Class 8 History Chapter 6 Question Answers - Our Pasts III (Part - II)

Q1. Why did Phule dedicate his book Gulamgiri to the American movement to free slaves?
Ans: In 1873, Phule wrote a book titled Gulamgiri, which means slavery. This was about ten years after the American Civil War, which ended slavery in the United States.

Phule dedicated his book to:

• All Americans who fought to free slaves.
• Highlight the connection between the struggles of the lower castes in India and the black slaves in America.

This dedication expressed hope that, similar to the end of slavery in America, there would one day be an end to all forms of caste discrimination in Indian society.

Q2. What do you know about Tarabai Shinde and Pandita Ramabai? What did they do for improving the condition of women?
Ans: Tarabai Shinde was educated at home in Poona and authored the book Stripurushtulna (A Comparison between Women and Men). In her work, she:

• Criticised the social inequalities between men and women.
• Highlighted the need for women's rights and equality.

Pandita Ramabai was a renowned Sanskrit scholar who believed that Hinduism oppressed women. Her contributions include:

• Writing about the harsh realities faced by upper-caste Hindu women.
• Establishing a widows' home in Poona to support widows mistreated by their families.
• Providing training for women to help them achieve economic independence.
  
  

Q3. In the British period, what new opportunities opened up for people who came from castes that were regarded as “low”?
Ans: During the British period, several new opportunities emerged for individuals from castes considered "low". These included:

• Employment in factories and municipal jobs.
• Urban expansion created a demand for labour, leading to jobs such as diggers, bricklayers, and sewage cleaners.
• Work in plantations in regions like Assam, Mauritius, Trinidad, and Indonesia.
• Opportunities in the army, where many Mahar people, regarded as untouchable, found roles in the Mahar Regiment.

These opportunities allowed individuals to escape the oppressive conditions imposed by upper-caste landowners, offering a chance for a better life.

Q4. ‘Movements were organised by people from within the lower castes against caste discrimination’. Explain.
Ans: By the late nineteenth century, individuals from the Non-Brahman castes began to form movements against caste discrimination, advocating for social equality and justice. Key movements included:

• Satnami Movement: Founded by Ghasidas in Central India, this movement aimed to uplift the social status of leatherworkers.
• Matua Sect: In eastern Bengal, Haridas Thakur worked with Chandala cultivators, challenging Brahmanical texts that supported the caste system.
• Shri Narayana Guru: In present-day Kerala, this Ezhava caste leader promoted unity and argued against caste-based inequality, famously stating, "one caste, one religion, one god for humankind."

These movements were led by figures from Non-Brahman castes who sought to change practices that led to contempt from dominant castes, fostering a sense of self-esteem among the subordinate castes.

Q5. How did women involve themselves in their upliftment?
Ans: By the 1880s, Indian women began to enter universities. Their involvement in upliftment included:

• Training as doctors and teachers.
• Writing and publishing critical views on women's roles in society.
• Notable figures like Tarabai Shinde published works such as Stripurushtulna, which challenged social inequalities between men and women.
• Pandita Ramabai founded a widows' home in Poona to support mistreated widows, providing them with skills for economic independence.

By the end of the nineteenth century, women were actively working for reform:

• They wrote books, edited magazines, and founded schools and training centres.
• Women established associations and formed political pressure groups advocating for female suffrage and improved health care and education.

In the early twentieth century, leaders like Jawaharlal Nehru and Subhas Chandra Bose supported women's rights, promising full suffrage after Independence.

Q6. Why were Christian missionaries attacked by many people in the country? Would some people have supported them too? If so, for what reasons?
Ans: Christian missionaries faced attacks from many people in the country for several reasons:

• They established schools for tribal groups and children from lower castes.
• They opposed traditional practices like the caste system and sati, and promoted the education of girls.
• Many orthodox individuals believed that missionaries were interfering in their religious matters.
• There was a widespread belief that the ultimate goal of missionaries was to convert people to Christianity.

Despite the opposition, some people supported the missionaries:

• Progressive Indians, including reformers and intellectuals, backed their efforts for social change.
• Individuals from various tribes and lower castes who benefited from the missionaries' reform activities also showed their support.
  
  

Q7. Why were Jyotirao Phule and Ramaswamy Naicker critical of the national movement? Did their criticism help the national struggle in any way?

Ans: Jyotirao Phule and Ramaswamy Naicker were critical of the national movement for several reasons:

• Phule's Perspective:
  • He argued that the movement was dominated by upper-caste leaders.
  • Phule feared that once the British left, upper castes would continue to oppress lower castes.
  • He believed this would lead to further division among the people.
• Naicker's Experience:
  • Initially a member of Congress, he later realised it was not free from casteism.
  • At a Congress feast, he observed separate seating for upper and lower castes.
  • This led him to conclude that lower castes needed to fight for their own rights.

Their criticisms contributed to the nationalist movement by:

• Encouraging lower-caste leaders to speak out through speeches and writings.
• Prompting some upper-caste leaders to reflect on their practices and attitudes.
  
  

Q8. What did Raja Ram Mohan Roy do to end the practice of sati?
Ans: Raja Ram Mohan Roy was deeply concerned about the challenges faced by widows. He launched a campaign against the practice of sati, where widows were forced to self-immolate on their husband's funeral pyre.

• Roy was knowledgeable in Sanskrit, Persian, and various Indian and European languages.
• Through his writings, he argued that widow burning had no basis in ancient texts.
• By the early 19th century, many British officials were critical of Indian customs, making them receptive to Roy's ideas.
• His efforts led to the banning of sati in 1829.

Roy's approach influenced later reformers, who also sought to challenge harmful practices by referencing ancient texts to support their views.

Q9. How did Jyotirao the reformers justify their criticism of caste inequality in society?
Ans: Jyotirao Phule developed his own ideas about the injustices of the caste system. He rejected the Brahmins' claim of superiority based on their Aryan heritage. Instead, he argued that:

• The Aryans were outsiders who conquered the true inhabitants of the land.
• As the Aryans gained power, they viewed the indigenous people as inferior, labelling them as low-caste.
• The so-called upper castes had no rightful claim to land and power; it belonged to the indigenous low castes.

Phule believed that before Aryan rule, there was a golden age where warrior-peasants governed fairly. He urged the Shudras (labouring castes) and Ati Shudras (untouchables) to unite against caste discrimination. He founded the Satyashodhak Samaj to promote caste equality.

Phule was also critical of upper-caste leaders who preached anti-colonial nationalism, arguing that they concealed their oppressive actions while posing as patriots. He emphasised the need for unity among all castes to achieve progress.

Q10. Give an account of the movement that spread in different parts of the country in favour of widow remarriage. Did the movement get success?

Ans: By the second half of the nineteenth century, the movement for widow remarriage expanded across India:

• In the Telugu-speaking regions of the Madras Presidency, Veerasalingam Pantulu established an association to promote widow remarriage.
• Young reformers in Bombay also committed to this cause.
• In northern India, Swami Dayanand Saraswati, founder of the Arya Samaj, supported widow remarriage.

Despite these efforts, the movement faced significant challenges:

• The actual number of widows who remarried remained low.
• Those who did remarry often faced societal rejection.
• Conservative groups continued to oppose the new laws.
  
  

Q11. Why were changes necessary in Indian society?

Ans: Changes were necessary in Indian society due to various harmful practices that had persisted for a long time. Some of these practices included:

• Child marriage: Many children were married at a young age.
• Polygamy: Both Hindu and Muslim men were allowed to have multiple wives.
• Sati: In some regions, widows were glorified if they chose to die on their husband's funeral pyre.
• Property rights: Women's rights to inherit property were severely limited.
• Lack of education: Most women had little to no access to education.
• Caste divisions: Society was divided by caste, with Brahmans and Kshatriyas viewing themselves as "upper castes."

These social customs highlighted the urgent need for reform in Indian society.

Q12. Who was E.V. Ramaswamy Naicker? What did he do to improve the condition of untouchables?

Ans: E.V. Ramaswamy Naicker, commonly known as Periyar, was a prominent social reformer from a middle-class background. He initially lived as an ascetic and studied Sanskrit scriptures extensively.

His journey into activism began when he became disillusioned with the Indian National Congress. He was particularly upset by a feast where caste distinctions dictated seating arrangements, forcing lower castes to sit away from upper castes.

To advocate for the rights of the untouchables, Periyar founded the Self Respect Movement. His key beliefs included:

• Untouchables were the true guardians of an original Tamil and Dravidian culture, which had been oppressed by Brahmins.
• Religious authorities perpetuated social divisions and inequality, viewing them as divinely ordained.
• To achieve social equality, untouchables needed to liberate themselves from all religions.

Periyar was also a vocal critic of Hindu scriptures, particularly the Codes of Manu and texts like the Bhagavad Gita and Ramayana, arguing that these works reinforced the authority of Brahmins and the subjugation of lower castes.