Spectrum Test: People's Resistance against the British before 1857 - UPSC MCQ

• The major factors responsible for the people's resentment and uprisings against the Company rule are as follows. 

• Colonial land revenue settlements, the heavy burden of new taxes, eviction of peasants from their lands, and encroachments on tribal lands. 

• Exploitation in rural society coupled with the growth of intermediary revenue collectors, tenants and money-lenders. 

• Expansion of revenue administration over tribal lands leading to the loss of tribal people's hold over agricultural and forest land.  

• Promotion of British manufactured goods, heavy duties on Indian industries, especially export duties, leading to the devastation of Indian handloom and handicraft industries.  

• Destruction of indigenous industry leads to migration of workers from industry to agriculture, increasing land/agriculture pressure.

• Their basic objective was to restore earlier forms of rule and social relations. 

• General Characteristics of Civil Uprisings These uprisings in most cases, represented common conditions, though separated in time and place. The semi-feudal leaders of civil uprisings were backwards-looking and traditional in outlook. 

• Their basic objective was to restore earlier forms of rule and social relations. These uprisings were the result of local causes and grievances and were also localised in their consequences.

• The revolt of the Moamarias in 1769 was a potent challenge to the Ahom kings of Assam's authority. 

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  The Moamarias were low-caste peasants who followed Aniruddha Deva's teachings (1553-1624), and their rise was similar to that of other low-caste groups in north India. 

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  Their revolts weakened the Ahoms and opened the doors for others to attack the region. For instance, in 1792, the King of Darrang (Krishnanarayan), assisted by his band of burkandazes (the demobilised soldiers of the Muslim armies and zamindars) revolted.

The correct answer is option C, Civil rebellion in Awadh.
The Massacre of Benaras, also known as the Benaras Mutiny, is a civil rebellion that took place in Awadh, present-day Uttar Pradesh. The Massacre of Benaras may also refer to the minor and unsuccessful insurrection of Wazir Ali Khan, deposed Nawab of Awadh, at Benares in northern India in 1799. In this incident, five British East India Company officials and civilians were murdered. 

• Sanyasi Revolt (1763-1800)-Bihar and Bengal: Manjunan Musa Shah, Bhawani Pathak and Debi Chaudhurani were important leaders. Rebellion in Midnapore and Dhaibhum (1766-67) Bengal, Damodar Singh, Jagannath Dhal, etc. Civil Uprisings in Gorakhpur, Basti and Bahraich (1781)-Uttar Pradesh.

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  Revolt in Bednur (1797-1800)--Karnataka; Dhundia Wagh. 

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  Poligars' Revolt (1795-1805)-Tinnevelly, Ramanathapuram

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  Parlakimedi Outbreak (1813-34) Orissa; Narayan Deo, Gajapathi Deo.

Sepoy Mutinies: 

• Vellore Mutiny (1806) 

• Mutiny of 47th Native Infantry Unit (1824) 

• Revolt of Grenadier Company (1825), 

• Assam Mutiny in Sholapur (1833) 

• Mutiny of 34th Native Infantry (1844) 

• Mutiny of 22nd Native Infantry (1849) 

• Mutiny of 66th Native Infantry (1850) 

• Mutiny of 37th Native Infantry (1852)

Weaknesses of People's Uprisings: 

• These uprisings drew a large number of participants but were, in fact, localised and occurred at different times in different regions. They mostly arose out of local grievances. 

• The leadership was semi-feudal in character, backwards-looking, traditional in outlook, and their resistance did not offer alternatives to the existing social setup. 

• If any of these revolts seemed similar to one another in wanting to oust the alien rule, it was not because of some 'national' impulse or common effort, but because they were protesting against conditions that were common to them. 

• These rebellions were centuries-old in form and ideological/cultural content. Those who were not so uncooperative or obstinate were pacified through concessions by the authorities. 

• The fighters' methods and arms in these uprisings were practically obsolete compared to the weapons and strategy—as well as deception and chicanery-employed by their opponents.

The correct answer is option C, 1 and 3 only.

The Ahoms' Revolt and the Kukis' Revolt are matched correctly with their respective regions, while the Singphos' Rebellion is not. The Singphos' Rebellion took place in the state of Arunachal Pradesh, not in Manipur.

The Ahoms' Revolt was a rebellion against British colonial rule that took place in Assam in 1828. The Ahoms were the dominant ethnic group of the region and had their own kingdom before being annexed by the British. The revolt was led by Gomdhar Konwar and was a response to British attempts to impose taxes and regulations on the Ahom people.

The Kukis' Revolt, also known as the Kuki Rebellion, took place in the state of Manipur from 1917 to 1919. The Kukis were a tribal group that inhabited the hills and forests of the region. The rebellion was sparked by British attempts to disarm the Kukis and impose new taxes on them. The Kukis launched a guerrilla campaign against the British and their allies, and the conflict resulted in significant casualties on both sides.

• The tribal movements can be analysed better if categorised into mainland tribal revolts and frontier tribal revolts concentrated mainly in India's north-eastern part. 

• Several factors sparked the mainland tribal rebellions, an important one concerned with the tribal lands or forests.

• The British's land settlements affected the joint ownership tradition among the tribals and disrupted their social fabric. 

• As agriculture was extended in a settled form by the Company government, the tribals lost their land, and there was an influx of non-tribals to these areas. 

• Shifting cultivation in forests was curbed and this added to the tribals' problems. The government further extended its control over the forest areas by setting up reserved forests and restricting timber use and grazing. 

• This was the result of the increasing demand from the Company for timber for shipping and the railways—exploitation by the police, traders and money lenders.