder’s Society was founded in 1838 by Dwarkanath Tagore.
Question 91. Who were the members of the Landholders” Association?
Answer: Radhakanta Dev, Rammohan Roy, Prasanna Kumar Tagore, and Dwarkanath Tagore were the members of the Landholders” Association.
Question 92. Where were the branches of the Indian Association?
Answer: The Indian Association had branches in Agra, Kanpur, Lucknow, and Meerut.
Question 93. Who and when founded the Hindu Mela?
Answer: Hindu Mela was founded by Navgopala Mitra in 1867.
Question 94. Who and when founded the National Gymnasium?
Answer: The National Gymnasium was founded by Nabagopala Mitra in the year 1868.
Question 95. Who were the main students of the National Gymnasium?
Answer: The main students of the National Gymnasium were Bipin Chanda Pal, Sundari Mohan Das, Rajchandra Chaudhury, and Swami Vivekananda.
Question 96. Who and when founded the Bengal British Association?
Answer: George Thomson founded the Bengal British India Society in 1843.
Question 97. Who and when founded the British Indian Association?
Answer: Raja Radhakanta Deb founded the British Indian Association on 2nd October 1851.
Question 98. Which journal reported the failure of Bangabhasa Prakashika Sabha? Why did it fail?
Answer: Sambad Prabhakarin its 2 March 1852 edition reported about the failure of all the associations that followed the Bangabhasa Prakashika Sabha. The associations could not survive because of their ‘lack of unity”.
Question 99. Who and where founded the East India Association?
Answer: Dadabhai Naoroji founded the East Indian Association in London.
Question 100. Who and when founded Poona Sarvajanik Sabha?
Answer: Poona Sarvajanik Sabha was founded in 1867 by Gopal Hari Deshmukh.
Question 111. Who and where founded the Indian League?
Answer: The Indian League was founded by Sisir Kumar Ghosh in 1875.
Question 112. Who and when founded the Bombay Association?
Answer: Jagannath Shankar in 1852 founded Bombay Association.
Question 113. Who and when founded the Calcutta Students” Association?
Answer: The Calcutta Students” Association was founded by Anand Mohan Bose in 1875.
Question 114. Who and when founded the National India Association?
Answer: The National India Association was founded by Mary Carpenter in 1857.
Question 115. Who and where founded the Indian Society?
Answer: Ananda Mohan Bose founded the Indian Society in London.
Question 116. Who and when founded Madras Mahajan Sabha?
Answer: Madras Mahajan Sabha was founded by Raghavachari and S. Ayyer in 1884.
Question 117. Who and when founded the Bombay Presidency Association?
Answer: The Bombay Presidency Association was founded by Firozshah Tayabbji in 1885.
Question 118. Who and when wrote the novel Anandamath?
Answer: Bankim Chandra Chatterjee wrote the novel Anandamath in 1882.
Question 119. Who and when wrote Bartaman Bharat?
Answer: Swami Vivekananda wrote Bartaman Bharat in 1905.
Question 120. What is the subject matter of Bartaman Bharat?
Answer: In “Bartaman Bharat”, not only did Swami Vivekananda talk about the awakening of lower caste people, he thought deeply about the awakening of lower caste people, the poor, and the downtrodden people. He implored people to remove the caste barrier and consider every Indian as a brother.
Question 121. What is ‘Gora’?
Answer: Gora was a novel written by Rabindranath Tagore in the year 1910.
Question 122. When and in which magazine Gora was published serially?
Answer: From 1907 to 1909 Gora was published serially in the magazine named ‘Pravasi’.
Question 123. What is the subject matter of the novel Gora?
Answer: Gora, written at the beginning of the twentieth century, dealt with doubts and conflicts in the minds of the Bengalees about social, moral, and national issues.
Question 124. Who and when painted the picture of Bharat Mata?
Answer: Abanindranath Tagore in 1905 painted the picture of Bharat Mata.
Question 125. In which magazines were the cartoons of Ganendranath Tagore published?
Answer: Rabindranath Tagore’s cartoons were published in ‘Prabasi’ and ‘Modern Review magazines.