WBBSE Class 10 History Solutions Chapter 4 Early Stages of Collective Action: Characteristics and Analyses

Detailed explanations in West Bengal Board Class 10 History Book Solutions Chapter 4 Early Stages of Collective Action: Characteristics and Analyses offer valuable context and analysis.

WBBSE Class 10 History Chapter 4 Question Answer – Early Stages of Collective Action: Characteristics and Analyses

Class 10 History Chapter 4 Question Answer WBBSE – Very Short Answer Questions (1 Mark)

Question 1.
What was the character of the risings in the era prior to the Revolt of 1857?
Answer:
The risings of the pre-Revolt period were local in nature and had not assumed an all-india character.

Question 2.
What was the incident that took place at Barrackpore, near Calcutta on 29 March 1857?
Answer:
Incident was that Mangal Pandey, a sepoy of the Bengal regiment fired a shot at a European officer.

Question 3.
How did the Revolt of 1857 break out on 10 May 1857 ?
Answer:
On 10 May the sepoys of Meerut in Uttar Pradesh broke out in revolt and that was how the Revolt of 1857 began.

Question 4.
Who was declared the Emperor of India by the rebels?
Answer:
After the capture of the city of Delhi the rebels proclaimed Bahadur Shah II, the then Mughal Emperor as the ‘Emperor of India’.

Question 5.
How did the Rani of Jhansi sacrifice her life ?
Answer:
Lakshmi Bai, the Rani of Jhansi, put up stubborn resistance and she died fighting the British troops on 17 June 1857.

Question 6.
What part did Kunwar Singh play in the Revolt of 1857 ?
Answer:
Kunwar Singh freed parts of Bihar from the clutches of the British, and also helped the rebel forces of Lucknow and Kanpur in their fight against the British.

Question 7.
What was the fate of the Mughal Emperor after the British had recaptured Delhi and suppressed the Revolt ?
Answer:
After the British had recaptured Delhi and suppressed the rebels the Mughal Emperor, Bahadur Shah II was exiled to Rangoon (Yangong) and his Sons were captured and killed.

Question 8.
Were the British successful in creating a divide between Hinis and Muslims during the course of the Revolt of 1857 ?
Answer:
Despite the British attempt to create a Hindu-Muslim divide the two communities fought shoulder-to-shoulder against the colonial British rulers.

Question 9.
What was the opinion of V.D Savarkar regarding the Revolt of 1857 ?
Answer:
V.D. Savarkar described the Revolt as the ‘Indian War of Independence’ and there by drafted it into the historiography of Indian nationalism.

Question 10.
Did the middle class intelligentsia support the Revolt of 1857?
Answer:
No, the middle class intelligentsia did not support the Revolt of 1857 because they considered the rebels as the elements of social reaction.

Question 11.
What was the apprehension of the Bengali middle class in the success of the rebels ?
Answer:
In the success of the Revolt the Bengali middle class apprehended the return of old social order with all its reactionary principles and ideals.

Question 12.
Why did the British Government of England bring an end to the Company’s rule in India after the Revolt of 1857 ?
Answer:
The Company’s rule in India was brought to an end because the Revolt exposed the danger in allowing a commercial organization to rule over a country.

Question 13.
What was said in the Queen’s Proclamation about the government in india ?
Answer:
In her Proclamation Queen Victoria announced certain changes in the governmental policy henceforth to be pursued by the British Government in India.

Question 14.
Since when did political associations start functioning in India?
Answer:
In India, under the British colonial rule, it was not before the 30s of the nineteenth century that political associations started functioning.

Question 15.
Which was the first political association of India?
Answer:
The Bangabhasa Prakashika Sabha of Bengal is regarded as the first political association of India.

Question 16.
How is It known that the members of the Bangabhasa Prakashika Sabha discussed about matters affecting the Interests of the country adversely?
Answer:
It is known from a report published in the 17th December edition of Jnartanneshan that members of the Sabha in a meeting agreed to discuss matters that would affect the country adversely.

Question 17.
In what way did the Landholders’ Society serve the interests of the country and her people?
Answer:
The Society helped to create some ground of meeting between the Indian landholders and the Englishmen on an equal footing.

Question 18.
What was the contributions of the Landholders’ Society ?
Answer:
The contribution of the Landholders’ Society was that it paved the way how it was possible for the Indian people to work in close association with the well-wishers of India in Britain for redress of genuine grievances.

Question 19.
How was the Indian Association formed?
Answer:
The Indian Association was organized in 1876 through the efforts of Surendranath Banerjee at the Albert Hall at College Street in Kolkata.

Question 20.
Write one of the main political objectives of the indian Association.
Answer:
One of the main political objectives of the Indian Association was to create a strong body of public opinion all over the country.

Question 21.
What effort was made by Surendranath Banerjee to make the Indian Association a national body?
Answer:
In order to make the Indian Association a national body Surendranath Banerjee undertook a country wide tour.

Question 22.
Who made the word ‘national’ popular among the educated Bengalis?
Answer:
It was Nabagopal Mitra who made the word ‘national’ popular among the educated people of Bengal.

Question 23.
Mention one of the objectives of the Hindu Mela.
Answer:
One of the objectives of the Hindu Mela was to foster the spirit of self-help which was considered essential for the progress and welfare of the nation.

Question 24.
What was the contribution of the Hindu Mela towards the cultivar development ?
Answer:
The Hindu Mela worked for the development of national literature, national song, national gymnastics, etc.

Question 25.
How did the Hindu Mela help the national movement?
Answer:
The Hindu Mela by fostering the spirit of self-help paved the way for foundation of the national movement.

Question 26.
How did literature pave the way for rousing national consciousness?
Answer:
Literature of protest and patriotism in the form of novel poetry, drama, etc. played an important role in arousing national consciousness among the indian people.

Question 27.
How did Bankim Chandra’s Anandamath serve as an inspiration to the freedom-fighters ?
Answer:
Anandamath contains the song Bande Mataram and served as an inspiration to the Bengali revolutionaries early in the twentieth century.

Question 28.
What was predicted by Vivekananda in his Bartaman Bharat?
Answer:
In his Bartaman Bharat Vivekananda predicted of forming a state in which the knowledge of the priest period, the culture of the military, the distributive spirit of the commercial and the ideal of equality of the labour class would be brought into harmony.

Question 29.
In what background was Gora composed by Rabindranath?
Answer:
It was in the background of the Partition of Bengal that Rabindranath Tagore composed his novel Cora.

Question 30.
In which style of art was the Bharatmata painted by Abanindranath Tagore ?
Answer:
Abanindranath Tagore painted the Bharatmata in the Japanese style of art.

Question 31.
Mention one of the famous cartoons of Gaganendranath Tagore.
Answer:
One of the famous cartoons of Gaganendranath was the ‘University Machine’.

Class 10 History Chapter 4 Questions and Answers WBBSE – Short Answer Questions (2 Marks)

Question 1.
What was the nature of risings that took place in the pre-1857 era ?
Answer:
According to one estimate the Indian people raised their voice of protest as many as 54 times prior to the Revolt of 1857. The risings, however, were essentially local in nature. These did not assume an all-india character.

Question 2.
What was the incident in which Mangal Pandey was arrested and then hanged?
Answer:
At Barrackpore, near Calcutta, Mangal Pandey, a sepoy of the Bengal regiment fired a shot at a European officer. Despite order from the European officer none came forward to arrest him. Subsequently, Mangal Pandey was arrested and later on hanged.

Question 3.
How did the common people participate in the Revolt of 1857 ?
Answer:
In the Revolt of 1857 the sepoys were the first to burst out in revolt. Sepoys were soon accompanied by rebellion in the cities and country sides. In several places joining of different classes of civilian population gave the Revolt a greater dimension.

Question 4.
How was the British attempt to create a Hindu-Muslim divide foiled ?
Answer:
Despite British attempt to create Hindu-Muslim divide the two communities fought shoulder to shoulder during the Revolt of 1857 against the British colonists. Moreover, the Azimgarh Proclamation clearly stated the Hindus and Muslims were being ruined under the oppression of the treacherous British rulers. This was how the British attempt to create a divide was foiled.

Question 5.
Was the Revolt of 1857 a ‘national rising’ ?
Answer:
While some are in favour of calling the Revolt a ‘national rising’ others view the Revolt simply as a rising of the sepoys. In this context it may be said that a national rising does not require participation of all people. Hence the Revolt of 1857 may well be considered as a ‘national rising’.

Question 6.
Why was the Bengali intelligentsia opposed to the Revolt of 1857 ?
Answer:
The Bengali intelligentsia opposed the Revolt of 1857 because they considered the rebel sepoys as the allies of social reaction. They apprehended that in the event of success of the revolt there would be a return of the old social order and reactionary ideals. Thus the Bengali intelligentsia was opposed to the Revolt of 1857.

Question 7.
What was the impact of the Revolt of 1857 on indian administration ?
Answer:
The major impact was the end of the Company’s rule in India and its transfer to the British Crown. The supreme executive authority, so far called the ‘Governor-General of India’, henceforth came to be known as the ‘Governor-General and Viceroy’. There was also the reorganization of army and civil administration.

Question 8.
What was the Queen’s Proclamation?
Answer:
The Queen’s Proclamation issued in the name of Queen Victoria of England announced the change in the administration of india. It was through the Queen’s Proclamation that the honourific title of Viceroy was added to the ‘Governor-General of India’. The Proclamation also announced certain changes in the governmental policy henceforth to be pursued by the British government in India.

Question 9.
What is the importance of the Bangabhasa Prakashika Sabhal as the first political association of India ?
Answer:
Despite failure of the Bangabhasa Prakashika Sabha it must be admitted that it paved the way for later attempt at formation of political associations. Inspired by the example of the Bangabhasa Prakashika Sabha many such associations came to be established.

Question 10.
What did the Landholders’ Society promote interests of the people ?
Answer:
In the absence of contemporary records it is not definitely known how the Landholders’ Society promoted interests of the people. But there is no denying the fact that it helped to create some ground of meeting between the Indian landholders and the Englishmen on equal footing. The Society also broadened the political outlook of the educated indians.

Question 11.
What were the objectives of the Indian Association (Bharat Sabha)?
Answer:
The Indian Association (or Bharat Sabha) was established with four main objectives. These were : Creation of a strong body of public opinion; to unite various people of India on the basis of a common political ideal; promotion of friendly relations between the Hindus and Muslims. It also wanted to rally the masses in the great political movement of the day.

Question 12.
What were the objectives of the Hindu Mela ?
Answer:
The objectives of the Hindu Mela were : To foster the spirit of self help that was essential for the progress of the nation ; national progress, national unity and self-sufficiency were to be other goals; the Mela also wanted to help building up of Indian economy.

Question 13.
What were the contributions of the Hindu Mela ?
Answer:
In the melas or fairs organized by the Hindu Mela various indigenous products of arts and crafts were displayed which encouraged the native producers. The Hindu Mela also worked for the development of national literature, national songs, national gymnastics, etc. The Mela by fostering the spirit of self-help paved the way for foundation of the national movement.

Question 14.
What did Vivekananda say in the closing paragraph of the Bartaman Bharat ?
Answer:
Vivekananda titled the closing paragraph of the Bartaman Bharat as Swadesh Mantra. It is a magical chant addressed to every Indian. It is a call to arise and awake to.

Question 15.
What does the painting of Bharatmata by Abanindranath Tagore signify ?
Answer:
The painting Bharatmata evokes the memory of the first stanza of the Bande Mataram hymn. The Mother in the picture is beautiful and bountiful. Her feet are delicate, her head is surrounded by a halo indicating her divinity.

WBBSE Class 10 History Chapter 4 Questions and Answers – Analytical Answer Questions (4 Marks)

Question 1.
What was the social factor responsible for the causation of the Revolt of 1857?
Answer:
The social factor in the Revolt of 1857 was provided by the racial arrogance of the British and the consequent difference between the ruler and the ruled.

• The British, unlike the foreigners who had come to India prior to them, did not build up any social relations with the Indians.
• The arrogance of the British officers alienated the Indians completely from the alien rulers.
• Result was that the Indians never looked upon the British in India as their benefactor. Thus each of their moves aroused suspicion amongst the Indians.
• For example, reforms like the prohibition of sati and other social reforms, otherwise beneficial, appeared to the Indians as an attempt to Westernize the ancient people.
• All this generated a hateful wrath among the Indians against the British rulers that burst out in the Revolt of 1857.

Question 2.
What was the economic cause of the Revolt of 1857 ?
Answer:
The basis of British imperialism was economic exploitation of the colonial people. The new economic policy introduced by the British proved disastrous for the peasantry, artisans, traders, all alike.

• Since the time of the Industrial Revolution in England the real motive of the British was to convert India into a dumping ground for British industrial goods, and to ruin Indian industry and trade.
• As a result of the new economic policy of the British the handicraftsmen and artisans were thrown out of employment.
• Peasants were impoverished. Imposition of heavy tax ruined them.
• Besides, creation of private property in land as affected the peasantry adversely. They could be evicted from their land.
• All those who suffered under the British misrule availed themselves of the opportunity provided by the Revolt of 1857.

Question 3.
Write in short about the political cause of the Revolt of 1857.
Answer:
The annexationist policy of the British rulers like Lord Wellesley and Lord Daihousie created an atmosphere of discontent amongst the people of the native states of india.

• After the Battle of Plassey the British following an annexationist policy built up their Indian empire. Native states were annexed one after another.
• Particularly the annexations of Lord Dalhousie through the Doctrine of Lapse made many of the native ruling houses sullen and discontented.
• Jhansi, Jaitpur, Sambalpur, Satara, etc. were annexed one after another. But the annexation of Oudh on the ground of maladministration agitated even the sepoys of the Company as many of them were recruited from Oudh.
• The end of the rule of the native princes affected the people in many other ways. The people serving under the native princes were thrown out of employment.
• The native princes as also the people of the respective states who were distressed were waiting for an opportunity of revenge. Thus many native princes rallied against the British when the Revolt broke out in 1857.

Question 4.
Why did the introduction of the Enfield Rifle aggrieve the indian sepoys?
Or
What was the immediate cause of the Revolt of 1857 ?
Answer:
During the hundred years of British rule different sections of indian population were badly affected by the policies of the British government in india.

• In the mid 19th century when the atmosphere was surcharged with anti-British feeling the episode of greased cartridge provided the spark of the Revolt of 1857.
• The new Enfield rifle introduced in India by the British army needed a special type of cartridge that had a greased cover.
• The paper had to be bitten off before the cartridge was loaded into the rifle.
• The grease used in the paper was alleged to be made of beef and pig fat that enraged both the Hindu and Muslim sepoys.
• Both the religious communities felt that their religions were at stake. This worked as a spark in the magazine room and the Revolt began.

Question 5.
Would you say that the Hindus and Muslims co-operated with each other during the Revolt of 1857 ?
Answer:
Despite British attempt to create division between the Hindus and Muslims the two communities fought shoulder to shoulder against their common enemy, the British.

• There is no shred of doubt that the British tried in all possible ways to transform the joint Hindu-Muslim struggle into a communal war between the two communities.
• But this was unsuccessful as it was realized that any Hindu-Muslim divide was sure to weaken the combined strength to fight the British.
• A Proclamation was issued in Delhi that urged upon the Hindus and Muslims to unite against the British infidels in the name of their respective religions.
• The Muslim religious millenarians (believer in the future days of happiness) also issued similar proclamations urging upon the Hindus and Muslims to stand unitedly against the firinghees (British).
• Thus it is evident from what is stated above that the Hindus and Muslims co-operated with each other against the British.

Question 6.
Write in short about the characteristic features of the Revolt of 1857.
Answer:
The characteristic features of the Revolt of 1857 were many as they were varied.

• First of all the sepoys was followed or accompanied by a rebellion in the city and countryside. In several places the common people rose in revolt even before the sepoys.
• Not only that, in some places the people came forward to fight against the British army with ordinary weapons.
• Another characteristic feature of the Revolt of 1857 was that the rebels burnt the government records as what they did to the account books of the moneylenders and sowcars.
• Despite the British attempt to create a Hindu-Muslim divide the two communities fought shoulder to shoulder against the British colonial rulers in the revolt.
• An important feature of the Revolt was that in some areas of Uttar Pradesh and Bihar peasants and artisans rebelled against the foreign rulers. Moreover, they targeted the new zamindars that were considered the agents of the British.

Question 7.
Determine the character of the Revolt of 1857.
Or
Determine the nature of the Revolt of 1857.
Answer:
Opinions are sharply divided as regards the character of the Revolt of 1857. While some are of the opinion that it was nothing more than a revolt of the sepoys there are others who call it either a ‘war of independence’ or a popular revolt.

• The old school of historians found it difficult to call the Revolt of 1857 a ‘war of arvelousce’ on the ground that there was no plan, no co
  ordination among the rebels of different parts of the country.
• Dr. S.N. Sen argued that the Revolt was not merely a rising of the sepoys. According to him, a national rising does not require participation of all people.
• Modern historians on the basis of available documents have come to the conclusion that though began with the rising of the sepoys the Revolt soon was joined by common people. As such the Revolt assumed the character of a popular revolt.
• Moreover, participation of common people with primitive weapons,indeed, speaks in favour of the Revolt of 1857 being a popular revolt.

Question 8.
What were the direct effects of the Revolt of 1857 ?
Answer:
The direct effects of the Revolt of 1857 may be summed up in the following words :

• The Revolt of 1857 exposed the danger of allowing a commercial organization to rule over a country.
• Consequently, the British Parliament by an Act transferred the control of the country’s government from the East India Company to the British Crown.
• Victoria, the Queen of England by a Proclamation assumed directly the responsibility of the Indian administration in her own hands.
• In accordance with the Queen’s Proclamation the honorific title of Viceroy was added to the Governor-General of India. Lord Canning thus became the first ‘Viceroy and Governor-General of India’.

Question 9.
What were the indirect results of the Revolt of 1857 ?
Answer:
Far more important than the direct results were the indirect ones which followed the Revolt of 1857. These were as follows :

• After the Revolt the difference between the ruler and the ruled widened further.
• The British in order to retain their supremacy in india deliberately followed a policy of communal disharmony.
• The post-1857 days of the British rule was marked by a new era of economic exploitation by the British in India.
• During the period following the Revolt of 1857 the British government in India pursued a policy of opposing the educated middle class. Simultaneously it supported the landlords (zamindars) and native princes.
• After the Revolt of 1857 was over the British government thoroughly reorganized its administrative apparatus.

Question 10.
What was the Queen’s Proclamation?
Answer:
The Queen’s Proclamation formally announced the taking over of the Indian administration by the British Crown. According to the British system of govenment, though Parliament is the supreme body. all the functions of the government are performed in the name of the Crown. Obviously, Victoria, the then Queen of England, finally announced the assumption of the indian government by the Crown acting through the British government by a proclamation. This was formally announced by Lord Canning at a Durbar held at Allahabad (November, 1858).

In the Durbar Canning read out the ‘Queen’s Proclamation’. This was how there was the beginning of the British Raj instead of the rule of the Company Bahadur. Formally, the administrative responsibility was vested in a minister of the British Cabinet, known as the ‘Secretary of State for India’.

Question 11.
What was the importance of the Queen’s Proclamation?
Answer:
Victoria, the then Queen of England, announced the assumption of the Indian government by the Crown by a Proclamation. This was formally announced by Lord Canning, the then Governor-General of India at a Durbar held at Allahabad in November, 1858. The Queen’s Proclamation, after the end of the Company’s rule in India, put forward the future agenda of the British government in England for the administration of India.

The importance of the Queen’s Proclamation lies in the commitments Queen Victoria had made to the people of India through it. She promised, through the Proclamation, to open administrative services to all irrespective of race and creed. The Queen assured the native princes that they would be safe and promised the middle class to widen the opportunities for their advancement. Despite all the promises it, however, soon became clear to all that they would be honoured more in their non-implementation rather than implementation.

Question 12.
Why did the educated Bengali middle class Bengali intelligentsia not support the rebels of the Revolt of 1857?
Or
What was the attitude of the Bengali middle class intelligentsia towards the Revolt of 1857?
Answer:
The Bengali intelligentsia was apathetic to the Revolt of 1857. This is such a ticklish problem that none has been able to offer any satisfactory explanation as to why the intellectuals did not lend support to the rebels. However, some possibilities may be discussed.

• One explanation is that the Bengali intellectuals were opposed to the Revolt because they considered the rebels as allies of social reaction.
• There were also socio-economic reasons why the middle-class intelligentsia opposed the Revolt. The intellectuals belonged to the well to-do family that had been the product of the colonial structure.
• In the success of the Revolt the middle class saw the return of the old social order with all its reactionary principles and ideals.
• Thus the middle-class Bengali intellectuals had no option but to oppose the revolt of 1857.

Question 13.
Was the Bangabhasa Prakashika Sabha, the first politicalasiation of india successful
Answer:
Details about the activities of the Bangabhasa Prakashika Sabha is not available. But whatever little is known from its reference in different contemporary newspapers it may be said that the Sabhez was not very successful in its mission. The members had decided to convene a meeting to consider the propriety of sending a memorandum in protest against the governmental measures.

But it is not known if any such meeting was ever held. Dr. Ramesh Chandra Majumder commenting on the Bangabhasa Prakashika Sabha pointed out that the failure of the association was due to the ‘lack of unity’ amongst its members. It must, however, be said that despite failure of the Sabha it paved the way for later organizational attempt at the formation of political associations.

Question 14.
What were the achievements of the Zamindary Association (Landholder’s Society)
Answer:
The Zamindary Association was the first association organized in 1837 in Calcutta with distinctive political outlook. The very next year (1838) the Association changed its name to the Landholders’ Society.

• The Landholders’ Society was looked upon ‘as the pioneer of freedom in this country’. It gave to the people the first lesson in the art of fighting constitutionally for their rights.
• Ostensibly the Society advocated the rights of the zamindars, but as their rights were intimately linked with those of the ryots the one could not be separated from the other.
• The Landholders’ Society also set up the example of working in close association with the well-wishers of India in Britain for getting their grievances redressed.
• The above are some of the achievements of the Landholdes Society.

Question 15.
With what objectives was the Indian Association formed ?
Answer:
The Indian Association was organized on 26 July 1876. The inaugural meeting was held at the Albert Hall in Calcutta. Ananda Mohan Basu was the first elected secretary, and Akshay Chandra Sarkar, the Assistant Secretary of the Association. The aims and objectives of the Indian Association were stated to be as follows :

• The creation of a strong body of public opinion in the country.
• The unification of the Indian races and peoples upon the basis of common political interests and aspirations.
• The promotion of friendly feelings between Hindus and Muslims.
• The inclusion of the masses in the great public movement of the day.

Question 16.
What did Abanindranath express through his paintings?
Answer:
Since 1806 Abanindranath’s paintings were designed as organized protests against foreign influences.

• The paintings also meant passion for artistic expression through indigenous forms.
• It may be said that his attitude towards indian culture was more intensely national than that of any exponents of national literature.
• In the early Swadeshi days Abanindranath had been a sincere worker in the cause under the guidance of Rabindranath Tagore. Never did he forsake the spirit of Swadeshi.
• Through the new school of painting (Bengal School of Painting) founded by him Abanindranath addressed the cultural side of the Swadeshi Movement.
• Commenting on the achievements of Abanindranath in the sphere of art Sri Aurobindo Bose had remarked that the Bengal School of Painting was the antidote (corrective measure) for the bad taste generated by the British system of education.

Class 10 History Chapter 4 Questions and Answers West Bengal Board – Explanatory Answer Questions (8 Marks)

Question 1.
What was the immediate cause of the Revolt of 1857 ? What was the role of common people in it ?
Answer:
a. Immediate Cause of the Revolt : Various causes were responsible for the Revolt of 1857. Political, social, economic, military and other factors contributed to the making of the Revolt of 1857. When the atmosphere was surcharged with an anti-British feeling the episode of the greased cartridges provided the spark which turned it into a conflagration.

The new ‘Enfield Rifle’ introduced by the British in the army needed a special type of cartridge which had a greased paper cover. This paper had to be bitten off before the cartridge was loaded into the rifle. The grease used in the paper was made of beef and pig fat. This enraged both the Hindu and the Muslim sepoys. Both the religious communities felt that their religions were at stake. This worked as a spark in the magazine room and the Mutiny began.

b. Role of the Common People : The Revolt of 1857 did not remain confined to the sepoys of the British army in India. In fact, different shades of ordinary people joined the revolts in various places of Northern India. Prof. Satish Chandra has commented that in Bihar and Uttar Pradesh the Revolt of 1857 assumed a mass character due to the participation of the peasants and artisans. At Kanpur the ordinary people were led by Nana Saheb. Responding to his call even the villagers came out openly with primitive weapons to resist the foreign army.

Question 2.
What were the characteristic features of the Revolt of 1857? How did Mangal Pandey become a martyr?
Answer:
a. Characteristic Features of the Revolt : The characteristic features of the Revolt of 1857 were many as they were varied.

• First of all the sepoys was followed or accompanied by a rebellion in the city and countryside. In several places the common people rose in revolt even before the sepoys.
• Not only that, in some places the people came forward to fight against the British army with ordinary weapons.
• Another characteristic feature of the Revolt of 1857 was that the rebels burnt the government records as what they did to the account books of the moneylenders and sowcars.
• Despite the British attempt to create a Hindu-Muslim divide the two communities fought shoulder to shoulder against the British colonial rulers in the revolt.
• An important feature of the Revolt was that in some areas of Uttar Pradesh and Bihar peasants and artisans rebelled against the foreign rulers. Moreover, they targeted the new zarnindars that were considered the agents of the British.

b. Mangal Pandey : The Revolt of 1857 broke out on 10 May 1857 at Meerut. It gathered force rapidly ‘cutting across Northern India like a sword’. Even before the outbreak at Meerut, Mangal Pandey had become a martyr at Barrackpore, near Calcutta.

At Barrackpore Mangal Pandey, a sepoy of the Bengal Regiment fired a shot at a European officer on 29 March 1857. Despite order from the European officers none came forward to arrest Mangal Pandey. Subsequently, however, Mangal Pandey along with those who disobeyed the order was arrested Mangal Pandey was hanged on 29 March. This was how Mangal Pandey became a martyr.

Question 3.
What was the nature of the Revolt of 1857? Why was the Revolt unsuccessful ?
Answer:
a. Nature of the Revolt : Opinions are sharply divided as regards the character of the Revolt of 1857. While some of the opinion are that it was nothing more than a revolt of the sepoys. There are others who call it either a “war of independence’ or a popular revolt.

• The old school of historians found it difficult to call the Revolt of 1857 a ‘war of arvelousce’ on the ground that there was no plan, no coordination among the rebels of different parts of the country.
• Dr. S.N. Sen argued that the Revolt was not merely a rising of the sepoys. According to him, a national rising does not require participation of all people.
• Modem historians on the basis of available documents have come to the conclusion that though began with the rising of the sepoys the revolt soon was joined by common people. As such the Revolt assumed the character of a popular revolt.
• Moreover, participation of common people with primitive weapons, indeed, speaks in favour of the Revolt of 1857 being a popular revolt.

b. Causes of the Failure of the Revolt: Revolt of 1857 was a failure. Various causes were responsible for the failure.

• Apart from the military weaknesses of the mutineers and the faulty leadership, there were deeper social factors responsible for the failure of the Revolt. The Indian mutineers remained disorganised from the very beginning.
• The Revolt of 1857 also failed due to the lack of leadership. The leaders, in fact, could not lead the rebels of the whole country.
• There was hardly any coordination among the forces fighting in different regions. Moreover, since the rebels had no common end in view the Revolt could not be as intense as it should have been.
• The Revolt of 1857 failed because the English were militarily superior to the sepoys.
• Machineguns had always played an important role in the military activities of the British in Asia. It was also with the help of machine-guns that the British soldiers could easily crush the strongholds of the mutineers.

Question 4.
What were the causes of the Revolt of 1857 ?
Answer:
The Revolt of 1857 was not a sudden incident. Oppressed and exploited, the discontent of all the classes of Indian people was smouldering, and it broke out in flames in a revolt.

• Social Cause : The social cause of the Revolt of 1857 was provided by The racial arrogance of the British and the consequent difference the rulers and the ruled.
• Political Cause : The imperialist policy of the British rulers supplied the political cause of the Revolt. The annexationist policy of Lord created an atmosphere of rebellion in the native states of India. However, the annexation of Oudh on the ground of maladministration particularly agitated the sepoys of the East India Company, as many of them came from Oudh. Moreover, with the end of the rule of the native princes, many people serving under them were throw out of exployment.
• Religious Cause : Activities of the Christian missionaries in India constituted the religious cause of the Revolt of 1857. With a view to perpetuating the British rule in india, the imperialist rulers made an attempt to obliterate the ancient heritage and the traditional beliefs of the indians.

Military Cause : When the sentiments of the indians were thus aroused against the British, the discontent of the sepoys constituted the military cause of the Revolt. The sepoys were discontented against the British for a variety of reasons. There was a great disparity between the salaries of the Indian and the European soldiers.

Thus when the resentment against the British were growing among the Indian sepoys news of some international events helped to generate a sense of self-confidence in them. The set-back of the British soldiers in the first Afghan War (1839) and the Crimean War (1854) indirectly helped the sepoys to be so determined as to rise in revolt against the British.

Immediate Cause : When the atmosphere was thus surcharged with an anti-British feeling the episode of the greased cartridges provided the spark which turned it into a conflagration. The new ‘Enfield Rifle’ introduced by the British in the army needed a special type of cartridge which had a greased paper cover.

This paper had to be bitten off before the cartridge was loaded into the rifle. The grease used in the paper was make of beef and pig fat. This enraged both the Hindu and the Muslim sepoys. Both the religious communities felt that their religions were at stake. This worked as a spark in the magazine room and the revolt began.

Question 5.
Write in short about the leadership of Nana Saheb, Rani Lakshmi Bai, Kunwar Singh and Tantia Tope in the Revolt of 1857.
Answer:
The Revolt of 1857 had its beginning at Meerut in Uttar Pradesh on 10 May, where from it spread to various parts of Northern india. Besides Delhi the sepoys rose in rebellion in Lucknow, Kanpur, Jhansi, Arrah, etc. Some of these centres, at least temporarily, shook off the british rule.

a. Nana Saheb : There is no denying the fact that the participation of some feudal lords, native princes, etc. increased the intensity of the Revolt. Moreover, it did not remain confined to the sepoys alone. The rebels of Kanpur were led by Nana Saheb, the adopted son of Peshwa Baji Rao II. Under his leadership the mutineers successfully dislodged the English officials there.

b. Rani Lakshmi Bai : Of the leaders of the Revolt Rani lakshmi Bai of Jhansi deserves special mention. Initially she had co-operated with the English, but soon she turned into a formidable enemy of the British. She fought like a true heroine and tales of her bravery had inspired our countrymen ever since. With the help of Tantia Tope Lakshmi Bai successfully captured Gwalior. The brave Rani Lakshmi Bai died fighting on 17 June 1857.

c. Kunwar singh : Kunwar Singh, the discontented zamindar of Jagadishpur (in Bihar), was the chief organiser of the Revolt in Bihar. Kunwar Singh came to be known as the Tiger of the Revolt of 1857. He unfurled his own flag in his palace at Jagadishpur.

d. Tantia Tope : Even after the death of Rani Lakshmi Bai, Tantia Tope offered stiff resistance to the British adopting the guerilla tactics of Shivaji. At this juncture, taking advantage of the internal troubles in

Maharashtra, Tantia Tope established a strong centre of the Revolt there. Ultimately, of course, Tantia Tope had to surrender to the British. He was hanged to death on charges of treason and murder. With Tantia Topes death, the Revolt of 1857 virtually came to an end.

Question 6.
Write about the Hindu-Muslim relations during the Revolt of 1857.
Answer:
During the Revolt of 1857 the Hindus and Muslims fought shoulder to shoulder against their common enemy the British. No doubt the British tried in all possible ways to transform the joint Hindu-Muslim struggle into a communal war between the two communities. But this was unsuccessful. For, it was realised that any Hindu-Muslim divide was sure to weaken the combined strength to fight the British. Rather our rebel ancestors used religion to advance the revolutionary struggle.

A proclamation was issued in Delhi that urged upon the Hindus and Muslims to unite against the British infidels in the name of their respective religions. Other proclamations also similarly expressed the urgent need for Hindu-Muslim unity. The Muslim religious millenarians (those who believed in the future days of happiness) issued proclamations urging upon the Hindus and Muslims to stand united against the feringhees (English).

The famous Azimgarh Proclamation of 25 August 1857 categorically stated that ‘both Hindus and Muslims (were) being ruined under the tyranny and oppression of the infidel and treacherous English.’ Similarly, the Hindu Rajah of the Gond tribe, who was living as a pensioner of the British at Nagpur, had turned a traditional Sanskrit hymn into an anti-British hymn. Thus it may be said that in the Revolt of 1857 the Hindu-Muslim relation displayed one of harmony, cordiality and unity.

Question 7.
What were the causes of the failure of the Revolt of 1857 ?
Answer:
The Revolt of 1857 was a failure. Apart from the military weaknesses of the mutineers and the faulty leadership, there were deeper social factors responsible for the failure of the Revolt.

i. The failure of the Revolt of 1857 proved once again that a disciplined army, however small it may be in number, can easily defeat an indisciplined army of larger proportions. The Indian mutineers remained disorganised from the very beginning.

ii. The Revolt of 1857 also failed due to the lack of leadership. Bahadur Shah II, Rani Lakshmi Bai, Nana Saheb, etc. were leaders outstanding only in their respective areas. They, in fact, could not lead the rebels of the whole country.

iii. There was hardly any co-ordination among the forces fighting in different regions. Moreover, since the rebels had no common end in view the Revolt could not be as intense as it should have been. People around Delhi proclaimed Bahadur Shah, the Mughal Emperor, as the Emperor of Hindustan. But Lakshmi Bai or Kunwar Singh rioted for more than local autonomy.

iv. The powerful leaders like Holkar, Sindhia, the Nawab of Bhopal and others refused to join the Revolt. They even gave active support to the British in suppressing the Revolt.

v. The Revolt of 1857 failed because the English were militarily superior to the rebels. The Enfield Rifle used by the British soldiers were far superior to the ordinary firing weapons used by the indian sepoys.

vi. Machine-guns had always played an important role in the military activities of the British in Asia. It was also with the help of machine- guns that the British soldiers could easily crush the strongholds of the mutineers. In the opinion of Promode Sengupta, the greatest weakness of the indian sepoys was that they could not adopt the guerilla tactics of warfare to fight against the British soldiers.

Question 8.
What were the results of the Revolt of 1857 ?
Or
What was the impact of the Revolt of 1857 ?
Answer:
The results of the Revolt of 1857 may be studied under two heads, namely, direct and indirect.
a. Direct Results :

i. The Revolt of 1857 exposed the danger involved in allowing a commercial organisation to rule over a country. Consequently, the British Parliament by an Act transferred the control of the Indian government from the East India Company to the British Crown. The said Act passed on 2 August 1858, was known as the Act for the Better Government of India.

ii. Victoria, the Queen of England, by a Proclamation announced on 1 November 1858, directly assumed the responsibility of the Indian administration in her own hands. And it was in accordance with the Queen’s Proclamation that the honorific title of Viceroy was added to the Governor-General of india. That is to say, the supreme executive and legislative authority in India henceforth came to be called the Governor- General and the Viceroy. Lord Canning, so far known as the Governor- General of India, also became the first Viceroy of India in 1858.

iii. In her Proclamation Queen Victoria also announced certain changes in the governmental policy. She made it clear that the British government had no desire of further territorial expansion in India. The Queen also categorically stated that the British government in India would in no way interfere with the established customs or religion of the Indian people.

iv. The Revolt of 1857 led to an extensive reorganisation of the army and the civil administration. It must, however, be remembered that in spite of all these bold theoretical statements hardly any change occurred in the basic exploitative nature of the British rule in India.

b. Indirect Results : Far more important than the direct results were the indirect ones which followed the Revolt of 1857.

• The Revolt further widened the difference between the ruler and the ruled.
• During the post-Revolt years the British rulers, in order to maintain their supremacy in India, deliberately followed a policy of communal disharmony. The seed of communal discord planted by the English in India sprouted like a poison tree, and bore the fruits of communalism.
• True that the British government in India did not pursue a policy of territorial expansionism in India during the post-1857 days, the period was yet marked by a new era of economic exploitation by the British.
• It may be said that during the years following the Revolt of 1857 the British pursued a policy of opposing the educated middle class and supporting the landlords and native princes.

Question 9.
What was the attitude of the Bengali intellectuals towards the Revolt of 1857? What was the Queen’s Proclamation ?
Answer:
a. Attitude of the Bengali Intellectuals ? There is a controversy of opinion regarding the attitude of the Bengali intelligentsia towards the Revolt of 1857. It is true that the middle class Bengali intellectuals were apathetic to the Revolt of 1857. But this attitude cannot be explained simply by a sense of loyalty’ of the intelligentsia to the foreign rulers. There are other reasons why the Bengali intellectuals expressed hostile attitude towards the rebels.

i. The discontent of the nobles and aristocrats of the old social order saw in the success of the Revolt of 1857 a chance to regain their lost social status based on birth and landed property. On the other hand the Bengali educated middle class saw, in the success of the Revolt, the possibility of return of old social order with all its reactionary principles.

ii. There were also socio-economic reasons for which the Bengali intelligentsia opposed the Revolt of 1857. The intellectuals belonged to the well-to-do families that had been the product of the colonial structure. Their economic status rose because of the trade and commerce, and their intellectual position was due to the english education. Thus the Bengali middle class in its own interest was bent on defending the new socio-economic conditions under the British rule. Hence their opposition to the rebels.

iii. The growing political consciousness of the educated Bengali middle class was also responsible for their opposition to the revolt. Politically conscious middle class thought that in the event kings and nobles had wrested political power from the British there would be hardly any scope for their playing any political role.

iv. The Bengali middle class, which was the creation of British rule, saw no hope in the Revolt of 1857. In their own class-interest the middle class thought it to be prudent to take sides with the British rulers rather than to back the feudal element of the Revolt of 1857.

v. Above are some of the reasons why the Bengali intelligentsia took a hostile attitude towards the rebels.

b. The Queen’s Proclamation: The Queen’s Proclamation formally announced the taking over of the Indian administration by the British Crown. According to the system of British govenment, though Parliament is the supreme body all the functions of the government are performed in the name of the Crown. Obviously, Victoria, the then Queen of England, finally announced the assumption of the Indian government by the Crown acting through the British government by a proclamation.

This was formally announced by Lord Canning at a Durbar held at Allahabad (November, 1858). In the Durbar Caning read out the ‘Queen’s Proclamation’. This was how there was the beginning of the British Raj instead of the rule of the Company Bahadur. Formally, the administrative responsibility was vested in a minister of the British Cabinet, known as the ‘Secretary of State for India’.

Question 10.
Write in short about the Bangabhasa Prakashika Sabha. What were the achievements of the Landholders’ Society ?
Answer:
a. Bangabhasa Prakashika Sabha : The little that is known about the Bangabhasa Prakashika Sabha from its reference in different contemporary newspapers the following may be said about the Sabha.

• The members had decided to convene a meeting to consider the propriety of sending a memorandum in protest against the governmental measures. But it is not known if any such meeting was ever held.
• Dr. Ramesh Chandra Majumder commenting on the Bangabhasa Prakashika Sabha pointed out that the failure of the association was due to the “lack of unity’ amongst its members.
• It must, however, be said that despite failure of the Sabha it paved the way for later organizational attempt at the formation of political associations.

b. Landholders’ Society : The first association with a distinctive political outlook in India was the Zamindary Association that was formed in 1837. The very next year the association changed its name to the Landholders’ Society. The achievements of the Society may be summed up in the following words :

i. In a meeting of the Society Rajendralal Mitra, the great Orientalist, said that he looked upon the Landholders’ Society as the pioneer of freedom in this country. It gave to the people the first lesson in the art of fighting constitutionally for their rights.

ii. Ostensively it advocated the rights of the zamindars, yet the Association advocated for the rights of the ryots as well. As the rights of the zamindars were linked with those of the ryots wh. was good or bad for the zamindars was equally valid for the ryots.

iii. The Landholders’ Society set up example of working in close association with the well-wishers of india in Britain.

iv. The Society through the London Society sought to draw the attention of the British Government in London on the following objects :

• Prevention of the resumption of rent-free tenure
• Extension of the land settlement of permanent nature to all the parts of British India,
• Reform of the judicial, police and revenue systems for the betterment of all classes of people of the country.
• The demands raised by the Society were later on taken up by the Indian National Congress in the form of resolution.
• The above are some of the achievements of the Landholders’ Society.

Question 11.
What were the objectives of the indian Association ? How did it help the growth of national movement ?
Answer:
a. Objectives : The Indian Association was organized on 26 July 1876. The inaugural meeting was held at the Albert Hall in Calcutta. Ananda Mohan Basu was the first elected secretary, and Akshay Chandra Sarkar, the Assistant Secretary of the Association. The aims and objectives of the Indian Association were stated to be as follows :

• The creation of a strong body of public opinion in the country.
• The unification of the Indian races and peoples upon the basis of common political interests and aspirations.
• The promotion of friendly feelings between Hindus and Muslims.
• The inclusion of the masses in the great public movement of the day.

b. Help to the Growth of National Movement : The activities of the Indian Association constituted an important phase in the growth of national movement in India. In an address Surendranath Banerjee categorically stated that there was no political organization in Bengal that represented the middle class and the ryots. In various ways the Indian Association helped the growth of national movement.

• The Indian Association worked in co-operation with the political organizations in other provinces of the country. Through a campaign for reduction of the maximum age for the Indian Civil Service (ICS) the Association sought to awaken a spirit of unity and solidarity among the Indian people.
• The Association also took great interest in the development of local self-government. It urged upon the people to join the Association in petitioning for the elective system in municipalities. This was considered the first important step towards the realization of the ideal of representative government in India.
• The indian Association also took active interest in all the contemporary political issues and led different agitations. The Ilbert Bill agitation and imprisonment of Surendranath Banerjee taught the Indian nationalists the value of greater political movement.
• In order to give concrete shape to the idea of broader political movement the indian Association called an All-India National Conference in 1883. This was the precursor of the Indian National Congress.

Question 12.
With what objectives was the Hindu Mela formed ? What were its contributions to the cause of indian nationalism ?
Answer:
a. Objectives : The objectives of the Hindu Mela were :

• To foster the spirit of self-help, which was considered essential for the progress and welfare of the nation.
• Manomohon Bose, the great orator of the time, emphasized that national progress, national unity and practice of self-sufficiency must be the sacred goal of the Mela.
• One of the objectives of the Mela was to help building up of Indian economy.
• Propagation of the motto self-dependency throughout the country was another major objective of the Hindu Mela.

b. Contributions to the cause of Nationalism : The Hindu Mela had immense contributions to the cause of Indian nationalism.

• The Hindu Mela used to hold annual sessions. On such occasions fairs were organized attended by thousands of people. Display of various products of Indian arts and crafts encouraged the native producers.
• The Hindu Mela also worked for the development of national literature, national song, national gymnastics, etc.
• The Mela also drew into the national movement personalities like Sibnath Shastri, Bipin Chandra Pal, Sisirkumar Ghosh and many others.

Question 13.
What is the idea revealed in the Bartaman Vivekananda ?
Answer:
Bartaman Bharat is a monograph by Swami Vivekananda. It contains deep feeling of national, cultural and political issues.
a. The Bartaman Bharat amplifies and elaborates the ideas on society. It is stated that human society in turn is governed by the four castes the priests, soldiers, traders and labourers.

b. The priestly rule is exclusive on hereditary grounds; the military rule is tyrannical and cruel. The commercial rule is crushing and blood-sucking. But the traders go everywhere and they are good disseminators of ideas. The rule of the labourers has the advantage of distributing physical comforts. But it has the disadvantage of lowering culture.

c. In the Bartaman Bharat Vivekananda predicts forming a state in which the knowledge of the priest period, the culture of the military, the distributive spirit of the commercial and the ideal of equality of the last (labourers) are brought into harmony. To Vivekananda that would be an ideal state.

d. Bartaman Bharat ends with a calling for giving up imitating the Western life-style in dress and manners. There should be cherished feeling of self-respect, and a sense of pride in being Indian.

e. The closing paragraph of the Bartaman Bharat is titled by Vivekananda as Swadesh Mantra, an incantation (magical chant) for the homeland. It is addressed to every Indian. It is a call to arise and awake to the national ideal of identity with the Indian heritage. The indian people, even if they are the poorest and the lowliest should take pride in having been born as an indian.

f. Patriotism and nationalism for Vivekananda was never a matter of political strategy, rather it had to do with spiritual belonging to one’s culture and history. Religion and nationalism became interchangeable for Vivekananda.

Question 14.
What is revealed through the agriculture of Gaganedranath Tagore?
Answer:
Gaganendranath Tagore was a figure in contemporary indian painting. His achievements rank high among Bengal’s many notable contributions to modern Indian culture.

a. Gaganendranath has been the brother of the founder of the Bengal school of painting, Abanindranath Tagore. But he was not a figure in that art movement. He kept himself free from the influence of the new school, even while living so close to its founder and inspirer.

b. Nirad C. Chaudhuri has observed that Gaganendranath’s cartoons display marvelous originality as drawings. They were unsurpassed in india not only at the time they were created, they are unsurpassed even today.

c. The outlook of the cartoons is that of liberalism of the last decade of the nineteenth century and first twenty years of the twentieth century.

d. In the above context a better-known cartoon of Gaganendranath may be taken up for discussion. One of the famous cartoons was the ‘University Machine’.

e. The cartoon University Machine shows a clock striking 10.30 a.m. The smoke comes out of the chimney, while the students throng at the gate. The university building is in the shape of big fat tomes (a very large heavy book). Pressed between them, after the courses are done, the students come out flattened and crippled. One would also notice the two figures in silhouette standing Tern two pillars.

One of them appears to be in European costume, while the other is in indian turban. They are probably those among the founders of the university. They are no longer moving forces but are now shadowed out. The crowd at the gate is in Bengali dress. The cartoon has an undercutting of sadness in spite of the satire.