Class 9 History Chapter 4 Question Answers - Forest Society and Colonialism

Q.1. What is deforestation? Why is it considered harmful?

Ans.  Meaning of Deforestation: The disappearance of forests is referred to as deforestation. Forests are cleared for industrial uses, cultivation, pastures and fuel wood. 

Following are the reasons why deforestation is considered to be harmful: 

• Clearing of forests is harmful because forests provide us with many essential resources like Paper and wood for desks, tables, doors, and windows and Dyes that color our clothes, spices in our food, gum, honey, coffee, tea, and rubber.
• Forests serve as habitats for animals and birds, providing them with shelter and food sources.
• Forests play a crucial role in checking soil erosion, preventing denudation, and stabilizing sand dunes.
• Forests are essential for preserving ecological diversity, maintaining balanced ecosystems, and supporting life support systems.

Q.2. Describe scientific forestry.

Ans. A system of cutting trees controlled by the forest department, in which old trees are cut and new ones planted.

• In scientific forestry, diverse natural forests with varied tree species were replaced by monoculture plantations where a single type of tree was systematically planted in neat rows.
• These monoculture plantations are meticulously planned and managed by forest officials. They assess the forest area, calculate the distribution of different tree types, and formulate detailed working plans for sustainable forest management.
• Part of their management strategy involves determining the annual harvest quota for the plantation. Each year, a designated portion of the plantation area is selectively cut down.
• After harvesting, the cleared area is promptly replanted to ensure continuous productivity. The goal is to maintain a cycle where the replanted trees mature and are harvested again in subsequent years.

Q3. What were the different forest acts made by Britishers to control the forests ? 

Answer: The different forest Acts made by Britishers to control the forests were : 

• In 1864 the Indian Forest Act Service was established
• In 1865, the Indian Forest Act was passed
• In 1878 and 1927 the India Forest Act was amended 
• The Act 1878 made three categories of forest that are Reserved Forests, Protected Forest and Village Forest.

 Q.4. What is shifting agriculture? Why was it regarded as harmful by the British? 

Ans. 

• Shifting agriculture, also known as swidden agriculture, is a traditional farming method practiced across various regions including Asia, Africa, and South America. It goes by different local names such as ‘lading’ in South-East Asia, ‘milpa’ in Central America, ‘chitemene’ or ‘tavy’ in Africa, ‘chena’ in Sri Lanka, and various names like dhya, penda, bewar, nevad, jhum, podu, khandad, and kumri in different parts of India.
• In shifting cultivation, farmers clear small sections of forested land by cutting and burning vegetation in a rotational cycle. Seeds are then sown in the nutrient-rich ashes after the first monsoon rains, and crops are typically harvested by October-November.
• These cultivated plots are actively farmed for a few years before being left fallow for an extended period, usually 12 to 18 years, allowing the forest to naturally regenerate.
• Historically, shifting cultivation was criticized by the British colonial administration for its perceived detrimental impact on forests. They believed that land used for periodic cultivation could not sustain the growth of timber for railways. Additionally, the practice of burning fields posed a risk of wildfires that could destroy valuable timber resources.

 Q.5. Explain why did the Dutch adopt the ‘scorched earth policy’ during the war.

Ans. 

• The First World War and Second World War significantly affected forests worldwide.
• In India, forest areas were neglected as laborers left for war efforts, leading to increased unrestricted logging to meet British wartime demands.
• In Java, prior to Japanese occupation, the Dutch implemented a 'scorched earth policy' by destroying sawmills and burning vast teak log stockpiles to prevent them from being used by the Japanese.

 Q.6. How did the forest rules affect cultivation? 

Ans. 

• European colonialism had a significant impact on shifting cultivation practices, also known as swidden cultivation.
• Shifting cultivation involves clearing forest areas, burning them for ashes, scattering seeds, and relying on rain for irrigation.
• Colonial governments viewed shifting cultivation as detrimental to forests and land productivity, complicating tax assessments.
• Consequently, colonial administrations imposed bans on shifting cultivation, leading to forced displacement of many communities.

 Q.7. Why did land under cultivation increase during colonial rule? 

Ans. 

• British colonial policies encouraged the cultivation of cash crops like jute, indigo, and cotton to meet economic needs.
• Food crop cultivation was also promoted to ensure food security.
• Forests were considered unproductive by British authorities, leading to large-scale clearing of forested lands for agriculture.
• This expansion of agricultural land aimed to boost revenue and economic output for the colonial state.

 Q.8. What did Dietrich Brandis suggest for the improvement of forests in India?

Ans. 

• Dietrich Brandis advocated for a systematic approach to forest management.
• He emphasized the protection of forests from excessive felling and grazing.
• Brandis played a crucial role in establishing the Indian Forest Service in 1864.
• He contributed to the formulation of the Indian Forest Act of 1865, which laid down regulations for sustainable forest use and management.

 Q.9. What was taught at the Imperial Forest Research Institute? How was this system carried out?

Ans. 

• The Imperial Forest Research Institute ( was set up at Dehradun in 1906)  focused on teaching scientific forestry.
• Under this system, diverse natural forests were replaced with monoculture plantations of one tree species.
• Trained forest officials managed these plantations, planning the cutting and replanting cycles metculously( accurately/ with caution.)
• They assessed and determined how much of the plantation area needed to be harvested annually and replanted accordingly.

 Q.10. Differentiate between the customary practice of hunting and hunting as a sport in India, after the Forest Acts were passed.

Ans. 

• Before the Forest Acts, local communities hunted birds and small animals for sustenance.
• Post-legislation, hunting big game became a recreational sport.
• Colonial authorities promoted large-scale hunting, leading to the extinction of many species.
• Certain forest areas were designated for exclusive hunting, and rewards were given for killing predators deemed threats to human life.

 Q.11. With the help of an example, show how new opportunities of work did not always mean improved condition of the people during colonial times.

Ans.

• In Assam, new work opportunities arose on tea estates during colonial rule.
• Forest communities like the Anthals, Oraons from Jharkhand, and Gonds from Chhattisgarh lost their traditional livelihoods and were recruited as laborers on tea plantations.
• Despite employment, these workers faced harsh conditions, low wages, and lacked support systems.
• Their migration to tea estates often left them in dire straits, unable to return to their villages due to economic dependence.

 Q.12. How did the spread of railways from the 1850s in India, create a new demand for timber?

OR
 Why was the railway network spread by the British in India from 1850s onwards? Why was there a need for forest timber spread for railways?

Ans. 

• The British expanded the railway network in India from the 1850s onward.
• Timber was crucial for fueling locomotives and constructing railway sleepers.
• With rapid railway expansion after the 1860s, the demand for timber soared.
• Contractors were hired to supply timber, leading to widespread deforestation as trees were indiscriminately felled.
• The increasing length of railway tracks exacerbated the depletion of forests along the railway routes.

Train transporting teak out of the forest

 Q.13. Why were the people of Bastar dissatisfied with the forest policies of the British? 

Ans. The people of Bastar were dissatisfied because of the following —

• 2/3 of forest land being declared reserved area
• ban on shifting cultivation, hunting and gathering of forest products
• people of many villages were displaced without notice or compensation
• increased rent and frequent demand of free labour and goods by colonial officials
• the terrible famines.

 Q.14. Who were the Kalangs? Why did they attack the Dutch forts at Joana?

Ans. 

• The Kalangs were a community in Java known for their skill in forest cutting and shifting cultivation.
• They were crucial for harvesting teak, essential for construction and shipbuilding.
• During Dutch colonization of Java, the Kalangs were forcibly employed by the Dutch.
• In response to their oppression and forced labor, the Kalangs attacked the Dutch fort at Joana as an act of rebellion.

Q.15. What were the consequences of the forest laws which the Dutch enacted in Java?

Ans. 

• The forest laws imposed by the Dutch restricted villagers' access to forests.
• Only specific forests and purposes were permitted for woodcutting, such as boat-making and house construction.
• Violations such as grazing cattle in young forests or transporting wood without permits were met with severe punishments.
• These laws significantly curtailed traditional livelihoods and activities dependent on forest resources.

Q.16. Discuss the link between war and deforestation.
 OR
 Give three ways in which forests in India and Java were affected by the first and second world wars.

Ans. 

• Both World Wars had substantial impacts on forests.
• In India, forests were indiscriminately cut to meet wartime demands.
• In Java, the Dutch implemented a 'scorched earth' policy before the Japanese occupation, burning teak logs and infrastructure to deny them to the enemy.
• During Japanese occupation, forests were exploited extensively for wartime needs, leading to widespread deforestation and environmental degradation.

 Q.17. Mention any three causes of deforestation in India under the colonial rule.

Ans.  Three causes of deforestation in India under the colonial rule are discussed as follows: 

• In the colonial period, cultivation expanded rapidly for various reasons. First the British encouraged the production of commercial crops like jute, sugar, wheat and cotton. The demand for these crops increased in the 19th century and forests were cleared to meet the foodgrains and raw materials needed for industrial growth in Europe.
• The spread of railways from 1850 created a new demand. To run locomotives, wood was needed as fuel and to lay railway lines sleepers were necessary to hold the tracks together. The government gave out contracts to individuals and the contractors began cutting the trees rapidly. Forests around the tracks disappeared.
• Large areas of natural forests were cleared for tea, coffee and rubber plantations. Forests were cleared for them.

 Q.18. What were the three categories of the forest that were divided after the amendment of Forest Act in 1878 in India?

Ans. The three categories of forests were :

(i) reserved,
(ii) protected and
(iii) village forests.

The best forests were called "reserved forests". Villagers could not take anything from these forests, even for their own use. For house building or fuels they could take wood from protected or village forests.

 Q.19. Discuss in brief the Saminist movement of Indonesia.

Ans. 

• Saminist movement was started by Surontiko Samin in the late 19th century, challenging state ownership of forests.
• Samin argued that natural resources like wood could not be owned by the state.
• The movement gained followers who refused to pay taxes or comply with colonial regulations.
• The Dutch responded with repression, but the movement reflected resistance against colonial exploitation of natural resources.

 Q.20. What was the impact of regulation of trade in forest products by the British government in India?

Ans. Trade in forest products was completely regulated by the government. Grazing and hunting by local people were restricted. In the process many nomadic and pastoralist communities like the Korava, Caracha and Yorukula of the Madras Presidency lost their livelihoods. Some of them began to be called "criminal tribes" and were forced to work in factories, mines, plantations. In Assam, both men and women from forest communities like the Santhals and Oraons from Jharkhand, and Gonds from Chhattisgarh were forced to work on tea plantations on low wages and very bad conditions of work.

• Trade in forest products was tightly controlled by the British government.
• Local grazing and hunting rights were restricted, affecting pastoralist and nomadic communities like the Korava, Caracha and Yorukula of the Madras Presidency lost their livelihoods.
• Some communities labeled as 'criminal tribes' were forcibly relocated and exploited in factories, mines, and plantations.
• Forest communities like the Santhals, Oraons, and Gonds were coerced into harsh labor conditions on tea plantations.

 Q.21. In what ways did the development of railways and shipbuilding during colonial rule affect the forests in India?

Ans. 

Railways:

• Contributed to Deforestation: Railway construction required clearing vast tracts of forested land.
• Land Clearing: Forest areas were cleared to lay down railway tracks across India.
• Timber Demand: Railway locomotives needed timber for fuel and sleepers.
• Indiscriminate Logging: Individuals contracted by the British government cut down trees without regard for sustainability.

Ship Building:

• Pre-Industrial Revolution: Ships in the early 19th century were primarily constructed from wood, particularly oak.
• British Naval Needs: Britain's Royal Navy relied on wooden ships to maintain its vast colonial holdings and trade dominance.
• Impact on Oak Forests: To meet naval demands, extensive oak forests in England were depleted.
• Colonial Solution: The British addressed the timber shortage by exploiting forests in their colonies.
• Massive Deforestation: Colonial policies led to the near-complete deforestation of large forested areas.

Q22. What was the Blandongdiensten system?

Ans: 

• The Blandongdiensten system was implemented by the Dutch in Java to meet their timber demands for ship-building and railways.
• Initially, the Dutch imposed rents on cultivated land within forests.
• Villages could be exempted from these rents if they collectively provided free labor and buffaloes for cutting and transporting timber.
• This system required villages to contribute labor and resources to the Dutch colonial timber extraction efforts.
• It facilitated large-scale timber extraction from Java, which was crucial for Dutch economic interests during that period.

Q23. What are the new developments in forestry?

Ans:

• Since the 1980s, governments in Asia and Africa have shifted focus from purely exploitative forestry practices to conservation.
• Scientific forestry practices that previously excluded forest communities are being reevaluated.
• Conservation of forests has become a priority over timber extraction, aiming for sustainable management.
• Many regions in India, such as Mizoram and Kerala, have preserved dense forests through community-led initiatives like sacred groves (sarnas, devarakudu, kan, rai, etc.).
• Local communities are increasingly involved in forest patrolling and management, rotating responsibilities among households.
• Environmentalists and local communities are exploring diverse approaches to forest management that balance conservation and local livelihoods.