HISTORY (VIII)

LESSON NO-8

WOMEN, CASTE AND REFORM THE NATION

(LESSON NOTES)

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v Introduction: -

Ø Two hundred years ago the lives of women were totally different from what it is today. There were so many restrictions imposed on women.

Ø Widows were praised and called ‘satis’ meaning ‘virtous’ if they chose to by burning themselves on the funeral pyres of their husbands.

Ø people were also divided along lines of caste. Brahmins and Kshatriyas considered themselves in upper caste, after them traders and moneylenders referred to as Vaishyas and the lower caste were Shudras and included peasants, artisans, weavers, and potter.

Ø The attitude towards women & social customs started changing from the early 19th century.

HISTORY (VIII)- LESSON-4

(NCERT QUESTION ANSWERS)

1. Fill in the blanks:

(a) The British described the tribal people as ____________.

(b) The method of sowing seeds in jhum cultivation is known as ____________.

(c) The tribal chiefs got ____________ titles in central India under the British land settlements.

(d) Tribals went to work in the ____________ of Assam and the ____________ in Bihar.

Answer.

(a) wild and savage. (b) broadcasting. (c) land  (d) tea plantations  coal mines

2. State whether true or false:

(a) Jhum cultivators plough the land and sow seeds.

(b) Cocoons were bought from the Santhals and sold by the traders at five times the purchase price.

(c) Birsa urged his followers to purify themselves, give up drinking liquor and stop believing in witchcraft and sorcery.

(d) The British wanted to preserve the tribal way of life.

Answer.

(a) False (b) True (c) True (d) False

3. What problems did shifting cultivators face under British rule?

Answer. British always had problems with shifting cultivators, as they were always moving for pasture lands. The British wanted the shifting cultivators to become peasant cultivators. The British thought it was easier to control and administer peasant cultivators than shifting cultivators. Hence, shifting cultivators faced problems when the company planned the land revenue system.

4. How did the powers of tribal chiefs change under colonial rule?

Answer. Under British rule, the functions and powers of the tribal chiefs changed considerably. They were allowed to keep their land titles over a cluster of villages and rent outlands, but they lost much of their administrative power and were forced to follow laws made by the British officials in India. They also had to pay tribute to the British, and discipline the tribal groups on behalf of the British. They lost the authority that they had earlier enjoyed among their people and were unable to fulfil their traditional functions.

HISTORY (VIII)- LESSON-3

(NCERT QUESTION ANSWERS)

1. Match the following:

Answer: - 1-b, 2-a, 3-d, 4-c

2. Fill in the blanks:

(a) Growers of woad in Europe saw __________ as a crop which would provide competition to their earnings.

(b) The demand for indigo increased in late eighteenth-century Britain because of __________.

(c) The international demand for indigo was affected by the discovery of __________.

(d) The Champaran movement was against __________.

Answer.

(a)  Indigo (b) Expansion of cotton production. (c) synthetic dyes. (d) indigo planters.

HISTORY (VIII)- LESSON-2

FROM TRADE TO TERRITORY

(NCERT QUESTION ANSWERS)

1. Match the following:

Answer: 1-B, 2-A, 3-D, 4-E, 5-C

 2. Fill in the blanks:
(a) The British conquest of Bengal began with the Battle of …………
(b) Haider All and Tipu Sultan were the rulers of …………..
(c) Dalhousie implemented the Doctrine of ……………
(d) Maratha kingdoms were located mainly in the part of …………… India.
Answer:
(a) Plassey
(b) Mysore
(c) Lapse
(d) Western

 3. State whether true or false:
(a) The Mughal empire became stronger in the eighteenth century.
(b) The English East India Company was the only European company that traded with India.
(c) Maharaja Ranjit Singh was the ruler of Punjab.
(d) The British did not introduce administrative changes in the territories they conquered.
Answer:
(a) False
(b) False
(c) True
(d) False

HISTORY (VIII)-LESSON -7

CIVILISING THE “NATIVE”, EDUCATING THE NATION (LESSON NOTES)

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v INTRODUCTION

Ø The British established their rule over in India. They don’t want only the territorial conquest or control on revenues. But they also felt that they had a cultural mission. They had to civilise the natives by giving them proper education and by changing their customs and values.

v HOW THE BRITISH SAW EDUCATION

Ø This lesson focus on the ideas of Britishers towards Indian Culture and education. We also see the status of local schools before Britishers, What, changes they have introduced. We will also see how Indians reacted to British ideas, and how they developed their own views about how Indians were to be educated. (Mahatma Gandhi and Rabindra Nath Tagore)

v THE TRADITION OF ORIENTALISM

Ø Orientalism refers to the knowledge and education system of Asian or eastern countries. William Jones, Henry Thomas Colebrooke and Nathaniel Halhed have the great respect towards the orientalism.

Ø WILLIAM JONES

§  He was appointment as a junior judge at the Supreme Court in Calcutta in 1783.

§  He was an expert in law and a linguist (known many languages as Greek, Latin, French, English, Arabic, Sanskrit etc).

 

HISTORY (VIII)-LESSON-6

WEAVERS, IRON SMELTERS AND

FACTORY OWNERS

(LESSON NOTES)

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v INTRODUCTION

Ø This chapter tells the story of the crafts and industries of India during British rule by focusing on two industries, namely, textiles and iron and steel. These industries are very crucial for the industrial revolution which occurred in Britain in late 18^th century. The industrialisation of Britain had a close connection with the conquest and colonisation of India.

v PATTERN OF INDIAN TRADE WITH BRITAIN

Ø Form 16^th century many European trading companies reached India from 16^th century.

Ø They buy Indian textiles or spices in return of Gold and silver and make profit by selling in Europe.

Ø When East India Company got Diwani rights they financed these goods from the revenue they collected.

Ø After Industrialisation, British manufactured reached in India in vast quantity which destroyed the Indian crafting and handloom. Britain came to be known as the “workshop of the world”.

v INDIAN TEXTILES AND THE WORLD MARKET

Ø Before 1760 India was world’s largest producer of cotton textiles. Indian textiles were very popular for their fine quality and exquisite craftsmanship. It has large demand in Southeast Asia (Java, Sumatra and Penang) and West and Central Asia, Europe. In Europe it was known by different names: -

§  MUSLIN:- The word muslin come from the city Mosul presently In Iraq. As the European traders purchased the fine quality of the Indian textile from Arab merchants form the city Mosul. So Indian textile got its name In Europe.

 

HISTORY (VIII)-LESSON-5

WHEN PEOPLE REBEL

(LESSON NOTES)

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v INTRODUCTION

Ø As we know that after 1765 East India company got Diwani rights and started to expand their territory in India. During their expansion they exploited Indian farmers, trader, merchant, kings, farmers and forest people. Many rulers lost their powers due to British policies. Britishers conquers many areas by wars. Due to all these Indian go against to East India company and led a movement in 1857.

Ø This lesson tells about the causes of revolt 1857, its leaders, centres, spreads of the revolt, its effects and afterwards.

HISTORY (VIII) LESSON- 4

TRIBALS, DIKUS AND THE VISION OF A GOLDEN AGE

(LESSON NOTES)

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v INTRODUCTION

Ø Before the colonial rule the life of tribal people were full of joy. They live freely and that period they called as their golden age. But their life disrupted in many ways by the colonial rule. They experienced significant change in their life when they came into contact with the colonial rule and the outsiders. They described them as  ‘Dikus’. This lesson focus on the earlier life and changed occurred due to British rules.

v TRIBALS

Ø The people or societies whose customs and rituals were very different from those laid down by Brahmans are referred as tribals. These societies also did not have the sharp social divisions that were characteristic of caste societies.

HISTORY(VIII)-LESSON-3

RULING THE COUNTRYSIDE

(LESSON NOTES)

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v INTRODUCTION

Ø East India Company controls the rulers of India by defeating them in the wars and by different policies, as we have read in the previous lesson. When they control over them they started to control over the rural areas to get more revenues or taxes. This lesson focuses on this issue.

v COMPANY BECOMES DIWAN

Ø In the Buxar war(1764) East India company defeated not only Bengal Nawab but also the Mugahl emperor so On 12 August 1765 Mughal Emperor Almgir Shah appointed East India Company as Diwan of Bengal.

Ø So the Company became the chief financial administrator of the territory (Bengal, Bihar and Odisha) under its control.

Ø So they started to think about the administrating of land and organizing the revenue resources.