Class 9 History Chapter 1 Question Answers - India and the Contemporary World - 1

Q1: What did the colonial government do to properly control and manage the forest resources in India?
Ans: To control and manage forest resources in India, the British appointed Dietrich Brandis, a German expert, as the first Inspector General of Forests. He introduced a new system and trained people in conservation. The Indian Forest Service was established in 1864, and the Indian Forest Act was introduced in 1865. Grazing, felling of trees, and use of forest produce were made illegal. The British also replaced natural vegetation with single types of trees under the name of scientific forestry.

Q2: What was 'scientific forestry'? Mention its essential features.
Ans: Scientific forestry involved cutting down natural forests with various types of trees and replacing them with a single type of tree planted in straight rows. Forest officials surveyed the forests, estimated the areas under different types of trees, and made working plans for forest management. The plantation area was cut in portions every year, with replanting to ensure a cycle of continuous harvest.

Q3: Mention different things that come from forests.
Ans: 

• The paper in the book, desks and tables, doors and windows, dyes, spices, tendu leaf in bidis, gum, honey, coffee, tea, and rubber. 
• The oil in chocolates, which comes from sal seeds, the tannin used to convert skins and hides into leather, or the herbs and roots used for medicinal purposes. Forests also provide bamboo, wood for fuel, grass, charcoal, packaging, fruits, flowers, animals, birds, and many other things.

Q4: Why were forests cut during the colonial period?
Ans: 

• Oak forests were essential for building ships for the British Royal Navy. As these forests in England began to disappear, search parties were sent to explore the forest resources of India in the 1820s. Trees were felled on a massive scale and vast quantities of timber were exported to England.
• The spread of railways from the 1850s created a new demand for timber. Railway tracks led to extensive felling of trees for sleepers, causing forests around railway tracks to disappear.
• Large areas of natural forests were cleared to make way for tea, coffee and rubber plantations to meet Europe’s growing need for these commodities.

Q5: Why was a vast quantity of timber needed in Europe in the early nineteenth century?
Ans: Oak forests in England were disappearing by the early nineteenth century, causing a shortage of timber for the Royal Navy's shipbuilding needs. As a result, search parties were sent to explore India's forest resources in the 1820s. This led to large-scale tree cutting, with vast quantities of timber being exported to England.

Q6: How did forest rules affect the villagers across the country?
Ans: Forest rules made the villagers' lives miserable by restricting their activities. Everyday practices like cutting wood for houses, grazing cattle, collecting fruits and roots, hunting, and fishing became illegal. People resorted to stealing wood from forests, and if caught, they were at the mercy of forest guards who often demanded bribes. Women collecting fuelwood were particularly affected, as police constables and forest guards would demand free food from them.

Q7: Who were the Kalangs of Java? Write a short note on them.
Ans: The Kalangs of Java were skilled forest cutters and shifting cultivators. They were vital for harvesting teak and building palaces. When the Dutch gained control over the forest in the 18th century, they tried to make the Kalangs work for them, leading to resistance and conflicts. The Kalangs were known for their expertise in forest-related activities.

Q8: What were forest villages?
Ans: Forest villages were villages that were allowed to remain within reserved forests in exchange for free labor to the forest department. These villagers worked on cutting and transporting trees and protecting the forest from fires. People from other villages were displaced without compensation due to the colonial government's forest policies.

Q9: Which factors led to the expansion of cultivation in the colonial period?
Ans: In the colonial period, cultivation expanded rapidly for a variety of reasons:

• The British directly encouraged the production of commercial crops like jute, sugar, wheat and cotton. The demand for these crops increased in the nineteenth century in Europe where foodgrains were needed to feed the growing urban population and raw materials were required for industrial production.
• In the early nineteenth century, the colonial state thought that forests were unproductive. They were considered to be wilderness that had to be brought under cultivation so that the land could yield agricultural products and revenue, and enhance the income of the state.

Q10: How did the British suppress the rebellion in Bastar? What was a major victory for the rebels?
Ans: The British sent troops to suppress the rebellion in Bastar. Adivasi leaders attempted negotiations, but the British surrounded their camps and used force. The British flogged and punished those involved in the rebellion, causing many villages to be deserted. The rebellion took three months to quell. The major victory for the rebels was the temporary suspension of the reservation plan and a reduction in the area to be reserved.

Q11: 'New opportunities of work did not always mean improved well-being for the people'. Explain with examples.
Ans: In Assam, forest communities like Santhals, Oraons, and Gonds were recruited to work on tea plantations, but they faced low wages and poor working conditions. Many pastoralist and nomadic communities lost their livelihoods and were forced to work in factories, mines, and plantations under government supervision. While new opportunities emerged, the quality of life for many did not improve.

Q12: Enlist five facts about the people of Bastar.
Ans:

• Bastar is located in the southernmost part of Chhattisgarh and is home to various communities such as Maria and Muria Gonds, Dhurwas, Bhatras, and Halbas.
• Despite speaking different languages, these communities share common customs and beliefs. They have a strong connection with the land and nature, believing that each village was given its land by the Earth.
• They follow a tradition of respecting the spirits of the Earth, river, forest, and mountain. Each village takes care of the natural resources within its boundaries.
• Inter-village resource use involves small fees or offerings, such as dev sari, dand, or man, when one village seeks to gather resources from another village's forests.
• Villages protect their forests through measures like employing watchmen and contributing grain to pay them. The communities hold annual meetings to discuss issues, including forest management.

Q13: How did forest rules affect shifting cultivation?
Ans:

• European colonialism had a significant impact on shifting cultivation, also known as Swidden agriculture. European foresters considered this practice harmful for forests, believing that land used for cultivation every few years couldn't grow suitable trees for timber.
• Shifting cultivation involves cutting and burning parts of the forest, which was seen as a danger to valuable timber due to the risk of spreading flames.
• The practice complicated tax calculation for the government, leading to its decision to ban shifting cultivation.
• The ban led to the displacement of communities engaged in shifting cultivation from their forest homes.

Q14: Describe why the people of Bastar rebelled against the colonial government?
Ans:
The people of Bastar rebelled against the colonial government due to several reasons:

• The colonial government proposed reserving two-thirds of forests in 1905, which meant stopping shifting cultivation, hunting, and forest product collection. This deeply affected their traditional way of life.
• Some villages were allowed to stay in the reserved forests under the condition of free labor for the forest department, while others were displaced without notice or compensation.
• Severe famines in 1899-1900 and 1907-1908 added to the discontent, aggravating the situation.
• The Dhurwas of the Kanger forest initiated the movement against reservation, led by Gunda Dhur from village Nethanar.
• In 1910, messages inviting rebellion circulated between villages. The rebellion involved looting bazaars, burning official buildings, redistributing resources, and a unified effort to challenge British authority.