West Bengal Board Class 10 History Question Paper 2017

Practicing with West Bengal Board Class 10 History Book Solutions and West Bengal Board Class 10 History Question Paper 2017 alongside detailed explanations can lead to a deeper understanding of the subject.

WBBSE Class 10 History Question Paper 2017

Group A.

1. Choose the correct option: 20×1=20

Question 1.
The game of football was introduced in india by :
a. English
c. French
b. Dutch
d. Portuguese
Answer:
a. English

Question 2.
Bipin Chandra Pal wrote :
a. Sattar Bathsar
b. Jeebon Smriti
c. A Nation in Making
d. Ananda Math
Answer:
a. Sattar Batsar

Question 3.
The editor of Bamabodhini Patrika was :
a. Umesh Chandra Datta
b. Sisir Kumar Ghosh
C Krishnachandra Majumder
d. Dwarakanath Vidyabhushan
Answer:
Umesh Chandra Datta

Question 4.
The General Committee of Public Instruction was formed in :
a. 1713 AD
b. 1913 AD
c 1813 AD
d. 1823 AD
Answer:
d. 1823 AD

Question 5.
‘Naba Bidhan’ was established by :
a. Dayanand Saraswati
b. Keshab Chandra Sen
c. Swami Vivekananda
d. Maharshi DebendranathTagore
Answer:
b. Keshab Chandra Sen

Question 6.
Sui Munda was the leader of :
a. Chuar Rebellion
b. Kol Rebellion
c. Santhal Hool
d. Munda Rebellion
Answer:
d. Munda Rebellion

Question 7.
By the Forest Law of 1878 AD forests were divided into :
a. two categories
b. three categories
c. four categories
d. five categories
Ans :
b. Three categories

Question 8.
The Great Revolt of 1857 was described as India’s First War of Independence :
a. Subhas Chandra Bose
b. Jawaharlal Nehru
c. V.D. Savarkar
d. Rashbehari Bose
Answer:
c. V.D. Savarkar

Question 9.
The first political association of India was :
a. Indian Association
b. Indian National Congress
c Bangabhasha Prakashika Sabha
d. Landholders’ Society
Answer:
c. Bangabhasha Prakashika Sabha

Question 10.
‘Bharat Mata’ was painted by :
a. Abanindrannath Tagore
b. Rabindranath Tagore
c. Nandalal Bose
d. Gaganendranath Tagore
Answer:
a. Abanindranath Tagore

Question 11.
The process of half-tone printing was introduced in India by :
a. Upendrakishore Roychowdhury
b. Sukumar Roy
c. Panchanan Karmakar
d. Charles Wilkins
Answer:
a. Upendrakishore Roychowdhury

Question 12.
Vishva-Bharati was founded by :
a. Iswarchandra Vidyasagar
b. Rabindranath Tagore
c. Swami Vivekananda
d. Debendranath Tagore
Answer:
b. Rabindranath Tagore

Question 13.
The leader of the ‘Eka’ movement was :
a. Madari Pasi
b. Dr. Ambedkar
c. Mahatma Gandhi
d. Baba Ramchandra
Answer:
a. Madari Pasi

Question 14.
All India Trade Union Congress was founded in :
a. 1917 AD
b. 1920 AD
c. 1927 AD
d. 1929 AD
Answer
b. 1920 AD

Question 15.
The Bardoli Satyagraha was held in :
a. Bombay
b. Punjab
c. Madras
d. Gujarat
Answer:
d. Gujarat

Question 16.
The Anti-Partition Movement in Bengal had taken place in :
a. 1904 AD
b. 1905 AD
c. 1906 AD
d. 1911 AD
Answer:
b. 1905 AD

Question 17.
Matangini Hazra was associated with the Quit India Movement in :
a. Tamluk
b. Sutahata
c. Barishal
d. Purulia
Answer:
a. Tamluk

Question 18.
Dipali Sangha was founded by :
a. Kalpana Datta
b. Lila Nag Roy.
c. Basanti Devi
d. Bina Das
Answer:
b. Lila Nag Roy.

Question 19.
‘Iron Man of India’ refers to :
a. Mahatma Gandhi
b. Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel
c. Muhammad Ali Jinnah
d. Rajendra Prasad
Answer:
b. Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel

Question 20.
‘A Train to Pakistan’ was written by :
a. Jawaharlal Nehru
b. V. P. Menon
c. Khushwant Singh
d. Salman Rushdie
Answer:
c. Khushwant Singh

Group – B

Answer any Sixteen questions, taking at least one from each segment: 16×1=16

Answer in one sentence :

Question 1.
Who was the editor of ‘Somprakash’?
Answer:
The weekly newspaper ‘Somprakash’ was published in 1858 under the editorship of Iswarchandra Vidyasagar.

Question 2.
Where are government documents preserved?
Answer:
Government records are preserved in National Archives.

Question 3.
Which century is called the century of Renaissance in Bengal ?
Answer:
Nineteenth century is called the century of Renaissance in Bengal.

Question 4.
What is meant by ‘Ulgulan’?
Answer:
The Santhali term Ulgulan in English means the ‘great revolt’.

State whether True or False :

1. The Ramakrishna Mission was set up by Sri Ramakrishna.
Answer: False

2. Lord Dalhousie was the Governor-General of India during the Great Revolt.
Answer: False

3. Rabindranath Tagore supported the cause of the European community through the novel ‘Gora’.
Answer: False

4. Gandhiji and Dr. Ambedkar jointly fought for the rights of the dalit.
Answer: False

Match column ‘A’ with ‘B’ :

Column – A	Column – B
1. Aurobindo Ghosh	a. Indian National Army
2. Taraknath Palit	b. Bengal National School and College
3. Nabagopal Mitra	c. Bengal Technical Institute
3. Nabagopal Mitra	d. Hindu Mela

Answer:
1 – b, 2 – c, 3 -d, 4 -a

On the given outline map of India, locate and label the following places :

1. Regions of the Santhal Rebellion
2. A centre of the Indigo Revolt
3. The princely state of Hyderabad
4. The reorganized state of Gujarat
Answer:
See the attached Map of India where the four places have been located
OR
Only for the Visually-Challenged students.

Fill in the blanks :

1. _______ was known as ‘Master-da’.
Answer: Surya Sen

2. Wahabi means _______
Answer:
Path as shown by Muhammad

3. ‘Bartaman Bharat’ was written by _______.
Answer:
Swami Vivekananda

4. Hari Singh was the king of _______.
Answer:
Jammu and Kashmir

Match the statements below with their appropriate explanation :

1. Statement: The ‘Eka’ Movement was organized in Uttar Pradesh

Explanation 1: This was an individual movement
Explanation 2: This was a peasant movement
Explanation 3: This was a workers’ movement
Answer:
Explanation 2: This was a peasant movement

2. Statement: The Government of India framed the Meerut Conspiracy Case in 1929

Explanation 1: To suppress the revolutionaries
Explanation 2: To suppress the Civil Disobedience Movement
Explanation 3: To suppress countrywide Communist activities
Answer:
Explanation 3: To suppress countrywide Communist activities.

3. Statement: The leftists played an important role in the anti-colonial movement of the 20th century

Explanation 1: The leftists were the supporters of zamindars and industrialists
Explanation 2: They were the supporters of British imperialism
Explanation 3: They were the supporters of the united struggle of peasants and workers against the British rule
Answer:
Explanation 3: They were the supporters of the united struggle of peasants and workers against the British rule.

4. Statement: Indian women participated in the national movement for the first time during the anti-Partition Movement

Explanation 1: because they were inspired by Gandhiji
Explanation 2: because they were inspired by the revolutionary theories of Aurobindo Ghosh
Explanation 3: because they wanted to boycott foreign goods
Answer:
Explanation 3: Because they wanted to boycott foreign goods.

Group – C.

3. Answer the following questions in two or three sentences (any eleven) 11×2=22

Question 1.
What is Social History ?
Answer:
Social history is the history of entire society from socio-historical point of view. During the 1960s and 1970s social history caught the imagination of the young historians.

Question 2.
What is the importance of the newspapers as a source of history ?
Answer:
Newspapers are primary source of history. They reflect the period in which they are created and provide a glimpse into the society at the time. Not only social history, the newspapers are helpful for knowledge about contemporary political and economic history

Question 3.
Analyse the role of Raja Radhakanta Deb in promoting women’s education in bengal ?
Answer:
Radhakanta Deb was known to be a full-fledged conservative of the time. At the same time he was a promoter of women education. Making a distinction between girls of poor and wealthy families, Radhakanta favoured only the girls of poor families to go to schools.

Question 4.
Why was there a rift in the Brahmo Samaj of India ?
Answer:
A schism in the Brahmo Samaj became inevitable because Debendranath and Keshab Chandra had different views regaring the reform programme of the Brahmo Samaj. While Keshab Chandra considered reform of social evils was of utmost importance Debendranath did not favour any programme of social reform to be linked up with the propagation of Brahmo faith. Thus there occurred a rift in the Brahmo Samaj on the issue.

Question 5.
Was the Feraizi Movement a movement of religious revival ?
Answer:
Strictly speaking the Feraizi movement was not a revivalist movement. In the name of religion Dudumiyan, leader of the Feraizis made a fervent call to the community to rise against the zamindars, indigo-planters and money-lenders.

Question 6.
Briefly describe how the planters tortured the indigo planters.
Answer:
A vivid description may be had from the Neel Darpan written by Dinabandhu Mitra. The indigo planters forced the peasants to grow indigo though this was not at all profitable for the latter. The indigo planters also forcibly occupied cultivable land and used such land for growing indigo.

Question 7.
Why is the second half of the nineteenth century called the ‘age of associations’?
Answer:
It was not before the second half of the nineteenth century that associations with political agenda came into existence in India. Beginning with 1836 a number of political associations came to be established across the country which played an important role in moulding the politics of the country. Thus the second half of the nineteenth century called the ‘age of associations’.

Question 8.
How did the novel Ananda Math inspire the spirit of nationalism ?
Answer:
Written in the background of the Sannyasi Rebellion the Anandamath of Bankim Chandra Chatterjee instilled amongst the Indians the spirit of nationalism. The Anandamath offers an illustration of the gospel of Hindu patriotism. The song Bandemataram in Ananda Math gave impetus to various patriotic and national activities.

Question 9.
What was the role of the Indian Association for the cultivation of science in the development of Scientific education in Bengal ?
Answer:
The educated Bengali middle class desireous of cultivating scientific knowledge founded the Indian Association for the Cultivation of Science in 1876. The Association contributed by attracting talented students and post-doctoral researchers from across the country. It also extended the laboratory facility to the undergraduate students of various schools and colleges.

Question 10.
What was the objective of founding the Vishva Bharati ?
Answer:
In Rabindranath’a own words the objective of the institution was ‘not merely to enrich ourselves through the fullness of knowledge’, but to establish bond of love and friendship between man and man. In a word, Rabindranath’s objective was to strike harmony amongst man, nature and god.

Question 11.
With what objectives was the All India Trade Union Congress founded ?
Answer:
The objectives of the AITUC were many.

• To co-ordinate the activities of all labour organizations in all trades and all provinces of India.
• To further the interest of Indian labour in matters economic, social and political.

Question 12.
Why was the Workers’ and Peasants’ Party formed ?
Answer:
The Workers’ and Peasants’ Party was formed by the Communists to generate class consciousness amongst the workers. The Party was also formed to awaken the workers to their legitimate economic and political grievances.

Question 13.
Why was the Rashid Ali Day observed ?
Answer:
The ‘Rashid Ali Day’ was observed in the background of the students’ movement that was on in Calcutta presently Kolkata. against the British Government’s decision to hold public trial of INA soldiers. Rashid Ali Day was observed on 11 February 1946 when the students of the city of Calcutta raised the demand for the release of Rashid Ali, an ex-INA soldier, from prison.

Question 14.
Who are known as dalits ?
Answer:
The word ‘dalit’originated from the Sanskrit root word ‘dal’, meaning downtrodden or oppressed. The word was first used by Jotiba Phule, the great reformer of Maharashtra. In fact, the dalits represented the most exploited and poorest sections in Hindu society.

Question 15.
What is meant by the Instrument of Accession?
Answer:
It is a legal document executed by Maharaja Hari Singh, ruler of the princely state of Jammu and Kashmir, on 26 October 1947. The document was made a part of the provisions of the Indian Independence Act 1947. By executing the Instrument of Accession Maharaja Hari Singh agreed to accede to the Dominion of India.

Question 16.
Why was the Nehru-Liaqat Pact 1950 signed ?
Answer:
The Nehru Liaqat Pact was signed in New Delhi between the Indian Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru and the Prime Minister Liaquat Ali Khan of Pakistan on April 8, 1950. The Pact was the result of six days of talks between the two. The Pact was to guarantee the rights of minorities in both India and Pakistan after the Partition of India and to avert another war between the two.

Group ‘D’

4. Answer any six questions in seven or eight sentences taking at least one from each segment :

Question 1.
Write a brief note on women’s history.
Answer:
Women’s history is a study of the role they have played in history. It includes the study of the history of the growth of different groups and their contributions. Besides, the women’s history constitutes examination how in the traditional recordings how the contributions of womenfolk had been minimized. Women’s study first was started in America.

Since then many universities there nowadays offer courses in the subject. Particularly after globalization women’s history has attracted the attention of scholars and significant researches on feminism have come out in the form of books. In India, particularly at the Jadavpur University of West Bengal opened a vibrant wing of women’s studies and published researches in the area.

Aluwalia’s Rethinking Boundaries of Faminism and Internationalism is a significant study on the subject of women’s history. Professor Sukumari Bhattacharya and Professor Bharati Roy have done a a lot of researches with regard to the position of women. These are some of the important studies on women’s history.

Question 2.
Explain Swami Vivekananda’s ideals of religious reform.
Answer:
Swami Vivekananda was convinced that the main current in Indian life was religion. Thus his ideal was to make it strong and he tried an upheaval in religion. Vivekananda’s attitude to religion and his description of it were marked by liberalism, humanism and refreshing boldness. His concept of religion was free from dogmatism, racialism, communalism or any other kind of narrowness.

His ideal of Hindu religion was not founded on the explanation offered by Shastric Pundits. In fact, he had fully inherited the synthesis of Sri Ramakrishnadeva and gave a new interpretation of traditional Hinduism. Vivekananda wanted to unify India under the banner of Vedanta, an expression of Hindu spirituality. To him Vedanta must cover the whole ground of Indian religious life.

Question 3.
Why did the Santhals rebel in 1855 ?
Answer:
The Santhal tribal community burst out in rebellion because their peaceful life was disturbed by the various agents of the colonial British rulers.

• The rent question created a stir amongst the Santhals. The rate of tax levied by the foreign rulers went on increasing to such an extent that they found it difficult to pay.
• The tax-collectors of the zamindars were in the habit of exacting extra-money besides the tax levied that enraged the Santhals.
• The Santhals were also subjected to oppression by the money-lenders. Rate of interest demanded at times ranged from 50 to 500 per cent that became unbearable.
• No less oppressive were the contractors who were mostly Europeans. Complaints made to the court against the oppressions being of no avail the Santhals took up arms against the oppressors

Question 4.
What was the attitude of the educated Bengali society towards the Great Revolt 1857. ?
Answer:
Despite controversy of opinion it may be said that the educated Bengali middle class was apathetic to the Revolt of 1857. The matter may be looked into from various angles.

• The Revolt of 1857 broke out over the religious question, relating to the greased cartridge in Enfield Rifle. This was quite in line with the orthodox Hindus of Calcutta who had suspected that the British were bent on destroying their religion. Thus the educated society of Bengal had no option but to oppose the Revolt of 1857.
• The political consciousness of the educated Bengali middle class saw no hope in the Revolt of 1857. Thus they did not lend support to the rebels of 1857. All this explain the attitude of the educated Bengali society towards the Great Revolt of 1857.

Question 5.
Explain the relation between printed books and the spread of education.
Answer:
Printed books are an important carrier of eduation. New ideas of the time found expression in printed form.

• Whether rich or poor books help the learners to educate themselves.
• Children of lesser-educated parents benefit the most from having books in the home.
• When there was no printing press printed books could not be available. The books on different subjects or topics help the spread of knowledge.
• Books facilitate health consciousness that has presently been treated as a part of general education.
• Books in libraries also help in a big way the spread of education. Libraries are particularly important because it is not possible always for individual to purchase or collect books on a particular subject. It is possible to understand from above how books help the spread of education.

Question 6.
What was the role of the Bengal Technical Institute in the development of technical education in Bengal ?
Answer:
The Bengal Technical Institute came to be established on 25 July 1906 under the umbrella of the Society for the Promotion of Technical Education. The institution came into being at a time when the anti-Partition agitation had been going on in full swing. The institute was housed at 92 Upper Circular Road, Calcutta.

The institute had three-level scheme of studies e.g. primary, intermediate and secondary. The primary level was meant for training artisans and skilled labourers. A close link with the contemporary upsurge of economic swadeshi is discernible as emphasis was laid on the course of studies in ceramics, soap-making, deying, tanning and candle and match manufacture. Illustrative swadeshi entrepreneurs joined the institute as instructors. Thus the Bengal Technical Education played an important role in meeting the need of the swadeshi days.

Question 7.
Write a note on the debate between Gandhi and Ambedkar on dalit rights.
Answer:
Despite their awareness of the problem of untouchability both Gandhiji and Ambedkar did not see eye to eye regarding the dalit issue. The difference between the two came in the open during the 30 of the nineteenth century. The difference between the two may be summed up in the following words: Gandhiji refused to view the dalits as a minority and as such there was no point in giving them political safeguard.

According to Gandhiji, the dalit issue essentially was a social problem, and that it should be left with the Hindu community to tackle. Dr. Ambedkar, on the other hand, described the dalits as slaves and advocated in favour of their communal representation. In his view the ‘untouchability’ constituted a definite set of interests which the untouchables alone could speak for.

Question 8.
How was India reorganized on the basis of language after Independence ?
Answer:
Even before the pre-Independence days the demand for creation of Provinces on lingual basis was fairly loud. After the achievement of Independence the issue of the linguistic principle in the reorganization of Provinces was not taken up lest it encouraged separatist tendencies. But as the people in the South agitated for the creation of Andhra on the linguistic basis the then Congress govt. had to yield. The province of Andhra was the first to be formed on linguistic principle.

Soon after, similar demands were raised by different people almost all over India. This led to the formation of the States Reorganization Commission in 1953 to reorganize the Indian states. On the basis of the report submitted by the Commission the States Reorganization Act was enacted in 1956. Accordingly, the states were reorganized largely on linguistic basis. This, however, did not satisfy all. At present (2017) 29 States and 7 Union Territories constitute the Union of India.

Group – E

5. Answer any one question in fifteen or sixteen sentences: 1×8=8

Question 1.
What was the Anglicist-Orientalist controversy in the field of education ?
Discuss the role of Calcutta University in the spread of higher education. 5+3=7
Answer:
a. By the Charter Act of 1813 the British Government in England directed the East India Company to spend yearly a sum of rupees one lac towards education in India. Despite the directive no initiative could be taken due to the controversy in the official circle as to what type of education was to be introduced in India. The Anglicists were those who favoured the introduction of Western learning while the Orientalists were in favour of disseminating the traditional oriental learning. This was the Anglicist-Orientalist controversy that continued till 1835.

b. Since its foundation the University of Calcutta has been an instrument for the spread of higher education in West Bengal. Besides preparing curriculums for the undergraduate and post-graduate students the University facilitates the scholars to undertake research work on various subjects. The Calcutta University also awards degrees to successful students in different levels of study. It is in this process that the University of Calcutta helps the spread of higher education.

Question 2.
Briefly discuss the nature of the Great 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 Independence’ 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 3.
Analyse the role women in the armed revolutionary struggle.
Answer:
There had been no encouragement from any quarter to enthuse the women to join the revolutionary struggle. In fact, the revolutionary secret societies made no concerted efforts to encourage the participation of women as Mahatma Gandhi had done in regard to the non-violent activities. Despite all this the women revolutionaries played a vital role in the armed revolutionary struggle.

i. The year 1932 was marked by the heroic activities of young revolutionaries of Chittagong under the leadership of Pritilata Waddedar. Under her a daring attack was made upon the Europeans at the Assam-Bengal Railway European Club at the Chittagong hills.

ii. Like Pritilata, Smt. Kalpana Datta, later on Kalpana Joshi. was one of the leading freedom fighters of the contemporary period. She became a member of the Indian Republican Army, Chittagong branch, and was a part of the armed resistance group led by Surya Sen. Thus women did not lag behind in participating in the armed revolutionary struggle.

Answer the following in a single sentence any four.

Question 1.
Who was the editor of Grambarta Prakashika?
Answer:
Grambarta Prakashika was a popular journal of Bengal published in 1863 under the editorship of Kangal Harinath Majumddar.

Question 2.
In which year was the Sadharan Brahmo Samaj established?
Answer:
The Sadharan Brahmo Samaj was formed in a public meeting of the Brahmos held on 15 May 1878.

Question 3.
Who were known as ‘Serampore Trio’?
Answer:
Joshua Marshman, William Carey and William Ward together were known as ‘Serampore Trio’.

Question 4.
Name a cartoonist.
Answer:
Gaganendranath Tagore was one of the famous cartoonists.

Question 5.
Who wrote Barna Parichay ?
Answer:
Iswarchandra Vidyasagar authored the Barna Parichay.

Question 6.
Who is the founder of Anti-Circular Society ?
Answer:
Sachindra Prasad Bose is the founder of the Anti-Circular Society.

Answer the following questions in two or three sentences any three.

Question 1.
What is meant by ‘local history’?
Answer:
Local history may be defined as the study of history in a geographically local context. Often such history concentrates on local community. It seeks to show how varied the study of local community can be.

Question 2.
Mention any two recommendations of Wood’s Despatch 1854.
Answer:
In his capacity as the President of the Board of Control in London Sir Charles Wood issued his famous Education Despatch in 1854, also known as Wood’s Despatch. Amongst other things, the Despatch recommended imparting education through the medium of Indian languages. The Despatch also recommended in favour of the grants-in-aid system in education and sanctioned the establishment of Universities in Calcutta, Bombay and Madras.

Question 3.
Why is David Hare famous ?
Answer:
David Hare is famous because it was he who devoted time and energy to the welfare of the Indians. He sincerely helped the spread of Western education amongst the Indians. He also took leading part in setting up of English school in Calcutta.

Question 4.
State any two objectives of the Indian Association.
Answer:
Of the many objectives of the Indian Association the two most important were :

• Uniting the various people of India on the basis of a common political ideal.
• Promotion of friendly relations between the Hindus and Muslims of the country.

Question 5.
Who founded the Calcutta Science College and when?
Answer:
Calcutta Science College was founded in 1914 by the legendary Sri Asutosh Mukherjee, the then Vice-Chancellor of the University of Calcutta. The College could be established with the financial assistance rendered by Rashbehari Ghosh and Taraknath Palit.