NCERT Solutions for Class 8th: Ch 10 The Changing World of Visual Arts Our Past
QUESTIONS:-
1. Fill in the blanks:
(a) The art form which observed carefully and tried to capture exactly what the eye saw is called ___________. (b) The style of painting which showed Indian landscape as a quaint, unexplored land is called __________.
(c) Paintings which showed the social lives of Europeans in India are called _________.
(d) Paintings which depicted scenes from British imperial history and their victories are called ____________.
Answer
(a) The art form which observed carefully and tried to capture exactly what the eye saw is called portraiture. (b) The style of painting which showed Indian landscape as a quaint, unexplored land is called picturesque. (c) Paintings which showed the social lives of Europeans in India are called Kalighat paintings.
(d) Paintings which depicted scenes from British imperial history and their victories are called history paintings.
2. Point out which of the following were brought in with British art: (a) oil painting (b) miniatures (c) life-size portrait painting (d) use of perspective (e) mural art
Answer
(a) Oil painting, (c)life-size portrait painting and (d) use of perspective.
3. Describe in your own words one painting from this chapter which suggests that the British were more powerful than Indians. How does the artist depict this?
Answer
The painting which depicts the discovery of the body of Tipu Sultan shows the British as more powerful than Indians. In this painting, the British General is shown as if standing on a high pedestal and exuding all the confidence. On the other hand, Tipu Sultan is shown half naked and lifeless; lying in the dark recess. The painting appears to announce that those who dare to challenge the British authority would meet the same fate.
4. Why did the scroll painters and potters come to Kalighat? Why did they begin to paint new themes?
Answer
The scroll painters and potters come to Kalighat in the hope of new patrons and neve buyers of their art. After the 1 &lOs, a new trend was visible within the Kalighat artists. Living in a society where values, tastes, social norms and customs were undergoing rapid changes, Kalighat artists responded to the world around and produced paintings on social and political themes.
5. Why can we think of Raja Ravi Varma’s paintings as national?
Answer
Raja Ravi Varma was one of the first artists who tried to create a style that was both modern and national. He used the Western art of oil painting and realistic life study to paint themes from Indian mythology. He dramatised on canvas scene after scene from the Indian epics Ramayana and Mahabharata. This portrayal of an Indian consciousness is what makes his paintings national. This was perhaps one of the reasons why his paintings were popular not only among Indian princes and art collectors but also among the masses.
Let’s Discuss
6. In what way did the British history paintings in India reflect the attitudes of imperial conquerors?
Answer
The British history paintings sought to dramatise and recreate various episodes of British imperial history. These paintings celebrated the British power, their victories and their supremacy. The imperial history paintings attempted to create a public memory of imperial triumphs. Victories had to be remembered, implanted in the memory of people, both in India and Britain. Only then could the British appear invincible and all-powerful.
7. Why do you think some artists wanted to develop a national style of art?
Answer
Some artists rejected the art of Ravi Varma as imitative and westernised and declared that such a style was unsuitable for depicting the nations ancient myths and legends. They felt that a genuine Indian style of painting had to draw inspiration from non-Western art traditions, and try to capture the spiritual essence of the East. These artists broke away from the convention of oil painting and the realistic style, and turned for inspiration to medieval Indian traditions of miniature painting and the ancient art of mural painting in the Ajanta caves. Abanindranath Tagore was one of the first artists who wanted to develop a national style of art.
8. Why did some artists produce cheap popular prints? What influence would such prints have had on the minds of people who looked at them?
Answer
By the late nineteenth century, mechanical printing presses were set up in different parts of India. This allowed prints to be produced in large numbers. These prints could therefore be sold cheap in the market. As a result, even the poor could buy them. With the spread of nationalism, the popular prints of the early twentieth century began carrying nationalist messages. Such popular prints would have inspired people to fight British rule.
NCERT Solutions for Class 8th: Ch 9 Women, Caste and Reform Our Past
Let’s Recall
1. What social ideas did the following people support?
Rammohun Roy Dayanand Saraswati Veerasalingam Pantulu Jyotirao Phule Pandita Ramabai Periyar Mumtaz Ali Ishwarchandra Vidyasagar
Answer
Rammohun Roy: Supported the banning of the practice of ‘Sati’ Dayanand Saraswati: Supported Widow remarriage Veerasalingam Pantulu: Supported Widow remarriage Jyotirao Phule: Supported equality among castes Pandita Ramabai: Supported women’s Education Periyar: Supported equality for untouchables. Mumtaz Ali: Supported Wome’s Education Ishwarchandra Vidyasagar: Supported Widow remarriage
2. State whether true or false:
(a) When the British captured Bengal they framed many new laws to regulate the rules regarding marriage, adoption, inheritance or property, etc. ► True
(b) Social reformers had to discard the ancient texts in order to argue for reform in social practises. ► False
(c) Reformers got full support from all sections of the people of the country. ► False
(d) The Child Marriage Restraint Act was passed in 1829. ► False
Let’s Discuss
3. How did the knowledge of ancient texts help the reformers promote new laws?
Answer
Whenever they wished to challenge a practice that seemed harmful, they tried to find a verse or sentence in the ancient sacred texts that supported their point of view.They then suggested that the practice as it existed at present was against early tradition. Thus, the knowledge of ancient texts helped the reformers promote new laws.
4. What were the different reasons people had for not sending girls to school?
Answer
The following were the different reasons people had for not sending girls to school. → They feared that schools would take girls away from home, thereby preventing them from doing their domestic duties.
→ They felt that travelling through public places in order to reach school would have a corrupting influence on girls. → They felt that girls should stay away from public spaces.
5. Why were Christian missionaries attacked by many people in the country? Would some people have supported them too? If so, for what reasons?
Answer
In the nineteenth century, Christian missionaries started setting up schools for tribal groups and lowercaste children. These children were trained to find a footing in the changing world. Soon the poor left the villages and started looking for jobs in the cities. People who looked down on the lower caste did not like the progress of this section of people. Social reformers would have supported the missionaries for their work against social evils.
6. In the British period, what new opportunities opened up for people who came from castes that were regarded as “low”?
Answer
The British period saw the rise of the cities. Many of the poor living in the Indian villages and small towns at the time began leaving their villages and towns to look for jobs that were opening up in the cities. As the cities were growing, there was a great demand for labour – labour for digging drains, laying roads, constructing buildings, working in factories and municipalities, etc. This demand for labour was met by the population migrating from the villages and towns. There was also the demand for labour in the various plantations, both within the country and abroad. The army too offered opportunities for employment. Many of these migrating people belonged to the low castes. For them, the cities and the plantations represented the opportunity to get away from the oppressive hold that upper-caste landowners exercised over their lives and the daily humiliation theysuffered.
7. How did Jyotirao and the reformers justify their criticism of caste inequality in society?
Answer
Jyotirao Phule developed his own ideas about the injustices of caste society. He did not accept the Brahmans’ claim that they were superior to others, since they were Aryans. Phule argued that the Aryans were foreigners, who came from outside the subcontinent, and defeated and subjugated the native Indians. As the Aryans established their supremacy, they began looking at the Indians as inferior and low caste people. According to Phule, the “upper” castes had no right to their land and power: in reality, the land belonged to indigenous people, the so-called low castes.
8. Why did Phule dedicate his book Gulamgiri to the American movement to free slaves?
Answer
Jyotirao Phule was concerned with all forms of inequalities and injustices existing in society – whether it was the plight of the upper-caste women, the miseries of the labourer, or the humiliation of the low castes. By dedicating his book Gulamgirito the American movement to free slaves, he linked the conditions of the black slaves in America with those of the lower castes in India. This comparison also contains an expression of hope that one day, like the end of slavery in America, there would be an end to all sorts of caste discriminations in Indian society.
9. What did Ambedkar want to achieve through the temple entry movement?
Answer
Dr. B. R. Ambedkar started a temple entry movement in 1927 which was participated by his Mahar caste followers. Brahman priests were outraged when the lower castes used water from the temple tank Dr. Ambedkar led three such movements for temple entry between 1927 and 1935. His aim was to make everyone see the power of caste prejudices within the society.
10. Why were Jyotirao Phule and Ramaswamy Naicker critical of the national movement? Did their criticism help the national struggle in any way?
Answer
Both Jyotirao Phule and Ramaswamy Naicker were critical of the national movement as they could barely see any difference between the preachers of anti-colonialism and the colonial masters. Both, according to them, were outsiders and had used power for subjugating and oppressing the indigenous people. Phule believed that though the upper-caste leaders were then asking people all over the country to unite for fighting the British, once the Britishers had left, they would continue with their oppressive caste policies, thereby causing divisions amongst the very people they were trying to unite. He believed that they only wished for unity to serve their purposes, and once the purposes had been served, the divisions would creep in again. Naicker’s experience in the Congress showed him that the national movement was not free from the taint of casteism. At a feast organised by nationalists, the seating arrangements followed caste distinctions, i.e., the lower castes were made to sit at a distance from the upper castes. This convinced him that the lower castes had to fight their battle themselves. Their criticism did lead to rethinking and some self criticism among the upper-caste nationalist leaders. This in turn helped strengthen the national struggle, as free from prejudices of caste, religion and gender, the leaders could unite and concentrate their attentions upon the single aim of overthrowing the colonial administration.
William Jones felt the need to study Indian history, philosophy and law as this will not only help the British learn from Indian culture but it would also help Indian to rediscover their own heritage and understand the lost glories of their past. This would establish the British as guardians of Indian culture and gain total control.
4. Why did James Mill and Thomas Macaulay think that European education was essential in India?
Answer
→ James Mill and Thomas Macaulay thought that European education would enable Indians to recognize the advantages that flow from the expansion of trade and commerce and make them see the importance of developing the resources of the country. → Introducing European ways of life would change their tastes and desires and create a demand for British goods, because Indians would begin to appreciate and buy things that were produced in Europe.
→ It would also improve the moral character of Indians. It would make them truthful and honest and thus supply the company with civil servants who could be trusted and demanded upon. It could also instill in people a sense of duty and commitment to work and develop the skills required for administration. → Macaulay felt that knowledge of English would allow Indians to read some of the finest literature the world had produced. It would make them aware of the developments in Western Science and philosophy. Teaching of English could civilize people, change their tastes, values and culture.
5. Why did Mahatma Gandhi want to teach children handicrafts?
Answer
Mahatma Gandhi wanted to teach children handicraft because that would develop their minds and their capacity to understand. This would also enable them to know how different things operated. This would help them to have lived experience and practical knowledge.
6. Why did Mahatma Gandhi think that English education had enslaved Indians?
Answer
English education, according to Mahatma Gandhi, created a sense of inferiority in the minds of Indians. It made them see Western civilisation as superior, and destroyed their pride in their own culture. Thus charmed by the West and by everything coming from the West, the Indians educated under the colonial system would end up being the admirers of British rule in India; thus, willingly forgetting their enslavement, and enslaving themselves further.
NCERT Solutions for Class 8th: Ch 7 Weavers, Iron Smelters and Factory Owners Our Past
Let’s Recall
1. What kinds of cloth had a large market in Europe?
Answer
Cotton and silk textiles had a huge market in Europe. Indian textiles were by far the most popular, both for their fine quality and exquisite craftsmanship. Different varieties of Indian textiles were sold in the Western markets; for example, chintz, cossaes or khassa, bandanna and jamdani. From the 1680s, there started a craze for printed Indian cotton textiles in England and Europe, mainly for their exquisite floral designs, fine texture and relative cheapness.
2. What is jamdani?
Answer
Jamdani is a fine muslin on which decorative motifs are woven on the loom, typically in grey and white. Often a mixture of cotton and gold thread is used.
3. What is bandanna?
Answer
‘Bandanna’ refers to brightly coloured and printed scarf for the neck or head produced through a method of tying and dying.
4. Who are the Agarias?
Answer
The Agarias are an Indian community of iron smelters.
Page No: 94
5. Fill in the blanks:
(a) The word chintz comes from the word __________. (b) Tipu’s sword was made of _________ steel. (c) India’s textile exports declined in the _________ century.
Answer
(a)The word chintz comes from the word chhint. (b)Tipu’s sword was made of Wootz steel. (c)India’s textile exports declined in the nineteenth century.
Let’s Discuss
6. How do the names of different textiles tell us about their histories?
Answer
→ European traders first encountered fine cotton clothes from Indian carried by Arab merchants in Mosul in present-day Iraq. So they began referring to all finely woven textiles as ‘muslin‘ – a word acquired wide currency. → When Portuguese first came to India in search of spices they landed in Calicut on the Kerala coast in South West India. The cotton textiles which they took back to Europe, along with the spices, came to called “Calico” (derived from Calicut) and subsequently calico became the general name for all cotton textiles.
→ Chintz is derived from the Hindi word chhint, a cloth with small and colourful flowery designs.
→ Bandanna now refers to any brightly coloured and printed scarf for the neck or head. Originally the term derived from the word “bandanna” (Hindi for tying).
7. Why did the wool and silk producers in England protest against the import of Indian textiles in the early eighteenth century?
Answer
By the early eighteenth century, worried by the popularity of Indian textiles, the wool and silk makers in England began protesting against the import of Indian cotton textiles. At this time, the textile industries had just begun to develop in England. Unable to compete with Indian textiles, English producers wanted a secure market within the country by preventing the entry of Indian textiles.
8. How did the development of cotton industries in Britain affect textile producers in India?
Answer
Effects of the development of cotton industries in Britain on the textile producers in India:
→ Competition- Indian textiles had to compete with British textiles in European and American markets. → High duties- Exporting textiles to England became increasingly difficult due to the very high duties imposed on Indian textiles imported into Britain.
→ Capture of foreign markets- By the beginning of the nineteenth century, English-made cotton textiles ousted Indian textiles from their traditional markets, thereby throwing thousands of Indian weavers out of employment. The English and European companies stopped buying Indian textiles and their agents no longer gave out advances to weavers to secure supplies. → Capture of the Indian market- By the 1830s, British cotton cloth flooded Indian markets. By the 1880s, two-third of all cotton clothes worn by Indians were made of cloth produced in Britain. This greatly affected both the weavers and the spinners. Thus, Indian textiles declined in the nineteenth century, and thousands of Indian weavers and spinners lost their livelihood.
9. Why did the Indian iron smelting industry decline in the nineteenth century?
Answer
The Indian iron smelting industry declined in the nineteenth century for the following reasons. → The forest laws implemented by the colonial administration prevented the free movement of people in reserved forests. Charcoal – an essential ingredient in the iron smelting process – could therefore not be obtained easily. → When in some areas the government did grant access to the forests, the iron smelters were in return required to pay a very high amount in tax to the forest department for every furnace they used. This reduced their income. → By the late nineteenth century, iron and steel was being imported from Britain. Ironsmiths began using the imported iron to manufacture utensils and implements. This reduced the demand for iron produced by local smelters.
→ In the late nineteenth century, a series of famines devastated the dry tracts of India. As a result, many of the local smelters stopped work, deserted their villages, and migrated, looking for some other work to survive the hard times.
10. What problems did the Indian textile industry face in the early years of its development?
Answer
The development of cotton industries in Britain affected textile producers in India in several ways. → Indian textiles now had to compete with British textiles in the European and American markets. Exporting textiles to England also became increasingly difficult since very high duties were imposed on Indian textiles imported into Britain.
→ By the beginning of the nineteenth century, English made cotton textiles successfully outsets Indian goods from their traditional markets in Africa, America and Europe. → Thousands of weavers in India were now thrown out of employment. → Bengal weavers were the worst hit. English and European companies stopped buying Indian goods and their agents no longer gave out advances to weavers to secure supplies. Distressed weavers wrote petitions to the government to help them. → The textile factory industry in India faced many problems. It found it difficult to compete with the cheap textiles imported from Britain. → In most countries, governments supported industrialisation by imposing heavy duties on imports. This eliminated competition and protected infant industries.
11. What helped TISCO expand steel production during the First World War?
Answer
→ In 1914 the First World War broke out. → Steel produced in Britain now had to meet the demands of war in Europe. → So imports of British steel into India declined dramatically and the Indian Railways turned to TISCO for the supply of rails. → As the war dragged on for several years, TISCO had to produce shells and carriage wheels for the war. → By 1919 the colonial government was buying 90 percent of the steel manufactured by TISCO. → Over time TISCO became the biggest steel industry within the British Empire.
(a) In the Western world, modern cities grew with industrialisation. ► True
(b) Surat and Machlipatnam developed in the nineteenth century. ► False
(c) In the twentieth century, the majority of Indians lived in cities. ► False
(d) After 1857 no worship was allowed in the Jama Masjid for five years. ► True
(e) More money was spent on cleaning Old Delhi than New Delhi. ► False
Page No: 77
2. Fill in the blanks:
(a) The first structure to successfully use the dome was called the __________. (b) The two architects who designed New Delhi and Shahjahanabad were __________ and _____________.
(c) The British saw overcrowded spaces as ______________.
(d) In 1888 an extension scheme called the ___________ was devised.
Answer
(a)The first structure to successfully use the dome was called the __________.
• This question is not clear. Note that Jama Masjid was the first mosque in India with minarets and full domes. (b)The two architects who designed New Delhi and Shahjahanabad were __________ and _____________. • This question is not clear. Note that Edward Lutyensand Herbert Bakerwere the two architects who designed New Delhi and its buildings.
(c)The British saw overcrowded spaces as unhygienic and unhealthy, the source of disease. (d)In 1888 an extension scheme called the Lahore Gate Improvement Scheme was devised.
3. Identify three differences in the city design of New Delhi and Shahjahanabad.
Answer
New Delhi
Shahjahanabad
Unwalled city, constructed on Raisina Hill, south of Shahjahanabad or Old Delhi
Constructed as a walled city with 14 gates, adjoining a fort-palace complex, with the river Jamuna flowing near it
Broad, straight streets
Mazes of narrow and winding lanes and bylanes and quiet cul-de-sacs
Sprawling mansions set in the middle of large compounds
Crowded and congested mohallas
4. Who lived in the “white” areas in cities such as Madras?
Answer
The British were lived in the “white” areas.
Let’s Discuss
5. What is meant by de-urbanisation?
Answer
For the sake of convenience of trade the British developed new centers of trade like Calcutta, Madras and Bombay on eastern and Western coastal areas respectively. In late 18th century these places became as Presidency cities under the British rule. These cities which were very important right from the ancient as well as during the Mughal period gradually lost their importance. Simultaneously many towns manufacturing specialized goods declined due to a drop in the demand for what they produced. Old trading centers and ports could not survive when the flow of trade moved to the new centers. Trades and exports via the earlier important ports like Surat, Masulipatnam etc failed dramatically. At the same time, the earlier centers of regional power collapsed when local rulers were defeated by the British and new centers of administration emerged. As a result of all these happenings more and more people began to shift from these places which used to be important cities in the past. This process is often described as de-urbanization.
6. Why did the British choose to hold a grand Durbar in Delhi although it was not the capital?
Answer
Though Calcutta was the capital of the British, they were aware of the symbolic importance of Delhi. It was the city where the Mughals had ruled. It was the same city that had become the rebel stronghold in the rebellion of 1857, a rebellion that had momentarily threatened the collapse of the British rule in India. It was therefore important to celebrate British power with pomp and show at this very place. So, a grand Durbar to acknowledge Queen Victoria as the Empress of India was held in Delhi, in 1877. Later, in 1911, a Durbar was held in Delhi to celebrate the crowning of King George V. It was at this Durbar that the decision to shift the capital of India from Calcutta to Delhi was announced. What these displays did was to show to the people of India the ultimate power and supremacy of the British.
7. How did the Old City of Delhi change under the British rule?
Answer
The Old City of Delhi was constructed as a walled city with 14 gates, adjoining a fort-palace complex, with the river Jamuna flowing near it. The city was characterised by mosques, havelis, crowded mohallas, narrow and winding lanes and bylanes and water channels. The British gained control of Delhi in 1803. Before the revolt of 1857, the British adjusted themselves to the Mughal culture of the Old City by living in the Walled City, enjoying Urdu/Persian culture and poetry, and participating in local festivals. The Delhi College was established in 1792, which led to a great intellectual flowering in the sciences as well as the humanities. However, after the revolt, they embarked on a mission to rid the city of its Mughal past. They razed several palaces, closed down gardens and built barracks for troops in their place. For security reasons, the area around the Red Fort was completely cleared of gardens, pavilions and mosques. Mosques in particular were either destroyed or put to other uses. No worship was allowed in the Jama Masjid for five years. One-third of the city was demolished, and its canals were filled up. In the 1870s, the Western walls of Shahjahanabad were broken to establish the railway and to allow the city to expand beyond the walls. The sprawling Civil Lines area came up in the North of the city. This was the place where the British began living. The Delhi College was turned into a school, and shut down in 1877. The British constructed a new city, known as New Delhi, South of the Old City. Built as a complete contrast to the Old City, New Delhi became the centre of power. The Old City, meanwhile, was pushed into neglect.
8. How did the Partition affect life in Delhi?
Answer
The partition of India in 1947 led to a massive transfer of people on both sides of the new border. As a result, the population of Delhi swelled (nearly 500,000 people were added to Delhi’s population). Delhi became a city of refugees, with people living in camps, schools, military barracks and gardens. The riots accompanying the Partition led to the killing of thousands of people, and the looting and burning of their houses. Over two-third of the Delhi Muslims migrated, and almost 44,000 homes were abandoned. Their places were taken over by Sikh and Hindu refugees from Pakistan. These refugees were mostly rural landlords, lawyers, teachers, traders and shopkeepers. After Partition, their lives changed as they took up new jobs as hawkers, vendors, carpenters and ironsmiths. The influx of Sikh and Hindu refugee population and the outflow of the Muslim population changed the social milieu of Delhi. An urban culture largely based on Urdu was overshadowed by new tastes and sensibilities, in food, dress and the arts.
NCERT Solutions for Class 8th: Ch 4 Tribals, Dikus and the Vision of a Golden Age
QUESTIONS
1. Fill in the blanks:
(a) The British described the tribal people as __________. (b) The method of sowing seeds in jhum cultivation is known as ___________.
(c) The tribal chiefs got _________ titles in central India under the British land settlements.
(d) Tribals went to work in the ___________ of Assam and the __________ in Bihar.
Answer
(a) The British described the tribal people as wild and savage. (b) The method of sowing seeds in jhum cultivation is known as broadcasting or scattering. (c) The tribal chiefs got land titles in central India under the British land settlements. (d)Tribals went to work in the tea plantations of Assam and the coal mines in Bihar.
2. State whether true or false:
(a) Jhum cultivators plough the land and sow seeds. ► False
(b) Cocoons were bought from the Santhals and sold by the traders at five times the purchase price. ► True
(c) Birsa urged his followers to purify themselves, give up drinking liquor and stop believing in witchcraft and sorcery. ► True
(d) The British wanted to preserve the tribal way of life. ► False
3. What problems did shifting cultivators face under British rule?
Answer
For administrative and economic reasons, the British government tried settling the jhum or shifting cultivators. However, settled plough cultivation did not prove to be helpful to these jhum cultivators. They often suffered because their fields did not produce good yields. The new forest laws also affected the lives of the shifting cultivators. Shifting or jhumcultivation is usually done on small patches of forest land. Under the forest laws, the British extended their control over all forests and declared that forests were state property. Thus, the jhum cultivators were prevented from practising jhum cultivation freely. Many were forced to move to other areas in search of work and livelihood.
4. How did the powers of tribal chiefs change under colonial rule?
Answer
Under the colonial rule the functions and powers of the tribal chiefs changed considerably. Before the arrival of the British these tribal chiefs enjoyed a certain amount of economic power and used to administer and control their territories, which were not sow now. They were allowed to keep their land titles over a cluster of villages and rent out lands. In this process they lost much of their administrative power and were forced to follow laws made by the British officials. They also had to pay tribute to British and discipline the tribal groups on behalf of the British. Hence, under the colonial rule they lost the authority they had earlier enjoyed amongst their people and were unable to fulfill their traditional functions.
5. What accounts for the anger of the tribals against the dikus?
Answer
The word “dikus” means outsiders or who come from outside like – moneylenders, traders, zamindars, contractors, British etc. There are a number of reasons for anger of the tribals against the dikus:
→ The tribals practiced shifting cultivation but the British forced them to follow settled agriculture and also introduced land settlements. → Traders and moneylenders were coming into the forest, wanting to buy forest produce at a very cheap rate, luring them to take cash loans at high interests etc. The innocent and poor people initially fell in the trap of these moneylenders and traders and remained indebted throughout their lives. So the tribals considered the traders, moneylenders as evil outsiders. → Under British rule the tribal chiefs lost their authorities they had enjoyed earlier amongst their people, were unable to fulfill their traditional functions. Rather they had to pay tribute to the British. → By the introduction of forest laws, the British evacuated them from their own lands. As a result they became homeless and went in search of work and livelihood.
6. What was Birsa’s vision of a golden age? Why do you think such a vision appealed to the people of the region?
Answer
Birsa talked about a golden age, a satyug, an age of truth in which, like in the past, the tribal people would live a good life, construct embankments, tap natural springs, plant trees and orchards and practise cultivation to earn their living. He talked of an age in which the tribals would not kill one another and would live an honest life. His golden age consisted of a reformed tribal society in which there was no place for vices like liquor, uncleanliness, witchcraft and sorcery, and outside forces like the missionaries, Hindu landlords, moneylenders, traders and the Europeans. This vision was appealing to the tribal people as all the vices and outside forces that Birsa talked about were indeed thought of by everyone as the root causes of their misery and suffering.
NCERT Solutions for Class 8 Social Science History Chapter 3 Ruling the Countryside
Answe
Question 1. Match the following: Answer:
Question Fill in the blanks:
Growers of woad in Europe saw Indigo as a crop which would provide competition to their earnings.
The demand for indigo increased in late eighteenth-century Britain because of industrialization
The international demand for indigo was affected by the discovery of synthetic dyes
The Champaran movement was against indigo planters
Question 3. Describe the main features of the Permanent Settlement. Answer: Main features of the permanent settlements:
Permanent Settlements benefited landlords more than the government. The Zamindars and revenue collectors were converted into numerous landlords.
They were not only to act as agents of the Government in collecting land revenue from the ryot but also to become the owners of the entire land in their Zamindaris.
Their right of ownership was made hereditary and transferable. On the other hand, the cultivators were reduced to the low status of mere tenants and were deprived of long-standing rights to the soil and other customary rights.
The Zamindars were to give 10/11th of the rental they derived from the peasantry to the state, keeping the only 1/11th for themselves.
If the rental of a Zamindar’s estate increased he would keep the entire amount of the increase. The state would not make any further demand upon him. At the same time, the Zamindar had to pay his revenue rigidly on the due date even if the crop had failed for some reason; otherwise, his lands were to be sold.
Question 4. How was the Mahalwari system different from the Permanent Settlement? Answer: Difference between Mahalwari System and Permanent Settlement:
Under the permanent settlement, the revenue rate was fixed Permanently, not to be increased. But in the Mahalwari System, it was decided that the rate of revenue would be revised periodically.
Zamindars collected the revenue from peasants in Permanent Settlement and gave a fixed part to the company. In Mahalwari this work was done by village headmen.
Question 5. Give two problems that arose with the New Munro System of Fixing Revenue. Answer:
The ryots were supposed to improve their lands, but they did not. The system supposed peasants to get changed into rich enterprising farmers, but this did not happen.
The revenue officials fixed too high a revenue demand. Ryots were not able to pay this much revenue.
Question 6. Why were ryots reluctant to grow indigo? Answer: The reluctance of Ryots to grow Indigo:
The planters generally forced the ryots to sign a contract.
Cash advances were given at low-interest rates but that loan committed the ryots to cultivate at least 25% of holding with indigo.
The planter provided seed, drill, etc. and actual cultivation was done by the cultivator.
After the delivery of the harvested crop to the planter, a new loan was given to the ryot.
This way the ryot \yas trapped in a cycle of the loan. They realized that they were actually getting a low rate for their hard labour.
Planters forced the ryots to grow indigo on the best soils. Whereas the cultivators wanted to use that for rice.
Question 7. What were the circumstances which led to the eventual collapse of indigo production in Bengal? Answer:
The indigo cultivators in Bengal were given loans but for that, they had to grow indigo on at least 25 percent of the area under their holdings.
The planters provided only seed and drill. The rest of the works till the crop was harvested, was to be done by the ryots.
The price the ryots got for their indigo, was very low. They had to take loans to repay their previous loans. Thus, the cycle of loans was never-ending.
The planters usually insisted that indigo should be cultivated on the best soils in which peasants preferred to cultivate rice.
The indigo crops exhausted the soil rapidly. After an indigo harvest, the land could not be sown with rice. These were certain circumstances which led to the eventual collapse of indigo production in Bengal.
Question 8. Find out more about the Champaran movement and Mahatma Gandhi’s role in it. Answer: Hints: Discuss the following points:
The oppressive attitude of the British Government.
The rebellion of the Ryot peasants.
Gandhiji’s role in it.
Question 9. Look into the history of either tea or coffee plantations in India. See how the life of workers in these plantations was similar to or different from that of workers in indigo plantations. Answer: Hints:Life in Tea Plantations of Assam:
Estate owners
Workers (a) Wages (b) Habitation (c) Facilities
Problems. Life in the Indigo Fields
Cultivators or Zamindars were the owners.
Generally, cultivators worked in fields themselves.
Objective Type Questions
1. Match the following:
Answer: (i) c (ii) d (iii) e (iv) a (v) b (vi) f
2. State whether True or False:
The demand for indigo increased in the late seventeenth century. False
Revenues were fixed in the permanent settlement. True
The company purchased goods in India before 1865 through gold and silver imports. True
Mahalwari system came into existence in 1700. False
The very high rate of revenue was the major problem of the ryotwari system. True
Weekly markets were very flourishing during the economic crisis of Bengal. False
The company introduced the Permanent Settlement in 1793. True
3. Fill in the blanks:
Gomasthas were the agents of planters
The Mughal emperor appointed the East India Company as the Diwan of Bengal.
The painter was commissioned by Clive to record memorable events of his life.
Ryotwari system was also known as Munro System
Ryoti is cultivation on Ryot’s lands.
Bigha is the unit of land measurement by the British in Bengal.
Multiple Choice Questions
Choose the correct answer: 1. The Champaran movement was against (a) peasants (b) East India Company (c) the oppressive attitude of the planters (d) none of the above
2. The Company was appointed as the Diwan of Bengal in (a) 1762 (b) 1763 (c) 1764 (d) 1765
3. Gandhiji visited Champaran (a) to see the plight of Indigo planters in Champaran (b) to see the progress of indigo plantation (c) to see the managing system of the company (d) none of the above
4. Who devised the new-system of revenue called Mahalwari? (a) Queen Elizabeth (b) Holt Mackenzie (c) Queen Victoria (d) Gandhiji
5. Growers of woad in Europe saw ……. crop as competition to their earnings. (a) tea (b) rubber (c) indigo (d) coffee
6. Indigo production came down in Bengal in (a) 1850 (b) 1852 (c) 1855 (d) 1859
7. Who had developed the Munro system? (a) Captain Alexander (b) Holt Mackenzie (c) Thomas Munro (d) None of these
8. How much proportion of Indigo was imported from India by Britain in 1810? (a) 75% (b) 95% (c) 90% (d) 85%
9. Colebrook describes the conditions of the under-tenant farmers in (a) 1800 (b) 1805 (c) 1806 (d) 1810
10.After harvest, the indigo plant was taken to the …….. in the indigo factory. (a) dye (b) vat (c) farm (d) machine
11. The international demand for indigo was affected by the discovery of (a) synthetic dyes (b) woad (c) blue colour (d) none of these
NCERT Solutions for Class 8 Social Science History Chapter 2 From Trade to TerritoryQuestion: Match the following:
Diwani
Tipu Sultan
“Tiger of Mysore”
Right to collect land revenue
Faujdari Adalat
Sepoy
Rani Channamma
Criminal court
Sipahi
Led an anti-British movement in Kitoor
Answer:
Diwani’s
Right to collect land revenue
“Tiger of Mysore”
Tipu Sultan
Faujdari Adalat
Criminal court
Rani Channamma
Led an anti-British movement in Kitoor
Sipahi
Sepoy
Question: Fill in the blanks:
The British conquest of Bengal began with the Battle of ___________.
Haidar Ali and Tipu Sultan were the rulers of ___________.
Dalhousie implemented the Doctrine of ___________.
Maratha kingdoms were located mainly in the ___________ part of India.
Answer:
Plassey
Mysore
Lapse
Western
Question: State whether true or false:
(a) The Mughal Empire became stronger in the eighteenth century.
Ans. False
(b) The English East India Company was the only European company traded with India.
Ans. False
(c) Maharaja Ranjit Singh was the ruler of Punjab.
Ans. True
(d) The British did not introduce administrative changes to conquered territories.
Ans. False
Question: What attracted European trading companies to India?
i) The fine quality of cotton and silk produced in India had a big European market.
ii) Pepper, cloves, cardamom, and cinnamon were in great demand. These attracted European Trading Companies.
Question: What were the areas of conflict between the Bengal nawabs and the East India Company?
After the death of Aurangazeb, the Bengal Nawabs asserted their power and autonomy.
They refused to grant the company concessions and demanded large tributes for the company’s right to trade.
They denied the right to mint coins.
Nawabs even stopped the Company from extending fortifications.
Question: How did the assumption of Diwani benefit the East India Company?
Answer: The assumption of Diwani benefited the East India Company in the following way.
In 1765 the Mughal emperor appointed the company as the Diwani of the provinces of Bengal.
The Diwani allowed the company to use the vast revenue resources of Bengal.
The outflow of gold and silver the company imported to buy goods in India was stopped.
The revenue from Bengal could be used to purchase cotton and silk textiles in India.
The revenue helped the company maintain its troops and meet the cost of building forts and Company offices.
Question: Explain the system of “subsidiary alliance.”
Under the system of ‘subsidiary alliance,’ Indian rulers were not allowed to have independent armed forces.
They were to be protected by the Company but had to pay for the subsidiary forces that the company was supposed to maintain for this protection.
If the Indian rulers failed to make the payment, then part of their territory was taken away as a penalty.
The states which had to lose their territories on this ground were Awadh and Hyderabad.
How was the Company’s administration different from that of Indian rulers?
The Company made a proper system of administration. The Indian rulers did not have a proper system of administration.
British territories were broadly divided into administrative units called Presidencies. Whereas the Indian kingdom was divided into provinces.
The supreme head of the British administration was the Governor General. Whereas the supreme head of the Indian administration was King.
A new system of justice was established under British rule.
Each district has two courts – a criminal court (faujdari Adalat) and a civil court (Diwani Adalat).
The Company took suggestions from pundits and maulvis before making new criminal and civil case laws. The Indian rulers seldom thought about respecting local sensibilities before making any rule.
Describe the changes that occurred in the composition of the Company’s army.
The Company recruited the peasants into the army and trained them as professional soldiers.
It came to be known as the sepoy army.
As warfare technology changed from the 1820s, the cavalry requirements of the company’s army declined.
Soldiers of the Company army had to keep pace with the changing requirements of the military, so its infantry regiment became more important.
In the early nineteenth century, the British developed a uniform military culture.
Soldiers were increasingly subjected to European-style training, drill, and discipline that regulated their life far more than before.
Question: After the British conquest of Bengal, Calcutta grew from a small village to a big city. Discover the city’s culture, architecture, and life of Europeans and Indians during the colonial period.
Answer: Indians were influenced by British culture, architecture, and lifestyle.
Culture: British influence began.
Architecture: Influenced by British Architecture (fortification of the city, churches, etc.). Rich Indians started constructing bungalows in the English style.
Life: English education and English clothes became to be popular.
Question: Collect pictures, stories, poems, and information about the Rani of Jhansi, Mahadji Sindhia, Haidar Ali, Maharaja Ranjit Singh, Lord Dalhousie, or any other contemporary ruler of your region.
Lakshmibai was born probably on 19 November 1828 in the holy town of Varanasi in a Marathi brahmin family. Her father was Moropant Tambe. Her father worked for a court in Peshwa of Bithoor district. Peshwa brought Manikarnika up like his own daughter. The Peshwa called her “Chhabili,” which means “playful.”
She was educated at home and was more independent in her childhood than others of her age; her studies included archery, horsemanship, and self-defense.
Rani Lakshmibai was accustomed to riding on horseback accompanied by a small escort between the palace and the temple. The Rani Mahal, the place of Rani Lakshmibai, has now been converted into a museum. She died, fighting British Army bravely to save her state Jhansi.
Srikanth Mahadji Shinde (also spelled as Mahadji Scindia) was a Maratha statesman known for his crucial role in resurrecting Maratha power following the disastrous Third Battle of Panipat in 1761
Between 1742 and 1761, he would undertake many more campaigns in Northern India. These campaigns would bring regions such as Malwa, Rajputana, Rohilkhand, Bundelkhand, etc., under the Maratha Empire.
His role during the ‘First Anglo-Maratha War was greatest from the Maratha side since he humbled the British in Central India single-handedly, which resulted in the Treaty of Salbai in 1782, where he mediated between the Peshwa and the British.
Hyder Ali was a Muslim ruler of the Mysore princely state and military commander who played an important part in the wars in southern India in the mid-18th century.
He offered anti-colonial solid resistance against the military advances of the British East’India Company during the First and Second Anglo-Mysore Wars, and he was the innovator of military use of the ‘iron-cased Mysorean rockets.
Ranjit Singh was born to Sardar Maha Singh and Raj Kaur on 13 November 1780, in Gujranwala, Punjab (now in Pakistan). As a child, he suffered from smallpox, resulting in one eye loss. At the time, much of Punjab was ruled by the Sikhs under a Confederate Sarbat Khalsa system, which had divided the territory among factions known as misls. Ranjit Singh’s father was the commander of the Sukerchakia Misl and controlled a territory in west Punjab based around his headquarters at Gujranwala.
In 1799, Ranjit Singh captured Lahore (now in Pakistan) from the Bhangi Misl and later made it his capital. This was the first important step in his rise to power. He brought the whole of central Punjab from the Sutlej to the Jhelum in the following years under his sway. This area includes north of Satluj (Jullundhar, Amritsar, Pathankot, etc.); and Lahore, Multan, etc. of Pakistan.
Lord Dalhousie, Governor-General of India from 1848 to 1856 .. He introduced the Doctrine of Lapse policy which turned out to be one of the major causes of the Revolt of 1857.
In India, he was famous for various negative and positive reasons. Positive:
Railway started in 1853 A.D. for the first time between Bombay and Thane.
I am starting with postal and telegraph services in India.
I am starting with widow remarriage in 1856 A.D.
Completion of Ganges Canal.
Reform in Indian civil services.
Negative
East India Company captured the princely state of Punjab in 1849 A.D.
NCERT Solutions for Class 8 Social Science Chapter 1 How, When and Where
Solutions for Class 8 Social Science History Chapter 1 How, When and Where
Question.1. State whether true or false: (a) James Mill divided Indian history into three periods – Hindu, Muslim, Christian. (b) Official documents help us understand what the people of the country think. (c) The British thought surveys were important for effective administration. Answer. (a) False (b) False (c) True
Question.2. What is the problem with the periodisation of Indian history that James Mill offers? Answer. James Mill divided Indian history into three periods – Hindu, Muslim and British. This periodisation has its own problem. It is difficult to refer to any period of history as ‘Hindu’ or ‘Muslim’ because a variety of faiths existed simultaneously in these periods. It is also not justified to characterise an age through the religion of the rulers of the time. What it suggests is that the lives and practices of others do not really matter. It is worth-mentioning that even rulers in ancient India did not all share the same faith.
Question 3. Why did the British preserve official documents? Answer. The British preserved documents because of the following reasons:
Any information or proof of any decision can be read/used from the preserved documents.
The preserved documents reveal the progress made by country in the past.
One can study the notes and reports which were prepared in the past
Their copies may be made and used in modern times.
Documents were helpful in understanding social, economical and history of those times.
Question 4. How will the information historians get from old newspapers be different from that found in police reports? Answer. The information printed in newspaper are usually affected by the views and opinions of the reporters, news editors etc. But what historians find in police reports are usually true and realistic.
Question 5. Can you think of examples of surveys in your world today? Think about how toy companies get information about what young people enjoy playing with or how the government finds out about the number of young people in school. What can a historian derive from such surveys? Answer. Surveys are done by government and private companies.
on demographic changes, employment, incomes, tastes, interests, possessions, etc.
Manually or with use of technology.
At different places like home, schools, institution, malls, etc. Historians may get information about preferences, life style, demographic changes, political, social, economic life, etc.
Class 8 History Chapter 1 How, When and Where Exercise Questions
Question.1. A History of British India was written by (i)(a) Charles Darwin (b) James Mill (c) Albert Einstein (d) ThomasHardy
(ii) The first Governor-General of India was (a) Lord Dathousie (b) Lord Mountbatten (c) Lord William Bentinck (d) Warren Hastings
(iii) The National Archives of India came up in the (a) 1920s (b) 1930s (c) 1940s (d) 1950s
(iv) The word ‘Calligrapher’ means (a) One who is specialised in the art of painting. (b) One who is specialised in the art of music. (c) One who is specialised in the art of beautiful writing. (d) One who is specialised in the art of public speaking.
(v) Census operations are held (a) every five years (b) every seven years (c) every ten years (d) every twelve years Answer. (i)(b), (ii)(d), (iii)(a), (iv)(c), (v)(c).
Question.2. Fill in the blanks with appropriate words to complete each sentence. (i) The colonial government gave much importance to the practice of (ii) Historians have usually divided Indian history into ancient, and (iii) A History of British India is a massive work. (iv) Mill thought that all Asian societies were at a level of civilisation than Europe. (v) The British established specialised institutions like and to preserve important documents. Answer. (i) Surveying (ii) medieval- modem (iii) three-volume (iv) lower (v) archives- museums
Question.3. State whether each of the following statements is True or False. (i) The British were very particular about preserving official documents. (ii) Printing began to spread by the middle of the 20th century. (iii) The periodisation of Indian history offered by James Mill was not at all accepted. (iv) The British carried out detailed surveys by the early 19th century in order to map the entire country. (v) James Mill glorified India and its culture in his book A History of British India. Answer. (i) True, (ii) False, (iii) False, (iv) True, (v) False.
Question.4. Match the items given in Column A correctly with those given in Column B. Answer. (i) (c), (ii) (a), (iii) (d), (iv) (b).
Class 8 History Chapter 1 How, When and Where Very Short Answer Type Questions
Question 1. Name the events for which specific dates can be determined. Answer. The year a king was crowned, the year he married, the year he had a child, the year he fought a particular battle, the year he died, etc.
Question 2. What was an important aspect of the histories written by the British historians in India? Answer. The rule of each Governor-General was an important aspect.
Question 3. Who was James Mill? Answer. He was a Scottish economist and political philosopher and is known for his book A History of British India.
Question 4. What was Mill’s opinion about the Asian societies? Answer. In Mill’s opinion all Asian societies were at a lower level of civilisation than Europe.
Question 5. What evil practices, according to James Mill, dominated the Indian social life before the British came to India? Answer. According to James Mill, the evil practices that dominated to the Indian social life were religious intolerance, caste taboos and superstitious practices.
Question 6. How did paintings project Governor- General? Answer. Paintings projected Governor-Generals as powerful figures.
Question 7. Why do many historians refer to modem period as colonial? Answer. It is because, under British rule people did not have equality, freedom or liberty—the symbols of modernity.
Question 8. Mention one important source used by historians in writing about the last 230 years of Indian history. Answer. The official records of the British administration.
Question 9. What is done under census? Answer. It records the number of people living all the provinces of India and gathers information on castes, religions and occupation.
Question 10 . What do official records not tell? Answer. Official records do not tell what other people in the country felt, and what lay behind their actions.
Question 11. Why do we try and divide history into different periods? Answer. We do so in order to capture the characteristics of a time, its central features as they appear to us.
Class 8 History Chapter 1 How, When and Where Short Answer Type Questions
Question 1. How did James Mill view India? Answer. James Mill did not cherish any positive idea about India. He was of the opinion that all Asian societies were at a lower level of civilisation than Europe. According to his telling of history, before the British came to India, the Hindu and the Muslim despots ruled the country. Religious intolerance, caste taboos and superstitious practices dominated social life. He felt that only British rule could civilise India. He suggested that the British should conquer all the territories of India to ensure the enlightenment and happiness of the Indian people. For India was not capable of progress without the help of the British.
Question 2. Historians divide Indian history into ancient, medieval and modem. But this division too has its problems. What are these problems? Answer. This periodisation has been borrowed from the West where the modem period was associated with the growth of dll the forces of modernity such as science, reason, democracy, liberty and equality. Medieval was a term used to describe a society where these features of modem society did not exist. It is difficult for us to accept this characterisation of the modem period. Here, it is worth-mentioning that Indians did not have equality, freedom or liberty under the British rule. The country also lacked economic growth and progress in that period. It is therefore many historians refer to modem period as colonial period.
Question 3. What did the British do to preserve important official documents and letters? Answer. The British felt the need to preserve all the important official documents and letters. For this, they set up record rooms attached to all administrative institutions. The village tahsildar’s office, the collectorate, the commissioner’s office, the provincial secretariats, the lawcourts – all had their record rooms. The British also established specialised institutions such as archives and museums to preserve important records.
Question.4. What do official records not tell? How do we come to know about them? Answer. Official records do not always help us understand what other people in the country felt, and what lay behind their actions. For that we have diaries of people, accounts of pilgrims and travellers, autobiographies of important personalities, and popular books, etc. that were sold in the local bazaars. With the spread of printing press, newspapers came to be published and issues began to be debated in public. Leaders and reformers wrote.to spread their ideas, poets and novelists wrote to express their feelings.
Question.5. How did the British conquer India and establish their rule? Answer. The British conquered India in the following ways:
They subjugated local nawabs and rajas.
They established control over the economy and society collected revenue to meet all their expenses, bought goods they wanted at lower prices and produced crops they needed for export.
They brought changes in rulers and tastes, customs and practices.
Thus, they moulded everything in their favour and subjugated the country very soon.
Class 8 History Chapter 1 How, When and Where Long Answer Type Questions
Question. 1. How do the official records of the British administration help historians to write about the last 250 years of Indian history? Answer. The British believed that the act of writing was important. Hence, they got written up every instruction, plan, policy decision, agreement, investigation, etc. They thought that once this was done, things could be properly studied and debated. This conviction produced an administrative culture of mtemos, notings and reports. The British were very interested in preserving all important documents and letters. For this, they established record rooms attached to all administrative institutions such as the village tahsildar’s office, the collectorate, law courts etc. They also set up archives and museums to preserve important records. Letters and memos that moved from one branch of the administration to smother in the early years of the 19th century can still be read in the archives. Historians can also take help from the notes and reports that district officials prepared or the instructions and directives that were sent by officials at the top to the provincial administrators.
Question.2. How did surveys become important under the colonial administration? Answer. The British gave much importance to the practice of surveying because they believed that a country had to be properly known before it could be effectively administred. Therefore, they carried out detailed surveys by the early 19 th century in order to map the entire country:
They conducted revenue surveys in villages.
They made efforts to know the topography, the soil quality, the flora, the fauna, the local histories and the cropping pattern.
They also introduced census operations, held at the interval of every ten years from the end of the 19th century. They prepared detailed records of the number of people in all the provinces of India, noting information on castes, religions and occupation separately.
The British also carried on several other surveys such as botanical surveys, zoological surveys, archeolo¬gical surveys, forest surveys, etc. In this way, they gathered all the facts that were essential for administering a country.
Class 8 History Chapter 1 How, When and Where Source-Based Questions
Question 1. Read the following extract (source 2) taken from the NCERT textbook page 7 and answer the questions that follow:
Questions: (i) Why did the policemen in Delhi refuse to take their food on Thursday morning ? (ii) How did the men in other police stations react when they came to know about the protest? (iii) What was the comment of one of the strikers on the food supplied to them ? Answers: (i) They did so as a protest against their low salaries and the inferior quality of food supplied to them from the Police Lines kitchen. (ii) They also refused to take food. (iii) One of the strikers said that the food supplied to them was not fit for human consumption. Even cattle would not eat the chapatis and dal which they had to eat.
Class 8 History Chapter 1 How, When and Where Picture-Based Questions
Question.1. Observe the picture below taken from the NCERT textbook (page 1) and answer the questions that follow:
Questions: (i) What does the above picture try to suggest? (ii) Explain how this image projects an imperial perception. Answers: (i) The picture tries to suggest that Indians willingly gave over their ancient texts scriptures (shashtra) to Britannia, the symbol of British power, as if asking her to become the protector of Indian culture. (ii) This image clearly depicts the imperial superiority. The image of the lion symbolizes superior power. The empire is the giver and its subjects are always loyal to the throne.
Question.2. Observe the picture below taken from NCERT textbook (page 5) and answer the questions that follow:
Questions: (i) What is it? (ii) When did it come up? (iii) Where was it located when Delhi was built? (iv) What does this location reflect? Answers: (i) It is the National Archives of India. (ii) It came up in the 1920s. (iii) When Delhi was built, it was located close to the Viceregal Palace. (iv) It reflects the importance of this institution in the British eyes.
Chapter 18 Pollution of Air and Water solution Exercise
1. What are the different ways in which water gets contaminated?
Answer
Water gets contaminated by the addition of: → Agricultural chemicals: Farmers use excessive amounts of pesticides and fertilizers to increase crop production. These chemicals get carried away to the water bodies due to rains and floods which lead to water pollution. → Industrial wastes: Industries release harmful chemical wastes into water sources, thereby polluting them.
→ Sewage wastes: Waste materials from kitchens, toilets, and laundry sources are also responsible for contaminating water.
2. At an individual level, how can you help reduce air pollution?
Answer
An individual can reduce air pollution by: → Avoiding the use of cars as much as possible and by using public transport whenever possible. → By not using vehicles for short distances. → By using clean fuels such as LPG and CNG instead of diesel and petrol. → Always disposing the garbage properly and not burning it.
→ Controlling the emissions from vehicles and household chimneys.
3. Clear, transparent water is always fit for drinking. Comment.
Answer
Clear and transparent water is not always fit for drinking. Water might appear clean, but it may contain some disease causing micro-organisms and other dissolved impurities. Hence, it is advised to purify water before drinking. Purification can be done by water purifying systems or by boiling the water.
4. You are a member of the municipal body of your town.
Make a list of measures that would help your town to ensure the supply of clean water to all its residents.
Answer
To ensure the supply of clean water to all residents the following steps must be taken: → Leakages in pipelines of water should be repaired. → The main water source must be built in clean surroundings and should be maintained properly.
→ Open defection in water resources by slum dwellers should be strictly prohibited. → Chemical methods such as chlorination must be used for purifying water.
5. Explain the differences between pure air and polluted air.
Answer
Pure Air
Polluted air
Pure air contains around 78% nitrogen, 21% oxygen, and 0.03% carbon dioxide also small amounts of argon, methane, ozone, and water vapours.
Polluted air includes gases like sulfur dioxide, nitrogen dioxide, carbon dioxide, etc. and other particulate matter.
Smog is not present.
Smog can be present.
Not harmful for human beings
Harmful for human beings as cause diseases like asthma
6. Explain circumstances leading to acid rain. How does acid rain affect us?
Answer
When harmful gases like sulphur dioxide and nitrogen dioxide, react with moisture present in air, they form nitric acid and sulphuric acid. These acids when drop down on earth along with rain, is called acid rain.Effects of acid rain: → Acid rains damage crops, decrease fertility of soil and affect aquatic life. → Acid rains corrode buildings and structures.
7. Which of the following is not a greenhouse gas? (a) Carbon dioxide (b) Sulphur dioxide (c) Methane (d) Nitrogen
► (d) Nitrogen
Page No: 253
8. Describe the ‘Greenhouse Effect’ in your own words.
Answer
The greenhouse effect is the rise in the temprature of the Earth’s surface due to increased concentration of greenhouse gases like carbon dioxide, methane, and water vapour in the atmosphere. These gases trap solar radiations released back by the Earth. This helps in keeping our planet warm and thus, helps in human survival. However, an increase in the amount of greenhouse gases can lead to an increase in the Earth’s temperature leading to global warming.
9. Prepare a brief speech on global warming. You have to deliver the speech in your class.
Answer
Global warming is one of the greatest challenges that our planet is facing. It is the unequivocal and continuing rise in the average temperature of the Earth’s climate system. It occurs as a result of an increased concentration of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. These gases trap solar radiations released back by the Earth. This helps in keeping our planet warm and thus, helps in human survival. However, an increase in the amount of greenhouse gases can lead to an increase in the Earth’s temperature leading to global warming.
10. Describe the threat to the beauty of the Taj Mahal.
Answer
Acid rain is a major threat to the beauty of the Taj Mahal. When acid rains fall on the monument made of marble, they react with marble to form a powder-like substance that is then washed away by the rain. This phenomenon is known as marble cancer. Also, the soot particles emitted from the Mathura oil refinery located near Agra is leading to the yellowing of the marble.
11. Why does the increased level of nutrients in the water affect the survival of aquatic organisms?
Answer
The increased in the level of nutrients in the water leads to an excessive increase in the population of algae in the water body. When these algae die, they serve as food for decomposers. A lot of oxygen is utilised in this process, consequently leading to a decrease in the level of oxygen dissolved in the water body. This in turn causes fishes and other aquatic organisms to die.
Chapter 18 Pollution of Air and Water Class 8 Science NCERT Solutions
Detailed explanation provided under each NCERT solutions for Class 8 Science will help in understanding the concepts better. These NCERT Solutions are curated by the experts in a comprehensive which can be helpful in clearing your doubts instantly. It will be useful in analyzing the problems and answering it with precision and the right concepts.
Class 8 Science Chapter 18 Pollution of Air and Water NCERT Questions and Answers – Topics
• Air Pollution
• How does Air Get Polluted?
• Case Study – The Taj Mahal
• Greenhouse Effect
• What can be Done?
• Water Pollution
• How does Water Get Polluted?
→ Case Study
• What is Potable Water and How is Water Purified?
• What Can be Done?
Chapter 18 Pollution of Air and Water NCERT Solutions for Class 8 Science – Notes
• Pollution is the introduction of harmful or poisonous substances into environment that have adverse
effects on lives.
• When air is contaminated by unwanted substances which have a harmful effect on both the living and the non-living, it is referred to as air pollution.
• The substances which contaminate the air are called air pollutants.
→ The sources of air pollutants are factories, power plants, automobile exhausts and burning of firewood and dung cakes.
• Smog is made up of smoke and fog. Smoke may contain oxides of nitrogen which combine with other air pollutants and fog to form smog. The smog causes breathing difficulties such as asthma, cough and wheezing in children.
→ Other kinds of pollutants are chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) which are used in refrigerators, air conditioners and aerosol sprays.
• Experts have warned that pollutants in air are discolouring Taj Mahal’ white marble.
→ The industries located in and around Agra like rubber processing, automobile, chemicals and especially the Mathura oil refinery, have been responsible for producing pollutants like sulphur dioxide and nitrogen dioxide.
→ The corrosion of the Taj Mahal due to acid rain is called ‘marble cancer.’
• Global warming has resulted in a rise in the global sea level. Gases, like methane, nitrous oxide and water vapour, also contribute to the greenhouse effect, and, along with carbon dioxide, are collectively called the greenhouse gases.
→ Many countries have reached an agreement to reduce the emission of greenhouse gases. The Kyoto Protocol is one such agreement.
• Steps to prevent air pollution:
→ Use of fuels like CNG and unleaded petrol in automobiles.
→ Switching to alternative fuels, like solar energy, hydropower and wind energy.
→ Planting more and more trees.
→ Use of public transport or car pooling.
→ Avoiding the burning of leaves, trash and vegetable matter.
→ Restricting cigarette smoking.
• Whenever harmful substances such as sewage, toxic chemicals, silt, etc., get mixed with water, the water becomes polluted. The substances that pollute water are called water pollutants.
• Ganga is one of the most famous rivers of India. It sustains most of the northern, central and eastern Indian population.
→ The pollution levels have been rising for many years due to quantities of garbage, untreated sewage, dead bodies, and many other harmful things, directly into the river.
→ The river is ‘dead’ at many places where the pollution levels are so high that aquatic life cannot survive.
→ The Ganga Action Plan was launched in 1985 which aimed to reduce the pollution levels in the river.
→ The Government of India has launched a new initiative known as National Mission for Clean Ganga (NMCG) in 2016.
• Water which is suitable for drinking is called potable water.
• Ways of making water potable are:
→ Using candle type water filters
→ Boiling
→ Chlorination
Chapter 18 Pollution of Air and Water Class 8 Science Questions and Answers – MCQ Questions with answers
1. Water pollution is caused by
a) Aquatic animals living in water
b) Excess drawing of water from water bodies
c) Plant growing near water bodies
d) Addition of untreated sewage in water bodies
► d) Addition of untreated sewage in water bodies
2. The process of waste treatment is called
a) Pollutant separation
b) Sewage treatment
c) Water treatment
d) Chlorination
► b) Sewage treatment
3. What is the effect of sulphur dioxide present in air on human beings?
a) Harms the skin and the lungs
b) Mixes with the blood and prevents it from carrying oxygen
c) Affects the heart and the liver
d) Raises the air temperature
► a) Harms the skin and the lungs
4. Which is not produced by burning of fossils fuel?
a) Carbon dioxide
b) Oxygen
c) Nitrogen oxide
d) Sulphur dioxide
► b) Oxygen
5. The Taj Mahal is being affected due to:
a) Noise pollution
b) Air pollution
c) Water pollution
d) None of the above
► b) Air pollution
6. Which one is not a natural source of water
a) Pond
b) Canal
c) River
d) Lake
► b) Canal
7. What is smog?
a) A combination of fire and water.
b) A combination of smoke and fog.
c) A combination of water and smoke.
d) A combination of air and water.
► b) A combination of smoke and fog.
8. Addition of harmful substance in water to make it unfit for human consumption is called
a) Water pollution
b) Biomagnifications
c) Decomposition
d) Retardation
► a) Water pollution
9. From which of the following bad effects does the ozone layer in our atmosphere protect us?
