RBSE Solutions for Class 8 Social Science History Chapter 5 When People Rebel 1857 and After

Rajasthan Board RBSE Solutions for Class 8 Social Science History Chapter 5 When People Rebel 1857 and After Textbook Exercise Questions and Answers.

RBSE Class 8 Social Science Solutions History Chapter 5 When People Rebel 1857 and After

RBSE Class 8 Social Science When People Rebel 1857 and After InText Questions and Answers

Activity (Page-52)

Question 1.
Imagine you are sepoy in the Company army, advising your nephew not to take employment in the army, What reasons would you give?
Answer:
We WiII give him the following reasons for not working in the army of the Company:

1. The salary allowances paid by the Company were very low. 
2. Conditions of services were very difficult.
3. Company rules and working hurt our religious sensibilities and beliefs.
4. Indian soldiers were discriminated.

Activity (Page.55)

Question 1.
What were the important concerns in the minds of the people according to Sitaram and according to Vishnubhatt?
Answer: 
(1) According to Sitaram : The Britishers have occupied the Awadh and this was the main reason for the anger in soldiers and people. The news that cow and pig fat was used in gun cartridges was also causing concern in the minds of soldiers.

(2) According to Vishnubhatt : The main concern in the minds of the people was that the British had corrupted the religion of Hindu and Muslim and are preparing to convert them into Christianity.

Question 2. 
What role did they think the rulers were playing? What role did the sepoys seem to play?
Answer: 
(1) Ruler:
The ruling people were provoking the soldiers against the British and motivating them to revolt. For this they used to make many false statement and promises so that the soldiers would somehow be convinced.

(2) Sepoys:
On the other hand the sepoy were also engaged in sending news to the soldiers of other battalion about how the British were interfering in our religious matters. They were engaged in planning rebellion against the British to protect their life.

Activity (Page-58)

Question 1. 
Why did the Mughal emperor agree to support the rebels?
Answer:
After capturing Meerut, the soldiers moved towards Delhi. The soldiers of the Delhi regiment also revolted and killed their officers. All these soldiers reached Lai Quila and forcibly entered the palace and proclaimed Bahadur Shah Zafar as their leader. Despite reluctance in such a situation, the mughal emperor Bahadur Shah Zafar had to be ready to support the rebels. 

Question 2. 
Write a paragraph on the assessment he may have made before accepting the offer of the sepoys.
Answer: 

1. Bahadur Shah knew that he was unable to provide leadership to the rebels as he got older.
2. He was fully aware of the enormous power of the British.
3. He also knew what his support was worth. He knew that the heart of soldiers were filled with spark and what was the meaning of his initial victory?
4. On this basis he must have thought that the Indian soldiers of the company would stand up. If they finds a right leadership, there is a chance that they can drive out the British.
5. He knew that the princely states whose power had been taken away would surely support the rebels. Thus, assuming all the circumstances, he would have accepted the offer of the soldiers.

Activity (Page-59)

Question 1.
 Make a list of places where the uprising took place in May, June and July 1857.
Answer: 
May, 1857 - Meerut, Delhi, Nasirabad 
June, 1857 - Lucknow, Jhansi, Kanpur, Neemuch
July, 1857 - Danapur.

RBSE Class 8 Social Science  When People Rebel 1857 and After Textbook Questions and Answers

Let’s Recall

Question 1. 
What was the demand of Rani Laxmibai of Jhansi that was refused by the British?
Answer: 
Rani Laxmibai of Jhansi wanted the company 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 were converted to Christianity?
Answer: 
To protect the interests of Indians who had accepted christainity, the British made the new law in 1850 according to which they were allowed to inherit the property of their ancestors.

Question 3. 
What objections did the sepoys have to the new cartridges that they were asked to use?
Answer: 
To put cartridge in the gun, a covering over it had to be cut from the teeth. It was reported that the fat of cow and pig was used in making that covering. The use of such things hurt the religious sentiments of the Hindu and Muslim soldiers. Therefore, they objected cartridge.

Question 4. 
How did the last Mughal emperor live the last years of his life?
Answer: 
The last Mughal emperor, Bahadur Shah Zafar, lived the last years in the prison in Rangoon (in modern day, the capital of Myanmar). He died in the jail in 1862.

Let’s Discuss

Question 5. 
What was the reasons for the confidence of the British rulers about their position in India before May, 1857?
Answer: 

1. The British believed in their superiority and military strength.
2. The British thought that the Indian soldiers were their reliable. On their strength they built such a huge empire.
3. They knew that many local zamindars and kings supported their rule.
4. Before 1857, they won many battles with the help of these soldiers and crushed many big rebellions.
5. Hence, they were full of confidence about their position in India.

Question 6. 
What impact did Bahadur Shah Zafar’s support to the rebellion have on the people and the ruling families?
Answer: 
(1) The general people were very happy with the decision of Bahadur Shah Zafar to support the rebels. This gave them hope. They started thinking that dictatorial and the exploitative British power could be overthrown.

(2) Due to various British policies, many royal families had to lose their power. They were very happy with this news. Tiey also supported the rebels. They now started thinking that if the Mughal emperor could rule again, they too would be able to rule their own territories once more under Mughal authority.

Question 7.
How did the British succeed in securing the submission of the rebel land owners of Awadh?
Answer: 

1. Many land lords, nawabs and kings were tried andf killed by the British.
2. British announced rewards for loyal land holders.
3. The British announced that the landlords who remained loyal to the British, would have the freedom to enjoy traditional rights over their lands.
4. The landholders who rebelled were told that if they submitted to the British, and if they did not kill any white person, 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: 

1. The British Parliament passed a new act in 1858 and transferred the powers of the East India Company to the British crown in order to ensure a more responsible management of Indian affairs.
2.  All ruling chiefs of the country were assured that their territory would never be annexed in future.
3. Kings were allowed to pass on their kingdoms to their heirs, including adopted sons.
4. It was decided that the proportion of Indian soldiers in the army would be reduced and the number of European soldiers would be increased.
5. The land and property of Muslims was confiscated on a large scale and they were treated with suspicion and hostility.
6. Soldiers would be recruited from among the Gurkhas, Sikhs and Pathans.
7. The British decided to respect the customary religious and social practices of the people in India.
8. Policies were made to protect landlords and zamindars and give them security of rights over their lands.