West Bengal Board Class 10 History Question Paper 2022

Practicing with West Bengal Board Class 10 History Book Solutions and West Bengal Board Class 10 History Question Paper 2022 alongside detailed explanations can lead to a deeper understanding of the subject.

WBBSE Class 10 History Question Paper 2022

Group A:

1. Choose the correct option: 20×1=20

Question 1.
Satyajit Roy was associated with :
a. History of Sports
b. Urban History
c. Women’s History
d. History of Performing Arts
Answer:
d. History of Performing Arts

Question 2.
Silk was invented in ancient :
a. India
b. Rome
c. Persia
d. China
Answer:
d. China

Question 3.
The city known as the ‘forbidden city’ is :
a. Lasha
b. Beijing
c. Rome
d. Constantinople
Answer:
a. Lasha

Question 4.
The periodical ‘Bangadarshan’ was a :
a. Weekly
b. Fortnightly
c. Monthly
d. Yearly
Answer:
c. Monthly

Question 5.
The drama ‘Nildarpan’ was printed at :
a. Nadiya
b. Dacca
c. Serampore
d. Calcutta
Answer:
d. Dacca

Question 6.
The person who managed the affairs of the Brahmo Samaj after Rammohan Roy was :
a. Akshoy Kumar Datta
b. Devendranath Tagore
c. Ramchandra Vidyavagish
d. Tarachand Chakrabarty
Answer:
b. Devendranath Tagore

Question 7.
The first Bengali newspaper owned by a Bengali was :
a. Samachar Darpan
b. Sambad Pravakar
c. Brahman Sebadhi
d. Bengal Gazette
Answer:
d. Bengal Gazette

Question 8.
The first Muslim graduate of the Calcutta University was :
a. Syed Amir Ali
b. Abdul Latif
c. Delwar Hossein Ahmed
d. Syed Ahmed
Answer:
c. Delwar Hossein Ahmed

Question 9.
A revolt organized by the Adivasi people against Colonial Forest Law was :
a. Sannyasi-Fakir Rebellion
b. Chuar Rebellion
c. Kol Rebellion
d. Rampa Revolt
Answer:
d. Rampa Revolt

Question 10.
The term ‘Sannyasi Revolt’ was first used by :
a. Vincent Smith
b. James Mill
c. Warren Hastings
d. Lord Cornwallis
Answer:
b. James Mill

Question 11.
The peasant rebellion which lasted for the longest period was :
a. Chuar Rebellion
b. Ferazi Movement
c. Sannyasi-Fakir Rebellion
d. Santhal Rebellion
Answer:
c. Sannyasi-Fakir Rebellion

Question 12.
Mir Nisar Ali was the leader of :
a. Wahabi Movement in Bengal
b. Farazi Movement
c. Sannyasi Fakir Rebellion
d. Indigo Revolt
Answer:
a. Wahabi Movement of Bengal

Question 13.
The person known as ‘Rashtraguru’ was :
a. Rammohan Roy
b. Rajnarain Bose
c. Nabagopal Mitra
d. Surendranath Banerjee
Answer:
d. Surendranath Banerjee

Question 14.
The Great Revolt 1857. was termed as ‘Peasant Revolt’ by :
a. Surendranath Sen
b. Ramesh Chandra Majumdar
c. Shashibhushan Choudhury
d. Vinayak Damodar Savarkar
Answer:
c. Shashibhushan Choudhury

Question 15.
Anandamohan Bose was the of the Indian Association
a. Founder
b. President
c. Vice-President
d. Secretary
Answer:
d. Secretary

Question 16.
The ‘Bande Mataram’ song was composed by :
a. Rabindranath Tagore
b. Satyendranath Tagore
c. Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay
d. Swami Vivekananda
Answer:
c. Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay

Question 17.
Jagadish Chandra Bose, founder of the Bose Institute, was the Professor of :
a. Mathematics
b. Chemisry
c. Physics
d. Botany
Answer:
Physicist also was a Botanist.

Question 18.
The Bengal Engineering College was founded in :
a. 1833 AD
b. 1856 AD
c. 1880 AD
d. 1903 AD
Answer:
d. 1903 AD

Question 19.
The first President of the National Council of Education was :
a. Rashbehari Ghosh
b. Aurobindo Ghosh
c. Taraknath Palit
d. Satish Chandra Mukhopadhyay
Answer:
a. Rashbehari Ghosh

Question 20.
Editor of the ‘Digdarshan’ was :
a. William Carey
b. Joshua Marshman
c. Felix Carey
d. John Clerk Marshman
Answer:
a. William Carey

Group B:

Answer the following questions (attempt one question from each Sub-group. In all answer 16 questions): 1×16=16

Answer each of the following questions in one sentence: 1×4=4

Question 1.
In which year was suspended publication of the Somprakash, temporarily?
Answer:
Publication of Somprakash was temporarily suspended in 1878.

Question 2.
Give an example of the colonial architecture of Calcutta.
Answer:
One of the many examples of the colonial architecture of Calcutta was the Indian Museum.

Question 3.
In which offence was convicted Rev. James Long ?
Answer:
Reverend James Long was prosecuted for allegedly publishing a defamatory statement that whatever he had presented in the play was ‘plain but true’.

Question 4.
Who composed the book ‘Vidyaharabali’?
Answer:
The first printed book in Bengal on Science ‘Vidyaharabali’ was published by Felix Carey who was a son of William Carey.

Identify which of the following is True or False: 1×4=4

1. In India, artillery was first used in the Battle of Plassey.
Answer: False

2. Mohan Bagan Club won the IFA shield in 1911.
Answer: True

3. The first groom to marry a widow was Shrischandra Nayaratna.
Answer: True

4. One of the secretaries of the Landholders’ Society was Prasanna Kumar Tagore.
Answer: True

Match Column ‘A’ with Column ‘B’ : 

Column ‘A’	Column ‘B’
1. Lord Ripon	(a) Zamindar Sabha
2. Rammohan Roy	(b) Hunter Commission
3. Dwarkanath Tagore	(c) Bengal Technical Institute
4. Taraknath Palit	(d) Anglo-Hindu School

Answer:
1 – b, 2 – d, 3 – a, 4 – c

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

1. A centre of the Indigo Revolt — Nadiya
Answer: See the Map attached

2. Area of Kol Rebellion — Chotonagpur
Answer: See the Map attached

3. A Centre of Great Revolt — Delhi
Answer: See the Map attached

4. A Centre of Great Revolt — Kanpur
Answer: See the Map attached

OR
(Only for Visually-Challenged Candidates)

Fill in the blanks : 1×4=4

1 ‘Hool’ means
Answer: Uprising or Rebellion

2. The drama ‘Nildarpan’ was composed by _____
Answer: Dinabandhu Mitra

3. The first Viceroy of India was _____
Answer: Lord Canning

4 The Serampore Mission Press was founded in _____ AD.
Answer: 1800 AD

Select the correct interpretation of the following sentences : 1×4=4

1. Statement: The Hindu College was founded in 1817 for the spread of western Education.
Interpretation 1: Only Hindu students were eligible for admission in this College.
Interpretation 2: Both Hindu and Brahmo students were eligible for admission in this College.
Interpretation 3: Students of all creed were eligible for admission in this College.
Answer:
Interpretation 3: Students of all creed were eligible for admission in this College.

2. Statement: The colonial government created a separate region called South West Frontier Agency for the Tribals.
Interpretation 1: It was created after the Chuar Rebellion.
Interpretation 2: It was created after the Kol Rebellion.
Interpretation 3: It was created after the Munda Rebellion.
Answer:
Interpretation 2: It was created after the Kol Rebellion.

3. Statement: Jagadish Chandra Bose founded the Bose Institute in 1917 AD.
Interpretation 1: It was founded for the development of Botanical research.
Interpretation 2: It was founded for the spread of scientific education.
Interpretation 3: It was founded for the development of scientific research.
Answer:
Interpretation 3: It was founded for the development of scientific research.

4. Statement: In the nineteenth century the publishers of Bengal depended on peddlers to sell their books.
Interpretation 1: Because book shops were very limite.
Interpretation 2: Because selling of books was regarded as a mean profession.
Interpretation 3: Because it was the cheapest and easiest way to reach prospective buyers.
Answer:
Interpretation 3: Because it was the cheapest and easiest way to reach prospective buyers.

Group C:

Answer the following questions in two or three sentences (any eleven) : 2x11x22

Question 1.
What is the importance of the study of Military History?
Answer:

• Studying the past military history enables to understand how the winners won the battles.
• The military history also points to the strength and weaknesses of the contending parties.
• The military history gives a direction how technological improvement, if any, was necessary in the defense arrangement in order to resist aggressors.
• Studying military history also helps to understand the overall impact of war on people’s day-to-day life.

Question 2.
What are the ‘Government documents’?
Answer:
Government documents may be described as the government orders, reports, written instructions given to the officials, diary entries of police, intelligence reports, etc. These are regarded as the primary source materials for the reconstruction of modern history. Use of government documents as source materials of history of the colonial period, however, requires impartial analysis.

Question 3.
Why was founded the School Book Society ?
Answer:
It was David Hare who was primarily responsible for founding the School Book Society in 1817 AD. The Society was founded with the objective of printing and publishing text-books in English and Bengali. The Society’s another objective was to distribute the books to the poor students at free of cost.

Question 4.
Why is Madhusudan Gupta remembered?
Answer:
Madhusudan Gupta is remembered as he was the first person to dissect a corpse (dead body of human being) at the Calcutta Medical College. This he had done disregarding the prevalent taboo amongst the Hindus concerning the pollution in touching human dead body.

Question 5.
Why is the ‘educational despatch’ of Lord Hardinge important ?
Answer:
After Lord Bentinck had promoted English education, Lord Hardinge, in 1844, gave further stimulus to the spread of English education in India. In fact, his linking up knowledge of English education with government employment by the ‘education despatch’ made English education more popular with Bengali middle class in particular.

Question 6.
What is meant by the ‘Bengal Renaissance’?
Answer:
The intellectual awakening of Bengal in the nineteenth century is commonly known as the ‘Bengal Renaissance’. The scholarly activities in the form of spread of western education and ideas, socio-religious reforms, diverse scientific enquiry, etc. made a new awakening in Bengal. The role played by Bengal in the modern awakening of India is comparable to the position of Italy in the story of the Italian Renaissance.

Question 7.
Why did the Ferazi movement fail ?
Answer:

• The Ferazi movement was unsuccessful primarily because the rebels had no political training.
• Secondly, the Ferazis could not come out of the narrow limits of religion.
• Thirdly, because of their religious fanaticism, the Ferazis were not liked by their brotherhood, the Wahabis. As a result of all this the Ferazi movement came to an end without achieving anything.

Question 8.
Why is Titumir remembered ?
Answer:

• Titumir is remembered as from the very beginning he had directed his energies organizing the peasants against the oppressive zamindars, money-lenders, indigoplanters, etc.
• More importantly Titumir is remembered because of his fight against the British soldiers from a hurriedly made fortress made of mud and bamboo (Banser Kella).
• Titumir’s fight against the colonial British government was a definite proof of the determination of the rural society to lodge protest against the oppressions of the agencies of the British.

Question 9.
Why did a section of the educated Bengali society oppose the Great Revolt (1857) ?
Answer:
A section of the educated Bengali society opposed the Great Revolt for a variety of reasons.

• Their apprehension was that with the success of the rebels would there be a restoration of the Mughal rule.
• The middle class Bengali intelligentsia who were against orthodoxy and fanaticism considered the rebel sepoys as the allies of social reaction. Thus they were opposed to the Revolt.

Question 10.
Why cartoons are drawn?
Answer:
Cartoons are drawn with the purpose of satirizing or ridiculing its subject. Presently, however, cartoons are drawn primarily conveying political commentary in newspapers, magazines and other print media.

Question 11.
Who was Nabagopal Mitra?
Answer:
It was Nabagopal Mitra who made the word ‘national’ popular among the educated people of Bengal. Nabagopal Mitra became famous as the founder of the ‘Jatiya Mela’, later on renamed ‘Hindu Mela’ in 1867. Nabagopal Mitra was the Assistant Secretary of the Hindu Mela while Gaganendranath Tagore was the Secretary.

Question 12.
Mention the role of Bankim Chandra in awakening nationalism in the nineteenth century Bengal.
Answer:
Bankim Chandra was the father of Indian nationalism. He composed the most popular and the greatest national song, Bande Mataram. His novel Anandamath was the Bible for the secret revolutionaries. Bankim Chandra was a jealous Hindu. But it will be untrue to say that he did not regard Indian Muslims as children of the same soil.

Question 13.
Why was founded the National Council of Education?
Answer:
The National Council of Education was set up in 1906 AD. The purpose of it was stated to be to organize a system of education on “national lines and national control.” To some nationalists the National Council of Education was to be an alternative to the Calcutta University which had been a centre of English education.

Question 14.
What is meant by the ‘Vidyasagar Font’?
Answer:
It is well-known that Iswarchandra Vidyasagar rationalized and simplified the Bengali alphabet. At the same time he is credited with introducing Bengali typeface (font) that simplified printing of Bengali manuscripts (documents written by hands).

Question 15.
What is the importance of the introduction of the linotype in the development of Bengali printing (press ?)
Answer:
Simply speaking linotype machine operators compose a line instead of the previous method of letter-by-letter typesetting. Importance of invention of the linotype made possible composing hand-written matters very fast. It is known that the linotype was first introduced in the Bengali press in Dhaka (capital of present Bangladeh) in 1935 by Surendranath Banerjee.

Question 16.
What is the contribution of Rabindranath in the spread of rural industry and vocational education?
Answer:
Through the establishment of centre for rural construction at Sriniketan in 1912 Rabindranath Tagore encouraged crafts and cottage industry. This included pottery, leather work, batik print, wooden work, etc. All this activities got an organizational framework in the name of Institute of Rural Reconstruction (IRR).

Group D:

Answer the following questions in seven or eight sentences each. Attempt at least two questions from each sub-group. Answer six questions in all. 4×6=24

Question 1.
What role did Raja Radhakanta Deb play in spreading women’s education in the nineteenth century Bengal ?
Answer:

• Raja Radhakanta Deb was a conservative to the core of his heart.
• Yet he had realized that without the education of women progress of society in Bengal would not be possible.
• In an attempt to educate Bengali women he himself established female schools. He also encouraged others who helped women education in any way.
• Radhakanta Deb founded the Calcutta Female Juvenile Society in 1819. Radhakanta Deb also encouraged Gaurmohan Vidyalankar who published books for study in the female schools.

Question 2.
Can Lord Macaulay be regarded as the introducer of Western education in this country?
Answer:

• Lord William Bentinck was in favour of introducing Western education in India. But he was unable to take a final decision in the matter because of the controversy of opinion in the official circle.
• Lord Macaulay, the Law Member of the GovernorGeneral’s Council, in his famous Educational Minute of 1835 recommended strongly for the introduction of English education in India through the medium of English.
• Armed with the support of Macaulay, Lord Bentinck finally announced the government decision to introduce English education through the medium of English amongst the natives of India.
• Thus it may be said that Macaulay was really the introducer of the Western education in India.

Question 3.
With what objectives did the colonial British government enact the Forest Laws ?
Answer:
The colonial British government of India established the imperial Forest Department in 1864. The very next year the first Forest Law was enacted. Following this a good number of Forest Acts were framed. The objectives of enacting the Forest Laws were as follows:

• The Forest laws in India were enacted as a part of the global control of resources of the colonies.
• Another purpose of enacting the Forest Laws was the acquisition of the forest areas of the country.
• Another purpose of enacting the Forest Laws was to ensure the supply of timber. Huge quantity of timber was required for laying the railway line as the British government started building network of railways in India in the 50 of the nineteenth century.

Question 4.
Analyse the role of newspapers in the Indigo Revolt.
Answer:
The Indigo Revolt was a mass upheaval unprecedented in the history of the country.

• The Indigo Revolt was the first of its kind that received the support of the Bengali middle class as also the support of the newspapers.
• Harishchandra Mukherjee, who was the editor of the ‘Hindu Patriot’ published articles describing the oppressions of the indigo planters that attracted attention of the British administration.
• Sisirkumar Ghosh in his ‘Amrita Bazar Patrika’ wrote vividly about the misery of the indigo cultivators.
• Somprakash, edited by Vidyasagar also stood by the side of the indigo cultivators.
• Besides, ‘Sambad Prabhakar’ and ‘Tatwabodhini Patrika’ also played important role in the Indigo Revolt.

Question 5.
Analyse the role of Hindu Mela in spreading nationalism.
Answer:
Prior to the emergence of political associations the idea of nationalism was preached by some educated individuals of Bengal.

• Rajnarain Bose was one of the few who started campaign to promote national feeling amongst the educated middle class of Bengal.
• A practical shape of Rajnarain’s idea, however, was given by Nabagopal Mitra through the publication of periodical ‘National Paper’ and organizing an annual gathering.
• The annual gathering named ‘Hindu Mela’ used to be organized every year on the last day of the Bengali year (Nabavarsha).
• In the Hindu Mela such entertainments were performed as singing of patriotic songs, recitation of Bengali poems, lectures, etc.
• The Hindu Mela had an all-India outlook as in the gathering a detailed review was made of the contemporary socio-economic, political and religious condition of India.

Question 6.
Analyse the nationalist ideas of Rabindranath as revealed in his novel ‘Gora’.
Answer:
Though not actively involved in politics Rabindranath did not remain indifferent to the contemporary politics either. In the novel Gora Rabindranath has referred to the inherent strength of the traditional religion. Gora, once a follower of the Brahmo Samaj suddenly became a practicing Brahmin.

This shift of Gora was because he felt that the conventional religion gave him a sense of belongingness to his land. The religious conversion of Gora came when he felt bad about the humiliation of his motherland by the British. The shift is noticeable – not the religion alone but the idea of a united nation that motivated him to go for Hinduism. Gora found the traditional customs and rituals as means of national unity.

Question 7.
What changes were introduced by the printing press in the sphere of education in Bengal ?
Answer:
During the 18-19 centuries people in India were largely illiterate and would remain so for many centuries. But some educated enlightened Indians and a small number of professional people who lived and worked in towns, however, felt the need of books. In India in the past, like many Western countries, copyists multiplied books by hand.

But with the introduction of printing text books of all sorts, English and vernacular, grammars, elementary books were published that catered to the needs of the people. In fact, printed books became a medium for the dissemination of knowledge. The elementary Bengali text book that deserves mention for the learning of Bengali language is that of Varna Parichay by Iswarchandra Vidyasagar.

Question 8.
Analyse the role of Gangakishore Bhattacharya in the development of printing press in Bengal.
Answer:
Ganga Kishore Bhattacharya was a versatile genius. He was a writer, editor, printer and publisher at the one and the same time. He is credited with publishing the first Bengali newspaper – Bengal Gazettie. Gangakishore was a prolific writer who wrote several books to fulfill the needs of the people.

He wrote A Grammar of English Language in simple Bengali for the benefit of students. Besides he wrote several books in Bengali on business and economics. He also wrote books on medicine and chemistry in Bengali. As an editor Gangakishore attempted to utilize the press for social reform.

Group E:

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

Question 1.
Briefly describe the role of Ramakrishna in the religious reform movement of nineteenth century Bengal. (8)
Answer:
Ramakrishna Paramhansadeva of the temple of goddess Kali at Dakshineswar (near Kolkata) is a spiritual miracle. He appeared at a time when there was degeneracy of Hindus due to superstition and other socio-religious abuses.

i. Ramakrishna preached that all religions lead to the same goal. He said that in different names people worship the same God. Thus he concluded that all religions are valid and true.

ii. Ramakrishna found people quarrelling in the name of religion without realizing that He who is called Krishna is also called Siva and bears the name of Jesus and Allah as well. Thus the message of religious harmony or Sarva Dharma Samannay of Ramakrishna is first of all recognition of differences among religions.

iii. Ramakrishna further taught that all that a man can and should do is to try to serve a fellow man in a spirit of humility, for in serving a human being he serves God. It may thus be said that Ramakrishna gave a new dimension to Hindu religion.

Question 2.
What is the historical significance of the Sannyasi-Fakir rebellion? Why did the rebellion fail ? 5+3=8
Answer:
a. Significance : Historical significance of the Sannyasi and Fakir rebellion lay in the fact that they broke out in rebellion as the East India Company’s government imposed restrictions on their movement. Imposition of tax on the rent-free land that the Sannyasi and Fakirs had been enjoying was another issue that created resentment leading to the outbreak of rebellion. That the rebellion centred round the economic grievances is more than proved when the rebels attacked the government revenue-officials and houses of the money-lenders.

b. Failure : In short, the Sannyasi and Fakirs burst out in rebellion because of the oppressive measures of the officials of the East India Company. The rebellion was a failure as the rebels could not get their grievances redressed.

• Repressive measures of the British forced the rebels to surrender.
• The rebels could not give fight because of their lack of modern arms and ammunitions. They also lacked in leadership.
• Internal feud between Sannyasi and the Fakirs was another factor responsible for the failure of the rebels.

Question 3.
What is the importance of Halhed’s A Grammar of the Bengali Language? Analyse the role of Charles Wilkins in the development of printing in Bengali language ? 3+5=8
Answer:
amportance : Halhed was a scholarly person who came to Bengal as a civilian of the East India Company. In India he devoted himself to the study of the Bengali language. But the most important contribution of Halhed was his A Grammar of the Bengali Language published in 1778 AD.

The book was one of the earliest efforts to study the language in a scientific manner. The publication of the book made the beginning of an era in the history of Bengali language because it was connected with the history of printing in Bengali.

b. Charles Wilkins : The art of printing was introduced into the country by Sir Charles Wilkins. This was a revolutionary change. For, without the facility of printing, rapid development in Bengali language and culture was not possible. In course of the development of printing difficulty arose with Bengali font (type of one similar size), Charles Wilkins undertook the task of making Bengali font. The first Bengali press was set up at Hoogly and the work of creating the typeface (font) was done by Panchanan Karmakar uder the supervision of Wilkins.

Group F.

Answer the following in a single sentence (any four) : 1×4=4

Question 1.
In which year was published the ‘Bangadarshan’?
Answer:
‘Bangadarshan’ was published in the year 1872.

Question 2.
In which year was formed the Indigo Commission?
Answer:
The Indigo Commission was appointed in 1860.

Question 3.
In which year was founded the Hindu College ?
Answer:
The Hindu College was founded in 1817.

Question 4.
Which revolt was initiated at Bhagnadihi ?
Answer:
The Santal Hool or rebellion was primarily organized by a Santal family of the village Bhagnadihi in present Jharkhand.

Question 5.
Who painted the picture of ‘Bharatmata’?
Answer:
The picture of ‘Bharatmata’ was drawn by Abanindranath Tagore.

Question 6.
Who founded the ‘Bose Institute’?
Answer:
Acharya Jagadish Chandra Bose was the founder of the Basu Bigyan Mandir, also known as the ‘Bose Institute’.

Answer the following questions in two or three sentences (any three): 2×6=6

Question 1.
Why is David Hare famous ?
Answer:
David Hare was one of the few Englishmen who devoted his energy to the welfare of the Indians. He was especially interested in the spread of Western education in India. It was largely due to his efforts that the Hindu College (later Presidency College) was opened in 1817.

Question 2.
What is meant by a ‘revolution’?
Answer:
Revolution brings about fundamental change. Drawing a comparison between rebellion and revolution it may be said that a rebellion takes place on local issues which does not aim at any fundamental change. Revolution on the other hand bring about changes that impacts the total system be it political, social or economic.

Question 3.
State two objectives of founding the Indian Association.
Answer:
Of the two objectives of the Indian Association one was the creation of a strong body of public opinion in India. Another objective of the Indian Association was to organize and express Indian public opinion on political questions that confronted the country. The Association was started by Surendranath Banerjee.

Question 4.
Why is Panchanan Karmakar remembered ?
Answer:
Panchanan Karmakar was the first to invent Bengali typeface for printing. In his effort he had been assisted by Wilkins. Panchanan Karmakar also developed a set of Devnagari script which was the first of its kind in India.

Question 5.
With what objectives was founded the ‘Sriniketan’?
Answer:
Sriniketan not far away from Shantiniketan was established in 1920 with the objective of rural development.
Specifically, its objectives were :

• To increase knowledge about the rural people.
• To encourage and help the rural people establishing cottage industry.
• To encourage rural people to adopt new indigenous technology.