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When People Rebel 1857 and After Questions and Answers AP 8th Class Social History 5th Lesson
Question 1.
What was the demand of Rani Lakshmibai of Jhansi that was refused by the British?
Answer:
Rani Lakshmibai of Jhansi wanted the British to recognise her adopted son as the heir to the kingdom after the death of her husband.
Question 2.
What did the British do to protect the interests of those who converted to Christianity ?
Answer:
In 1850, the British passed a new law to make conversion to Christianity easier. According to this law an Indian who had converted to Christianity can inherit the property of his ancestors.
Question 3.
What objections did the sepoys have to the new cartridges that they were asked to use ?
Answer:
The sepoys suspected that the catridges were greased with the fat of cow and pig. The sepoys had to use mouth to remove the covering of the catridges. It was against the religious sentiments of Hindus and Muslims. So, sepoys from these religions objected.
Question 4.
How did the last Mughal emperor live the last years of his life?
Answer:
- The last Mughal emperor Bahadur Shah Zafar lived a very pathetic life during the last years of his life.
- Zafar was tried in court and senteced to life imprisonment.
- Zafar and his wife Begum Zinat Mahal were sent to prison in Rangoon.
- Zafar died in the Rangoon jail in November 1862.
LETS DISCUSS
Question 5.
What could be the reasons for the confidence, of the British rulers about their position in India before May1857 ?
Answer:
- The British were condifent about their military strength because the Indian soldiers were loyal and faithful to them.
- Many zamindars and kings were the supporters of the British.
- The rebellions that happened before 1857 were suppressed easily. So, they were confident about their position in India before 1857.
Question 6.
What impact did Bahadur Shah Zafar’s support to the rebellion have on the people and the ruling families ?
Answer:
- Bahadur Shah Zafar’s support to the rebellion increased the confidence of the people and the ruling families.
- The kings became united to fight the British authority.
- The people of the towns and villages also rose up in rebellion and rallied around local leaders, zamindars and chiefs who were prepared to establish their authority and fight the British.
- Nana Saheb, the adopted son of the late Peshwa Baji Rao gathered armed forces and eliminated the British garrison from Kanpur.
- In Lucknow Birjis Qadr, the son of the deposed nawab Wajid Ali Shah was proclaimed the new nawab. He also acknowledged the supremacy of Bahadur Shah Zafar.
- In Jhansi Rani Lakshmibai joined the rebel sepoys and fought the British along the Tantia Tope, the general of Nana Saheb.
- In Mandla region of Madhya Pradesh Rani Avantibai Lodhi raised and led the army against the British.
So, we can say that the support of Bahadur Shah Zafar’s increased the confidence of the rebellion groups.
Question 7.
How did the British succeed in securing the submission of the rebell and owners of Awadh ?
Answer:
- The British tried and hanged many Nawabs, rajas sepoys and rebels.
- The British announced that the loyal landholders would be allowed to continue to enjoy traditional rights over their lands.
- Those who rebelled were told that if they submitted to the British, and if they had not killed any white people, they would remain safe and their rights and claims to land would not be denied.
Question 8.
In what ways did the British change their policies as a result of the rebellion of 1857?
Answer:
As a result of the rebellion of 1857, the British changed their policies. They are
- The powers of East India Company were transferred to the British crown. It would assure more responsible mangement of Indian affairs.
- The Governor General of India was given the title of Viceroy that is a personal representative of the crown.
- The British assured all ruling chiefs of the country that their territories would never be annexed in the future.
- They can pass on their kingdoms to their heirs, including an adopted son. But they had to acknowledge the British queen as their Sovereign Paramount.
- The number of European soldiers would be increased and in proportion Indian soldiers would be decreased.
- More soldiers would be recruited from among the Gorkhas, Sikhs, and Pathans instead of recruiting from Awadh, Bihar, Central India and South India.
- The British decided to respect the customary religions and social practices of the people in India.
LET’S DO
Question 9.
Find out stories and songs remembered by people in your area or your family about San Sattavn ki Ladaai. What memories do people cherish about the great uprising?
Answer:
There are several stories about the brave works of some people during San Sattavan ki Ladaai.
1. “There was a courtesan in Kanpur. He was linked to a Hindu Military Subedar who ‘ rebelled in 1857.
2. When during the course of the revolt, the rebel Subedar fell to the bullets of the British, the Courtesan Azizun Nisa mobilised women to form a band of troops.
3. She represented this band as its military Commander and participated in the war of independence with full vigour along with Begam Hazrat Mahal and Tantia Tope.”
4. Many of our elders say that they came to know from their grandfather about the Hindu-Muslim unity during the War of independence of 1857.
5. There was a Hindu priest, who did not allow even Hindus from lower castes to enter the temple premises. But during the fight of 1857 several Muslim rebel soldiers found their shelter in this temple. He personally took care of the these soldiers. He told that service to the motherland was superior to everything. Even today poeple cherish this incident in our area.
Below is given the immortal flag song of 1857 :
1. We are its flowers, Hindustan is ours.
2: Our nation is sacred, dearer than heaven World is a glow with the light of its soul How old, how new, best of all. World Our very own, Hindustan is ours.
3. Flow of Ganga and Yamuna, makes our land fertile Overhead snow-clad mountains. Our sentry towering Below, trumpets of Sea, beating against coasts From mines gold and diamond overflow. Our pomp and splendor, best in the world. Then came firangi from far land Cast a magical spell Looted our dear land with both hands Today, the martyrs call upon the whole nation. Break the shackles of slavery, pour out fire Hindu, Muslim, Sikh, all beloved brothers. This is the flag of our Freedom Hail and salute it.
Question 10.
Find out more about Rani Lakshmibai of Jhansi.ln what ways would she have been an unusual woman for her times?
Answer:
Rani Laxmibai was born sometime around 1828 ib Varanasi. Her father Moropant Tambey was a Marathi Brahmin. Her mother Bhagirathibai was a cultured religious woman. She was raised in the Court of Baji Rao II, the last of the Maratha Peshwas. At the age of 14, she was married to Raja Gangadhar Rao of Jhansi. Here she was given a new name, Laxmibai. She gave birth to a son but soon he died. In 1853 Gangadhar Rao fell ill.
He was persuaded to adopt a child as his heir. He adopted Damodar Rao, a little child. The next day he died. Rani claimed that Damodar Rao was their legal Heir. The British rule rejected Rani’s claim and decided to annex Jhansi under the Doctrine of Lapse. Rani sought the advice of a British lawyer and fought her case in London. Her petition was ultimately rejected. The British confiscated the state jewels and deducted h^r husband’s debt from here annual pension.
She was’asked to leave Jhansi fort. Laxmibai was determined to defent Jhansi. She proclaimed her decision with the famous words “Mi Mahji Jhansi Nahi dehnar (I will not give up my Jhansi). She raised a volunteer army in which both men and women were recruited. She fought for two weeks but the Fort of Jhansi was lost to the British. Rani escaped in the guise of a man with a few of here supporters with her son tied behind her back and a sword in her hand. She regrouped her force and moved towards Gwalior. She fought for a week but finally became a victim of a bullet on the battlefield in 1858.
It was not easy for a woman to be the head of State at that time. Rani faced many difficulties but she ran the kingdom well. She mastered martial arts and inspired Jhansi s women to join the army and take a more active role in defending the country. All these made her an unusual woman for her times.
LET S IMAGINE
★ Imagine you are a British officer in Awadh during the rebellion. What would you do to keep your plans, of fighting the rebels a top secret ?
Answer:
- I would conduct personal meetings with the higher officials.
- I prefer English men to convey the messages to the British authorities.
- I would discuss my plans personally sitting face to face and not through the papers.
AP 8th Class Social History 5th Lesson InText Questions and Answers When People Rebel 1857 and After
ACTIVITIES
Page No. 52
Question 1.
Imagine you are a sepoy in the Company army,advising your nephew not to take employment in the army. What reasons would you give?
Answer:
The reasons I would give :
- Rules and regulation should be strictly followed.
- Failure to do so could result in penalties.
- You should be away from family and friends.
- Communication opportunities are less.
- Deployment to any part of world for any length of time.
- Standardised rules in army. Even one person make a mistake, it will get everyone into trouble.
Page No. 55
Question 2.
What were the important concerns in the minds of the people according to Sitaram and according to Vishnubhatt ?
Answer:
According to Sitaram : The British occupied Awadh. This was the main reason for anger in both the people and soldiers. The news that cow and pig fat was used in catridges is also an important concern in the minds- of people.
According to Vishnubhatt: The British had corrupted the religion of Hindu and Muslim, They are preparing the Indians to convert into Christianity.
Question 3.
What role did they think the rulers were playing ? What role did the sepoys seem to play ?
Answer:
Rulers : The rulers were irritating the sepoys against the British in the name of religion. They are motivating to revolt against the British. For this they were making lies and false promises to persuade the sepoy to revolt.
Sepoys : The sepoys were spreading the news of interference of the British in the religious matters among the fellow sepoys of the other regiments. They were making plans to revolt against the British to save their religion.
Page No. 58
Question 4.
Why did the Mughal emperor agree to support the rebels ?
Answer:
- Some rulers lost their territories to the British and were enraged at these form of policies followed by the British.
- Sepoys were also facing insult and distrust by the British soldiers.
- They were given meagre pay in their regiment.
- They were forced to use catridges made of cow and pig fat. This in turn lead the soldiers to rebel against the British.
- The mutiny was also in favour of them.
- If they won the empire, the country would be free from the British.
So, Bahadur Shah Zafar, however was not willing had to agree to support the rebels.
Question 5.
Write a paragraph on the assessment he may have made before accepting the offer of the sepoys.
Answer:
- Bahadur Shah knew that he was old enough to lead the rebels.
- He was aware of the mighty and the strength of the British. He also knew the value of the name of his dynasty.
- He was aware of the initial victory of the rebels.
- He might have assumed that most of the sepoys would revolt again and the British become weakend itself.
- He also knew that the rulers who lost their kingdoms with the British policies would support him. So, he accepted the offer of the sepoys.
Page No. 59
Question 6.
Make a list of places where the uprising took place in May, June and July 1857.
Answer:
1857 May – Meerut
June – Kanpur
July – Lucknow