In This Post we are providing CHAPTER 12 COLONIAL CITIES URBANISATION, PLANNING AND ARCHITECTURENCERT MCQ for Class 12 HISTORY which will be beneficial for students. These solutions are updated according to 2021-22 syllabus. These MCQS can be really helpful in the preparation of Board exams and will provide you with a brief knowledge of the chapter.
NCERT MCQ ON COLONIAL CITIES URBANISATION, PLANNING AND ARCHITECT
Q.1 Gateway of India was made to welcome _
(a) Jamshed Ji Tata (b) Premchand Raichand (c) George V and his wife (d) Lord Dalhousie
Answer (c) George V and his wife
Q.2 Which of the following is not a correct option:
(а) Calcutta was established by the British. (b) The port of Surat declined in the 16th century. (c) There were three Presidency cities. (d) The British introduced many new architectural designs in India
Answer (b) The port of Surat declined in the 16th century.
Q.3 For the development of which of the following cities, Lottery Committee was made is collect funds?
(a) Bombay (b) Calcutta (c) Madras (d) DelhiShow Answer
Answer (b) Calcutta
Q.4 American Civil war was started in _
(a) 1867 (b) 1861 (c) 1835 (d) 1776
Answer (b) 1861
Q.5 Which of the following option is correct?
(a) First census survey was held in 1881. (b) The British lived in Black towns. (c) John Lawrence officially shifted his council of Shimla in 1804. (d) Bombay was the commercial capital of colonial IndiaShow Answer
Answer (d) Bombay was the commercial capital of colonial India
Q.6 The lottery committee was made to
(a) To develop Calcutta (b) To develop Bombay (c) To develop Madras (d) To develop Delhi
Answer (a) To develop Calcutta
Q.7 What do you understand by the term ‘dubashes’?
(a) Indians weavers (b) Indians living in ‘White towns’ (c) Villagers living in cities (d) Indians who could speak two languages
Answer (d) Indians who could speak two languages
Q.8 Which of the following statement is not correct:
(a) Bombay was given to the British King as Dowry. (b) The British divided cities into Black towns and white towns. (c) Lord Dalhousie officially shifted his council to Shimla. (d) Madras was developed by incorporating many surrounding villages.
Answer (c) Lord Dalhousie officially shifted his council to Shimla.
Q.9 Why were hill stations important for the colonial economy? Due to setting up of:
(a) tea and coffee plantations (b) tea and jute plantations (c) banana and coffee plantations (d) jute and banana plantations
Answer (a) tea and coffee plantations
Q.10 Why did paupers from rural areas flock to the cities?
(a) education (b) entertainment (c) employment (d) agriculture
Answer (c) employment
Q.11 High-pitched roofs, pointed arches and detailed decorations are features of which style of architecture?
(a) Indian style (b) Neo-classical (c) Neo-Gothic (d) Indo-Saracenic style
Answer (c) Neo-Gothic
Q.12 Who donated money for the construction of University Hall?
In This Post we are providing CHAPTER 12 COLONIAL CITIES URBANISATION, PLANNING AND ARCHITECTURENCERT MOST IMPORTANT QUESTIONS for Class 12 HISTORY which will be beneficial for students. These solutions are updated according to 2021-22 syllabus. These MCQS can be really helpful in the preparation of Board exams and will provide you with a brief knowledge of the chapter.
NCERT MOST IMPORTANT QUESTIONSONCOLONIAL CITIES URBANISATION, PLANNING AND ARCHITECTURE
Question 1. How did changes occur in building pattern of colonial cities after the revolt of 1857? Cite two examples. Answer: Nature and design of colonial city changed after the revolt of 1857. Because after the revolt of 1857, British attitude in India were shaped by constant fear of rebellion. The two examples of this change were as follows:
The British felt the need of security for white elites. So, they developed Civil lines, which were secure and segregated enclaves, away from the threat of the natives.
Another example is cantonments places where Indian troops under European command were stationed were also developed as safe enclaves.
Question 2. How were the town often defined in opposition to rural areas during pre-colonial times? Give any two point of difference. Answer: Generally, there was a wide difference between towns and rural areas:
The towns developed as the representatives of specific forms of economic activities and cultures. But cultivating land, foraging in the forest or rearing animals were the main sources of income for the rural people.
Another difference between the rural areas and the towns was that the towns and the cities were generally fortified, whereas the village did not have any kind of fortification.
Question 3. How were the hill stations a distinctive feature of colonial urban development? Give two reasons. Answer: British Government initialed the development of hill stations because of the following reasons:
Hill stations developed as a place of strategic importance for guarding frontiers, billeting of troops and launching operations against enemy.
Hill stations have cool climate. These areas are free from the disease of tropical regions, so these areas w’ere developed as sanitarium and place for recreation for the European elites.
As climate of hill stations were similar to climate of Europe, they became an attractive destination for rulers.
Question 4 . Why were the hill stations important for the colonial economy? Give any two reasons. Answer: Hill stations were important for the colonial economy because:
With the setting up of tea and coffee plantations in the adjoining areas, influx of immigrant labour from the plains began which proved beneficial for the colonial economy. For e.g. Tea plantations of Darjeeling. With this cheap labour, British Company made huge profits.
The introduction of railways made hill stations more accesssible to Indians, upper and middle class Indian started to go there and it helped to improve the overall economic development of the hill stations.
Question 5. Give any two features of colonial cities after 1850 in India. Answer: Two features of colonial cities after 1850 in India were as follows:
Institutions were set up to regulate economic activity and demonstrate authority of a new ruler.
The colonial cities grew as new commercial and administrative centres.
Question 6. “A careful study of census reveals some fascinating trends of urbanisation in 19th century”. Support the statement with facts. Answer: The trends of urbanisation in 19th century can be discussed through the following facts:
Stagnant Growth of Urban Population: The growth of urban population in proportion to the total population of India was almost stagnant. From 1900 to 1940, the urban population increased from 10 to 13 percent.
Significant Variations in the Patterns of Urban Development: In this period the smaller town had little opportunity to grow economically. But Culcutta, Bombay, Madras grew rapidly and became large cities. Gradually, these three cites became the new commercial and administrative centres.
Clear Difference between Colonical Cities and Traditional Towns: The large cities functioned as collection depots for the export of Indian manufactures like cotton textiles. After the Industrial Revolution in England, these cities became the entry point for British manufactured goods and for the export of Indian raw materials. This nature of economic activities sharply differentiated these colonial cities from traditional towns.
Changes due to the Introduction of Railways: The introduction of railways further deregulated the pace and uniformity of urban development. Economic activities were accelerated in Calcutta, Bombay and Madras after the introduction of Railways. The traditional towns were lagged behind in growth. For e.g. Mirzapur was a famous collection centre of cotton and cotton goods from the Deccan. When a rail link was made to Bombay, this town witnessed a decline. On the other hand, with the expansion of the railway network, railway workshops and railway colonies were established, for e.g. Jamalpur, Waltair and Bareilly.
Question 7. “The architecture in colonial Bombay represent ideas of imperial power, nationalism and religious glory.” Support statement with example. Answer: With the expansion of economy the architecture or town planning of Bombay changed a lot. These changes are as follows: 1. In the mid-nineteenth century; many new building were constructed in Bombay and the architectural style was European. The British wanted to create a familiar landscape in an alien country by adopting this architectural style. They also thought that European styles symbolised their superiority, authority and power. European style of buildings marked the difference between the buildings of colonial masters and their Indian subject.
2. Gradually, Indians got used to European architecture and accepted these as their own. British in turn adapted some Indian styles e.g. bungalow which was derived from . Bengali hut. Bungalow was used by government officers in Bombay and all over India. The surrourding veranda kept the bungalow cool in summer. These ensured privacy without daily social contact with Indians.
3. For public bindings, three broad architectural styles were adapted in India. The Town Hall in Bombay was built in new classical style. Elphinstone Circle or Horniman Circle was inspired from models in Italy. Neo-Gothic structure was also adapted for making building like the secretariat, University of Bombay and Eight Court, etc. Victoria Terminus is the most spectacular example of the Neo-gothic style. The Gateway of India, Taj Mahal hotel built by Jamsetji Tata were followed the Indo-Saracenic style. Taj Mahal hotel became a challenge to the racially exclusive club and hotel maintained by the British.
4. The increasing population due to migration and lack of space in Bombay led to a type of building unique to it. This was known as chawl, the multi-storeyed single-room apartment with long open corridor built around a courtyard. Such buildings housed a large number of families sharing common spaces and this type of building helped in the growth of neighbourhood identity and solidarity.
Question 8. Explain the changes reflected in the history of urban centres in India during the 18th century with special reference to network of trade. Answer: The towns underwent many significant changes during the 18th century which were as follows:
Decline of Old Towns and Emergence of New Towns: The political and commercial reorganisation, the old towns headed towards decline and new towns were developed in the 18th century. With the decline of the Mughal power, the towns associated with their adminisration also started declining. Delhi and Agra, the Mughal capital cities started losing their political importance.
Increasing Importance of Regional Capitals: The regional capitals such as Lucknow, Hyderabad, Seringapatam, Pune, Baroda and Tanjore started gaining importance. The traders, administrators, artisans and other people in search of work and patronage began to reside in new capitals leaving the old Mughal centres. Some local notables and officials used new urban settlements like qasbah and ganj. The effects of political decentralisation were uneven. Some areas became strong for economic activity and in some areas political uncertainty led to economic decline.
Changes in Trading Networks: The changes taking place in the networks of the trade also influenced the history of the urban centres. The European commercial companies had established their settlement at various places of the country during the Mughal period. These were Panaji by the Portuguese, Masulipatnam by the Dutch, Madras by the British and Puducherry by the French. By the end of the eighteenth century, the land based empires in Asia were replaced by the powerful sea-based European empires. The nature of society was regulated by forces of international trade, mercantilism and capitalism.
Decline of Renowned Trading Centres: A new phase of change came into existence by the middle of the 18 th century .The renowned trading centres like Surat, Masulipatnam and Dhaka which had developed during 17th century, started heading towards decline and trading activities started concentrating at other places.
Impact of Battle of Plassey: The Battle of Plassey in 1757, established British dominance in Bengal. As a result, there was a significant increase in the territories of the Company. Now many colonial port cities like Madras, Calcutta and Bombay started developing rapidly into new economic capitals. Soon these cities grew into important centres of colonial power and administration. The people were so much attracted to these cities that these became the biggest cities in India in terms of population of about 1800.
Question 9. Explain any three broad architectural styles used by the British for the public buildings in the colonial states with examples. Answer: The British used three broad architectural styles for the public buildings in the colonial state. They have been described as under:
Neo-Classical /New-Classical: It comprised construction of geometrical structures fronted with lofty pillars. It was derived from the Roman style and got popular during the European Renaissance. It was considered appropriate during the British times, since the British imagined that a style that embodied the glory of imperial Rome could now’ be made to express the glory of imperial India. The Mediterranean origins of this architecture was also thought to be suitable for tropical weather. For e.g., the Town Hall of Bombay (1883), Elphinstone Circle, etc.
Neo-Gothic: The style was characterised by high pitched roofs, pointed arches and detailed decoration. The Gothic originated from Churches built in Northen Europe during the medieval period.
The neo-gothic style revived in the mid-nineteenth century in England. This was the time when the government in Bombay was building its infrastructure and this style was adopted for Bombay. The most spectacular example of the neo-gothic style is the Victoria Terminus, the station and headquarters of the great Indian Peninsular Railway Company. The University Hall, the University Library, Clock Tower are other examples of this style of building.
Indo-Saracenic: It was a fusion of Indian and the European style which evolved towards the beginning of the 20th century. The inspiration for this style was medievel buildings in India with their domes, chhatris, jalis and arches. The Indo-Saracenic style became a medium of expression by the British that they were the legitimate rulers of India. For e.g. the Gateway of India, the Taj Mahal Hotel built by industrialist Jamsetji Tata.
Question 10. Explain why hill stations were a distinctive feature of colonial urban development. Answer: Hill stations were a distinctive feature of the colonial urban development because of the following reasons:
Connection with the Needs of the British Army: The founding and setting of hill stations was initially connected with the needs of the British army. For instance, Simla, Mount Abu and Darjeeling were established for special purposes. Hill stations were made as cantonments for the army.
Strategic Places for Harbouring Troops: Hill stations became the strategic places Un-accommodating troops, guarding frontiers and launching campaigns against enemy rulers.
Pleasant Climate: The temperate and cool . climate of the Indian hills was seen as an advantage and these were free from epidemics like cholera and malaria.
Served as Sanitariums: The hill stations where developed as sanitariums as the places where soldiers could be sent for rest and recovery from illness.
Attractive Destinations for the British: Since the hill stations experienced the same kind of climate as of Europe, they became an attractive destination for the new rulers. It became practice of the Viceroys to move to hill stations during summer months.
Reflected Settlements Native to the British: The hill stations w’ere characterised by settlements that were reminiscent of homes of the British and other Europeans.The buildings were deliberately built in the European style.
Linked to Diverse Groups: The introduction of railways made the hill stations more accessible to a wide range of people including upper and middle class Indians like maharajas, lawyers and merchants.
Economic Significance: The hill stations were important for the colonial economy in the sense that they were the important centres for tea and coffee plantations.
In This Post we are providing CHAPTER 11 REBELS AND THE RAJ THE REVOLT OF 1857 AND ITS REPRESENTATIONNCERT MOST IMPORTANT QUESTIONS for Class 12 HISTORY which will be beneficial for students. These solutions are updated according to 2021-22 syllabus. These MCQS can be really helpful in the preparation of Board exams and will provide you with a brief knowledge of the chapter.
NCERT MOST IMPORTANT QUESTIONSONREBELS AND THE RAJ THE REVOLT OF 1857 AND ITS REPRESENTATION
Question 1. Examine how Lord Dalhousie’s policy of annexation created dissatisfaction amongst the people of Awadh. Answer: The Nawab of Awadh had been loyal to the British East India Company from the very beginning. But, the loyalty of Awadh was of no significance to Lord Dalhousie’s imperialistic ambitions. Awadh could not be annexed on the basis of the Doctrine of Lapse as Wajid Ali Shah, as the Nawab of Awadh had several successors. So, the British especially Lord Dalhousie used a number of mischievous tricks to annex the Awadh and dispossessed the taluqdars.
These were:
On 13th February, 1856, Awadh was annexed to the British empire on the grounds of maladministration.
Nawab Wazid Ali Sahib was sent to Calcutta with an annual pension of ₹ 12 lakh. With the dissolution of the royal administration, large number of courtiers, officials and taluqdars became jobless.
Jagirs of taluqdars were confiscated. This upheaval was aggravated by immediate material losses.
The British were not willing to tolerate the power of the taluqdars.
With the removal of Nawab, all taluqdars of the Awadh were also dispossessed, taluqdars were disarmed and their forts were destroyed.
With a new revenue system i.e. Summary Settlement, taluqdars lost their very large share of revenue from land. Wherever possible, taluqdars were removed and settlement was done directly with peasant.
British believed that this would increase the flow of revenue to the company and peasants would also be freed from oppression of taluqdar. This annexation of Awadh meant complete break down of social order.
Question 2. With the help of specific examples examine the nature of Indian leadership that emerged against British in the revolt of 1857. Answer: During the revolt few leaders participated very enthusiastically while some other participated because they had no choice. They had to participate in the revolt for the sake of their reputation.
For e.g. Bahadur Shah was reluctant to join the rebellion but due to demands of sepoys, he joined the revolt and it was fought under his name. Similarly, sepoys and people of Kanpur choose Nana Sahib as their leader and he joined the revolt.
Rani Lakshmibai of Jhansi participated because her kingdom had been annexed to empire by ‘Doctrine of Lapse’ and there was also popular pressure on her to take the leadership. In Awadh, their was deep resentment against annexation, dispossession of nawab and oppressive rule of British. People of Awadh declared Birjis Qadar, the young son of dispossessed Nawab as their leader.
Apart from the royal families, local leaders also emerged during the revolt like Kuwar Singh in Arrah, fakir in Lucknow, Shah Mai in Barout and Gonoo, a tribal cultivator in Singhbhum. Although the leaders of 1857 revolt participated in this war, but they had separate goals which made the revolt unsuccessful against British.
Question 3. Examine the repressive measures adopted by British to subdue the rebels of 1857. Answer: It was not easy for the Britishers to suppress the revolt. Even then they took various steps to crush the rebels.
These steps were as follows:
Passing of Laws to help the Troops: The British passed several laws to help the troops before sending them to re-occupy North India. The military officers were also empowered to try and punish the rebel Indians. The ordinary process of law and trial were ignored by them.
With the help of new laws and the new reinforcements coming from Britain, the ‘ British started the process of suppressing the revolt. British thought to reconquer Delhi was most important to suppress the revolt. Therefore, in June 1857, the British attacked Delhi from two directions. Captain Hudson arrested the Mughal Emperor Bahadur Shah II and Begum Zinat Mahal from the Tomb of Humayun on 21st September, 1857.
Resorting to Diplomacy:
The British while resorting to diplomacy kept away the educated Indians and zamindars from the rebels. The British created a rift between rebels and the zamindars by promising the latter to give back their estates.
Use of Military Power on a Gigantic Scale:
The British used military power on a gigantic scale. But, this held their absolute control over the means of communication. Their control over the railways enabled them to send quick military support to different parts of the country’.
Communication System:
The telegraph system helped the British to get timely information about the incidents occurring in different parts of the country. Consequently, they were successful in wrecking plans of the rebels by taking immediate action against them. Thus, the British tried their best to maintain their absolute control over the means of communication in order to suppress the revolt.
Question 4. Examine the provisions of ‘Subsidiary Alliance System’ devised by Lord Wellesley in 1798 for India. Answer: The Subsidiary Alliance was introduced by Lord Wellesley in 1798. All those who entered into such an alliance with the British had to accept certain terms and conditions.
These were:
The British would be responsible for protecting their ally from external and internal threats to their power.
In the territory of the ally, a British armed contingent would be stationed.
The ally would have to provide the resources for maintaining this contingent.
The ally could enter into agreements with other rulers or engage in warfare only with the permission of the British.
Question 5. “The relationship of the sepoys with the superior white officers underwent a significant change in the years preceding the uprising of 1857”. Support the statement with examples. Answer: The white officers made it a point during the 1820s till 1840s to maintain friendly relations with the sepoys. These were as follows:
Several white officers could speak in Hindustani easily and were also familiar with the culture and traditions of the country.
The relationship of sepoys with their British officials underwent significant change. In the decade of 1820, British officers stressed on maintaining friendly relations with the sepoys.
Prior to the revolt of 1857, the relationship of the sepoys with white officers made it a point to keep friendly relationship with the sepoys. They would actively took part in their leisure activities.
Despite this in the 1840s, the balance of mutual relationship changed drastically. The white officers created a sense of superiority and started keeping the sepoys as their racial inferiors.
The equation of superior and inferior changed the whole script of mutual relationship. The elements of abuse and physical violence became routine activities. Consequently, the distance between sepoys and officers became wider. Due to this, mutual suspicion cropped up.
Question 6. How did the rebels in 1857 try to materialise their vision of unity? Explain briefly. Answer: The revolt tried to garner the support of all sections of the society irrespective of their caste and creed. The rebellion was viewed as a war in which both the communities as Hindus and Muslims stood equally to gain and lose. The amicable relations which existed between the two communities were emphasised. The ishtehars brought to the forefront memories of the pre-British Hindu-Muslim past and glorified the coexistence of different communities under the Mughal Empire.
Thus, religious differences were not visible between the two communities in 1857 despite British attempts to create a wedge between them. Through this way, they tried to materialise their vision of unity.
Question 7. “The rumours in 1857 began to make sense when seen in the context of the policies pursued by the British from late 1820s”. Support your answer with evidence. Answer: The rumours in 1857 that made sense in context of the policies pursued by the British from late 1820s were as follows:
During the Governor-Generalship of Lord William Bentick some specific policies were adopted in order to ‘reform’ Indian society by the introduction of Western education. Western ideas and Western institutions.
Reforms like the abolition of Sati System.
Annexation of Jhansi and Satara-British refused to recognise adoption.
Reforms like Widow re-marriage Act.
Reforming socio-religious customs like land holding, inheritance, etc.
Rumours had an impact on the minds of people under these uncertain times.
The common Indians looked at all these steps with apprehension and suspicion. Visual images and literature as much as the writing of history have helped in keeping alive the memory of the revolt of 1857.” Assess this statement. (All India 2008)
Question 8. Describe how the British celebrated those, 9. whom they believed saved the English and repressed the rebels during the Revolt of 1857? Answer: The British celebrated those whom they believed saved the English and repressed the rebels during the revolt of 1857 by the various types of paintings which were meant to provide a range of different emotions and reactions also. In an example of this type, ‘Relief of Lucknow’, which has been painted by Thomas Jones Barker in 1859 is particularly remarkable in this regard.
Henry Lawrence, the Commissioner of Lucknow, gathered all the Christians and took refuge alongwith them in heavily fortified residency after the rebel forces besieged Lucknow.
Lawrence was killed, but the residency continued to be defended under the command of Colonel Inglis. On 25th September, James Outram and Henry Havelock arrived out through the rebel forces and reinforced the British Garrisons. Collin Campbell reached with huge reinforcements and rescued the besieged British Garrison. In British accounts, the siege of Lucknow became a story of survival heroic resistance and the ultimate triumph of British power.
The arrival of Collin Campbell has been depicted as an event of celebration in Jones Barker’s painting. Campbell, Havelock and Outram, the three British heroes have been painted in the middle of the canvas. The victorious figures of the heroes in the middle symbolise the re-establishment of British power and control is the main objective of these paintings and was to reassure the English in the power of their government. These paintings clearly conveyed the message that crisis was over and the revolt had been quelled and the British had succeeded in re-establishment of their power and authority.
Question 9. Visual images and literature as much as the writing of history have helped in keeping alive the memory of the revolt of 1857.” Assess this statement. Answer: The writing of history, art and literature contributed remarkably to immortalise the sacred memory of the struggle of 1857. The leaders of revolt were presented as heroes taking the country towards the battlefield. They were depicted as heroes inspiring the common masses to begin struggle against the oppressive colonial power.
Many heroic poems were composed narrating the bravery of Laxmi Bai, holding a sword in one hand and the reins of the horse in the other, fought for the independence of her motherland. She was usually portrayed in battle armour with a sword in hand and riding a horse symbolising the determination to resist injustice and alien rule.
Thus, it becomes clear that visual representations produced various images of the revolt. We should know that these images were not a mere expression of contemporary ideas and sentiments, but they also reflected the contemporary sensibilities.
Question 10. “Rumours and prophecies played a part in moving the people into action during the revolt of 1857.” Examine the statement with rumours and reasons for its belief. Answer: It is true that rumours and prophecies played a part in moving people to action during the revolt of 1857.
These rumours were as follows:
1. During 1857 revolt, there was an apparent rumour that the Indian sepoys were intentionally given the Enfield rifles, and its bullets were coated with the fat of cows and pigs and biting those bullets would corrupt their caste and religion.
2. The British tried to explain to the sepoys that this was not the case but the rumour that the new cartridges were greased with the fat of cows and pigs which spread like wildfire across the sepoy lines of North India.
3. This is one rumour whose origin can be traced. Captain Wright, commandant of the Rifle Instruction Depot, reported that in the third week of January 1857 a ‘low-caste’ Khalasi who worked in the magazine in Dum Dum had asked a Brahmin sepoy for a drink of water from his lota. The sepoy had refused saying that the Tower caste’s’ touch would defile the lota. The Khalasi had reportedly retorted, “You will lose your caste, as ere long you will have to bite cartridges covered with the fat of cows and pigs”.
4. The truthfulness of the report had not identified but once this rumour started no amount of assurances from British officers could stop its circulation and the fear of it spread among the sepoys.
5. This was not the only rumour that was circulating in North India at the beginning of 1857. There was the rumour that the British government has hatched a gigantic conspiracy to destroy the caste and religion of Hindus and Muslims.
It is seen that rumours reflect about the minds of people who believed them, their fears and apprehensions, their faiths and convictions. Rumours circulate only when they resonate with the deeper fears and suspicions of people. The rumours in 1857 begin to make sense when seen in the context of the policies the British pursued from the late 1820s. The reasons of believing in these rumours are discussed below:
From that time under the leadership of Governor General Lord William Bentinck, the British adopted policies aimed at ‘reforming’ Indian society by introducing Western education,Western ideas and Western institutions. With the cooperation of sections of Indian society they set up English-medium schools, colleges and universities which taught Westerp sciences and the liberal arts.
The British established laws to abolish customs like sati (1829) and to permit the remarriage of Hindu widows.
The British annexed not only Awadh, but also Jhansi and Satara. Once these territories were annexed, the British introduced their own system of administration. The impact of this on the people of North India was profound.
It seemed to the people that all that they cherished and held sacred from kings and socio-religious customs to patterns of landholding and revenue payment was being destroyed and replaced by a system that was more impersonal, alien and oppressive.
This perception was aggravated by the activities of Christian missionaries. In such a situation of uncertainty, rumours spread with remarkable swiftness. And people started to believe in these rumours during the revolt of 1857.
In This Post we are providing CHAPTER 10 COLONIALISM AND THE COUNTRYSIDE: EXPLORING OFFICIAL ARCHIVESNCERT MOST IMPORTANT QUESTIONS for Class 12 HISTORY which will be beneficial for students. These solutions are updated according to 2021-22 syllabus. These MCQS can be really helpful in the preparation of Board exams and will provide you with a brief knowledge of the chapter.
NCERT MOST IMPORTANT QUESTIONSONCOLONIALISM AND THE COUNTRYSIDE: EXPLORING OFFICIAL ARCHIVES
Question 1. Discuss the difficulties faced by the Zamindars in collecting revenue from the peasants (ryots). Give any two points. Answer: Sometimes it was very difficult for the ryots to pay their dues to the Zamindars. It can be seen from the following points:
The farmers (ryots) failed to pay the revenue when their crops were damaged or when they got less price for their harvest.
Sometimes the payments were deliberately delayed by the farmers. It led to the accumulation of unpaid balances.
Question 2. What was the relation between ryots and under-ryots? Answer: Ryot is a term used to describe the peasants. It was spelt as Raiyat in the British records. They did not cultivate the land directly and leased it out to under-ryots.
Question 3. Why did the British decide to clear the forests and to remove the Paharis? Give any two reasons. Answer:
The British wanted to extend the settled agriculture so that the sources of land revenue may be enlarged.
They associated forests with the wilderness. They considered the forest people as savage, unruly and primitive. They found these people difficult to govern. Therefore, they cleared the forests to tame the forest people and make them orderly and civilised.
Question 4. Why did the Zamindars default on the payment of revenues under the British government? Give two reasons. Answer: The British introduced the system of Permanent Settlement in Bengal. They thought that the fixed revenue would imbibe a sense of security among the Zamindars. But contrary to this perception, the Zamindars regularly failed to pay the revenue. This resulted in the accumulation of unpaid balances.
Important Reasons: The Zamindars failed to make regular payments of revenue due to the following reasons:
1. The initial rate of revenue was very high. It was fixed for all time to come. The East India Company had thought that it would never be able to claim a share in the increased income from the land if at any stage, the prices rose and the cultivation expanded. The Company also argued that the burden on the Zamindars would slowly come down with the increase in agricultural production and the prices of agricultural products.
2. The amount of revenue was fixed during the period of economic depression. The ryots found it difficult to pay their dues to the Zamindars. As such the Zamindars were unable to pay the revenue to the East India Company.
3. The revenue was invariable. It had to be paid punctually even if the harvest was not good. There was the enforcement of Sun-Set law. If any Zamindar did not make the payment before the sun-set on a specific day, his estate was auctioned.
4. The Permanent Settlement had reduced the power of the Zamindars to collect rent from the ryot.
Question 5. What was the policy of Paharias towards plains people and why? Answer:
They often attacked the plains where settled agriculturists lived.
These attacks were a way of asserting power over settled groups.
Zaminddrs, lived in plains, regularly paid tribute to Paharia Chiefs to keep themselves safe and secure.
Traders also gave a small amount of money to Paharias for getting permission for using the passes controlled by them. After getting the toll, these traders were protected by Paharia chiefs and were ensured that no one could plunder their goods.
Question 6. Explain the impact of refusal of moneylenders to extend loans to Ryots around 1865, under the colonial rule in India. Answer: As a boom in cotton market lasted for long, India cotton merchants began to visualise the capturing of the world market in raw cotton by permanently displacing the United States of America (U.S.A.). But this condition changed in 1865. American Civil War came to an end and America again began to produce cotton. As a result, Indian export of cotton to British steadily declined.
Under these circumstances, moneylenders and export merchants of Maharashtra were no longer keen on providing long-term loans. The refusal of moneylenders to extend loans enraged the ryots. What infuriated them was not that they had got deeper and deeper into debt, or that were utterly dependent on the moneylender for survival, but that moneylenders were not sensitive to their plight. The moneylenders were violating the customary norms of the countryside.
Question 7. Who were the hill folk? Why were they so apprehensive of I Buchanans visit to Rajmahal hills in the 19th century? Explain. Answer: The Paharis were known as the hill folk. The lived in the vicinity of the Rajmahal hills. They earned their livelihood from the forest produce and also practised shifting cultivation. Buchanan reached the Rajmahal Hills in the early 19th century. He found these hills as impenetrable.
They posed a great risk and danger to the travellers like him. Buchanan also found the hilly people as hostile, apprehensive and not willing to talk to any traveller. In fact, all the Paharis looked at him with suspicion and distrust. When he arrived at a village with his army of people, he was immediately perceived as an agent of the Sarkar, i.e., the British Govt.
Question 8. What was the Fifth Report? What was its objective? On what grounds has it been criticised? Answer: The Fifth Report was submitted to the British Parliament in 1813. It was called the Fifth Report as it was the fifth in a series of reports about the working of the East India Company. The core issue of the Fifth Report was the administration and activities of the East India Company. This report had 1002 pages out of which 800 pages were in the form of appendices which included the petitions of Zamindars and ryots, reports of Collectors, statistical tables on revenue returns and the official notes on the revenue and judicial administration of Bengal and Madras.
Objectives of the Report: Many groups of people in Britain were not happy with the working of East India Company in India. They opposed the monopoly enjoyed by the East India Company over trade with India and China. Many of the British traders wanted a share in Company’s trade in India. They emphasised that the Indian market should be opened for British manufacturers. Many political groups even argued that the conquest of Bengal benefitted only the East India Company and not the British nation as a whole.
They highlighted the misrule and maladministration by East India Company. As a result, the British Parliament passed several Acts in the late 18th century to regulate and control the rule of East India Company in India. It even asked the Company to submit regular reports on its administrative activities in India. The Fifth Report was such a report. It was produced by a select committee. It was concerned with the nature of the Company’s rule in India. It contained invaluable evidence against the rule of East India Company in India. It brings out the pitiable condition in rural Bengal in the late 18th century.
Basis of Criticism: The Fifth Report has been carefully examined by the critics. They find the following limitations in it:
It has many unconvincing arguments and evidence.
Its purpose was only to criticise the maladministration of the East India Company.
It exaggerated the collapse of traditional Zamindari power.
It stated in hyperbolic words that the Zamindars were losing their land. The land of most of the farmers was auctioned.
The Company did not collect revenue with punctuality.
Question 9. Examine the circumstances that led to the passing of ‘Limitation Laws’ by the British in 1859. Answer:
The Ryots came to see the moneylenders as devious and deceitful. They complained of money-lenders manipulating laws and forgoing accounts.
Most of the times, the money-lenders had charged over? 2000 as interest on a loan of 100 Ryots complained of the injustice of such exactions and the violation of custom.
One general norm was that the interest charged could not be more than the principal. But this norm was generally violated.
Consequently in 1859, the British passed a Limitation Law that stated that the loan bonds signed between moneylenders and ryots would have validity for only three years.
Question 10. Why did the British want to clear forests and expand settled cultivation? Enumerate any five reasons. Answer: Due to the following reasons, the British wanted to clear the forests and expand the settled cultivation of land:
By adopting the settled cultivation of land, the colonial government wanted to enhance its revenue.
It could grow cash crops for export.
The British could establish an ordered and civilised society.
They associated forests with wildness. They considered the forest people as savage, unruly and primitive. They found these people difficult to govern. So they exhorted the Santhals to clear the forests and encouraged settled agriculture.
They wanted to tame, civilise and persuade the forest people to give up hunting and take up ploughing to cultivate the land.
In This Post we are providing CHAPTER 9 KING AND CHRONICLES THE MUGHAL COURTNCERT MOST IMPORTANT QUESTIONS for Class 12 HISTORY which will be beneficial for students. These solutions are updated according to 2021-22 syllabus. These MCQS can be really helpful in the preparation of Board exams and will provide you with a brief knowledge of the chapter.
NCERT MOST IMPORTANT QUESTIONSONKING AND CHRONICLES THE MUGHAL COURT
Question 1. “The granting of titles to the men of merit was an important aspect of Mughal polity”. Explain. The granting of titles to men of merit was an important aspect of Mughal polity as:
A man’s ascent in the court hierarchy could be traced through the titles he held.
The title Asaf Khan for one of the highest ministers originated with Asaf, the legendary minister of the prophet king Sulaiman (Solomon).
The title Mirza Raja was accorded by Aurangzeb to his two highest ranking nobles, Jai singh and Jaswant Singh.
Titles could be earned or paid for. For e.g. Mir Khan offered ? 1 lakh to Aurangzeb for the letter ‘Alif’ that is ‘A’, to be added to his name to make it Amir Khan.
Question 2. How do you think that the chronicles commissioned by the Mughal emperors are an important source for studing Mughal history? Answer: Chronicles are an indispensable source for any scholar wishing to write a history of the Mughals. At one level, they were a repository of factual . information about the institutions of the Mugal state, painstakingly collected and classifed by individuals closely connected with the court (especially courtiers). They were written in order to project a vision of an enlightened kingdom to all those who came under its umbrella.
On the other hand, they were meant to convey to those who resisted the rule of the Mughals that all resistance was destired to fail. The rulers wanted to ensure that there was an account of their rule for posterity. The histories that the authors wrote focused on events centred on the ruler, his family, the court and nobles, wars and administrative arrangements.
Their titles such as the Akbar Nama, Shah Jahan Nama, Alamgir Nama i.e. the story of Akbar, Shah Jahan and Alamgir (a title of the Mughal ruler Aurangzeb), suggest that in the eyes of their authors the history of the empire and the court was synonymous with that of the emperor.
Question 3. How do you think that Qandahar remained a bone of contention between the Mughals and the Safavids? Explain. Answer: The following points in this regard are discussed below:
The political and diplomatic relations between the Mughal kings and the neighbouring countries of Iran and Turan hinged on the control of the frontier defined by the Hindukush mountains that separated Afghanistan from the regions of Iran and Central Asia.
Qandahar was a bone of contention between the Safavids and the Mughals. The fortress town had initially been in the possession of Humayun, reconquered in 1595 by Akbar. While the Safavid court retained diplomatic relations with the Mughals, it continued to stake claims to Qandahar.
In 1613 Jahangir sent a diplomatic envoy to the court of Shah Abbas to plead the Mughal case for retaining Qandahar but the mission failed.
In the winter of 1622 a persian army. besieged Qandahar. The ill-prepared Mughal garrison was defeated and had to surrender the fortress and the city to the safavids.
Question 4. “Mughal rulers efficiently assimilated heterogeneous populace within an imperial edifice”. Support the statement. Answer: Mughal rulers efficiently assimilated heterogeneous populace within an imperial edifice. This statement can be justified in the following ways:
Mughal chronicles described that the Mughal empire was comprised of many different ethnic and religious communities i.e. Hindus, Jainas, Zoroastrians and Muslims.
As the emperor gathered knowledge about all religions and sects, he stood above all religious and ethnic groups, mediated among them and ensured justice and peace for all.
Akbar accepted the ideal of Sulh-i-kul i.e. all religions and schools of thought had freedom of expression, but they did not undermine the authority of the state.
Akbar abolished tax on pilgrimage and Jizya. AH Mughal emperors gave grants to support the building and maintenance of the places of worship, when temples were destroyed during war. Later grants were given to repair these at the time of Shah Jahan and Aurangzeb.
Question 5. “The keeping of the exact and detailed record was the major concern of Mughal administration”. Support the statement with examples. HOTS Answer: The keeping of exact and detailed records was a major concern of the Mughal administration. This can be justified in the following ways:
The Mir Bakshi supervised the corps of court writers (Waquia navvis), who recorded all applications and documents presented to the court, and all imperial orders i.e. farman.
Agents (Wakil) of nobles and regional rulers recorded the entire proceedings of the court under the heading ‘News from the Exalted court’ with the date and time of the court session (pahar).
The akhbarat contained all kinds of information like attendance at the court, grant of offices and titles, diplomatic missions, presents received or the enquiries made by the emperor about the health of an officers.
All these informations is valuable for writing the history of the public and private lives of kings and nobles.
Question 6. ‘One important pillar of Mughal administration was the nobility’. Justify. Answer: One of the most important pillar of the Mughal state was its corps of officers. Historians called them as nobility. The main features of this class were:
The nobility was recruited from diverse ethnic and religious groups. It ensured that no group was large enough to challenge the authority of the king.
The nobility was described as a bouquet of flowers (guldasta) held together by loyalty to the emperor.
In Akbar’s time, Turani and Iranian nobles played a significant role in administration. Many of them accompanied Humayun, some migrated later to join the Mughal Court.
From 1560 onwards, two ruling groups of Indian origin, viz. the Rajputs and the Indian Muslims (Shaikhzadas) entered the imperial service.
Question 7. “Abu’l Fazl has described the ideal of Sulh-i-kul of Akbar as the corner-stone of his enlightened rule”. Justify. Answer: The ideal of Sulh-i-kul i.e. absolute peace was described by Abu’l Fazl as the corner stone of enlightened rule. This can be justified in the following ways:
Mughal empire had many different ethnic and religious communities like, Hindus, Jainas, Zoroastrians and Muslims. Thus, the emperor stood above all religious and ethnic groups to ensure justice and peace for all.
In Sulh-i-kul, all religions and schools of thought had freedom of expression but on one condition that they did not ignore the authority of the state or fight among themselves to capture power.
The ideal of Sulh-i-kul was implemented through state policies in which nobilities were comprising Iranis, Turanis, Afghans, Rajputs and Deccanis. All of them were given positions and awards on the basis of their service and loyalty to the emperor.
In 1563, Akbar abolished the tax on pilgrimage and in 1564 he abolished Jizya. Both of these were based on religious discrimination.
All Mughal emperors gave grants to support the building and maintenance of places of worship.
Question 8. Identify the distinctive features of the imperial household of the Mughal Empire. Answer: The distinctive features of the imperial household of the Mughal Empire can be explained in the following ways:
The household of the Mughals consisted of the emperor’s wives and concubines, his mother, step and foster mothers, sisters, daughters, daughter-in-law, aunts, children, etc and female servants and slaves.
Polygamy was practised widely by Mughal emperor. The term ‘harem’ is used to refer to the domestic world of the Mughals. Persian word ‘haram’ means sacred place. Slave eunuchs (Khwajasara) were appointed as guards or servants in the harem.
In the Mughal household, a difference was kept between wives come from royal, aristocratic families (begums) and other wives (aghas) who were not so noble by birth. The concubines (aghacha) occupied the lowest position. They all received monthly allowances and gift according to their status. The agha and aghacha could rise to the position of a begum depending on the husband’s will and in case where the husband did not already have four wives. Love and motherhood are considered here in acquiring such position for a legally wedded wives.
Apart from wives, numerous male and female slaves were there in the Mughal household. They performed various types of works from regular work to specialised work which requires skill, tact and intelligence.
Many Mughal queens and princess like Nur Jahan, Jahanara, Roshanara enjoyed significant power and financial status. Often elderly women of Mughal household played significant role in resolving tension among princes and kings.
Question 9. “Historians have provided accounts of diplomatic relationships and conflicts with the neighbouring political powers of the Mughal Empire.” Elaborate. Answer: The Mughal emperors took many high-sounding titles like Shahenshah, Jahangir, Shah Jahan to reiterate their claims on territorial and political control. They had diplomatic relationships and conflicts with the neighbouring political powers. This can be explained in the following ways:
The political and diplomatic relations between the Mughal rulers and the neighbouring countries of Iran and Turan were based on the control of the boundaries marked by the Hindukush mountains that separated Afghanistan from the regions of Iran and Central Asia.
The conquerors who wanted to make their way into the Indian sub-continent had to cross the Hindukush to have access to North India. The central objective off the Mughal policy was to ward off this potential danger. For this purpose outposts like Kabul and Qandahar were strictly regulated.
Between the Safavids and the Mughals, Qandahar became a bone of contention. First it was under Humayun’s control, later it was captured by Akbar in 1595. But the Safavids continued to stake claims to Qandahar.
Jahangir sent a diplomatic envoy to the court of Shah Abbas to plead the Mughal case for hiring Qandhar in 1613. However, the Mission failed. A Persian army captured Qandhar in 1622. The Mughal garrison which was ill-prepared was defeated. It had to surrender the fortress and the city to the Safavids.
Question 10. Describe how the ‘Humayun Nama’ of Gulbadan Begum gives us the glimpses of the Mughal Imperial household. Answer: The book ‘Humayun Nama’ was written by Gulbadan Begum, the daughter of Babur. It gives us interesting glimpses of the Mughal Imperial household in the following ways:
Gtdbadan’s book was not an eulogy of the Mughal emperors. Rather she described in great detail the conflicts and tensions among the princes and kings.
Gulbadan also wrote about the significant role played by the elderly women of the Mughal household in resolving some of the conflicts of the Mughal empire.
Gulbadan Begum recorded her memories of earlier times under Babur and Humayun, which was considered as a very important document of Mughal era.
In This Post we are providing CHAPTER 11 REBELS AND THE RAJ THE REVOLT OF 1857 AND ITS REPRESENTATIONNCERT MCQ for Class 12 HISTORY which will be beneficial for students. These solutions are updated according to 2021-22 syllabus. These MCQS can be really helpful in the preparation of Board exams and will provide you with a brief knowledge of the chapter.
NCERT MCQ ON REBELS AND THE RAJ THE REVOLT OF 1857 AND ITS REPRESENTATION
Question 1 : Which of the following was the immediate cause of the Revolt of 1857? (a) Mixing of bone dust of cow in the atta (b) Banning the practice of Sati (c) Cartridges of Enfield rifle (d) Allowing widow remarriage
Answer : C Question 2 : Awadh was one of the few Indian kingdoms that was not annexed by the British by the
(a) 1830s.
(b) 1840s.
(c) 1850s.
(d) 1860s.
Answer : C Question 3 : Consider the following statements: (i) Rumours played a great role in the revolt of 1857 A.D. (ii) Peshwa Baji Rao II adopted Nana Saheb as his son. (iii) The British had no answer to the action of the rebels during the months of May and June in 1857 A.D. (iv) Awadh was a major centre of revolt in 1857 A.D. (a) i, ii, iii (b) i, ii, iii, iv (c) ii, iii, iv (d) i, ii, iv
Answer : B
Question 4 : Which of these was the reason for Nana Saheb’s joining the revolt of 1857? (а) The British refused him the pension of Peshwa Baji Rao II. (b) The British captured Awadh (c) The British captured Jhansi under the doctrine of Lapse (d) Nana Saheb refused to accept Subsidiary Alliance
Answer : A Question 5 : The artist of the painting “Relief of Lucknow” was:
(a) Thomas Jones Barker
(b) Henry Lawrance
(c) Henry Havelock
(d) Joseph Noel
Answer : A Question 6 : What do you understand by the term ‘Firangi’? (a) Outcaste (b) A type of drink (c) Foreigner (d) Mirror work
Answer : C Question 7 : Delhi was finally captured by the British in
(a) June 1857
(b) July 1857
(c) August 1857
(d) September 1857
Answer : D Question 8 : Awadh was annexed into the British empire in _________ (a) 1855 (b) 1854 (c) 1856 (d) 1853
Answer : C
Question 9 : Awadh and Satara were captured under ________ (a) Doctrine of Lapse (b) Subsidiary Alliance (c) Issue of Misgovernance (d) Mahalwari System
Answer : A
Question 10 : Who was the last Nawab of Awadh?
(a) Muhammad Ali Shah
(b) Muhammad Muqim
(c) Birjis Qadr
(d) Wajid Ali Shah
Answer : D Question 11 : Wajid Ali Shah was the Nawab of (a) Awadh (b) Bengal (c) Hyderabad (d) Karnataka
Answer : A Question 12 : Villages whose headmen and cultivators were mobilised against the British rule by Shah Mal were
(a) Chaurasee Des.
(b) 24 parganas.
(c) Faizabad.
(d) Meerut.
Answer : A Question 13 : Who among the following mobilised the villages of Pargana Barout in Uttar Pradesh in the Revolt of 1857? (a) Maulvi Ahmadullh Shah (b) Kunwar Singh (c) Shah Mai (d) Manvant Singh
Answer : C
Question 14 : Which of the following statements was not a justified reason for the annexation of Awadh by the British in 1857? (a) Wajid Ali was the unpopular ruler. (b) Subsidiary Alliance system was accepted by Wajid Ali Shah at ease. (c) Mangal Pandey initiated the revolt from Awadh. (d) Material benefits were given to the taluqdars by the British.
Answer : C Question 15 : Lakshmi Bai, the queen of Jhansi who fought against the British, passed away in the year
In This Post we are providing CHAPTER 10 COLONIALISM AND THE COUNTRYSIDE: EXPLORING OFFICIAL ARCHIVESNCERT MCQ for Class 12 HISTORY which will be beneficial for students. These solutions are updated according to 2021-22 syllabus. These MCQS can be really helpful in the preparation of Board exams and will provide you with a brief knowledge of the chapter.
NCERT MCQ ON COLONIALISM AND THE COUNTRYSIDE: EXPLORING OFFICIAL ARCHIVES
Q.1 Who among the following was the leader of the Santhal rebellion?
Q.14 Who introduced the Permanent Settlement in Bengal?
(a) Lord Charles Cornwallis (b) Francis Buchanan (c) David Ricardo (d) Thomas Munro
Answer (a) Lord Charles Cornwallis
Q.15 Which of the following statements related to Santhals is incorrect?
(a) They lived on the peripheries of Rajmahal hills. (b) They cleared forests and ploughed the land. (c) They borrowed money from dikus. (d) They practiced shifting cultivation.
In This Post we are providing CHAPTER 9 KING AND CHRONICLES THE MUGHAL COURTNCERT MCQ for Class 12 HISTORY which will be beneficial for students. These solutions are updated according to 2021-22 syllabus. These MCQS can be really helpful in the preparation of Board exams and will provide you with a brief knowledge of the chapter.
NCERT MCQ ON KING AND CHRONICLES THE MUGHAL COURT
1. Who is considered the founder of the Mughal dynasty? (A) Babar (B) Humayun (C) Akbar (D) Jahangir
Ans. (A) Babar
2. When did Babur attack India? (A) in 1526 AD (B) in 1530 AD (C) in 1757 AD (D) in 1857 AD
Ans. (A) in 1526 AD
3. Who controlled the land revenue system during Akbar’s time? (A) Birbal (B) Raja Todarmal (C) tansen (D) Salim
Ans. (B) Raja Todarmal
4. When was Din-e-Ilahi founded? (A) 1526 (B) 1542 (C) 1556 (D) 1582
Ans. (D) 1582
5. Which was the court language during the Mughal period? (A) Turkey (B) Hindi (C) Persian (D) Arabic
Ans. (C) Persian
6. Who wrote the Akbarnama? (A) Babar (B) Gulbadan Begum (C) abul fazl (D) Abdul Hameed Lahori
Ans. (C) abul fazl
7. Who wrote ‘Humayunnama’? (A) abul fazl (B) alberuni (C) Abdul Hameed Lahori (D) Gulbadan Begum
Ans. (D) Gulbadan Begum
8. Who was the author of Badshahnama? (A) Bernier (B) Gulbadan Begum (C) abul fazl (D) Abdul Hameed Lahori
Ans. (D) Abdul Hameed Lahori
9. Who was Humayun’s wife? (A) Mehrunnisa (B) Mumtaz Mahal (C) Hamida Banu Begum (D) noorjahan
Ans. (C) Hamida Banu Begum
10. Which Mughal ruler abolished Jaziya tax? (A) Babar (B) Humayun (C) Akbar (D) Aurangzeb
Ans. (C) Akbar.
11. Which Mughal ruler again imposed Jizya tax? (A) Babar (B) Humayun (C) Akbar (D) Aurangzeb
Ans. (D) Aurangzeb.
12. Who was the last Mughal ruler? (A) Bahadur Shah Zafar (B) farrukhsiyar (C) Akbar (D) Aurangzeb
Ans. (A) Bahadur Shah Zafar
13. Where did Bahadur Shah Zafar die? (A) Rangoon jail (B) yerwada (C) in Delhi (D) in tashkent
Ans. (A) Rangoon jail
14. When did Akbar die? (A) 1526 (B) 1556 (C) 1582 (D) 1605
Ans. (D) 1605
15. Who built the Taj Mahal? (A) Humayun (B) Akbar (C) Jahangir (D) shahjahan
In This Post we are providing CHAPTER 8 PEASANTS, ZAMINDARS AND THE STATE AGRARIAN SOCIETY AND THE MUGHAL EMPIRENCERT MCQ for Class 12 HISTORY which will be beneficial for students. These solutions are updated according to 2021-22 syllabus. These MCQS can be really helpful in the preparation of Board exams and will provide you with a brief knowledge of the chapter.
NCERT MCQ ON PEASANTS, ZAMINDARS AND THE STATE AGRARIAN SOCIETY AND THE MUGHAL EMPIRE
Question 1 : During the Mughal Empire, what was Jins-i-Kamil? (a) Half crop (b) Perfect crop (c) Rabi crop (d) Kharif crop
Answer : B
Question 2 : Find out from the following pairs which one is not correctly matched: (a) Kharif : Autumn (b) Rabi : Spring (c) Makka : Maize (d) Muqaddam : Labourer
Answer : D
Question 3 : During the Mughal Empire, how did the Panchayats use the funds available to it? (a) It was used to entertain revenue officials. (b) It was used to pay salary to muqaddam and chowkidar. (c) It was used to meet expenses for the community welfare. (d) All of these.
Answer : D
Question 4 : The term which Indo-Persian sources of the Mughal period frequently used to denote a peasant was (a) do-fasla. (b) khud-kashta. (c) pahi-kashta. (d) raiyat.
Answer : D
Question 5 : Vegetables like tomatoes, potatoes and chillies reached India from the (a) Continental World. (b) Middle World. (c) New World. (d) Old World.
Answer : C
Question 6 : Most regions, under the Mughals, produced a minimum of (a) one crop. (b) two crops. (c) three crops. (d) four crops.
Answer : B
Question 7 : Identify which of the metal was used more often to make coins during the Mughal Empire? (a) Gold (b) Silver (c) Tin (d) Copper
Answer : B
Question 8 : Which of the following Muslim community was considered menial? (a) Mandal (b) Halalkhoran (c) Majur (d) Jangli
Answer : B
Question 9 : Identify which of the following statement is correct about Ain-i-Akbari? (a) Manzil-Abadi is related to the royal household. (b) Sipah-Abadi is related to civil and military administration. (c) Mulk-Abadi gives information about the fiscal aspect of the state. (d) All of these.
Answer : D
Question 10 : _ was the court historian of Akbar. (a) Al-Biruni (b) Abul Fazl (c) Bernier (d) Ibn-Battuta
Answer : B
Question 11 : What do you understand by the term Khud-Kashta? (a) Peasants who were residents of the village (b) Non-resident cultivators (c) Revenue collectors (d) Head of jati panchayat
Answer : A
Question 12 : Which of the following were the duties performed by state officials in the 16th century? (a) Collection of land revenue (b) Measuring the land (c) Keeping the records (d) All the above
Answer : D
Question 13 : Which of the following crops was introduced into India via Africa and Spain? (a) Chillies (b) Maize (c) Papaya (d) Tomatoes
Answer : B
Question 14 : Which of the following statements regarding the roles played by women in agrarian society is incorrect? (a) Women sowed, weeded, threshed, and winnowed the harvest. (b) Women worked shoulder to shoulder with men in fields. (c) During some days of the month women were not allowed to touch the plough. (d) Women took the produce to the overseas markets for trade.
Answer : D
Question 15 : There are _ daftars (parts) of Ain. (a) Three (b) Four (c) Five (d) Six
In This Post we are providing CHAPTER 8 PEASANTS, ZAMINDARS AND THE STATE AGRARIAN SOCIETY AND THE MUGHAL EMPIRENCERT MOST IMPORTANT QUESTIONS for Class 12 HISTORY which will be beneficial for students. These solutions are updated according to 2021-22 syllabus. These MCQS can be really helpful in the preparation of Board exams and will provide you with a brief knowledge of the chapter.
NCERT MOST IMPORTANT QUESTIONSONPEASANTS, ZAMINDARS AND THE STATE AGRARIAN SOCIETY AND THE MUGHAL EMPIRE
Question 1. Describe the Land Revenue System of the Mughal empire during the reign of Akbar. Answer: Akbar was a great and able ruler. He laid special emphasis on the land revenue system. For this purpose, he followed the policy initiated by Sher Shah Suri. But this policy had certain defects in it. That is why Akbar began works from the start. Main features of his land revenue system are given below:
1. Following policy initiated by Sher Shah: In the beginning, Akbar followed the policy of land revenue initiated by Sher Shah. During the reign of Sher Shah, the average value was determined by measuring agricultural land. It was determined on the average production of produce. Later on, Akbar felt that it needed a lot of time to fix the market price. It was also a cause of worry for the peasants. Hence, Akbar again started the policy of yearly assumption.
2. Determination of Tax: Akbar followed the following policies for fixing land revenue : (a) Zabti System: This policy was the creation of Raja Todar Mai. Under this system of revenue, the tax was fixed by measuring the land. This system was implemented in Gujarat, Lahore, Malwa, Allahabad, etc. (b) Ten Years System: This system was a developed form of Zabti system. According to this, an average of the last ten years of production of crops and their value was taken out. One-third of that average produce was taken as revenue. This revenue could have been taken in the form of cash or produce. (c) Batai or Galla Bakshi System: In this system, the whole of the total produce was divided in definite proportion among peasant and the State. Honest officials were required for the success of this system. (d) Nasik or Kanqoot System: Record of agricultural tax was kept in this system.
3. Measurement of Land: During the reign of Akbar, the land was measured with a proper method. With this, state and the peasant came to know about how much peasants will have to pay and how much revenue will be collected for the state.
4. Keeping in mind the fertility of the soil: Fertility of the soil was always kept in mind while determining land revenue. That land was called as ‘Polaj’ which was cultivated every year and that land was called as Tarauti’ which was not cultivated every year. All in all, a tax was fixed on the basis of fertility and the produce.
5. Facilities to Peasants: Special facilities were also given to peasants in case of famine or drought. They were given certain facilities in paying taxes in case of natural calamity. They were also given loans for tools, implements and animals.
Actually, land revenue system of Akbar was prepared while keeping in mind the interests of the people.
Question 2. While explaining the contribution of women in labour based agrarian society, clarify that what was their position in society? Also, give a proper example. Answer: Men and women both performed certain specific roles in the production process. Women had to work shoulder to shoulder with men in the fields. Men used to till and plough the land whereas women sowed, weeded, threshed and winnowed the harvest. With the development of small rural units and individual agriculture of peasants, labour and resources of the entire household became the basis of production. Naturally, gendered segregation was not possible between home (for women) and the world (for men).
Artisanal works like sifting and kneading clay for pottery, spinning yarn and embroidery were some of the works which depended upon female labour. The more commercialised the product, the greater the demand on women’s labour to produce it. Actually peasant, artisan women not only worked in the fields but also went to houses of their employers and even to markets if required. Females were seen as an important source in agrarian society because they were child-bearers in a society which was dependent on labour.
Status of women in society: The position of the women in society was of mixed nature. 1. There was a high mortality rate among women. That is why married women were less in number. It helped in the emergence of social customs in artisan and peasant society which were different from the customs of elite groups. In many rural communities, the male had to pay bride price instead of dowry to the bride’s family. Remarriage was legally sanctioned for both divorced and widowed women.
2. According to popular traditions, the male was head of the family. In this way, females remained under the control of males and the family. If any female was coming under the scanner of misconduct then she was strictly punished by society.
3. Amongst the landed gentry, women had the right to inherit property. We have found certain examples from Punjab which show that women (including widows) actively participated in the rural land market as sellers of property inherited by them. They were free to sell or mortgage their land.
Question 3. What aspects of the Mughal period are highlighted by Abul Fazl’s ‘Ain-i-Akbari’? Answer: ‘Ain-i-Akbari’ was written by Abul Fazl in the year 1598 C.E. It was a part of the project of the writing of history under the orders of Akbar. That is why it is also known as Akbar-Nama. It is a compendium of imperial regulations and a gazette of the Mughal Empire.
This book gives detailed information about various facts of life during the Mughal period :
It is a comprehensive analysis of the court, administration and army.
It depicts the literary, cultural and religious traditions of the people.
It gives a physical layout of the provinces of Akbar’s empire.
It enumerates the sources of revenue.
It tells us about various customs and practices of the Mughal period.
It also gives a short biographical sketch of imperial officials such as mansabdars.
In fact, the real purpose of the book was to facilitate Emperor Akbar in the governance of its empire. It was not a reproduction of official papers but an authentic attempt to present quantitative data at one place. It was an extraordinary document of its times and provides a fascinating peep into the glimpses of the structure and organisation of the Mughal Empire.
Question 4. Make a critical evaluation of the- significance and limitations of Ain-i-Akbari. Answer: Penned by Abul Fazl, Ain-i-Akbari was written to facilitate Akbar in the governance of his empire. It was written in 1598 C.E. Abul Fazl was so cautious about this book that he revised it five times. He tried his best to leave no scope for any transcriptional error. It is an authentic mine of information about the Mughal Empire.
Abul Fazl did not believe oral testimonies. He verified and cross-checked them before their inclusion in the book. He wanted to make his book factual rather than informative. In the quantitative sections, he presented all the numerical data in words so as to minimise the chances of any subsequent trans¬criptional errors. In other words, the Ain is a record of information about the people and society during the Mughal regime.
In spite of the best efforts of Abul Fazl, the book is not without problems or limitations. There are many limitations which can be studied as follows: 1. There are many errors in total. It has been considered that these might be simple arithmetic errors of transcription by Abul Fazl’s assistants. Even then these errors were very simple which hardly reduces the authenticity of data at a wider level.
2. Another limitation of Ain is the skewed nature of the quantitative data. Uniform data was not collected from all provinces. Wide information was collected about the caste of zamindars from many provinces but these information are not available for Bengal and Orissa.
3. Fiscal data from the provinces is quite remarkable but equally important information like prices and wages from these areas are not as well documented.
Conclusion: Ain remained an extraordinary document of its times even after certain limitations. Abul Fazl achieved a major breakthrough in the tradition of medieval chroniclers who wrote mostly about wars, conquests, political machinations and dynastic turmoil. It was one of the greatest achievements of Abul Fazl.
Question 5. How was agriculture organised around two major seasonal cycles’s during the 16th and 17th centuries? Was it only for subsistence or otherwise? Explain. Answer: Seasonal cycles: During the 16th and 17th centuries, agriculture was organised mainly during two seasonal cycles-Kharif (autumn) and Rabi (spring). Minimum two crops were grown at most of the places except most arid or inhospitable land. Even three crops were also grown where rainfall or other means of irrigation were easily available.
Different types of Crops: There is a mention of word Jins-i-Kamil in historical sources available to us which means perfect crops. Mughal state also used to encourage farmers to grow those crops with which the State could earn more revenue. Cotton and sugarcane were such crops.
Cotton was mainly grown on large pieces of land spread over central India and the Deccan Plateau. Bengal was known for its sugar made from sugarcane. Different types of oilseeds (like mustard) and lentils were also included in cash crops. This shows that subsistence and commercial production were closely related with an average peasant’s holding.
Objectives: Major objective of agriculture during the 16th and 17th centuries was only for subsistence. That is why mainly rice, wheat and barley were grown. But this agriculture was not alone for subsistence. Till then, the nature of agriculture was changed a bit.
Agriculture was mainly organised for two seasons.
The commercial production and subsistence were closely related to an average present holding.
Question 6. How ‘Ain’ of Abul Fazl was different from the creations of early historians? Answer: Creations of early historians, before Abul Fazl, only mention about wars, conquests, political machinations and dynastic turmoil. They hardly give any information about people and products of the country. If any mention was there, it was from a political point of view.
Question 7. What is meant by ‘Jangli’ in the context of Mughal period? How forest was seen by the state? Answer: Jangli: The word ‘Jangli’ is used by contemporary texts for forest dwellers but it does not mean that they were uncivilised. Actually, during those days, this word was used for the people whose livelihood came from forest products, hunting and shifting cultivation. These occupations were based on seasons. For example, Bhils used to collect forest products during summer, catch fish during summer, do cultivation during monsoon months and used to go for hunting during autumn and winter. Moving from one place to another was one of the important features of tribes living in forests.
Forests in the eyes of the States: As far as for the State, the forest was a subversive place where troublemakers used to take refuge or shelter. Once Babur said about jungles which provided a good defence “behind which the people of the pagan become stubbornly, rebellious and pay no taxes”.
Question 8. Describe the functions and authority of the Village Panchayats during the Sixteenth and Seventeenth Centuries. Answer: A major function of Panchayat was to ensure that caste boundaries could be upheld by different communities residing in the village. All the marriages in eastern India took place in the presence of Mandal. The major function of village headman was to keep a watch on the conduct of the members of the village community mainly to prevent any offence against their caste. Panchayats had the right to levy fines and expel anyone from the community.
Question 9. Describe the main sources of agriculture history of the 16th and 17th centuries. Answer: Peasants are the main actors of agrarian history. But peasants did not write about themselves which is why we hardly get information from them about activities of rural society. Our main sources of the agrarian history of 16th and 17th centuries are chronicles, historical texts and documents which were written under the supervision of the Mughal court.
Ain-i-Akbari: Ain-i-Akbari was one of the most important chronicles of its time. It was written by a court historian of Akbar, i.e., Abul Fazl. This chronicle describes very minutely about the arrangements made by the State to ensure cultivation, enable the collection of revenue by the agencies of state and regulate the relations between the State and the Zamindars.
The main objective of Ain or Ain-i-Akbari was to present a vision of Akbar’s empire where a strong ruling class was providing social harmony. According to the author of Ain, any revolt against the State or assertion of autonomous power was predestined to fail. In other words, whatever information we got from Ain about peasants was a point of view of top officials of Mughal court.
Other Sources: 1. Besides Ain, we can also use other sources, which were written at far off places from Mughal kingdom. These include those documents of 17th and 18th centuries found in Gujarat, Maharashtra and Rajasthan which provide detailed revenue records. 2. Except these, many documents of East India Company are also there which throw light on agrarian relations in eastern India. All these sources record instances of conflicts between the Zamindars, peasants and the State. These sources help us in understanding the peasants’ perception and their expectations of fairness from the State.
Question 10. Discuss mutual relations between rural artisans and peasants during the 16th and 17th centuries. Also, discuss the importance of rural communities. Answer: One of the interesting aspects of the village was the elaborate relationship of exchange between different producers. Early surveys conducted in the village during the early years of British rule and Maratha documents conclude that artisans also lived in great number in villages. Sometimes, around 25% of total household in the villages belonged to artisans.
Sometimes it was very difficult to differentiate between peasants and artisans because they were groups who used to do both kinds of work. Cultivators and their family members were engaged in the production of many things. These included textile printing, dyeing, making and preparing agricultural implements, baking of pottery, etc. It was so because agricultural work was not for the whole of the year and that is why they used to do work of artisans during the free months.
Services and Supply of Service: Potters, carpenters, blacksmiths, barbers and even goldsmiths provided their services to village men. They were compensated by villagers by the number of means. They were either given a share of the produce or a piece of land in the village. This method of compensation was probably decided by the Panchayat. Such lands, in Maharashtra, became the Miras or Watan of the artisans were:
This system also prevailed in another variant in which artisans and individual peasant households entered into a mutually negotiated settlement of remuneration, most of the time goods for services. For example, blacksmiths, carpenters and even goldsmiths were remunerated by the Zamindars of Bengal, for their work by paying them a small daily allowance and diet money. This system was known as the Jajmani system.
Importance of Rural Community: Rural community was of great importance. Some British officials in 19th century saw the Indian villages as ‘a republic’ in which people used to divide their resources and labour with a collective fraternity. But there was no sign of social equality in villages. Individual ownership of land was there. Deep inequalities were there in society on the basis of caste and gender. Few powerful persons decided on matters of the village and exploited the weaker sections. They also had the authority to dispense justice.
More importantly, a cash nexus developed in villages due to trade between towns and villages. In the Mughal regions, revenue was assessed and collected in the form of cash. Artisans producing for the export market were also paid in cash as their wages. In the same way, producers of commercial products, like cotton, indigo, silk, etc., were also paid in cash.
