CBSE Term II

2022

History
Class XII
CBSE Term II
2022

History
Class XII
Complete Theory Covering NCERT

Cased Based Questions

Short/Long Answer Questions

3 Practice Papers with Explanations

Author
Madhumita Pattrea

ARIHANT PRAKASHAN (School Division Series)

ARIHANT PRAKASHAN (School Division Series)

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CBSE Term II
2022
Contents
CHAPTER
Kings and Chronicles The Mughal Courts -

CHAPTER
Colonialism and the Countryside Exploring Official Archives -

CHAPTER
Rebels and the Raj The Revolt of and Its Representations -

CHAPTER
Mahatma Gandhi and the Nationalist Movement -
Civil Disobedience and Beyond

CHAPTER
Framing the Constitution The Beginning of a New Era -

Practice Papers - -

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Syllabus
CBSE Term II ClassXII

Weightage
S.No Themes
in Marks

. Theme - Kings and Chronicles

. Theme - Colonialism and The Countryside HALF pg- -

. Theme - Rebels and the Raj
. Theme - Mahatma Gandhi and the Nationalist Movement
. Theme - Framing the Constitution

Total

CBSE Term II
2022
 CBSE Circular
Acad - 51/2021, 05 July 2021

Exam Scheme Term I & II

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CBSE Term II History XII
CHAPTER 01
Kings and
Chronicles
(The Mughal Courts)
In this Chapter...
l The Mughals and Their Empire
l The Production of Chronicles in
Mughal Empire
l The Painted Image
l The Akbar Nama and the
Badshah Name
l The Ideal Kingdom
The Mughal Emperors believed themselves as legitimate rulers
of a vast, heterogenous population of Indian subcontinent. One
way of transmitting their vision was through chronicles1 which
depicted the dynastic history of the Mughal period. Court
historians were commissioned by Mughal kings to write
accounts which contained record of the events of the emperor’s
time. Vast amounts of information from the regions of the
subcontinent was also collected to help the rulers govern their
domain.
This genre of writing was termed as chronicles, as they
presented a continous chronological record of events. The two
important aspects of these chronicles were
(i) They were a repository of factual information about the
institutions of the Mughal state.
(ii) These texts were intended as conveyors of meanings that
the Mughal rulers sought to impose on their domain.
The Mughals and Their Empire
The name Mughal was derived from Mongol. Mughals referred
themselves as Timurids, as descendants of the Turkish ruler
1 Chronicles A description of events in the order that they happened.
1
Part II : Themes in Indian History
l Capitals and Courts
l The Imperial Household
l The Imperial Officials
l Beyond the Frontiers
l Questioning Formal Religion
Timur on the father side. The first Mughal ruler Zahiruddin
Babur, was related to Ghengiz Khan from his mother’s side.
Babur and Humayun
Zahiruddin Babur was the founder of the Mughal empire. He
was driven from his Central Asian homeland Farghana, by
the aggressive Uzbeks. He first established his rule at Kabul
and then in 1526 CE he entered into Indian subcontinent.
Nasiruddin Humayun (1530-40, 1555-56) was Babur’s
successor. He expanded the boundaries of the empire, but
he lost it to the Afghan leader Sher Shah Sur, who expelled
him outside the subcontinent. Humayun then took shelter in
the court of the Safavid ruler of Iran. Humayun defeated the
Surs in 1555 CE, but died a year later.
Jalaluddin Akbar
Jalaluddin Akbar (1556-1605) was considered the greatest of
all the Mughal emperors. He made Mughal Empire largest,
strongest and richest kingdom of his time. Akbar was
successful in extending the boundaries of the empire to the
Hindukush mountains.
 2 CBSE Term II History XII
Akbar’s Successors
Successors of Akbar were Jahangir (1605-27), Shah Jahan
(1628-58) and Aurangzeb (1658-1707). Under these rulers,
the boundaries of empire continued to expand but at a slow
pace. The three rulers maintained and united the various
instruments of governance.
After 1707, following the death of Aurangzeb, the power of
the dynasty diminished. In 1857 the last ruler of this
dynasty, Bahadur Shah Zafar II, was overthrown by the
British.
The Production of Chronicles
in Mughal Empire
Chronicles commissioned by the Mughal emperors are an
important source for studying the empire and its court.
The authors of Mughal chronicles were from Royal courts.
The histories written by them mainly focussed on events
centred on the ruler, his family, the court and nobles, wars
and administrative arrangements.
The titles like Akbar Nama, Shahjahan Nama, Alamgir Nama
are the history of Akbar, Shah Jahan and Alamgir ( title of
Aurangzeb). According to the authors of Chronicles the
history of the empire and the court was synonymous with the
history of the emperor.
From Turkish to Persian
Chronicles of Mughal court were written in Persian. Under
the Sultans of Delhi, Persian developed as a language of the
court and for literary writings, along with other North Indian
languages, like Hindavi and its regional variants.
Mughals were Chaghtai Turks by origin hence, Turkish was
their mother tongue. Their first ruler Babur wrote poetry and
his biography Babur Nama in Turkish language.
Akbar consciously made Persian as the leading language of
the Mughal Court. Persian was elevated to a language of
empire, conferring power and prestige on those who had a
command of it. It was spoken by the king, the royal
household and the elite at court. Further it became the
language of administration at all levels so that accountants,
clerks and other functionaries also learnt it.
Mughal chronicles such as the Akbar Nama were written in
Persian. Babur’s memoirs were translated from the Turkish
into the Persian Babur Nama. Translations of Sanskrit texts
such as the Mahabharata and the Ramayana into Persian
were commissioned by the Mughal emperors. The
Mahabharata was translated as the Razmnama (Book
of Wars).
2 Kitabkhana It literally means library, but during Mughal time, it was used to keep emperor’s collection of manuscripts and new manuscripts
were produced.
The Making of Manuscripts
All books in Mughal India were handwritten texts i.e
manuscripts. The imperial kitabkhana2 was the centre of
manuscript production. It was scriptorium i.e. a place where
the emperor’s collection of written texts were kept and new
written texts were produced.
The creation of a manuscript involved a number of people
performing a variety of tasks. These tasks were
l
Paper makers were supposed to prepare the papers with
serial number of the manuscript.
Scribes or calligraphers (one who copies text) have to copy
l
the text.
l
Gliders (one who makes things attractive) have to make the
pages clearer and easier to read.
l
Painters have to illustrate scenes from the text.
l
Bookbinders have to gather the individual pages and set
them within ornamental covers.
Calligraphy
It is the art of handwriting which was considered a skill of great
importance. It was practised using different styles.
Nastaliq, a smooth and easy style with long horizontal strokes
was Akbar’s favourite.
The Painted Image
Chronicles narrating the events of a Mughal emperor’s reign
also contained images alongside the written text, that
described an event in visual form.
When scenes or themes were to be given visual expression,
the scribe (a person who copies out documents) left blank
spaces on nearby pages. Paintings that were executed
separately by artists, were inserted to accompany the matter
described in words. These paintings were miniatures and
could therefore be passed around for viewing and mounting
on the pages of manuscripts.
The ulama portrayed human beings in the Islamic prohibition
enshrined in the Quran as well as the hadis. The
interpretations of the shari’a changed with time. The body of
Islamic tradition was interpreted in different ways by various
social groups. Muslim rulers in many Asian regions, during
centuries of empire building, regularly commissioned artists
to paint their portraits and scenes of life in their kingdoms.
Artists from Iran also made their way to Mughal India. Some
were brought to the Mughal court, like Mir Sayyid Ali and
Abdus Samad, to accompany Emperor Humayun to Delhi.
Others migrated in search of opportunities to win patronage
and prestige.
CBSE Term II History XII
The Akbar Nama and
the Badshah Nama
Akbar Nama and Badshah Nama were the most well known
Mughal official histories. Each manuscript3 contained an
average of 150 full or double-page paintings of battles,
captures, blockades, hunts, building construction, court
scenes, etc.
Akbar Nama
The Akbar Nama was composed by Abu’l Fazl to provide a
detailed description of Akbar’s reign. Abu’l Fazl was well
read in Arabic, Persian, Greek philosophy and Sufism. He
was a powerful debater and independent thinker who
continuously opposed the views of the conservative ulama.
Akbar was impressed by these qualities and appointed
Abu’l Fazl as an adviser and a spokesperson for his policies.
The Akbar Nama was divided into three books. The first two
were chronicles and the third book was Ain-i Akbari. The
first volume contains the history of mankind from Adam till
30 years of Akbar’s life. The second volume contains the forty
sixth ruling year of Akbar i.e. 1601.
In the Ain-i Akbari the Mughal Empire is presented as
having a diverse population consisting of Hindus, Jainas,
Buddhists and Muslims and a composite culture.
In 1602, Abu’l Fazl suffered by conspiracy made by Prince
Salim and was murdered by Bir Singh Bundela.
Badshah Nama
Abdul Hamid Lahori, a student of Abu’l Fazl was the author
of the Badshah Nama. Emperor Shah Jahan appointed him to
write a history of his rule on the lines of Akbar Nama.
The Badshah Nama contains official history of emperor Shah
Jahan’s rule in three volumes (daftars) of ten lunar years
each. These volumes were later revised by Shah Jahan’s
wazir, Sadullah Khan.
The Nawab of Awadh gifted the illustrated Badshah Nama to
King George III in 1799. Since then it has been preserved in
the English Royal Collections, now at Windsor Castle.
In 1997 for the first time, the Badshah Nama paintings were
shown in exhibitions in New Delhi, London and
Washington.
British Administrators and Indian History
During the Colonial period, British administrators began to
study Indian history. Through this way they want to
understand the culture and people of the India.
3 Manuscript It refers to written texts.
4 Sulh-i kul It means absolute peace or peaceful and harmonious relationship among different religions.
3
The Asiatic Society of Bengal, founded by Sir William Jones
in 1784, undertook the editing, printing and translation of
many Indian manuscripts. Edited versions of the Akbar Nama
and Badshah Nama were first published by the Asiatic society
in the nineteenth century.
In the early twentieth century, the Akbar Nama was translated
into English by Henry Beveridge after years of hard labour.
Only excerpts of the Badshah Nama have been translated into
English to date and the text is still not translated completely.
The Ideal Kingdom
A Divine Light
Court chroniclers drew upon many sources to show that the
power of the Mughal Kings came directly from God. Abu’l
Fazl placed Mughal kingship at the highest position in the
hierarchy of things which received light from the God (farr-i
izadi). This idea was taken from the famous Iranian Sufi,
Shihabuddin Suhrawardi.
From seventeenth century, Mughal artists began to portray
emperors wearing the halo (a bright light surrounding the
head), which they saw on European paintings of Christ and
the Virgin Mary to symbolise the light of God.
Suhrawardi’s Philosophy
The origins of Suhrawardi’s philosophy can be traced to Plato’s
Republic, where God is represented by the symbol of the Sun.
Suhrawardi’s writings were read universally in the Islamic
world. They were studied by Shaikh Mubarak, who transmitted
their ideas to his sons, Faizi and Abu’l Fazl, who were trained
under him.
A Unifying Force
Mughal chronicles shows that the empire had many different
ethnic and religious communities like Hindus, Jainas,
Zoroastrians and Muslims.
Emperor was the source of peace and stability and stood
above all the religions and ethnic groups. He mediated among
them and ensured that justice and peace was established.
The emperor’s main objective was to free the state from the
control of religious orthodoxy (rigid and old thinking).
Sulh-i Kul
Abu’l Fazl described the ideal of Sulh-i kul4 as the basic pillar
and foundation of Modern rule. As per Sulh-i kul, all religions
and schools of thought had freedom of expression but they
were not supposed to lower the authority of the state or fight
among themselves.
 4 CBSE Term II History XII
Akbar abolished the tax on pilgrimage in 1563 and jizya5 in
1564, because both were based on religious discrimination.
Officers were ordered and sent instructions to follow the idea
of Sulh-i kul in administration. During the rule of Aurangzeb,
the jizya was re-imposed on non-Muslim subjects.
Sovereignty as Social Contract
Abu’l Fazl defined sovereignty as a social contract6. The
emperor protects the four essences of his subjects, namely,
life (jan), property (mal), honour (namus) and faith (din) and
in return demands obedience and a share of resources. Only
sovereigns were thought to be able to honour the contract
with power and divine guidance.
Capitals and Courts
Capital Cities
The heart of the Mughal Empire was its capital city, where
the court assembled. The capital cities of the Mughals
frequently shifted during the sixteenth and seventeenth
centuries. Babur took over the Lodi capital of Agra, but
during his four years rule the capital was kept on moving.
Akbar during 1560s built the fort of Agra using red sandstone
extracted from the adjoining regions. Akbar decided to build
a new capital, Fatehpur Sikri in the 1570s. Sikri was located
on the direct road to Ajmer, where the dargah of Shaikh
Muinuddin Chishti had become an important pilgrimage
centre.
Akbar commissioned the construction of a white marble tomb
for Shaikh Salim Chisti, near the majestic Friday Mosque at
Sikri. In 1585 the capital was transferred to Lahore to bring
the North-West under greater control and Akbar closely
watched the frontier for thirteen years.
Shah Jahan followed very good economic policies and
gathered enough money to execute his passion for building.
In 1648, the court, army and household moved from Agra to
the newly completed imperial capital, Shahjahanabad.
The Mughal Court
The court focused on the sovereign nature of the empire. Its
centrepiece was the throne i.e. the takht, which gave physical
form to the function of the sovereign as axis mundi7.
Axis Mundi is a Latin phrase for a pillar or pole that is
visualised as the support of the Earth. The ornamental cloth
covering the throne was a symbol of kingship in India for a
thousand years.
5 Jizya It was the tax levied by Muslim rulers on non-Muslim subjects living in their territory.
6 Socail Contract An agreement among the members of a society to cooperate for social benefits.
7 Axis Mundi It is a Latin phrase for a pillar or pole that is visualised as the support of the Earth.
Chronicles lay down the rules defining status amongst the
Mughal elites. In court, status was determined by spatial
proximity to the king.
The forms of salutation to the ruler indicated the person’s
status in the hierarchy. These forms were
Deeper prostration (action of lying stretched on the
l
ground) represented higher status.
l
The highest form of salutation was sijda or complete
prostration. Under Shah Jahan these rituals were replaced
with chahar taslim and zaminbos. Taslim literally means
submission and chahar taslim is a mode of salutation.
l
Kornish was a form of salutation in which the courtier
placed the palm of his right hand against his forehead and
bent his head. It suggested that the subject placed his head
into the hand of humility, presenting it to the royal
assembly.
Functioning of the Court
The emperor began his day at sunrise with personal religious
devotions or prayers and then appeared on a small balcony,
(the jharoka) facing the East. A crowd of people (soldiers,
merchants, crafts persons, peasants, women with sick
children) below waited for a view (darshan) of the emperor.
Jharoka darshan was introduced by Akbar with the objective
of broadening the acceptance of the imperial authority as part
of popular faith. The Mughal kings celebrated three major
festivals a year i.e. the solar and lunar birthdays of the
Monarch and Nauroz and the Iranian New Year on the vernal
equinox.
Shab-i-Barat
It is the full moon night on the 14 Shaban, the eighth month of
the hijri calendar. It is celebrated with prayers and fireworks in
the subcontinent. It is the night when the destinies of the
Muslims for the coming year are said to be determined and their
sins are to be forgiven.
Titles and Gifts
Grand titles were adopted by the Mughal emperors at the
time of coronation or after a victory over an enemy. Mughal
emperors adopted great titles. These included general titles
like Shahenshah (King of Kings) or specific titles taken by
individual kings upon getting onto the throne, like Jahangir
(World-Seizer) or Shah Jahan (King of the World). The
important titles were
l
The title Asaf Khan for one of the highest ministers began
with Asaf, the legendary minister of the prophet king
Sulaiman (Solomon).
CBSE Term II History XII
l
The title Mirza Raja was given by Aurangzeb to his two
highest ranking nobles, Jai Singh and Jaswant Singh.
Other awards included the robe of honour (khilat), a cloth once
worn by the emperor and infused with his blessing; a gift, the
sarapa (head to foot), consisted of a loose garment which was
usually sleeveless and reaching knees, a turban and a band
which was worn around waist (patka).
Jewelled ornaments were often given as gifts by the emperor.
The lotus flower set with jewels (padma murassa) was given
only in exceptional circumstances.
The Imperial Household
The term harem is frequently used to refer to the domestic
world of the Mughals. It originates in the Persian word ‘haram’,
meaning a sacred place.
The Mughal household consisted of the emperor’s wives and
concubines (women living with a man without getting married
to him), his near and distant relatives like mother, step-mother
and foster-mothers, sisters, daughters, daughters-in-law, aunts,
children, etc, and female servants and slaves. Polygamy (having
multiple wives) was practised widely in the Indian subcontinent,
especially among the ruling groups.
Marriage and Political Alliances
For the Rajputs and Mughals, marriage was a means to bond
political relationships and make alliances. The gift of territory
was often made along with the gift of a daughter in marriage.
This ensured a continuing hierarchical relationship between
the ruling groups.
In the Mughal household a distinction was maintained
between wives who came from royal families (begams), and
other wives (aghas) who were not of noble birth.
The begams, married after receiving huge amounts of cash and
valuables as dower (mahr), naturally received a higher status
and greater attention from their husbands than other wives
(aghas).
The concubines (aghacha or the lesser agha) occupied the
lowest position in the hierarchy of females intimately related to
royalty. The agha and the aghacha could rise to the position of
a begam depending on the husband’s will and provided that he
did not already have four wives.
In addition to wives, a number of male and female slaves
were present in the Mughal household. Slave eunuchs
(khwajasara) moved between the outside and inside life of the
household as guards, servants and also as agents of women
involved in commerce.
8 Caravanserai It was a roadside inn where travellers could rest and recover from the day’s journey.
5
Mughal Queens and Princesses
Jahanara and Roshanara
After Nur Jahan, Mughal queens and princesses started to
control great amount of financial resources. Shah Jahan’s
daughters Jahanara and Roshanara enjoyed an annual
income almost equal to that of high imperial mansabdars.
Jahanara participated in many architectural projects of Shah
Jahan’s new capital, Shahjahanabad (Delhi). Among these,
double-storeyed caravanserai8 with a courtyard and garden
was impressive. The bazaar of Chandni Chowk, the
crowded centre of Shahjahanabad, was designed by
Jahanara.
Gulbadan Begum
She was the daughter of Babur, Humayun’s sister and
Akbar’s aunt. Gulbadan could write fluently in Turkish and
Persian. Humayun Nama was written by Gulbadan Begum
which gave us interesting view into the domestic world of
the Mughals.
The Imperial Officials
Recruitment and Rank
The main pillar of the Mughal state was its group of
officers, who were referred as nobility by the
historians. The nobility was recruited from different
ethnic and religious groups. This made sure that no
particular group was large enough to oppose the
authority of the state. The group of officers of the
Mughals was described as a banquet of flowers
(guldasta), held together by loyalty to the emperor.
In Akbar’s royal service, Turani and Iranian nobles were
present from the earliest period of making of the political
territory. Most of them accompanied Humayun and other
migrated later to the Mughal court.
From 1560 onwards, two groups of Indian origin ruling
groups entered the royal service. They were the Rajputs
and the Indian Muslims (Shaikhzadas). A Rajput chief
named, Raja Bharmal Kachhwaha of Amber was the first
one to join. His daughter was married to Akbar. Raja Todar
Mal, who belonged to the Khatri caste became Akbar’s
Finance minister.
Under the rule of Jahangir, Iranians attained high offices
because his politically influential queen, Nur Jahan was an
Iranian. Aurangzeb appointed Rajputs to high positions, and
under him the Marathas also formed a fairly large number
within the group of officers.
 6 CBSE Term II History XII
Role of Nobles in Military
The nobles participated in military operations with their armie
and also served as officers of the empire in the provinces. Each
military commander recruited, equipped and trained the main
striking arm of the Mughal army, the cavalry.
Akbar who designed the mansab system, also established a
spiritual relationship with a selected group of his nobility by
treating them as his disciples (murid).
Tajwiz was an application presented by a nobleman to the
emperor, recommending that an applicant be recruited as
mansabdar. If applicant was found suitable, then a mansab was
granted to him.
Nobles were present at the court (tainat-i rakab) and were a
reserve force to be appointed to a province or military operation.
They shared the responsibility for guarding the emperor and his
household round the clock.
All holders of government offices held ranks called mansabs,
which comprised of two numerical designations
(i) Zat which indicated the position in the imperial hierarchy
and the salary of the official (mansabdar).
(ii) Sawar which indicated the number of horsemen he was
required to maintain in service.
Mansabdars of 1000 zat or above were ranked as nobles (umara,
plural of amir) in seventeenth century. The mir bakhshi
(paymaster general) stood in open court on the right of the
emperor and presented all candidates for appointment or
promotion.
There were two other important ministers at the centre, the
diwan-i ala (Finance minister) and sadr-us sudur (Minister of
grants or madad-i maash and in charge of appointing local judges
or qazis).
Information and Empire
The major concern of the Mughal administration was keeping of
exact and detailed records. The mir bakhshi observed and
directed the group of court writers (waqia nawis) who recorded
all applications and documents presented to the court and all
royal orders (farman). Agents (wakil) of nobles and regional
rulers recorded the entire proceedings of the court with the date
and time of the court session (pahar).
News reports and important official documents travelled across
the regions under Mughal rule by imperial post. The
foot-runners (qasid or pathmar) carried papers rolled up in
bamboo containers. The emperor received reports from even
very far way provincial capitals within a few days.
Beyond the Centre :
Provincial Administration
The division of functions which were present at the centre
were replicated in the provinces (subas) where the
ministers had their corresponding subordinates (diwan,
bakhshi and sadr).
The head of the provincial administration was the
Governor (subadar) who reported directly to the emperor.
The sarkars, into which each suba was divided, often
overlapped with the jurisdiction of faujdars
(commandants) who were positioned with a body of troops
of heavy cavalry and musketeers (infantrymen with light
gun) in districts.
Three semi-hereditary officers, the qanungo (keeper of
revenue records), the chaudhuri (in charge of revenue
collection) and the qazi looked after the local
administration at the level of the pargana (sub-district).
Large support staff of clerks, accountants, auditors,
messengers and other functionaries who were technically
qualified officials, were maintained by each department of
administration. Persian was made the language of
administration everywhere, but local languages were used
for village accounts.
Beyond the Frontiers
Contemporary histories provide accounts of diplomatic
relationships and conflicts with neighbouring political
powers. These showed some tension and political
opposition arising from competing regional interests.
The Safavids and Qandahar
The political and diplomatic relations between the
Mughal kings and the neighbouring countries of Iran and
Turan depended on the control of the boundary marked
by the Hindukush mountains which separated
Afghanistan from the regions of Iran and Central Asia.
The Safavids and the Mughals had a continuous
disagreement over Qandahar. The fortress had initially
been under the control of Humayun, which was
reconquered by Akbar in 1595. Though the Safavid court
maintained diplomatic relations with the Mughals, it
continued to make claims to Qandahar.
Jahangir sent a diplomatic representative to the court of
Shah Abbas in 1613, to plead the Mughal case for holding
Qandahar under its control, but this mission failed.
CBSE Term II History XII
In the winter of 1622, a Persian army surrounded Qandahar
and defeated Mughal troops present in the fortress town.
The Mughals had to surrender the fortress and the city to
the Safavids.
The Ottomans : Pilgrimage and Trade
The relationship between the Mughals and the Ottomans
was based on the concern to ensure free movement for
merchants and pilgrims in the territories under Ottoman
control. This was more true for the Hijaz, the part of
Ottoman Arabia where the important pilgrim centres of
Mecca and Medina were located. Aurangzeb thought that
India was as much a house of God as Mecca.
Jesuits at the Mughal Court
Europe got information about India through the accounts
of Jesuit missionaries, travellers, merchants and diplomats.
The Jesuit accounts are the earliest ideas of the Mughal
court ever recorded by European writers.
The Portuguese king was also interested in the spreading
of Christianity with the help of missionaries of the
Society of Jesus (the Jesuits).
9 Ibadat khana A meeting house built by Akbar to gather spiritual leaders of different religions and conduct discussions on different religions.
7
During sixteenth century, the Christian missions were part of
this process of trade and empire building.
Akbar sent an embassy to Goa to invite Jesuit priests, because
he was curious about Christianity. The first Jesuit group of
people reached the Mughal court at Fatehpur Sikri in 1580 and
stayed for about two years. The Jesuits spoke to Akbar about
Christianity and debated its moral standards with the ulama.
Questioning Formal Religion
The high respect shown by Akbar towards the members of the
Jesuit mission impressed them deeply. They interpreted the
emperor’s open interest in the Doctrines of Christianity as a
sign of his acceptance of their faith.
Akbar’s quest for religious knowledge led to interfaith debates
in the ibadat khana9 at Fatehpur Sikri between learned
Muslims, Hindus, Jainas, Parsis and Christians.
He moved away from the orthodox Islamic ways of
understanding religions towards a self-conceived eclectic
(diverse) form of divine worship that focused on light and the
Sun. Akbar and Abu’l Fazl created a philosophy of light and
used it to shape the image of the king and ideology of the state.
 8 CBSE Term II History XII

Chapter
Practice
Ans. (d) Akbar abolished Jizya in 1564 as it was based on
PART 1 religious discrimination. Aurangzeb reimposed Jizya on
non-Muslim in 1679.
Objective Questions 6. Identify the name of the person from the
information given below.
l
Multiple Choice Questions l
She was the author of Humayun Nama.
1. Mughals were the descendants of the Turkish ruler l
She was the daughter of Babur, Humayun’s sister and
Timur. How did they refer themselves? Akbar’s aunt.
(a) Mongoloid (b) Turkish
l
She could write fluently in Turkish and Persian.
(c) Timurids (d) None of these (a) Gulbadan Begum (b) Jahanara
(c) Roshanara Begum (d) Nur Jahan
Ans. (c) Mughals referred themselves as Timurids, as they
were descendants of the Turkish ruler Timur on the Ans. (a) The given information is about Gulbadan Begum.
paternal side. 7. Identify the name of the person from the
2. Who among the following first established his rule information given below.
at Kabul and then entered into Indian l
He was the author of Akbar Nama.
subcontinent? l
His book is divided into three books.
(a) Babur (b) Humayun l
He was widely read in Arabic, Persian, Greek
(c) Sher Sah Suri (d) None of these Philosophy and Sufism.
Ans. (a) Babur first established his rule at Kabul and in 1526 l
He was a forceful debater and independent thinker who
entered into the Indian subcontinent. consistently opposed the views of the conservative Ulama.
3. Some artists like Mir Sayyid Ali and Abdus Samad (a) Abu’l Fazl (b) Abdul Hamid Lahori
were brought to the Mughal court. Identify the (c) Sadullah Khan (d) Abdus Samad
emperor during whose time the two artists came to Ans. (a) The given information is about Abu’l Fazl. He was an
India. adviser and spokesperson for Akbar’s policies.
(a) Babur (b) Humayun (c) Akbar (d) Jahangir 8. Which of the following pair is incorrect?
Ans. (b) Artists Mir Sayyid Ali and Abdus Samad of Iran came (a) Robe of honour – Khilat
to India at the time of Emperor Humayun. (b) Head to foot – Sarapa
4. ……… was inspired by the famous Iranian Sufi (c) The lotus blossom set with Jewels – Padma Murassa
Saint Shihabuddin Suhrawardi and believed that (d) Offering a small sum of money – Pesh kash
there was a hierarchy in which the divine light was Ans. (d) Offering a small sum of money is known as Nazr not
transmitted to the king, who became the source of Peshkash.
spiritual guidance for his subjects. 9. Which of the following pair is correct?
(a) Akbar (b) Abul’s Fazl (a) Abu’l Fazl – Badshah Nama
(c) Jahangir (d) None of these (b) Mir Sayyid Ali – Governor in Mughal regime
Ans. (b) Shaikh Mubarak was inspired by the Philosophy of (c) Jahangir – Sulh-i-kul
Saint Shihabuddin Suhrawardi and he transmitted these (d) Gulbadan Begum – Humayun Nama
ideas to his sons Faizi and Abu’l Fazl. Thus, Abu’s Fazl Ans. (d) Gulbadan Begum, Humayun’s sister wrote Humayun
was inspired by the ideas of Suhrawardi. Nama. Abul Fazl wrote Akbar Nama (not Badshah Nama).
5. During the region of which of the following rulers Mir Sayyid Ali was an artist from Iran (not the Governor
was Jizya reimposed on non-Muslim? in Mughal regime). Sulh-i-kul was introduced by Akbar
not Jahangir.
(a) Akbar (b) Jahangir (c) Shah Jahan (d) Aurangzeb
CBSE Term II History XII 9

10. Match the following. l

Assertion-Reasoning MCQs
List I List II
Directions (Q. Nos. 13-17) Each of these questions
A. Sijda 1. Robe of honour contains two statements, Assertion (A) and Reason
B. Zaminbos 2. Complete prostration (R). Each of these questions also has four alternative
C. Chahar Taslim 3. Kissing the ground choices, any one of which is the correct answer. You
D. Khilat 4. Mode of salutation done four times have to select one of the codes (a), (b), (c) and (d)
Codes
given below.
A B C D A B C D Codes
(a) 1 2 3 4 (b) 2 3 4 1 (a) Both A and R are true and R is the correct explanation
(c) 4 1 2 3 (d) 3 2 4 1 of A
Ans. (b) All these term are very popular in Mughal court. (b) Both A and R are true, but R is not the correct
explanation of A
11. The given enormous gateway was built to (c) A is true, but R is false
(d) A is false, but R is true
13. Assertion (A) Chronicles commissioned by the
Mughal emperors are an important source for
studying the empire and its court.
Reason (R) Abu’l Fazl placed Mughal Kingship as
the highest station in the hierarchy of objects
receiving light emanting from God.
Ans. (b) Both the statements A and R are correct. But these
two statement suggest different facts. Statement A
suggests that chronicles of Mughal period are important
source for studying that period. Statement R justifies the
(a) remind visitors of the Mughal victory in Gujarat supremacy of Mughal kingship. Thus, the statement R is
(b) remind visitors of the Mughal’s dynastic power not the correct explanation of the statement A.
(c) remind visitors of the Mughal’s architecture 14. Assertion (A) Kitabkhana was a place where the
(d) None of the above emperor’s collection of manuscripts was kept and
Ans. (a) The enormous arched gateway (Buland Darwaza) was new manuscripts were produced.
built after the Mughal victory in Gujarat.
Reason (R) All book in Mughal India were
12. Study the following statements regarding the manuscripts, i.e., they were hand written and
Mughal empire carefully. (All India 2020) needed some places to preserve.
I. The Mughal empire comprised of many different Ans. (a) In Mughal period all manuscripts were kept in
ethnic groups and religious communities. Kitabkhana or library. At that time all books were
II. The emperor discarded all the religions and ethnic handwritten, i.e. these were manuscripts and needed some
groups for peace and stability. places to preserve. These were preserved in Kitabkhana.
III. The nobility under Mughals also belonged to Here, the statement R clearly justifies the statement A.
different religious and ethnic groups. 15. Assertion (A) Akbar was impressed by Abu’l Fazl’s
IV. All religions and schools of thought had freedom secular ideas and appointed him as an adviser and a
of expression but on condition that they did not spokesperson for his policies.
undermine the authority of the state or fight Reason (R) Abu’l Fazl was a forceful debater and
among themselves. independent thinker who always opposed the views
Which of the above statements reflects the of conservative Ulama.
Sulh-i-Kul policy of Akbar? Ans. (a) Abu’l Fazl was a powerful debater and an independent
(a) I, III and IV (b) II, III and IV thinker who always opposed the views of the conservative
(c) I, II and III (d) I, II and IV Ulama. Thus, Akbar was impressed by Abu’l Fazal’s and
Ans. (a) Statements I, III and IV are correct about Sulh-i-Kul appointed him as his adviser and spokeperson for his
policy of Akbar. Statement II is incorrect as Akbar did not policies. Here, statement R correctly explain the
discarded all the religions and ethnic groups for peace statement A.
and stability.
10
16. Assertion (A) In the Mughal household a distinction
was maintained between wives.
Reason (R) The begams, married after receiving
huge amounts of cash and valuables as dower (mahr),
naturally received a higher status and greater
attention from their husbands than did aghas.
Ans. (a) There was a distinction between the wives in the
Mughal household. The women from royal family (Begam)
who got dower (mahr) received a higher status and
attention from their husband than the wives of ordinary
family background who got nothing. Here, the statement R
clearly justifies the statement A.
17. Assertion (A) The Granting of titles to men of merit
was an important aspect of Mughal polity.
Reason (R) Grand titles were adopted by the
Mughal emperors at the time of coronation or after a
victory over an enemy.
Ans. (b) In Mughal court a man’s ascent or position could be
traced through the titles he held. This title were earned or
paid by the receipient.
On the other hand the Mughal emperor adopted grand
titles to declare his high position in the society. Both these
statement are true but the statement R does not explain
the statement A.
l
Case Based MCQs
18. Read the given case/source and answer the questions
that follow by choosing the correct option.
Darbar-i Akbari
Abu’l Fazl gives a vivid account of Akbar’s darbar.
Whenever his Majesty (Akbar) holds court (darbar) a
large drum was beaten, the sounds of which were
accompanied by Divine praise. In this manner,
people of all classes received notice. His Majesty’s
sons and grandchildren, the grandees of the court
and all other men who had admittance, attend to
make the Kornish, and remain standing in their
proper places. Learned men of renown and skilful
mechanics pay their respects; and the officers of
justice present their reports. His Majesty, with his
usual insights, gave orders and settles everything in
a satisfactory manner.
During the whole time, skilful gladiators and
wrestlers from all countries hold themselves in
readiness and singers, male and female, were in
waiting. Clever jugglers and funny tumblers also
were anxious to exhibit their dexterity and agility.
(i) Which of the following statement(s) is/are correct
about Abu’l Fazl?
I. Abu’l Fazl was an adviser and spokesperson of
Akbar’s policies.
CBSE Term II History XII
II. Abu’l Fazl shaped and articulated the ideas
associated with the reign of Akbar.
III. He gave a detailed account of Akbar’s darbar.
IV. He was a powerful debater and independent
thinker.
(a) I, II, III, IV (b) I, III, IV
(c) II, III, IV (d) All of these
Ans. (d) All the statements about Abu’l Fazl are correct.
(ii) What was the procedure followed to notice about
Akbar’s darbar?
(a) Drum was beaten
(b) Announcement was made
(c) Divine praise was made
(d) Both (a) and (c)
Ans. (d) When Akbar held court or darbar a large drum was
beaten and it was accompanied by divine praise.
(iii) Which of the following is true about the court of
Akbar?
(a) Only invites were present in the court.
(b) All men remained standing in their proper place and
make the Kornish.
(c) Skilful mechanics pay their respects.
(d) All of the above
Ans. (b) It was the custom of the court that all men remained
standing in their proper place and make the Kornish
(a form of salutation) to the king.
(iv) Who were responsible to present report in the
court?
(a) Learned men of renown
(b) Mechanics
(c) Officers of Justice
(d) All of the above
Ans. (c) In the Mughal Court, officers of Justice were
responsible to present their reports to the emperor.
(v) How did the emperor conduct the court? Select
the proper option.
(a) With his usual insight the king gave the order.
(b) He listen from learned men, officers of justice who
were present in the court.
(c) In a satisfactory manner he settled everything.
(d) All of the above
Ans. (d) All of the above
(vi) Which of the following is not correct about ‘Kornish’ ?
(a) It was a form of ceremonial salutation.
(b) It was compulsory in the Mughal Court.
(c) After getting Kornish, the emperor settles everything.
(d) All of the above
Ans. (c) When the emperor entered the court room, every
body gave him Kornish. The officers of justice presented
their reports and then the emperor settled everything in
a satisfactory manner.
CBSE Term II History XII
PART 2
Subjective Questions
l
Short Answer (SA) Type Questions
1. How did the name Mughal derive?
Ans. The name Mughal is derived from Mongol. Mughals
remind us about a great empire, but the name was not
chosen by rulers themselves. Mughals referred
themselves as Timurids, as descendants of the Turkish
ruler Timur on the father side.
The first Mughal ruler, Babur, was related to Ghengiz
Khan from his mother’s side. He spoke Turkish and
referred Mongols disrespectfully as culture-less group of
people.
Europeans used the term Mughal to describe the Indian
rulers of this branch of the family in the sixteenth century
and this term has been used frequently over centuries.
2. Discuss about the Akbar’s interest in Persian
language.
Or “Akbar consciously made Persian the leading
language of the Mughal Court.” Justify the
statement with the efforts made by him. (Delhi 2019)
Ans. Akbar had a great interest in Persian language. He was
the one who made Persian the important language of the
Mughal court. Cultural and intellectual contacts with Iran
and in addition, Iranian and Central Asian migrants
seeking positions at the Mughal court might have made
the emperor to adopt the language.
Persian was made the language of empire, granting power
and prestige on those who had command over this
language. It was spoken by the king, the royal household
and the elite at court. It also became the language of
administration at all levels so that accountants, clerks and
other functionaries also learnt it.
3. Discuss about the influence of Persian language
during Mughal India.
Ans. The Persian language was not directly used during
Mughal rule. Its vocabulary and expressions influenced
the language of official records in Rajasthani, Marathi and
even Tamil in the following ways
l
During sixteenth and seventeenth centuries, people
using Persian came from different regions of the
subcontinent and spoke other Indian languages. Persian
thus became Indianised by absorbing local expression.
A new language Urdu, came from the interaction of
Persian and Hindavi.
l
Mughal official histories like Akbar Nama were written
in Persian and other like Babur’s biography were
translated from the Turkish into the Persian Babur
Nama.
11
l
Sanskrit texts like Mahabharata and the Ramayana
translated into Persian were introduced by the Mughal
emperors.
4. Describe the process of manuscript production in
the Mughal court.
Ans. Manuscripts in Mughal India were the books which were
produced from hand written texts. The imperial Kitab
khana was the centre of manuscript production. The
creation of a written text involved a number of people
performing a variety of tasks.
The process of manuscript production in the Mughal
Court was
l
Paper makers were supposed to prepare the papers with
serial number of the manuscript.
l
Scribes or calligraphers have to copy the text.
l
Gliders have to make the pages clearer and easier to
read.
l
Painters have to illustrate scenes from the text and
bookbinders to gather the individual pages and set them
within ornamental covers.
l
The finished manuscript was seen as a precious object, a
very good example to show the power of its patron, the
Mughal emperor, to bring such beauty into existence.
5. Name the author of ‘Badshah Nama’. Describe its
content. (All India 2011)
Ans. Abdul Hamid Lahori, a student of Abu’l Fazl was the
author of the Badshah Nama.
The Badshah Nama was written on the lines of Akbar
Nama and it described the history of Shah Jahan’s rule.
The Badshah Nama was the official history in three
volumes (daftars) of ten lunar years each. Lahori wrote
first and second daftars on the first two decades of the
emperor’s rule (1627-47). These volumes were later
revised by Shah Jahan’s wazir, Sadullah Khan.
The physical and mental weakness of old age prevented
Lahori from writing third decade, which was then
chronicled by the historian Waris.
6. Examine the ideal of Sulh-i-kul as the corner-
stone of Akbar’s enlightened rule. (All India 2020)
Or ‘Abu’l Fazl has described the ideal of Sulh-i-kul of
Akbar as the corner-stone of his enlightened rule.’
Justify. (Delhi 2015)
Ans. Abu’l Fazl described the ideal of Sulh-i-kul (absolute
peace) as the corner-stone of Akbar’s enlightened rule.
During the rule of Akbar, the empire had many different
ethnic and religious communities like Hindus, Jainas,
Zoroastrians and Muslims. Emperor was the source of
12
peace and stability and stood above all the religions and
ethnic groups. He mediated among them, and made sure
that justice and peace was established.
Abu’l Fazl described the ideal of Sulh-i kul as the basic
pillar and foundation of modern rule. As per Sulh-i kul, all
religions and schools of thought had freedom of expression
but they were not supposed to lower the authority of the
state or fight among themselves.
7. Describe briefly how the emperor began his day in
the balcony and at diwan-i-am. (All India 2011)
Ans. The emperor spend his day in the following ways
l
The emperor started his day at sunrise with personal
religious prayers.
l
He then appeared on a small balcony, the jharoka, facing
the East, so that crowd of people like soldiers,
merchants, craftspersons, peasants, women with sick
children waiting for him will have a view, darshan, of
the emperor. Jharoka darshan was introduced by Akbar
with the objective of increasing the acceptance of the
royal authority as part of popular faith.
l
The emperor after spending an hour at the jharoka,
walked to the public hall of audience (diwan-i am) to
perform the primary business of his government.
Reports and request were presented by the state
officials.
l
After two hours, emperor went to diwan-i khas to
discuss confidential matters with private audiences. High
ministers of state placed their requests before him and
tax officials presented their accounts.
8. ‘The granting of titles to the men of merit was an
important aspect of Mughal polity.’ Explain.
(All India 2017)
Ans. Granting titles to men of merit was one of the important
things of Mughal government. A man’s promotion in the
court hierarchy could be traced using the titles he held.
These titles were
l
The title ‘Asaf Khan’ for one of the highest ministers
began with Asaf, the legendary minister of the prophet
king Sulaiman (Solomon).
l
The title Mirza Raja was given by Aurangzeb to his two
highest ranking nobles, Jai Singh and Jaswant Singh.
l
Mir Khan offered one lakh rupees to Aurangzeb for the
letter alif, i.e. A, to be added to his name to make it Amir
Khan.
9. Discuss about the classification and gradation
among wives in Mughal household.
Ans. In the Mughal household, a difference was maintained
between wives who came from royal and aristocratic
families (begams), and other wives (aghas) who were not
so noble by birth in the following ways
l
The begams, married after receiving large amounts of
cash and valuables as dowry received a higher status
and greater attention from their husbands than aghas.
CBSE Term II History XII
l
The concubines (aghacha or the lesser agha) occupied
the lowest position in the hierarchy of females who
were closely related to royalty.
l
All Mughal wives received monthly allowances in cash,
in addition with gifts according to their status.
10. Describe how Humayun Nama of Gulbadan Begum
gives us the glimpses of the Mughal imperial
household. (All India 2013)
Ans. Humayun Nama, written by Gulbadan Begum, gave us
interesting view into the domestic world of the Mughals.
Gulbadan was the daughter of Babur, Humayun’s sister
and Akbar’s aunt. Gulbadan could write fluently in
Turkish and Persian.
When Akbar appointed Abu’l Fazl to write a history of his
rule, he requested his aunt to record her biography of
earlier times under Babur and Humayun, for Abu’l Fazl
to extract important things from it.
Gulbadan did not write praising the Mughal emperors.
But she described in great detail the conflicts and
tensions among the princes and kings and the important
mediating role elderly women of the family played in
resolving some of these conflicts.
11. What were the distinctive features of the Mughal
nobility?
Or ‘One important pillar of Mughal administration was
the nobility.’ Justify. (Delhi 2015)
Ans. Mughal nobility was one of the important pillar of
Mughal administration.
The distinctive features of the Mughal nobility were
l
The nobility was a group of officers and was the main
pillar of the Mughal state.
l
The nobility was recruited from different ethnic and
religious groups. This made sure that no particular group
was large enough to oppose the authority of the state.
l
The nobility was described as a bunch of flowers
(guldasta) held together by loyalty to the emperor.
l
The nobles participated in military operations with
their armies and also served as officers of the empire in
the provinces.
l
Nobles were present at the court and were a reserve
force to be appointed to a province or military
operation. They were duty-bound to appear twice daily,
morning and evening to express the acceptance of
authority of the emperor in the public audience hall.
12. ‘‘The keeping of the exact and detailed record was
the major concern of Mughal administration.’’
Support the statement with example. (All India 2016)
Ans. The major concern of the Mughal administration was
keeping of exact and detailed records. For this concern,
Mir-bakhshi was appointed. He observed and directed
the group of court writers who recorded all applications
and documents presented to the court and all royal
orders.
CBSE Term II History XII
Additionally, agents of nobles and regional rulers
recorded the entire proceedings of the court under the
heading “News from the Exalted Court” with the date and
time of the court session.
A text called akhbarat contained all kinds of informations
like attendance at the court, grant offices and titles,
diplomatic missions etc which were valuable for writing
the history of the public and private lives of kings and
nobles.
13. Discuss the major features of Mughal provincial
administration. How did the centre control the
provinces?
Ans. The major features of Mughal provincial administration
were
l
The head of the provincial administration was the
Governor (subadar) who reported directly to the
emperor.
l
The sarkars, into which each suba was divided, often
overlapped with the jurisdiction of faujdars who were
positioned with a body of troops of heavy cavalry and
musketeers in districts.
l
Three semi-hereditary officers, the qanungo , the
chaudhuri and the qazi looked after the local
administration at the level of the pargana.
To control the provinces, each department of
administration maintained large support staff of clerks,
accountants, auditors, messengers and other
functionaries who were technically qualified officials.
The functioned in a manner as per the standardised
rules and procedures and made large amount of written
orders and records.
14. How do you think that Qandahar remained a bone
of contention between the Mughals and the
Safavids? Explain. (All India 2017)
Ans. Qandahar remained a bone of contention between the
Mughals and the Safavids. To prevent the entry of
conquerors Mughals adopted many policies. They
controlled strategic small military camps which were
positioned at Kabul and Qandahar as all conquerors who
tried to make their way into the Indian subcontinent had
to cross the Hindukush to access North India.
They had a continuous disagreement over the authority
of Qandahar.
The fortress of Qandahar had initially been under the
control of Humayun, which was reconquered by Akbar
in 1595. The Safavid court maintained diplomatic
relations with the Mughals, but they continued to make
claims to Qandahar. In 1613, Jahangir sent a diplomatic
representative to the court of Shah Abbas (Safavid king)
to plead the Mughal case for retaining Qandahar but the
mission failed. Finally in 1622, Qandahar was captured
by Persian army and Mughal had to surrender the city
and fortress to the Safavids.
13
15. Describe briefly the relationship between the
Mughals and the Ottomans.
Ans. The relationship between the Mughals and the Ottomans
was based on the concern to ensure free movement for
merchants and pilgrims in the territories under Ottoman
control. This was true for the Hijaz, that part of Ottoman
Arabia where the important pilgrim centres of Mecca and
Medina were located.
The Mughal emperor usually combined religion and
commerce by exporting valuable goods to Aden
and Mokha, both Red Sea ports, and distributing
the profits of the sales in charity to the keepers of shrines
and religious men present there. But when Aurangzeb
found out about corruption involved in funds sent to
Arabia, he favoured their distribution in India itself
because he thought, India was as much a house of God as
Mecca.
16. Discuss about the Akbar’s quest for religious
knowledge.
Ans. Akbar’s quest for religious knowledge resulted in interfaith
debates in the Ibadatkhana at Fatehpur Sikri between
learned Muslims, Hindus, Jainas, Parsis and Christians.
Akbar’s religious views developed as he questioned
scholars of different religions and sects and gathered
knowledge about their beliefs. He moved away from the
orthodox Islamic ways of understanding religions. He
moved towards a different form of divine worship, based
on the self-created ideas gathered from different sources.
His divine worship was focussed on light and the Sun.
Akbar and Abu’l Fazl created a philosophy of light and used
it to shape the image of the king and set the ideas and
beliefs of the state. According to this new set of ideas and
beliefs, a divinely inspired individual has ultimate supreme
power and authority over his people and complete control
over his enemies.
l
Long Answer (LA) Type Questions
1. Discuss with examples, the distinctive features of
the Mughal chronicles. (NCERT, Delhi 2011)
Ans The distinctive features of the Mughal chronicles are
l
They were a collection of factual information about the
institutions of the Mughal state, carefully collected and
arranged in groups with similar information by
individuals closely connected with the court.
l
These texts convey the meanings that the Mughal rulers
wanted to impose on their region. Therefore, these texts
give us a view into how imperial ideas and beliefs were
created and transmitted.
l
Chronicles brought out by the Mughal emperors are an
important source for studying the empire and its court.
l
They were wrote to show a vision of a modern kingdom
to all those who came under its rule.
14
l
They were meant to inform to those who opposed the
rule of the Mughals that all opposition was bound to fail.
l
The authors of Mughal chronicles were from royal
courts. The histories they wrote mainly focused on
events centred on the ruler, his family, the court and
nobles, wars and administrative arrangements.
l
Chronicles of Mughal court were written in Persian,
which developed as a language of the court and for
literary writings, during Sultans of Delhi, along with
other North Indian languages, like Hindavi and its
regional varieties.
2. Why did Abu’l Fazl consider the art of painting
important? What were the observation of Abu’l Fazl
about the art of painting ?
Ans. Abu’l Fazl considered the art of painting in high esteem.
He described painting as a magical art as he thought it
had the power to make in animate objects look that they
possessed life. Abu’l Fazl’s observation about art of
painting were
l
Abu’l Fazl said that drawing the likeness of anything is
called ‘taswir’.
l
Abu’l Fazl observed that emperor since during the time
of his youth has shown a great liking for this art and
gave encouragement to it because he looks at it as a
means of study and as well as amusement.
l
A large number of painters were set to work and the
work done by the artist was submitted to emperor
through several supervisors and clerks of the imperial
workshop. Emperor would then reward and increase
the monthly salaries of the artists according to their merit.
l
Most excellent painters like Bihzad (a Persian painter),
might be placed at the side of the wonderful works of
the European painters who have got worldwide fame.
The minuteness in detail, the general finish and the
boldness of execution observed in these pictures are
really incomparable. Even non living objects look as if
they have life.
l
More than a hundred painters have become famous
masters of the art. This is more true of the Hindu artists.
Their pictures surpass our imagination of things. Very
few are found in the whole world who are equal to them.
3. Identify the elements that went into the making of
the Mughal ideal of kingship. (NCERT)
Ans. The elements that went into the making of the Mughal
ideal of kingship was described by the court historians of
Mughal era in the following ways
l
Some historians tried to show that the power of Mughal
kings came directly from God using different sources.
For this statement they used the stories of the Mongol
queen Alanqua who was impregnated by a ray of
sunshine while she was resting in her tent. According to
them, the offspring of the queen carried this Divine
Light and passed it from one generation to another.
CBSE Term II History XII
l
Abu’l Fazl placed Mughal kingship at the highest
position in the hierarchy of things which received light
from the God. This idea was taken from the famous
Iranian sufi, Shihabuddin Suhrawardi. Suhrawardi’s
writings were read universally in the Islamic world.
They were studied by Shaikh Mubarak, who transmitted
their ideas to his sons, Faizi and Abu’l Fazl, who were
trained under him. As per this idea, there was a
hierarchy in which the Divine Light was transmitted to
the king, who then became the source of spiritual
guidance for his subjects.
These ideas were transmitted using paintings along with
the chronicles and this left a lasting impression on the
minds of viewers.
From seventeenth century, Mughal artists began to
portray emperors wearing the halo. They saw this on
European paintings of Christ and the Virgin Mary to
symbolise the light of God.
5. In what ways would the daily routine and special
festivities associated with the Mughal court have
conveyed the sense of a power of the emperor?
(NCERT, Delhi 2013)
Ans. The various ways in daily routine and special festivities
that showed the power of the emperor are
l
The physical look of the court focussed on the supreme
ruler and reflected his status as the heart of society. Its
precious symbol was the throne.
l
Chronicles put down the rules that define status among
the Mughal elites with great accuracy. Once the emperor
sat on the throne, no one was permitted to move from
his position or to leave without permission. On his
birthdays, monarch weighted himself against the various
commodities, which were then distributed in charity.
l
After personal religious prayers, emperor appeared on a
small balcony, the jharoka, facing the East, so that
crowd of people like soldiers, merchants, craftspersons,
peasants, women with sick children waiting for him will
have a view, darshan, of the emperor.
l
At the time of ceremony of accessing throne or after a
victory over an enemy, Mughal emperors adopted great
titles. These titles which were high sounding and
rhythmic, created a feeling of respect among
the audience when they were announced by the officials
called ushers (naqib). Mughal coins contained the full
title of the ruling emperor with royal protocol.
6. Assess the role played by the women of the imperial
household in the Mughal Empire. (NCERT)
Or ‘The women of the imperial household in the Mughal
Empire played a significant role’? Justify.
Ans. ‘The women of the imperial household in the Mughal
Empire played a significant role which was
l
Mughal queens and princesses started to control great
amount of financial resources after Nur Jahan.
CBSE Term II History XII
l
Shah Jahan’s daughters Jahanara received revenues
from the port city of Surat, which was a profit making
centre of overseas trade.
l
Women belonging to the Mughal household started
construction of buildings and gardens because they had
control over resources.
l
Jahanara participated in many architectural projects of
Shah Jahan’s new capital, Shahjahanabad (Delhi) among
which a double-storeyed caravanserai with a courtyard
and garden was very impressive.
l
The bazaar of Chandini Chowk, the crowded centre of
Shahjahanabad were also designed by Jahanara.
l
Humayun Nama was written by Gulbadan Begum, the
daughter of Babur and Humayun’s sister which gave
interesting view into the domestic world of the Mughals.
l
Gulbadan described in great detail the conflicts and
tensions among the princes and kings. She also
described the important mediating role which elderly
women of the family played in resolving some of these
conflicts.
7. What were the concerns that shaped the Mughal
policies and attitudes towards regions outside the
subcontinent? (NCERT)
Or Historians have provided accounts of diplomatic
relationships and conflicts with the neighbouring
political powers of the Mughal Empire. Elaborate.
Ans. The concerns that shaped the Mughal policies and
attitudes towards regions outside the sub continent are
based on the accounts of diplomatic relationships and
conflicts with neighbouring political powers. These
showed some tension and political opposition arising from
competing regional interests.
Relations between Safavids and Mughals
The political and diplomatic relations between the
Mughal kings and the neighbouring countries of Iran and
Turan depended on the control of the boundary marked
by the Hindukush mountains.
The Safavids and the Mughals had a continuous
disagreement over Qandahar. The fortress had initially
been under the control of Humayun, which was
reconquered by Akbar in 1595. The Safavid court
maintained diplomatic relations with the Mughals, but it
continued to make claims to Qandahar.
In 1613, Jahangir sent a diplomatic representative to the
court of Shah Abbas to plead the Mughal case for holding
Qandahar under its control, but this mission failed.
In the winter of 1622, a Persian army surrounded
Qandahar and defeated Mughal troops present in the
fortress town. Finally, Mughals had to surrender the
fortress and the city to the Safavids.
Relations between Mughals and Ottomans
The relationship between the Mughals and the Ottomans
was based on the concern to ensure free movement for
15
merchants and pilgrims in the territories under Ottoman
control. This was more true for the Hijaz, that part of
Ottoman Arabia where the important pilgrim centres of
Mecca and Medina were located.
The Mughal emperor usually combined religion and
commerce by exporting valuable goods to Aden and
Mokha, both Red Sea ports, and distributing the profits of
the sales in charity to the keepers of shrines and religious
men present there.
When Aurangzeb found out about corruption involved in
funds sent to Arabia, he favoured their distribution in
India itself because he thought, India was as much a
house of God as Mecca.
l
Case Based Questions
1. Read the given case/source and answer the
following questions.
The Accessible Emperor
In the account of his experiences, Monserrate, who
was a member of the first Jesuit mission, says: It is
hard to exaggerate how accessible he (Akbar) makes
himself to all who wish audience of him.
For he creates an opportunity almost every day for
any of the common people or of the nobles to see
him and to converse with him; and he endeavours to
show himself pleasant- spoken and affable rather
than severe towards all who come to speak with
him. It is very remarkable that how great an effect
this courtesy and affability has in attaching him to
the minds of his subjects. (Delhi 2016)
(i) Who were Jesuits? How did they establish their
network in India?
(ii) How did Monserrate accord his experience about
the Akbar?
(iii) How had Akbar’s courtesy brought affability for
his subjects? Explain.
Ans. (i) Jesuits were members of society of Jesus, a Roman
catholic order of priests.
Jesuits established their network in India through
Akbar as he was very friendly with every religion and
same was the case with Jesuits. He allowed Jesuit
missionaries in India.
(ii) According to Monserrate’s experience who was a
member of the first Jesuit mission, Akbar was
accessible to everyone i.e. from common man to
nobles. He also created opportunity almost every day
for common people and nobles to see him and to talk
with him.
(iii) Akbar’s courtesy brought affability for his subjects as
he can be approached by anyone from common
people to nobles.
16
2. Read the given case/source and answer the following
questions.
The Flight of the Written Word
In Abu’l Fazl’s words:
The written word may embody the wisdom of
bygone ages and may become a means to
intellectual progress. The spoken word goes to the
heart of those who were present to hear it. The
written word gives wisdom to those who were near
and far. If it was not for the written word, the
spoken word would soon die, and no keepsake
would be left us from those who were passed away.
Superficial observers saw in the letter a dark figure,
but the deep sighted saw in it a lamp of wisdom
(chiragh-i shinasai).
The written word looks black, not with standing the
thousand rays within it, or it was a light with a mole
on it that wards off the evil eye. A letter (khat) was
the portrait of wisdom; a rough sketch from the
realm of ideas; a dark light ushering in day; a black
cloud pregnant with knowledge; speaking though
dumb; stationary yet travelling; stretched on the
sheet, and yet soaring upwards.
(i) Who was Abu’l Fazl ? What will the written word
Ans (i) Abu’l Fazl tried to legitimise the art by quoting that
embody?
(ii) Is there any difference between spoken and
written word?
(iii) ‘A black cloud pregnant with knowledge’. What is
it meant according to Abu’l Fazl’s view?
Ans (i) Abu’l Fazl was one of the famous court historians of
emperor Akbar.
The written word may give the physical form for the
wisdom of earlier ages and may become a means to
intellectual progress.
(ii) Yes, there is a difference as the spoken word goes to
heart of those who were present to hear it, but the
written word gives wisdom to those who were near
and far.
4. Read the given case/source and answer the
(iii) According to Abu’l Fazl, a black cloud pregnant with
knowledge meant a letter. The phrase symbolises that
though a letter can not speak, but it was the
representation of wisdom, a rough sketch from the
field of ideas and a dark light guiding in day.
3. Read the given case/source and answer the
following questions.
In Praise of Taswir
Abu’l Fazl held the art of painting in high esteem.
Drawing the likeness of anything is called taswir.
His Majesty from his earliest youth, has shown a
great predilection for this art, and gives it every
encouragement, as he looks upon it as a means both
CBSE Term II History XII
of study and amusement. A very large number of
painters have been set to work. Each week, several
supervisors and clerks of the imperial workshop
submit before the emperor the work done by each
artist and his Majesty gives a reward and increases
the monthly salaries of the artists according to the
excellence displayed... Most excellent painters are
now to be found, and masterpieces, worthy of a
Bihzad, may be placed at the side of the wonderful
works of the European painters who have attained
worldwide fame. The minuteness in detail, the
general finish and the boldness of execution now
observed in pictures are incomparable; even
inanimate objects look as if they have life. More
than a hundred painters have become famous
masters of the art. This is especially true of the
Hindu artists. Their pictures surpass our conception
of things. Few, indeed, in the whole world are
found equal to them.
(i) How did Abu’l Fazl seek to legitimise the art of
painting?
(ii) How did emperor Akbar look at the art of ‘taswir’?
(iii) Describe the weekly routine of the artists during
Akbar’s time.
an artist had a unique way of recognising God when
he must come to feel that he cannot present life on
his work.
(ii) Akbar looked at the art of ‘taswir’ as a means both of
study and entertainment. From his earliest youth, he
had shown a great interest for this art, and gave it
every encouragement.
(iii) The weekly routine of the artists was that, each week
several supervisors and clerks of the imperial
workshop submit the work done by each artist before
the emperor. The emperor gave a reward and
increased the monthly salaries of the artists
according to the excellence displayed.
following questions.
The Jewelled Throne
This is how Shah Jahan’s jewelled throne (takht-i
murassa) in the hall of public audience in the Agra
palace is described in the Badshah Nama:
This gorgeous structure has a canopy supported by
twelve-sided pillars and measure five cubits in
height from the flight of steps to the overhanging
dome. On his Majesty’s coronation, he had
commanded that 86 lakh worth of gems and
precious stones and one lakh tolas of gold worth
another 14 lakh, should be used in decorating it...
CBSE Term II History XII 17

The throne was completed in the course of seven 5. Study the following picture and answer the following
years, and among the precious stones used upon question by choosing the correct option.
it was a ruby worth one lakh of rupees that Shah
Abbas Safavi had sent to the late emperor
Jahangir.
And on this ruby were inscribed the names of the
great emperor Timur Sahib-i qiran, Mirza
Shahrukh, Mirza Ulugh Beg and Shah Abbas as
well as the names of the emperors Akbar,
Jahangir and that of His Majesty himself.
(i) What is the theme of passage and what is its
source?
(ii) What kind of decoration did emperor command
to be done on throne? (i) Why the artist has enveloped the target in a dark cloud?
(iii) When was throne completed? Who gifted ruby Ans. The artist has enveloped the target in a dark cloud to suggest
used on throne? that the person is not real rather it is symbolic of an abstract
Ans. (i) This passage is about how Shah Jahan’s jewelled quality.
throne (takht-i murassa) in the hall of public (ii) What does the animals seen in the painting
audience in the Agra palace. It is described in the underneath the feet of the emperor stand for?
Badshah Nama.
Ans. The animals seen in the painting underneath the feet of the
(ii) On Akbar coronation, he had commanded that 86
emperor stand for a reelm in which both the strong (lion)
lakh worth of gems and precious stones, and one
and the weak (lamb) exist in harmony.
lakh tolas of gold worth another 14 lakh, should be
used in decorating the thrown. The throne has a (iii) What does the chain descending from the heaven
canopy supported by twelve-sided pillars and symbolised?
measure five cubits in height from the flight of Ans. The chain descending from the heaven is a symbol of
steps to the overhanging dome. Justice.
(iii) The throne was completed in the course of seven (iv) What does the ‘halo’ shown around the face of
years, and among the precious stones used upon it Jahangir symbolise?
was a ruby worth one lakh of rupees. Ans. The ‘halo’ shown around the face of Jahangir symbolise the
Shah Abbas Safavi had gifted the ruby to the late light of God.
emperor Jahangir.

l
Map Based Questions
1. On an outline map of the world, plot the areas with which the Mughals had political and cultural relations.
(NCERT)
Ans.

Iraq Iran

Afghanistan
Turkey

Syria

Aden
Chapter Test
Objective Questions
1. Which of the language was used to write down Babur’s memoirs?
(a) Persian (b) Turkish
(c) Arabian (d) Hindi
2. Who among the following Mughal ruler was defeated by Afghan leader Sher Shah Suri?
(a) Nasiruddin Humayun (b) Babur
(c) Akbar (d) Both (a) and (b)
3. Which of the following statement is correct regarding Mughal rule?
(a) Babur came from Uzbekistan.
(b) Humayun took refuge in the court of ruler of Iraq.
(c) Mughals were Chaghtai Turks by origin.
(d) The Ramayana was translated as Razmnama.
4. …… is a Latin phrase for a pillar or pole that is visualised as the support of the earth.
(a) Axis mundi (b) Axis pole
(c) Axis sandi (d) None of these
5. Consider the following statements and suggest which is/are correct?
I. Chahar taslim is a mode of salutation.
II. Shab-i-barat is full moon night in the sixth month of the Hijri calendar.
III. In 1575 the capital of Akbar was transferred to Lahore.
IV. Abu’l Fazl described the ideal of Sulh-i-kul.
Codes
(a) I and IV (b) II and III
(c) I and II (d) I and III

Short Answer Type Questions

6. Who wrote the Akbar Nama? Describe its content in brief.
7. When and how was the Mughal empire carved out? Who was its founder?
8. What was the significance of titles in the Mughal court?
9. Who wrote ‘Humayun Nama’? What do you know about it?
10. Write about Akbar’s religious views.
Long Answer Type Questions
11. Why is Akbar considered as the greatest of all Mughal Emperors?
12. Describe the contribution of the Mughals to the growth of architecture and paintings in India.

Answers
1. (a) Persian 2. (a) Nasiruddin Humayun
3. (c) Mughals were Chaghtai Turks by origin 4. (a) Axis mundi
5. (a) I and IV
CBSE Term II History XII
CHAPTER 02
Colonialism and
the Countryside*
(Exploring Official Archives)
In this Chapter...
l Bengal and the Zamindars
l Rural Areas of Bengal
In Bengal, Rajmahal hills and Deccan, laws were introduced by
the state that have consequences for people. They determine
the criteria of being rich and the poor and acquisition of land.
However, people resisted these laws with every possible
means. According to various sources, historians faced problems
in interpreting these histories. The sources include records,
surveys, journals and account left by surveyors and travellers
and reports produced by enquiry commissions.
Bengal and the Zamindars
Bengal was the first province in India where the colonial rule
was established. The earliest attempts to reorder rural society,
establish new regime of land rights and a new revenue system
were made in Bengal. Problems, changes and incidents
associated with starting years of Company rule in Bengal were
as follows:
An Auction in Burdwan
In 1797 there was an auction in Zamindari of Burdwan. The
Permanent Settlement had come into operation in 1793. The
payable revenue of the Zamindars was fixed by the British East
India Company.
1 Raja A term often used to designate powerful zamindars.
2 Taluqdar One who holds a taluq or a connection. Taluq came to refer to a territorial unit.
* As per the latest CBSE syllabus 2021-22 of Term II, only the content given in NCERT from page 257 to 274 will be asked in exam.
19
Part III : Themes in Indian History
l A Revolt in the Countryside :
The Bombay Deccan
l The Deccan Riots Commission
The Zamindars who failed to pay their revenue were to be
auctioned to recover the revenue. A number of mahals
(estates) of Burdwan were sold. A peculiar fact was that
many of the purchasers were the servants and agents of the
Raja1 who bought these on behalf of their master. Though
Raja’s estates were publicly sold, but he remained in
control of his zamindari.
The Problem of Unpaid Revenue
With the advent of colonial rule in Bengal by 1770’s, the
rural economy was in crisis due to continuous famines and
low agricultural output.
Hence, a new revenue system was introduced in 1793
which was known as the Permanent Settlement. Lord
Cornwallis was the Governor General of Bengal when the
Permanent Settlement was introduced. The settlement was
done by securing rights of property and permanently fixing
the rates of revenue demand.
The British made the settlement with the rajas and
taluqdars2 of Bengal classifying them as zamindars. They
were supposed to pay the revenue demand that was fixed
for a long period of time.
 20
The zamindar collected rent from the different villages, paid
the revenue to the company and retained the difference as his
income. If he failed to pay the revenue his estate could be
auctioned.
Zamindars Defaulted on Payments
Even after the surety of revenue, zamindars regularly failed
to pay the revenue demand and unpaid balances
accumulated. The reasons behind such default includes
Firstly, Company kept the revenue price high. They
believed that with low initial price they would never be able
to set high income from land when prices rose and
cultivation expanded.
Secondly, during the 1790s, the prices of agricultural
produce were depressed which made the ryots3 difficult to
pay their dues to the zamindar.
Thirdly, as the revenue was fixed, it had to be paid
punctually on time regardless of the harvest. A law was
introduced which came to be known as the Sunset Law.
According to the law, if payment did not come in by sunset
of the specified date, the zamindari was liable to be
auctioned.
Fourthly, the power of the zamindar was initially limited to
collect rent from the ryot and manage his zamindari.
Problem Faced by Zamindars
The duty of collecting revenue was under zamindars, but
they were brought under some limitations. These were
l
The zamindars troops were disbanded (dissolve) and
custom duties abolished. Their cutcheries (courts) were
brought under the supervision of a collector appointed by
the company which gradually emerged as an alternative
source of authority.
l
Bad harvests and low prices made the ryots difficult to pay
dues to the zamindars.
l
Rich ryots and village headmen, jotedars4 and Mandals
were against the zamindars.
l
The judicial process was long drawn to prosecute
defaulters.
The Rise of the Jotedars
A group of rich peasants called Jotedars consolidated their
power at village level with declining position of zamindars at
the end of eighteenth century.
Francis Buchanan has given a vivid description of jotedars
in his survey of the Dinajpur district in North Bengal.
3 Ryot A peasant, tenant, farmer or cultivator.
4 Jotedar It referred to class of rich peasants.
CBSE Term II History XII
Factors Responsible for Power of Jotedars
The jotedars were more powerful than the zamindars in
villages. A number of factors were responsible for it
l
Zamindars used to live in urban areas, whereas the Jotedars
were located in the villages which helped them to have direct
control over a section of poor villagers.
l
They cultivated their land through sharecroppers also
known as adhiyars or bargadars. These people brought their
own ploughs, laboured in the field, and handed over half of
the produce to the jotedars after the harvest.
l
Local trade and moneylending was also controlled by them,
hence exercising immense power over poorer cultivators of
the region.
l
Jotedars resisted efforts by zamindars to increase the
revenue demand of the village and prevented zamindari
officials to do their duty.
l
The estates of zamindars who failed to pay the revenue were
purchased by jotedars during auctions.
As a result, there was a growth in the power of the jotedars,
particularly in North Bengal. In some places, jotedars were
known as haoladars, elsewhere they were known as gantidars
or mandals. Their rise inevitably weakened zamindari
authority.
Powers of Zamindars, Jotedars and Ryots
Zamindars were responsible for paying revenue to the
company and distributing the revenue demand (jama) over
villages.
Each village ryot big or small paid rent to the zamindar.
Jotedars gave out loans to other ryots and sold their produce.
Ryots cultivated some land and gave out the rest to
under-ryots (low level farmers). Under-ryots paid rent to the
ryots for that land.
The Zamindar Resist
Zamindars devised ways of surviving pressure as they faced
high revenue demand and possible auction of their estates.
These were
l
Fictitious sale was one such strategy. The zamindars
transferred their zamindari to women, since the Company
had promised that they would not take over the property
of women.
l
The auctions were manipulated by the zamindar’s agents.
During auction, the zamindar’s men bought the property
and refused to pay the purchase money, so that the state had
to be resold. Again it was bought by the zamindar’s agents.
Such process was repeated endlessly.
CBSE Term II History XII 21

l
The outside purchasers were attacked by the lathyals5 of
the former zamindar so that the zamindars were not easily
displaced.
The Fifth Report
The changes that occurred in the East India Company were
elaborately documented in a report, submitted to the British
Parliament in 1813 known as the Fifth Report.
It contained 1002 pages of which over 800 pages were
appendices. It reproduced petitions of
l
zamindars and ryots
l
reports of collectors from different districts,
l
statistical tables on revenue returns,
l
notes on the revenue and judicial administration of Bengal
and Madras written by officials.
Causes of the Presentation of Report
Various significant causes contributed to the presentation of
the fifth report which were as follows
l
Since the establishment of Company’s rule in Bengal in the
mid 1760s, its activities were watched and debated in
England. Many groups in Britain were opposed to the
monopoly, the Company had over trade with India and
China. They wanted a revocation (cancellation) of the Royal
Charter giving company this monopoly.
l
Many private traders wanted a share in the trade with India
and industrialists of Britain wanted to access Indian
markets for British manufactures.
l
According to some political groups, the conquest of Bengal
was not benefitting the British nation as a whole but only
the Company.
l
The misrule and administration of Company were discussed
in Britain and the deeds of greed and corruption by
Company officials were publicised in the press.
Hence, the British Parliament passed a series of acts in the
late 18th century to regulate and control Company rule in
India.
The Company was forced to produce regular reports and
committees were appointed to enquire into the affairs of the
company. The Fifth Report was one such report produced by
a Select Committee. However, there were some limitations of
the report. These were
l
Researchers pointed out that fifth report exaggerated the
collapse of traditional zamindari power.
l
It also overestimated the scale on which zamindars were
losing their land.
Rural Areas of Bengal
In the early 19th century, Buchanan travelled through
Rajmahal hills. According to him, the hills appeared
impenetrable (dense), a zone where few travellers ventured
and an area that signified danger.
In the Hills of Rajmahal
The people living around the Rajmahal hills were known as
Paharias. They lived on forest produce and practised
shifting cultivation.
Life of the Paharias
The Paharias lived in huts within tamarind groves. They
collected mahua (a flower) for food, silk cocoons, resin, etc
for sale and wood for charcoal production.
The patches of grass provided pasture for cattle. Thus, the
Paharias were hunters, shifting cultivators, food gatherers,
charcoal producers and silkworm rearers.
For them, the entire region was their land, the basis of their
identity as well as survival. They had chiefs who maintained
the unity of the groups, settled disputes and led the tribe in
battles with other tribes and plains people.
The zamindars paid tributes to the hill chiefs for peace
settlement. Traders too gave small amount to the hill folk to
use the passes controlled by them.
British Policies to Control the Paharias
The British in the 1770s followed a brutal policy of
extermination6, hunting and killing the Paharias. By the
1780s, Augustus Cleveland, the collector of Bhagalpur,
proposed a policy of pacification7. As per the policy, the
Paharia chiefs were given annual allowance and were made
responsible for the proper conduct of their men. They were
expected to maintain order in their localities and discipline
their own people. Many Paharia chiefs refused the
allowance, while those who accepted, lost their authority
within the community. The perception of paharias has been
changed for British Government. Now every white man was
regarded as the destructor of their way of life.
The Santhal : Pioneer Settlers
The Santhals came into Bengal in the 1780s. They were hired
by zamindars to reclaim land and expand cultivation. The
Britishers invited them to settle in the Jangal Mahals of
Rajmahals hills as they failed to change the Paharias into
settled agriculturalist.

5 Lathyal One who wields (holds) the lathi or stick, functioned as a strongman or the zamindar.
6 Extermination It means to bring a definite end or to finish completely.
7 Pacification It means an attempt to create or maintain peace.
 22
A large area of land was provided to the Santhals by 1832 in
Rajmahal hills which came to known as Damin-i-Koh. The
Santhals practised plough agriculture there and became settled
peasants. Santhals were asked to clear and cultivate one-tenth
of the area within the first ten years.
The Santhal population also increased from a mere 3000 in
1838 to over 82,000 in 1851. With the advent of Santhals in the
Rajmahal hills, the Paharias were forced to move deeper into
the barren and rock hills. This deeply affected their lives.
Santhal Revolt
The Santhals soon realised that the land they had brought under
cultivation was slipping away from their hands. Heavy taxes
were imposed by the state on the lands cleared by the Santhals.
Moneylenders (dikus) charged them high rate of interest and if
debt remained unpaid, then zamindars started controlling the
Damin area.
CBSE Term II History XII
Due to these conditions, Santhals decided to revolt against
zamindars, moneylenders and colonial state. After the
Santhal revolt (1855-56), Santhal pargana was created,
carving out 5,500 square miles from the districts of
Bhagalpur and Birbhum.
The Accounts of Buchanan
Francis Buchanan was a physician who came to India and
served in Bengal Medical Service. He was an employee of
British East India Company. The British East India
company borne all the cost of his travel as it needed the
information collected by Buchanan.
His assessment of what was necessary was shaped by
commercial requirement of the Company. He was critical
about the lifestyles of forest dwellers and felt that forests
had to be turned into agricultural lands.
CBSE Term II History XII 23

Chapter
Practice
PART 1 6. Identify the name of the person considering the
following statement.
Objective Questions l
He was a physician who came to India and served in
the Bengal Medical Service from 1794 to 1815.
For few years, he was surgeon to the
Multiple Choice Questions
l
l
Governor-General of India, Lord Wellesley.
1. Who among the following was Governor-General of l
During his stay in Calcutta he organised a Zoo that
Bengal when the Permanent Settlement was became the Calcutta Alipore Zoo.
introduced? l
He was also incharge of the Botanical Gardens for a
(a) Lord Irwin (b) Lord Buchanan short period.
(c) Lord Cornwallis (d) Lord William (a) Francis Buchanan (b) Charles Cornwallis
Ans. (c) Charles Cornwallis was the Governor-General of Bengal (c) William Hodges (d) None of the above
when the Permanent Settlement was introduced. Ans. (a) The given information is about Francis Buchanan.
2. When did Permanent Settlement came into operation? 7. Identify the section of people
(a) 1891 (b) 1793 (c) 1792 (d) 1893 l
By the early nineteenth century they had acquired
Ans. (b) The Permanent Settlement had came into operation in vast areas of land.
1793. The East India Company had fixed the revenue that l
They controlled local trade.
each Zamindar had to pay. l
They involved in moneylending, exercised immense
3. The Fifth Report was submitted to the British power over the poorer cultivators of the region.
Parliament in l
They mainly lived in villages and had direct control
(a) 1810 (b) 1811 (c) 1813 (d) 1815 over the poor villagers
Ans. (c) The Fifth Report was submitted to the British Parliament (a) Bargadars (b) Jotedars
in 1813. It was the fifth of a series of reports on the (c) Zamindars (d) Adhiyars
administration and activities of the East India Company. Ans. (b) The given information is about Jotedars.
4. The Paharias regularly raided the plains where the 8. Choose the incorrect pair.
settled agriculturists lived. Identify the possible (a) Maharaja Mehtab Chand – Raja of Burdwan
cause(s) from the following for their raids. (b) Charles Cornwallis – Permanent Settlement
(a) These raids were necessary for survival in years of scarcity. (c) Francis Buchanan – Portuguese traveller
(b) They wanted to assert power over settled communities. (d) Sidhu Manjhi – Santhal rebellion
(c) They tried to negotiate political relations with outsides. Ans. (c) Francis Buchanan was a physician (not a traveller)
(d) All of the above who came to India and served in the Bengal Medical
Ans. (d) All the statements are correct as the cause of the raids Service from 1794 to 1815.
done by the Paharias. 9. Choose the correct pair.
5. Which of the following people came to Bengal in the (a) English East Indian Company – 1764
1780s? acquires Diwani of Bengal
(a) Santhals (b) Paharias (c) Rajputs (d) British (b) Regulating Act passed by the – 1774
Ans. (a) The Santhals had begun to came into Bengal around the British Parliament
1780s. Zamindars hired them to reclaim land and expand (c) Permanent Settlement in Bengal – 1790
cultivation and the British officials invited them to settle in (d) The Santhal Revolt – 1855-56
the Jangal Mahals.
24 CBSE Term II History XII

Ans. (d) In the year 1855-56, Santhals revolted against Ans. (c) Both statements I and III are true. Statement II is
Zamindars, moneylenders and the colonial state. English incorrect as the Santhals were given land and
East India Company acquires Diwani of Bengal in 1765 persuaded to settle in the foothills of Rajmahal not in
(not in 1764). Burdwan.
Regulating Act Passed by the British Parliament in 1773
(not in 1774).
l
Assertion-Reasoning MCQs
Permanent Settlement in Bengal was introduced in 1793 Directions (Q. Nos. 13-16) Each of these questions
(not in 1990). contains two statements, Assertion (A) and Reason
10. Match the following. (R). Each of these questions also has four
alternative choices, any one of which is the correct
List I List II answer. You have to select one of the codes (a), (b),
A. Bengal village scene painted 1. 1813 (c) and (d) given below.
by George Chinnery Codes
B. Policy of Pacification 2. 1820 (a) Both A and R are true and R is the correct
C. Fifth Report 3. 1793
explanation of A
(b) Both A and R are true, but R is not the correct
D. Permanent Settlement 4. 1780 explanation of A
(c) A is true, but R is false
Codes
(d) A is false, but R is true
A B C D A B C D
(a) 1 3 2 4 (b) 2 4 1 3 13. Assertion (A) The East India Company fixed the
(c) 4 2 1 3 (d) 1 3 4 2 revenue of the Zamindars by the permanent
Ans. (b) settlement.
Reason (R) The Company officials felt that a fixed
11. Identify the person associated with Santhal rebellion. revenue demand would give a sense of security to
When did Santhal rebellion take place? the Zamindars and encourage them to improve
their estates.
Ans. (a) The Britishers felt that a fixed revenue would give
the zamindars a sense of security. As a result they would
try to improve their estates. Thus, for the overall
improvement, the Britishers introduced the permanant
settlement. Therefore the statement R is the correct
explanation of Statement A.
14. Assertion (A) The authority of the Zamindars in
rural areas did not collapse.
Reason (R) When a part of the estate was
auctioned, the Zamindar’s men bought the
property, outbidding other purchasers.
Ans. (a) When the zamindars could not pay the revenue
within fixed period, their estates were auctioned. Often
(a) Sidhu Manjhi, 1855-56 (b) Birsa Munda, 1840-45 the Zamindar’s men bought the property at a low price
(c) Arjun Manjhi, 1850-55 (d) Kanhu Munda, 1855-56 and it would back to the Zamindars. In this way
Ans. (a) The person is Sidhu Manjhi. The Santhal rebellion took Zamindar maintained their authority over the estates.
place in 1855-56. Sidhu Manjhi was the leader of this Thus, here statement R explains statement A.
rebellion.
15. Assertion (A) Within the village, Jotedars were
12. Which of the following is true for Santhals? more powerful than the Zamindars.
I. Santhals were hired by Zamindars. Reason (R) Zamindars often lived in urban areas
II. They settled in Burdwan. but Jotedars lived in the villages and had direct
III. A large area was provided to Santhal known as contact with the villagers.
Damin-i-koh.
Ans. (a) Within the villages, the power of Jotedars was more
Codes effective than the Zamindars. Because Zamindars lived
(a) Only I (b) I and II in cities and had little knowledge about the sufferings of
(c) Both I and III (d) Only III the ryots. On the other hand, Jotedars had direct
CBSE Term II History XII
contact with a considerable section of poor villages. They
mobilised the ryots who were dependent on them and
resisted Zamindari officials from executing their duties.
Thus, the statement R correctly justifies the statement A.
16. Assertion (A) The Paharias could not effectively
sustain their mode of cultivation.
Reason (R) They were forced to confine in the dry
interior and barren, rocky upper hills.
Ans. (a) In the 1770s the Britishers took the policy of
extermination against the Paharias. Later they proposed
a policy of pacification. But many of the Paharias refused
their policy and withdrew deep into the mountains. They
were forced to live in the barren lands of rocky upper hills.
As a consequence they could not maintain their mode of
cultivation. Thus, statement R clearly justifies the
statement A.
l
Case Based MCQs
17. Read the given case/source describing relations
between Paharias and Colonial authorities and
answer the questions that follow by choosing the
correct option.
In the 1770s the British embarked on a brutal policy of
extermination, hunting the Paharias down and killing
them. Then, by the 1780s. Augustus Cleveland, the
Collector of Bhagalpur, proposed a policy of
pacification. Paharia chiefs were given an annual
allowance and made responsible for the proper conduct
of their men. They were expected to maintain order in
their localities and discipline their own people. Many
Paharia chiefs refused the allowances. Those who
accepted, most often lost authority within the
community. Being in the pay of the colonial
government, they came to be perceived as subordinate
employees or stipendiary chiefs.
(i) Why did British colonial authorities were against the
Paharias?
(a) Paharias frequent raid of plain areas inhabited by the
settled agriculturists.
(b) They associated forests with wildness and saw forest
people as savage, unruly, primitive and difficult to
govern.
(c) They wanted to ensure the safety of traders, middleman
and zamindars.
(d) All of the above
Ans. (d) The Britishers were against the Paharias because they
frequently raided plain areas inhabited by the
agriculturists.
(ii) Why did Augustus cleveland proposed a policy of
pacification?
(a) To stop the raids of Paharias.
25
(b) It was difficult to control Paharias through
traditional police machinery as they lived inside the
forest.
(c) Both (a) and (b)
(d) British forces were less in number and strength.
Ans. (c) By the 1780s, Augustus cleveland, the collector of
Bhagalpur proposed a policy of pacification to control
the Paharias as the Britishers could not control them by
traditional police machinery.
(iii) Consider the following statements.
I. Britishers wanted to subdue Paharias, as for
them extension of settled agriculture was
necessary to enlarge the sources of land revenue.
II. Paharias lived in the forested areas of Rajmahal
hills.
Choose the correct option.
(a) Both I and II are correct (b) Only I is correct
(c) Only II is correct (d) None of these
Ans. (a) Both the statements I and II are correct.
(iv) Which of the following statement is correct?
(a) Lord Wellesley proposed a policy of pacification for
the Paharias.
(b) Many Paharia chiefs refused to take the allowance
given by the Britishers.
(c) The Paharias started to settle in the plain areas.
(d) All of the above
Ans. (b) Many Paharia chiefs refused the allowance because
being in the pay of the colonial government, they would
become subordinate to the Britishers, which they did
not want to be.
(v) Which of the following is the real reason for the
Britishers to take a policy against the Paharias?
(a) The Britishers tried to expand the agriculture
(b) Expanded agriculture would give more revenue
(c) The Paharias regularly raided the settled villages
and carried away food grains and cattle.
(d) All of the above
Ans. (d) All the given statements are explaining the reason
for the Britishers to take a policy against the Paharias.
(vi) Why did the Britishers prefer Santhal tribe than
the Paharias?
(a) The Paharias were not settled agriculturalists and
continued to be turbulent
(b) The Santhals were good hunters
(c) The Santhals were ideal settlers, cleared forest and
cultivated the lands.
(d) Both (a) and (b)
Ans. (d) The Britishers wanted to increase their land revenue
so they preferred Santhals (agriculturalists) than the
Paharias (not settled agriculturalists) and also Santhals
were good hunters.
26
PART 2
Subjective Questions
l
Short Answer (SA) Type Questions
1. How did the auction in Burdwan took place?
Ans. The auction in the Burdwan took place through the
following events
l
The auction was held in Burdwan (present day
Bardhaman) in 1797. A number of mahals (estates) held
by the Raja of Burdwan were being sold because the raja
had accumulated huge arrears.
l
A number of purchasers came to the auction and the
estates were sold to the highest bidder. But it was later
realised that over 95 per cent of the sale at the auction was
fictitious.
l
Many purchasers turned out to be servants and agents of
the raja in the auction. Hence, publicly the estates were
sold but raja remained in control of his zamindari.
2. Explain two reasons for the failure of the Permanent
Settlement of the land revenue introduced by the
British in Bengal. (Delhi 2009)
Ans. The reasons for the failure of the permanent Settlement of
the land revenue introduced by the British in Bengal are
(i) The early revenue demands fixed by the Company
were very high. Under Permanent Settlement, the state
revenue demand was fixed in perpetuity.
It meant that Company was not claiming an additional
share of increased income from land with rising prices
and expanding cultivation.
Therefore, the Company wanted huge revenue for high
demand in order to minimise this anticipated loss.
(ii) High demand of land revenue was fixed in 1790s. The
price of agricultural produce were depressed during
this period. Consequently, it became difficult for the
ryots to pay their dues to the Zamindars. Thus, the
Zamindars could not collect the rent and were unable
to pay their fixed amount to the Company.
3. ‘‘Jotedars inevitably weakened Zamindars in Bengal
by the end of the 18th century.’’ Give arguments to
support the statement. (Delhi 2015)
Ans. Jotedars inevitably weakened the power of Zamindars in
Bengal by the end of the 18th century in the following ways
l
Jotedars lived in villages and thus, had good influence on
village population.
l
Jotedars had acquired vast areas of land. They controlled
local trade, moneylending, exercising immense power
over the poorer cultivators and their land was cultivated
through adhiyars or bargadars (share croppers).
CBSE Term II History XII
l
They fiercely resisted the effects of zamindars to
increase the jama of the village, prevented zamindari
officials from executing their duties. They deliberately
delayed payments of revenue to the zamindars.
l
When the estates of the zamindars were auctioned for
failure to make revenue payment, Jotedars bought their
estate. This made the Jotedars most powerful in the
North Bengal.
4. The East India Company had recognised the
Zamindars importance but wanted to control and
regulate them. Explain the steps taken by them to
subdue their authority in the 18th century.
(Delhi 2016)
Or Explain how the East India Company subdued
the authority of zamindars in Bengal during
18th century? (Delhi 2015)
Ans. The East India Company recognised the importance and
significance of zamindars but it also wanted to control,
regulate and subdue their authority. For this, the
Company took the following steps
l
To limit the authority of zamindars the Company
disbanded the troop organised by zamindars.
l
Custom duties were abolished and ‘cutcheries’ or local
court organised by zamindars were brought under
supervision of the Company.
l
The Company appointed collector and gave power to
supervise these courts, over the period of time
collectorate emerged as centre of authority.
l
The power to organise local justice and the local
police, was also abolished. The Permanent Settlement
system also limited the power of the zamindars to
collect rent from the ryots and manage their
zamindari.
5. How did zamindars manage to retain control of
their zamindaris? (NCERT)
Ans. When the power of zamindars declined, they did not
collapse. They devised several ways to retain control of
their zamindaris which were
l
Fictitious sale was one strategy adopted by them.
Their own men would make highest bid and later
refused to pay up. After repeating this method, the
government would be tired and sell it back to
zamindar at lesser rate.
l
Zamindari was transferred to female members due to
the rule that property of women would not be taken
over by the government.
CBSE Term II History XII
l
It was difficult for an outsider to take into possession of
the zamindari bought in the auction as they were attacked
by the lathyals of the former zamindar.
l
Sometimes even ryots who considered themselves as the
subjects of the zamindars opposed such auction.
6. How did the Paharias’ lifestyle changed due to the
coming of outsiders?
Ans. The lifestyle of Paharias who lived in the hills of Rajmahal
changed due to the coming of outsiders in the following
ways
l
The Paharias were moved deeper into the hills.
l
They were confined to the dry interior and more barren
and rocky upper hills.
l
The shifting cultivation done by the Paharias became
more and more difficult due to proper and stable settlements.
l
The hunters amongst them faced problems due to
clearance of forests for cultivation.
7. “The battle between the hoe and plough was a long
one.” Substantiate the statement with reference to
the Santhal and Paharias of Raj Mahal Hills during
the 18th century. (Delhi 2016)
Ans. The battle between the hoe and plough was really a long one.
The Paharia life was symbolised by the hoe, which they used
for shifting cultivation and the Santhal’s life represented the
power of the plough.
Santhal came to Bengal around 1780. Zamindars hired
them to reclaim land and expand cultivation. British invited
Santhals to settle in the Jangal Mahal, when they failed to
subdue Paharias. The Paharias refused to cut the forest,
resisted touching the plough and continued to be turbulent.
On the other hand, Santhal appeared to be ideal settlers,
clearing the forest and ploughing the land with vigour.
Santhal settlements and cultivation gradually expanded and
Paharias were forced to withdraw deeper into hills and were
confined to dry interior and to more barren and rocky upper
hills. This severely affected their lives, impoverishing them
in the long term.
8. Analyse the economic and social conditions of the
Paharias (hill folk) of Rajmahal hills during the late
eighteenth century. (Delhi 2020)
Ans. The economic and social conditions of the Paharias of
Rajmahal hills during the late eighteenth century were
l
They cleared patches of forests and grew a variety of
pulses and millets for consumption. They cultivated land
for a few years, then left it fallow, so that it could recover
its fertility and moved to a new area.
l
They collected Mahua for food, silk cocoons and resins for
sale and wood for charcoal production from the forest.
l
They lived as hunters, shifting cultivators, food gatherers,
charcoal producers and silkworm rearers. They consider
the entire region as their land and resisted the intrusion of
the outsiders.
27
9. Which policy was adopted by British officials
towards Paharias in the decade of 1770? What was
its result?
Ans. The British in the 1770s followed a brutal policy of
extermination, hunting and killing the Paharias.
By the 1780s, Augustus Cleveland, the collector of
Bhagalpur, proposed a policy of pacification. As per the
policy, the Paharia chiefs were given annual allowance
and were made responsible for the proper conduct of
their men. They were expected to maintain order in
their localities and discipline their own people.
The result of the policies was that many chiefs refused
the allowance, while those who accepted, lost their
authority within the community. They came to be
perceived as subordinate employees or stipendiary
chiefs.
10. Analyse the circumstances under which the
British officials invited Santhals to settle in the
peripheries of Rajmahal hills during the
nineteenth century. (Delhi 2020)
Ans. The circumstances under which the British Officials
invited Santhals to settle in Rajmahal hills during the
nineteenth century were that Britishers were failed to
subdue the Paharias. The Paharias refused to cut forest,
cultivate land and continued to be aggressive.
On the contrast, the Santhals appeared to be ideal
settlers by clearing forests and ploughing the lands. So,
the British officials invited the Santhals. Around 1780s
the Santhals had begun to came into Bengal. Zamindars
hired them to reclaim land and expand cultivation. The
British official invited them to settle in the Jungle
Mahal.
They were to live within it, practice plough agriculture
and became settled peasants. By 1832, a large area of
land was demarcated as Damin-i-Koh, land of the
Santhals by the British.
11. What was Damin-i-koh? How it was developed
during the nineteenth century?
Ans. Damin-i-koh was a large area of land that was provided
to the Santhals by 1832 in Rajmahal hills. It was
developed in the nineteenth century in the following
ways
l
The Santhals were asked to live within Damin-i-koh,
practise plough agriculture and become settled
peasants. They were asked to clear and cultivate
one-tenth of the area within the first ten years.
l
The area of Damin-i-koh was surveyed and mapped.
The area was separated from the world of the settled
agriculturists and the Paharias. This separation
resulted into expansion of Santhal settlements.
l
From 40 Santhal villages in the area in 1838, around
1437 villages had come up by 1851. The Santhal
population also increased from 3,000 to 82,000.
28
12. Why did the Santhals rebel against British rule?
Ans. The main causes for Santhal rebellion were
l
The Santhals realised that the land under them was
slipping away from their hands.
l
The tax rates imposed on the land were high and
exploitative.
l
Moneylenders charged them high rate of interest and took
away lands if debt remained unpaid.
l
The zamindars began to exercise greater control on the
areas brought under cultivation by Santhals.
l
The British created the Santhal Pargana from the districts
of Bhagalpur and Birbhum.
l
It was believed that the creation of a new state and
passing of special laws for their protection would
conciliate the Santhals.
13. ‘Buchanan was an extra ordinary observer’. What was
the contribution and observation of Buchanan?
Ans. Francies Buchanan was an employee of the British East
India Company. Buchanan was sent by the company to
survey landscapes and revenue sources as it was looking for
natural resource to control and exploit. The contribution
and observation of Buchanan were
l
He organised a zoo that became the Alipure zoo.
l
On the request at the Government of Bengal, he
undertook detailed surveys of the areas under the
jurisdiction of the British East India Company.
l
He observed the stones and rocks and the different strata
and layers of soil. He searched for minerals and stones
which were commercially valuable.
l
All signs of iron ore and mica, granite and saltpetre were
recorded by him. He also observed local practices of
salt-making and iron ore-mining.
l
Long Answer (LA) Type Questions
1. ‘After introducing the Permanent Settlement in
Bengal, the zamindars regularly failed to pay the land
revenue demand.’’ Examine the causes and
consequences of it. (All India 2017)
Ans. After introducing the Permanent Settlement in Bengal, the
zamindars regularly failed to pay the revenue demand and
unpaid balances accumulated because
l
Firstly, Company kept the revenue price high with an idea
that if the initial price would be low, then they would never
be able to claim a share of increased income from land when
prices rose and cultivation expanded.
l
Secondly, during the 1790s, the prices of agricultural
produce were depressed which made the ryots difficult to
pay their dues to the zamindar.
l
Thirdly, as the revenue was fixed, it had to be paid
punctually on time regardless of the harvest. Sunset law
CBSE Term II History XII
was introduced, according to which if payment did
not come in by sunset of the specified date, the
zamindari was liable to be auctioned.
l
Fourthly, the power of the zamindar was initially
limited to collect rent from the ryot and manage his
zamindari.
The consequences of the failing of payment of revenue
were
l
The zamindars troops were disbanded, custom duties
abolished and their cutcheries (courts) were brought
under the supervision of a collector appointed by the
Company.
l
They lost the power to organise local justice and the
local police. The collectorate emerged as an
alternative centre of authority.
l
An officer of the zamindar, the Amlah, came to the
village at the time of rent collection to keep an eye on
the process.
l
Rich ryots and village headmen, Jotedars and Mandals
were against the zamindars.
2. Examine the main aspects of the Fifth Report
which was submitted to the British Parliament in
1813. (All India 2017)
Ans. Fifth Report was submitted to the British Parliament in
1813. It recorded the changes occured at the time of the
East India Company. It was the report on the
administration and activities of the East India Company
in India.
The main aspects of the Fifth Report were
l
The Fifth Report had been covered into 1002 pages.
Of these, over 800 pages were appendices that
reproduced petitions of zamindars and ryots reports of
collectors from different districts, statistical tables on
revenue returns, and notes on the revenue and
judicial administration of Bengal and Madras
(present-day Tamil Nadu) written by officials.
l
The British Parliament passed a series of acts in the late
18th century to regulate and control Company rule in
India. It forced the Company to produce regular
reports on committees to enquire into the affairs of the
Company. The Fifth Report was one such report
produced by a Select Committee. It became the basis
of intense Parliamentary debates on the nature of the
East India Company’s rule in India.
l
The evidence contained in the Fifth Report is
invaluable. But the recent researches show that the
arguments and evidences offered by the Fifth Report
cannot be accepted uncritically.
l
After careful examination of the archives of various
Bengal zamindars and the local records of the
districts, researchers found that the report
CBSE Term II History XII
exaggerated the collapse of traditional zamindari power
and also overestimated the scale on which zamindars
were losing their land. When zamindaris were auctioned,
zamindars were not always displaced. They used
ingenious methods to retain their zamindaris.
Thus, the Fifth Report had been proved to be a good
source to understand the India’s economy in the colonial
times.
3. In what way was the livelihood of the
Paharias different from that of the Santhals?
Ans. The people living around the hills were known as Paharias.
The livelihood of Paharias was
l
They lived on forest produce and practised shifting
cultivation.
l
They grew a variety of pulses and millets.
l
They collected Mahua (a flower) for food, silk cocoons
and resin for sale and wood for charcoal production.
l
They used the patches of grass on the land as pasture for
the cattle.
l
They also raided the plains where the settled agriculturalists
lived. It was necessary for survival specially during scarcity.
l
They used to get tributes from the zamindars for peace
settlement.
l
Traders too gave small amount to them to use the passes
controlled by them.
l
The Paharias were hunters, shifting cultivators, food
gatherers, charcoal producers and silkworm rearers.
On the other hand, the Santhals came into Bengal in the
1780s. The livelihood of Santhals was
l
They cleared forests and cut down timber.
l
They ploughed land and grew rice and cotton.
l
They settled down cultivating a range of commercial
crops for the market.
l
They also dealt with traders and moneylenders.
l
Case Based Questions
1. Read the given case/source and answer the following
questions.
From the Fifth Report
Referring to the condition of zamindars and the
auction of lands, the Fifth Report stated:
The revenue was not realised with punctuality, and
lands to a considerable extent were periodically
exposed to sale by auction. In the native year 1203,
corresponding with 1796-97, the land advertised for
sale comprehended a jumma or assessment of sicca
rupees 28,70,061, the extent of land actually sold
bore a jumma or assessment of 14,18,756, and the
amount of purchase money sicca rupees 17,90,416.
In 1204, corresponding with 1797-98, the land
29
advertised was for sicca rupees 26,66,191, the
quantity sold was for sicca rupees 22,74,076, and
the purchase money sicca rupees 21,47,580.
Among the defaulters were some of the oldest
families of the country. Such were the rajahs of
Nuddea, Rajeshaye, Bishenpore (all districts of
Bengal), … and others, the dismemberment of
whose estates at the end of each succeeding year,
threatened them with poverty and ruin, and in
some instances presented difficulties to the revenue
officers, in their efforts to preserve undiminished
the amount of public assessment.
(i) What was the Fifth Report about? What was its
significance?
(ii) What was the condition of the zamindar
according to the report?
(iii) Write any two points of criticism regarding this
report.
Ans. (i) Fifth Report was about the working and
administration of the East India Company in India.
It’s significance was that it gave a clear picture of
what happened in rural Bengal in the late 18th
century.
(ii) The condition of the zamindars according to the
report was
l
Their condition was deteriorating and their lands
were auctioned.
l
They were facing poverty due to collapse of
zamindari system.
(iii) Two points of criticism regarding this report are as
follows
l
It elaborated the collapse of zamindari power as
they were losing their lands. However, zamindars
were not always displaced as used indigenous
methods to retain their lands.
l
The report was biased as it wanted to highlight
the maladministration of the Company.
2. Read the given case/source and answer the
following questions.
Buchanan on the Santhals
Buchanan wrote : They are very clever in clearing
new lands, but live meanly. Their huts have no
fence, and the walls are made of small sticks
placed upright, close together and plastered
within with clay. They are small and slovenly and
too flat-roofed, with very little arch. (All India 2019)
(i) Examine the role of Buchanan as an agent of the
East India Company.
(ii) Analyse the economic activities of Santhals.
(iii) How did Buchanan describe the living conditions
of Santhals?
30 CBSE Term II History XII

Ans. (i) Francies Buchanan was an employee of the British East
India Company. He used to inform the company about
the landscapes and revenue sources.
(ii) The economic activities of Santhals were that they
cleared forests and cut down timber. They ploughed
land and grew rice and cotton. They settled down
cultivating a range of commercial crops for the market.
(iii) According to Buchanan, Santhals lived in a poor
condition. Their huts had no fence and the walls were
made of small sticks placed upright. They were small
and untidy and had flat roof with very little arch.
3. Study this image depicting scene from Santhal
rebellion, carefully and answer the following
questions.
Ans. The main reasons behind the Santhal revolt were high
rate of interest charged by moneylenders, heavy
taxation on land revenue by Britishers and intrusion of
Dikus in their region.
(iv) Who was the leader of Santhal revolt?
Ans. Sidhu Manjhi was regarded as leader of Santhal
rebellion.
l
Map Based Questions
1. On an outline map of the subcontinent, mark out
the areas described in this chapter. (NCERT)
Ans. The areas mentioned in this chapter are
(a) Bengal (b) Madras presidency
(c) Rajmahal hills

Rajmahal Hills

Bengal
(i) In which year, the Santhal rebellion occurred ?
Ans. Santhal rebellion occurred during 1855-56 in Rajmahal hill
where they lived in large number.
(ii) What can be conferred about the nature of resistance Madras
employed by Santhals? (Presidency)
Ans. By the nature of resistance employed by Santhals, it can be
conferred that by using traditional weapons by Santhals,
many of them were killed during the revolt.
(iii) What were the main reasons behind the Santhal revolt?
Chapter Test
Objective Questions
1. What did Fifth Report contain?
(a) Petitions of zamindar (b) Ryot report of collector
(c) Statistical tables on revenue returns (d) All of these
2. Who were the Dikus?
(a) Zamindars (b) Moneylenders
(c) Peasants (d) Jotedars
3. What was being auctioned in Burdwan in 1797?
(a) Estates (b) Jewelleries
(c) Paintings (d) Clothes
4. What do you mean by cutcheries?
(a) Court (b) Police Station
(c) Zamindar’s house (d) Hospital
5. To save their property, whom did the zamindar transferred it to?
(a) Children (b) Servants
(c) Women (d) None of these
6. Which one of the following is incomplete pair?
(a) Maharaja Mehtab Chand – Burdwan
(b) Charles Cornwallis – The Permanent Settlement
(c) Francis Buchanan – Traveller
(d) Santhal Revolt – Sidhu Manjhi

Short Answer Type Questions

7. How did the East India company control the Zamindars?
8. Why Jotedars were more powerful in villages than the Zamindars?
9. Why the new buyers of zamidari could not take possession of zamindari?
10. How did the Paharias in the Rajmahal hills live their own lifestyle?
11. Why were many zamindaris auctioned after the Permanent Settlement?
Long Answer Type Questions
12. Why the zamindars were not able to repay their debt?
13. Differentiate between the lives of Santhals and Paharias.
14. How did Santhal Revolt took place? What were its consequences?

Answers
1. (c) Statistical tables on revenue returns 2. (b) Moneylenders 3. (a) Estates
4. (a) Court 5. (c) Women 6. (c) Francis Buchanan – Traveller
 CHAPTER 03
Rebels and the Raj
(The Revolt of 1857 and Its
Representations)
In this Chapter...
l Advent of Revolt of 1857
l Pattern of the Rebellion
l Awadh in Revolt
Advent of Revolt of 1857
On 10th May 1857, the sepoys in the Cantonment of Meerut
broke out in mutiny1. It started with native infantry, cavalry
and then to the city. The sepoys captured the bell of arms2
where the arms and ammunition were kept. They attacked
white people, government buildings like the record office,
jail, court, post office, treasury etc. The telegraph line to
Delhi was cut.
Arrival in Delhi
The sepoys arrived at the gates of the Red Fort on 11th May
1857. Many other sepoys also entered Delhi and people of
the city joined them. The rich people of Delhi were attacked
and looted and Europeans were killed. Surrounded by the
sepoys, Bahadur Shah had no other option but to support
them. The revolt thus acquired a kind of legitimacy because
it could now be carried on in the name of the Mughal
Emperor.
As more people came to know about the support of Bahadur
Shah, events took place rapidly. Cantonment after cantonment
in the Gangetic valley and some to the West of Delhi rose in
mutiny.
1 Mutiny A collective disobedience of rules and regulations within the armed forces.
2 Bell of Arms It is a store room in which weapons are kept.
3 Uprising It is an act of resistance or rebellion.
l Objectives of the Revolt
l Repression of the Revolt
l Images of the Revolt
The year 1857 has a great importance in the Indian history. It
witnessed the occurence of a great event which provided a
new momentum and a new direction to the struggle against
Colonial Rule. The events came to be known as the great
uprising3 of 1857. It also came to be known as the First war
of Indian Independence.
Pattern of the Rebellion
If one analyses the outbreak of the revolts in chronological
order, it would appear that the news of mutiny spread like
wildfire and one Cantonment after another took up arms
against British. The sequence of events in every Cantonment
followed a similar pattern.
The Beginning of Mutiny
The sepoys in the Cantonment of Meerut breakout into
mutiny in the afternoon of 10th May, 1857. They seized and
robbed British treasury and weapons. They attacked
government buildings including the jail, treasury, telegraph
office, record room, bungalows etc.
Records were burnt and everything and everybody which was
related to white man were targeted. On 11th May, sepoys
arrived in Delhi and killed large number of Europeans. The
CBSE Term II History XII
rich of Delhi were also attacked and looted. After seizing
Delhi, they declared Mughal Emperor Bahadur Shah as
their leader. After the involvement of ordinary people, the
targets of attack widened.
Moneylenders and the rich became the target in major towns
like Lucknow, Kanpur and Bareilly. Their houses were
looted and destroyed. The mutiny in the sepoy quickly took
the role of a rebellion.
Lines of Communication
Even though the revolt took place at different places at the
same time, there was similarity in the pattern of the revolt.
The reason behind this was its planning and coordination.
Sepoys or their agents moved from one station to another for
planning and talking about the rebellion. For example, in
early May, the 7th Awadh Irregular Cavalry refused to use
the new cartridges4, and wrote to the 48th Native Infantry
about this incident and awaited for their orders. The
following example provides information about the organising
of the mutinies.
Captain Hearsey of the Awadh military police had been
given protection by his Indian subordinates during the
mutiny. The 41st Native Infantry was also stationed at the
same place.
They argued with the Awadh military police that as they had
killed all their white officers, the Awadh military should
either put Hearsey to death or hand him over to the 41st
Infantry as prisoner.
The military police refused to do either and it was decided
that the matter would be solved by a panchayat composed of
native officers drawn from each regiment. So it becomes
clear that some decisions were taken collectively.
The fact that sepoys lived in lines and shared a common
lifestyle and many of them belong from same caste also
helped them to arrive at collective decisions.
Leaders and Followers of the Revolt
The leaders from different parts of the country were
l
Delhi In Delhi, the sepoys of Meerut appealed the old
Mughal Emperor Bahadur Shah to accept the leadership
of revolt.
l
Kanpur In Kanpur, the sepoys and the people of the
towns selected Nana Sahib, the successor to Peshwa Baji
Rao II as their leader.
l
Jhansi In Jhansi Rani Lakshmi Bai, the Queen of Jhansi,
assume the leadership of the uprising.
4 Cartridges A casing containing a charge and a bullet or shot for small arms and explosive charge for blasting.
5 Taluqdar An Indian landholder in the Mughal Empire and British Raj, responsible for collecting taxes from a district.
6 Peasant A poor small landholder or agricultural labour of low social status.
33
l
Bihar In Bihar, Kunwar Singh, a local zamindar of Arrah,
became the leader of the revolt.
l
Awadh In Awadh, the people elected Birjis Quadr, the
young son of the Nawab as their leader.
Other Places Apart from the ranis, rajas, nawabs and
taluqdars5, ordinary men and women and religious men
sometimes used to carry the message of rebellion. For
example,
l
Reports from Meerut stated that a Fakir had appeared
riding on an elephant and that the sepoys were visiting him
frequently.
l
In Lucknow, there were many religious leaders and self-
styled prophets who preached the destruction of British rule.
Local Leaders In some places, local leaders emerged who
persuaded peasants6, zamindars and tribals to revolt. For
example,
l
Shah Mal become the leader of Pargana Barout in Uttar
Pradesh.
l
Gonoo, a tribal cultivator of Singhbhum in Chotanagpur
become a rebel leader of the Kol tribals of the region.
l
Maulvi Ahmadullah of Faizabad managed to keep the city
free from British rule for almost a year until his death.
Rumours and Prophecies Leading
to Revolt
The rumours and prophecies which led to spread of revolt
were
l
Issue of Cartridges It was believed by sepoys that the
cartridges of the Enfield rifles were coated with the fat of
cows and pigs which corrupt the caste and religion of
Hindus and Muslims. The British tried to explain to the
sepoys but the rumour spread like wildfire across the sepoy
lines of North India.
l
Conspiracy to Destroy the Caste and Religion A news was
spread that the British had mixed the bone dust of cows and
pigs into the flour that was sold in the market. Hence,
sepoys and the common people refused to touch the atta.
l
It was feared that the British wanted to convert Indians to
Christianity. It led men into action and the prophecy that
the British rule would come to an end on 23rd June, 1857,
on the centenary of the Battle of Plassey.
l
Circulation of Chapattis There were reports from parts of
North India that chapattis were being distributed from
village to village. A person would come at night and give a
chapatti to the watchman of the village and ask him to make
five more and distribute to the next village and so on.
 34
The meaning and purpose of such distribution of
chapattis was not clear but the people believed it to be a
signal of an upheaval.
Acceptance of Rumours by People
There were various reasons for the acceptance of such
rumours by the common people. These were
l
The British adopted policies aimed at ‘reforming’ Indian
society by introducing Western education, Western ideas
and Western institutions, under the rule of Governor
General Lord William Bentinck. English-medium
schools, colleges and universities were opened where
Western sciences and the liberal arts were taught.
l
Laws were established to abolish customs like sati (1829)
and to permit the remarriage of Hindu widows.
The British started annexing the Indian states on
l
issues like misgovernment and the refusal to
recognise adoption. States like Awadh, Jhansi,
Satara, etc were annexed on these reasons. Once
the territories were annexed, the British introduced
their own methods of land settlement and land
revenue collection.
l
Socio-religious customs, patterns of land holding and
revenue payment were destroyed and replaced by a
system that was more impersonal, alien and oppressive.
This perception was further aggravated by the activities
of Christian missionaries.
Awadh in Revolt
In 1856, the kingdom of Awadh was formally annexed to the
British Empire. All the major areas of India including the
Maratha lands, the Doab7, the Carnatic, the Punjab and
Bengal were conquered by the British by the early 1850s.
The conquest happened in stages. These stages are as follows
Subsidiary Alliance
The Subsidiary Alliance was imposed on Awadh in 1801.
This system was devised by Lord Wellesley in 1798. All
those who entered into such an alliance with the British had
to accept certain terms and conditions which were
l
The British would be responsible for protecting their ally
from external and internal threats to their power.
l
In the territory of the ally, a British armed contingent
would be stationed.
l
The ally would have to provide the resources for
maintaining this contingent.
7 Doab A land lying between two converging rivers.
8 Annexation The action of annexing (take over) something, especially territory.
9 Artisans A worker in a skilled trade, especially one that involves making things by hand.
CBSE Term II History XII
l
The ally could enter into agreements with other rulers or
engage in warfare only with the permission of the British.
According to this alliance, the Nawab had to dismiss his
military force, allow the British to position their troops within
the kingdom and act according to the British Resident attached
to the court. This led to the dependence of Nawab on the
British to maintain law and order. He also lost his control over
the rebellious chiefs and taluqdars.
Growing Interest in Awadh
Gradually the British interest in acquiring the territory of
Awadh increased. They found the soil of Awadh was good for
producing indigo and cotton. The region was located to be
developed into the principal market of Upper India.
Removal of Nawab
The annexation8 of Awadh by Lord Dalhousie, Governor
General of India, on misgovernance created disaffection in all the
areas and principalities that were annexed.
Nawab Wajid Ali Shah was displaced and exiled to Calcutta.
The removal of the Nawab led to the dissolution of the Court
and its culture.
A whole range of people which included musicians, dancers,
poets, artisans9, cooks, retainers, administrative, officials lost
their livelihood. According to Britishers, Wajid Ali Shah was an
unpopular ruler. On the contrary, he was widely loved, and
when he left his beloved Lucknow, there were many who
followed him.
Circumstances after Annexation
of Awadh
The annexation of Awadh created grievances among the
taluqdars, peasants and sepoys. A whole complex of emotions
and issues, traditions and loyalties led themselves to the revolt
of 1857.
Grievances of Taluqdars
The taluqdars had many estates and forts in the countryside of
Awadh for many generations. They also controlled land and
power, maintained armed retainers, built forts and had a
degree of autonomy as long as they accepted the suzerainty of
the nawab and paid revenue of their taluqs.
The bigger taluqdars among them had about 12,000 foot
soldiers and the small taluqdars had about 200. But their
position were declined as the Britishers disarmed the taluqdars
and destroyed their forts.
CBSE Term II History XII
Summary Settlement : A Land Revenue Policy
After the annexation of Awadh, the British introduced a land
revenue policy known as Summary Settlement in 1856. It was
believed that the taluqdars were interlopers i.e. they had
established their hold over land through force and fraud with
no permanent stakes in land.
The Summary Settlement proceeded to remove the taluqdars
wherever possible. The result was that the taluqdars who
hold 67% of the total number of villages in Awadh in pre
British times had come down to 38% after the Summary
Settlement.
The taluqdars of Southern Awadh was the hardest hit and
some lost more than half of the total number of villages they
held previously.
Grievances of Peasants
It was believed by the British officials that after removing the
taluqdars, they would settle land with the actual owners of
the soil and thus reduce the level of exploitation of peasants
while increasing revenue returns. However, the revenue
flows for the state increased but the burden of demand on the
peasants did not decline. The revenue demand in some place
increased from 30% to 70%.
The relation between the peasants and the taluqdars was also
disrupted due to dispossesion of taluqdars. When the
peasants were under direct control of British, they were
directly exposed to over assessment of revenue and inflexible
methods of collection.
At times of hardship and crop failure, there was no longer
guarantee of reduction of revenue demand or postponement
of collection. Even during the festivities, the peasants were
not sure of getting the loan and support that the taluqdars had
earlier provided.
Grievances of Sepoys
In Awadh, the resistance during 1857 was intense and long
lasting. Many of these taluqdars were loyal to the Nawab of
Awadh. They joined Begum Hazrat Mahal (the wife of the
Nawab) in Lucknow to fight the British.
Along with the peasants, the sepoys too had grievances as
a vast majority of the sepoys were recruited from the villages
of Awadh. The reasons for their discontent were
l
The sepoys had complained of low levels of pay and the
difficulty of getting leave.
l
The relationship of the sepoys with their superior white
officers underwent a significant change. Earlier white
officers maintained friendly relations with sepoys. They
wrestled with them, fenced with them and went out
10 Rebels It means rise in opposition or armed resistance to an established government or leader.
11 Firangi It is a term of Persian origin, is used in Urdu and Hindi, often in a derogatory sense, to designate foreigners.
35
hawking with them. Many of white officers were fluent in
Hindustani and were familiar with the customs and culture
of the country. Later, the officers developed a sense of
superiority and treated sepoys as inferiors.
l
Abuse and physical violence became common and trust
was replaced by suspicion.
There was close link between the sepoys and the rural world
of North India. The large majority of the sepoys of the Bengal
Army were recruited from the villages of Awadh and Eastern
Uttar Pradesh. Many of them were Brahmins or from the
‘upper castes’. Therefore, Awadh was popularly known as the
Nursery of the Bengal Army.
The link between the sepoys and the rural India had
important role in the course of revolt. When the Sepoys
defied their superiors and took up arms they were
enthusiastically supported by peasants.
Objectives of the Revolt
The objective of the revolt can be explained from the
proclamations and ishtahars (notifications) issued by rebels10
in 1857. The objectives were
The Vision of Unity
The proclamation of revolt in 1857 appealed to all sections of
the population irrespective of caste and creed. Even if the
proclamations were issued by Muslim princes or in their
name, they took care of the sentiments of Hindus. The revolt
was a loss or a gain equally to both Hindus and Muslims.
The ishtahars were a symbol to show the existence of
different communities under the Mughal empire. The
proclamation issued in the name of Bahadur Shah appealed
to the people to join the fight under the standards of both
Muhammad and Mahavir.
During the uprising, religious divisions between Hindus and
Muslims were absent despite British attempts to create such
divisions. For example, the British spent ` 50,000 to incite
the Hindu population against the Muslims in Bareilly, Western
Uttar Pradesh in December 1857 but the attempt failed.
Against the Symbols of Oppression
The proclamations of revolt were against everything related
to British rule or firangi11 raj. The British annexations and
the treaties were condemned by them. People were angered
due to the British land revenue settlements that dispossessed
land holders, both big and small and foreign commerce had
driven artisans and weavers to ruin.
 36
The proclamations also stated that the British were destroying
caste and religions of Hindus and Muslims and converting
them into Christianity. Hence, people were urged to come
together and fight to save their livelihood, their faith, their
honour, their identity and for the greater public good.
The rebels also attacked those who were believed to be the
allies of the British. They humiliated the elites of the city and
in villages moneylenders’ houses were ransacked (looted) and
account books were destroyed.
The Search for Alternative Power
In places like Delhi, Lucknow and Kanpur, the rebels tried to
establish a kind of authority and administration once British
rule had collapsed. The way by which they tried to restore the
pre-British world of the 18th century were
l
The court culture was re-established.
l
Appointments were made to various posts.
l
Arrangements were made for the collection of land revenue
and the payment of troops.
l
Orders were issued to stop loot and plunder12.
l
Plans were made to fight battles against the British.
l
Chains of command were laid down in the army.
It was tried to bring back the 18th century Mughal world. The
administrative structures established by the rebels aimed at
meeting the demands of war but these structure did not
survive the British onslaught (attack).
Repression of the Revolt
The British had to resort to a number of harsh measures in
order to suppress the revolt which were
New Laws were Enacted
The British passed several laws to help the troops before
sending them to reoccupy North India. A number of acts were
passed in May and June 1857 which also put North India
under martial law. The army officers as well as the common
Englishmen were empowered to try and punish Indians on
mere suspicion. It clearly means that the common process of
law and trial were suspended and death was the only
punishment for the rebels.
Conquest of Delhi
A two-pronged (pointed) attack was organised to conquer
Delhi. One force moved from Calcutta into North India and
the second force from the Punjab.
The British wanted to conquer Delhi by early June 1857 but
the city was finally captured only in late September 1857. The
12 Plunder It means the violent and dishonest acquisition of property.
CBSE Term II History XII
reason for making it difficult to capture was that rebels from
all over North India had come to Delhi to defend the
capital.
Capture of Gangetic Plains
The Gangetic area was captured village by village. The
British used military power on a gigantic scale. The
countryside and the people were very hostile. By this time,
the Britishers realised that it was not merely a revolt but an
uprising.
As per a British official in Awadh about 3/4th of adult male
population was rebel. The area was brought under control
only in March 1858 after protracted fighting.
They also tried to broke the unity among the landholders
and peasants by promising to give back to the big
landholders their estates.
As a result, the rebel landholders were dispossessed and the
loyal rewarded. Many landholders died of fighting with the
British and some of them escaped into Nepal where they
died of illness or starvation.
Images of the Revolt
The various sources available to know about the Revolt of
1857 are
Written Documents
Many memos and notes were issued and many reports were
presented in order to evaluate the situations of the revolt. Many
of these documents have been compiled in a set of volumes on
mutiny records. These tells about the fears and anxieties of
officials and their perception of the rebels.
Many stories were published in newspapers and magazines
narrating the violence of the mutineers. These stories
further inflamed public feelings and provoked demands of
retribution and revenge.
Newspaper shape feelings and attitudes to events. There
were public demands in Britain for revenge and retribution
due to violence against women and children. Artists
expressed these sentiments through their visual
representations.
Pictorial Images
The pictorial images produced by the British and Indians is
one important record of the mutiny. It includes paintings,
pencil drawings, sketchings, posters, cartoons, bazaar prints,
etc. The pictorial images are helpful in the study of the
revolt.
CBSE Term II History XII
This can be explained by the following description
Celebrating the Saviours
‘Relief of Lucknow’, painted by Thomas Jones Barker in
1859, represent the British heroes, saving the English and
repressing the rebels, as saviours.
The painting by Thomas Jones Barker depicts the
incidence when Lucknow was sieged by the rebels.
Henry Lawrence, the Commissioner of Lucknow took
refuge in fortified residency with other Christian
population. Lawrence was killed but the residency was
defended under Colonel Inglis. On 25th September,
James Outram and Henry Havelock cut through the
rebel forces and reinforced the British garrisons.
After 20 days, the new Commander of British forces in
India, Colin Campbell, rescued the besieged British
garrison13. The incident became a story of survival, heroic
resistance and the ultimate triumph of British power.
Barkers painting celebrates the moments of Campbell’s
entry. In the middle of the Canvas, British heroes,
Campbell, Outram and Havelock are shown. The dead and
injured are in the foreground.
Such paintings were reassurance for the Britishers that the
rebellion was over and they emerged as the victors.
English Women and the Honour of Britain
Joseph Noel Paton painted In Memoriam after two years of
revolt. In the painting, English women and children can be
seen huddled (gathered) in a circle, looking helpless and
innocent, seemingly waiting for the inevitable dishonour,
violence and death.
On the other hand, in another set of paintings women are
shown heroically defending themselves against the attack of
rebels. One such woman, Miss Wheeler, is shown standing
firmly at the centre defending her honour single handedly
killing the attacking rebels. Other painting depicts an
allegorical (symbolic) female figure of justice with a sword in
one hand and a shield in the other.
Vengeance and Retribution
Anger and shock spread in Britain and demands for
retribution became stronger. Pictures, paintings and news
about the mutiny created a condition where repression and
vengeance were seen important.
There were other pictures and cartoons in which British
press sanctioned brutal repression and violent reprisal.
13 Garrison It refers to a military outpost where troops are stationed to provide protection to an area.
37
The Performance of Terror
Vengeance and retribution was expressed in the brutal way in
which the rebels were executed. They were blown from guns,
or hanged from the gallows.
No Time for Clemency (Mercy)
In a cartoon published in ‘Punch’, a British journal of comic
satire. Canning has been depicted as a father figure. He has
been depicted with his protective hand over the head of a
sepoy who holds a sword in one hand and a dagger in the
other, both dripping with blood.
The British press laughed at General Canning when he
declared that a gesture of leniency and a show of mercy would
help in winning back the loyalty of the sepoys.
Nationalist Imageries
The revolt of 1857 had a great impact on the nationalist
imagination. It inspired the National Movement in the 20th
century. The revolt was called as the first war of
Independence and all sections of the people participated
in it.
The memory of 1857 was kept alive through art and literature.
For example, the leaders of the revolt were presented as heroic
figures who inspired public against oppressive British rule.
Rani Lakshmi Bai of Jhansi became an iconic masculine
figure chasing the enemy till her last breath. Heroic poems
were written about the queen. The famous lines of Subhadra
Kumari Chauhan ‘‘Khoob lari mardani woh to Jhansi wali rani
thi’’ (Like a man she fought, she was the Rani of Jhansi) is one
such example.
Rani Lakshmi Bai is also portrayed in popular prints in the
battlefield with a sword in hand and riding a horse, a symbol of
the determination to resist injustice and alien rule.
Significance of Visual Representations
The visual representations of the revolt indicates the feelings
of the painters and their messages. The paintings and cartoons
tells us about the public that looked at the paintings,
appreciated or criticised the images. The paintings not only
reflects the emotions and feelings of the times but also shapes
sensibilities.
The public sanctioned the most brutal forms of repression of
the rebels. Apart from this, nationalist imageries of the revolt
helped shape the nationalist imagination.
38 CBSE Term II History XII

Chapter
Practice
PART 1 (c) By establishing English-medium schools, college,
universities which taught western science and the
Objective Questions liberal arts
(d) All of the above
Ans. (d) For the reformation of Indian, the British government
l Multiple Choice Questions took all of the given policies.
1. In which of the following places, the sepoy mutiny 5. Find out from the following pairs which one is
broke out on 10th May, 1857? correctly matched.
(a) Barrackpore (b) Meerut (a) Relief of Lucknow – Joseph Noel Paton
(c) Kanpur (d) Delhi (b) In Memoriam – Thomas Jones Barker
Ans. (b) On 10th May, 1857, the sepoys in cantonment at (c) The Elemency of Canning – A journal named ‘Punch’
Meerut, Uttar Pradesh broke out in mutiny. It began in (d) The Jewish bride – Paul Cezanne
the lines of the native infantry, spread very swiftly to the Ans. (c) The cartoon, ‘The Clemency of Canning’ was
cavalry and then to the city. published in the pages of Punch, a British journal. In this
2. Which of the following issues did not contributed cartoon, Canning is shown as a looming father figure with
his protective hand over the head of a sepoy who still
in spread of revolt of 1857?
holds a sword and dagger.
(a) Issue of cartridges
(b) Conversion of Indians to Christianity 6. Find out from the following pairs which one is not
(c) Mixing of bone dust in flour correctly matched.
(d) Dishonouring Hindu Women (a) Delhi – Bahadur Shah
Ans. (d) Dishonouring of Hindu women was not an issue that (b) Kanpur – Nana Sahib
contributed in spread of revolt of 1857. (c) Patna – Kunwar Singh
(d) Lucknow – Hazrat Mahal
3. The rebel proclamation in 1857 repeatedly
Ans. (c) Kunwar Singh was a local Zamindar in Arrah in Bihar
appealed to all sections of the population. Which of
not in Patna.
the following was not an objective of the revolt of
1857? 7. Identify the name of the person from the
(a) Vision of Unity information given below
(b) Search for alternative power l
He lived in a large village in Pargana Barout in Uttar
(c) To revive Islamic rule Pradesh.
(d) Attacking every symbol of British rule l
He belonged to a clan of Jat cultivators whose kinship
Ans. (c) The proclamation of revolt in 1857 appealed to all ties extended over chaurasee des (eighty four villages).
sections of the population irrespective of caste and creed. l
He mobilised the headmen and cultivators of chaurasee
Thus, to revive Islamic rule was not the objective of the des, moving at night from village to village.
revolt of 1857. l
He took over the bungalow of an English officer turned
4. Under the leadership of Governor General Lord it into a hall of justice, settling disputes and dispensing
William Bentick, the British adopted policies aimed judgements.
at reforming Indian. Which of the following policies (a) Shah Mal (b) Nana Sahib
the British had taken? (c) Kunwar Singh (d) None of them
(a) Introducing western education Ans. (a) The given information is about Shah Mal. He played a
(b) By establishing laws to abolish sati and permit the significant role in the revolt of 1857 and was killed in
remarriage of Hindu widows battle in July 1857.
CBSE Term II History XII 39

8. Identify the name of the person from the 11. Consider the following statements regarding revolt
information given below of 1857.
l
He was one of the many maulvis who played an I. Mughal Emperor Bahadur Shah was declared as
important part in the revolt of 1857. the leader of sepoys.
l
He was popularly called Danka Shah – the maulvi with II. There was no participation of common people.
the drum (danka). III. Moneylenders and the rich were attacked.
l
He fought in the famous Battle of Chinhat in which the Which of the above statement is/are correct?
British forces under Henry Lawrence were defeated.
(a) I and II (b) II and III
l
He was invincible, had magical powers and could not be (c) I and III (d) I, II and III
killed by the British.
Ans. (c) Statements I and III are correct. Sepoys of the mutiny
(a) Nana Sahib declared Bahadur Shah as their leader. When common
(b) Maulvi Ahmadullah Shah people joined the revolt, the targets of attack widened,
(c) Tantia Tope moneylenders and rich people were attacked. Statement
(d) Shah Hal II is false as many ordinary people joined the revolt.
Ans. (b) The given information is about Maulvi Ahmadullah
Shah. He played a significant role in the revolt of 1857
12. Consider the following statements regarding
and was known for his courage and power. Subsidiary Alliance.
I. Subsidiary Alliance was devised by William
9. Match the following Bentinck in 1798.
List I List II II. A British force was stationed in the territory of the
(Place) (Leader of Revolt) ally.
A. Kanpur 1. Shah Mal III. Ally could enter into agreements with other rulers
B. Pargana Barout 2. Nana Sahib without any interference.
C. Singhbhum 3. Maulvi Ahmaduallah IV. The ally would have to provide the resources for
D. Faizabad 4. Gonoo maintaining the British force.
Which of the above statements is/are correct?
Codes
(a) I and II (b) II and III
A B C D A B C D
(c) II and IV (d) All of these
(a) 2 1 4 3 (b) 4 3 2 1
Ans. (c) Statements II and IV are correct. Statements I and III
(c) 2 1 3 4 (d) 4 2 3 1
are incorrect. Subsidiary Alliance was a system devised
Ans. (a) by Lord Wellesley (not William Bentinck) in 1798. The
10. Name the artist of the given painting. ally could enter into agreements with other rulers or
engage in warfare only with the permission of the British.

l
Assertion-Reasoning MCQs
Directions (Q. Nos. 13-17) Each of these questions
contains two statements, Assertion (A) and Reason
(R). Each of these questions also has four alternative
choices, any one of which is the correct answer. You
have to select one of the codes (a), (b), (c) and (d)
given below.
(a) Thomas Jones Barker (b) Joseph Noel Paton Codes
(c) Henry Hardinge (d) Raja Ravi Verma (a) Both A and R are true and R is the correct explanation
Ans. (b) This Picture ‘In Memoriam’ was painted by Joseh
of A
Noel Paton two years after the mutiny. Here, the women (b) Both A and R are true, but R is not the correct
explanation of A
and children are looking helpless and innocent, waiting
for dishonour, violence and death. In the background, the (c) A is true, but R is false
British forces are arriving as saviours. (d) A is false, but R is true
40
13. Assertion (A) Mughal Emperor Bahadur Shah II
accepted the leadership of the revolt of 1857.
Reason (R) Some sepoys came to Mughal court in
Red Fort and Bahadur Shah had no option but to
accept their proposal.
Ans. (a) Both A and R are true and R correctly justifies A.
Some rebellions came to Red Fort and requested the
emperor to take the leadership of the revolt. The emperor
had no choice but to accept their proposal, so he became
the leader of the revolt.
14. Assertion (A) The Britisher acquired the territory of
Awadh as the region was being misgoverned.
Reason (R) Soil of Awadh was good for indigo and
cotton cultivation and could be developed into a
principal market.
Ans. (a) The fertile land of Awadh attracted the Britishers
which was good for indigo and cotton cultivation and
could be developed into a principal market. So they tried
to acquire the territory of Awadh to applying a strategy.
The Britisher acquired the land by saying that it was
being misgoverned by the Nawab of Awadh. Thus, here
statement R is the correct explanation of statement A.
15. Assertion (A) Despite severe suppression of revolt,
common process of law and trail were not
suspended.
Reason (R) The army officers as well as the
common Englishmen were empowered to try and
punish Indians on mere suspicion.
Ans. (d) The statement R is true as military officers and
ordinary Britishers were given the power to punish the
Indian, one suspicion. But the statement A is false, as the
ordinary process of law and trial were suspended and
only death penalty was fixed for the rebellion.
16. Assertion (A) During British rule, cultivators were
losing land to outsiders, to traders and
moneylenders who were coming into the area.
Reason (R) British land revenue system was
oppressive, the revenue demand was high and its
collection was inflexible.
Ans. (a) British land revenue system demanded high revenue
and the procedure to collect it was rigid. Thus, the
cultivators often could not fulfil the demand of the
British. The cultivators, as a result, were losing land to
traders, money lenders etc. Thus, the two statements, A
and R are true and R is the correct explanation of A.
17. Assertion (A) Annexation of Awadh was among the
main causes of Revolt of 1857.
Reason (R) Before the rebellion, large number of
sepoys came from province of Awadh.
Ans. (a) Before mutiny, a large number of sepoys came from the
province of Awadh. It was called as the ‘nursery of the
Bengal army’. Nawab Wajid Ali Shah of Awadh was
CBSE Term II History XII
dethroned and exiled to Calcutta. His removal and
annexation of Awadh was not accepted by the people of
Awadh. So, a revolt was started in 1857. Thus, the
statements A and R are true and R is the correct
explanation of A.
l Case Based MCQs
18. Read the given case/ source about Shah Mal and
answer the questions that follow by choosing the
correct option.
Shah Mal lived in a large village in Pargana Barout
in Uttar Pradesh. He belonged to a clan of Jat
cultivators whose kinship ties extended over
chaurasee des (eighty-four villages).
The lands in the region were irrigated and fertile,
with rich dark loam soil. Many of the villagers were
prosperous and saw the British land revenue
system as oppressive: the revenue demand was high
and its collection inflexible. Consequently
cultivators were losing land to outsiders, to traders
and moneylenders who were coming into the area.
Shah Mal mobilised the headmen and cultivators of
chaurasee des, moving at night from village to
village, urging people to rebel against the British.
As in many other places, the revolt against the
British turned into a general rebellion against all
signs of oppression and injustice. Cultivators left
their fields and plundered the houses of
moneylenders and traders. Displaced proprietors
took possession of the lands they had lost. Shah
Mal’s men attacked government buildings,
destroyed the bridge over the river and dug up
metalled roads-partly to prevent government forces
from coming into the area and partly because
bridges and roads were seen as symbols of British
rule. They sent supplies to the sepoys who had
mutinied in Delhi and stopped all official
communication between British headquarters and
Meerut. Locally acknowledged as the Raja, Shah
Mal took over the bungalow of an English officer,
turned it into a ‘hall of justice’, settling disputes and
dispensing judgments. He also set up an amazingly
effective network of intelligence. For a period the
people of the area felt that firangi raj was over, and
their raj had come. Shah Mal was killed in battle in
July 1857.
(i) Name the community to which Shah Mal was
associated.
(a) Big Farmer Community (b) Peasant Community
(c) Jat Cultivator (d) Moneylender Community
Ans. (c) Shah Mal lived in Uttar Pradesh and belonged to Jat
cultivator community who lived over eighty four villages
of that region.
CBSE Term II History XII
(ii) Which of the following statement is regarded as cause
of dissatisfaction of the villagers of Uttar Pradesh?
(a) Land revenue system of the British was oppressive
(b) The revenue demand was high and its collection
system was inflexible
(c) Cultivators were losing their land to outsiders, traders
and money lenders
(d) All of the above
Ans. (d) All the given reasons produced dissatisfaction among
the villagers.
(iii) How did Shah Mal organised the villagers against
the British?
(a) He moved at night from village to village
(b) He urged people to rebel against the British.
(c) He took help from the local zamindars
(d) Both (a) and (b)
Ans. (d) Shah Mal mobilised the headmen and cultivators of
Chaurasee des. He moved at night from village to village
and requested the villagers to rebel against the British
government.
(iv) Why did Shah Mal and his compatriots cause
destruction and attacked government buildings?
(a) They were symbol of British rule.
(b) They wanted to prevent government forces from
coming into their area.
(c) It was build on lands wrested from them.
(d) Both (a) and (b)
PART 2
Subjective Questions
1. ‘The revolt of 1857 was primarily the uprising of
the civilian population’. Discuss the nature of
revolt of 1857.
Ans. The points that discuss the nature of revolt of 1857 are
l
It was a sepoy mutiny.
l
The main ground for the uprising had been prepared
by the soldiers.
l
Important and immediate cause of the revolt was that
the soldiers refused to use the greased cartridges.
l
It was first war of independence. Lakhs of artisans,
farmers and soldiers struggled united against the
British rule.
l
Hindus and Muslims took active part in the movement.
The masses took active part in the struggle against the
British at almost all centres of uprisings.
41
Ans. (d) Shah Mal and his associates destroyed the bridge over
the river and attacked government building as they
thought these were as symbols of British tyranny and
tried to prevent government forces to come their regions.
(v) How did the sepoy mutiny turn into a general
rebellion against all signs of oppression?
(a) Cultivators left their fields
(b) Cultivators plundered the house of moneylenders and
traders
(c) Both (a) and (b)
(d) None of the above
Ans. (c) The sepoy mutiny turned in to a general rebellion as it
was against all types of oppression and injustice. For
example cultivators left their lands and looted the houses
of moneylenders and traders who exploited them.
(vi) What can be inferred about the role of Shah Mail in
revolt of 1857?
(a) He supported the rebellion by sending supplies and
disrupting the communication channels established by
Britishers.
(b) He was worried about the State of cultivators and
wanted to stop the oppression and injustice face by
them.
(c) He took over the bungalow of an English officer,
turned it into ‘hall of justice’ setting disputes and
dispensing judgement.
(d) All of the above
Ans. (d) All the given statements are correct about the role of
Shah Mal in revolt of 1857.
2. Why did the mutinous sepoys in many places turn to
erstwhile rulers to provide leadership to the revolt?
(NCERT)
Ans. The reasons for the mutinous sepoys to turn to erstwhile
rulers to provide leadership to the revolt were
l
Native rulers were defeated by the East India Company.
But many mutineers believed that the native Indian
rulers had the legal and legitimate authority to regain
power in their respective kingdoms.
l
The erstwhile rulers had substantial resources at their
command. They had wealth and private armies too. The
rebels waited to get the support of resources from them.
l
Most rulers were popular at the local level. Their
subjects often sympathised with them. Hence, choosing
these rulers was a chance to win more support for the
cause.
42
3. What were the measures taken to ensure unity
among the rebels? (NCERT)
Ans. The measures taken to ensure unity among the rebels
were
l
In all their proclamations, the rebels appealed to all
sections of society, irrespective of caste and creed.
l
Even if the proclamations were issued by Muslim
princes or in their name, they took care of the
sentiments of Hindus.
l
The ishtaharas were a symbol to show the existence of
different communities under the Mughal Empire.
l
The rebellion had an equal participation of both the
Hindus and the Muslims. They had equally to lose or
gain.
l
The proclamation issued in the name of Bahadur Shah
appealed to the people to join the fight under the
standards of both Muhammad and Mahavir.
4. Discuss the evidence that indicates planning and
coordination on the part of the rebels. (NCERT)
Ans The evidences that shows about the planning and
coordination in the revolt were
(i) In early May, the 7th Awadh irregular cavalry refused
to use the new cartridges. They wrote to the 48th
Native Infantry that they had acted for the faith and
awaited the 48th orders. Sepoys or their emissaries
moved from one station to another.
(ii) Captain Hearsey of the Awadh military police had
been given protection by his Indian subordinates
during the mutiny. The 41st Native Infantry was also
stationed at the same place. They argued with the
Awadh military police that as they had killed all their
white officers, the Awadh military should either put
Hearsey to death or hand him over to the 41st
Infantry as prisoner. But the military police refused to
do either. Thus, it was decided that the matter would
be solved by a Panchayat composed of native officers
drawn from each regiment. Charles Ball, one of the
earliest historians states that such panchayats were
convened at night in the sepoy lines of Kanpur.
5. With the help of specific examples examine the
nature of Indian leadership that emerged against
British in the revolt of 1857. (All India 2016)
Ans The nature of Indian leadership that emerged against
British in the revolt of 1857 was complex. During the
revolt few leaders participated very enthusiastically while
some other participated because they had no choice.
They had to participate in the revolt for the sake of their
reputation. Some of these leaders were
l
Bahadur Shah was reluctant to join the rebellion but
due to demands of sepoy, he joined the revolt and it was
fought under his name. Similarly, sepoys and people of
Kanpur choose Nana Sahib as their leader and he joined
the revolt.
CBSE Term II History XII
l
Rani Lakshmi Bai of Jhansi participated because her
kingdom had been annexed to empire by ‘Doctrine of
Lapse’ and there was also popular pressure on her to
take the leadership.
Apart from the royal families, local leaders also emerged
during the revolt like Kuwar Singh in Arrah, Fakir in
Lucknow, Shah Mal in Barout and Gonoo, a tribal
cultivator in Singhbhum. Although the leaders of
1857 revolt participated in this war, but they had separate
goals which made the revolt unsuccessful against British.
6. Discuss the extent to which religious beliefs shaped
the events of 1857. (NCERT)
Ans. The religious beliefs shaped the events of 1857 in the
following ways
l
The issue of the cartridges was the most important
incidence. It was believed that the new cartridges of the
Enfield rifles were made up of fat of cows and pigs.
l
Another incident was regarding the mixing of bone dust
of cows and pigs mixed into the flour sold in the market.
Hence, sepoys and common people refused to touch the
atta. It was feared that the British wanted to convert
Indians to Christianity.
l
Many people felt that the British were destroying their
sacred ideals that they had long cherished. Many
Hindus were enraged when the Christian missionaries
criticised their scriptures or religious books.
7. “The rumours in 1857 began to make sense when
seen in the context of the policies pursued by the
British from late 1820s.” Support your answer with
evidence. (Delhi 2009)
Ans. The rumours in 1857 that made sense in context of the
policies pursued by the British from late 1820s were
l
During the Governor-Generalship of Lord William
Bentinck, some specific policies were adopted in order to
‘reform’ Indian society by the introduction of Western
education, Western ideas and Western institutions.
l
Reforms like the abolition of Sati system and widow
re-marriage Act were adopted.
l
Jhansi and Satara were annexed.
l
Socio-religious customs like land holding, inheritance,
etc were reformed.
Rumours had an impact on the minds of people under
these uncertain times. The common Indians looked at all
these steps with apprehension and suspicion.
8. Examine the participation of the taluqdars of Awadh
in the revolt of 1857. (All India 2018)
Ans. The main cause of participation of the taluqdars of Awadh
in the revolt of 1857 was the annexation of Awadh. It
created disaffection among the taluqdars, peasants and
sepoys as their positions were declined by the Britishers
who disarmed the taluqdars and destroyed their forts.
The Summary settlement of 1856 also proceeded to
remove the Taluqdars wherever possible. The British
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CBSE Term II History XII
officials increased the land revenue in some places from
30 to 70 per cent. Neither talqudars nor peasants had any
reason to be happy with the annexation.
Thus, the taluqdars participated in the revolt. During
1857, revolt in Awadh was intense and long lasting. Many
taluqdars were loyal to the Nawab of Awadh and joined
Begum Hazrat Mahal in Lucknow to fight against the
British. Even after Begum’s defeat, some of these
continued to fight against the British.
9. Examine how Lord Dalhousie’s policy of annexation
created dissatisfaction amongst the people of
Awadh. (Delhi 2016)
Ans Lord Dalhousie’s policy of annexation created
dissatisfaction amongst the people of Awadh in the
following ways
l
On 13th February, 1856, Awadh was annexed under
policy of annexation to the British empire on the
grounds of maladministration. Nawab Wazid Ali Sahib
was sent to Calcutta with an annual pension of ` 12 lakh.
l
With the dissolution of the royal administration, large
number of courtiers, officials and taluqdars became jobless.
l
With the removal of Nawab, all taluqdars of the Awadh
were dispossessed, disarmed and their forts were
destroyed.
l
With a new revenue system i.e. Summary Settlement,
taluqdars lost their very large share of revenue from land.
l
Taluqdars were removed wherever possible and
settlement was done directly with peasant.
These measures under policy of annexation created
dissatisfaction amongst the people of Awadh.
10. Examine the provisions of ‘Subsidiary Alliance
system’ devised by Lord Wellesley in 1798 for India.
(All India 2015)
Ans The Subsidiary Alliance was introduced by Lord
Wellesley in 1798. All those who entered into such an
alliance with the British had to accept certain terms and
conditions or provisions which were
l
The British would be responsible for protecting their ally
from external and internal threats to their power. In the
territory of the ally, a British armed contingent would be
stationed.
l
The ally would have to provide the resources for
maintaining the contingent.
l
The ally could enter into agreements with other rulers or
engage in warfare only with the permission of the British.
11. Discuss Summary Settlement. What was its impact?
Ans. Summary Settlement was a land revenue policy
introduced by British in 1856. It was believed that the
taluqdars had established their hold over land through
force and fraud with no permanent stakes in land. The
Summary Settlement proceeded to remove the taluqdars
wherever possible.
43
The impact of Summary Settlement was that the
taluqdars who hold 67% of the total number of villages in
Awadh in pre-British times had come down to 38% after
the Summary Settlement. The taluqdars of Southern
Awadh was the hardest hit and some lost more than half
of the total number of villages they held previously.
12. “The relationship of the sepoys with the superior
white officers underwent a significant change in
the years preceding the uprising of 1857”. Support
the statement with examples. (All India 2014)
Ans. In the years preceding the revolt of 1857, the
relationship between the sepoys and their superior white
officers underwent a significant change.
Earlier during 1820s, there was friendly relation among
the sepoys and the white officers. They would take part
in their leisure activities, wrestled with each other and
fenced and hawk with each other. Many officers were
fluent in Hindustani and were familiar with the customs
and culture of the country.
But during the 1840s, this relation underwent a change
as officers developed a sense of superiority and treated
sepoys as inferiors. Abuse and physical violence became
common due to which distance between sepoys and
officers grew and the trust was replaced by suspicion.
13. What was the importance of proclamations of the
revolt of 1857?
Ans The importance of the proclamation of the revolt of 1857
was
l
The British annexations and the treaties were
condemned by the people.
l
People were angered due to the British land revenue
settlements that disposed landholders, both big and
small and foreign commerce had driven artisans and
weavers to ruin.
l
Firangis were accused of destroying a way of life that
was familiar and cherished.
l
The proclamations also stated that the British were
destroying caste and religions of Hindus and Muslims
and converting them into Christianity. People were
urged to come together and fight to save their
livelihood, their faith, their honour, their identity and a
fight for the greater public goods.
14. Describe about the alternative authority
established by the rebels.
Ans. In places like Delhi, Lucknow and Kanpur, the rebels
tried to establish the alternative authority and
administration once British rule had collapsed. Even
though it was short lived, but the rebels tried to restore
the pre-British world of the 18th century in the following
ways
l
The court culture was re-established.
l
Appointments were made to various posts.
44
l
Arrangements were made for the collection of land
revenue and the payment of troops.
l
Orders were issued to stop loot and plunder.
l
Plans were made to fight battles against the British.
l
It was tried to bring back the 18th Mughal world
which was regarded a symbol of all that had been lost.
The administrative structures established by the rebels
aimed at meeting the demands of war. But these did not
survive the British attack.
15. What steps did the British take to quell the
uprising? (NCERT)
Or How did the British repress the revolt of 1857?
(Delhi 2020)
Ans. The British took a number of harsh measures in order to
quell or repress the revolt which were
l
The British passed several laws to help the troops
before sending them to reoccupy North India. A
number of acts were passed in May and June 1857
which also put North India under Martial law.
l
The army officers as well as common English men
were empowered to try and punish Indians on mere
suspicion.
l
The common process of law and trial were suspended
and it was made clear that death was the only
punishment for the rebels.
l
The Gangetic area was captured village by village and
more military power was used there. British also tried
to broke the unity among the landholders and
peasants by promising to give back to the big
landholders their estates.
16. Examine any three changes brought into the
colonial cities after the revolt of 1857.
Ans. The changes brought into the colonial cities after the
Revolt of 1857 were
(i) The British felt the need of security for white elites.
So, they developed civil lines, which were secure
and segregated enclaves, away from the threat of
the natives.
(ii) Cantonments places where Indian troops under
European command were stationed and were also
developed as safe enclaves.
(iii) Underground piped water supply, sewerage and
drainage systems were put in place around this
time. Sanitary system were improved in Indian
towns.
17. What is the significance of visual representations?
Ans. The significance of visual representation was
l
The visual representations of the revolt indicates the
feelings of the painters and their messages.
l
The paintings and cartoons tells us about the public
that looked at the paintings, appreciated or criticised
the images.
CBSE Term II History XII
l
The paintings not only reflects the emotions and feelings
of the times but also shapes sensibilities.
l
Nationalist imageries of the revolt helped shape the
nationalist imagination.
18. What was the impact of revolt of 1857 on the
nationalist imagery?
Ans. The impact of revolt of 1857 on the nationalist imagination
was
l
It inspired the national movement in the 20th century.
The revolt was called as the first war of Independence as all
sections of the people participated in it. The memory of
1857 was kept alive due to art and literature. For example,
the leaders of the revolt were presented as heroic figures
who aroused public against oppressive British rule.
l
Rani Lakshmi Bai of Jhansi became an iconic masculine
figure chasing the enemy till her last breath. Heroic
poems were wrtitten about the queen.
l
Rani Lakshmi Bai is also portrayed in popular prints in
the battlefield with a sword in hand and riding a horse, a
symbol of the determination to resist injustice and alien
rule.
19. ‘‘Visual images and literature as
much as the writing of history have helped in
keeping alive the memory of the revolt of 1857.”
Assess this statement. (All India 2008)
Ans. The visual images and literature as well as the writing of
history contributed remarkably to immortalise the sacred
memory of the struggle of 1857 in the following ways
l
The leaders of revolt were presented as heroes taking the
country towards the battlefield. They were depicted as
heroes inspiring the common masses to begin struggle
against the oppressive Colonial power.
l
Many heroic poems were composed narrating the bravery
of Laxmi Bai. She was usually portrayed in battle armour
with a sword in hand and riding a horse symbolising the
determination to resist injustice and alien rule.
Thus, it becomes clear that visual representations produced
various images of the revolt. These images were not a mere
expression of contemporary ideas and sentiments, but they
also reflected the contemporary sensibilities.
l
Long Answer Type Questions
1. “Rumours and prophecies played a part in moving
the people into action during the revolt of 1857.”
Examine the statement with rumours and reasons for
its belief. (All India 2017)
Ans. A number of rumours and prophecies led to spread of
revolt and moving the people into action during the revolt
of 1857 which were
Issue of Cartridges It was believed that the cartridges of
the Enfield rifles were coated with the fat of cows and pigs
which corrupt the caste and religion of Hindus and Muslims.
CBSE Term II History XII
Conspiracy to Destroy the Caste and Religion A news
was spread that the British had mixed the bone dust of
cows and pigs into the flour that was sold in the market.
Hence, sepoys and the common people refused to touch
the atta. It was feared that the British wanted to convert
Indians to Christianity.
Circulation of Chapattis The rumour was that
chapattis were being distributed from village to village.
A person would come at night and give a chapatti to the
watchman of the village and ask him to make five more
and distribute to the next village and so on. The people
believed it to be a signal of an upheaval.
There were various reasons for the acceptance of such
rumours by the common people. It can be seen in the
context of the policies, the British pursued from the late
1820s. These include:
Reforming Indian Society The British adopted policies
aimed at ‘reforming’ Indian society by introducing
Western education, Western ideas and Western
institutions. Under the rule of Governor General Lord
William Bentinck English-medium schools, colleges and
universities were opened where Western sciences and
the liberal arts were taught. Laws were established to
abolish customs like sati (1829) and to permit the
remarriage of Hindu widows.
Annexation of States The British started annexing the
Indian states on issues like misgovernment and the
refusal to recognise adoption. States like Awadh, Jhansi,
Satara, etc were annexed on these pretext. Once the
territories were annexed, the British introduced their
own methods of land settlement and land revenue
collection.
Changes in Indian Society Socio-religious customs,
patterns of land holding and revenue payment were
destroyed and replaced by a system that was more
impersonal, alien and oppressive. This perception was
further aggrevated by the activities of Christian
missionaries. In such a situation of uncertainty, rumours
spread with remarkable swiftness.
2. Why did Taluqdars and Sepoys of Awadh join the
Revolt of 1857? Explain. (All India 2019)
Ans. The taluqdars and sepoys join the revolt of 1857
because
Grievances of Taluqdars The annexation of Awadh
dispossessed the taluqdars of the region. Before the
advent of the British, they were powerful and
maintained armed retainers, built forts and enjoyed
degree of autonomy. The British were unwilling to
tolerate the power of taluqdars.
Immediately after the annexation, the taluqdars were
disarmed and their forts destroyed. The first revenue
settlement, known as the ‘Summary Settlement’, further
undermined the position and authority of the taluqdars.
45
This settlement proceeded to remove the taluqdars
wherever possible. The taluqdars of Southern Awadh were
the hardest hit and some lost more than half of total
number of villages.
Grievances of Sepoys Before 1820, the British were very
gentle with the sepoys but in 1840 this began to change.
The officers developed sense of superiority and started
treating the sepoys as their inferiors. Abuse and physical
violence became common. Trust was replaced by suspicion.
The episode of the greased cartridges was a classic example
of this. Most of the sepoys were from Awadh and Eastern
Uttar Pradesh.
Now, the fears of the sepoys about the new cartridges, their
grievances about leave, their complain about the increasing
misbehavior and racial abuse on the part of their white
officers were the responsible factors for their rage.
A whole complex of emotions and issues, traditions and
loyalities worked themselves out in the revolt of 1857. In
Awadh, more than anywhere else, the revolt became an
expression of popular resistance of an alien order.
3. “A chain of grievances in Awadh linked the prince,
taluqdars, peasants and sepoy to join hands in the
revolt of 1857 against the British.” Examine the
statement. (All India 2017)
Or Why was the revolt particularly widespread in
Awadh? What prompted the peasants, taluqdars and
zamindars to join the revolt?
Ans. Since 18th century, Awadh faced a chain or number of
grievances which linked the princes, taluqdars, peasants
and sepoys to join hands in the revolt of 1857 against the
British made the revolt widespread in Awadh. The factors
which were responsible for generating grievances are
Annexation of Awadh The Subsidiary Alliance had been
imposed on Awadh in 1801, which confined the power of
the nawab over his territory as his military force disbanded.
The British troops took position in the kingdom and he
could not take any decision without the advice of the
British resident who was attached to the Court of Awadh.
The British became increasingly interested in acquiring the
territory of Awadh as it was economically and
geographically important for them.
Dispossession of Taluqdars This annexation also
dispossessed the taluqdars of the region.
Immediately after the annexation, the taluqdars were
disarmed and their forts destroyed. The first revenue
settlement, known as the Summary Settlement, further
undermined the position and authority of the taluqdars.
Suppression over Peasants By removing the taluqdars,
the British wanted to reduce the level of exploitation and
increase the revenue demand and end-up the rendition
system. Under the British rule, there was no guarantee that
in times of hardship or crop failure the revenue demand of
46
the state would be reduced or collection postponed, or
that in times of need they would get any loan or support
that the taluqdars had earlier provided. Thus, with this
suppression, neither taluqdars nor peasants had any
reasons to be happy with the annexation.
Rage of Sepoys There was also a rage in sepoys towards
the British. Before 1820, the British were very polite with
the sepoys but in 1840 this began to change. The officers
developed sense of superiority and started treating the
sepoy as inferiors. Abuse and physical violence became
common and trust was replaced by suspicion.
4. What did the rebels want? To what extent did the
vision of different social groups differ?
Ans. The demands of the rebels were
l
The rebels wanted to uproot the rule of the Britishers.
l
They did not want their rulers, nawabs, taluqdars, and
zamindars to be uprooted. Apart from this, they also did
not want the princely rulers to be annexed to the
company empire.
l
The rebels wanted unity among Hindus and Muslims.
They wanted good wishes of Mughal emperor as well as
other kings and rulers for the success of revolt.
l
They were against imposing English language and
Western civilization on their country. They did not like
to disturb their social tradition, customs and life.
The vision of different social groups and their differences
were
Zamindars The zamindars did not like the putting up of
their land estate for public auctions just for arrears of
rent. They did not like their summon into court time to
time due to some case filed against them by the ryot or a
slave.
Merchants This section of the society did not like British
Government monopoly over the trade, particularly all the
fine and valuable merchandise such as indigo cloth and
other articles of shipping. Besides this, the profits of the
traders were taxed with postage, tolls and subscriptions
for schools, etc.
Public Servants Natives employed in the civil and
military services have little respect, low pay and no
manner of influence. All the posts of dignity and
evolvement in both the departments were exclusively
bestowed on Englishmen.
Artisans The Europeans, by the introduction of English
articles into India, have removed the weavers, the cotton
dressers, the carpenters, the blacksmiths and the
shoemakers, etc of India out of employment. But it was
believed that under the Badshahi Government they will
no doubt ensure their prosperity.
Pandits, Fakirs and Other Learned Persons The pandits
and fakirs being the guardians of the Hindu and the
Muslim religions respectively viewed the Europeans as
the enemies of both the religions. Hence, they thought to
take part in the holy war against their enemy.
CBSE Term II History XII
5. Examine the repressive measures adopted by
British to subdue the rebels of 1857. (All India 2015)
Ans. The measures adopted by British to subdue the rebels of
1857 were
l
Passing of Laws to help the Troops The British passed
several laws to help the troops before sending them to
re-occupy North India.
The military officers were also empowered to try and
punish the rebel Indians. The ordinary process of law
and trial were ignored by them.
With the help of new laws and the new reinforcements
coming from Britain, the British started the process of
suppressing the revolt. British thought to reconquer
Delhi which was most important to suppress the revolt.
Therefore, in June 1857, the British attacked Delhi from
two directions.
l
Resorting to Diplomacy The British while resorting to
diplomacy kept away the educated Indians and
zamindars from the rebels. The British created a rift
between rebels and the zamindars by promising the
latter to give back their estates.
l
Use of Military Power on a Gigantic Scale The British
used military power on a gigantic scale. Their absolute
control over the means of communication and their
control over the railways enabled them to send quick
military support to different parts of the country.
l
Communication System The telegraph system helped
the British to get timely information about the incidents
occurring in different parts of the country.
Consequently, they were successful to workout plans to
take immediate action against rebels. Thus, the British
tried their best to maintain their absolute control over
the means of communication in order to suppress the
revolt.
6. What do visual representations tell us about the
revolt of 1857? How do historians analyse these
representations?
Or Examine the visual representations of the revolt of
1857 that provoked a range of different emotions
and reactions. (All India 2017)
Ans. The visual representations or pictorial images produced
by the British and Indians is one important record of the
revolt of 1857. It includes paintings, pencil drawings,
sketchings, posters, cartoons, bazaar prints, etc. The
pictorial images are helpful to us in the study of the revolt
in the following ways
Relief of Lucknow The paintings painted by the British
artists present the British heroes, saving the English and
repressing the rebels, as saviours. ‘Relief of Lucknow’,
painted by Thomas Jones Barker in 1859, is an example of
this type.
This painting depicts the incidence when Lucknow was
sieged by the rebels, Henry Lawrence, the Commissioner
CBSE Term II History XII
of Lucknow took refuge in fortified residency with other
Christian population. Lawrence was killed but the
residency was defended under Colonel Inglis.
On 25th September, James Outram and Henry Havelock
cut through the rebel forces and reinforced the British
garrisons. After 20 days, the new Commander of British
forces in India, Colin Campbell, rescued the besieged
British garrison. The incident became a story of survival,
heroic resistance and the ultimate triumph of British
power.
Celebrating the Saviours Thomas Jones Barkers
painting celebrates the entry of Colin Campbell. The
three heroes, Campbell, Dutrain and Havelock are shown
at the centre of the canvas. The gestures of the hands of
those around lead the speclator’s eyes towards the centre.
The Heroes are standing on a well lit ground with
shadows in the foreground and the damaged residency in
the background. The dead and injured in the foreground
indicates suffering. During the siege, the triumphant
figures of horses indicates the reestablishment of British
power and control.
Paintings on Women Honour Joseph Noel Paton painted
‘In Memoriam’ after two years of revolt. In the painting
English women and children can be seen huddled in a
circle, looking helpless and innocent, seemingly waiting
for the inevitable dishonour, violence and death. The
painting stirs up the spectators imagination and provokes
anger and fury. Rebels are represented as violent and
brutish whereas British are represented as saviours.
On the other hand, in another set of paintings women are
shown heroic defending themselves against the attack of
rebels. One such woman Miss Wheeler, is shown standing
firmly at the centre defending her honour single handedly
killing the attacking rebels. The woman struggles to save
her honour and her life which also represents a deeper
religious connotation i.e. a battle to save the honour of
Christianity.
l
Case Based Questions
1. Read the given case/source and answer the following
questions.
Ordinary Life in Extraordinary Times
What happened in the cities during the months of
the revolt? How did people live through those
months of tumult? How was normal life affected?
Reports from different cities tell us about the
breakdown in routine activities.
Read these reports from the Delhi Urdu Akhbar,
14th June 1857: The same thing is true for
vegetables and saag (spinach). People have been
found to complain that even kaddu (pumpkin) and
baingan (brinjal) cannot be found in the bazaars.
Potatoes and arvi (yam) when available are of stale
47
and rotten variety, stored from before by farsighted
kunjras (vegetable growers). From the gardens
inside the city some produce does reach a few
places but the poor and the middle class can only
lick their lips and watch them (as they are
earmarked for the select). There is something else
that needs attention which is causing a lot of
damage to the people which is that the
water-carriers have stopped filling water. Poor
Shurfas (gentility) are seen carrying water in pails
on their shoulders and only then the necessary
household tasks such as cooking, etc can take place.
The halalkhors (righteous) have become
haramkhors (corrupt), many mohallas have not been
able to earn for several days and if this situation
continues then decay, death and disease will
combine together to spoil the city’s air and an
epidemic will spread all over the city and even to
areas adjacent and around.
(i) How was normal life affected?
(ii) What was the condition of poor and the middle
class?
(iii) How did Delhi Urdu Akhbar view the actions of
the people?
Ans. (i) Normal life was affected due to breakdown of routine
activities and rise in the prices of necessary goods.
(ii) The condition of poor and the middle class became
worse than before. As the prices of essential goods
increased, it became impossible for the poor and the
middle class to avail them.
(iii) Delhi Urdu Akhbar depict the actions of the people
that the poor Shurfas (gentility) were seen carrying
water in pails on their shoulders because water
carriers had stopped filling water. The halalkhors
have became haramkhors (corrupt).
2. Read the given case/source and answer the
following questions.
Maulvi Ahmadullah Shah
Maulvi Ahmadullah Shah was one of the many
maulvis who played an important part in the revolt
of 1857. Educated in Hyderabad, he became a
preacher when young.
In 1856, he was seen moving from village to village
preaching jehad (religious war) against the British
and urging people to rebel. He moved in a
palanquin, with drumbeaters in front and followers
at the rear. He was therefore popularly called
Danka Shah – the maulvi with the drum (danka).
British officials panicked as thousands began
following the maulvi and many Muslims began
seeing him as an inspired prophet.
48
When he reached Lucknow in 1856, he was
stopped by the police from preaching in the city.
Subsequently, in 1857, he was jailed in Faizabad.
When released, he was elected by the mutinous
22nd Native Infantry as their leader. He fought the
famous Battle of Chinhat in which the British forces
under Henry Lawrence were defeated.
He came to be known for his courage and power.
Many people in fact believed that he was
invincible, had magical powers, and could not be
killed by the British. It was this belief that partly
formed the basis of his authority.
(i) Why were Britishers frightened by Maulvi
Ahmadullah Shah?
(ii) Why Maulvi Ahmadullah Shah was popular?
(iii) Name the battle which was fought by Shah and
what was the consequences.
Ans. (i) Britishers were frightened by Maulvi Ahmadullah
Shah as thousands of people began following Maulvi
and many Muslims began seeing him as an inspired
prophet.
(ii) Maulvi Ahmadullah Shah became popular as he used
to move from village to village preaching jehad
(religious war) against the British and urging people
to rebel.
(iii) Maulvi Ahmadullah Shah fought the famous battle of
Chinhat. In this battle the British forces under Henry
Lawrence were defeated.
3. Read the given case/source and answer the
following questions.
The Azamgarh Proclamation, 25th August 1857
Section III – Regarding Public Servants. It is not a
secret thing, that under the British Government,
natives employed in the civil and military services
have little respect, low pay, and no manner of
influence; and all the posts of dignity and
emolument in both the departments are exclusively
bestowed on Englishmen, … Therefore, all the
natives in the British service ought to be alive to
their religion and interest, and abjuring their
loyalty to the English, side with the Badshahi
Government, and obtain salaries of 200 and 300
rupees a month for the present, and be entitled to
high posts in the future. …
Section IV – Regarding Artisans. It is evident that
the Europeans, by the introduction of English
articles into India, have thrown the weavers, the
cotton dressers, the carpenters, the blacksmiths,
and the shoemakers, etc., out of employ, and have
engrossed their occupations, so that every
description of native artisan has been reduced to
beggary. But under the Badshahi Government the
CBSE Term II History XII
native artisans will exclusively be employed in the
service of the kings, the rajahs, and the rich; and
this will no doubt ensure their prosperity.
Therefore these artisans ought to renounce the
English services, ….
(i) How did the introduction of English articles affect
the artisans?
(ii) Suggest how the condition of the artisans
improved under the Badshahi Government.
(iii) What were the causes of dissatisfaction of public
servants with the British Government?
Ans (i) The effect of introduction of English articles on
artisans was that they were deprived of their
employment their occupations were captivated and
the natives were reduced to beggars.
(ii) Under the Badshahi government, the condition of
native artisans would improved as they would
exclusively be employed in the service of the kings,
the rajas and the rich.
(iii) Public servants were dissatisfied with the British
Government as under the British Government,
natives employed in the civil and military service had
no respect. Their salaries were low and they had no
power or influence.
4. Study this photograph of Secundra Bagh by Felice
Beato, carefully and answer any three of the
following questions by choosing the correct option.
(i) Who built the famous monument Secundra Bagh?
Ans. The famous monument of Secundra Bagh was built by
Nawab Wajid Ali Shah in Lucknow.
(ii) What symbolism is projected by the depiction of
skeletons strewn on the ground?
Ans. The skeletons strewn on ground depicted that rebel
sepoys were mercilessly butchered by British forces.
(iii) What can be inferred about the State of Secundra
Bagh from this photograph?
Ans. This picture of State of Secundra Bagh depicts the badly
damaged building during the revolt.
(iv) Who are the four soldiers in the background?
Ans. The four soldiers in the background must be the
inhabitants of Secundra Bagh.
CBSE Term II History XII 49

l Map Based Questions Ans. A. Jhansi

B. Lucknow
1. On an outline map of India, mark Calcutta (Kolkata), C. Varanasi
Bombay (Mumbai) and Madras (Chennai), three major
centres of British power in 1857. Refer to Maps 1 and 2
and plot the areas where the revolt was most
widespread. How close or far were these areas from the
colonial cities? (NCERT)
Ans. Lucknow

Meerut Jhansi
Jhansi Delhi
Mathura
Agra Varanasi

Kanpur Calcutta
(Kolkata)
Bombay Allahabad
(Mumbai)
Madras 3. On an outline map of India, mark the
(Chennai) following.
(i) Punjab
(ii) Bombay
(iii) Fort St David
Some areas where the revolt was most widespread were Delhi, (iv) Bengal
Meerut, Mathura, Kanpur, Jhansi, Allahabad, Agra, etc. These (v) Awadh
areas were very far from the colonial cities. Ans.
2. On the political outline map of India three places related
to the centres of the revolt of 1857 have been marked as
A, B and C. Identify them and write their correct names (v) Awadh
on the lines drawn near them. (All India 2014) (i) Punjab
(iv) Bengal

A
B
C (ii)
Bombay

(iii) Fort St. David

Chapter Test
Objective Questions
1. The Nawab of Awadh when it was annexed by Lord Dalhousie was
(a) Murshid Quli Khan (b) Waris Ali Mirza
(c) Wajid Ali Shah (d) Amjad Ali Shah
2. Taluqdars of which region of Awadh was hardest hit due to introduction of Summary Settlement.
(a) Northern Awadh (b) Southern Awadh
(c) Central Awadh (d) Eastern Awadh
3. In Bihar who led the revolt against British?
(a) Nana Sahib (b) Maulvi Ahmadullah
(c) Kunwar Singh (d) Birjis Qadr
4. Which of the following pair is correct?
List I List II
(a) Birjis Qadr – Son of Nawab Wazid Ali Shah
(b) Shah Mal – Belonged to Himachal Pradesh
(c) Summary Settlement – Appointed taluqdars
(d) Ishtahars – Issued by the rajas

5. Consider the following sentences and select the incorrect one.

(a) Bahadur Shah had no other option but to admit the demand of the sepoys.
(b) Bell of arms is a storeroom in which weapons are kept.
(c) Captain Hearsey of the Uttar Pradesh Military Police had been given protection by his Indian Subordinates.
(d) Maulvi Ahmadullah Shah was popularly known as Danka Shah.

Short Answer Type Questions

6. What were the reforms introduced by the British?
7. What were the grievances of the sepoys against the British government?
8. Why did Delhi become the focal point of the revolt of 1857?
9. What are the main features of Subsidiary Alliance?
10. Write about the search for an alternative power by the rebels when the British rule had collapsed during
the 1857 revolt.

Long Answer Type Questions

11. Discuss the social, economic, political and religious causes of the revolt of 1857.
12. Trace the events of the 1857 revolt.
13. How did the relation between taluqdars and peasants got disturbed due to British policy?
14. The dispossesion of Taluqdars meant the breakdown of an entire social order. Discuss.

Answers
1. (c) Wajid Ali Shah
2. (b) Southern Awadh
3. (c) Kunwar Singh
4. (a) Birjis Qadr – Son of Nawab Wazid Ali Shah
5. (c) Captain Hearsey of the Uttar Pradesh Military Police had been given protection by his Indian Subordinates.
 CHAPTER 04
Mahatma Gandhi
and the Nationalist
Movement
(Civil Disobedience and Beyond)
In this Chapter...
l The Making of a Nation
l Arrival of Gandhiji in India
l Non-Cooperation : A Mass
Movement
The Making of a Nation
The making of a nation is often identified with a single
individual. There are many examples like Garibaldi is
associated with the making of Italy, George Washington with
the American War of Independence and Ho Chi-Minh with
the Vietnam freedom struggle.
The Indian national struggle has been identified with
Mahatma Gandhi. He is regarded as the Father of the Indian
Nation. Gandhiji was the most influential and respected of all
the leaders who participated in the freedom struggle.
Mahatma Gandhi’s political career was shaped and
constrained by the society in which he lived.
Arrival of Gandhiji in India
Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi came back to India in
January 1915 after spending two decades in abroad. He spent
most of the period in South Africa, where he went as a
lawyer and became a leader of the Indian community in that
territory. According to historian Chandran Devanesan, South
Africa was ‘the making of the Mahatma’.
l The Salt Satyagraha : A Case Study
l Quit India Movement
l The Last Heroic Days
l Sources about Gandhiji
For the first time, Mahatma Gandhi observed a different form
of non-violent protest known as Satyagraha, in South Africa.
It promoted harmony between religions. It alerted
upper-caste Indians to their discriminatory treatment of low
castes and women.
Congress in 1915
After returning India in 1915, Gandhiji realised that political
perspective of India has been changed from 1893, when he
left. Even though it was still a British colony, it was more
active in a political sense. There were branches of the Indian
National Congress in most major cities and towns.
The Congress was able to broaden its appeal among the
middle classes through the Swadeshi Movement (1905-1907).
There was an emergence of three leaders during this period;
Bal Gangadhar Tilak of Maharashtra, Bipin Chandra Pal of
Bengal and Lala Lajpat Rai of Punjab. Together they came to
be known as Lal, Bal and Pal. These leaders preferred
militant opposition to colonial rule. There was another group
of leaders who came to be known as Moderates who referred
a more gradual and persuasive approach.
 52
This group included members like Gandhiji’s acknowledged
political mentor, Gopal Krishna Gokhale and Mohammad
Ali Jinnah, who was a lawyer of Gujarati lineage trained in
London.
Gandhiji on National Front
Before participating in active politics, Gandhiji on the advice
of Gokhale travelled around British India for a year to know
the land and its peoples. He made his first public
appearance at the opening of the Banaras Hindu University
(BHU) in February 1916. Among the invites to this event
were the princes and philanthropists1, who contributed the
founding of the BHU. Some important Congress leaders such
as Annie Besant were also invited. Gandhiji was invited for
his work in South Africa rather than his status within India.
Gandhiji, in his speech charged the Indian elite with a lack of
concern for the labouring poor and making Indian National
an elite Phenomenon.
Gandhiji’s speech was merely a statement of fact that
Indian nationalism was an elite phenomenon, a creation of
lawyers, doctors and landlords. His speech was also a
statement of purpose as Gandhiji tried to make Indian
nationalism more properly representative of the Indian
people as a whole.
In December 1916, during Congress Session in Lucknow,
Gandhiji was approached by a peasant from Champaran
(Bihar). He informed about the harsh treatment given by the
Britishers to the Indigo farmers.
Non-Cooperation :
A Mass Movement
Before launching a mass movement, Gandhiji had proved
himself a nationalist leader with a deep sympathy for poor
through struggles like Champaran, Ahmedabad and Kheda.
These localised struggles and Rowlatt Satyagraha which has
wider participation provided a solid platform to Gandhiji to
go for a mass movement like Non-cooperation.
Early Struggles
In 1917, Mahatma Gandhi was involved in achieving security
of tenure for peasants of Champaran and freedom to cultivate
the crops of their choice.
In 1918, he was busy with two campaigns in his home state
Gujarat which were
(i) Ahmedabad Mill strike where he demanded better
working conditions for the textile mill workers.
1 Philanthropist A person who seeks to promote the welfare of others.
2 Caliphate A unified Islamic Government for the Muslims world, ruled by a caliph.
CBSE Term II History XII
(ii) Kheda Satyagraha in which he asked the state for the
remission of taxes of peasants following the failure of
harvest.
Rowlatt Satyagraha
The issue of the Rowlatt Act, 1919 was an opportunity for
Gandhiji to construct a much wider movement. According to
the Rowlatt Act, the political prisoners could be detained in
prison for two years without any trial. These harsh measures
were continued after the recommendation of a committee
chaired by Sir Sidney Rowlatt.
Gandhiji called for a countrywide campaign against the
Rowlatt Act. Shops and schools were shut down in response
to the bandh call.
The protest was intense in Punjab as many men served the
British during the war. They expected reward but were given
the Rowlatt Act. Gandhiji was detained while proceeding to
the Punjab. Prominent Congressmen were also arrested.
The situation got worsened in Amritsar when a British
Brigadier ordered the troops to open fire on a nationalist
meeting in April, 1919. More than four hundred people were
killed. This incident came to be known as the Jallianwala
Bagh massacre.
Integrating Non-cooperation with Khilafat
Gandhiji became a true national leader after the Rowlatt
Satyagraha. Gandhiji, by being inspired from the success of
Rowlatt Satyagraha, gave a call for ‘Non-cooperation’ with
British rule. To further spread the struggle, he joined the
Khilafat Movement that was demanding restoration of
Caliphate2 of Turkey that had been abolished by the Turkish
ruler Kemal Attaturk.
Gandhiji hoped that by integrating Non-cooperation with
Khilafat, India’s two major religious communities, Hindus
and Muslims could collectively bring an end to colonial rule.
These movements encouraged people to go for popular
actions against British which were
l
Students boycotted schools and colleges run by the
government.
l
Lawyers refused to attend court.
l
Strike was organised by working class in many towns and
cities.
l
Forest laws were violated by hill tribes in Northern Andhra.
l
Farmers in Awadh refused to pay taxes.
l
Peasants in Kumaun refused to carry loads for colonial
officials.
CBSE Term II History XII
End of the Non-Cooperation Movement
According to Louis Fischer, Non-cooperation became the
name of an era in the life of India and of Gandhiji. It entailed
denial, renunciation3 and self-discipline. It was training for
self-rule.
The most important consequence of the movement was that
it shooked the British Raj to its foundations for the first time
since the Revolt of 1857. But the movement stopped after an
incident which came to be known as Chauri Chaura
incident.
In February 1922, a group of peasants attacked and burned
police station in Chauri Chaura in the United Provinces (now,
Uttar Pradesh). Several constables lost their lives in the
incident. This forced Gandhiji to call off the movement
altogether. Thousands of Indian were put in Jail. Gandhiji
was arrested in March 1922 and charged with sedition.
Gandhiji as a People’s Leader
By 1922, Gandhiji had transformed Indian nationalism,
which was a movement of elite, to a movement of peasants,
workers and artisans. Many of them popularly call him
Gandhi Baba, Gandhi Maharaj or simply as Mahatma.
For peasants, Gandhiji was a saviour who would rescue them
from high taxes and oppressive officials and restore dignity
and autonomy to their lives. His appeal among the poor and
peasants was enhanced by his simple lifestyle and his use of
dhoti and the charkha.
The act of spinning allowed Gandhiji to break the boundaries
that prevailed within the traditional caste system, between
mental labour and manual labour.
A series of ‘Praja Mandals’ were established in the princely
states to promote nationalist theory. Communication of the
nationalist message in the mother tongue instead of colonial
language was encouraged by Gandhiji. Thus, the provincial
committees of the Congress were organised on linguistic
regions.
As a result, nationalism reached to every corner of the
country and embraced by social groups which were
previously untouched.
Gandhiji also succeded in making some very prosperous
businessmen and industrialists, his admirer. Entrepreneurs
like GD Birla supported the national movement openly.
Gandhiji was also followed by a group of highly talented
Indians between 1917 and 1922. They included Mahadev
Desai, Vallabh Bhai Patel, JB Kripalani, Subhas Chandra
Bose, Abul Kalam Azad, Jawaharlal Nehru, Sarojini Naidu,
Govind Ballabh Pant and C Rajagopalachari. All these came
3 Renunciation It means the act of rejecting or renouncing something as invalid.
53
from different regions and religious traditions. They inspired
others to join Congress and work for it.
The Salt Satyagraha :
A Case Study
After getting released from prison in February 1924, Gandhiji
devoted his time in promotion of home-spun cloth (khadi)
and the abolition of untouchability.
Gandhiji focused on his social reform work for several years
after the Non-cooperation Movement. But in 1928, he
thought about entering the politics again.
The same year there was an all-India campaign in opposition
to the Simon Commission. It was sent from England to
enquire into conditions in the colony. Gandhiji did not
participate in this campaign as well as in peasant Satyagraha
in Bardoli (1928).
Re-entry of Gandhiji in Active Politics
In December, 1929, Congress session held in Lahore which
was important for two things
(i) The election of Jawaharalal Nehru as President which
signified the passing of leadership to the younger
generation.
(ii) Proclamation of commitment of Purna Swaraj or
complete independence.
On 26th January, 1930, Independence Day was observed
throughout India. Gandhiji himself issued precise
instructions as to how the day should be observed. The
celebration would start with hoisting of National flag and rest
of the day would be spent in constructive work.
Dandi March
After observance of independence day, Gandhiji made an
announcement that he would lead a march to break the salt
law.
Salt was an important commodity but people were forbidden
from making salt even for domestic use. They were forced to
buy from shops at a high price.
Before the Salt March, Gandhiji gave advance notice to the
viceroy Lord Irwin but Irwin failed to understand the
significance of the action.
Gandhiji started marching from his ashram at Sabarmati
towards ocean on 12th March, 1930. After three weeks, he
reached his destination making a fistful of salt and break the
salt law. Similar salt marches were also being conducted in
other parts of the country.
 54
There were other streams of protest apart from nationalist
campaign which were
l
Peasants in a large parts of India went against the colonial
forest laws that kept them and their cattle out of the woods
in which they once roamed freely.
l
Factory workers went on strike.
l
Lawyers boycotted British courts.
l
Students refused to attend government-run educational
institutions.
Significance of the Salt March
The Salt March was important for three reasons
(i) It brought Mahatma Gandhi to world’s attention. The
European and American press widely covered the
march.
(ii) It became the first nationalist activity in which women
participated in large numbers. Kamaladevi
Chattopadhyay persuaded Gandhiji for the
involvement of women in the march. She herself was
one of numerous women who courted arrest by
breaking the salt or liquor laws.
(iii) The British understood that their Raj would not last
forever and they would have to share some power with
the Indians.
Round Table Conferences
At the end of the Salt March, the British government
convened a series of Round Table Conferences in London.
The first meeting was held in November 1930, but it
remained unsuccessful as eminent political leaders of India
did not participated.
Gandhiji was released from jail in January 1931 and several
meetings were held between him and viceroy Irwin which
lead to culmination of Gandhi-Irwin Pact. The terms of the
pact were
l
To call off Civil Disobedience movement.
All prisoners to be released.
l
l
Salt manufacture to be allowed along the coast.
The Second Round Table Conference was held in London
in latter part of 1931. The Congress was represented by
Gandhiji. He was challenged by three parties for his claim
that Congress represented all of India which were
(i) Muslim league which represented the Muslim
minority.
(ii) Princes who represented the princely states and
claimed that the Congress had no stake in their
territories.
(iii) BR Ambedkar, a brilliant lawyer and thinker who
represented lower castes.
4 Sabotage It means a deliberate action aimed at weakening an enemy through subversion.
CBSE Term II History XII
This conference also remained inconclusive, so Gandhiji
returned to India and resumed his civil disobedience.
In 1935, the Government of India Act promised some form of
representative government. After two years, elections were
held with a restricted franchise. Congress won a
comprehensive victory. Now eight out of eleven provinces
had a Congress ‘Prime Minister’ working under the
supervision of a British Governor.
The Second World War and India
In September 1939, the Second World War broke out. Both
Mahatma Gandhi and Jawaharlal Nehru were critical of Hitler
and the Nazis. They promised that if British government
liberates India on the end of the war, then the Congress may
join them in the war. But, the offer was refused which
resulted in the resignation of the Congress Ministries in
October 1939.
A series of individual satyagraha were organised by the
Congress through 1940 and 1941. Its aim was to pressurise
the rulers to promise freedom once the war had ended.
Cripps Mission
By March 1940, the Muslim League started demanding a
measure of autonomy for the Muslim-majority areas of the
subcontinents.
The political landscape was now becoming complicated. It
had now become a three-way struggle between the Congress,
the Muslim League and the British.
In 1942, the Prime minister Winston Churchill sent one of his
ministers, Sir Staffod Cripps to India. The aim was try to
make a compromise with Gandhiji and the Congress.
The mission failed at the end as Congress demanded that it
would help the British against the Axis powers if they appoint
an Indian as the Defence Member of the Viceroy Executive
Council.
Quit India Movement
After the failure of Cripps Mission, Mahatma Gandhi decided
to launched his third major movement against British rule in
1942. It came to be known as the Quit India Movement. Even
though Gandhiji was jailed at once, younger activists
organised strikes and acts of sabotage4 all over the country.
On the other hand, there were socialist members of the
Congress such as Jaya Prakash Narayan who were active in
the underground resistance. Independent governments were
proclaimed in several districts such as Satara in the West and
Medinipur in the East. It took a year for the British to
suppress the rebellion.
CBSE Term II History XII
Quit India was a mass movement as it involved participation of
hundred of thousands of ordinary Indians. A number of young
people left their colleges to go to jail. While the Congress
leaders suffered in Jail, Jinnah and his colleagues in the
Muslim League worked patiently at expanding their influence.
The League started making a mark in the Punjab and Sind
where it had no presence.
Satara, 1943
From the late nineteenth century, a non-Brahman movement,
which opposed the caste system and landlordism, had
developed in Maharashtra. In 1943, some of the younger
leaders in the Satara district of Maharashtra set up a parallel
government (prati sarkar), with volunteer corps (seba dals) and
village units (tufan dals ). They ran people’s courts and
organised constructive work. The Satara prati sarkar which was
dominated by kunbi peasants and supported by dalits,
functioned till the elections of 1946 despite the government
repression and the Congress disapproval in the later stages.
Efforts for Peace between Congress and League
Gandhiji was released from prison in June 1944. He held a
series of meetings with Jinnah in order to bring peace
between the Congress and the League. The newly formed
labour Government of Britain in 1945, committed itself to
granting independence to India. The Viceroy, Lord Wavell,
brought the Congress and the League together for a series of
talks.
Elections of 1946 and Direct Action Day
Fresh elections were held in the provincial legislatures in
early in 1946. The Congress won the ‘General’ Category and
the League won majority in the seats reserved for Muslims.
A Cabinet Mission sent in 1946, failed to bring compromise
between the Congress and the League. The mission aimed to
bring a federal system that would keep India together while
allowing the provinces a degree of autonomy.
After failure of Cabinet Mission, Direct Action Day was called
by Jinnah to press the League’s demand for Pakistan. On the
day of 16th August 1946, bloody riots broke out in Calcutta. It
spread to rural Bengal, Bihar, the United Provinces and the
Punjab. Muslims and Hindus both suffered due to this event.
Declaration of Independence
Lord Mountbatten became the new Viceroy in February 1947
replacing Wavell. Lord Mountbatten made an announcement
that India would be freed by the British but divided and 15th
August was fixed as the formal transfer of power. The day was
celebrated with delight in different parts of India. The
5 Extremist A person who holds extreme political or religious views.
55
Constituent Assembly in Delhi organised a meeting in which
the President of Constituent Assembly referred Mahatma
Gandhi as the Father of the Nation.
The Last Heroic Days
On 15th August, 1947 when India was celebrating
Independence, Mahatma Gandhi was not present at the
festivities in the capital. He was in Calcutta and marked the
day with a 24-hour fast.
The country got the freedom but the nation was divided
between Hindus and Muslims. According to Gandhiji’s
biographer DG Tendulkar, Gandhiji went round hospitals
and refugee camps giving consolation to distressed people.
He made an appeal to the Sikhs, the Hindus and the
Muslims to forget the past and not to reside on their
sufferings but to extend the right hand of fellowship to each
other, and to determine to live in peace.
After bringing peace in Bengal, he now shifted to Delhi and
from there he hoped to move in Punjab. Sometimes his
meetings were disrupted by refugees who objected to
readings from the Koran. They wanted him to speak about
the sufferings of those Hindus and Sikhs, which were still
living in Pakistan.
Death of Gandhiji
Gandhiji had fought a life long battle for a free and united
India. When the country was divided, he urged that the two
parts must respect and befriend one another.
An attempt on Gandhiji’s life was carried on 20th January,
1948, but he continued his work. He was shot dead by a
young man on the evening of 30th January. The young man
was a Brahmin from Pune named Nathuram Godse. He was
an editor of an extremist5 Hindu newspaper who had
declared Gandhiji as ‘an appeaser of Muslims.’
The death of Gandhji led to an extraordinary grief. Tributes
were paid from across the political spectrum in India.
International figures like George Orwell and Albert Einstein
appreciated Gandhiji. The martyrdom of Gandhiji was
compared to that of Abraham Lincoln by the Times
magazine, who once laughed at his physical size and
non-rational ideas.
Sources about Gandhiji
A large number of sources are available which helps us to
understand the political career of Gandhiji and the history of
the nationalist movement.
 56
Public Voice and Private Scripts
The first important source is the writings and speeches of
Mahatma Gandhi and his contemporaries including his
associates and political adversaries.
Speeches make us understand the public voice of an
individual whereas private letters give a glimpse of his or her
private thoughts. Letters express anger, pain, dismay, anxiety,
hopes and frustrations as they can not be expressed in public
statements.
Mahatma Gandhi used to publish the letters written to him in
his journal, Harijan. Nehru also edited letters written to him
during the national movement and published A Bunch of Old
Letters.
Autobiographies
Another important source which gives us an account of the
past is autobiography. They are often rich in human detail.
But autobiographies are to be read and interpreted carefully
as they are retrospective6 accounts written very often from
memory.
Autobiography is a way of framing a picture of yourself. It is
needed to understand what the author is not telling and the
reasons for that silence.
6 Retrospective It means looking back on or dealing with past events or situations.
CBSE Term II History XII
Government Records
The letters and reports written by policemen and other
officials were secret at that time but are now available in
archives.
For example, the fortnightly reports were prepared by the
Home Department from the early 20th century. In this
report, Salt March was seen as a drama, a desperate effort of
Gandhiji to mobilise unwilling people against the British Raj
who were happy under the British rule.
Newspapers
Newspapers published in both English and different Indian
languages are also important sources as they inform about
Mahatma Gandhi’s movements and his activities. However,
newspaper accounts should not be seen as unprejudiced.
They were published by people who had their own political
opinions and world views.
The ideas were shaped by the way events were published
and reported. There will be difference in the accounts
published in a London newspaper and an Indian nationalist
paper. Therefore, it is important to look into these reports
carefully while interpreting them.
CBSE Term II History XII
Chapter
Practice
PART 1
Objective Questions
l Multiple Choice Questions
1. Who among the following was not a member of
moderate group of National movement?
(a) Bipin Chandra Pal (b) Gopal Krishna Gokhale
(c) Mohammad Ali Jinnah (d) Pherozeshah Mehta
Ans. (a) Bipin Chandra Pal was an extremist (not a moderate)
who advocated militant opposition to colonial rule.
2. Why did Gandhiji call for a countrywide campaign
against the ‘Rowlatt Act’?
(a) It was introduced by the British.
(b) During the First World War, the British had instituted
censorship of the press.
(c) This Act introduced censorship of the Press and
permitted detention without trial.
(d) All of the above
Ans. (c) Gandhiji called for a countrywide campaign against
the Rowlatt Act as according to ‘Rowlatt Act’, Press could
be censored and anybody could be detained without any
trial.
3. What was the main demand of Khilafat Movement?
(a) Dominion status for India
(b) Self rule to India
(c) Restoration of Caliphate of Turkey
(d) Revival of orthodox culture of Islam
Ans. (c) The Khilafat Movement led by Muhammad Ali and
Shaukat Ali demanded the Turkish Sultan as ‘Khalifa’
(Caliphate) must retain control over the Muslims sacred
places of Ottoman empire.
4. During the Non-cooperation Movement, Gandhiji
was arrested and charged with sedition and the
judge …… sentenced him to six years imprisonment.
(a) Justice Williams
(b) CN Broomfield
(c) Justice Mahadev Govind Ranade
(d) Justice Campbell
57
Ans. (b) CN Broomfield was the judge who sentenced
Gandhiji to six years imprisonment.
5. The Simon Commission visited in India in 1928.
Which of the following is the reason behind it?
(a) Enquiring the conditions in the colony.
(b) Granting special privileges to minorities.
(c) Granting separate electorate to dalits.
(d) Enquiring the excesses of Jallianwala Bagh massacre.
Ans. (a) In 1928 all-while Simon Commission sent from
England to India to enquire into the condition in the
colony. The commission was strongly opposed by Indian.
6. Identify the name of the movement from the
information given below.
l
It was a movement of Indian Muslims.
l
It was led by Muhammad Ali and Shaukat Ali.
l
It demanded that the Turkish Sultan or Khalifa must
retain control over the Muslim sacred places in the
erstwhile Ottoman empire.
l
The Congress supported this movement and Mahatma
Gandhi sought to conjoin it to the Non-cooperation
Movement.
(a) Khilafat Movement (b) Quit India Movement
(c) Satyagraha Movement (d) None of these
Ans. (a) The given information is about the Khilafat Movement
(1919-1920).
7. Identify the name of the person from the
information given below.
l
He was the most influential and revered of all the
leaders who participated in the freedom struggle.
l
He had been invited in opening ceremony of Banaras
Hindu University on account of his work in South Africa
rather than his status within India.
l
At the Second Round Table Conference, he opposed the
demand for separate electorates for lower castes.
l
He first forged the distinctive techniques of non-violent
protests known as Satyagraha.
(a) Mahatma Gandhi (b) Jawaharlal Nehru
(c) Bal Gangadhar Tilak (d) C. Raja Gopalachari
Ans. (a) The given information is about Mahatma Gandhi.
58 CBSE Term II History XII

8. Select the incorrect pair. 12. Consider the following statements regarding
(a) Jallianwala Bagh Massacre – Amritsar Gandhiji’s first public appearance at Banaras Hindu
(b) Salt Satyagraha – Dandi University.
(c) Quit India Movement – 1940 I. He was invited due to his status in India.
(d) Parallel government in Satara – 1943
II. He charged Indian elite with a lack of concern for
Ans. (c) Quit India Movement started in August, 1942 not the poor.
in 1940.
III. He was invited due to his work in South Africa.
9. Select the correct pair. IV. Congress leaders like Annie Besant were in
(a) Mahatma Gandhi return from South Africa – 1916 attendance.
(b) Champaran Movement – 1918 Which of the above statements is/are correct?
(c) Rowlatt Satyagraha – 1919
(a) I and II (b) II, III and IV
(d) Peasant Movement in Bardoli – 1927
(c) I, II and IV (d) All of these
Ans. (c) Rowlatt Satyagraha was started in 1919. Mahatma
Ans. (b) The statements II, III and IV are true regarding
Gandhi returned from South Africa in January 1915, not
Gandhiji’s first public appearance at Banaras Hindu
in 1916. Champaran Movement held in 1917 not in 1918.
University. But the statement I is incorrect as Gandhiji
Peasant Satyagraha in Bardoli held in 1928, not in 1927.
was invited on account of his work in South Africa not
10. Match the following. due to his status in India.
List I List II
l Assertion-Reasoning MCQs
A. Peasant Movement in Bardoli 1. 1917
B. Jallianwala Bagh Massacre 2. 1918 Direction (Q. Nos. 13-17) Each of these questions
contains two statements, Assertion (A) and Reason (R).
C. Ahmedabad Mill Strike 3. 1919
Each of these questions also has four alternative choices,
D. Champaran Satyagraha 4. 1928 any one of which is the correct answer. You have to select
one of the codes (a), (b), (c) and (d) given below.
Codes
A B C D A B C D Codes
(a) 4 2 1 3 (b) 4 3 2 1 (a) Both A and R are true and R is the correct explanation
of A
(c) 1 2 3 4 (d) 3 4 1 2
(b) Both A and R are true, but R is not the correct
Ans. (b) explanation of A
11. Identify the person who is with Gandhi and name (c) A is true, but R is false
him. (d) A is false, but R is true
13. Assertion (A) Cripps Mission failed in its aim.
Reason (R) Congress demanded to appoint an
Indian as defence member to help British in war.
Ans. (a) Sir Stafford Cripps was sent to India to try and forge a
compromise with Gandhiji and the Congress. But the
talks broke down because the Congress demanded that it
would help the British to defend India from the Axis
powers if the viceroy appoint an Indian as the defence
member of his Executive Council. Thus, statement R
clearly justifies statement A.
14. Assertion (A) Gandhiji called off the Non-
Cooperation Movement in the year 1922.
(a) Stafford Cripps Reason (R) In February 1922, Chauri-Chaura
(b) CN Broomfield incident occurred in United Province.
(c) John Campbell Ans. (a) Gandhiji called off the Non-cooperation Movement
(d) Lord Mountbatten due to the violence occurred in Chauri-Chaura where a
Ans. (a) The person is Stafford Cripps. British Prime Minister group of peasants attacked the police station and torched
Winston Churchill send his minister Sir Stafford Cripps to it. Some policemen died in this incident. Gandhiji was a
try and make a compromise with Mahatma Gandhi and the strong believer of Non-violence thus, he called off the
Congress Party. Non-cooperation Movement. Thus, statement R is the
correct explanation of A.
CBSE Term II History XII
15. Assertion (A) For breaking the Salt Law Gandhi
choose the sea coast of Dandi, located in Gujarat.
Reason (R) This movement was restricted to
coastal states only.
Ans. (c) For breaking the Salt Law Gandhiji began walking
from his ashram at Sabarmati towards the sea coast of
Dandi on 12th March, 1930 and ceremonially broke the
British Salt Law. This started the nation wide Civil
Disobedience Movement and it was not restricted to the
coastal states only. Thus, here statement A is true, but the
statement R is false.
16. Assertion (A) First Round Table Conference
remains fruitless.
Reason (R) There was no pre-eminent political
leader in India.
Ans. (a) First Round Table Conference was held in November
1930 but it failed because there was no prominent leader
of India in the conference. Gandhiji and several other
leaders were in jail. Thus, statement R is the right
explanation of statement A.
17. Assertion (A) In 1917, Mahatma Gandhi was
struggling for peasants in Champaran.
Reason (R) Peasants of Champaran did not have
freedom to cultivate the crops of their choice.
Ans. (a) Peasants of Champaran has no freedom to cultivate the
crops of their own choice. They had to cultivate cash crop
Indigo for the British traders. Thus, Gadhiji arrived in
Champaran in 1917 and organised the peasants to fight
against the British. Thus, statement R clearly justifies
statement A.
l
Case Based MCQs
18. Read the given case/source describing ‘Dandi
March’ carefully and answer the questions that
follow by choosing the correct option.
Soon after the observance of this ‘Independence Day’,
Mahatma Gandhi announced that he would lead a
march to break one of the most widely disliked laws in
British India, which gave the state a monopoly in the
manufacture and sale of salt. His picking on the salt
monopoly was another illustration of Gandhiji’s
tactical wisdom. For in every Indian household, salt
was indispensable; yet people were forbidden from
making salt even for domestic use, compelling them to
buy it from shops at a high price.
The state monopoly over salt was deeply unpopular;
by making it his target, Gandhiji hoped to mobilise a
wider discontent against British rule. Where most
Indians understood the significance of Gandhiji’s
challenge, the British Raj apparently did not Although
59
Gandhiji had given advance notice of his “Salt march“
to the Viceroy Lord Irwin, Irwin failed to grasp the
significance of the action.
On 12th March, 1930, Gandhiji began walking from
his ashram at Sabarmati towards the ocean. he
reached his destination three weeks later, making a
fistful of salt as he did and thereby making himself a
criminal in the eyes of the law. Meanwhile, parallel
salt marches were being conducted in other parts of
the country.
(i) This passage had mentioned about the observance
of Independence Day, when was it celebrated?
(a) On 26th January, 1930 (b) On 15th August, 1930
(c) On 26th January, 1931 (d) On 31st January, 1931
Ans. (a) On 26th January, 1930 ‘Independence Day’ was
observed by the Congress for the demand of ‘Purna
Swaraj’.
(ii) The picking of salt was significant for the success of
this movement as
(a) it was associated with both rich and poor men alike.
(b) symbolically it reflected the importance of values such
as love for nation.
(c) it was a free natural resource monopolised by the
company for the sake of profits.
(d) All of the above
Ans. (d) All the given statements are correct.
(iii) The ‘Salt March’ was part of which of the following
Gandhian Movement?
(a) Non-cooperation Movement
(b) Civil Disobedience Movement
(c) Quit India Movement
(d) None of the above
Ans. (b) The Salt March was part of Civil Disobedience
Movement as by violating the Salt Law, Civil
Disobedience Movement started all over India.
(iv) Which of the following sentences reflected tactical
wisdom of Gandhiji?
(a) Gandhiji proclaimed Independence Day
(b) Gandhji introduced Civil Disobedience Movement
(c) Gandhiji rejected the salt monopoly by the Britishers
(d) All of the above
Ans. (c) Gandhiji rejected the Salt Law of the Britishers. He
realised that this law affected all Indians. Thus, he
recommended to break the law. This revealed his tactical
wisdom.
(v) Which of the following statement is incorrect?
(a) After observing ‘Independence Day’ Gandhiji
announced for breaking Salt Law.
(b) People could only make their salt for domestic use.
(c) Gandhiji hoped to mobilise a wider movement.
(d) All of the above
60
Ans. (b) People were forbidden from making salt even for
domestic use under the British Law.
(vi) Which of the following is correct regarding
Gandhiji rejection of Salt Law of the Britishers?
(a) It affected the profit of Indian businessmen.
(b) It revealed the autocracy of the British.
PART 2
Subjective Questions
l Short Answer (SA) Type Questions
1. ‘‘The initiatives in Champaran, Ahmedabad and
Kheda marked Gandhiji out as a nationalist with a
deep sympathy for the poor.’’ Substantiate the
statement. (All India 2019)
Ans. The initiatives in Champaran, Ahmedabad and Kheda
marked Gandhiji out as a nationalist with a deep
sympathy for the poor in the following ways
l
In 1917, Mahatma Gandhi was busy in seeking security
of tenure for peasants as well as freedom to cultivate the
crops of their choice.
l
In 1918, he intervened in a labour dispute in
Ahmedabad, demanding better working conditions for
the textile mill workers.
l
In the same year, he joined peasants in Kheda asking
the state for the remission of taxes following the failure
of their harvest, this movement was known as Kheda
Satyagraha.
All these movements made him as the most popular
nationalist leader who had a deep sympathy for the poor
of our country.
2. What actions took place during the Non-cooperation
Movement?
Or How was non-cooperation a form of protest? (NCERT)
Or How did different sections of the Indian society
react on the Non-Cooperation Movement?
(All India 2020)
Ans. The actions that took place during the Non-Cooperation
Movement which made it a form of protest were
l
Students boycotted schools and colleges run by the
government.
l
Lawyers refused to attend court.
l
Strike was organised by working class in many towns
and cities. There were 396 strikes in 1921 involving
600,000 workers and a loss of seven million workdays.
l
Forest laws were violated by hill tribes in Northern
Andhra.
l
Farmers in Awadh refused to pay taxes.
CBSE Term II History XII
(c) He hoped to mobilise a wider discontent against the
British rule.
(d) All of the above
Ans. (c) Gandhiji rejected the Salt Law of the Britishers as he
hoped to mobilise a wider movement participated by all
classes of people against the British rule.
l
Peasants in Kumaun refused to carry loads for colonial
officials.
3. How did Mahatma Gandhi seek to identify with the
common people?
Ans. Mahatma Gandhi did the following to identify himself
with the common people of India
l
He did not behave like professional or an intellectual.
He rather mixed with thousands of peasants, workers
and artisans.
l
He, unlike other nationalist leaders, dressed himself like
the common man. He wore simple dhoti or loincloth.
l
He worked on the charkha (spinning wheel) everyday.
He also encouraged other nationalists to do the same.
l
He did not believe in the traditional caste system.
l
He often spoke in the mother-tongue.
4. What were the consequences of the
Non-cooperation Movement?
Ans. The consequences of Non-cooperation Movement were
l
The most important consequence of the movement was
it shooked the British Raj to its foundations for the first
time since the Revolt of 1857. But the movement came
to a stand still after an incident which came to be known
as Chauri-Chaura incident.
l
In February 1922, a group of peasants attacked and
torched a police station in the hamlet of Chauri Chaura,
in the United Provinces (now, Uttar Pradesh and
Uttaranchal). Several constables lost their lives in the
incident. This forced Gandhiji to call off the movement
altogether.
l
Thousands of Indian were put in Jail. Gandhiji was
arrested in March 1922 and charged with sedition.
Gandhiji was sentenced for six years imprisonment.
5. Why was the charkha chosen as a symbol of
nationalism? (NCERT)
Ans. The charkha was chosen by Gandhiji as a symbol of
nationalism because
l
It symbolised manual labour. Mahatma Gandhi always
believed in the dignity of labour.
CBSE Term II History XII
l
Gandhiji opposed machines as they enslaved human
beings. He adopted charkha as he wanted to glorify the
dignity of manual labour.
l
He believed that charkha could make a man self-reliant
as it added to his income.
l
The act of spinning at charkha enabled Gandhiji to
break the boundaries of traditional caste system.
6. ‘Wherever Gandhiji went rumours spread of his
miraculous powers.’ Explain with examples.
(All India 2011)
Or How was Mahatma Gandhi perceived by the
peasants? (NCERT)
Ans. Many rumours were in circulation at various places
regarding Gandhiji’s miraculous powers and they were
perceived in the following ways
l
At some places the common masses came to believe that
he had been sent by the king to remove their miseries
and resolve their problems and he had such power that
he could even reject the orders of all the officials.
l
At some other places, it was affirmed that Gandhiji’s
power was greater than even the English king and it
was claimed that with his arrival the colonial rulers
would run away out of fear.
l
In many villages the rumour was in circulation that the
persons criticising Gandhiji got their houses mysteriously
caved and their standing crops getting destroyed without
any reason.
l
Gandhiji became popular with many names such as
‘Gandhi Baba’, ‘Gandhi Maharaj’ or ‘Mahatma’ among
the peasants. They considered him as their saviour and
believed that only he could save them from the
exorbitant rate of land revenue and the oppressive
activities of British officials.
7. ‘Gandhiji was as much a social reformer as he was a
politician? How Gandhiji was a social reformer?
Ans. The beliefs of Gandhiji that identified him as a social
reformer were
l
He believed that it is important to get rid of social evils
like child marriage and untouchability in order to be
worthy of freedom.
l
He believed that there should be tolerance of one
religion towards the other hence he emphasised on
Hindu-Muslim harmony.
l
He also believed that Indians should become self-
reliant. He stressed on the significance of wearing khadi
rather than mill made cloth imported from overseas.
8. What were the other protests alongwith Salt march?
Ans. The other protests apart from Salt March were
l
Peasants in a large parts of India went against the colonial
forest laws that kept them and their cattle out of the
woods in which they once roamed freely.
l
Factory workers went on strike.
61
l
Lawyers boycotted British courts.
l
Students refused to attend government-run educational
institutions.
l
Gandhiji also encouraged Indians of all classes to make
manifest their own discontent with colonial rule.
9. Assess the significance of Salt March in India’s
freedom struggle. How did the British Government
react to it? (Delhi 2011)
Ans. The significance of Salt March was
l
Salt laws gave the state a monopoly in the manufacture
and sale of salt.
l
Salt was an important commodity but people were
forbidden from making salt even for domestic use. They
were forced to buy from shops at a high price.
Thus, Gandhiji focused on the problem of salt and hope
to mobilise a wider discontent against British rule.
Before the Salt March, Gandhiji gave an advance notice
of the march to the viceroy Lord Irwin under British
Government. However, the British Government did not
react as it failed to understand the significance of the
action.
10. Why were the dialogues at the Round Table
Conference inconclusive?
Ans. Two Round Table Conferences were held in London but
both of them are inconclusive because
Inconclusiveness of First Round Table Conference The
First Round Table Conference was held in November
1930 but, it was held without any pre-eminent political
leader in India, thus, rendering it an exercise in futility.
Meanwhile, Gandhiji was released from jail in January
1931 and had meetings with the viceroy. It led to the
signing of Gandhi–Irwin pact. The British government
agreed to withdraw salt law partly, thus it was inconclusive.
Inconclusiveness of Second Round Table Conference
The Second Round Table Conference was held in London
in latter part of 1931. The Congress was represented by
Gandhiji. But, he was challenged by three parties for his
claim that Congress represented all of India.
The three parties who challenged Gandhiji were
(i) Muslim League which represented the Muslim
minority.
(ii) Princes who represented the princely states and
claimed that the Congress had no stake in their
territories.
(iii) BR Ambedkar, a brilliant lawyer and thinker who
represented lower castes.
Thus, unfairly attitude of the British Government,
stubbornness of Muslim League and wrong attitude of
princely states, rulers as well as of Dr Bhim Rao
Ambedkar were the main reasons for failure of the
conference.
62
11. How was Quit India Movement genuinely a mass
movement? Explain. (Delhi 2010, Delhi 2009)
Or “Quit India Movement” was genuinely a mass
movement bringing into its ambit hundreds or
thousands of ordinary Indians.” Analyse the
statement. (Delhi 2019)
Ans. Mahatma Gandhi launched a major movement against
British rule in 1942. Quit India Movement which was
launched by Mahatma Gandhi against British rule in
1942, was genuinely a mass movement in the following
ways
l
Even though Gandhiji was jailed at once, younger
activists organised strikes and acts of destruction all
over the country.
l
There were socialist members of the Congress such as
Jaya Prakash Narayan who were active in the
underground resistance.
l
Independent governments were proclaimed in several
districts such as Satara in the West and Medinipur in
the East.
l
It brought hundred of thousands of ordinary Indians
into its scope. A number of young people left their
colleges to go to jail and it took a year for the British to
suppress the rebellion.
12. Why are newspapers an important source for the
study of the national movement? Why it is
important to look into this source carefully?
Ans. Newspapers published in both English and different
Indian languages are important sources as they inform us
about Mahatma Gandhi’s movements and his activities.
It is important to look into these source carefully while
interpreting them because
l
Newspaper accounts should not be seen as
unprejudiced as they were published by people who
had their own political opinions and world views. These
ideas shaped what was published and the way events
were reported.
l
There will be difference in the accounts published in a
London newspaper and an Indian nationalist paper.
l
Every statement can not be accepted literally.
Sometimes, they represented fear and anxiety of those
officials who were not able to control movement.
13. What do private letters and autobiographies tell us
about an individual?
Ans. Private letters and autobiographies tell us the following
about an individual
l
With private letters and autobiographies, an accurate
estimate of the concerned individual’s ideology and
career can be made. For example, Gandhiji’s letters and
his autobiography help us significantly in understanding
Gandhiji and his ideology.
CBSE Term II History XII
l
Private Letters give a glimpse of the private thoughts of
an individual. In letters, people can be seen expressing
their anger and pain, their dismay and anxiety, their
hopes and frustrations, in a way in which they may not
express themselves in public statements. Gandhiji
regularly published in his journal Harijan, letters
written to him during the national movements. Nehru
edited a collection of letters called A Bunch of Old
Letters.
l
Autobiographies give an account of the past that is rich
in human detail. Autobiographies are retrospective
accounts written very often from memory. They tell us
what the author would be able to recollect, what he or
she saw as important or was recounting or how a person
wanted his or her life to be viewed by others.
14. How are official accounts different from private
letters and autobiographies? Give example.
Ans. Government records or official accounts are different
from autobiographies and private letters as government
records include letters and reports written by policemen
and other officials.
For example, one such source is the fortnightly report
prepared by the home department from early 20th
century. These reports were based on information given
to the police by the localities, but often expressed what
the officials saw or wanted to believe. For example, in
fortnightly reports for the period of the Salt March, it is
noticed that the home department was unwilling to
accept that Mahatma Gandhiji’s actions had evolved any
enthusiastic response from the masses. On the contrary,
Dandi March was seen as a drama, to mobilise unwilling
people against the British rule by Gandhiji.
l
Long Answer (LA) Type Questions
1. In the history of nationalism, Gandhiji was often
identified with the making of a nation. Describe his
role in the freedom struggle of India. (Delhi 2014)
Ans. Gandhiji was often identified with the making of a nation
in the history of nationalism. His role in freedom struggle
of India was
l
Gandhiji transformed the national movement of the
masses by following his new technique of struggle based
on the principle of Satyagraha and Civil disobedience.
Indian Nationalism witnessed a transformation in its
nature with the active participation of Gandhiji in
Indian National Movement.
l
The mass appeal made by Gandhiji was significant. His
qualities of efficient leadership made a remarkable
contribution in making the base of Indian Nationalism
wider.
l
Due to Gandhiji’s contribution, the provincial
committees of the Congress were formed on linguistic
regions and not on the artificial boundaries of the
CBSE Term II History XII
British India. These different ways contributed greatly
to take nationalism to the distant corners of the country.
l
The social groups previously untouched by nationalism,
now became an important part of it because of
contribution of Gandhiji. Thousands of peasants
labourers and artisans started participating in the
national movement.
l
The common masses participated in the Civil
Disobedience Movement significantly. In Delhi, some
1600 women picketed the liquor shop.
l
Quit India Movement became genuinely a Mass
Movement.
l
Hundreds of thousands of ordinary Indians participated
in it. Besides the common Indian, some very prosperous
businessmen and industrialists too became supporters of
the Indian National Congress. They came to realise it
well that the favours enjoyed by their British
competitors would come to them in free India. Some
renowned industrialists such as GD Birla started
supporting the national movement openly whereas
some others began to do so tactly.
Thus under Gandhiji, the national movement was
transformed into a mass movement.
2. Explain how Gandhiji’s mass appeal was
undoubtedly genuine in the context of Indian
politics and how it contributed to his success in
broadening the basis of nationalism? (All India 2009)
Ans. Gandhiji’s mass appeal was undoubtedly genuine in the
context of Indian politics and it contributed to his success
in the following ways
l
By 1922, the Indian nationalism had undergone an
important and substantial change and Gandhi emerged
as people’s leader. It was no longer a movement of
professional and intellectuals only, and now, a number
of peasants, workers and artisans also participated in it.
The awakening arising among the masses because of the
Non-Cooperation Movement transformed the national
movement into a mass movement.
l
The common masses were admirers of Gandhiji because
like other leaders Gandhiji neither remained cut off
from ordinary people nor did he appear to be different
from the common masses and would wear clothes like
them. He would go among the common masses in a very
simple dhoti. He spent a part of each day working on
the charkha (spinning wheel) and encouraged other
nationalists to do the same. The act of spinning allowed
Gandhiji to break the boundaries that prevailed within
the traditional caste system, between mental labour and
manual labour.
l
In 1921, during his visit to South India, he got his head
shaved and started wearing cotton clothes in order to
identify himself with the poor. This new appearance
also symbolise self-discipline and self-restraint. These
qualities were used by him to oppose consumerist
63
culture of the new world. Simplicity of Gandhiji and his
sympathy for the common masses made him very
popular among the common folk.
l
Gandhiji with spinning wheel had become the most
popular identity of the Indian nationalism. The work of
spinning by Gandhiji helped him significantly in
breaking the boundaries prevailing within the
traditional caste system between mental labour and
manual labour.
3. Gandhiji encouraged the communication of the
nationalist message in mother tongue rather than in
language of the ruler. Examine how he knitted the
Non-cooperation Movement with his philosophy.
(Delhi 2015)
Ans. Gandhiji encouraged the communication of nationalist
message in mother tongue rather than in language of the
ruler because
l
Gandhiji believed that any struggle can be successful
only when masses will support it. In India through local
languages or mother tongue, communication with
public could be done easily. So, Gandhiji advised
nationalist to use mother tongue.
l
Gandhiji believed that mother tongue will play an
adhesive role in divided society and will help in
bringing masses at single platform.
l
Englishmen during these years believed that their
language is superior than other language. Use of Indian
language for communication by every Indian will
change this notion and alongwith this, it will develop
confidence in Indian citizen that their language has its
own importance.
Gandhiji knitted the Non-Cooperation Movement with
his philosophy in the following ways
l
In Non-cooperation Movement, Gandhiji called for
renunciation of all voluntary associations with the
British and responded very optimistically to it.
l
Students stopped going to the schools and colleges run
by the government, lawyers refused to attend courts.
l
There were strikes in factories, mills and workshops,
peasants stopped paying taxes, tribes violated forest
laws, forests were burnt and liquor shops were
picketed.
l
Non-cooperation Movement was very successful as
masses participated in it without any difference of caste,
creed, religion, economic and education, status and
language.
l
Non-Cooperation movement suggested denial,
renunciation and self-discipline. It was training for
self-rule. In this way this movement fulfilled Gandhiji’s
philosophy.
l
Further Non-cooperation Movement led by Mahatma
Gandhi played an important role in uniting different
regions of India as country and promoted a sense of
nationhood among the fellow citizens.
64
4. ‘The Salt March of 1930 was the first event that
brought Mahatma Gandhi to world’s attention.’
Explain significance of this movement for Swaraj.
(All India 2015)
Or Explain the main events of the Dandi March. What is
its significance in the history of the Indian National
Movement? (All India 2008)
Ans. The Salt March or Dandi March of 1930 was the first
event that brought Mahatma Gandhi to world’s attention.
Under this, Mahatma Gandhi announced that he would
lead a march to break the Salt Laws in British India. The
Salt Law gave the state a monopoly in the manufacture
and sale of salt.
The movement was started on 12th March, 1930.
Gandhiji alongwith 78 of his followers began his foot
march from Sabarmati Ashram to Dandi, a village of
seashore in Surat district, about 375 km away from
Sabarmati Ashram.
The violation of salt law by Gandhiji was a signal of the
beginning of Civil Disobedience Movement. Soon, this
movement spread like wildfire through the length and
breadth of the country.
Gandhiji’s Dandi March occupies a very significant for
Swaraj and has a significant place in the history of the
Indian National Movement because
l
This march made Gandhiji a centre of attraction of the
whole of the world. The European press and the
American press published detailed accounts of the Salt
March conducted by Gandhiji.
l
Undoubtedly, it was the first national movement in
which women participated in large numbers. Kamala
Devi Chattopadhyay, the renowned socialist worker
advised Gandhiji not to keep the movements limited to
men-folk only. A large number of women alongwith
Kamala Devi violated the salt and liquor laws and
courted arrest collectively.
l
As a result of the Salt Movement, the colonial rulers
understood it clearly that their authority was not going
to remain permanent in India and now they will have to
give some participation to the Indians in power.
5. Explain why many scholars have written of the
month after the Independence as being Gandhiji’s
‘finest hour.’ (Delhi 2010)
Ans. The scholars described the month after Independence
being Gandhiji’s ‘finest hour’ by keeping the following
events in consideration
l
Gandhiji did not attended any function or hoist a flag
either at the day of Independence, instead he marked a
day with 24 hour fast. He kept himself isolated from the
celebrations as he believed that freedom has come at an
unacceptable price. The country was divided and due to
communalism, two religious communities of India were
seeking life of each others.
CBSE Term II History XII
l
After attainment of Independence, Gandhiji kept
himself away from the political work and engagements.
He focussed on pacifying people, went around hospitals
and refugee camps and giving consolation to distressed
people.
l
He appealed to Sikhs, Hindus and Muslims to forget
the past and extend the hand of friendship and
cooperation to one another. He believed that the worst
is over and all Indians should work together for
equality of all classes and creeds. He even thought that
though India and Pakistan are divided geographically
and politically, but at heart we should be friends and
brothers and be the one for outside world.
l
Gandhiji was in Bengal when India attained its
freedom. After bringing peace to Bengal he shifted to
Delhi and he was willing to go to Punjab to console the
people.
So, it can be said that in his last days Gandhiji was
spending time to bring peace without any pressure of
political objectives. He was serving the humanity, tried to
reduce the sufferings of displaced people with hands of
empathy.
l Case Based Questions
1. Read the given case/source and answer the
following questions.
Mahatma Gandhi was profoundly critical of the
modern age in which machines enslaved humans
and displaced labour. He saw the charkha as a
symbol of a human society that would not glorify
machines and technology.
The spinning wheel, moreover, could provide the poor
with supplementary income and make them
self-reliant. What I object to, is the craze for
machinery as such. The craze is for what they call
laboursaving machinery.
Men go on ‘saving labour’, till thousands are without
work and thrown on the open streets to die of
starvation. I want to save time and labour, not for a
fraction of mankind, but for all; I want the
concentration of wealth, not in the hands of few, but
in the hands of all.
Young India, I3th November, 1924
Khaddar does not seek to destroy all machinery but it
does regulate its use and check its weedy growth. It
uses machinery for the service of the poorest in their
own cottages.
The wheel is itself an exquisite piece of machinery.
Young India, 17th March, 1927
(i) Why charkha was given importance by Gandhiji?
(ii) How would spinning wheel help poor?
(iii) What was the impact of machines upon the poor?
CBSE Term II History XII
Ans (i) Gandhiji gave importance Charkha as it symbolised
self-reliant society. It would diminish the glory of
machines and technology, so it was given importance
by Gandhiji.
(ii) Gandhiji believed that the spinning wheel could
provide the poor with supplementary income and
make them self-reliant.
(iii) As an impact of machine, Gandhiji believed that the
poor will be thrown out of their jobs if the machines
were introduced. It will leave many people without
jobs and increased starvation.
2. Read the given case/source and answer the
following questions.
Ambedkar on Separate Electorates
In response to Mahatma Gandhi’s opposition to the
demand for separate electorates for the Depressed
Classes, Ambedkar wrote:
Here is a class which is undoubtedly not in a position
to sustain itself in the struggle for existence. The
religion, to which they are tied, instead of providing
them an honourable place, brands them as lepers, not
fit for ordinary intercourse. Economically, it is a class
entirely dependent upon the high-caste Hindus for
earning its daily bread with no independent way of
living open to it.
Nor are all ways closed by reason of the social
prejudices of the Hindus but there is a definite
attempt all through our Hindu Society to bolt every
possible door so as not to allow the Depressed Classes
any opportunity to rise in the scale of life.
In these circumstances, it would be granted by all
fairminded persons that as the only path for a
community so handicapped to succeed in the struggle
for life against organised tyranny, some share of
political power in order that it may protect itself is a
paramount necessity …
From Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar, “What Congress And
Gandhi Have Done To The Untouchables”, Writings
And Speeches, Vol. 9, P. 312
(i) Why Mahatma Gandhi was against the separate
electorates?
(ii) How was the condition of dalits according to
Ambedkar?
(iii) What was the demand of Ambedkar for dalits?
Ans. (i) Gandhiji was against the separate electorate as he
believed that separate electorate would permanently
separate the depressed classes from the mainstream
of the society.
(ii) According to Dr B R Ambedkar, the depressed classes
or dalits were not in a position to sustain themselves.
They did not have an honourable place in society.
They were totally depended on the upper castes for
their living.
65
(iii) Dr BR Ambedkar demanded some share in the
political power for dalits or depressed classes. It
would help them get protection.
3. Read the given case/source and answer the
following questions.
Why the Salt Satyagraha?
Why was salt the symbol of protest? This is what
Mahatma Gandhi wrote. The volume of information
being gained daily shows how wickedly the salt tax has
been designed. In order to prevent the use of salt that
has not paid the tax which is at times even fourteen
times its value, the government destroys the salt it
cannot sell profitably.
Thus, it taxes the nation’s vital necessity; it prevents
the public from manufacturing it and destroys what
nature manufactures without effort.
No adjective is strong enough for characterising this
wicked dog-in-the-manager policy. From various
sources I hear tales of such wanton (damage
deliberately) destruction of the nation’s property in all
parts of India. Maunds if not tons of salt are said to be
destroyed on the Konkan coast. The same tale comes
from Dandi.
Wherever there is likelihood of natural salt being taken
away by the people living in the neighbourhood of such
areas for their personal use, salt officers are posted for
the sole purpose of carrying on destruction.
Thus valuable national property is destroyed at
national expense and salt taken out of the mouths of
the people.
The salt monopoly is thus a fourfold curse. It deprives
the people of a valuable easy village industry, involves
wanton destruction of property that nature produces
in abundance, the destruction itself means more
national expenditure, and fourthly to crown this folly,
an unheard of tax of more than 1,000 per cent is
exacted from a starving people. This tax has remained
so long because of the apathy of the general public.
Now that it is sufficiently roused, the tax has to go.
How soon it will be abolished upon the strength of
the people. (Delhi 2016)
(i) Mention one reason, why salt monopoly
introduced by the British was considered as a
curse by the Indians.
(ii) How did Gandhiji illustrate his tactical wisdom
with regard to salt monopoly?
(iii) Explain the significance of Gandhiji’s challenge of
salt protest.
Ans (i) The Salt monopoly introduced by the British was
considered as a curse by the Indian because the tax
on salt was designed very wickedly by the British.
The natives were prevented from manufacturing it.
66 CBSE Term II History XII

(ii) With regard to salt monopoly, Gandhiji believed that as l Map Based Questions
salt was very inevitable for everyone so if any national
movement was carried taking salt as medium of protest, 1. On the given outline map of India three centres
it would result in large scale participation of masses. related to the Indian National Movement have
(iii) The significance of Gandhiji challenge of salt protest been marked as A, B and C. Identify them and
was that as the salt was inevitable for everyone and salt write their correct names on the lines drawn near
law caused deep resentment, so people responded them. (Delhi 2016)
very enthusiastically to the march. People’s
participation was overwhelming and at many places
parallel marches were undertaken and salt were made.
4. Study this image depicting women’s participation
in Quit India Movement and answer any three of B
the following questions by choosing the correct
options.
A

(i) What does this women procession in Quit India

reflects? Ans.
Ans. This women procession in Quit India reflects that women
participation had broadened the base of nationalist
struggle. Ahmedabad
(ii) What does the apparel worn by the women Amritsar
B
protesters highlights? Chauri-Chaura

Ans. The apparel worn by the women protesters highlights that

they have shun machine made imported clothes from
Britain. A

(iii) Which were the key events of Quit India C

Movement?
Ans. The key events of Quit India Movement were formation of
parallel government, establishment of volunteer crops
(seba dal) and village units (tufan dals) and attack on
transportation and communicational infrastructure laid
down by the Britishers.
(iv) Who played key role behind bringing the women in
the mainstream of Nationalist Movement in India?
Ans. Gandhiji played a key role in bringing the women in the
mainstream of nationalist movement in India.
CBSE Term II History XII 67

2. On the outline map of India three places related to the Ans.

Indian National Movement have been marked as A, B and
C. Identify them and write their correct names on the
lines drawn near them. (Delhi 2015) Varanasi

Champaran

C A
Kheda
B
C A

B
Chapter Test
Objective Questions
1. Kamladevi Chattopadhyay was involved in which movement?
(a) Quit India Movement (b) Non-cooperation Movement
(c) Individual Satyagraha (d) Salt Satyagraha
2. Second World War broke out in the year ……… .
(a) 1939 (b) 1945
(c) 1914 (d) 1918
3. Mahatma Gandhi experimented with Satyagraha for the first time in
(a) Britain (b) India
(c) South Africa (d) Africa
4. Consider the following statement and suggest which one is not correct?
(a) On 12th March, 1929 Gandhiji began walking from his ashram at Sabarmati towards the ocean.
(b) A Second Round Table Conference was held in London in 1931.
(c) Government of India Act, 1935 promised some form of representative government.
(d) Independent Government were proclaimed in Satara and Medinipur.
5. Which of the pair is correct ?
(a) Muhammad Ali – Muslim League
(b) CN Broomfield – Judge during Non-cooperation Movement
(c) Lord Irwin – British Parliamentarian
(d) Jayaprakash Narayan – Social Reformist

Short Answer Type Questions

6. How government records are important source for explaining political carrer of Gandhiji?
7. Describe about the experiments of Gandhiji in South Africa.
8. Why are newspapers an important source for the study of national movements?
9. How could the common folk identify with Gandhiji?

Long Answer Type Questions

10. Discuss the significance of Dandi March.
11. Describe the Round Table Conferences held in London. Why these conferences remained inconclusive?
12. Explain how the coming of Gandhiji broadened the base of the Indian National Movement.
13. Why did the Cripps Mission come to India? Why did it fail?

Answers
1. (d) Salt Satyagraha
2. (a) 1939
3. (c) South Africa
4. (a) On 12th March, 1929 Gandhiji began walking from his ashram at Sabarmati towards the ocean.
5. (b) CN Broomfield – Judge during Non-cooperation Movement
CBSE Term II History XII 69

CHAPTER 05

Framing the
Constitution
(The Beginning of a New Era)

In this Chapter...
l Constitution of India l Defining Rights
l Events before Making of the l The Powers of the State
Constitution
l The Language of the Nation
l The Vision of the Constitution
l Features of the Constitution

Constitution of India Events before Making of the

The Constitution of India came into effect on 26th
1 Constitution
January, 1950. It is the longest Constitution of the world.
It is lengthy and complex because India has a huge size
and large scale diversities. Apart from size and diversity,
country was also divided on various issues. To keep the
country together, the Constitution was framed in an
elaborative and careful way.
The Indian Constitution was framed between December
1946 and December 1949. The drafts were discussed
clause2 by clause in the Constituent Assembly3 of India.
The Assembly had 11 sessions which continued for 165
days. There were various committees and
sub-committees which worked for revision and refining
the drafts4.
The objective of framing the Constitution was to bring
together Indians of different classes, castes and
communities. It also sought to encourage democratic
institution to abolish a culture of hierarchy and
difference.
The years immediately before the making of the Constitution
witnessed a number of events which were
l
Popular movements like Quit India struggle of 1942, Subhash
Chandra Bose struggle for free India and uprising of the Royal
Indian Navy in Bombay were popular among people. One similar
feature of all these uprisings was Hindu- Muslim Unity.
l
Political parties like Congress and Muslim league failed to
bring religious harmony between Hindus and Muslims in later
years. With the beginning of Calcutta killing of August 1946,
violence continued across Northern and Eastern India for
almost a year.
l
Partition put numerous Muslims in India and Hindus and Sikhs
in Pakistan in difficult situation and they were left with two
choices viz. threat of death or migrate. They face sudden death
and forcible displacement from their age-old roots. Millions of
refugees went from one side to the other. Muslims moved to
the East and West Pakistan and Hindus and Sikhs moved to
West Bengal and the Eastern half of the Punjab.

1 Constitution It is set of rules and regulations according to which a country is governed.

2 Clause It means a distinct section of a document.
3 Constituent Assembly An assembly of people’s representative that writes constitution for a country.
4 Draft It means a premier version of legal document.
 70
l
Another major issue faced by the new Nation was that of the
princely states. Around 1/3rd of the area of the subcontinent
was under the control of Nawabs and Maharajas. They were
under the Britishers, but they were free to rule or misrule
their territory as they wished. At the time of independence,
the constitutional status of these princely states remained
arguable.
The Making of the Constituent Assembly
The members of the Assembly were elected by the members of
Provincial Legislatures instead on the basis of universal
franchise. The election of the assembly was held in 1946. Apart
from the members elected by provinces of British India, the
Assembly also had representatives of the princely states.
The Muslim League chose to boycott the Constituent
Assembly and demanded Pakistan with a separate
Constitution. As a result of which, 82% of the members of the
Constituent Assembly were also members of the Congress.
However, all the members of Congress were not of same
opinion. Some of them supported socialism whereas some
were defenders of landlordism. Few of them were close to
communal parties while others are assertively secular.
Congress members participated in national movement as a
result of which they had learned to debate their ideas and
negotiate their differences. Due to this ability, Congress
members took part in discussion of the assembly.
Public Opinions in Constituent Assembly
Public opinions influenced the discussions within the
Constituent Assembly. Public opinion was given importance in
order to create a sense of collective participation. Debates of
Assembly members were reported in newspaper and the
proposals were publically debated. There were different
opinions on different issues. These were
The All India Varnashrama Swarajya Sangh (based in
l
Calcutta) insisted that the Constitution should be based on
the Principles of ancient Hindu works. They also demanded
the prohibition of cow-slaughter and closing down the
slaughter house.
l
The linguistic minorities wanted to protect their mother
tongue.
l
Religious minorities asked for special safeguards.
l
Lower caste groups demanded an end to ill-treatment by
upper-caste people and reservation of seats in government
bodies.
The Dominant Voices of Assembly
The Constituent Assembly had 300 members, of which role of
6 members was particularly important. These members included
Jawaharlal Nehru, Vallabh Bhai Patel, Rajendra Prasad, BR
Ambedkar, KM Munshi and Alladi Krishnaswamy Iyer.
Jawaharlal Nehru, Vallabh Bhai Patel and Rajendra Prasad
were representatives of the Congress.
CBSE Term II History XII
The role played by these members were
l
Jawaharlal Nehru introduced the crucial Objective
Resolution on 13th December, 1946. He also introduced
the resolution proposing that the National Flag of India
be a ‘horizontal tricolour of saffron, white and dark green
in equal proportion’, with a wheel in Navy blue at the
centre.
l
Vallabh Bhai Patel contributed in drafting several reports
and in bringing divergent points of view together.
l
Rajendra Prasad was the President of the Assembly. His
main function was to guide the discussion along
constructive lines and to make sure that all members had
a chance to speak.
l
BR Ambedkar, the lawyer and economist, was a very
important member of the Assembly. He joined the Union
Cabinet as Law Minister after Independence. He served
as Chairman of the Drafting Committee of the
Constitution.
l
Two other lawyers, KM Munshi from Gujarat and Alladi
Krishnaswamy Iyer from Madras, contributed in drafting
of the Constitution.
These six members were assisted by two civil servants, BN
Rau and SN Mukherjee. BN Rau was Constitutional advisor
to the Government of India. He prepared a series of
background papers based on a close study of the political
systems of other countries.
SN Mukherjee was the Chief Draughtsman who had the
ability to put complex proposals in clear legal language.
BR Ambedkar himself took the responsibility to guide
the Draft Constitution through the assembly. It took 3
years and discussions were published in 11 large
volumes.
The Vision of the Constitution
The Objective Resolution defined the ideals of the
Constitution of Independent India. It provided the
framework within which the work of Constitution making
was to proceed.
The outlines of the Objective Resolution were
l
It proclaimed India to be an Independent, Sovereign and
Republic country.
l
It guaranteed India’s citizens justice, equality and
freedom.
l
It assured adequate safeguards for minorities, backward
and tribal areas, depressed and other backwards classes.
Nehru emphasised not just taking principle and ideas from
other countries but also modifying them according to India’s
need. Though, he presented ‘Objective Resolution’ but he
did not defined the specific form of democracy and
suggested that this has to be decided through deliberations.
CBSE Term II History XII
Nehru suggested that Indian Constitution should be framed
with an objective to fuse liberal ideas of democracy with the
socialist idea of economic justice. He also suggested that all
these ideas should be re-adopted and re-worked within the
Indian context.
The Will of the People
Somnath Lahiri, a Communist5 member, viewed that the
deliberations of the Constituent Assembly were done under
influence of British imperialism. He urged the members to
fully free themselves from the influences of imperial rule.
Lahiri believed that when Assembly deliberated, the British
were still in India (in the period of 1946-47). Moreover, he
believed that, though J.L Nehru headed the interim
government, but it was operated under the direction of
Viceroy and British Government.
Lahiri wanted to realise the members that the Assembly was
British-made and was working according to the British plans
and their wish.
Nehru admitted that the Assembly has been constituted under
British framework but he also stressed on the source from
which the assembly derives its strength, which was the will of
the people.
Ideals of Constituent Assembly
The Constituent Assembly was being considered a source of
expressing the aspirations of those who had participated in the
freedom struggle. Since the 19th century, the ideals of
democracy, equality and justice had become closely associated
with social struggles in India.
The social reformers in the 19th century were pleading for
social justice, they opposed child marriage and demanded
widow remarriage. The campaign by Swami Vivekananda to
reform Hinduism, was an effort to make religions more just.
Jyotiba Phule in Maharashtra pointed to the suffering of the
depressed castes. Communists and Socialists6 organised
workers and peasants, which were demanding economic and
social justice.
The National Movement against an oppressive and illegitimate
government, was also a struggle for democracy and justice for
citizens’ rights and equality.
Constitutional Reforms
With the growing demand for representation, the British
administrators had to introduce several constitutional reforms
which were
l
A number of Acts were passed (1909, 1919 and 1935), which
enlarged the space for Indian participations in provincial
governments.
l
The executive was made partly responsible to the Provincial
legislature in 1919 and entirely responsible under the
Government of India Act of 1935. During the elections of
5 Communist A person who supports or believes in the principles of communism.
6 Socialist A person who advocates or practises socialism.
71
1937, under the 1935 Act, the Congress came to power in
8 out of the 11 provinces.
The earlier reforms were primarily done with the motive of
making government more representative and were not
directly debated and formulated by the Colonial
Government not by Indians.
Earlier, provincial bodies were elected by electorate of very
small size. Though the size of electorate was expanded over
the years, but even in 1935 it remained limited to 10 to 15%
of the adult population. During this period, there was
universal adult franchise.
The legislatures which were elected as per the provision of
the 1935 Act, worked within the framework of colonial rule.
These legislatures were not responsible to Indian people but
were responsible to the Governor appointed by the British.
On the other hand, the Constituent Assembly was truly
Indian and its vision was to create the Constitution of an
Independent and Sovereign Republic of India.
Defining Rights
The important issue before the Constituent Assembly was
defining the rights. No one had idea for defining the rights of
individual citizens and no one was aware whether there
should be special rights for the oppressed groups or not. The
task was difficult as there were different groups who expressed
their will in different ways and made different demands.
The Problem with Separate Electorates
There was a powerful appeal from B Pocker Bahadur from
Madras on 27th August, 1947 to continue with the separate
electorate. He argued that they could not be removed. He
emphasised on the creation of political system in which
minorities could live in harmony with others. The
differences between communities could be minimised only
when minorities will get fair representation in the political
system, so that they can raise their voice.
The demand for separate electorates provoked anger and
dismay amongst the nationalist as
l
For the nationalist, it was political tool used by the British
to divide the people.
l
RV Dhulekar asserted that on the name of safeguarding
interest of minorities, Britishers played their game.
l
According to Sardar Patel, separate electorates was a
poison that has entered the politic body of the country.
l
According to Govind Ballabh Pant, the demand of
separate electorates was not only harmful for the Nation
but also for the minorities. He also believed that it was a
suicidal demand and it will permanently isolate the
minorities. It will also increase their vulnerability and
deprive of any effective role in the government.
 72
l
Many nationalist feared that if community rights are
recognised then it may create problem for the country in
the future. In this regard, Pant criticised the thinking of
certain people who always thought in the sense of
communities and never in the terms of citizen.
l
The idea of separate electorates was also not supported
by all Muslims. Begam Aizaz Rasul felt separate
electorates were self-destructive as they isolated the
minorities from the majority.
l
By 1949, most Muslim members of the Constituent
Assembly were against the idea of separate electorates.
They were of the view that Muslims must take active part
in the democratic process to have a decisive role in the
political system.
Issue of Defining Minorities
In Constituent Assembly, the next important question was
regarding defining minorities. Members asked who should
be considered as minorities and on what parameter we can
define them.
N G Ranga, a socialist, wanted to interpret the term
minorities in economic terms. According to him, the real
minorities were the poor and the downtrodden. There was
a need to create conditions where these rights could be
effectively enjoyed.
Views of Jaipal Singh on Tribals
One of the groups mentioned by Ranga, the Tribals, were
represented to the Assembly by Jaipal Singh. He talked
about the protection of tribes and ensure conditions that
would bring tribes up to the level of the general population.
He argued that tribals are disgracefully treated and
neglected from last so many years. They have faced
continuous exploitation and dispossession from outsiders.
He argued that tribes were not a numerical minority, but
they need protection as the society did not treat them
equally due to their primitiveness and backwardness. Singh
demanded reservation of seats in the legislature instead of
separate electorates, to allow tribals to represent
themselves.
Issue of Rights of Depressed Caste
BR Ambedkar had demanded separate electorates for the
depressed castes during the National Movement. But
Gandhiji opposed it as he felt that by doing so they will be
isolated from the rest of the society.
There was a long debate on the issue of the depressed
caste’s rights. Some members of the depressed castes felt
that the problem of the ‘untouchables’ could not be
resolved only through protection and safeguards. They
believed that social norms and the moral values of caste
society were the main reasons of their disabilities.
CBSE Term II History XII
J Nagappa from Madras, pointed out that depressed castes have
been suffering not due to their numerical insignificance (they
constitute only 20 to 25 per cent of total population) but due to
systematic marginalisation which is continuing for thousands of
year.
Recommendations by the Constituent Assembly
Ambedkar gave up the demand for separate electorates after the
violence of partition. Finally, the Constituent Assembly
recommended that
l
Untouchability should be abolished.
l
Hindu temples to be opened to all castes.
l
Seats and jobs should be reserved in legislatures and
government offices for the lowest castes respectively.
The Powers of the State
One of the important topics discussed in the Constituent
Assembly was the respective rights of the Central Government
and the States. Jawaharlal Nehru argued for a strong centre.
The Draft Constitution provided three lists of subjects for
distribution of power
(i) Union List Subjects falling under this list were controlled
by the Central Government. The Union also had control of
minerals and key industries. Moreover, under Article 356,
the Centre had powers to take over a state administration
on the recommendation of the Governor.
(ii) State List Subjects under the state list were controlled by
the State Government.
(iii) Concurrent List Subjects covered under this list were
controlled by both the Center and the State, but the
highest authority has been given to the Centre.
Provision of Fiscal Federalism
The Constitution also mandated for a complex system of fiscal
federalism. In the case of some taxes such as custom duties and
company taxes, all the proceeds were retained by the Centre.
In the case of some other taxes such as income tax and excise
duties, the proceeds were shared by both the Centre and the
states but income from some other taxes such as estate duties
was wholly assigned to the states.
Some taxes such as land and property taxes, sales tax and tax on
bottled liquor could be levied and collected by the states on
their own.
Views of K Santhanam
K Santhanam from Madras, defended the rights of the states. He
believed that a reallocation of powers was necessary not only to
strengthen the states but also the Centre. He felt that Centre
would not be able to function properly if it was overburdened.
The Centre would be stronger if some of its functions were
transferred to the states.
CBSE Term II History XII
Emphasis to the Need of a Strong Centre
There were several members in the Constituent Assembly
who were in favour of a strong Centre. BR Ambedkar declared
that he wanted a strong and united Centre, stronger than the
Centre under the Government of India Act of 1935. The
supporters argued that a strong Centre could stop communal
outburst. Gopalaswami Ayyangar declared that, the Centre
should be made as strong as possible.
Balakrishna Sharma, a member from the United Provinces,
also emphasised the need for a powerful and strong centre.
He believed that a strong Centre could plan for the well-being
of the country, mobilise the available economic resources,
establish a proper administration, and defend the country
against foreign aggression. On the other hand, many leaders
expressed their fear against the strong centre. They demanded
that there should be fewer items in the concurrent and union
list. Even, a member from Odisha warned that the Centre is
likely to break since power had been excessively centralised
under the Constitution.
The Language of the Nation
Another important issue which was debated over many
months in the Assembly was the issue of the language of the
Nation.
Language Adopted by the Congress
The Congress by the 1930s had accepted Hindustani to be the
National language. Hindustani was a blend of Hindi and
Urdu.
It was popular among a large section of the people of India
and was a composite language enriched by the interaction of
diverse cultures.
Hence, Gandhiji also wanted to make Hindustani the
language of the Nation. He believed that Hindustani is a
multi-cultural language. It has incorporated words and terms
from different sources over the years. Therefore it was
understood by people from various regions.
However, Hindustani language started changing from the end
of the nineteenth century. With growing communal conflicts,
Hindi language began to use more Sanskrit words and Urdu
language began to use more Persian words.
Emphasis on the Need for Hindi
RV Dhulekar, a Congressman from the United Provinces,
made a strong appeal to make Hindi as the language of
Constitution-making.
According to him, those people who does not understand
Hindustani, they should not participate in the making of the
Constitution. Dhulekar wanted Hindi to be declared as a
national language and not only an official language.
73
In 1947, the Language Committee of the Constituent
Assembly submitted its report. It recommended a
compromise formula to resolve the deadlock between those
who advocated Hindi as National language and those who
were against it.
The decision taken by the Committee was that Hindi in the
Devanagiri script would be the official language. English
would be continued for all official purposes for the first
fifteen years. Each province was allowed to chose one of
the regional languages for official work within the province.
The Fear of Domination
Some members like Shrimati G Dugabai from Madras
(Chennai) informed the House that the opposition of Hindi
in South was very much strong. She had accepted
Hindustani as the language of the people. But an attempt to
take out words from Urdu and other regional languages from
it will certainly create anxiety and fear amongst different
language groups.
Shri Shankarrao Deo, a Congress member from Bombay
had also accepted Hindustani as a language of the Nation.
TA Ramalingam Chettiar from Madras emphasised that it
is necessary to first address the concerns of the people
before pushing Hindi forcefully. There should be mutual
adjustment and no question of forcing things on people.
Features of the Constitution
The Constitution of India came into being through a process
of intense debate and discussion. Some important features of
the Constitution are
(i) There was substantial agreement on the granting of the
Right to Vote to every adult Indian. In other
democratic countries like the United States and the
United Kingdom, initially, the men of property were
granted the vote, but later men with education were
granted the right. It was after a long struggle that men
of working-class or peasant background were also given
the Right to Vote and later women were also granted
the right.
(ii) The Constitution emphasised on secularism. This was
done through the Fundamental Rights to Freedom of
Religion (Articles 25-28), Cultural and Educational
Rights (Articles 29, 30) and Rights to Equality (Articles
14, 16, 17). All religions were given equal treatment by
the state and given the right to maintain charitable
institutions.
The state did not give importance to the religious
communities, banned compulsory religious instructions
in state-run schools and colleges and declared religious
discrimination in employment to be illegal. However, a
certain legal space was created for social reform within
communities which was used to ban untouchability and
introduce changes in personal and family laws.
74 CBSE Term II History XII

Chapter
Practice
(d) The Constituent Assembly was represented by many
PART 1 parties viz, Congress, Muslim League, Communist
Party etc.
Objective Questions Ans. (a) The Constituent Assembly was dominated by the
Congress as the Congress swept the general seats in the
l Multiple Choice Questions provincial elections.
4. Who introduced the crucial ‘Objective Resolution
1. Whose constitutional status remained ambiguous at in Constituent Assembly’?
the time of Independence?
(a) BR Ambedkar
(a) Minorities
(b) Jawaharlal Nehru
(b) Depressed classes
(c) Vallabhbhai Patel
(c) Princely states
(d) KM Munshi
(d) Tribals
Ans. (b) Jawaharlal Nehru introduced the ‘Objective
Ans. (c) The constitutional status of princely states remained
Resolution’ on 13th December, 1946 which outlined the
ambiguous at the time of Independence. It is because
defining ideals of the Constitution of independent India.
during the British raj approximately one-third of the area
of India was under the control of nawabs and maharajas 5. Who joined the Union Cabinet as Law Minister
who owed allegiance to the British crown but were left to after Independence and also served as Chairman of
rule freely. the Drafting Committee?
2. Why the years immediately preceding the making (a) Alladi Krishnaswamy Iyer
of Constitution had been described as exceptionally (b) Rajendra Prasad
turbulent ? (c) Jawaharlal Nehru
(d) B R Ambedkar
(a) Events such as Quit India Movement, Indian National
Army and Royal Indian Navy mutiny raised the hope Ans. (d) BR Ambedkar joined the Union Cabinet as Law
of Independence. Minister on the advice of Mahatma Gandhi. He also
(b) India also faced Hindu-Muslim riots on large scale served as the Chairman of the the Drafting Committee of
due to the partition. the Constitution.
(c) Both (a) and (b) 6. Identify the name of the resolution from the
(d) None of the above
information given below.
Ans. (c) The years immediately preceding the making of l
It was proposed by Jawaharlal Nehru.
Constitution was described as turbulent because events
like Quit India Movement, Indian National Army and
l
It was a momentous resolution that outlined the
Royal Indian Navy mutiny, Hindu-Muslim riots were defining ideals of the Constitution of Independent
held at that period. India.
l
It provided the framework within which the work of
3. In the winter of 1945-46 provincial elections were constitution-making was to proceed.
held in India. The Provincial Legislatures then chose l
It proclaimed India to be an ‘Independent Sovereign
the representatives to the Constituent Assembly.
Republic’.
Which party dominated the Constituent Assembly?
(a) Objective Resolution
(a) The Constituent Assembly was dominated by the
Congress (b) Constitutional Resolution
(b) The Constituent Assembly was dominated by the (c) Supreme Resolution of India
members of Labour Party (d) None of the above
(c) The Constituent Assembly was dominated equally by Ans. (a) The given information is about Objective Resolution.
both the Muslim League and the Congress Party
CBSE Term II History XII 75

7. Identify the name of the person from the following Ans. (a) In the above picture, the session of the Constituent
information given below. Assembly was going on. Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel is seen
sitting second from the right.
l
He served as a Chairman of Drafting Committee of the
Constitution. 11. Consider the following statements.
l
During the period of British rule, he had been a political I. The Constitution of India came into effect on 26th
opponent of the Congress. January, 1950.
l
He had demanded separate electorates for the II. It is the longest written Constitution in the world.
depressed castes.
Choose the correct option
l
He was a lawyer and economist.
(a) Only I is correct (b) Both I and II are correct
(a) Dr BR Ambedkar (b) BN Rau
(c) Only II is correct (d) None of these
(c) NG Ranga (d) Jagjivan Ram
Ans. (b) Both the statements are true. The Constitution came
Ans. (a) The given information is about BR Ambedkar. into effect on 26th January, 1950. It is the largest
8. Which of the following pairs is correct? constitution which originally had 395 articles divided into
(a) Last meeting of the Interim – 16th July, 1947 22 parts and 8 schedules.
Government 12. Consider the following statements regarding
(b) Jinnah elected President of the – 11th August, 1946. Objective Resolution.
Constituent Assembly of
I. It proclaimed India as Independent Sovereign
Pakistan
Republic.
(c) Constitution is signed – September 1946
II. It guaranteed its citizens justice, equality and
(d) Muslim demands dissolution – December 1947 freedom.
of Constituent Assembly
III. Assured adequate safeguards for some section of
Ans. (a) Last meeting of interim government was held on society.
16th July, 1947, Jinnah elected President of Constituent IV. Assured nationalisation of all major industries.
Assembly of Pakistan on 11th August, 1947, Constitution Which of the above statement(s) is/are correct?
is signed on December 1949. Muslim demanded
(a) I, II and III (b) II and III
dissolution of Constituent assembly on 29th January, 1947.
(c) II, III and IV (d) I, II, III and IV
9. Match the following. Ans. (a) Statements I, II and III are correct. Statement IV is
incorrect as Objective resolution did not suggest the
List I List II
assured nationalisation of all major industries.
A. Quit India Movement 1. 1942
B. Royal Indian Navy Mutiny 2. 1946
l
Assertion-Reasoning MCQs
Directions (Q. Nos. 13-17) Each of these questions
C. Government of India Act 3. 1935
contains two statements, Assertion (A) and Reason
D. Constitution came into effect 4. 1950 (R). Each of these questions also has four alternative
choices, any one of which is the correct answer. You
Codes have to select one of the codes (a), (b), (c) and (d)
A B C D A B C D given below.
(a) 1 2 3 4 (b) 2 1 4 3 Codes
(c) 3 4 2 1 (d) 4 3 1 2 (a) Both A and R are true and R is the correct explanation
Ans. (a) of A
10. Identify the person who is circled in the given image. (b) Both A and R are true, but R is not the correct
explanation of A
(c) A is true, but R is false (d) A is false, but R is true
13. Assertion (A) At Independence, India was not
merely large and diverse, but also deeply divided.
Reason (R) There was large scale polarisation
among religious communities.
Ans. (a) During the time of partition there was large scale
polarisation among Hindu and Muslim communities.
It was because at the time of Independence, India was
deeply divided between the two religious communities.
(a) Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel (b) Rajendra Prasad Thus the statement R is the correct explanation of the
(c) Lal Bahadur Shastri (d) None of these statement A.
76
14. Assertion (A) All the members of Constitutional
Assembly were against the idea of separate electorate.
Reason (R) The demand for separate electorates
provoked anger and dismay amongst most nationalist.
Ans. (d) The statement A is false, because some members like
B Pocker Bahadur urged for separate electorate in the
Constituent Assembly. But the demand for separate
electorates provoked anger and dismay among the most
nationalist. Thus, the statement (R) is true.
15. Assertion (A) By 1949, most Muslim members of
the Constituent Assembly were against the idea of
separate electorate.
Reason (R) They were of the view that Muslims
must take active part in the democratic process to
have a decisive voice in the political system.
Ans. (a) Not all Muslims supported the demand for separate
electorates. By 1949, most Muslim members wanted to
take an active part in democratic process. Thus, statement
A is perfectly justified by R.
16. Assertion (A) The executive was made entirely
responsible to the Provincial Legislature in 1935.
Reason (R) Government of India Act of 1935 was
passed.
Ans. (a) The Government of India Act was passed in 1935
which gradually enlarged the space for Indian
participation in provincial government. In 1935, the
executive was made entirely responsible to the provincial
legislature.
17. Assertion (A) The Congress by the 1930s had
accepted Hindustani to be the National Language.
Reason (R) Hindi got developed from Hindustani
language only.
Ans. (c) The statement A is correct. Statement R is false as
Hindustani was a blend of Hindi and Urdu and was
popular language of a large section of people of India.
l
Case Based MCQs
18. Read the given case/source about discussion of
separate electorates in Constitutional Assembly and
answer the questions that follow by choosing the
correct answer.
I believe separate electorates will be suicidal to the
minorities and will do them tremendous harm. If they
are isolated forever, they can never convert
themselves into a majority and the feeling of
frustration will cripple them even from the very
beginning. What is it that you desire and what is our
ultimate objective? Do the minorities always want to
remain as minorities or do they ever expect to form an
CBSE Term II History XII
integral part of a great nation and as such to guide and
control its destinies? If they do, can they ever achieve
that aspiration and that ideal if they are isolated from
the rest of the community? I think it would be
extremely dangerous for them if they were segregated
from the rest of the community and kept aloof in an
air-tight compartment where they would have to rely
on others even for the air they breath. The minorities if
they are returned by separate electorates can never
have any effective voice.
(i) Which of the following is correct?
(a) Countering the demand for separate electorates,
Govind Ballabh, Pant declared that it was harmful for
the nation.
(b) Govind Ballabh Pant thought separate electorate was
harmful for the minorities.
(c) Both (a) and (b)
(d) None of the above
Ans. (c) Govind Ballabh Pant believed that separate electorate
was harmful as the success of a democracy was to be
judged by the confidence it generated amongst every
citizen of a country.
(ii) Choose the correct option.
If the minorities are isolated in a democracy, the
result will be
(a) They can never convert themselves into a majority
(b) the feeling of frustration will cripple them from
beginning.
(c) Both (a) and (b)
(d) None of these
Ans. (c) If minorities will be isolated in a democracy, it will be
harmful to them as they can never convert themselves
into a majority and the feeling of frustration will affect
them.
(iii) If the minorities are given separate electorates, then
(a) they can never have any effective voice
(b) it would be dangerous for them
(c) they would have to rely on others for everything they
needed
(d) All of the above
Ans. (d) All the given statements by Govind Ballabh Pant are
correct.
(iv) Begum Aizaz Rasul disapproved the demand of
separate electorate for minorities as
(a) she believed it was self-destructive.
(b) it may isolate the minorities from the majority.
(c) it didn’t carry any economic reward.
(d) Both (a) and (b)
Ans. (d) Begum Aizaz Rasul disapproved the demand of
separate electorate for minorities as she believed that it
was self-destructive and may isolate the minorities from
the majority.
CBSE Term II History XII
(v) What was the main reason behind Govind Ballabh
Pant’s opposition to idea of separate electorate?
(a) He believed that it would make difficult for minorities
to become integral part of the nation.
(b) It may result into minorities losing their effective voice
in decision making.
(c) Both (a) and (b)
(d) None of the above
Ans. (c) Govind Ballabh Pant believed that the separate
electorates was very harmful for the minorities interest in
the long run.
PART 2
Subjective Questions
l Short Answer (SA) Type Questions
1. What were the immediate events before the making
of the Constitution?
Ans. The immediate events before the making of the constitution
were
l
India became independent on 15th August, 1947 but was
divided.
l
Quit India Movement (1942) was launched which was a
widespread popular movement against the British, and it
was still in the memory.
l
Subhas Chandra Bose bid to win freedom through armed
struggle and there was an uprising of the Royal Indian
Navy in Bombay and other cities in the spring of 1946.
l
There were mass protests of workers and peasants in
different parts of the country in the late 1940s.
2. ‘The discussions within the Constituent Assembly
were also influenced by the opinions expressed by
the public’. Examine the statement. (Delhi 2012)
Ans. The discussions within the Constituent Assembly were
influenced by the opinions expressed by the public in the
following ways
l
The newspapers reported the arguments presented by
different members on any issue. Criticisms and counter
criticism in the press shaped the nature of the consensus
that was ultimately reached on specific issues.
l
Suggestions from the public created a sense of collective
participation. Many linguistic minorities demanded
protection of their mother tongue. Religious minorities
asked for special safeguards.
l
The low-caste groups or dalits demanded an end to
ill-treatments by upper-caste people and reservation of
separate seats on the basis of their population in
legislatures.
77
(vi) Consider the following statements.
I. B Pocker Bahadur from Madras argued the need
to create a political framework in which
minorities could live in harmony with others.
II. Partition had made nationalist strongly opposed
to the idea of separate electorate.
Choose the correct option
(a) Only I is correct (b) Only II is correct
(c) Both I and II are correct (d) None of these
Ans. (c) Both the statements I and II are correct.
3. How Objective Resolution played a key role in
drafting of the Constitution?
Or What were the ideals expressed in the Objectives
Resolution?
Ans. Objective Resolution played a key role in drafting of the
Constitution through its ideal in the following ways
l
The resolution was introduced on 13th December,
1946 by Jawaharlal Nehru in the Constituent Assembly
and it defined the ideals of the Constitution of
Independent India.
l
It provided the framework within which the work of
Constitution making was to proceed.
l
It proclaimed India to be an Independent, Sovereign
and Republic country.
l
It guaranteed India’s citizens justice, equality and
freedom.
l
It assured adequate safeguards for minorities,
backward and tribal areas, depressed and other
backwards classes.
4. What historical forces shaped the vision of the
Constitution? (NCERT)
Ans. Historical forces that shaped the vision of the
Constitution were
l
Basic values were accepted by all National leaders as a
result of the Nehru Report and the Fundamental
Rights resolution.
l
As a result of the 1937 elections, the Congress and
other political parties were able to form governments
in the provinces. This helped in developing an
agreement over institutional design.
l
The Indian Constitution adopted many institutional
deals and procedures from colonial laws like the
Government of India Act of 1935.
78
l
On 13th December, 1946, Jawaharlal Nehru stated the
ideals of the new Indian Constitution and discussed
everything in a broad historical perspective. He referred
to the historic efforts made in the past to achieve the
goals of justice, liberty, equality, fraternity and
fundamental rights.
5. ‘‘A communist member, Somnath Lahiri saw the
dark hand of British imperialism hanging over the
deliberations of the Constituent Assembly.”
Examine the statement and give your own views in
support of your answer. (All India 2012)
Ans. The statement that Somnath Lahiri saw the dark hand or
influence of the British imperialism over the deliberations
of the Constituent Assembly implies the belief of Lahiri
that the Constituent Assembly was made by British and
was working according to the British plans and their wish.
As a result, he urged the members to completely free
themselves from the influences of imperial rule.
He believed in this way because in 1946-47, when the
Assembly was constituted, the British were still in India.
An interim administration headed by Jawaharlal Nehru
was in place, but it could only operate under the
directions of the Viceroy and the British Government in
London.
However, the establishment of Constituent Assembly and
subsequent formulation is different from Lahiri’s belief in
various aspects which were
l
Firstly, the assembly was truly Indian unlike previous
committees or institutions.
l
Secondly, the vision it outlined was not of a colonised
country but of the Constitution of an Independent
Sovereign Republic of India.
Hence, the statement of Somnath Lahiri was not correct
completely.
6. What was Govind Ballabh Pant’s argument against
separate electorates?
Ans. The arguments of Govind Ballabh Pant against separate
electorates were
l
According to him, the demand of separate electorates
was not only harmful for the Nation but also for the
minorities. He believed that democracy can be judged
with the confidence generated by different sections of
people.
l
For him, every citizen was to be treated in a way that it
fulfils not only material wants but spiritual sense of self
respect. There was a need for the majority to
understand the problems of minorities. But still Pant
was opposed to the idea of separate electorates.
l
He believed that it was a suicidal demand that would
permanently isolate the minorities, make them
vulnerable and deprived them of giving any opinion
within the government.
CBSE Term II History XII
7. Why did NG Ranga urge to interpret minorities in
the economic terms in the Constituent Assembly?
Explain. (Delhi 2019)
Ans. NG Ranga, a socialist, wanted to interpret the term
minorities in economic terms because
l
According to him, the real minorities were the poor and
the downtrodden. He believed that for a poor there was
no meaning of the fundamental right to live, to have full
employment or that they could have their meetings,
their conferences, their associations and various other
civil liberties.
l
There was a need to create conditions where these
rights could be effectively enjoyed for this they needed
protection.
l
He admitted that the common masses were not able to
come up to the Constituent Assembly, thus it was their
duty to speak for them.
8. What were the provisions of fiscal federalism?
Ans. The provisions of fiscal federalism were
l
In the case of some taxes such as custom duties and
company taxes, all the proceeds were retained by
Centre.
l
In the case of other taxes such as income tax and excise
duties, the proceeds were shared by both the Centre
and the states.
l
Income from some other taxes such as estate duties was
wholly assigned to the states.
l
Some taxes such as land and property taxes, sales tax
and tax on bottled liquor could be levied and collected by
the states on their own.
9. Briefly explain three lists of the Constitution.
Ans. The three lists of the Constitution are
(i) Union List Subjects covered under this list were
controlled by the Central Government. The Union
also had control of minerals and key industries.
Moreover under Article 356, the Centre had powers
to take over a state administration on the
recommendation of the Governor.
(ii) State List Subjects covered under this list were
controlled by the State Government.
(iii) Concurrent List Subjects covered under this list
were controlled by both the Center and the State, but
the highest authority has been given to the Centre.
10. What were the arguments in favour of greater
power to the provinces?
Ans. The arguments in favour of greater power to the
provinces were
l
K Santhanam from Madras, defended the rights of the
states. He believed that a reallocation of powers was
necessary not only to strengthen the states but also the
Centre.
CBSE Term II History XII
l
Santhanam felt that Centre would not be able to function
properly if it was overburdened. The Centre would be
made stronger if some of its functions were transferred to
the states.
l
Santhanam believed that the proposed allocation of
powers would damage the states. The fiscal provisions,
would ruin the states since most taxes, except land
revenue, had been made the preserve of the Centre.
Thus, it was not possible for states to undertake any
project of development without finances.
l
On the issue of greater province, AR Mudaliar said that
demanding it does not mean that person has less national
spirit or patriotism.
11. Why did Mahatma Gandhi think Hindustani should
be the National language?
Or Why did Gandhiji give emphasis on ‘Hindustani’ as
to be the National Language of India ? Explain.
(All India 2020)
Ans. Gandhiji wanted to make Hindustani the language of the
Nation because
l
He felt that everyone should use a language which could
be understood easily by all people.Hindustani was a
mixture of Hindi and Urdu. It was popular among a large
section of the people of India and was a composite
language enriched by the interaction of diverse cultures.
It has incorporated words and terms from different
languages over the years.
l
He believed that Hindustani is a multi-cultural language
hence would be the ideal language of communication
between diverse communities.
l
Hindustani language could unify Hindus and Muslims
and people of the North and the South.
12. Explain why certain members of the Constituent
Assembly were opposing Hindustani as a national
language.
Ans. Some members of the Constituent Assembly were
opposing Hindustani as a national language because
l
They were afraid of domination of Hindi over other
languages. Some members like Shrimati G Durgabai from
Madras informed the House that the opposition of Hindi
in South was very much strong. She had accepted
Hindustani as the language of the people. But an attempt
to take out words from Urdu and other regional languages
from it will certainly create anxiety and fear amongst
different language groups.
l
Shri Shankarrao Deo, a Congress member from Bombay
had also accepted Hindustani as a language of the Nation
but he warned that he supported Hindi only if the House
does not do anything which might raise any suspicion and
strengthen his fears.
l
TA Ramalingam Chettiar from Madras emphasised that it
is necessary to first address the concerns of the people
before promoting Hindi forcefully.
79
13. How did the Constituent Assembly seek to resolve
the language controversy? (NCERT)
Ans For resolving the controversy, a Language Committee
was formed to give its recommendation to the Assembly.
The language controversy was that there were
differences in the views among the members of
Constituent Assembly over making Hindi as national
language. RV Dhulekar, aggressively supported Hindi as
national language which was not liked by many others.
Many members from South India wanted that
Hindustani should be declared as national language of
the country. They felt that Hindi language is being
imposed on them. They also perceived that Hindi would
be a threat to their provincial languages. Sankar Rao
from Bombay, TA Ramalingam Chettiar and Mrs. G
Durgabai of Madras protests against this move.
Thus, to resolve the controversy, the decision
taken by the Committee was that Hindi in the
Devanagiri script to be the official language but
the transition to Hindi would be gradual. English
was to be continued for all official purposes for the
first fifteen years. Each province was to chose one
of the regional languages for official work within
the province.
14. Why the Constitution was regarded a source
of expressing the aspirations of freedom fighters?
Ans Constitution of India has been regarded as a source of
expressing the aspiration of the freedom fighters
because Constitution enshrined all the principle values
for which freedom fighters sacrificed their lives. These
values were
l
The ideals of democracy, equality and justice etc were
given preference in the Constitution.
l
The nationalist movement was against an oppressive
and illegitimate government. In this regard,
Constitution established legitimate government which
was chosen by people. For this, everyone was granted
right to vote.
l
Fundamental rights were also included in the
Constitution so that everyone can live with dignity
which was not provided during British rule.
l
Lot of provisions were added to provide economic and
social justice to the vulnerable sections of the society.
15. What were the important features of the
Constitution?
Ans The Constitution of India came into being through a
process of intense debate and discussion. Some
important features of the Constitution are
(i) Right to Vote to Every Adult There was substantial
agreement in the Constitution on the granting of the
vote to every adult Indian. In other democratic
countries like the United States and the United
80
Kingdom, initially men of property were granted the
vote, then men with education were granted the
right. It was after a long struggle that men of
working-class or peasant background were also given the
Right to Vote and later women were also granted.
(ii) Secularism Another important feature of the
Constitution was that it emphasised secularism. This
was done through the Fundamental Rights to
‘Freedom of Religion’ (Articles 25-28), ‘Cultural and
Educational Rights’ (Articles 29, 30) and ‘Rights to
Equality’ (Articles 14, 16, 17).
All religions were given equal treatment by the state
and given the right to maintain charitable
institutions. The state also sought to distance itself
from religious communities, banning compulsory
religious instructions in state-run schools and
colleges and declaring religious discrimination in
employment to be illegal. A legal space was created
for social reform within communities which was used
to ban untouchability and introduce changes in
personal and family laws.
l Long Answer Type Questions
1. “Different groups expressed their desires in different
ways and made different demands”. Support the
statement with reference to the problem of separate
electorate.
Or Partition of India had made nationalists strongly
opposed to the idea of separate electorate. Examine
the statement. (Delhi 2020, All India 2018)
Ans. There were different desires and demands by different
groups for the problem of separate electorate and
partition of India had made the nationalist to oppose the
idea of separate electorate as they perceived that it is
responsible for the partition of the country. Views of
different nationalist leaders about the separate electorate
were
Sardar Patel He declared that separate electorate was a
poison that has entered in the political system of the
country. Due to it, one community turned against the
another and divided the nation. Hence, there was no
place of separate electorate in independent India.
Govind Ballabh Pant He believed that it was harmful for
the nation as well as for the minorities. He asserted that it
was a suicidal demand. It would permanently isolate the
minorities, make them vulnerable and deprive them of
effective role in the government.
In order to build political unity and forge a nation, every
individual had to be moulded into a citizen of the state
and each group had to be assimilated within the nation.
Moreover, he believed that in order to become loyal
citizens, people had to stop focusing on the community and
the self. Members of all communities had to act as equal
members of one state.
CBSE Term II History XII
RV Dhulekar He believed that on the name of safeguard
to minorities, British introduced the idea of separate
electorate to fulfill their political objective. According to
him, there was no requirement of separate electorate in
the independent India as governments would function on
the basis of the Constitution. There were several
provisions for the safeguards of the minorities, hence,
separate electorate was not required.
BR Ambedkar He was in the favour of separate electorate
for the dalits but before independence he gave up his
demand. He also opposed members of assembly who
were demanding for the separate electorates.
Muslim Leaders Some nationalist Muslim leaders like
Begum Aizaas Rasul felt that separate electorates were
self-destructive since they isolate the minorities from the
majority. Other Muslim leaders also asserted that separate
electorates were against the interest of the minorities. All
the minorities need to take active part in democratic
process.
2. How did Constituent Assembly of India protected
the powers of the Central Government? Explain.
(All India 2016)
Ans The Constituent Assembly protected the powers of the
Central Government in the following ways
l
Constituent Assembly decided to opt for a federation
alongwith strong Centre. There were arguments in favour
of strong provinces which evoked powerful reactions
from the leaders who preferred strong centre.
l
Dr BR Ambedkar and Jawaharlal Nehru propounded a
strong Central Government for India. They stated that
only a strong Centre can stop the communal disharmony.
l
Balakrishna Sharma focussed on length of the Nation
and stated that only a Centre, which was powerful could
plan for the well-being of the country.
l
Strong Centre would help in mobilising available
economic resources and proper administration was
possible only through strong Centre.
l
The rights of the states were most impressively
defended by K Santhanam from Madras. Also the
decision of the Constituent Assembly to have a strong
Centre was occasioned by the situations in which it was
taken.
l
Most of the members felt that strong Centre was the
need of the hour. It was necessary to ensure peace,
prosperity and political stability and hence, Gopalaswami
Ayyangar declared to make Centre as strong as possible.
3. ‘‘Within the Constituent Assembly of India the
language issue was intensely debated.” Examine
the views put forward by members of the Assembly
on the issue. (All India 2016)
Ans The language issue was intensely debated within the
Constituent Assembly. RV Dhulekar, Shrimati
G Durgabai, Shri Shankarrao Deo and TA Ramalingam
CBSE Term II History XII
Chettiar were prominent members of the Constituent
Assembly who gave their remarkable views on language
which were
l
RV Dhulekar, a Congressman from the United
Provinces, made a strong appeal that Hindi must be
used as the language of the Constitution making.
According to him, those people who does not
understand Hindustani, they should not participate in
the making of the Constitution. Many members of the
assembly became agitated and the controversy
regarding language continued over the next three
years.
Ans There were several members in the Constituent Assembly
l
Shrimati G Durgabai from Madras expressed that the
controversy regarding language made the non-Hindi
speaking people to think that other powerful
languages of India would be neglected. She informed
the House that the opposition in the South against
Hindi was very strong.
She accepted Hindustani as the language of the
people. But its character was changed as it took out
many Urdu words and regional vocabulary. Durgabai
believed this composite character of Hindustani would
create anxieties and fears among different language
groups.
l
Shri Shankarrao Deo, a Congress member from
Bombay and a follower of Mahatma Gandhi accepted
Hindustani as a language of the Nation but he warned
that he supported Hindi only if the House does not do
anything which might raise any suspicion and
strengthen his fears.
l
TA Ramalingam Chettiar from Madras suggested that
there would be fear and bitter feelings among people if
Hindi was applied forcefully, although the people might
be unjustified. So he believed that to form a united
nation, there should be mutual adjustment and no
question of forcing things on people.
4. Discuss the different arguments made in favour of
protection of the oppressed groups. (NCERT)
Ans The argument made in favour of protection of the
l
Case Based Questions
oppressed groups were
l
It was felt that the oppressed groups like the tribals
and untouchables needed protection and ensure
conditions that would bring them up to the level of the
general population.
l
The tribes were displaced from their land, deprived of
their forest and pastures and were forced to settle to a
new place. The society did not treat them equally due
to their primitiveness and backwardness.
l
Some members of the depressed castes felt that the
problem of the untouchables could not be sorted out
only through protection and safeguards. They believed
that social norms and the moral values of caste society
were the main reasons of their disabilities.
81
l
Some believed that they have been used by the society for
services and labour but kept them at a social distance,
refused to mix with them or dine with them or allow them
entry into temples. The factor lying behind their miseries
was to keep them at a margin in society and politics. They
had no access to education and no share in the
administrations.
5. What connection did some of the
members of the Constituent Assembly make between
the political situation of the time and the need for a
strong centre? (NCERT)
who were in favour of a strong centre and made a
connection between time the political situation of the country
and the need for a strong centre in the following ways
l
The members tried to ensure unity and integrity of the
nation. The country was partitioned in 1947. They did not
want any such partition in future because of which,
except few, all the members supported demand of strong
centre.
l
BR Ambedkar declared that he wanted a strong and
United Centre, stronger than the Centre under the
Government of India Act of 1935. The supporters argued
that a strong Centre could stop communal out burst.
l
Gopalaswami Ayyangar declared that, the centre should
be made as strong as possible.
l
Balakrishna Sharma, a member from the United
Provinces, also emphasised the need for a powerful and
strong centre. He believed that a strong centre could plan
for the well-being of the country, mobilise the available
economic resources, establish a proper administration and
defend the country against foreign aggression.
l
Leaders like Jawaharlal Nehru also supported the
demand of a strong centre as country was going through
the phase of transformation. Many areas or regions of the
country wanted to establish themselves as a separate
entity. Hence, strong centre was the need of the hour.
1. Read the given case/source and answer the following
questions.
“There cannot be any divided loyalty”
Govind Ballabh Pant argued that in order to become
loyal citizens, people had to stop focusing only on the
community and the self. For the success of democracy,
one must train himself in the art of self discipline. In
democracies one should care less for himself and more
for others. There cannot be divided loyalty. All loyalties
must exclusively be centred round the state. If in a
democracy, you create rival loyalties, or you create a
system in which any individual or group, instead of
suppressing his extravagance, cares sought for larger or
other interests, then democracy is doomed. (Delhi 2015)
82
(i) Why did Govind Ballabh Pant lay more stress on
the art of self-discipline?
(ii) What was considered important for the success of
democracy to be successful?
(iii) ‘In democracies one should care less for himself
and more for other.’ Give your views on this
philosophy.
Ans (i) Govind Ballabh Pant lay more stress on the art of
self-discipline as to make democracy successful, one
should be self-disciplined. Individual should care less
for personal gain and focus more on collective benefit or
for other gain in democracy.
(ii) For success of democracy, loyalty should not be
divided, it must be centred round the state, and
citizens should care less for themselves and more for
fellow citizens.
(iii) This philosophy of democracy suggests that one
should be considerate towards other. Nothing
should be done for personal gain which can harm
the interest of other person or large section of
people. This philosophy promotes the feeling of
people centric benefits instead of individual centric.
2. Read the given case/source and answer the
following questions.
‘We are Not just Going to Copy’
We say that it is our firm and solemn resolve to have
an independent sovereign republic. India is bound to
be sovereign, it is bound to be independent and it is
bound to be a republic....Now, some friends have
raised the question “Why have you not put in the
word ‘democratic’ here.?” Well, I told them that it is
conceivable of course, that a republic may not be
democratic but the whole of our past is witness to this
fact that we stand for democratic institutions.
Obviously, we are aiming at democracy and nothing
less than a democracy. What form of democracy, what
shape it might take is another matter.
The democracies of the present day, many of them in
Europe and elsewhere, have played a great part in the
world’s progress. Yet it may be doubtful if those
democracies may not have to change their shape
somewhat before long if they have to remain
completely democratic. We are not going just to copy,
I hope, a certain democratic procedure or an
institution of a so-called democratic country.
We may improve upon it. In any event whatever
system of government we may establish here must fit
in with the temper of our people and be acceptable to
them. We stand for democracy. It will be for this
House to determine what shape to be given to that
democracy, the fullest democracy, I hope the House
will notice that in this resolution, although we have
not used the word ‘democratic’ because we thought it
CBSE Term II History XII
is obvious that the word ‘republic’ contains that word
and we have done something much more than using
the word.
We have given the content of democracy in this
resolution and not only the content of democracy but
the context, also, if I may say so of economic
democracy in this resolution. Others might take
objection to this Resolution on the grounds that we
have not said that it should be a Socialist State. Well, I
stand for Socialism and, I hope, India will stand for
Socialism and that India will go towards the
Constitution of a Socialist State and I do believe that
the whole world will have to go that way.
(Delhi 2014, 2010)
(i) Explain, why Nehru did not mention the word
‘democratic’ in the resolution?
(ii) Mention the three basic features of the
Constitution given in the above passage.
(iii) On what kind of socialism did Nehru give stress
to?
Ans. (i) The explanation given by Jawaharlal Nehru for not
using the term ‘democratic’ in the objective
resolution is
l
It was thought by the makers of the Constitution
that the word ‘republic’ already contains the word
‘democratic’.
l
They did not want to use unnecessary and
redundant words.
(ii) Three basic features of the Constitution given in
above passage are independent, sovereign and
republic. India is bound to be sovereign, it is bound
to be independent and it is bound to be republic.
With these three features, India is trying to be
democratic.
(iii) Nehru stressed on and was a supporter of socialism.
He said that India would stand for socialism, where
every citizen would be provided equal opportunities
for growth and development.
3. Read the given case/source and answer the
following questions.
‘‘British Element is Gone but they have left the
Mischief Behind’’
Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel said: It is no use saying that
we ask for separate electorates, because it is good for
us. We have heard it long enough. We have heard it
for years and as a result of this agitation we are now a
separate nation... Can you show me one free country
where there are separate electorates? If so, I shall be
prepared to accept it. But in this unfortunate country if
this separate electorate is going to be persisted in,
even after the division of the country, woe betide the
country; it is not worth living in.
CBSE Term II History XII 83

Therefore, I say, it is not for my good alone, it is for and Muslims were not common, so to represent
your own good that I say it, forget the past. One day, Muslims there should be a Muslim only, similarly for
we may be united... The British element is gone, but Hindu, only Hindu should represent. Thus, this
they have left the mischief behind. policy separated the people on the basis of religion
We do not want to perpetuate that mischief (hear, and result in a separate nation.
hear). When the British introduced this element they 22. Study this image of Jawaharlal Nehru’s speech and
had not expected that they have to go so soon. They answer any three of the following questions.
wanted it for their easy administration. That is all
right. But they have left the legacy behind. Are we to
get out of it or not? (All India 2015, 2014)
(i) Why were separate electorates considered as a
mischief?
(ii) State the arguments given by Sardar Vallabhbhai
Patel for building political unity and forming the
nation.
(iii) How did the philosophy of separate electorates
result in a separate nation?
Ans. (i) Separate electorates were considered as a mischief
because in the name of giving representation to (i) When did this speech was delivered ?
minorities and making the administration easy, Ans. Jawaharlal Nehru gave the speech in the Constituent
Britishers divided two major communities of India Assembly on 14th August, 1947.
politically. Later, this issue of separate electorates
played an important role in partition of the country. (ii) By which ideals the leaders of Constitutional
Assembly were guided ?
(ii) The arguments given by the Vallabhbhai Patel for
building political unity and forming the nation were Ans. The leaders of Constituent Assembly were guided by the
ideals of liberty, equality and justice.
l
He asked from supporter of separate electorates
that if there was any country in the world which (iii) What did Jawaharlal Nehru shows through this
had a provision of separate electorate. speech?
l
He tried to explain them that separate electorate Ans. Through this speech Jawaharlal Nehru shows that India
was not given to minorities for their safeguards but will become rich and powerful country and create its own
due to political reasons. It will be in the interest of path of development guided by the Indian values.
minorities only if they do not demand for separate (iv) What role was played by Jawaharlal Nehru in the
electorates. Constitutional Assembly?
(iii) Philosophy of separate electorates result in a separate Ans. Jawaharlal Nehru was the Chairman of Union Power and
nation as it saw Hindus and Muslims as separate States Committees.
political identity. It believed that interest of Hindus
Chapter Test
Objective Questions
1. Who was the President of Constituent Assembly?
(a) Dr BR Ambedkar (b) Vallabhbhai Patel
(c) Jawaharlal Nehru (d) Rajendra Prasad
2. The executive was made partly responsible to the Provincial Legislature through the Act of
(a) 1909 (b) 1919
(c) 1935 (d) 1892
3. Quit India struggle was started in the year.
(a) 1942 (b) 1944
(c) 1945 (d) 1940
4. Consider the following statements and suggest the incorrect one.
(a) The Constitution of India was framed between December 1946 and November 1949.
(b) The Great Calcutta Killings of August 1946 happened a year of almost continuous rioting across Northern and
Eastern India.
(c) Nehru introduced the crucial ‘Objective Resolution’ on 13th December, 1946.
(d) Somnath Lahiri was a Communist party member in the Provincial council.
5. Which of the following pairs are correct?
(a) Constituent Assembly begins its first session – 9th December, 1946
(b) Last meeting of interim government – 1945
(c) Jinnah elected President of Muslim League – 1947
(d) Constitution is signed – December 1946

Short Answer (SA) Type Questions

6. Why is the Indian Constitution acceptable to the Indian people even today?
7. How was the term minority defined by different groups?
8. Discuss about the three leaders of the Congress who played an important role in the Constituent
Assembly.
9. What was the momentous resolution that outlined the defining ideals of the Constitution of independent
India?
10. What was the ‘language controversy, before the Constitution Assembly and how did it seek to resolve the
controversy?
11. India is a secular, democratic, republic. Explain.
Long Answer (LA) Type Questions
12. How was the centre made more powerful and strong by the Constituent Assembly?
13. What was the problem with separate electorate? Discuss.
14. How issue of national language was debated in the Constituent Assembly? Also explain how it was
resolved.
15. “The centre is likely to break.” Explain this phrase. Is really strong centre was demand of the hour.

Answers
1. (d) Rajendra Prasad 2. (c) 1935
3. (a) 1942
4. (d) Somnath Lahiri was a Communist party member in the Provincial council.
5. (a) Constituent Assembly begins its first session – 9th December, 1946
History Class 12th
( Term II )

1
*
Practice Paper
(Solved)
Instructions Time : 2 Hours
Max. Marks : 40
1. The question paper contains four sections A, B, C and D.
2. Section A has 1 question. Case based Multiple choice.
3. Section B has 5 questions. Internal choice is there.
4. Section C has 3 questions. Internal choice is there.
5. Section D has 1 question. Map based.
6. Marks are mentioned against each question.
7. There is no negative marking.

* As, exact Blue-print and Pattern for CBSE Term II exams is not released yet, so the pattern of this
paper is designed by the author on the basis of trend of past CBSE Papers. Students are advised
not to consider the pattern of this paper as official, it is just for practice purpose.

Section A
This section consists of 1 case based question.
Case Based MCQs (5 Marks)
1. Read the given case/source about Constituent Assembly and answer the questions that follow by choosing
the correct option.
The Constituent Assembly was expected to express the aspirations of those who had participated in the
movement for independence. Democracy, equality and justice were ideals that had become intimately
associated with social struggles in India since the nineteenth century. When the social reformers in the
nineteenth century opposed child marriage and demanded that widows be allowed to remarry, they were
pleading for social justice. When Swami Vivekananda campaigned for a reform of Hinduism, he wanted
religions to become more just. When Jyotiba Phule in Maharashtra pointed to the suffering of the depressed
castes, or Communists and Socialists organised workers and peasants, they were demanding economic and
social justice. The national movement against a government that was seen as oppressive and illegitimate was
inevitably a struggle for democracy and justice, for citizens’ rights and equality.
In fact, as the demand for representation grew, the British had been forced to introduce a series of
constitutional reforms. A number of Acts were passed (1909, 1919 and 1935), gradually enlarging the space
for Indian participation in provincial governments. The executive was made partly responsible to the
Provincial Legislature in 1919, and almost entirely so under the Government of India Act of 1935. When
elections were held in 1937, under the 1935 Act, the Congress came to power in 8 out of the 11 provinces.
(i) The Constituent Assembly was formed on the recommendation of which of the following Mission /
Committee?
(a) Cripps Mission (b) August Offer
(c) Cabinet Mission (d) Lord Wavell Declaration
88 CBSE Term II History XII

(ii) Which of the following principle played key role in shaping the Constitution of India ?
(a) Ideals and aspiration of freedom fighters (b) Society based on equality and justice
(c) Securing rights for every citizens (d) All of these
(iii) Name the organisation which was set up by Jyotiba Phule to fight for depressed classes.
(a) Satyashodhak Samaj (b) Prathna Samaj (c) Untouchability League (d) Harizan Sabha
(iv) What was/ were the main reason(s) behind the introduction of various constitutional reforms by the British
Government ?
(a) Pressure for local people of Britain (b) Due to benevolent nature of British officers
(c) Due to demands and agitation by Indians (d) None of these
(v) Which of the following Act is considered as a milestone or landmark in the development of Constitution of India?
(a) Act of 1909 (b) Act of 1919 (c) Act of 1930 (d) Act of 1935

Section B
This section consists of 5 questions of Short Answer Type.
Short Answer Questions (3 Marks)
2. During the period of British Government, the power of Jotedars raised immensely in comparison with the
zamindars. What were the main factors behind the rise of their power?
Or
Write a short note on the Santhal Revolt.
3. Rumours and prophecies played key role in the outbreak of the Revolt of 1857. Discuss any two rumours and
prophecies.
4. After the observance of Independence day, Gandhiji launched Dandi March to break the Salt Law which was
imposed by the British Government. Identify some significance of the Dandi March.
Or
After the outbreak of Second World War, what was the attitude of Congress / Nationalist leader towards British?
5. Separate electorate was introduced by the British to appease different sections of society and implement
principle of divide and rule. In Constituent Assembly, what arguments were given by Govind Vallabh Pant to
abolish this system?
6. The arrival of outsider (British) had influenced the lifestyle of the tribal community throughout the country. In
this context, explain how the life of Paharias tribal was changed.
Or
Who devised Subsidiary Alliance ? Enlist the main terms and conditions of Subsidiary Alliance.

Section C
This section consists of 3 questions of Long Answer Type.
Long Answer Questions (5 Marks)
7. Describe the Provincial Administration of the Mughals.
Or
During the reign of the Mughal rule, nobility became the important pillar of the Administration. What were the
main features of the Mughal nobility
8. The Revolt of 1857 was brutally suppressed by the British Government through different means. Explain them.
Or
Discuss Quit India Movement in detail. Also, write a note on parallel government formed in Satara.
9. What do you understand by the Fifth Report and what were the main causes of its presentation?
CBSE Term II History XII
Section D
Map based Question (5 marks)
10. (i) On the outline map of India three places related with Mahatma Gandhi have been marked as A, B and C. Identify
them and write their correct names on the lines drawn near them.
(ii) On an outline Map of India, locate two important centres of National Movement.
B.
A.
C.
Answers
1. (i) (c) The Constituent Assembly of India was formed on
the recommendation of Cabinet Mission. This
mission was constituted in the year 1946.
(ii) (d) All the given principles have influenced the
formation of the Constitution of India.
(iii) (a) Jyotiba Phule established Satyashodhak Samaj for
the welfare depressed classes in the year 1873.
(iv) (c) The main reason behind the introduction of
various constitutional reforms by the British
Government was due to the demand and agitation by
Indians for wider representation.
(v) (d) The Government of India Act, 1935 is considered
as a milestone or landmark in the development of the
Constitution of India.
2. During the period of British Government, the power of
jotedars rise immensely in comparison with the zamindars
due to the following factors.
l
Zamindars used to live in urban areas, whereas the
jotedars were located in the villages which helped them
to have direct control over a section of poor villagers.
89
l
Jotedars cultivated their land through sharecroppers also
known as adhiyars or bargadars. These people brought
their own ploughs, laboured in the field and handed
over half of the produce to the jotedars after the harvest.
l
Local trade and moneylending was also controlled by
jotedars, hence exercising immense power over poorer
cultivators of the region.
l
Jotedars resisted efforts by zamindars to increase the
revenue demand of the village and prevented zamindari
officials to do their duty.
Or
Santhal Revolt was organised by Santhals in 1855-56
against zamindars, moneylenders and colonial state. The
Santhals came into Bengal in the 1780s. They were hired
by zamindars to reclaim land and expand cultivation. The
Britishers invited them to settle in the Jangal Mahals of
Rajmahals hills as they failed to change the Paharias into
settled agriculturalist.
The Santhals soon realised that the land they had brought
under cultivation was slipping away from their hands.
Heavy taxes were imposed by the state on the lands
90
cleared by the Santhals. Moneylenders (dikus) charged
them high rate of interest and if debt remained unpaid,
then zamindars started controlling the Damin area.
These measures by the Britishers led to Santhal Revolt.
After Santhal pargana was created, carving out 5,500
square miles from the districts of Bhagalpur and
Birbhum.
3. The rumours and prophecies which played a key role in
the outbreak of the Revolt of 1857 were
(i) Issue of Cartridges It was believed by sepoys that
the cartridges of the Enfield rifles were coated with
the fat of cows and pigs which corrupt the caste and
religion of Hindus and Muslims. The British tried to
explain the sepoys but the rumour spread like
wildfire across the sepoy lines of North India.
(ii) Conspiracy to Destroy the Caste and Religion
A news was spread that the British had mixed the
bone dust of cows and pigs into the flour that was
sold in the market. Hence, sepoys and the common
people refused to touch the atta.
It was also feared that the British wanted to convert
Indians to Christianity. It led men into action and
the prophecy that the British rule would come to an
end on 23rd June, 1857, on the centenary of the
Battle of Plassey.
4. After observance of Independence day, Gandhiji started
Dandi March from his ashram at Sabarmati towards
ocean on 12th March, 1930. After three weeks, he
reached his destination making a fistful of salt and break
the Salt Law.
The Dandi March was significant because
l
It brought Mahatma Gandhi to world’s attention. The
European and American press widely covered the
march.
l
It became the first nationalist activity in which women
participated in large numbers. Kamaladevi
Chattopadhyay persuaded Gandhiji for the
involvement of women in the march. She herself was
one of numerous women who courted arrest by
breaking the salt or liquor laws.
l
By this march, the British understood that their Raj
would not last forever and they would have to share
some power with the Indians.
Or
After the outbreak of the Second World War in
September 1939, both Mahatma Gandhi and Jawaharlal
Nehru were critical of Hitler and the Nazis. They
promised that if British government liberates India on
the end of the war, then the Congress may join them in
the war. But, the offer was refused which resulted in the
resignation of the Congress Ministries in October 1939.
Later a series of individual Satyagraha were organised by
the Congress through 1940 and 1941. Its aim was to
pressurise the rulers to promise freedom once the war
had ended.
CBSE Term II History XII
5. The arguments of Govind Ballabh Pant against the
system of separate electorates were
l
According to him, the demand of separate electorates
was not only harmful for the Nation but also for the
minorities. He believed that democracy can be judged
with the confidence generated by different sections of
people.
l
For him, every citizen was to be treated in a way that it
fulfils not only material wants but spiritual sense of self
respect. There was a need for the majority to
understand the problems of minorities. But still Pant
was opposed to the idea of separate electorates.
l
He believed that it was a suicidal demand that would
permanently isolate the minorities, make them
vulnerable and deprived them of giving any opinion
within the government.
6. The lifestyle of Paharias who lived in the hills of
Rajmahal changed due to the coming of outsiders
(British) in the following ways
l
The Paharias were moved deeper into the hills.
l
They were confined to the dry interior and more barren
and rocky upper hills.
l
The shifting cultivation done by the Paharias became
more and more difficult due to proper and stable
settlements.
l
The hunters amongst them faced problems due to
clearance of forests for cultivation.
Or
The Subsidiary Alliance was devised by Lord Wellesley
in 1798. This alliance was signed between British
government and Indian princely rulers.
All those who entered into such an alliance with the
British had to accept certain terms and conditions which
were
l
The British would be responsible for protecting their
ally from external and internal threats to their power.
l
In the territory of the ally, a British armed contingent
would be stationed.
l
The ally would have to provide the resources for
maintaining this contingent.
l
The ally could enter into agreements with other rulers
or engage in warfare only with the permission of the
British.
7. In Provincial Administration, the Mughals recreated the
provinces (subas) and divided the functions of the centre
to these provinces. The ministers in these provinces had
their corresponding subordinates (diwan, bakhshi and
sadr). The features of Mughal provincial administration
were
l
The head of the provincial administration was the
Governor (subadar) who reported directly to the
emperor. The sarkars, into which each suba was
divided, often overlapped with the jurisdiction of
CBSE Term II History XII
faujdars (commandants) who were positioned with a
body of troops of heavy cavalry and musketeers
(infantrymen with light gun) in districts.
l
Three semi-hereditary officers, the qanungo (keeper of
revenue records), the chaudhuri (in charge of revenue
collection) and the qazi looked after the local
administration at the level of the pargana (sub-district).
l
Large support staff of clerks, accountants, auditors,
messengers and other functionaries who were
technically qualified officials, were maintained by each
department of administration. Persian was made the
language of administration everywhere, but local
languages were used for village accounts.
Or
The distinctive features of the Mughal nobility were
l
The nobility was a group of officers and was the main
pillar of the Mughal state.
l
The nobility was recruited from different ethnic and
religious groups. This made sure that no particular
group was large enough to oppose the authority of the
state.
l
The nobility was described as a bunch of flowers
(guldasta) held together by loyalty to the emperor.
l
The nobles participated in military operations with
their armies and also served as officers of the empire in
the provinces.
l
Nobles were present at the court and were a reserve
force to be appointed to a province or military
operation. They were duty-bound to appear twice daily,
morning and evening to express the acceptance of
authority of the emperor in the public audience hall.
8. The British Government adopted following means to
supress the Revolt of 1857
l
Passing of Laws to help the Troops The British passed
several laws to help the troops before sending them to
re-occupy North India. The military officers were also
empowered to try and punish the rebel Indians. The
ordinary process of law and trial were ignored by them.
With the help of new laws and the new reinforcements
coming from Britain, the British started the process of
suppressing the revolt. British thought to reconquer
Delhi which was most important to suppress the revolt.
Therefore, in June 1857, the British attacked Delhi
from two directions.
l
Resorting to Diplomacy The British while resorting to
diplomacy kept away the educated Indians and
zamindars from the rebels. The British created a rift
between rebels and the zamindars by promising the
latter to give back their estates.
l
Use of Military Power on a Gigantic Scale The British
used military power on a gigantic scale. Their absolute
control over the means of communication and their
91
control over the railways enabled them to send quick
military support to different parts of the country.
l
Communication System The telegraph system helped
the British to get timely information about the incidents
occurring in different parts of the country. Consequently,
they were successful to workout plans to take
immediate action against rebels. Thus, the British tried
their best to maintain their absolute control over the
means of communication in order to suppress the
revolt.
Or
Mahatma Gandhi decided to launched Quit India
Movement against British rule in 1942 after the failure of
Cripps Mission. During Quit India movement, younger
activists organised strikes and acts of sabotage
(destruction) all over the country.
On the other hand, there were socialist members of the
Congress such as Jaya Prakash Narayan who were active
in the underground resistance. Independent
governments were proclaimed in several districts such as
Satara in the West and Medinipur in the East. It took a
year for the British to suppress the rebellion.
Quit India was a mass movement as it involved
participation of hundred of thousands of ordinary
Indians. A number of young people left their colleges to
go to jail. While the Congress leaders suffered in Jail,
Jinnah and his colleagues in the Muslim League worked
patiently at expanding their influence. The League
started making a mark in the Punjab and Sind where it
had no presence.
Parallel Government of Satara
l
In 1943, some of the younger leaders in the Satara
district of Maharashtra set up a parallel government
(prati sarkar), with volunteer corps (seba dals) and
village units (tufan dals ). They ran people’s courts and
organised constructive work. The Satara prati sarkar
which was dominated by kunbi peasants and supported
by dalits, functioned till the elections of 1946.
9. Fifth Report was a report in which the changes that
occurred in the East India Company were elaborately
documented. It was submitted to the British Parliament
in 1813. It contained 1002 pages of which over 800 pages
were appendices. It reproduced petitions of
l
zamindars and ryots
l
reports of collectors from different districts,
l
statistical tables on revenue returns,
l
notes on the revenue and judicial administration of
Bengal and Madras written by officials.
Various significant causes contributed to the presentation
of the Fifth report which were
l
Since the establishment of Company’s rule in Bengal in
the mid 1760s, its activities were watched and debated
in England. Many groups in Britain were opposed to
92 CBSE Term II History XII

the monopoly, the Company had over trade with India l

and China. They wanted a revocation (cancellation) of
the Royal Charter giving company this monopoly.
l
Many private traders wanted a share in the trade with
India and industrialists of Britain wanted to access
Indian markets for British manufactures.
l
According to some political groups, the conquest of
Bengal was not benefitting the British nation as a whole
but only the Company.
The Search for Alternative Power In places like
Delhi, Lucknow and Kanpur, the rebels tried to
establish a kind of authority and administration once
British rule had collapsed. The ways by which they tried
to restore the pre-British world of the 18th century
included
— The court culture was re-established.
— Appointments were made to various posts.
— Arrangements were made for the collection of land

l
The misrule and administration of Company were revenue and the payment of troops.
discussed in Britain and the deeds of greed and — Orders were issued to stop loot and plunder.

corruption by Company officials were publicised in the — Plans were made to fight battles against the British.

press. — Chains of command were laid down in the army.

Or
10.
The major objectives of Revolt of 1857 were
l
The Vision of Unity The main objective of the revolt
was unity as the proclamation of revolt in 1857
appealed to all sections of the population irrespective of Amritsar
(ii) (b)
caste and creed. Even if the proclamations were issued
Champaran
by Muslim princes or in their name, they took care of
the sentiments of Hindus. The revolt was a loss or a Kheda
gain equally to both Hindus and Muslims. The (ii) (a)
B.
ishtahars were a symbol to show the existence of
different communities under the Mughal empire. The Dandi A.
proclamation issued in the name of Bahadur Shah
appealed to the people to join the fight under the
standards of both Muhammad and Mahavir.
C.
l
Against the Symbols of Oppression The proclamations Bombay
of revolt were against everything related to British rule
or firangi raj. The British annexations and the treaties
were condemned by them. People were angered due to
the British land revenue settlements that dispossessed
land holders, both big and small and foreign commerce
had driven artisans and weavers to ruin.
History Class 12th
( Term II )

2
*
Practice Paper
(Unsolved)
Instructions Time : 2 Hours
Max. Marks : 40
1. The question paper contains four sections A, B, C and D.
2. Section A has 1 question. Case based Multiple choice.
3. Section B has 5 questions. Internal choice is there.
4. Section C has 3 questions. Internal choice is there.
5. Section D has 1 question. Map based.
6. Marks are mentioned against each question.
7. There is no negative marking.

* As, exact Blue-print and Pattern for CBSE Term II exams is not released yet, so the pattern of this
paper is designed by the author on the basis of trend of past CBSE Papers. Students are advised
not to consider the pattern of this paper as official, it is just for practice purpose.

Section A
This section consists of 1 case based question.
Case Based MCQs (5 Marks)
1. Read the given case/source about capital city of Mughal Empire and answer the questions that follow by
choosing the correct option.
The heart of the Mughal Empire was its capital city, where the court assembled. The capital cities of the
Mughals frequently shifted during the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries. Babur took over the Lodi
capital of Agra, though during the four years of his reign the court was frequently on the move. During the
1560s Akbar had the fort of Agra constructed with red sandstone quarried from the adjoining regions.
In the 1570s he decided to build a new capital, Fatehpur Sikri. One of the reasons prompting this may have
been that Sikri was located on the direct road to Ajmer, where the dargah of Shaikh Muinuddin Chishti had
become an important pilgrimage centre. The Mughal emperors entered into a close relationship with sufis
of the Chishti silsila. Akbar commissioned the construction of a white marble tomb for Shaikh Salim Chishti
next to the majestic Friday mosque at Sikri. The enormous arched gateway (Buland Darwaza) was meant to
remind visitors of the Mughal victory in Gujarat. In 1585 the capital was transferred to Lahore to bring the
North-West under greater control and Akbar closely watched the frontier for thirteen years.
(i) On which of the following factors, capital is regarded as a heart of any empire?
(a) Strategic issue (b) Political reasons
(c) Seat of power (d) All of these
(ii) As per the passage, why Akbar choose Sikri as new Capital ?
(a) It was situated on the coast of river.
(b) Because of its strategic location.
(c) It was located in close proximity to dargah of Shaikh Muinuddin Chishti.
(d) His father Humayun had suggested him to build capital at Fatehpur Sikri.
94 CBSE Term II History XII

(iii) Agra was established as capital by which of the following medieval rulers for the first time ?
(a) Muhammad bin Tughluq (b) Sikandar Lodi
(c) Qutb-ud-din Aibak (d) Iltutmish
(iv) Which of the following was the reason to shift the capital to Lahore from Agra ?
(a) To consolidate the power in North-West India (b) To control the Mongol invasion.
(c) Due to continuous threat from Rajput rulers (d) None of these
(v) Which of the following is not one of the characteristics of the capital city ?
(a) Capital city was constructed with best of quality rocks.
(b) Capital cities during medieval period were rarely shifted.
(c) Agra was the one of the earliest capital of Mughals.
(d) None of the above

Section B
This section consists of 5 questions of Short Answer Type.
Short Answer Questions (3 Marks)
2. Trace the evolution of Indian Constitution in concise.
Or
Explain ‘will of the people‘ in context of the evolution of Indian Constitution.
3. Write a short note on Cripps mission and discuss its consequences.
4. Analyse the view/thoughts of Francis Buchanan towards tribals.
Or
Which policies were adopted by the British to control the Paharia tribe ?
5. The Constitution of India divided power into how many lists? Briefly explain them.
Or
Write a short note on elections of 1946 and Direct Action Day.
6. Examine the role of Santhal as pioneer settler in the peripheries of Rajmahal Hills. Also, explain ‘Damin-i-koh’.

Section C
This section consists of 3 questions of Long Answer Type.
Long Answer Questions (5 Marks)
7. Explain the importance of the chronicles as the source of history for the present generation.
Or
The making of manuscript is a dynamic process. Describe the work performed by different people in the process
of its formation. Also explain the creation of manuscript during Mughal period.
8. Non-cooperation and Civil Disobedience Movements depicts the personality and success of Mahatma Gandhi.
Elucidate.
Or
In the context of Indian freedom struggle, what do you mean by separate electorate? Why many leaders wanted
it to be implemented ?
9. National language was one of the most debated topic in the Constituent Assembly. Why was it so? Also express
view of RV Dhulekar in this regard.
Or
What was Khilafat Movement? Critically examine its influence over the Indian freedom struggle.
CBSE Term II History XII 95

Section D
Map based Question
10. (i) On the given outline map of India the territories under British control in 1857 are marked as A, B and C.
Identify them and write their names on the lines drawn near them.
(ii) On the map of India, locate two main centres of the Revolt of 1857.

A.
B.

C.

Answers
1. (i) (d) (ii) (c) (iii) (b) (iv) (a) (v) (b)
History Class 12th
( Term II )

3
*
Practice Paper
(Unsolved)
Instructions Time : 2 Hours
Max. Marks : 40
1. The question paper contains four sections A, B, C and D.
2. Section A has 1 question. Case based Multiple choice.
3. Section B has 5 questions. Internal choice is there.
4. Section C has 3 questions. Internal choice is there.
5. Section D has 1 question. Map based.
6. Marks are mentioned against each question.
7. There is no negative marking.

* As, exact Blue-print and Pattern for CBSE Term II exams is not released yet, so the pattern of this
paper is designed by the author on the basis of trend of past CBSE Papers. Students are advised
not to consider the pattern of this paper as official, it is just for practice purpose.

Section A
This section consists of 1 case based question.
Object Type Questions (5 Marks)
1. Read the given passage describing the freedom struggle in early 1940s and answer the given questions.
After the failure of the Cripps Mission, Mahatma Gandhi decided to launch his third major movement
against British rule. This was the ‘Quit India’ campaign, which began in August 1942. Although Gandhiji
was jailed at once, younger activists organised strikes and acts of sabotage all over the country. Particularly
active in the underground resistance were socialist members of the Congress, such as Jayaprakash Narayan.
In several districts, such as Satara in the west and Medinipur in the east, ‘independent’ governments were
proclaimed. The British responded with much force, yet it took more than a year to suppress the rebellion.
‘Quit India’ was genuinely a mass movement, bringing into its ambit hundreds of thousands of ordinary
Indians. It especially energised the young who, in very large numbers, left their colleges to go to jail.
However, while the Congress leaders languished in jail, Jinnah and his colleagues in the Muslim League
worked patiently at expanding their influence. It was in these years that the League began to make a mark
in the Punjab and Sind, provinces where it had previously had scarcely any presence.
(i) Which one of the following is not corect in the context of the Quit India Movement ?
(a) Most of the Congress leader were arrested.
(b) Independent government was formed in different parts of India.
(c) It was a non-violent movement.
(d) None of the above
(ii) The Cripps mission was headed by
(a) Mount Batten (b) Clement Attee
(c) Sir Richard Stafford (d) Alexander Cripps
CBSE Term II History XII 97

(iii) The Quit India Movement is particularly known for

(a) underground activities (b) participation of people
(c) leadership of veterans (d) All of these
(iv) What was the reaction of Muslim League especially Jinnah towards Quit India Movement ?
(a) Muslim league participated and supported it.
(b) Muslim league did not participated in it.
(c) Muslim league show neutrality towards the movement.
(d) Muslim league provided support to underground activities.
(v) At which of the following places, parallel government was not formed during Quit India Movement ?
(a) Satara (b) Tamlik
(c) Balia (d) Jhansi

Section B
This section consists of 5 questions of Short Answer Type.
Short Answer Questions (3 Marks)
2. Write a short note on Auction in Burdwan and explain its importance
Or
“Permanent Settlement gave emmense power to zamindars, however it brought them under some limitation.”
Elaborate.
3. Briefly discuss different centres of Revolt of 1857.
4. What do you understand by Rowlatt Satyagraha? Briefly explain its salient features.
Or
What is Fiscal federalism? Describe the view of Santhanam in context to centre-state relations.
5. Discuss the issue of defining minorities in the context of Indian Constitutent Assembly.
6. Differentiate between powers of Zamindars, Jotedars and Ryots.
Or
Why tribal groups like Paharias and Santhals revolted against the British? Discuss any three reasons.

Section C
This section consists of 3 questions of Long Answer Type.
Long Answer Questions (5 Marks)
7. How the Akbar Nama and the Badshah Nama help in reconstructing the history of medieval India? Also,
elaborate their salient features.
Or
Examine the relationship between the nobility and king. What role was played by nobles in military
administration?
8. What were the main conflicting issues in the Constituent Assembly and how they were solved?
Or
Many member of Constituent Assembly raised demand to setup strong centre. Why they were favouring strong
centre? Discuss the view of Balakrishna Sharma in this regard.
9. Write the significance of Revolt of 1857 in the context of Indian freedom struggle. Also, enlist the factors which
were responsible for its failure.
Or
Discuss in detail the problems which emerged after the annexation of Avadh by British.
98 CBSE Term II History XII

Section D
Map based Question
10. (i) On the given political map of India, three important centres of Revolt of 1857 have been marked as A, B and C.
Identify them and write their names on the lines drawn near them.
(ii) On the map of India, locate any two territories under British control in 1857.

A.

B.

C.

Answers
1. (i) (c) (ii) (c) (iii) (a) (iv) (b) (v) (d)
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