Resistance And Rebellion ~ History Chapter 3 Madhyamik (Questions and Answer) wbbse
Resistance And Rebellion Short Answer Type Questions :
1. When did the Rangpur peasant uprising occur ?
Answer : In 1783, farmers in Rangpur rose up against the government. The Rangpr Rebellion was led by Nuruluddin.
2. Who was debi Singh ?
Answer : Rangpur’s ijaradar was named Debi Singh.
3. By whom was the ijaradari system introduced?
Answer : The ijaradari system was introduced by Warren Hastings.
4. Who was Sui Munda?
Answer: The Kol Rebellion was headed by Sui Munda.
5.In which year did the Kol Rebellion take place?
Answer:During the year 1831, the Kol Rebellion occurred.
6.Who were the Santhals?
Answer:Santhals were a tribe that lived in the Damin-i-Koh region between
Bhagalpur and Rajmahal. They were good people who worked hard and didn’t cause any trouble.
7.When and against whom did the Rangpur Rebellion breakout?
Answer:Against Debi Singh, the ijaradar of Rangpur, a rebellion broke out in 1783.
8.Who were the Bhils?
Answer:The Bhils were an indigenous people with a strong hold in the region of
Khandesh in the Western Ghats.
9.Name the leaders of the Sannyasi Rebellion.
Answer:The Sannyasi Rebellion was led by Bhabani Pathak and Devi Choudhurani.
10.Where did the Wahabi Movement begin?
Answer:It was in Arabia that the Wahabi movement began.
11.Who founded the Wahabi Movement in India?
Answer:Syed Ahmed started the Wahabi movement in India.
12.Who founded the Farazi Movement?
Answer:Haji Shariatullah started the Farazi Movement.
13.Who wrote“Anandamath”?
Answer:“Anandamath” was written by Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay, a renowned Bengali writer.
14.Who was Karam Shah?
Answer:Karam Shah was a member of the Pagal Panthi,a semi-religious group that sided with the tenants in their right against the zamindars.
15. When was the Indigo Commission set up ?
Answer : In 1860, the Indigo Commission was formed.
16. Who initiated the Indigo Rebellion?
Answer : Bishnucharan Biswas and Digambar Biswas were the original instigators of Indigo Rebellion.
Question 17: Mention any two tribal movements between 1757 and 1857.
Answer: Two tribal movements between 1757 and 1857 were the Kol Rebellion and the Santhal Rebellion.
Question 18: When did the Rangpur peasant uprising take place?
Answer: The Rangpur peasant uprising took place in 1783.
Question 19: Who was Nuruluddin?
Answer: Nuruluddin was the leader of the Rangpur Rebellion.
Question 20: Where did the Rangpur Rebellion spread?
Answer: The Rangpur Rebellion spread to Dinajpur and Cooch Behar.
Question 21: Who was Debi Singh?
Answer: Debi Singh was the ijaradar of Rangpur.
Question 22: Name one leader of the Rangpur Uprising.
Answer: Dirji Narayan was one of the leaders of the Rangpur Uprising.
Question 23: Who introduced the Ijaradari system?
Answer: Warren Hastings introduced the Ijaradari system.
Question 24: Who according to you were the real enemies of the tribals?
Answer: The real enemies of the tribals were the non-tribal outsiders like the zamindars moneylenders, planters, contractors, merchants, traders and the greedy revenue officers appointed by the English East India Company.
Question 25: Name two leaders of the Chuar Revolt.
Answer: Jagannath Singh and Dhadkar Shyamganjan were two leaders of the Chuar Revolt.
Question 26: Who was Sui Munda?
Answer: Sui Munda was the leader of the Kol Rebellion.
Question 27: When did the Kol Rebellion take place?
Answer: The Kol Rebellion took place in 1831.
Question 28: Name two leaders of the Kol Rebellion.
Answer: Two leaders of the Kol Rebellion were Joa Bhagat and Buddhu Bhagat.
Question 29: Who were the Santhals?
Answer: The Santhals were an innocent, hard-working, and peaceful tribal community that lived in the area between Bhagalpur and Rajmahal, known as Damien-i-Koh.
Question 30: When did the Santhal Rebellion take place?
Answer: The Santhal Rebellion took place in 1855- 56.
Question 31: Which revolt was initiated at Bhagnadihi?
Answer: The Santhal Revolt was initiated at Bhagnadihi.
Question 32: When was the Forest Act enacted in India?
Answer: The Forest Act was enacted in India in 1865
Question 33: Where is Bastar located?
Answer: Bastar is located in the southernmost part of Chhattisgarh and borders of Andhra Pradesh, Orissa, and Maharashtra.
Question 34: Which was the first peasant rebellion during the rule of the East India Company?
Answer: The first peasant rebellion during the rule of the East India Company was the Chuar Rebellion.
Question 35: To which rebellion did Chand give leadership?
Answer: Chand gave leadership to Santhal Rebellion.
Question 36: In which year and against whom did the Rangpur Rebellion start?
Answer: The Rangpur Rebellion started in 1783 against Debi Singh, the ijaradar of Rangpur.
Question 37: In which region did the Kols live?
Answer: The Kols lived in the Chotanagpur region of Bihar and in the neighboring area.
Question 38: Where did the Kol Rebellion spread?
Answer: The Kol Rebellion spread to Manbhum, Singbhum, Hazaribagh, and Palamau regions.
Question 39: Who were the Bhils?
Answer: The Bhils were an aboriginal tribe who lived in the Western Ghats and had their stronghold in Khandesh.
Question 40: When did the Bhils rise in revolt?
Answer: The Bhils rose in revolt in 1817-19, 1825, 1835, and 1846.
Question 41: What was the act passed by the British government to suppress the rebellious tribals?
Answer: To suppress the rebellious tribals the British government passed the ‘Criminal Tribes Act’.
Question 42: Who did the tribals consider as Dikus?
Answer: The tribals considered the British moneylenders, zamindars, and businessmen as Dikus which means ‘outsiders’.
Question 43: What were the different rebellions which broke out after the Indian Forest Act was passed?
Answer: The different rebellion which broke out after the Indian Forest Act was passed was Chuar Rebellion, Kol Rebellion, Santhal Rebellion, Munda Rebellion, etc.
Question 44: Who was Karim Shah?
Answer: Karim Shah was a leader of the Fakir Rebellion.
Question 45: In which part of Bengal did the Sannyasi Uprising take place?
Answer: The Sannyasi Uprising took place in Northern Bengal.
Question 46: Name two leaders of the Sannyasi Rebellion.
Answer: Two leaders of the Sannyasi Rebellion were Bhabani Pathak and Devi Choudhurani.
Question 47: Who was the leader of the Fakir Uprising?
Answer: The leader of the Fakir Uprising was Chirag Ali.
Question 48: What is the meaning of ‘Dar al-Harb?
Answer: ‘Dar al-Harb means land of the enemy.
Question 49: Where did the Wahabi Movement first initiate?
Answer: The Wahabi Movement was first initiated in Arabia.
Question 50: Who first started the Wahabi Movement in Arabia?
Answer: Abd al-Wahhab first started the Wahabi Movement in Arabia.
Question 51: Who was the real founder of the Wahabi Movement in India?
Answer: Syed Ahmed was the real founder of the Wahabi Movement in India.
Question 52: Who was the chief leader of the Wahabi Movement in Bengal?
Answer: The chief leader of the Wahabi Movement in Bengal was Titu Mir (or Nisar Ali).
Question 53: Who fought with the English from the bamboo fortress at Narkelberia?
Answer: Titu Mir fought with the English from the bamboo fortress at Narkelberia.
Question 54: What is Titu Mir’s revolt from the bamboo fortress at Narkelberia known as?
Answer: Titu Mir’s revolt from the bamboo fortress at Narkelberia is known as Barasat Revolt.
Question 55: In which year was the Farazi Movement launched?
Answer: The Farazi Movement was launched in 1818.
Question 56: Who the founder of the Farazi was Movement?
Answer: The founder of the Farazi Movement was Haji Shariatullah.
Question 57: What was the capital of Dudu Miyan?
Answer: The capital of Dudu Miyan was Bahadurpur.
Question 58: Where was Dudu Miyan’s chief center during the Farazi Movement?
Answer: Dudu Miyan’s chief center during the Farazi Movement was Bahadurpur.
Question 59: What is the meaning of ‘Farazi’?
Answer: ‘Farazi’ means followers of the command of Allah.
Question 60: Who took up the leadership of the Farazi Movement after the death of Haji Shariatullah?
Answer: Dudu Miyan or Muhammad Muhsin took up the leadership of the Farazi Movement after the death of Haji Shariatullah.
Question 61: Name some intellectuals who inspired the indigo cultivators.
Answer: Some intellectuals who inspired the indigo cultivators were Digambar Biswas, Bishnucharan Biswas, Harish Chandra Mukhopadhyay, Sisir Kumar Ghosh, Manmohan Ghose, etc.
Question 62: Why was the Agrarian League formed in 1874?
Answer: The Agrarian League was formed in 1874 which protested against the unjust demand of the zamindars of Pabna.
Write a brief description of the shifting cultivation.
Answer: In shifting cultivation, trees are selectively cut and burned at diferent times. After the first monsoon rains, seeds are planted in the ashes, and the crop is usually picked between October and November. After a few years of farming, these areas are abandoned and given another 12– 18 years to regenerate as forest.
Who are the advasis ?
Answer: India is home to a sizable indigenous tribal population. These people tend to congregate in communities or groups. They live in close harmony with and depend upon their natural surroundings. People in this society are very cautious about damaging the environment. Together, they have amassed a large landholding.The term “adivasi” is used to describe these people.
What triggered the Pabna Rebellion?
Answer: There was significant resistance throughout much of East Bengal in the 1870s. At the heart of this widespread uprising was Pabna. The local zamindars violated the ryots’ right to occupy their land. Act X of 1859 gave an Occupancy Right to renters who lived on a piece of property for at least 12 years and always paid their rent. Still, the zamindars tried diferent things to take away the ryots’ rights to live there. Non payment of rent was another common reason for peasants being forced of their land. A revolt erupted in Pabna in response to the zamindars’ unfair demand.
What are the different categories of forest under the 1878 Act ? What is a reserved forest?
Answer : Forests were classified as either “ Reserved,” “ Protected,” or “Village” under the 1878 Act.
‘ Reserved forests’ were the most economically valuable and sustainable areas to cut down. There was a complete prohibition on hunting, grazing, and any other use of the land in these protected forests. In these protected forests, it was against the law to hunt, graze, or use the land in any other way. The villagers were forbidden to ever cut down a tree or use any part of these forests for themselves.
What impact did the forest act have on the villagers?
Answer : Many rural communities in the country were hit hard by the Forest Act. The people were forbidden from engaging in their normal activities, such as gathering food and building materials, tending to livestock, and pursuing other forms of subsistence, such as hunting and fishing.
Why did the Sannyasi and Fakir Rebellion fail ?
Answer : Several factors contributed to the failure of the Sannyasi and Fakir Rebellion, some of which were:
i. The rebels failed because their leaders lacked experience.
ii. They were unable to efectively unite to fight the British because of communication breakdowns.
iii. The area of the uprising was relatively small.
iv. The rebels did not enjoy support from every socioeconomic group.
What were the goals of the Wahabi Movement ?
Answer : The Wahabi Movement sought to achieve the following goals.
i. The Wahabi Movement’s goals were primarily religious at first. In other words,
Syed Ahmed wanted to turn the “ Unholy Land” ( Dar-Al-Harb) into the “ Holy Land”
( Dar-Al-Islam) (Land of Islam).
ii. The economic goal of the movement was to end the peasantry’s subjugation to
the capitalist system.
iii. The uprising evolved into an anti-imperialist struggle that sought to expel the British from India.
Discuss the indigo Commission.
Answer : In 1860, an inquiry board called the Indigo Commission was established to hear the complaints of indigo farmers. It admitted and criticised the practice of indigo slave labour. It was decreed in an omcial order that the indigo factory owners could not force the farmers to grow indigo on their land, but that the farmers could do so if they so desired. During its investigation, the Indigo Commission heard from 134 witnesses. These included 15 government workers and Christian missionaries, 21 planters, 13 zamindars, and 77 ryots.
How did the indigo planters torture the indigo cultivators?
Answer: The British indigo planters were extremely cruel to the indigo farmers. The planters used a wide variety of abusive tactics. The planters hired people called “ lathials” to do all kinds of cruel things, like beating up peasants, burning down their homes, and taking their belongings by force. Their crops and fruit trees were ruined, and their livestock were stolen. The indigo factories were illegal holding facilities where peasants were beaten and imprisoned. Women from the peasant class were among those kidnapped, and their children were not spared either.
What role did the Christian missionaries play in the indigo rebellion ?
Answer : Christian missionaries from Europe had a signiicant impact on the outcome of the Indigo Rebellion. They were on the side of the indigo farmers. Through newspaper articles, they spoke out against the indigo planters’ oppression and tyranny. It’s worth noting that Christian missionary James Long acknowledged indigo farmers’ violent actions. Because they believed that a solid Christian education was the only thing that could lift the peasants out of their abject poverty, Christian missionaries placed a premium on providing free public education to the masses.
What factors led to the Munda Uprising?
Answer : Following were the factors that led to the Munda Uprising:
i. The Mundas were an ancient tribal people who considered all land to be
communally owned. However, during the 19th century, colonial rulers imposed a
new set of agrarian relations on them.
ii. It was at this time that the Jagirdars and Thikadars began employing Mundas in
their ie lds. They were subjected to beth begari, or forced, unpaid labour.
iii. British rule established a new method of collecting land revenue and actively
welcomed missionaries into the Munda regions. The Mundas took their case to
court, where they were cheated by their lawyers.
Discuss the Munda uprising's Significance.
Answer: The signiicance of the uprising was as follows:
i. The British had to adopt some reformatory policies for Muslims. The practice of Beth begari was discontinued.
ii. Birsa was eventually revered as a deity by the Mundas, and his legacy as a
prophet for the gods endured in their minds.
iii. The Oraons’ Tana Bhagat Movement in Chotanagpur was bolstered by their
recollection of the Munda Revolt.
iv. While the Munda Revolt as a whole may have been unsuccessful, Birsha Munda’s initiative was not without lasting effects for the Munda people.
Why was the Kol Rebellion a failure?
Answer: Here are some of the problems with the Kol Rebellion:
i. The Kol Rebellion never had a truly efective leader. Poor leaders like Buddhu
Bhagat and Joa Bhagat, for example, mean this uprising didn’t last very long.
ii. To be successful, the rebellion needed to spread beyond the Kol tribe’s limited
territory. But this did not happen, and the movement suffered as a result.
iii. The educated and the intellectuals in society did not back the Kol Revolt.
Therefore, the uprising lacked proper planning and organisation.
iv. There was a major communication breakdown between the dispersed members of the Kol tribe. As a result, the rebels were unable to muster sumcient support to succeed.
v. The Kols did not have access to the financial backing, military hardware, or
ammunition necessary to mount a successful uprising. As a result, the strength of the uprising was always compromised.
vi. When it came to munitions and weaponry, the British were far superior. They were also very well organised, with cutting-edge means of communication to ensure that no one got left in the dark. The shattered spine of the Kol Revolt was caused by the brutality of British rulers.
Discuss the Kol Rebellion?
Answer : The 1831 Kol Rebellion is a prime example of the ferocity with which primitive tribes would defend their independence from outsiders. The Raja of Chotanagpur leased several villages to the Muslims and the Sikhs at the expense of the Kols, thereby stripping them of their ancestral rights and sparking the uprising.Buddhu Bhagat, Joa Bhagat, and Jhindrai Manki were instrumental in spreading the uprising to the neighbouring districts of Singbhum, Manbhum, and Hazaribagh. The Kols burned down the homes of the ijaradars, landlords, mahajans, grain merchants, and English omcials and slaughtered their inhabitants. Outsiders, or “dikus,” were warned to leave Chotanagpur or be killed by the rebels. The rebellion was put down by the British in 1833 after thousands of tribal people were killed. As a result of the Kol Rebellion, the British government rethought its administrative structure and began taking a diferent approach toward the tribal people.
Question 15: Give an account of the Farazi Movement under the leadership of Haji Shariatullah and Dudu Miyan. Or, Write a brief note on the Farazi Movement.
Answer: The Farazi Movement occupies an important place in the history of peasant rebellion in India. Haji Shariatullah, the leader of this peasant movement founded a sect called ‘Farazi’ which means ‘obey the dictates of Allah’ (God). Though the movement started as an Islamic revivalist movement, ultimately it turned into an anti-imperialist struggle aiming at the expulsion of the British and the restoration of Muhammedan power in India. The poor peasants of Bengal were organized against the landlords and indigo planters by Shariatullah.
After the death of Shariatullah his son Muhammad Muhsin, better known as Dudu Miyan, took up the leadership of the movement. After his return from Mecca he preached that all men are equal. According to him, god is the ultimate owner of the land; so it would be contrary to Divine Law to pay rent to anyone.
He united the peasants against the tyranny of the indigo planters and zamindars and gave instruction to his followers not to pay taxes to the zamindars. He created a parallel government and was arrested and put in prison.
Question 16: What was the nature of the Farazi Movement?
Answer: The nature of the Farazi Movement, which started under the leadership of Haji Shariatullah, was as follows-
[1] The most important feature of the movement was that it started as an Islamic revivalist movement but ultimately it turned into an anti-imperialist as well as anti-British struggle, aiming at the restoration of Muhammedan power in India.
[2] The movement was non-communal in nature.
[3] It was a part of the freedom movement of India and the rebels aimed at ousting the British from India.
[4] A parallel government was established which started collecting taxes from the people and also established local courts.
Question 17: Why is Dudu Miyan remembered?
Answer: The Farazi Movement holds an important place in the history of peasant rebellion in India. The leader of the Farazi Movement was Haji Shariatullah. After his death, his son Muhammad Muhsin, better known as Dudu Miyan, took up the leadership of the movement. After he returned from Mecca, he preached that all men were equal and that God was the ultimate owner of the land; so it would be contrary to Divine law to pay rent to anyone.
He united the peasants against the tyranny of the zamindars and the indigo planters and instructed his followers.not to pay taxes to the zamindars. He created a parallel government but was arrested and put in prison.
Question 18: Discuss the importance of the Wahabi Movement in Bengal under the leadership of Titu Mir.
Answer: Titu Mir, the leader of the Wahabi Movement in Bengal, organized the poor Hindu and Muslim peasants to fight against the oppressive zamindars and the British who imposed punitive taxes on the Wahabis. He constructed a bamboo fortress at Narkelberia in Barasat to counteract the enemy (1831). Though he failed in his objective this movement in Bengal had immense importance-
[1] The revolt exposed the true nature of British exploitation of the peasants.
[2] It was the first armed rebellion of the peasants of Bengal against the British, the indigo planters, the zamindars, and the moneylenders.
Question 19: Name two centers of the Wahabi Movement in Bengal, Who constructed the famous ‘Banser Kella’ or bamboo fortress? What was the main objective of the Barasat Revolt?
Answer: Two centers of the Wahabi Movement in Bengal were Nadia and Jessore. The ‘Banser Kella’ or bamboo fortress was constructed by Titu Mir, the leader of the Wahabi Movement in Bengal. Titu Mir organized the poor peasants of Jessore, 24 Parganas, and Nadia districts and constructed a bamboo fortress at Narkelberia at Barasat to counteract the British army. His aim was to organize the poor Hindu and Muslim peasants to fight against the oppressive zamindars who imposed punitive taxes on the Wahabis.
His objective was the replacement of British rule with Muslim rule and the extinction of the British government. He proclaimed, “the sovereign power as the hereditary right of the Muslims which had been unjustly usurped by the Europeans.”
Question 20: Why is Titu Mir remembered?
Answer: Titu Mir was the leader of the Wahabi Movement in Bengal. Under his leadership, the movement turned into a movement of the peasants who were exploited at the hands of the Hindu zamindars and the European indigo planters. Titu Mir proclaimed the illegitimacy of the company’s government and declared that the Muslims were the rightful owners of the land.
The rebels declared that they were to receive rent from the peasants and they proceeded from village to village enforcing their demands. The British employed military to suppress the rebels. Titu Mir built up a ‘bamboo fortress’ at Narkelberia village near Barasat which is famous in history as the ‘Barasat Uprising’ (1831). After a valiant fight, Titu and his comrades were killed.
Question 21: Briefly describe the Barasat Uprising.
Answer: The Barasat Uprising (1831) was led by Titu Mir, the leader of the Wahabi sect in Bengal. Titu Mir’s aim was to organize the poor Hindu and Muslim peasants to fight against oppressive zamindars who imposed punitive taxes on the Wahabis. The center of his movement was Narkelberia at Barasat. He organized his followers and built a bamboo fortress (Banser Kella). Loot, murder, arson, and cow slaughter alarmed the local authorities.
Titu Mir along with his three hundred followers attacked the house of zamindar Krishnadeva Ray. He assumed the title of Badshah and established a parallel government in Narkelberia. The British government sent a large force and Titu Mir’s bamboo fortress was blown to pieces. Titu Mir was killed and his followers were imprisoned.
Question 22: What was the nature of the Wahabi Movement?
Answer: The nature of the Wahabi Movement was as follows-
[1] The Wahabi Movement started as an Islamic reform movement, but ultimately it turned into an anti-imperialist struggle.
[2] In Bengal, under the leadership of Titu Mir, the movement turned into a rebellion of the peasants, exploited at the hands of the zamindars and European indigo planters.
[3] It was a movement launched by both the Hindus and the Muslims and hence, was non-communal in nature.
[4] It was a part of India’s freedom movement. Its aim was to oust the British from India. [5] Wahabi Movement in Bengal, led by Titu Mir, was messianic in nature.
Question 23: Explain the terms ‘Fakir’ and ‘Mahajan’.
Answer:
Fakir: Fakirs were a group of wandering Muslim religious mendicants.
Mahajan: Mahajan was the term used to refer to moneylenders.
Question 24: Under what circumstances did the Sannyasi and Fakir Rebellions start?
Answer: The Sannyasi and Fakir Rebellions started against the oppressive tax collection by the British and also against the coercion of the leaseholders. The Hindu and Muslim saints ventilated their grievances against the despotic policy of the East India Company.
Question 25: Why was the Sannyasi and Fakir Rebellion unsuccessful?
Answer: The Sannyasi and Fakir Rebellion (1763- 1800) was unsuccessful due to various reasons, namely:
[1] The rebels failed because the leaders were inexperienced.
[2] Communication prevented them from fighting unitedly against the British.
[3] The rebellion was limited to a small region.
[4] The rebels were not popular among all classes of people.
Question 26: What were the objectives of the Wahabi movement?
Answer: The objectives of the Wahabi Movement were as follows-
[1] Initially, the objective of the Wahabi Movement was religious. Syed Ahmed’s aim was to convert ‘Dar-Al-Harb’ (Unholy Land) into ‘Dar-Al-Islam’ (Land of Islam)
[2] The economic objective of the movement was to free the peasantry from economic exploitation.
[3] Ultimately the movement turned into an anti-imperialist struggle aiming at driving out the British from India.
Question 27: When and between whom was the battle of Balakot fought? What was the result of the battle?
Answer: The battle of Balakot was fought between The Sikhs of Punjab and Syed Ahmed, the leader of the Wahabi movement In the battle of Balakot Syed Ahmed was defeated and killed.
Question 28: Who was the leader of the Wahabi Movement in Bengal? Where did the Wahabi Movement spread under his leadership?
Answer: The leader of the Wahabi Movement in Bengal was Mir Nisar Ali popularly known as Titu Mir. The Wahabi Movement under the leadership of Titu Mir spread to 24 Parganas, Nadia, Dacca, Jessore, Rajshahi, Malda, etc.
Question 29: What was the Wahabi Movement?
Answer: The Wahabi Movement was an Islamic reform movement founded by Abd al-Wahhab in the 18th century in Najd in Saudi Arabia.
Question 30: Was the Farazi Rebellion simply a religious movement?
Answer: The Farazi Rebellion started as an Islamic revivalist movement but ultimately it turned into an anti-imperialist as well as anti-British struggle aiming at the restoration of Mohammedan power in India. It was a part of the freedom movement of India and the rebels aimed at ousting the British from India.
Question 31: Examine the causes of the Indigo Revolt.
Answer: The Indigo Revolt of 1859-60 was a mass upheaval, unprecedented in the history of organized political movements in India. By the beginning of the 19th century, indigo formed the basis of a flourishing sector of commercial agriculture. Many European planters established factories in different parts of Bengal when indigo became a profitable item of export. The revolt was directed against British planters who behaved like feudal lords in their state.
The causes of the rebellion were as follows-
[1] The wages paid by the planters to ryots were meager although the prices of agricultural products doubled.
[2] The planters oppressed the cultivators and forced them to grow indigo under terms.
[3] The production of food crops declined considerably because the indigo planters used the best plots of cultivable land for indigo plantations.
[4] The indigo planters augmented the plantation area and evicted the peasants from their villages. Employing armed gang men, the planters did not hesitate to burn the peasants’ huts.
[5] Peasant women were abducted regularly and other family members were also not spared.
Question 32: Describe the nature of the Indigo Rebellion.
Answer: The Indigo Rebellion was one of the events which profoundly influenced the political developments in India toward intense national awakening.The nature of the rebellion was as follows-
[1] It was not directed against the zamindars and the Mahajan. It was a revolt against the indigo planters who committed all sorts of brutality to force the peasants to cultivate indigo.
[2] The ryots not only resisted forced cultivation but also wanted to put an end to indigo cultivation.
[3] The bravery and sacrifice of the peasants deserve special mention. One after another the peasants joined the movement and took the vow not to cultivate indigo.
[4] All communities-Hindus and Muslims joined the rebellion. Not only the peasants but the zamindars, businessmen, talukdars and Patidar’s also joined them.
[5] The Indigo Rebellion was by nature not a part of the religious reform movement. Peasants form the core and took the opportunity to give vent to their grievances against the oppressors.
[6] The Christian missionaries backed the peasants. Grant, the lieutenant governor of Bengal, and W S Seton Karr were also sympathetic towards the innocent peasants.
Question 33: What role did the educated community play during the Indigo Rebellion?
Answer: Role of the educated community during the Indigo Rebellion was as follows-
[1] In 1980, the indigo cultivators of Chowgacha village of Nadia district first rose in rebellion under the leadership of Bishnu Charan Biswas and Digambar Biswas. They organized the peasants of their village Chowgacha, who took the vow not to cultivate indigo anymore. The rebellion spread from one village to another and the villagers took a similar vow not to cultivate indigo.
[2] At this stage, the educated community joined the peasants. Sisir Kumar Ghosh organized peasants of ninety-two villages who took the pledge to refuse indigo cultivation, even at life risk.
[3] In 1860, Dinabandhu Mitra, then a high Government official, published the historic drama ‘Nil Darpan’, depicting the brutalities of the English planters and the heroic resistance of the peasants. The Bengali poet Michael Madhusudan Dutta translated this drama into English, but it was published in the name of Reverend James Long. The planters filed a case against James Long who was imprisoned for one month and fined one thousand rupees. Kaliprasanna Singha, a young writer paid off the fine on the spot.
[4] Harish Chandra Mukherjee, the editor of the Hindoo Patriot, published the news of the tyranny of the planters and the reaction of the peasants. He, through his fiery editorials, considerably influenced public opinion against the British government. Moreover, through his news and views, he greatly influenced the government to appoint the Indigo Commission in 1860.
Question 34: Describe the spread of the Indigo Rebellion in Bengal.
Answer: During the nineteenth century, the European indigo planters, in order to spread the cultivation of indigo all over Bengal, oppressed the peasants of Bengal in a barbaric way. Nearly 60 million indigo ryots, in order to protest against the inhuman torture and oppression, chose the path of rebellion, which came to be known as the Indigo Rebellion (1859-1860).
[1] Expression of grievances: The first phase of the rebellion was marked by the expression of grievances by the indigo ryots against the European indigo planters at the governmental departments.
[2] Boycott: The expression of grievances was of no good for the indigo ryots. So the second phase of the revolt was marked by the refusal of the indigo ryots to take advances for cultivation and thus the boycott of the movement. Digambar Biswas and Bishnucharan Biswas of Nadia district led the boycott movement. A large number of peasants in Nadia, Pabna, Faridpur, Barishal, Rajshahi, Khulna, Maldah, Murshidabad, and Dinajpur did not start cultivating indigo despite the inhuman torture and oppression carried out against them.
[3] Armed rebellion: The indigo ryots started an armed rebellion against the Britishers in the third phase of the rebellion. They burnt the indigo plantations and also attacked the European indigo planters.
[4] Role of the educated middle class: A section of the educated middle class in Bengal supported the Indian ryots and expressed their grievances against the European indigo planters.
[1] The editor of ‘Hindoo Patriot’ Harish Chandra Mukherjee questioned the indigo ryots and vehemently expressed his views against the European indigo planters.
[2] Dinabandhu Mitra in his drama ‘Nil Darpan’ pointed out the inhuman torture of the European indigo planters.
[3] Michael Madhusudan Dutta translated ‘Nil Darpan’ into English and published it in the name of Christian priest James Long, which led to the fine and imprisonment of James Long.
[5] Last phase of the revolt: Thousands of indigo ryots expressed their grievances to Peter Grant, the chief commissioner of Bengal during his visit to East Bengal. On the basis of those grievances, Peter Grant set up the Indigo Commission in the year 1860. The reports submitted by this commission led to the abolition of indigo plantations in Bengal, which, in turn, led to the end of the Indigo Rebellion.
Question 35: Discuss the nature and characteristics of the Pabna Peasant Rebellion.
Answer: The poor peasants of the Pabna district of East Bengal started a revolt against the exploitation of the zamindars in 1870. However, historians do not agree regarding the nature or characteristics of the revolt.
This can be discussed as follows-
[1] Non-communal movement: Some historians consider the Pabna Peasant Rebellion as being non-communal in nature. The peasants did not start the revolt against the zamindars as they were Hindu by religion, rather they started the revolt due to the barbaric nature of the zamindars.
[2] Lawful rebellion: The peasants of the Pabna Rebellion did not take any extremist ways against the zamindars. Neither did they start any armed rebellion. The steps they took included peaceful means like non-payment of tax. They also decided to fight against the wrong legal allegations brought against them by the British government. Due to this reason, some of historians are of the opinion that the Pabna Peasant Rebellion was a lawful rebellion.
[3] Agitation against the zamindars: The exploited peasants of the Pabna Peasant Rebellion fought mainly against the zamindars, as the zamindars continued mass oppression against the peasants.
[4] Limited nature of the revolt: The Pabna Peasant Rebellion was not against British rule, it was solely against the zamindars. The peasants wanted to be under British rule and wanted to pay taxes to the British queen directly. For this reason, the nature of this revolt is mentioned as limited by some historians.
[5] Lack of political awareness: Some historians are of the opinion that the Pabna Peasant Rebellion lacked political awareness. The rebels failed to understand that the British rule was the main origin of their miserable condition, and supported the British rule unknowingly.
Question 36: Write a note on the Indigo Commission.
Answer: The Indigo Commission was set up in 1860 to enquire into the grievances of indigo cultivators. It acknowledged the existence of forced cultivation of indigo and condemned it. In an official order it was declared that the peasants could plant indigo in their lands if they wished and the owners of indigo factories would not compel them to plant indigo. Undoubtedly this order was an achievement on the part of the rebels.
Question 37: What was depicted in the historic drama ‘Nil Darpan’? Who translated it into English?
Answer: The historic drama ‘Nil Darpan’ depicted the horrors of the English planters and the heroic reaction of the peasants. It was translated into English by the poet Madhusudan Dutta under the alias Reverend Long.
Question 38: Who was the author of the historic drama ‘Nil Darpan’? When was it published?
Answer: The author of the historic drama ‘Nil Darpan’ was Dinabandhu Mitra. It was published in 1860.
Question 39: What were the causes of discontent of the farmers cultivating indigo?
Answer: The causes of discontent of the farmers cultivating indigo were as follows-
[1] They were paid very low prices for growing peasants’ houses and forcible seizure of their indigo.
[2] They were tortured and forced to cultivate indigo in lieu of other crops in their best lands in the interest of the British planters.
[3] The British indigo planters amassed huge profits at the cost of the poor Indian farmers.
Question 40: What were the main centers of the Indigo Rebellion?
Answer: The Indigo Rebellion spread in almost all the indigo-growing districts. The cultivators of Nadia district first rose in action. The movement then spread to Jessore, Khulna, Rajshahi, Pabna, Faridpur, Dacca, Malda, Dinajpur, and other places in Bengal.
Question 41: What were the recommendations of the Indigo Commission?
Answer: The British government appointed the Indigo Commission on 31 March 1866 to enquire into the system of indigo production. The following were the recommendations of the Indigo Commission.
[1] The peasants could plant indigo in their lands if they wished and the owner of indigo factories would not compel them to plant indigo.
[2] The government does not intervene in the indigo crisis as it would further complicate the situation.
[3] The government to appoint an honest police force and honest magistrate to ensure justice for the indigo cultivators.
Question 42: How were the indigo cultivators tortured by the indigo planters?
Answer: The indigo cultivators were brutally treated by the British indigo planters. The planters took recourse to all sorts of oppression. The planters appointed ‘lathes’ who committed all sorts of brutality-physical assault and burning of movable property. Their cattle were carried off and their crops and fruit trees were destroyed. The peasants were unlawfully confined in the indigo factories and were mercilessly beaten. Peasant women were abducted and other family members were also not spared.
Question 43: Name some important leaders of the Indigo Rebellion.
Answer: Some important leaders of the Indigo Rebellion were Digambar Biswas and Bishnu Charan Biswas of Chaugacha, Nadia, Mahesh Chandra of Narail, Ramratan Mallick of Jairampur, Rafique Mondal of Malda, Shreehari Ray of Chandpur, Meghan Sardar of Asannagar.
Question 44: Why was Reverend James Long fined? Who paid off the fine?
Answer: Michael Madhusudan Dutta translated ‘Nil Darpan’ in English in the name of Reverend James Long. The planters immediately filed a case against Long who was imprisoned for one month and fined one thousand rupees. A young writer and zamindar Kali Prasanna Sinha paid off the fine in the courtroom.
Question 45: Who was Harish Chandra Mukhopadhyay?
Answer: Harish Chandra Mukhopadhyay was the editor of ‘Hindoo Patriot’. He published the day-to-day news of the tyranny and brutality of the planters and the progress of the rebellion. He questioned the indigo peasants and vehemently expressed his view against the European indigo planters. Besides his fiery editorials criticizing the administration. he considerably influenced public opinion against the government.
Question 46: What was the role of Christian missionaries in the Indigo Rebellion?
Answer: The Christian missionaries who came from Europe played an important part in the Indigo Rebellion. They supported the cause of indigo cultivators. They expressed their views against the oppression and tyranny of the indigo planters and published these in newspapers.
It may be mentioned here that James Long, a Christian missionary admitted the acts of violence on the part of the indigo planters. The Christian missionaries put increasing emphasis on mass education believing that a sound Christian education alone would help the peasants out of their miserable plight.
Question 47: What were the causes of the Pabna Rebellion?
Answer: During the 1870s there was widespread resistance in large parts of East Bengal. The center of this widespread resistance was Pabna. The zamindars of this region deprived the ryots of their occupancy rights. The Occupancy Right under Act X of 1859 conferred occupancy rights on tenants who held lands for 12 years as well as pay their rent. But the zamindars in different ways deprived the ryots of their Occupancy right. The peasants were also sometimes evicted from land due to non-payment. A revolt broke out in Pabna against the unjust demand of the zamindars.
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