Very Short Questions and Answers
1. What were the two conflicting views with which the Indians welcomed the British during the years 1757 and 1849?
Ans. The Indian princes looked at the British as help sent by the Gods. The native people, however, regretted that they had become slaves to the foreigners.
2. Why had the Indians lost respect in the eyes of the British ?
Ans. The British realised that the natives were incapable of honesty. they were unworthy of trust and therefore, they lost respect before the British.
3. Ram Mohan Roy’s concept of knowledge was very different from that of the traditional idea of knowledge in the Indian scheme of things. Why?
Ans. Ram Mohan Roy put a lot of emphasis on knowledge being scientific and practical. This modern form of knowledge was very different from the traditional ways of looking at life.
4.Why did Ram Mohan Roy go to England ?
Ans. Ram Mohan Roy went to England to see what made the British powerful. On his return, he accepted the British as their ruler, but only if the British were willing to take responsibility of their citizens.
5. Why was Regulation III oppressive ?
Ans. The Regulation III, passes in the year 1818, was oppressive because it refused to acknowledge the existence of Indians before law. It entailed that Indians could be jailed without any trial.
6. Who suggested that English education may be introduced in India and when ?
Ans. An Englishman, named Thomas Babington Macaulay in the year 1835 suggested that English education may be introduced in India. Soon, Macaulay’s Minutes were passed to implement the same.
7. What were the grievances of the native people during 1835-56?
Ans. The native men could see that their kings had become puppets in the hands of the British. The British cared little about the Indians and were also making attempts at converting Indians into their faith/religion.
8. During 1855-57, what way was adopted by the rebels to send their message to the villagers?
Ans. The rebels sent their messages that the emperor would soon need the services of the villagers by sending chapattis from village to village.
9. Name the people who participated in the First War of Independence, 1857.
Ans. Begum Hazrat Mahal of Lucknow, Maulvi Ahmedulla of Faizabad, Azimulla Khan, Tatya Tope and Kunwar Singh from Bihar were few among many who participated in the 1857, struggle for independence.
10. In which language was Indian education conducted initially?
Ans. Persian and Sanskrit were the two languages in which Indian education was conducted.
Short Questions and Answers
1. Why did the Indian soldiers feel that they had lost their religion on account of the British ?
Ans. The Indian soldiers had to travel to different lands. This was not permitted by their religion. Also, the grease used on the bullet was made from the fat of pigs and cows, something that was considered as a blasphemy to their religion.
2. Why did Tipu fight with the British till his last breath ?
Ans. Tipu Sultan of Maysore was a far-sighted ruler. He understood that the British were taking an advantage of the fights between the Indian princes and would later fulfil their ulterior motives. Therefore, Tipu Sultan fought against the establishment of the British rule in India.
3. Was Ram Mohan Roy against his culture ?
Ans. No, Ram Mohan Roy was not against his culture. Rather , he was a great admirer of his ancient culture and invested a lot of faith in its capacities to attain great merits. However, he believed that his society was in need of reform because superstitions had ruined it.
4. Why was Mangal Pandey executed ?
Ans. The discontent in the East India Company’s army was increasing day by day as the Indian soldiers had understood that they were being discriminated against. Mangal Pandey, one of the sepoys, led a rebellion against his regiment and attacked one of the adjutants. He was executed for daring to rebel.
5. How did the masses help the rebels?
Ans. Through chapattis and lotus flowers a message was sent to the masses by the rebels that their services would be needed. The masses stood in full support. they also gave shelter to patriots, safeguarding them from the British police imprisoning them.