Source Based Questions: Colonialism and the Countryside | History Class 12 - Humanities/Arts PDF Download

Q1: Read the source below and answer the questions that follow:

In 1793, the East India Company introduced the Permanent Settlement in Bengal, fixing the revenue demand from the zamindars. The idea was to ensure a regular flow of revenue and encourage agricultural improvement. However, many zamindars failed to pay the fixed revenue, leading to the auctioning of their estates.

i. What was the purpose of the Permanent Settlement in Bengal? (1 mark)
ii. Why did many zamindars fail to pay the fixed revenue? (2 marks)
iii. How did the failure to pay the revenue impact the zamindars' estates? (1 mark)

Ans:
i. The Permanent Settlement aimed to ensure a regular flow of revenue and encourage agricultural improvement by fixing the revenue demand.
ii. Many zamindars failed to pay the fixed revenue because the initial demands were high, agricultural prices were low, and the revenue was invariable, regardless of harvest conditions.
iii. The failure to pay the revenue led to the auctioning of the zamindars' estates, causing loss of land and control.

Q2: Read the source below and answer the questions that follow:

In 1797, during an auction in Burdwan, the estates of the Raja of Burdwan were put up for sale due to unpaid revenue. However, most of the purchases were made by the Raja's servants and agents, and the Raja retained control over his estates despite the public sale.

i. What happened at the auction in Burdwan? (1 mark)
ii. Why was the auction considered "fictitious"? (2 marks)
iii. What does this incident reveal about the control of zamindars over their estates? (1 mark)

Ans:
i. The Raja's estates were auctioned due to unpaid revenue, but most of the purchases were made by his servants and agents.
ii. The auction was considered "fictitious" because the Raja's agents bought the estates on his behalf, and he retained control over them despite the sale.
iii. This incident reveals that zamindars were able to retain control over their estates, even when their land was publicly auctioned.

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Q3: Read the source below and answer the questions that follow:

While many zamindars faced financial difficulties, a new class of rich peasants, known as jotedars, consolidated their power in rural Bengal. They controlled local trade and moneylending, often using sharecropping to cultivate large areas of land.

i. Who were the jotedars, and what role did they play in rural Bengal? (1 mark)
ii. How did the jotedars gain power over zamindars? (2 marks)
iii. What was the relationship between jotedars and poor cultivators? (1 mark)

Ans:
i. The jotedars were rich peasants who controlled local trade, moneylending, and large areas of land. They used sharecropping to cultivate their lands.
ii. Jotedars gained power over zamindars by directly controlling the villages, resisting zamindar efforts to increase taxes, and purchasing zamindari estates during auctions.
iii. The jotedars exploited poor cultivators by controlling the land and resources, often using sharecropping, where the poor cultivators gave up half of their produce to the jotedars.

Q4: Read the source below and answer the questions that follow:

The Paharias, a tribal group in the Rajmahal hills, practiced shifting cultivation and lived off forest produce. They resisted British attempts to clear the forests and turn them into agricultural lands for settled cultivation.

i. Who were the Paharias, and how did they sustain themselves? (1 mark)
ii. Why did the Paharias resist the intrusion of outsiders? (2 marks)
iii. What role did the Paharias play in the larger context of colonial expansion? (1 mark)

Ans:
i. The Paharias were a tribal group who practiced shifting cultivation and lived off forest produce like mahua, silk cocoons, and resin.
ii. The Paharias resisted outsiders because they saw the forest as their home and source of livelihood, and they were hostile to British attempts to clear it for agriculture.
iii. The Paharias played a significant role in resisting British colonial expansion, particularly in the Rajmahal hills, where they fought to protect their land and way of life.

Q5: Read the source below and answer the questions that follow:

The Santhals began to settle in the Rajmahal hills around 1800, clearing forests for agriculture. They were given land by the British and established settlements, displacing the Paharias.

i. Who were the Santhals, and what role did they play in the Rajmahal hills? (1 mark)
ii. How did the Santhals differ from the Paharias in terms of agricultural practices? (2 marks)
iii. How did the British view the Santhals compared to the Paharias? (1 mark)

Ans:
i. The Santhals were settlers who cleared forests in the Rajmahal hills and established agricultural settlements with the encouragement of the British.
ii. Unlike the Paharias, who practiced shifting cultivation, the Santhals adopted settled agriculture, growing crops like rice and cotton.
iii. The British viewed the Santhals as ideal settlers who adopted plough agriculture, while they considered the Paharias as unruly and difficult to govern.

Q6: Read the source below and answer the questions that follow:

In 1855-56, the Santhals rebelled against the British, moneylenders, and zamindars. They were dissatisfied with the heavy taxes, debt bondage, and land control imposed on them.

i. Why did the Santhals revolt in 1855-56? (1 mark)
ii. How did the revolt change the landscape of the Rajmahal hills? (2 marks)
iii. What was the outcome of the Santhal Revolt? (1 mark)

Ans:
i. The Santhals revolted due to oppressive taxes, heavy debt, and the increasing control of zamindars over their lands.
ii. The revolt led to the creation of the Santhal Pargana, a territory set aside for the Santhals, marking the failure of British efforts to pacify them.
iii. The revolt led to the creation of the Santhal Pargana, a region where the Santhals were given special laws to address their grievances.

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Q7: Read the source below and answer the questions that follow:

Francis Buchanan, in his survey of the Rajmahal hills, recorded the practices of the Paharias and described their relationship with the land. He viewed their cultivation as primitive and recommended turning the forests into agricultural lands.

i. What was Buchanan's view of the Paharias' agricultural practices? (1 mark)
ii. How did Buchanan's perspective differ from that of the Paharias? (2 marks)
iii. What did Buchanan recommend for the development of the region? (1 mark)

Ans:
i. Buchanan viewed the Paharias' agricultural practices as primitive, focusing on shifting cultivation.
ii. Buchanan's perspective was shaped by the British colonial agenda, seeking to convert forests into agricultural lands for revenue generation, while the Paharias saw the forest as their home and livelihood.
iii. Buchanan recommended transforming the forests into agricultural lands, encouraging plough agriculture and commercial crop production.

Q8: Read the source below and answer the questions that follow:

In 1875, peasants in the Deccan revolted against the moneylenders, burning their account books and attacking their houses. This revolt was driven by high debt and oppressive lending practices.

i. What triggered the Deccan revolt of 1875? (1 mark)
ii. How did the moneylenders' practices contribute to the peasants' anger? (2 marks)
iii. What was the immediate response of the British authorities to the revolt? (1 mark)

Ans:
i. The Deccan revolt was triggered by high debt and oppressive lending practices by moneylenders.
ii. Moneylenders' practices, such as charging high-interest rates, taking peasants' produce without proper records, and exploiting them during poor harvests, led to widespread anger among the peasants.
iii. The British authorities responded by deploying police and troops, arresting 951 people, and attempting to restore order in the region.

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Q9: Read the source below and answer the questions that follow:

The ryotwari system in the Bombay Deccan directly settled the revenue with individual peasants. However, the system imposed high taxes, leading to widespread debt and peasant unrest.

i. What was the ryotwari system, and how did it affect peasants? (1 mark)
ii. Why was the ryotwari system introduced in the Bombay Deccan? (2 marks)
iii. What was the impact of the ryotwari system on peasant agriculture? (1 mark)

Ans:
i. The ryotwari system directly settled revenue with peasants, but the high taxes led to widespread debt and unrest.
ii. The system was introduced to maximize land revenue by directly taxing peasants, instead of relying on zamindars as intermediaries.
iii. The ryotwari system placed a heavy burden on peasants, causing many to fall into debt and abandon their land.

Q10: Read the source below and answer the questions that follow:

The cotton boom in the 1860s led to an increase in cotton production in the Bombay Deccan. However, the boom also led to heavier debt for many peasants, as they were forced to borrow from moneylenders.

i. What was the cotton boom, and how did it affect peasants in the Bombay Deccan? (1 mark)
ii. How did moneylenders benefit from the cotton boom? (2 marks)
iii. What long-term effects did the cotton boom have on peasant debt in the region? (1 mark)

Ans:
i. The cotton boom was a period of increased cotton production in the Deccan, driven by high demand from Britain during the American Civil War. It caused both growth and debt for peasants.
ii. Moneylenders benefited by extending credit to peasants, securing loans for cotton cultivation, and demanding high interest rates.
iii. The cotton boom led to long-term debt for peasants, as they had to borrow to pay for cultivation and were trapped in a cycle of debt.