RBSE Solutions for Class 8 Social Science History Chapter 4 Tribals, Dikus and The Vision of a Golden Age

Rajasthan Board RBSE Solutions for Class 8 Social Science History Chapter 4 Tribals, Dikus and The Vision of a Golden AgeTextbook Exercise Questions and Answers.

RBSE Class 8 Social Science History Chapter 4 Tribals, Dikus and The Vision of a Golden Age

RBSE Class 8 Social ScienceTribals, Dikus and The Vision of a Golden Age InText Questions and Answers

Activity (Page-42)

Question 1. 
Look carefully at the tasks that Baiga men and women did? Do you see any pattern? What were the differences in the types of work that they were expected to perform?
Answer:
Yes, we see a certain order in their works based on time. In this sequence, the difference between their work can be seen as follows:

1. In Chait went to clearings to cut stalks that were already reaped; men cut large trees and go for their ritual hunt. The hunt began at full moon from the east.
2. The women gathered fruits like sago, tamarind and mushroom.
3. In Baisakh the firing of the forest took place, the women gathpred unbumt wood to bum, men continued to hunt but nearer their village.
4. In Jeth sowing took place and hunting still went on.
5. From Asadh to Bhadon the men worked in the fields.
6. In Pus winnowing took place, Pus was also the time for dances and marriages.
7. In Magh shifts were made to new bewars and hunting-gathering was the main subsistance activity.

RBSE Class 8 Social Science Tribals, Dikus and The Vision of a Golden Age Textbook Questions and Answers

Let’s Recall

Question 1. 
Fill in the blanks-
(a) The British described the tribal people as .................. .
(b) The method of sowing seed 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) Baigas 
(b) broadcast 
(c) land 
(d) tea plantation, coal mines.

Question 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. 

Let’s Discuss

Question 3.
What problems did shifting cultivators face under British rule?
Answer:
The problems faced by the shifting cultivators under British rule are-

1. Settled plough cultivation is not easy in areas where water is scarce and the soil is dry.
2. Jhum cultivators who took to plough cultivation often suffered, since their fields did not produce good yields.
3. Due to a lack of good yield, they used to face difficulty in paying rent.

Question 4. 
How did the powers of tribal chiefs change under colonial rule?
Answer:
Under British rule, the following significant changes occurred in the powers of the tribal chiefs-

1. They were allowed to keep their land titles over a cluster of villages.
2. They lost much of their administrative power and were forced to follow laws made by British officials in India.
3. They also had to pay tribute to the British, and discipline the tribal groups on behalf of the British.
4. Previously, the power they had was no longer with them and became helpless by doing traditional works.

Question 5. 
What accounts for the anger of the tribals against the dikus?
Answer:
The tribals consider the missionaries, moneylenders, Hindu landlords and British officials as dikus. The main reasons for the anger of the tribals against the dikus are-

1. The tribals considered the dikus accountable for their poverty and miserable condition.
2. The land policies of the British were destroying their traditional land system.
3. Hindu landlords and moneylenders were taking over their land.
4. Missionaries were criticising their traditional culture.

Question 6. 
What was Birsa’s vision of a golden age? Why do you think such a vision appealed to the people of the region?
Answer:
In the Birsa’s vision, the golden age was of the following type-

1. In which the people lived a good life.
2. When they constructed embankments, tapped natural springs.
3. When they planted trees and orchards, practised cultivation to earn their living.
4. When they did not kill their brethren and relatives. They lived honestly.

This fantasy of Birsa was attractive to the people because they had to suffer the exploitation of missionaries, moneylenders, landowners and British officers. British exploitation policies stripped many of their traditional rights.