NCERT Textbook - Glimpses of the Past | English Class 8 PDF Download

 Page 1


Before you read
Here are some pictorial glimpses of the history of our
country from 1757 to 1857. These pictures and
‘speech bubbles’ will help clarify your understanding
of the conditions that led to the event known as the
First War of Independence in 1857.
At a function in Delhi
Oh my countrymen!
Let your eyes fill with tears,
as you recall the sacrifices of
           India’s martyrs.
1. The Martyrs
Reprint 2024-25
Page 2


Before you read
Here are some pictorial glimpses of the history of our
country from 1757 to 1857. These pictures and
‘speech bubbles’ will help clarify your understanding
of the conditions that led to the event known as the
First War of Independence in 1857.
At a function in Delhi
Oh my countrymen!
Let your eyes fill with tears,
as you recall the sacrifices of
           India’s martyrs.
1. The Martyrs
Reprint 2024-25
With its superior weapons, the British
East India Company was extending its
power in 18th century India.
INDIA 1765
Indian Princes
British
Territory
Indian princes were short-sighted.
That upstart Rajah
Bah! Call the English
merchants. They will
help me to defeat him.
The people had no peace due to such constant fights.
A far-seeing ruler like the
brave Tipu of Mysore
fought the British till he
died fighting!
The rivalries helped the East India Company
and it could easily subdue Indian princes
one by one.
Thank God, there is peace
in the country now! No
more wars and no looting
by thugs !
It is God
who sent
the British!
Our destiny
is linked
with them!
How did Indians react to these conquests?
2.  The Company’s conquests (1757-1849)
The white man has
killed or dethroned
our kings.
Some kings were not
good, but after all,
they were of this land.
Now we have
become slaves
of foreigners!
Glimpses of the Past 37 37 37 37 37
Reprint 2024-25
Page 3


Before you read
Here are some pictorial glimpses of the history of our
country from 1757 to 1857. These pictures and
‘speech bubbles’ will help clarify your understanding
of the conditions that led to the event known as the
First War of Independence in 1857.
At a function in Delhi
Oh my countrymen!
Let your eyes fill with tears,
as you recall the sacrifices of
           India’s martyrs.
1. The Martyrs
Reprint 2024-25
With its superior weapons, the British
East India Company was extending its
power in 18th century India.
INDIA 1765
Indian Princes
British
Territory
Indian princes were short-sighted.
That upstart Rajah
Bah! Call the English
merchants. They will
help me to defeat him.
The people had no peace due to such constant fights.
A far-seeing ruler like the
brave Tipu of Mysore
fought the British till he
died fighting!
The rivalries helped the East India Company
and it could easily subdue Indian princes
one by one.
Thank God, there is peace
in the country now! No
more wars and no looting
by thugs !
It is God
who sent
the British!
Our destiny
is linked
with them!
How did Indians react to these conquests?
2.  The Company’s conquests (1757-1849)
The white man has
killed or dethroned
our kings.
Some kings were not
good, but after all,
they were of this land.
Now we have
become slaves
of foreigners!
Glimpses of the Past 37 37 37 37 37
Reprint 2024-25
Honeydew 38 38 38 38 38
Religious leaders preached ideas like untouchability and child marriage.
The truth was that Indians had lost self-respect.
The British scorned them.
Being merchants, the British wanted quick profits, their
heavy taxes forced farmers to abandon their fields.
All the misery in the
world is due to women.
But your men are
taking all my crop!
You are still in
arrears. If you don’t
pay next week. I will
send you to jail.
The natives are
unworthy of trust,
incapable of
honesty–
True, your honour,
but I am honest.
Still, the British invented other methods
which gave them more profits.
Inevitably famines followed. Between 1822 and
1836 fifteen lakh Indians died of starvation.
The British policies
ruined the expert
artisans and their
business.
A good
idea!
The goods manufactured
in England should not
have any import duty
when brought into India.
The East India Company’s
laws began to cripple
Indian industries.
3.  British Rule (1765-1836)
Anyone who crosses the
seas loses his religion.
Reprint 2024-25
Page 4


Before you read
Here are some pictorial glimpses of the history of our
country from 1757 to 1857. These pictures and
‘speech bubbles’ will help clarify your understanding
of the conditions that led to the event known as the
First War of Independence in 1857.
At a function in Delhi
Oh my countrymen!
Let your eyes fill with tears,
as you recall the sacrifices of
           India’s martyrs.
1. The Martyrs
Reprint 2024-25
With its superior weapons, the British
East India Company was extending its
power in 18th century India.
INDIA 1765
Indian Princes
British
Territory
Indian princes were short-sighted.
That upstart Rajah
Bah! Call the English
merchants. They will
help me to defeat him.
The people had no peace due to such constant fights.
A far-seeing ruler like the
brave Tipu of Mysore
fought the British till he
died fighting!
The rivalries helped the East India Company
and it could easily subdue Indian princes
one by one.
Thank God, there is peace
in the country now! No
more wars and no looting
by thugs !
It is God
who sent
the British!
Our destiny
is linked
with them!
How did Indians react to these conquests?
2.  The Company’s conquests (1757-1849)
The white man has
killed or dethroned
our kings.
Some kings were not
good, but after all,
they were of this land.
Now we have
become slaves
of foreigners!
Glimpses of the Past 37 37 37 37 37
Reprint 2024-25
Honeydew 38 38 38 38 38
Religious leaders preached ideas like untouchability and child marriage.
The truth was that Indians had lost self-respect.
The British scorned them.
Being merchants, the British wanted quick profits, their
heavy taxes forced farmers to abandon their fields.
All the misery in the
world is due to women.
But your men are
taking all my crop!
You are still in
arrears. If you don’t
pay next week. I will
send you to jail.
The natives are
unworthy of trust,
incapable of
honesty–
True, your honour,
but I am honest.
Still, the British invented other methods
which gave them more profits.
Inevitably famines followed. Between 1822 and
1836 fifteen lakh Indians died of starvation.
The British policies
ruined the expert
artisans and their
business.
A good
idea!
The goods manufactured
in England should not
have any import duty
when brought into India.
The East India Company’s
laws began to cripple
Indian industries.
3.  British Rule (1765-1836)
Anyone who crosses the
seas loses his religion.
Reprint 2024-25
Glimpses of the Past 39 39 39 39 39
4.  Ram Mohan Roy  (1772-1833)
Ram Mohan Roy, a learned man from Bengal,
understood what was wrong with the country.
Let us not despise ourselves, our ancient culture is
great. And we are capable of greater achievements.
We must first reform our society.
Superstitions have been
ruining us.
He told his wife Uma–
Cows are of different colours, but
the colour of their milk is the
same. Different teachers have
different opinions but the essence
of every religion is the same.
He was attracted by
science and modern
knowledge.
Knowledge should
be practical and
scientific.
He crossed the seas and
went to England to see what
made the British powerful.
There he told them–
We accept you as rulers,
and you must accept us
as subjects. But you
must remember the
responsibility a ruler
owes to his subjects.
He started
newspapers but
the suspicious
British stopped
them in 1823.
Reprint 2024-25
Page 5


Before you read
Here are some pictorial glimpses of the history of our
country from 1757 to 1857. These pictures and
‘speech bubbles’ will help clarify your understanding
of the conditions that led to the event known as the
First War of Independence in 1857.
At a function in Delhi
Oh my countrymen!
Let your eyes fill with tears,
as you recall the sacrifices of
           India’s martyrs.
1. The Martyrs
Reprint 2024-25
With its superior weapons, the British
East India Company was extending its
power in 18th century India.
INDIA 1765
Indian Princes
British
Territory
Indian princes were short-sighted.
That upstart Rajah
Bah! Call the English
merchants. They will
help me to defeat him.
The people had no peace due to such constant fights.
A far-seeing ruler like the
brave Tipu of Mysore
fought the British till he
died fighting!
The rivalries helped the East India Company
and it could easily subdue Indian princes
one by one.
Thank God, there is peace
in the country now! No
more wars and no looting
by thugs !
It is God
who sent
the British!
Our destiny
is linked
with them!
How did Indians react to these conquests?
2.  The Company’s conquests (1757-1849)
The white man has
killed or dethroned
our kings.
Some kings were not
good, but after all,
they were of this land.
Now we have
become slaves
of foreigners!
Glimpses of the Past 37 37 37 37 37
Reprint 2024-25
Honeydew 38 38 38 38 38
Religious leaders preached ideas like untouchability and child marriage.
The truth was that Indians had lost self-respect.
The British scorned them.
Being merchants, the British wanted quick profits, their
heavy taxes forced farmers to abandon their fields.
All the misery in the
world is due to women.
But your men are
taking all my crop!
You are still in
arrears. If you don’t
pay next week. I will
send you to jail.
The natives are
unworthy of trust,
incapable of
honesty–
True, your honour,
but I am honest.
Still, the British invented other methods
which gave them more profits.
Inevitably famines followed. Between 1822 and
1836 fifteen lakh Indians died of starvation.
The British policies
ruined the expert
artisans and their
business.
A good
idea!
The goods manufactured
in England should not
have any import duty
when brought into India.
The East India Company’s
laws began to cripple
Indian industries.
3.  British Rule (1765-1836)
Anyone who crosses the
seas loses his religion.
Reprint 2024-25
Glimpses of the Past 39 39 39 39 39
4.  Ram Mohan Roy  (1772-1833)
Ram Mohan Roy, a learned man from Bengal,
understood what was wrong with the country.
Let us not despise ourselves, our ancient culture is
great. And we are capable of greater achievements.
We must first reform our society.
Superstitions have been
ruining us.
He told his wife Uma–
Cows are of different colours, but
the colour of their milk is the
same. Different teachers have
different opinions but the essence
of every religion is the same.
He was attracted by
science and modern
knowledge.
Knowledge should
be practical and
scientific.
He crossed the seas and
went to England to see what
made the British powerful.
There he told them–
We accept you as rulers,
and you must accept us
as subjects. But you
must remember the
responsibility a ruler
owes to his subjects.
He started
newspapers but
the suspicious
British stopped
them in 1823.
Reprint 2024-25
Honeydew 40 40 40 40 40
5.  Oppression  (1765-1835)
But the British continued to oppress Indians. In
1818, they had passed Regulation III. Under it, an
Indian could be jailed without trial in a court.
All the time British officers in India
drew big salaries and also made
fortunes in private business.
By 1829, Britain was
exporting British goods
worth seven crore
rupees to India.
The British prospered on
the Company’s loot
while Indian industries
began to die.
Governor-General Bentinck reported
back home –
“The bones of cotton weavers are bleaching
the plains of India.”
Reprint 2024-25