ICSE Solutions for Class 8 History and Civics – A Period of Transition

ICSE Solutions for Class 8 History and Civics – A Period of Transition

ICSE SolutionsSelina ICSE SolutionsML Aggarwal Solutions

APlusTopper.com provides step by step solutions for ICSE Solutions for Class 8 History and Civics. You can download the History and Civics ICSE Solutions for Class 8 with Free PDF download option. History and Civics for Class 8 ICSE Solutions all questions are solved and explained by expert teachers as per ICSE board guidelines.

ICSE Solutions Class 8 History & Civics GeographyBiologyChemistryPhysicsMaths

I.Fill in the blanks :

  1. The Renaissance thinkers believed in life in this World.
  2. The term Reformation refers to two major developments, the Protestant Reformation and the Catholic Reformation.
  3. Vasco-da-Gama reached Calicut on the West Coast of India.
  4. The Industrial Revolution began in England in about 1750.
  5. In 1793, Eli Whitney invented a Cotton gin

II.Match the contents of Column A and Column B:
ICSE Solutions for Class 8 History and Civics - A Period of Transition 1

Answer:
Column A                                             Column B
ICSE Solutions for Class 8 History and Civics - A Period of Transition 2
ICSE Solutions for Class 8 History and Civics - A Period of Transition 3

III.State whether the following statements are true or false:

  1. The Renaissance and the Reformation alongwith new voyages ushered in the Modern Age.
    True.
  2. The Industrial Revolution began in Germany.
    False.
  3. Me Adam devised railway tracks.
    False.
  4. The Rise of capitalism and imperialism can be attributed to the industrial Revolution.
     True.
  5. The East India Company gradually became rulers from being traders.
    True.

IV.Answer the following questions:

Question 1.
How did the Renaissance, Reformation and the new geographical discoveries lead to the Modern Age?
Answer:
The Renaissance, Reformation and the new geographical discoveries gradually ushered in the modern age. The Renaissance developed rationalism, humanism, scientific spirit and a spirit of inquiry in people at large. The Reformation led to establishment of Protestant church and Catholic Reformation which rid the churches of many evils and corruption. Religious dogmas and superstitions gave way to a scientific temper and spirit of inquiry among people. The new geographical knowledge led to discovery of new lands which opened new opportunities for trade, travel and further voyages and discoveries.
All these factors gradually ushered in the modern age. These were logically followed by the Industrial Revolution.

Question 2.
Give reasons why did the Industrial Revolution first begin in England?
Answer:
During the later part of the 18th century, England was in the most favourable position for an industrial revolution.

  1. Through her overseas trade, England had accumulated vast profits which could provide the necessary capital.
  2. She had acquired colonies which ensured a regular supply of raw material and markets for finished goods.
  3. England had plenty of natural resources, such as iron and coal existing in vicinity and essential for industries. This provided the basis for new industries.
  4. Due to the enclosure movement, a large army of landless unemployed people was created. Thus, there was abundance of labour force to work in the factories.
  5. England had developed a large shipping industry and had no problem of transportation of raw materials and finished goods abroad.

Question 3.
Discuss the impact of the Industrial Revolution on society, economy and polity.
Answer:
The Industrial Revolution had profound effect on society, economy and polity.

  1. The Industrial Revolution resulted in mass production of a variety of goods which had to be exported overseas. This led to acquisition of colonies in Asia and Africa.
  2. Industrialisation resulted in urbanisation. A large part of rural population shifted to cities which became very crowded. This led to problems of housing, rise of slums and problems of health and sanitation.
  3. The Industrial Revolution brought countries and people together.
  4. This led to socio-economic polarisation of people. Two classes of people emerged – the capitalists and workers.This led to hunger for more and more wealth among capitalists, exploitation of workers and shocking social inequalities.

Question 4.
The rise of socialism and communism can be attributed to the reaction against the evils of capitalism
What is the imperialism? Discuss the factors which give rise to imperialism.
Answer:
The practice of establishing a country’s rule and dominance over the economic and political life of people of another country is called imperialism.

The factors which give rise to imperialism were:

  1. Surplus Production: The capitalists asserted influence on their governments to capture colonies so that surplus goods could be sold profitably in colonies of Asia and Africa.
  2. Need for Raw Materials: Growing demand for huge quantities of raw materials to feed the new industries in Europe led to imperialism.
  3. Development of Modern means of Transportation & Communication: Invention of steamships, railways, telephone, telegraph and posts enabled man to conquer space and time. Modern means of transport and communication enabled and facilitated acquisition of colonies.
  4. Pressure of Population: The extra and surplus population in Europe had to be provided basic facilities and new regions to settle down. This led to the establishment of colonies.
  5. Rise of Industrial Capitalism: The surplus capital of industrialists needed to be invested safely. Owners of shipping companies and bankers always looked for new and better opportunities to earn more and more. This obviously led to imperialism.
  6. Ardent Nationalism: Goaded by the spirit of chauvinistic nationalism, the countries of Europe were eager to acquire colonies. Colonies added to the power and prestige of imperialist countries.
  7. Contribution of Christian Missionaries: The zeal to spread Christianity in distant lands of Asia and Africa played a crucial role in the spread of imperialism.
  8. Pretence of ‘Divine task’ to Spread Advance Civilisation: Europeans considered it their divine task to spread the ‘modernised’ European culture in backward areas of Asia and Africa. It was considered a ‘white man’s burden’ to teach civilised customs and manners to the coloured people.

Question 5.
Describe the general impact of imperialism with special reference to South Asia.
Answer:
Imperialism led to acquisition of colonies and colonial rivalries. It eventually led to the First World War (1914-1918) and the Second World War (1939-1945). Imperialism led to political and economic subjugation of Asian and African countries. They became sources of raw materials and dumping grounds for finished goods for European industries. On the postitive side, imperialism led to development of modern infrastructure in colonies. Imperialism also led to national unity as people fought against the colonial power to free their country, so evident in India and Vietnam. India, Sri Lanka and Burma became colonies of England. China was divided into several ‘spheres of influence’ by European powers

V.Tell me why
Question 1.
Most of the countries in South Asia became colonies of Europe.
Answer:
Countries in South Asia had huge population, were backward and could not face the colonial powers. They had huge raw materials and vast markets for goods produced in European countries.The glory of nationalism and national pride was yet to take roots in South Asia. People were disunited.

Question 2.
New inventions and discoveries led to the Industrial Revolution.
Answer:
New inventions and discoveries led to rapid industrialisation and urbanisation. Mass production of goods whetted the appetite for profit of industrialists. Development of modem infrastructure led to establishment of industries. Invention of flying shuttle, spinning jenny, water frame, mule, power loom, cotton gin, blast furnace and overall steam engine led to the Industrial Revolution

Additional Questions

EXERCISES
Fill in the blanks:

  1. The Modem Age in India began with the conquest of India by the British.
  2. India was ruled by the British for nearly 200 years.
  3. The two kinds of source material for the Modem period are primary sources and secondary sources.
  4. The Renaissance ushered in revolutionary changes in Europe and marked the transition from the Medieval Age to the Modern Age.
  5. The four characteristic features of the Renaissance period are advent of new and powerful ideas of Humanism, rationalism, scientific spirit and spirit of inquiry.

B.Match the Following:
ICSE Solutions for Class 8 History and Civics - A Period of Transition 4
ICSE Solutions for Class 8 History and Civics - A Period of Transition 5

Answer:
ICSE Solutions for Class 8 History and Civics - A Period of Transition 6

C. Choose the correct answer:

I. In India the Modern Period is generally regarded as having begun in the mid-i 5th/mid-l8th/mid-i6th century.
Ans. In India the Modern Period is generally regarded as having begun in the mid-l8th century.

2. The primary sources for the study of the Modern Period are preserved in archives/banks? factories.
Ans. The primary sources for the study of the Modern Period are preserved in archives.

3. The wealthy merchants and the professional class consisting of doctors, lawyers, teachers etc., formed the upper class? middle class/lower class.
Ans. The wealthy merchants and the professional class consisting of doctors, layers. teachers etc.,formed the middle class.

4. The invention of the printing press/telegraph/telephone helped to spread the ideas of the Renaissance thinkers far and wide.
Ans. The invention of the printing, press helped to spread the ideas of the Renaissance thinkers far and wide.

5. Martin Luther was an Italian/a German/a French Christian monk.
Ans. Martin Luther was a German Christian monk.

D.State whether the following are true or false:

  1. The source material of the Modern period is of two kinds— primary and secondary
    True
  2. Primary sources of history includes books, reviews, reports and articles
    False. Secondary sources of history includes books, reviews, reports and articles.
  3. Renaissance scholars shifted the focus from divine affairs to human affairs.
    True.
  4. The voyages of discoveries led to a decline of trade and commerce.
     False.
  5. The Reformation was also known as the Protestant Movement.
    True

E.Answer the following questions in one or two words/ sentences:

Question 1.
The history of most nations can be divided into a number of periods. Name them.
Answer:
History in most countries is classified into three periods—ancient, medieval and modem. Each period has some characteristics— political, economic, religious and social — that sets it apart from other period.

Question 2.
What distinguishes one historical period from another ?
Answer:
Historical periods differ from country to country depending on the stage of development of that region.

Question 3.
In what way is the classification of historical periods useful to us ?
Answer:
The classification of historical periods helps to bring a sense of order and continuity to the bewildering array of historical processes that have taken place over centuries of evolution.

Question 4.
When did the Modern Period begin in
(a) Europe
(b) India?
Answer:
Europe the Modern Age started in 15th century. In India the Modem Period is generally regarded as having begun in the mid- 18th century.

Question 5.
Mention any four characteristic features of the Modern Period?
Answer:
The characteristic features of the Modern Period are: urbanization, technological advancement, democratic institutions, fundamental civil liberties, rationalism and humanism and industrialization.

Question 6.
Mention any two (a) primary and (b) secondary source materials of the Modern Period.
Answer:
(a) Many of these primary sources have been preserved in archives and museums.
They include :

  1. Original documents like British official records
  2. Literary works like accounts of European residents, visitors and Indian officials, novels, plays, short stories and poems by British and Indian authors of this period
  3. Historical works by contemporary historians
  4. Artistic works like paintings, sketches engravings and drawings
  5. Photographs, audio cassettes, films and videotapes of incidents and interviews of important personalities
  6. Newspapers in both English and in Indian languages
  7. Archaeological remains like monuments and artifacts
  8. Oral history

(b) Secondary Sources include books, reviews, reports and articles written by historians and scholars who study and research primary source material, interpret evidence and arrive at conclusions.

Question 7.
Why is it important to study developments in Europe to understand the history of modern India ?
Answer:
Since the Modem Age in India began with the advent of the British rule, the roots of the transition from the Medieval Period must be traced to Europe. To understand the impact of British rule on Indian history, it is imperative to understand the changes that were taking place in Europe.

Question 8.
What is the meaning of Renaissance ?
Answer:
A great movement of change and discovery spread across Europe which radically altered the pattern of peoples lives and thinking.This movement, representing a new spirit in every field of life, is referred to as the Renaissance. It is a French word that means ‘rebirth’ or ‘revival’.

F.Answer the following questions briefly:

1.The capture of Constantinople by the Ottoman Ttirks led to the beginnings of Renaissance in Europe. With reference to this statement answer the following questions:

(a) How did it lead to the revival of classical Greek and Roman learning in Europe ?
Answer:
A large number of Greek scholars fled from Constantinople, (a great centre of classical Greek and Roman learning) to Italy with rare manuscripts. These scholars were patronized and encouraged by the rulers, scholars and the rich Italian merchants of Rome, Florence, Milan and Venice. Libraries were set up and universities were established to promote classical and modem learning.

(b) What effect did it have on the outlook and attitudes of the people of Europe ?
Answer:
The Renaissance, or the revival of classical Graeco-Roman learning, inspired and encouraged people to question and challenge long established ideas and institutions that had been imposed on them by the church and their- kings. They refused to blindly accept the dictates of their rulers and the Church. They demanded to know the truth based on logic and reason and rejected everything that did not satisfy the yardstick of reason. This new spirit of rationalism led to the rise of scientific temper and the spirit of inquiry. This scientific temper and the desire to inquire or seek the truth led to new and varied developments in the fields of art, architecture, sculpture, painting, literature, science and technology.

(c) What effect did it have on trade ?
Answer:
The Renaissance fostered a spirit of exploration and discovery which led to a steady growth of trade and commerce. A new- class of rich merchants emerged in society. These merchants accumulated enormous wealth and helped their rulers to build prosperous, strong and stable states. The king’s dependence on feudal lands gradually declined.

2.With reference to the causes of the Reformation, how did the following contribute to the movement
(a) Renaissance
(b) Evil practices of the Roman catholic Church
(c) Rise of strong and powerful rulers
Answer:
(a)
The Renaissance had radically altered the pattern of thinking and outlook of the people. It had set in motion the advent of new and powerful ideas of humanism, rationalism, scientific spirit and the spirit of Inquiry. These revolutionary ideas unleashed unstoppable forces that completely charged the way people thought and behaved. It was like the awakening of a sleeping giant.People had finally found truthful and rational answers to their questions and discovered the real truth about themselves and their environment. Everything based on blind faith was questioned. The teachings of the Church were rejected and its authority challenged.Even, the invention of the printing press helped to spread the ideas of the Renaissance thinkers quickly and far and wide,
(b)
With the passage of time the clergy, with some exceptions, began to lead immoral lives of luxury, wealth and comfort. The monasteries owned nearly one-third of the landed property in Europe. Religious duties and services to mankind were largely ignored or forgotten.The Roman Church levied various taxes such as ‘tithe’ and ‘Peter’s Pence’ on all European Christians under their control. High fees were charged for conducting religious services.Bribery and corruption became common. Church offices were sold, bringing many unworthy people into the Church.The Church also started the practice of selling ‘Indulgences’ to those who had committed sins. It was like a certificate of pardon by God for their sins and a ‘passport to heaven’ without having to undergo any penance.
(c)
With the decline of feudalism in Europe strong rulers emerged. They defied the authority of the Pope and refused to let him interfere in their administrative affairs. They resented the papal taxes and the drain of their wealth to Rome in the form of papal taxes.

G Picture study:

This is a portrait of the German monk who opposed certain activities of the Catholic Church.
ICSE Solutions for Class 8 History and Civics - A Period of Transition 7

  1. Identify the person in the picture.
    Ans. Martin Luther.
  2. With which great religious movement is his name associated?
    Ans. Reformation movement.
  3. Where was he born and in which country did he lead his movement ?
    Ans. Martin Luther was a German Christian monk and preacher at the University town of Wittenburg.
  4. Mention any four effects of the movement started by him.
    Ans.

    • The church was split up permanently.
      Civil wars broke out in many countries between the Catholics and the Protestants.
    • Religious intolerance, hatred and persecution of Protestants in Catholic countries and
    • Catholics in Protestant countries became the order of the day, and led to many wars in Europe.
    • Religious persecution of the Protestants in England was a major reason for their migration to and colonization of North America (New England). By the end of the 18th century the colonists would establish the United States of America.

ICSE Solutions for Class 8 History and Civics – The Union Executive

ICSE Solutions for Class 8 History and Civics – The Union Executive

ICSE SolutionsSelina ICSE SolutionsML Aggarwal Solutions

A PlusTopper.com provides step by step solutions for ICSE Solutions for Class 8 History and Civics. You can download the History and Civics ICSE Solutions for Class 8 with Free PDF download option. History and Civics for Class 8 ICSE Solutions all questions are solved and explained by expert teachers as per ICSE board guidelines.

ICSE Solutions Class 8 History & Civics GeographyBiologyChemistryPhysicsMaths

Time To Learn
I. Fill in the blanks:

  1. A person to be appointed a minister must be a member of either House of Parliament.
  2. The Prime Minister decides the business to be carried on by the Cabinet.
  3. The Vice President is elected for a period of five years.
  4. The Prime Minister distributes portfolios among the ministers.
  5. The public servants constitute the permanent executives.

II. Match the contents of Column A with that of Column B : Column A
ICSE Solutions for Class 8 History and Civics - The Union Executive 1
ICSE Solutions for Class 8 History and Civics - The Union Executive 2
Answer:
ICSE Solutions for Class 8 History and Civics - The Union Executive 3

III. Tick mark (✓) the correct statements and cross mark (X) the wrong ones :

  1. The Prime Minister is the vital link between the President and the Cabinet.
  2. The Prime Minister acts on the advice of the President.
     X
  3. A money bill cannot be introduced without the President’s authority.
  4. The President can appoint anyone as the Prime Minister.
     X
  5. Most of the Civil Servants at the Centre are selected by the Union Public Service Commission.

IV. Answer the following:

Question 1.
Who is the Chief Executive of the Indian Union? Who votes for him?
Answer:
The Chief Executive of the Indian Union is the President. The elected members of both the Houses of Parliament and the elected members of the Legislative Assemblies elect the President.

Question 2.
State two executive and two judicial powers of the President.Under what circumstances can the President proclaim a state of emergency?
Answer:
Two Executive powers of the President are:

  1. He appoints the Prime Minister and Union Minister.
  2. He appoints state Governors, the Judges of the Supreme Court and High Court, the Comptroller and Auditor-General, the Attorney General and members of the Union Public service Commission.

Two Judicial powers of the President are:

  1. He can pardon, remit or suspend a sentence of punishment given by a court martial or death sentence passed by the court.
  2. He is not answerable to any law court for the exercise of his powers, except in case of impeachment in Parliament.

The President can declare emergency if:

  1. Security of India is threatened.
  2. There is a break down of the constitutional machinery in a state.
  3. The financial stability of the country is threatened.

Question 3.
What are the two main functions of the Cabinet?
Answer:
The two main functions of the Cabinet are:

  1. All important decisions are taken by the cabinet ministers.
  2. Cabinet formulates the policies and programmes of the government.

Question 4.
Name the three categories of the union ministers.
Answer:
The three categories of Ministers are:

  1. Cabinet Ministers
  2.  Minister of State
  3. Deputy Ministers

Question 5.
What is the position of the Prime Minister? Mention his powers.
Answer:
Leader of the political party or parties securing absolute majority in the Lok Sabha.

  1. Leader of the Lok Sabha.
  2. Manages the affairs of the country both internal as well as extrenal.
  3. He is the chief spokesperson of the Government.
  4. Selects other ministers.
  5. Distributes portfolios.
  6. Can demand the resignation of any minister.
  7. Advises the President on various appointments to important posts.
  8. Presides over cabinet meetings.

Question 6.
Do you think the President of India should be directly elected by the people? Why/why not?
Answer:
We have a system of government in which the Prime Minister is the most important person in the government of the country, the President is only a nominal Head. If the President was to be elected then he too would be equally important was powerful. Then there would be a clash of powers. So, in my opinion it is preferable that the President should not be directly elected by the people.

V. Explain the following statements:

Question 1.
“The President is a nominal head.”
Answer:
It means that in our system of government, it is the Prime Minister who runs the government under a parliamentary from of government. The President is a constitutional head of the Indian Union. He is only a nominal head. The government is run by the Prime Minister and his council of Ministers. The real executive power vests in the Council of Ministers headed by the Prime Minister.

Question 2.
“All the ministers, including the Prime Minister, swim and sink together.”
Answer:
The Prime Minister and the Council of Ministers are directly responsible to the Lok Sabha. If a vote of no confidence is passed against one minister, the whole Council of ministers including the Prime Minister has to resign.

Additional Questions

EXERCISES
A. Fill in the blanks:

  1. The President can be removed from office by a procedure known as Impeachment.
  2. The President appoints the judges of the Supreme Court and the High Court.
  3. The President can call a joint session of the Parliament if there is a deadlock regarding a bill.
  4. The Cabinet is the inner core of the Council of Ministers. The Cabinet Ministers hold important portfolios.
  5. The Prime Minister is the link between the President, the people and the Parliament.

B. Name the following:

  1. The current Prime Minister of India
    Ans. Narendra Modi
  2. The current Chairperson of the Rajya Sabha –
    Ans. Mohammad Hamid Ansari
  3. The current Supreme Commander of the Defence Forces
    Ans. Pranab Mukherjee
  4. The current ministers in charge of (a) Defence (b) External Affairs (c) Finance (d) Health
    Ans.
    (a) Defence Minister – Manohar Parrikar
    (b) External Affairs – Sushma Swaraj
    (c) Finance Minister – Arun Jaitley
    (d) Health Minister – Jagat Prakash Nadda

C. Choose the correct answer:

  1. The President/Prime Minister/Vice President is the nominal head of the government of India.
    Ans. The President is the nominal head of the government of India.
  2. The President is the Supreme Commander of the Indian Administrative Service/Defense Forces/Indian Foreign Service.
    Ans. The President is the Supreme Commander of the Defense Forces.
  3. The Vice-President is the Chairperson of the Lok Sabha/ Rajya Sabha/Vidhan Sabha.
    Ans. The Vice-President is the Chairperson of the Rajya Sabha.
  4. After the elections, the President appoints the leader of the majority party as the Vice President/Speaker/Prime Minister.
    Ans. After the elections, the President appoints the leader of the majority party as the Prime Minister.
  5. The Council of Ministers is the real executive but the administration is carried on in the name of the Prime Minister/President/Vice-President. ”
    Ans. The Council of Ministers is the real executive but the administration is carried on in the name of the Prime Minister.

D. State whether the following are true or false:

  1. The President is elected for a term of 4 years.
    False.
    Correct : The President is elected for a term of 5 years.
  1. The President can pardon a death sentence.
    True.
  1. The President can declare war or conclude peace.
    True.
  1. The Prime Minister choose the Cabinet Ministers.
    True.
  1. Civil servants belong to the majority party in Parliament.
    False.
    Correct : Civil servants belong to the minority party in Parliament.

E. Answer the following questions in one or two words/ sentences:

Question 1.
Who is the real executive head in a parliamentary form of government?
Answer:
The parliamentary system of government makes the Prime Minister the real head of the Indian government.

Question 2.
Name the body that elects the President of India.
Answer:
An Electoral College elects the President.

Question 3.
Name any two officials appointed by the President?
Answer:
The President appoints the State Governors, the Comptroller Auditor General, the Attorney General and Chief Commissioners of the Union Territories.

Question 4.
What is an ordinance?
Answer:
Ordinances are executive orders which are issued when the Parliament is not in session.

Question 5.
What can the President do when the security of the country is threatened by external aggression or armed rebellion?
Answer:
If the security of the country is threatened by external aggression or armed rebellion, National Emergency is declared.

Question 6.
Whose advice is the President bound to follow in carrying out his/her functions?
Answer:
Prime Minister and the Council of Ministers advice the President in the exercise of his/her functions. He/she is bound to follow this advice.

Question 7.
Who is the head of the Council of Ministers?
Answer:
The Prime Minister is the head of the Council of Ministers.

Question 8.
When two or more political parties form the government, what is it called?
Answer:
When two or more parties usually agree to work together and form the government. This is known as a Coalition Government.

Question 9.
What is meant by allotment of portfolios?
Answer:
The Prime Minister allots each minister in the Council a separate department or portfolio to handle. This is called allotment of portfolios. Hence, we have a Minister of Communication, Agriculture, Foreign Affairs, etc.

Question 10.
What happens when a vote of no-confidence is passed against any one Cabinet Minister?
Answer:
If a vote of no-confidence is passed against any one Cabinet Minister, the whole Council of Ministers has to resign immediately.

F. Answer the following questions briefly:
Question 1.
In the context of the President of India, answer the following questions:
(a) Mention the qualifications required for the post of the President.
(b) How is the President elected ?
(c) How can the services of the President be terminated ?
Answer:
(a) Qualifications for the post of the President are:

  1. They must be citizens of India.
  2. They must be at least 35 years of age.
  3. They must have all the qualifications necessary to be a member of the Lok Sabha.
  4. They should not hold an office of profit under the Central,the state or the local governament

(b) The President is elected indirectly. An electoral college elects the President. The electoral college consists of the following members:

  1. The elected members of both Houses of Parliament.
  2. The elected members of the State Legislative Assemblies.

(c) The President can be impeached by the Parliament. Impeachment is a procedure by which the Parliament can remove the President if he/she is found guilty of violating the Constitution, of treason or of corruption.

Question 2.
With reference to the powers of the President, discuss:
(a) Any four executive powers
(b) Military powers
(c) Any four legislative powers
Answer:
(a) Executive powers: The President appoints the Prime Minister who is the leader of the Majority party or coalition parties or single largest party in the Lok Sabha. The President appoints the Union Ministers on the advice of the Prime Minister.

(b) Military powers: The President is the Supreme Commander of the Defence Forces. He or she can declare war or conclude peace. All important treaties and contracts are made in the President’s name.

(c) Legislative powers:

  1. The President can summon or prorogue the Parliament. He/she addresses the opening session of the Parliament every year. The President’s address is a statement of the government’s policy.
  2. The President can also dissolve the Lok Sabha and order fresh elections.
  3. He/she can call a joint session of both Houses of Parliament if there is a deadlock regarding a bill.
  4. Each bill passed by the Parliament has to receive the President’s assent in order to become a law. The President may send the bill back to the Parliament if he/she does not approve, but if it is passed a second time, he/she is obliged to sign it and give his/her assent.
  5. The President nominates 12 members to the Rajya Sabha and two Anglo-Indian members to the Lok Sabha.
  6. When the Parliament is not in session, the President can issue ordinances. Ordinances are like laws and are valid for only 6 weeks after the Parliament meets again.

Question 3.
The President is an integral part of the Parliament. In this context explain the following:
(a) The financial powers of the President
(b) The judicial powers of the President
(C) The emergency powers of the President.
Answer:
(a) The financial powers of the President:

  1. The Budget is presented to the Parliament in the name of the President.
  2. All money bills are introduced in the Parliament with the President’s permission.

(b) The judicial powers of the President:

  1. The President has the power to grant pardon, to remit, reduce or suspend the sentence of a person convicted of any offence. He can also pardon a death sentence.
  2. He/she is not answerable to any court of law for his/ her actions, except if he/she is impeached by the Parliament.

(c) The emergency powers of the President:

  1.  The President can declare Emergency if the security of the country is threatened by external aggression or armed rebellion.
  2. If the administrative machinery of a state breaks down, Presidential Rule is imposed in that state.
  3. If the financial stability of the country is threatened, a Financial Emergency can be declared by him.

Question 4.
With reference to the functions of the Parliament, explain the following:
(a) Law-making functions
(b) Control over the executive
(c) Judicial functions
Answer
(a) Law making functions of the Parliament:

  1. The Parliament can frame new laws or modify existing ones on any subject in the Union or Concurrent List.
  2. In some cases the Parliament can also pass laws on subjects under the State List.
  3. Only the Parliament can initiate a Bill to amend the Constitution.

(b) Control over the Council of Ministers:

  1. The Parliament keeps a watch over the government. The Council of Ministers is directly responsible and answerable to the Lok Sabha for its policies and actions.
  2. The Council of Ministers has to resign immediately if a vote of no-confidence is passed against it by the Lok Sabha.
  3. The Members of Parliament can discuss government policies and question the ministers. Hence, they can exercise a check on the working of the government.
  4. The Parliament can move an adjournment motion to discuss and focus on any matter of public importance which requires immediate and urgent attention from the government, for instance, natural disasters such as earthquakes and unforeseen situations such as police firing or terrorist attacks, etc.

(c) Judicial functions of the Parliament: The Parliament can impeach or remove the President, the Vice-President and judges of the Supreme Court and High Courts if any of them violate the Constitution or misuse their authority.

Question 5.
Discuss the powers and position of the Prime Minister with reference to his relationship with the following:
(a) Parliament
(b) the President
(c) the Council of Ministers.
Answer:
(a)
The parliamentary system of government makes the Prime Minister the real head of the Indian government. It is the Prime Minister who actually exercises all the powers vested in the President. This is because of the following reasons:
The Prime Minister is the elected head of the country.The Prime Minister is the leader of the majority party or the largest coalition in the Parliament.
(b)
The Prime Minister advises the President in the discharge of his/her functions and informs him/her about the decisions taken by the Cabinet. The advice of the Prime Minister is binding on the President.
The Council of Ministers:

  1. The Prime Minister selects the members of the Council of Ministers.
  2. He/she distributes portfolios among the ministers and presides over Cabinet meetings.
  3. He/she coordinates the working of the different departments and is the vital link between the President and the Cabinet.
  4. He/she can expand the Cabinet and also demand the resignation of any minister.

Question 6.
In the context of the Prime Minister and the Council of Ministers, explain the following:
(a) Appointment of the Prime Minister
(b) Formation of the Council of Ministers
(c) The Cabinet
Answer:
(a)
According to the constitution, The Prime Minister is appointed by the President of India. In actual practice, however, the choice of the President in the appointment of Prime Minister is limited. He appoints only that person as Prime Minister who is the leader of the party or coalition of parties having an absolute majority in House of the people.
In case no party has an absolute majority in house of the people, the president can appoint any person as Prime Minister who, is his opinion, is able to form a stable government.The person to be apointed as Prime Minister must be member of either house of parliament.
(b)
The Prime Minister selects a number of ministers according to his/her preference and submits a list to the President. When the President approves and appoints the Ministers on the list, the Council of Ministers is formed.The Council of Ministers has three ranks within if

  1. Cabinet Ministers,
  2. Ministers of State and
  3. Deputy Ministers.

(c)
All ministers of the Council have to be members of either House of Parliament. In case a non-member is selected, he/ she has to be elected to either House within 6 months from the date of appointment.The Cabinet is the inner core of the council of Ministers. The Cabinet Ministers hold the most important portfolios and make the most important decision and policies. The Cabinet Ministers hold the highest ranks and have the greatest responsibility. They holds the real executive power of the Indian government and is collectively responsible to the Lok Sabha. The Cabinet can remain in office as long as it enjoys the confidence of a majority in the Lok Sabha. If a vote of no­confidence is passed against any one Cabinet Minister, the whole Council of Ministers has to resign immediately. The entire Council has to answer for the shortcomings or failure on the part of any one minister.

G Picture study:

Until 1950, the building in the picture was known as ‘Viceroy’s House’, and served as the residence of the Governor General of India.
ICSE Solutions for Class 8 History and Civics - The Union Executive 4

  1. Identify the building. Whose official residence is it now?
    Ans. Rashtrapati Bhavan, President of India.
  2. How is he or she elected?
    Ans. The President is elected indirectly by the elected members of the Legislature as he or she is a nominal (de jure) and not the de facto head. An Electoral college elects the President. The Electoral College elects the President. The Electoral College consists of the following members:

    1. The elected members of both Houses of Parliament.
    2. The elected members of the State Legislative Assemblies
  3. What is his/her term of office?
    Ans. The President is elected for a period of 5 years. He or she can be re-elected after his or her term.
  4. Mention two powers each held by this person of with reference to the following:
    (a) Financial power (b) Judicial Power
    Answer:
    (a) Financial power:
  1. The Budget is presented to the Parliament in the name of the President.
  2. All money bills are introduced in the Parliament with the President’s permission.
    (b) Judicial Power:
  3. The President has the power to grant pardon, to remit, reduce or suspend the sentence of a person convicted of any offence. He can also pardon a death sentence.
  4. He/she is not answerable to any court of law for his/ her actions, except if he/she is impeached by the Parliament.

ICSE Solutions for Class 8 History and Civics – Impact of British Rule on India

ICSE Solutions for Class 8 History and Civics – Impact of British Rule on India

ICSE SolutionsSelina ICSE SolutionsML Aggarwal Solutions

APlusTopper.com provides step by step solutions for ICSE Solutions for Class 8 History and Civics. You can download the History and Civics ICSE Solutions for Class 8 with Free PDF download option. History and Civics for Class 8 ICSE Solutions all questions are solved and explained by expert teachers as per ICSE board guidelines.

ICSE Solutions Class 8 History & Civics GeographyBiologyChemistryPhysicsMaths

Time To Learn
I. Fill in the blanks
:

  1. The British domination of India brought many changes in the cultural, educational and social life of India.
  2. The Indian villages were self sufficient village communities before the coming of the British.
  3. The British charged revenue in cash instead of kind.
  4. The three kinds of land settlements made by the British were Permanent settlement (b) Ryotwari settlement and (c) Mahalwari settlement
  5. A new class of landholders called Zamindars came into existence during this time.
  6. Lord Macaulay, is known as the founder of British system of education in India.

II. Match the contents of Column A and Column B:
Column A                                                                    Column B

ICSE Solutions for Class 8 History and Civics - Impact of British Rule on India 1
ICSE Solutions for Class 8 History and Civics - Impact of British Rule on India 2
Answer:
ICSE Solutions for Class 8 History and Civics - Impact of British Rule on India 3

ICSE Solutions for Class 8 History and Civics - Impact of British Rule on India 4

III. State whether the following statements are True or False:

  1. The British rule resulted in the destruction of Indian industry, trade and handicrafts.
    True.
  2. The important centres for Indian goods were Dhaka, Benaras, Lucknow, Multan, Ahmadabad, etc.
    True.
  3. The British greatly developed Indian agriculture.
    False.
  4. Lord Cornwallis intoduced the Permanent Land Settlement in India.
    True.
  5. The first railway line was built during Lord Dalhousie’s time.
    True.
  6. The British took interest in building up transport and communication system to help them in trade and military affairs.
    True.
  7. The English took great interest in Indian culture and promoted it
    False.
  8. The English took interest in education of Indians only because they needed low paid, English speaking clerks.
    True.
  9. The new education policy benefitted only the upper and th middle class.
    True.
  10. The Company promoted education of girls and technical education.
    False.

IV. Answer the following questions:

Question 1.
Mention the social evils prevalent in India during British rule.
Answer:
Inhuman practice of Sati was prevalent in many parts of the country. Female infanticide prevailed in some parts of the country. The practice of sacrificing little children to please gods and goddesses was another major evil. Widows were not allowed to remarry. Child marriage and polygamy were other social evils prevalent in society.

Question 2.
Why did India’s foreign trade decline during the British rule?
Answer:
India traded in wool, silk, textiles, metal craft like vessels and ornaments, objects in gold, silver, copper, steel and iron. British trade policies led to the drain of wealth from India. Indian trade, industries and handicrafts declined. Indian artisans lost support of kings and nobles. The British wanted India to become a supplier of raw materials and an importer of finished goods.

Question 3.
During the British rule, “India was a loser both ways – as a buyer and also a seller.” Explain.
Answer:
The British exploited India’s resources, bought raw materials from India at nominal rates to be exported to England, and dumped their machine made goods in the Indian markets. Thus, India was a loser both ways as a buyer and also as a seller.

Question 4.
Why did the English East India Company feel the need for educational; reforms?
Answer:
The first objective of education in India was to form a class of interpreters between the British rulers and the millions of Indians they governed. The second objective was to create a class of persons, Indian in blood and colour but British in taste, opinion, morals and intellect. The third objective was to obtain a cheap supply of clerks for holding subordinate posts in administration and British business concerns.                     ‘

Question 5.
Who was Lord Macaulay? Why did he recommend the system of British education in India?
Answer:
Lord Macaualy is considered the founder of the British system of education in India. He was the law member of the council of Lord William Bentinck, the Governor General of India.Macaulay recommended

  1. English shoud be the medium of instruction in schools
  2. Indians should be taught sciences and western literature. He had a very poor opinion of traditional Indian learning which he thought was inferior to European learning.

According to him, “single shelf of a good European library was worth native literature of India and Arabia.”

Question 6.
What were the main objectives of British education in India? Mention the steps recommended to implement the policy.
Answer:
There were three main objectives of education in India according to Lord Macaulay. The first objective was to form a class of interpreters between the British rulers and the millions of Indians they governed.
The second objective was to create a class of persons, Indian in blood and colour but British in taste, opinion, morals and intellect.
The third objective was to obtain a cheap supply of clerks for holding subordinate posts in administration and British business concerns.
In 1835, Bentinck agreed to Macaulay’s view and made English the medium of instruction. In 1844 the government declared their intention to employ only English educated Indians. In 1854, Wood’s Despatch was accepted and implemented. New Universities were set up in Mumbai, Kolkata and Chennai.

Question 7.
Describe the recommendations in Wood’s Despatch and their effects.
Answer:
(a)
It declared that the aim to Government’s educational policy was the teaching of Western education “The education which we desire to see extended in India”, wrote Wood in the Despatch, “is that which has for its object the diffusion of the improved arts, science, philosophy and literature of Europe, in short of European knowledge.”

  1. As to the medium of instruction, it declared that for higher education. English language was the most perfect medium of education. It also emphasised the importance of vernacular languages.
  2. It proposed setting up of vernacular primary schools in villages Anglo-Vernacular high schools and an affiliated college at district level.
  3. It recommended a grants-in-aid to encourage private enterprise.
  4. A department of public instruction under the charge of a Director in each of the five provinces to review progress of education.
  5. Universities on the model of London University were set up in Calcutta, Bombay and Madras.
  6. The Despatch emphasised the importance of vocational Instruction and need for establishing technical schools and colleges.
  7. Teachers Training institutions on the model then prevalent in England were recommended.
  8. The Despatch gave frank and cordial support for fostering the education of women.

Question 8.
Discuss various aspects of the drain of wealth.
Answer:
The British exported to Britain part of India’s wealth and resources for which India got no adequate economic or material return. This ‘Economic Drain’was peculiar to British rule. Previously the rulers had spent the revenue they extracted from the people inside the country. But the British spent part of the taxes and income they derived from the Indian people not in India but in Britain, their home country.
The drain of wealth from Bengal began in 1757 when company’s servants began to carry home immense fortunes extorted from Indian rulers, zamindars, merchants and the common people. They sent home nearly £ 6 million between 1758 and 1765. This was more than four times than total land revenue collection of the Nawab of Bengal in 1765.
In 1765 the company acquired the Diwani of Bengal and thus gained control over its revenues. The company began to purchase Indian goods out of the revenue of Bengal and to export them.
From 1765 to 1770 the company sent out nearly £4 million worth of goods or about 33 percent of the net revenue of the net revenue of Bengal. The drain took the form of an excess of India’s exports over its imports for which India got no return. The drain went on increasing after 1858.

V. Picture Study –
(A) Look at the picture.
ICSE Solutions for Class 8 History and Civics - Impact of British Rule on India 5

1.Which important development does the picture depict?
Ans. In 1853 the first Railway line was opened between Bombay and Thane.

Write a short note on its development in India.
Ans. Railway lines were developed to transport raw’ material to factories and finished goods from factories to markets. The Indians benefitted from railways. Travel and transportation became quicker, easier and cheaper.

How did it prove to be a boon for the Indians?
Ans. The railways brought Indians of all castes and religions together. They later united against the English and joined hands to fight against them.

(B) This is the picture of a Governor-General.
ICSE Solutions for Class 8 History and Civics - Impact of British Rule on India 6

1.Identify him.
Ans. Lord William Bentinck.

2.What do you understand by ‘Sati’? Who put an end to this practice and why?
Ans. Sati was an inhuman practice of widow immolation at the funeral pyre of her husband. It was prevalent in many parts of India specially in Bengal. Lord William Bentinck abolished Sati in 1829.

3.Mention four social reforms introduced by the British.
Ans.

  1. Abolition of Sati.
  2. Abolition of female infanticide.
  3. Abolition of sacrificing little children to please gods and goddesses.

A strong movement in support of widow remarriage. Lord Dalhousie passed a law which allowed widows to remarry

Additional Questions

EXERCISES
A. Fill in the blanks:

  1. The Bengal famine of 1770 was one of the most terrible famines in human history.
  2. A large share of revenue collected by the Company in India had to be paid to the British government as home charges.
  3. Under the Mahalwari system the revenue settlement was made with the village as a whole.
  4. To eliminate competition from India’s traditional industries the British transfonned India into a supplier of raw material and a market for british products.
  5. Before the advent of the British the Indian craftspeople operated at two levels—the rural and the urban levels.
  6. Before the advent of the British the Indian textile industry was the finest and the largest in the world.
  7. After the Battle of Plassey the Company used its political power to destroy the Indian handicraft industry and promote British industries.
  8. With the spread of the Industrial Revolution in England, Indian markets were flooded with cheap, machine made textiles of British mills.
  9. By 1850, India became a major importer of english textiles.
  10. Lord Dalhousie introduced the railway system in India in 1853.
  11. The Grand Trunk Road from Calcutta to Peshawar was reconstructed by the British in the 19th century.

B. Match the following:
ICSE Solutions for Class 8 History and Civics - Impact of British Rule on India 7
Answer:
ICSE Solutions for Class 8 History and Civics - Impact of British Rule on India 8
ICSE Solutions for Class 8 History and Civics - Impact of British Rule on India 10

C. Choose the correct answer:

1. The Treaty of Allahabad/Madras/Benaras granted the English East India Company the right to collect revenue from Bihar, Bengal and Orissa.
Ans. The Treaty of Allahabad granted the English East India Company the right to collect revenue from Eihar, Bengal and Orissa.

2. To remove the defect of the revenue system Lord Cornwallis introduced the Permanent settlement/Ryotwari system/ Mahalwari system in 1793.
Ans. To remove the defect of the revenue system Lord Cornwallis introduced the Permanent settlement in 1793.

3. The Ryotwari system of revenue collection was introduced in Madras/Calcutta/Bombay presidency.
Ans. The Ryotwari system of revenue collection was introduced in Madras presidency.

4. The Charter Act of 1813, directed the Company to spend 1/ 10/15 lakh rupees on the education of Indians.
Ans. The Charter Act of 1813, directed the Company to spend 1 lakh rupees on the education of Indians.

5.The first railway line was from Bombay to Poona/Thana/ Calcutta.
Ans. The first railway line was from Bombay to Thana.

D. State whether the following are true or false:

  1. Before the advent of the British more than 95 per cent of Indians lived in villages.
    True.
  2. The Indian peasants were satisfied with the Company’s revenue collection methods.
     False.
  3. The Permanent Settlement assured the Company a fixed revenue at a fixed time even during natural calamities.
    True.
  4. Lord Macaulay insisted that Western education should be imparted through the medium of the vernacular languages.
    False.
    Correct : Lord Macaulay insisted that Western education should be imparted through the medium of the English.
  5. The development of transport and communication systems did not benefit Indians in any way.
    False.
    Correct : The development of transport and communication systems benefit Indians in unexpected ways.

E. Answer the following questions in one or two words/ sentences:

Question 1.
Why did the Indian peasants begin to grow cash crops ?
Answer:
Since revenue payments had to be paid in cash, the peasants began to grow cash crops like jute, cotton, sugarcane etc., which could be sold for ready cash in the markets.

Question 2.
How did the Company utilize the revenues from Bengal ?
Answer:
The revenue from Bengal was used to cover as salaries of officials and to finance the trading activities of the company. Raw materials for England’s growing industries were bought with the revenues collected from Bengal.

Question 3.
What were the drawbacks of Warren Hastings’s five-year revenue settlement ?
Answer:
The new zamindars, unsure of retaining the contract at the next auction, had no permanent interest in the land and did nothing to improve it. The peasants were fleeced to meet the revenue targets.

Question 4.
What was the significance of the Charter Act of 1813 in the context of British educational policy in India?
Answer:
The Charter Act of 1813 directed the Company to spend 1 lakh rupees on the education of Indians. This was the first step taken by the British rulers towards the encouragement of the study of literature and science in India. The Charter Act, however, did not lay down any specific guidelines.

Question 5.
In what way would westernized Indians help to promote the interests of British manufacturers?
Answer:

  1. The British system of education produced English-speaking Indian graduates who helped their British masters to run the empire.
  2. It also created a class of Indians who were Westernized to the extent that they rejected Indian culture and patronized anything and everything that was British including British goods.

Question 6.
How did knowledge of contemporary nationalist movements in Europe inspire the Indians?
Answer:
Knowledge of contemporary nationalist movements in Europe fired the Indians with an intense desire to build a new India progressive, strong, prosperous and united.

Question 7.
Mention any two positive effects of the introduction of English in the Indian educational system.
Answer:
Western education, however, impacted Indian society in a way the British could never have imagined.

  1. It aroused in them an awareness of the evil effects of foreign rule.
  2. The teachings of modem European philosophers instilled in them an admiration for democratic institutions.

Question 8.
Which section of Indians gained from the British commercial policies ?
Answer:
Indian Steel, Urban Centres specialized in gold and silver ornaments, cooper, brassware, and crafts people.

Question 9.
How would the improved transport and communication system benefit the Indian later ?
Answer:
The transport and communication system, however, would ultimately benefit Indians in unexpected ways. Besides stimulating trade and commerce it would bring the people of India closer to one another and infuse in them a sense of unity and nationalism—a development that would have far-reaching effects on India’s future.

F. Answer the following questions briefly:

Question 1.
In the context of Permanent Settlement of Bengal answer the following:
(a) Explain the special features of the Permanent Settlement.
(b) What are its advantages ?
(c) Briefly describe its disavantages
Answer:
(a) The system had two special features:
Permanent ownership of land

  1. The zamindars, collectors of land revenue, were made permanent legal owners of the land from which they collected the land tax. The tax collector became the landlord.
  2. The zamindar’s ownership rights became hereditary and he was given the freedom to sell or mortgage his land.
  3. The cultivators of the land became the tenants of the zamindar and lost their ancestral rights. They had to pay a rent to the zamindar who could increase the rent as and when they wanted to.

Fixed Revenue

  1. The land revenue was fixed on a permanent basis. The Company could not make any further demands on the zamindars.
  2. The zamindar had to pay the land revenue once a year on a spe ­cific date. If he failed to pay on time, his lands were confiscated and sold.

(b) Advantages

  1. The Company was assured of a fixed revenue at a fixed time even during natural calamities.
  2. The collection of revenue was simpler and cheaper. The zamindars replaced hundreds of paid tax officials.
  3. The British won the support and loyalty of the powerful and priviledged class of zamindars that they had created.
  4. As permanent owners of the lands, the zamindars took several steps to increase agricultural production whose benefits they would enjoy.

(c) Disadvantages

  1. The cultivators were left at the mercy of the zamindar, who ex­ploited and oppressed them, increased their rents and evicted them from the land when they unable to pay the high rents. This led to widespread poverty and misery of the cultivators.
  2. Since the revenue was fixed, the government would not get a share of increasing returns form the land.
  3. This system gave rise to a class of absentee landlords. These zamindars preferred to live in cities and towns and sublet their land to tenants at high rates. These tenants in turn sublet it to other tenants. As this process continued, the rent rates increased with each successive layer. The entire burden of paying the enhanced rates had to be borne by the actual cultivator—the last tenant.

Question 2.
With reference to Ryotwari and Mahalwari systems answer the following:
(a) Explain the features of the Ryotwari system.
(b) What were the features of the Ryotwari system.
(c) What were the fundamental changes introduced by these systems in the traditional land system of the country ?
Answer:
(a)
The features of Ryotwari system were:

  1. The cultivator (ryot) was recognized as the owner of his land as long as he paid the land revenue.
  2. The revenue was paid directly by the cultivator to the rev­enue officials.
  3. The revenue was fixed for 30 years after which it could be revised.
  4. Collection of revenue was rigid. There was no remission of revenue even when the crops failed.

(b)
‘Mahal’ means a group of villages. Under this system land was collectively owned by the villagers. The revenue settle­ment was made with the village as a whole. The talukdar or head of the mahal collected the revenue and handed it over to the British collectors.

(c)
The Zamindari and Ryotwari systems introduced fundamen­tal changes in the traditional land systems of the country. Land became a commodity — a new form of property — which could be bought, sold and mortgaged as and when the need arose. The stability and continuity of the Indian villages were shaken and the traditional structure of rural society began to disintegrate.

Question 3.
The first century of British rule resulted in the decay and destruction of traditional India trade and industry. Explain this statement with reference to the following:
(a) Political powers of the Company
(b) Collapse of ruling dynasties and ruling courts
(c) Decline of modern India industries.
Answer:
(a) After the Battle of Plassey in 1757, the company used its political power to destroy the Indian handicraft industry and promote British industries. The Indian weavers were forced to sell their products to the Company at very low prices. To add to their miseries, they were compelled to buy interior raw cotton at high prices from the Company officials who bought it from the Indian farmers at low rates.

(b) 
With the establishment and expansion of the British empire in India, the royal courts and the nobility of the ruling dynas­ties, (including the Mughals) collapsed one by one. The craftspersons and artisans were deprived of royal patronage and Indian handicrafts suffered a severe setback.

(c) 
The British government also obstructed the growth of mod­ern Indian industries to keep the country underdeveloped and economically backward. Almost everything of daily use like needles, pins, sewing machines, thread, soaps, biscuits, cycles, medicines, paper, etc. were imported from England.

Question 4.
The Charter Act of 1813 passed by the British Parliament was the first major step to introduce changes in the Indian system of education. In this context discuss:
(a) The general directives issued to the Company in the Charter Act of 1813 and its inherent weakness
(b) The Great Debate over the content and medium of education
(c) The introduction and spread of Western education
Answer:
(a) The Charter Act of 1813 directed the Company to spend 1 lakh rupees on the education of Indians. This was the first step taken by the British rulers towards the encouragement of the study of literature and science in India. The Charter Act, however.- did not lay down any specific guidelines. The money sanctioned for the education project lay untouched for 2 decades while a great controversy raged over the content and medium of education.

(b) 
One group favoured the promotion of traditional Indian learning through the medium of classical (Sanskrit and Persian) and regional language. This group was known as the Orientalists. The other group led by Lord Macaulay (Law Member of the Governor General’s Council) insisted that Western education should be introduced and imparted.

(c) 
The government began to set up English medium schools and colleges for the education of a limited number of Indians. In 1844, English became the official language and the government announced that Indians educated in British schools would be given jobs in government services. This helped the spread of English education in India.

Question 5.
The Wood’s Despatch introduced further changes in the Indian educational system. With reference to the above statement, answer the following questions:
(a) What was the purpose behind the introduction of Western education in India?
(b) How did the introduction of Western education benefit the British?
(c) Explain how

  1. Western education and
  2. The English language led to the rise of a spirit of nationalism among the Indians.

Answer:
(a)  The purpose behind the introduction of Western education in India.

  1. The primary motive of the British government was to create a class of persons, Indian in blood and colour, but British in taste, opinions, morals and intellect. The class of Indians could be employed, on low salaries, as clerks in the Civil Service.
  2. This would greatly reduce the heavy expenditure involved in running the administration. Employing theBritish in these posts was very expensive and difficult.
  3. Westernized Indians, it was hoped, would create a demand for British goods and promote the interests of British manufacturers.
  4. Western education would inculcate in the Indians a sense of admiration and respect for British rule. This would strengthen the foundations of the British empire in India.

(b) The introduction and spread of Western education in India benefited the British like:

  1. The British system of education produced English­speaking Indian graduates who helped their British masters to run the empire.
  2. It also created a class of Indians who were Westernized to the extent that they rejected Indian culture and patronized anything and everything that was British including British goods.

(c) Western education, however, impacted Indian society in a way the British could never have imagined.

  1. It aroused in them an awareness of the evil effects of foreign rule.
  2. The teachings of modern European philosophers instilled in them an admiration for democratic institutions.

Question 6.
With reference to the transport and communication system in India, answer the following questions:
(a) Why and how did the British develop proper transport and communication facilities in India?
(b) How did the railways serve the interests of the British?
(c) Explain how the improved transport and communication system proved beneficial for Indians.
Answer:
(a)

  1. The transport and communication system in India in the 18th century was very backward. The British realized the importance of developing proper
    communication facilities to consolidate their position in India and promote their industrial and commercial growth.
  2. Steps were taken to link all the major cities, ports, agricultural centres and markets through an elaborate network of roads, canals and railways. Metalled roads, steamships and trains were introduced.

(b)
The railways ensured quick transfer of troops and ammunition during revolts and other disturbances and the easy tranportation of raw materials and manufactured goods.
(c)
The transport and communication system, however, whould ultimately benefit Indians in unexpected ways. Besides stimulating trade and commerce it would bring the people of India closer to one another and infuse in them a sense of unity and nationalism. A development that would have far-reaching effects on India’s independence.The improved communication system established by the British benefited the Indians in unexpected ways. Besides stimulating trade and commerce it brought the people of India closer to one another and infused in them a sense of unity and nationalism which had far-reaching effects on Indian’s future.

G Picture Study:

This is the picture of an Indian nationalist.
ICSE Solutions for Class 8 History and Civics - Impact of British Rule on India 9

1. Identify the person.
Answer.
DadabhaiNaoroji.

2.What did he think about the British rule in India ?
Answer.
Dadabhai Naoroji one of the early nationalist of India, described British rule as an ‘everlasting….foreign invasion that was utterly though gradually destroying the country’.

3.Explain any three ways in which he felt that the Indian economy was being exploited by the British.
Answer.

  1. A greater part of the salaries of British officials and employees of the Company (paid out of Indian revenues) was deposited in England as savings.
  2. Material resources like cotton, jute, indigo, tea, coffee, etc. were transported to England.
  3. Goods purchased in India with revenues drawn from the country were sent to England.
  4. Huge sums of money which the officials received as bribes and gifts were sent out of the country.

ICSE Solutions for Class 8 History and Civics – India in the Eighteenth Century

ICSE Solutions for Class 8 History and Civics – India in the Eighteenth Century

ICSE SolutionsSelina ICSE SolutionsML Aggarwal Solutions

APlusTopper.com provides step by step solutions for ICSE Solutions for Class 8 History and Civics. You can download the History and Civics ICSE Solutions for Class 8 with Free PDF download option. History and Civics for Class 8 ICSE Solutions all questions are solved and explained by expert teachers as per ICSE board guidelines.

ICSE Solutions Class 8 History & Civics GeographyBiologyChemistryPhysicsMaths

Time To Learn
I. Fill in the blanks:

  1. Murshid Quli Khan became the independent ruler of Bengal and shifted his capital to Murshidabad.
  2. Chin Qilich Khan founded the Asaf Jahi dynasty in AD 1724.
  3. Haider Ali was the ruler of Mysore.
  4. Banda Bahadur was the leader of the Sikhs after the death of Guru Govind Singh.
  5. Balaji Vishwanath was the first Peshwa.

II. Match the contents of Column A and Column B:
ICSE Solutions for Class 8 History and Civics - India in the Eighteenth Century 1
ICSE Solutions for Class 8 History and Civics - India in the Eighteenth Century 2

Answer:
ICSE Solutions for Class 8 History and Civics - India in the Eighteenth Century 3

III. State whether the following statements are True or False:

  1. The office of the Peshwas was always hereditary.
    False.
  2. In the Third Battle of Panipat, the Marathas fought with the Rajputs and the Jats.
    False.
  3. The later Mughal kings were able rulers.
    False.
  4. Safdar Jung was the first Nizam of Hyderabad.
    False.
  5. Jai Singh built an observatory (Jantar Mantar) and Pink City (Jaipur).
    True.

 IV. Answer the following questions:

Question 1.
Write in brief the causes that led to the downfall of the Mughal empire.
Answer:
Causes that led to the downfall of Mughal Empire were
(a)
Weak successors: After Aurangzeb’s death the Mugh empire started declining. His successors were weak are were toys in the hands of nobles and Governors. The lacked the administrative skills of their predecessors.
(b)
Internal Rivalry: The nobles and Governors belonged different groups and were always engaged in const? struggle for power. This hampered the growth of the emp
(c)
Crisis in Jagirdari and Mansabdari system: The Mugh introduced the Jagirdari and the mansabdari systems , smooth running of their administration but they only prov to be the cause of the decline of their empire.
(d)
Invasion of Nadir Shah and Ahmad Shah Abdali:
Duri the reign of Mohammad Shah two foreign invasions crippl the Mughal empire. They invaded India and weakened tl Mughal Empire.

Question 2.
When and between whom was the Third Battle of Panipa fought? What were its results?
Answer:
The third battle of Panipat was fought in 1761 between Ahmad Shah Abdali, an Afghan invader and Peshwa Balaji Baji Rao. The Peshwa suffered a crushing defeat and this put an end to the Maratha power.

Question 3.
Name the first independent Nawab of Bengal. What were his achievements?
Answer:
Murshid Quli Khan became the first independent Nawab of Bengal. He established an efficient administration and effectively organised the revenue system. He also started the new system of land revenue collection, on the basis of contracts, known as Ijara system. He reorganised the zamindari for which he is will remembered in the history of Bengal.

Question 4.
When was the Battle of Plassey fought? What effect did it have on the position of the English East India Company?
Answer:
The Battle of Plassey was fought in 1757 between the British and Siraj-ud-daulah in which the English defeated the army of Siraj-ud-daulah. From then onwards the English East India Company functioned as king makers in Bengal politics. Finally,the English established their full sway in 1765 when Robert Clive set up the Dual Government in Bengal.

Question 5.
Who was Haider All? Discuss his achievements.
Answer:
Hyder All was the ruler of Mysore. He started his career as an ordinary soldier in the Mysore army. He won many battles against the Marathas, the Nizam of Hyderabad and routed his enemies in two consecutive Anglo-Mysore Wars.

Question 6.
Which ruler was known as the Tiger of Mysore?
Answer:
Tipu Sultan, the son and heir of Haider Ah and ruler of Mysore is known as ‘Tiger of Mysore.

V. Tell me why

Question 1.
The consequence of the Third Battle of Panipat was n advantageous for the British.
Answer:
The Marathas had established a Maratha Kingdom during the reign of Aurangzeb. They were very powerful and with time and with the decline of the Mughals would have proved worthy , opponents to the emerging British empire but the third Battle of Panipat (1761) sealed their fate. Ahmad Shah Abdali, an Afghan . invader gave a crushing defeat to the forces of Peshwa Balaji Baji Rao. It put an end to the Maratha power and their dream of ruling India. Thus, the way was proved for the British East India Company to gain power and become supreme.

Question 2.
Independent states were formed in the 18th century.
Answer:
The later Mughal rulers were so weak that they could not hold the provinces of the empire together. These provinces were under Governors who were always engaged in wars. Gradually, they took advantage of the situation of misrule and misgovemance by the central authority and declared independence.Thus, Bengal, Hyderabad, Awadh Rohikhand became independent one after the other.

VI. Pictury study – This is a picture of a great ruler of Punjab.
ICSE Solutions for Class 8 History and Civics - India in the Eighteenth Century 4

Question 1.
Identify him.
Answer:
Maharaja Ranjit Singh.

Question 2.
How did the unite the Sikhs in Punjab?
Answer:
Maharaja Ranjit Singh brought the whole area west of River Sutlej under his control and established the Sikh kingdom in Punjab. He signed the Treaty of Amritsar (1809) with the British which confirmed his conquests and established his sovereignty over the terrioty west of Satluj. It was only after his death in 1839 that the British gained control over the Punjab.

Additional Questions

EXERCISES
A. Fill in the blanks:

  1. During the first half of the 18th century, the great Mughal empire decayed and disintegrated.
    The Mughal emperors who ruled India after the death of Aurangzeb are known as the later Mughals.
  2. There were four groups of nobles in the Mughal court.
  3. Nadir Shah looted and plundered Delhi He carried away immense treasures including the priceless Kohinoor and the Peacock Throne.
  4. Ahmad Shah Abdali, the ruler of Afghanistan, repeatedly attacked the Mughal empire.
  5. Bahadur Shah Zafar, was defeated in the Revolt of 1857 and exiled to Rangoon by the British.

B. Match the following:
ICSE Solutions for Class 8 History and Civics - India in the Eighteenth Century 5
ICSE Solutions for Class 8 History and Civics - India in the Eighteenth Century 6
Answer:
ICSE Solutions for Class 8 History and Civics - India in the Eighteenth Century 7

C. Choose the correct answer:

  1. Aurangzeb/Akbar/Shah Jahan followed a policy of religious intolerance.
    Ans. Aurangzeb followed a policy of religious intolerance.
  2. The military campaign in the Deccan led by Shah Jahan/ Aurangzeb/Akbar ruined the Mughal empire financially
    Ans. The military campaign in the Deccan led by Aurangzeb ruined the Mughal empire financially.
  3. The invasions of Ahmad Shah Abdali, the ruler of Afghanistan/Persia/Iraq shattered the power and prestige of the Mughal empire.
    Ans. The invasions of Ahmad Shah Abdali, the ruler of Afghanistan shattered the power and prestige of the Mughal empire.
  4. The Mughal empire lasted for over 3/5/6
    Ans. The Mughal empire lasted for over 3 centuries.
  5. The British ruled over India for a 100 years/nearly 200 years/ 300 years.
    Ans. The British ruled over India for nearly 200 years.

D. State whether the following are true or false.

  1. Bahadur Shah ascended the throne after the death of Aurangzeb.
    True.
  2. The Mughal court was united and stable.
    False
    Correct:- The Mughal court was divided and unstable.
  3. The Mughal officers were given jagirs as payments for their services.
    True.
  4. The Mughal rulers did not have a navy.
    True.
  5. The successors of Aurangzeb were very strong and efficient.
    False.
    Correct: The successors of Aurangzeb were very weak and unefficient.

E. Answer the following questions in one or two words/ sentences:

Question 1.
When did the transition from the Medieval to the Modern Period begin in India?
Answer:
The transition from the Medieval to the Modem Priod began with the decline of the Mughal empire in the first half of the 18th century.

Question 2.
Name the first and the last emperors in the line of the Later Mughals.
Answer:
Bahadur Shah first in the line of emperors referred to as the Later Mughals. Bahadur Shah Zafar last emperor in the line of the Later Mughals.

Question 3.
Name any two rival groups of nobles in the Mughal court.
Answer:

  1. The Iranis hailed from Persia
  2. Turanis hailed fromTransoxiana.

Question 4.
Mention any two reasons for the failure of the mansabdari system.
Answer:
Mansabdars had to maintain a fixed number of troops. They were given jagirs as the payment for doing so. Later, an increase in the number of mansabs and a shortage of jagirs led to corruption and inefficiency in the system.

Question 5.
What was the economic impact of the Mughal wars of succession?
Answer:
After the death of a Mughal ruler, generally there were wars of succession among rival claimants to the throne. These wars proved very costly and destructive. They drained the resources of the empire and made it instable and weak.

Question 6.
How did Aurangzeb’s religious policy affect the relationship between the Mughals and the Rajputs?
Answer:
Aurangzeb’s policy of religious intolerance shook the foundations of the empire and resulted in the following:

  • The costly, long-drawn and ruinous Deccan campaign.
  • Numerous wars with the Sikhs, the Marathas, the Jats and the Rajputs.
  • Loss of support of the loyal Rajputs who had earlier contributed greatly to the stability of the Mughal empire but now became its bitter foes.

Question 7.
What led to the drain on the royal treasury during Shah Jahan’s reign?
Answer:
The enormous sums of money spent by Shah Jahan on magnificent monuments like the Taj Mahal had drained the royal treasury.

Question 8.
Which Mughal emperor assumed leadership of the Revolt of 1857? What happened to him after the Revolt?
Answer:
Bahadur Shah Zafar, the last of the Mughals, assumed leadership of the rebels in the Revolt of 1857 against the British. He was defeated and exiled to Rangoon where he died. The Mughal empire came to an inglorious end.

F. Answer the following questions briefly.

Question 1.
Several factors were responsible for the decline of the Mughal empire. In this context answer the following questions:
(a).How did court politics undermine the authority and prestige of the Mughal empire?
(b).To what extent was the jagirdari crisis responsible for a further decline of the power of the emperor?(c).How did the wars of succession destabilize the Mughal empire?
Answer:
(a).
There were four groups of nobles in the Mughal court- Iranis, Turanis, Afghans and Hindustanis. The Iranis hailed from Persia, the Turanis hailed from Transoxiana, and the Afghans came from the mountainous border regions across the river Indus. The Mughal court was a house sharply divided from within. This resulted in a constant struggle for power among these groups. Their mutual jealousies and rivalries caused great harm to the Mughal administration and undermined the prestige and authority of the Mughal emperor.
(b)
The Mughal officers were given jagirs as payment for their services. Towards the end of the 17th century, there were very few jagirs left. To satisfy the demands of the newly recruited officers, crown lands were converted to jagir lands and given to the nobles. This led to a loss of revenue for the royal treasury and a further decline in the power of the emperor.
(c)
After the death of a Mughal ruler, generally there were wars of succession among rival claimants to the throne. These wars proved very costly and destructive. They drained the resources of the empire and made it instable and weak.

Question 2.
With reference to the decline and disintegration of
(a) The Mughal empire discuss the following:
(b) The breakdown of the mansabdari system The weaknesses
(c) of the Mughal army Aurangzeb’s religioius policy
Answer:
(a) Under this system, mansabdars had to maintain a fixed number of troops. They were given jagirs as the payment for doing so. Later, an increase in the number of mansabs and a shortage of jagirs led to corruption and inefficiency in the system.

(b) 
The Mughal army also failed to keep pace with the time. The Mughal rulers did not have a navy and made no efforts to establish one. Their equipment and techniques of warfare were obsolete and ineffective. Nothing was done to reform, modernize and strengthen the army.

(c) 
His policy of religious intolerance shook the foundations of the empire and resulted in the following:

  1. The costly, long-drawn and ruinous Deccan campaign.
  2. Numerous wars with the Sikhs, the Marathas, the Jats and the Rajputs.
  3. Loss of support of the loyal Rajputs who had earlier contributed greatly to the stability of the Mughal empire but now became its bitter foes.

Question 3.
To what extent were the following factors responsible for the eventual collapse of the Mughal empire?
(a) Economic bankruptcy (b) Foreign invasions (c) Weak successors
Answer:
(a) Economic bankruptcy: A major cause of the disintegration of the Mughal empire was its economic bankruptcy. The enormous sums of money spent by Shah jahan on magnificent monuments like the Taj Mahal had drained the royal treasury. Aurangzeb’s Deccan campaign was a financial disaster that ruined the empire and made its collapse inevitable.

(b)Foreign invasions:
The invasions of Nadir Shah, the ruler of Persia (Iran), and Ahmad Shah Abdali, the ruler of Afghanistan, shattered the power and prestige of the Mughals. Nadir Shah looted and plundered Delhi and carried away valuable treasures, including the priceless Kohinoor Diamond and the Peacock Throne. Ahmad Shad Abdali plundered northern India repeatedly.

(c) Weak successors:
Aurangzeb ruled over a vast empire which he controlled with an iron hand. His successors were pleasure-loving, weak and inefficient. They were puppets in the hands of powerful, ambitious nobles who controlled the administration. The provincial governors took advantage of the weak government at the centre and set up independent kingdoms in the Mughal provinces. This led to the break-up and collapse of the empire.

G. Picture Study:

This is a portrait of the last of the Later Mughals.
ICSE Solutions for Class 8 History and Civics - India in the Eighteenth Century 8

Question 1.
Identify the Mughal emperor represented in this picture.
Answer:
Bahadur Shah Zafar.

Question 2.
What part did he play in the Revolt of 1857?
Answer:
Role of Bahadur Shah Zafar in the Revolt of 1857:
As the Indian rebellion of 1857 spread, sepoy regiments seized Delhi. Seeking a figure that could unite all Indians, Hindu and Muslim alike, Most rebelling Indian kings and the Indian regiments accepted Zafar as the Emperorof India. Under whom the smaller Indian kingdom would unite until the British were defeated. Zafar was the least threatening and least ambitious of monarchs, and the legacy of the Mughal Empire was more acceptable a uniting force to most allied kings than the domination of any other Indian kingdom.

Question 3.
What happened to the Mughal empire after his death?
Answer:
The Mughal Empire came to an inglorious end.

Question 4.
Mention any four reasons for the decline of the Mughal empire Explain any two reasons.
Answer:
(a) Politics in the Mughal court
(b) Weak Military organization and Administration
(c) Aurangzeb’s Bankruptcy
(d) Foreign Invasions

  • Politics in the Mughal court: There were four groups of nobles in the Mughal court Iranis, Turanis, Afghans and Hindustanis. The Iranis hailed from Persia, the Turanis hailed from Transoxiana, and Afghans came from the mountainous border regions across the Indus. The Mughal court was a house sharply divided from within. This resulted in a constant struggle for power among these groups. Their mutual jealousies and rivalries caused great harm to the Mughal administration and undermined the prestige and authority of the Mughal Emperor.
  • Economic Bankruptcy: A major cause of the disintegration of the Mughal Empire was its economic bankruptcy. The enormous sums of money spent by Shah Jahan on magnificent monuments like the Taj Mahal had drained the royal treasury. Aurangzeb’s Deccan campaign was a financial disaster that ruined the empire and made its collapse inevitable.

ICSE Solutions for Class 8 History and Civics – Struggle for Freedom (I)


ICSE Solutions for Class 8 History and Civics – Struggle for Freedom (I)

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Time To Learn
I. Fill in the blanks:

  1. The British shattered the self sufficient village economy.
  2. The controversial Ilbert Bill incident took place in 1883.
  3. The Arms Act forbade the Indians from possessing arms.
  4. The President of the first session of the Congress was W.C. Bannerji.
  5. Bal Gangadhar Tilak raised the slogan “Swaraj is my birthright”.
  6. The three prominent leaders of the Radical Nationalists group were Lala Lajpat Rai, Bal Gangadhar Tilak, and Bipin Chandra Pal.
  7. Mahatma Gandhi was bom on 2nd October 1869 at Porbandar.
  8. Gandhiji’s method of agitation were Satyagraha, boycott and strikes.
  9. The incident at Chauri Chaura took place on 5th February 1922.

II. Match the contents of Column A with those of Column B:
ICSE Solutions for Class 8 History and Civics - Struggle for Freedom (I) 1
Answer:
ICSE Solutions for Class 8 History and Civics - Struggle for Freedom (I) 2

III. State whether the following statements are true or false:

  1. The Congress was started in 1885.
    True.
  2. Unification of India as one political unit was achieved by the Indians themselves.
    False.
  3. The British treated the Indians at par with themselves.
    False
  4. A prominent leader of the Early Nationalist groups was S.N. Bannerjee.
    True.
  5. The religious and social reform ^movement divided the Indians.
    False.
  6. The Home Rule League was formed under the leadership of Tilak.
    True.
  7. Chauri Chaura is a place in Madhya Pradesh.
    False.
  8. Rowlatt Act was passed in 1923.
    False.

IV. Answer the following questions:

Question 1.
How did unification of India help to bring about a feeling of nationalism among the Indians?
Answer:
Political and administrative unification of India helped in the rise of nationalism. Under the British rule India was united as one political unit. The uniformity in laws and administration gave rise to a feeling of oneness among the people.

Question 2.
How did modern education bring about unity among Indians?
Answer:
Indians who received modem education could now read western thought and literature. They were exposed to the revolutionary changes taking place in the west – the American and French Revolutions. They became aware of the ideas of democracy, equality and nationalism. The reform movement also played an important role. All this brought the people together and created unity among them.

Question 3.
Name two early all-India associations.
Answer:

  1. British Indian Association, 1851.
  2. The Bombay Association, 1852.

Question 4.
Why was the need for establishing an all-India organisation, representing Indian opinion, an urgent necessity?
Answer:
The need for an all India Organisation representing Indian opinion had been felt for a long time, but the immediate reasons which saw its birth, were the repressive policies of the British in the 1870s and the 1880s. In 1883 the controversial Ilbert Bill incident took place. According to it a British or a European in India could be tried by an Indian Judge. The Bill was withdrawn because of the opposition by the British.These events made the need for establishing an all-India organisation, representing Indian opinion an urgent necessity.

Question 5.
Differentiate between the methods of Early Nationalists and Radical Nationalists.
Answer:
The Early Nationalists had faith in the British system of administration and believed that India could develop by staying within the British Empire. They did not demand complete independence but dominion status i.e., autonomy or Swaraj within the British empire. 1905 onwards new trends began to appear in the nationalist movement. Bal Gangadhar Tilak, Lala Lajpat .Rai and Bipin Chandra Pal were the leaders who brought about this change. They said the aim of Indians should be ‘Swaraj’. They criticised the policies of the Early Nationalists and said people have to rely on their strength rather than “Prayer and Petition”. Tilak raised the famous slogan “Swaraj is my birthright and I must have it”.
The methods they suggested to achieve it were:

  1. Involvement and participation of the masses
  2. Reviving popular Festivals to spread Political awakening among people.
  3. New methods of agitation such as hartals and boycott of foreign goods and services.

Question 6.
Which factors contributed to the building up of the feeling of nationalism in India?
Answer:
There are several factors responsible to the building up of the feeling of nationalism in India.
They are :

  1. Discontentment against British Rule.
  2. Political and Administrative Unification.
  3. Economic changes.
  4. Spread of modem education.
  5. Role of newspapers and the press.

Question 7.
List down the aims of the Muslim League.
Answer:
Aims of Muslim League:

  1. To promote loyalty to the government
  2. To protect and advance the interest of the muslims
  3. To ensure that Muslims do not develop the feelings of hostility towards other communities in India.

Question 8.
Describe the provisions of the Government of India Act (1919).
Answer:
The Provincial Legislative Councils were enlarged and a majority of their members were to be elected. A new system called Dyarchy was introduced in the provinces. Under this system some subjects, such as finance, law and order were called reserved subjects and remained under the direct control of the Governor. Other subjects such as education, public -health, local self government were called ‘transferred’ subjects and were to be controlled by ministers responsible to the provincial legislature,

Question 9.
Describe the constructive programme introduced by Gandiji.
Answer:
The social reforms and the constructive programmes introduced by Gandhiji changed the character of the national movement to a mass movement. He worked towards removing untouchability. He also worked for the upliftment of the people living in the villages. He said that the majority of India’s population lived in the villages and hence our country could progress only if there was development in the villages. He encouraged setting up small scale industries in villages. He also popularised Khadi. The Charkha became an important symbol. Gandiji believed that Independence was meaningless without social and economic equality.

V. Picture Study:

(A) This picture shows three Radical Nationalist leaders.
ICSE Solutions for Class 8 History and Civics - Struggle for Freedom (I) 3

  1. Identify and name them.
    Ans. They are Lala Lajpat Rai, Bal Gangadhar Tilak and Bipin Chandra Pal.
  2. Write about the methods which they suggested.
    Ans. They suggested idea of boycott and Swadeshi. They insisted on involvement of the masses.
  3. What was the famous slogan raised by Bal Gangadhar Tilak?
    Ans. “Swaraj is my birthright and I must have it.”

(B) Look at the given picture.
ICSE Solutions for Class 8 History and Civics - Struggle for Freedom (I) 4

  1. Identify and name him
    Ans. Lord Curzon
  2. When did the partition of Bengal take place
    Ans. 1905
  3. What was the real reason behind the partition.
    Ans. To weaken the freedom movement and to create Hindu-Muslim enmity and disunity.
  4. What excuse did the British give?
    Ans. Bengal was too large a province to be governed efficiently.

Additional Questions

Rise of Indian Nationalism
EXERCISES

A. Fill in the blanks:

  1. Modem Indian nationalism arose to meet the challenge of Foreign domination.
  2. Exploitation of India by the British was direct and harsh before 1857; after 1857 it became subtle and systematic.
  3. The Kukas Rebellion was an armed rebellion of the Sikhs against the British policy of divide and rule.
  4. The English language acted as a link language among the educated Indians.
  5. A.O. Hume laid the foundation of the Indian National Congress in December 1885.

B. Match the following:
ICSE Solutions for Class 8 History and Civics - Struggle for Freedom (I) 5

Answer:
ICSE Solutions for Class 8 History and Civics - Struggle for Freedom (I) 6

C. Choose the correct answer:

1. ‘Vande Mataram’ was written by Swami Vivekananda/Raja Ram Mohan Roy/Bankim Chander Chattopadhyaya.
Ans. ‘Vande Mataram’ was written by Bankim Chander Chattopadhyaya.

2. Lord Ripon/Lord Lytton/Lord Dalhousie approved the Hbert Bill.
Ans. Lord Ripon approved the Ilbert Bill.

3.The Indian National Congress was established in 1883/1885/ 1890.
Ans. The Indian National Congress was established in 1885.

4.The first session of the Indian National Congress was attended by 62/72/82
Ans. The first session of the Indian National Congress was attended by 72 delegates.

5. The first session of the Indian National Congress was presided over by C. Bannerjee/Surendranath Banerjea/A.O. Hume.
Ans. The first session of the Indian National Congress was presided over by W.C. Bannerjee|

D. State whether the following are true or false:

  1. The Revolt of 1857 had failed to rid India of foreign rule.
    True.
  2. Western education and modern ideas could not bring the Indians togethe
    False.
    Correct : Western education and modem ideas bring the Indians together.
  3. Racial arrogance and racial discrimination by the British caused great resentment among Indian intellectuals.
    True.
  4. The Ilbert Bill had to be amended as the European reacted violently to it.
    True.
  5. O. Hume was not supported by nationalist Indian leaders.
    False.
    Correct: A. O. Hume was supported by nationalist Indian leaders.

E. Answer the following questions in one or two words/ sentences:

Question 1.
Define nationalism.
Answer:
Nationalism may be defined as a devotion and loyalty to one’s own nation, patriotism. It is also the policy or doctrine of asserting the interest of one’s own nation vie .ved as separate from the interests of others nations or common interest of all nation.

Question 2.
Name any two Western scholars who researched the Indian past and rediscovered its rich heritage.
Answer:
European scholars like William Jones, Alexander Cunningham, James Prinsep and other Indologists, who researched India’s historical past and revealed its rich heritage.

Question 3.
How did the British economic policies in India transform India into an agricultural colony.
Answer:
British economic policies in India had deliberately transformed India into an agricultural colony. India had become a supplier of British raw materials and a market for British manufactured products.

Question 4.
Why was the Ilbert Bill introduced and by whom?
Answer:
Lord Ripon, who followed Lord Lytton, wanted to change some of the discriminatory policies of the government. He approved the Ilbert Bill which proposed that Indian judges be allowed to try Europeans (whites) accused of crimes.

Question 5.
When and where was the first session of the Indian National Congress held?
Answer:
The first session of the Congress was held in Bombay (now Mumbai) in December 1885.

F. Answer the following questions briefly:

Question 1.
There were many factors that led to the rise of nationalism in India. In the light of this statement, answer the following questions:
(a) In what way did the Revolt of 1857 impact the rise of nationalism in India?
(b) What changes did Western education bring about in the traditional Indian outlook?
(c)The English language acted as a link language among the Indians. Explain.
Answer:
(a)
Exploitation after Revolt of 1857, was subtle and systematic.
The impact of exploitation was felt by almost all sections of Indian society, but it took several decades to comprehend the true nature of British rule and establish the link between British polices and India’s growing poverty. Several armed revolts took place after 1857. The Kuka rebellion was one such revolt. It was a protest against the deliberate policy of the British to create a rift between the Hindus and the Muslims.
(b)
The British had introduced Western Education in India to create a class of loyal clerks and Anglicized buyers of British goods. Western education did that and much more. It opened the floodgates of modem knowledge and rational thinking. New ideas of humanism, nationalism and democracy transformed the traditional outlook of the people. A new class arose-English-educated Indians-small in number but who in course of time, would produce, leaders and organizers of a national movement.
(c)
The English language acted as a link language between the educated Indians and various parts of the country. Thus, it played a very significant role in fostering feelings of unity among educated Indians from different provinces and linguistic regions of the country. The barriers of language now broke down as the English language became the common medium of communication. Educated middle class Indians who spoke different language could now express their views and exchange ideas among themselves in English. A common language fostered a sense of oneness and understanding of their Indian identity.

Question 2.
In the context of the causes of the rise of Indian nationalism,answer the following questions:
(a) How did the British administrative system indirectly create conditions favourable for the growth of Indian nationalism.
(b) Examine the role of modern transport and communication in fostering unity and nationalism among the people.
(c)How did the rediscovery of India’s glorious past prepare the ground for the growth of the national spirit among the Indians.
Answer:
(a)
The British transformed a fragmented India into a united whole under their rule. They introduced a uniform and modern system of government throughout the British provinces. Uniform laws were applied to all British subjects. People from different provinces and from different communities and castes now followed the same laws and regulations. They gradually realized that they all belonged to the same country and shared a common national identity as Indians.
(b)
This growing sense of unity and nationalism was further strengthened when the British introduced a new network of roads, railways and the post and telegraph system. Social mobility and interaction increased. Caste barriers broke down. People from different parts of the country grew closer to each other. They realized that they shared common problems, common aspirations and common goals. They belonged to one nation.
(c)
The rediscovery of a past was great and glorious. It was a past that could boast of the intellectual richness of Vedic philosophy, the political unity and administrative wisdom of the Mauryas, the Golden Age of the Guptas and the cultural brilliance of the Mughals. These discoveries were made by European scholars like William Jones, Alexander Cunningham, James Princep and other Indologists, who researched India’s historical past and revealed its rich heritage. These revelations instilled in the Indians feelings of national pride and self-confidence and inspired them to dream of a new resurgent India.

Question 3.
With reference to the rise of Indian nationalism, answer the following questions:
(a) What was the role of vernacular press and literature in the rise of Indian nationalism?
(b) How did the British economic policies lead to the growth of Indian nationalism?
(c) Mention the discriminatory British policies that were greatly resented by the Indian intellectuals.
Answer:
(a)
The vernacular press played a vital role in spreading modern ideas and creating national awareness. Nationalist leaders, the best among the educated middle-class intellectuals, used the press to criticize British policies and expose the evils of foreign rule. The ideas of democracy and responsible government were popularized through the press. Indians were asked to unite and work for the welfare of the nation. National literature also inspired the spirit of nationalism among the people. Novels, essays and patriotic poems written by well-known authors and poets fired the imagination of the common people and gave rise to powerful patriotic feelings. Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyaya’s ‘Vande Mataram’ continues to evoke strong patriotic emotions among Indians even to this day.
(b)
The drain of India’s wealth to Britain, the impoverishment of the masses, industrial decay, grinding poverty, frequent famines, and the indifference and apathy of the British government produced a nationalistic reaction. The educated Indians realized the gravity of the situation and the need to have some control over economic policies.
(c)
Discriminatory policies adopted by the British:

  1. Indians were debarred from using parks, clubs, hospitals, libraries and railway coaches reserved exclusively for the British.
  2. All important positions in the administration were also reserved for the British. (Surendranath Banerjee was dismissed from the Indian Civil Service on flimsy grounds) Nominated Indian members in the Legislative Councils were not given any powers.
  3. British economic policies sacrificed Indian interests to those of the British. Lord Lytton’s discriminatory policies caused great resentment among the educated Indians.

Question 4.
In the context of the Indian National Congress, answer the following questions:
(a) Briefly discuss the Ilbert Bill controversy and show how it hastened the establishment of the Indian National Congress.
(b) What role did A. O. Hume play in the establishment of the Indian National Congress?
(c) Mention the main aims of the Congress.
Answer:
(a)
Lord Ripon, who followed Lord Lytton, wanted to change some of the discriminatory policies of the government. He approved the Ilbert Bill which allowed Indian judges to try Europeans (whites) accused of crimes. The violent reaction of the Europeans and Anglo-Indians to this proposal shocked the Indian nationalists. The Bill had to be amended. This incident blew the lid off the racial arrogance of the Europeans. It served as an eye-opener and drove home the urgent need to form an organized national bod to protect the interest and dignity of the Indians. In 1883, Surendranath Banerjee held the Indian National Conference, and within 2 years, the Indian National Congress was formed.
(b)
O. Hume was one of the founders of the Indian National Congress, a political party that was later lead to Indian Independence Movement. Hume took the initiative and it was in March 1885, when the first notice was issued convening the First Indian National union to meet at Poona in December. Founded in 1885 with the objective of obtaining a greater share in government for educated Indians, Indian National Congress was initially not opposed to British rule. The Congress met once a year during December. A. O. Hume is known for prominent figure of Indian Independence Movement activisim and reorganizing and leading the Indian National Army in World War II.
(c)
The main aims of the Congress were:

  1. To promote friendly relations among nationalist workers in different parts of the country.
  2. To develop and strengthen feelings of national unity throughout the country.
  3. To formulate popular demands and to place them before the government.
  4. To train and organize public opinion in the country

G Picture study:

This is a picture of a person who was dismissed from the Indian Civil Service by the British on flimsy grounds
ICSE Solutions for Class 8 History and Civics - Struggle for Freedom (I) 7

  1. Identify the person in the picture
    Ans. Surendranath Banerjee
  2. Name the conference that he held in 1883.
    Ans. Indian National Conference
  3. What was the outcome of the conference?
    Ans. Indian National Congress was established in 1885, as a result of the conference in 1883.
  4. What were the main aims of the Indian National Congress?
    Ans. Refer Ans. F-4 (c) above.

Additional Questions

The Indian National Movement (1885-1916)
 EXERCISES
A. Fill in the blanks:

  1. The early nationalists spread political awareness among the people.
  2. The assertive nationalists believed that British rule in India was not a blessing but a curse.
  3. After the partition of Bengal, the assertive nationalists adopted the methods of boycott, swadeshi and national education to achieve the goal of swaraj.
  4. Separate electorates meant that the Muslim voters could elect Muslim representatives.
  5. Gandhi spent about 22 years in South Africa as a practising lawyer.

B. Match the following:
ICSE Solutions for Class 8 History and Civics - Struggle for Freedom (I) 8
ICSE Solutions for Class 8 History and Civics - Struggle for Freedom (I) 9

Answer:
ICSE Solutions for Class 8 History and Civics - Struggle for Freedom (I) 10

C. Choose the correct answer:

  1. The history of the Indian national movement is broadly categorized into three/four/five
    Ans. The history of the Indian national movement is broadly categorized into three phases.
  2. Bal Gangadhar Tilak/Dadabhai Naoroji/Surendranath Banerjea was an important assertive nationalist leader.
    Ans. Bal Gangadhar Tilak was an important assertive nationalist leader.
  3. The British followed the policy of divide and rule by dividing Bengal/Punjab/Gujarat on communal lines.
    Ans. The British followed the policy of divide and rule by dividing Bengal on communal lines.
  4. The Muslim League was established in 1905/1906/1913.
    Ans. The Muslim League was established in 1906.
  5. Gandhiji studied law’ in England/South Africa/France.
    Ans. Gandhiji studied law in England.

D. State whether the following are true or false:

  1. The early nationalists believed in the sense of justice and fair play of the British.
    True.
  2. The early nationalists presented their grievances to the British in the form of protests and strikes.
    False.
    Correct: The early nationalists presented their grievances to the British in the form of meetings, lectures and the press.
  3. The political beliefs, aims and methods of the assertive nationalists were the same as those of the early nationalists.
    False.
    Correct: The political beliefs, aims and methods of the assertive nationalists were different as those of the early nationalists.
  4. The assertive nationalists had no faith in the constitutional methods followed by the early nationalists.
    True.
  5. Tilak knew that the British would concede to the demand of swaraj easily without any struggle.
    False.
    Correct : Tilak knew that the British would never concede to the demand of Swaraj easily without any struggle.

E. Answer the following questions in one or two words/ sentences:

Question 1.
Mention two leaders of the early nationalist phase.
Answer:
The important leaders of the early nationalist phase were Dadabhai Naoroji, Surendranath Banerjea and Gopal Krishna Gokhale.

Question 2.
Mention two leaders of the assertive nationalist phase.
Answer:
The important leaders of the assertive nationalist phase were Bal Gangadhar Tilak, Bipin Chandra Pal, Lala Lajpat Rai and Aurobindo Ghosh.

Question 3.
Why were the assertive nationalists disillusioned with the leadership of the early nationalists?
Answer:
The assertive nationalists had no faith in the constitutional methods followed by the early nationalists. They knew that the British would never concede to the demand for swaraj without a struggle. So they have to adopt a method of active opposition to government Swaraj would have to be achieved through a political, anti-government agitation and with the involvement and support of the masses. The Congress would have to be transformed from a platform for debates among the westernized, Indian intelligentsia into a regiment of freedom fighters-united, determined, confident and willing to make sacrifices.

Question 4.
When and why was Bengal partitioned?
Answer:
The British partitioned Bengal in 1905 in pursuance of their policy of divide and rule.

Question 5.
Where and under whose leadership was the Muslim League established?
Answer:
The Muslim League was established in December 1906, under the leadership of Nawab Salimullah Khan in Dacca (now known as Dhaka).

Question 6.
Mention two objectives of the Muslim League?
Answer:
Objectives of Muslim league:

To promote among the Muslims a feeling of loyalty towards the British government.

  1. To protect and promote the political rights of the Muslims.
  2. To prevent feelings of hostility towards other communities.

Question 7.
Why was the introduction of separate electorates a death blow to national unity?
Answer:
Separate electorates refers to the voting population of the country, divided into different electorates based on the factors like religion, caste, occupation etc. For example, it meant that Muslim voters could elect Muslim representatives. The introduction of separate electorates sounded the death knell of national unity. It was the first definite step on the road to the partition of India.

Question 8.
Why did the Indian nationalists support the war effort of the British when the First World War broke out ?
Answer:
Initially, there was an outburst of loyalty and the Indian nationalist leaders supported the British government with men and money. More than a million Indian soldiers were sent overseas to join the British army and a hundred million pounds were given to the British government.

The British and their allies declared that they were fighting the war to make the world ‘safe for democracy’ and to promote the right of all nations to form self-governments. This led the Indian nationalists to believe that a grateful Britain would reward India’s loyalty and fulfil its demands for self-government.

Question 9.
What was the main aim of the Home Rule Leagues ?
Answer:
The main aim of the Leagues was to achieve self-government within the British empire after the war.

F. Answer the following questions briefly:
Question 1.
With reference to the early nationalists, discuss the following:
(a) Beliefs of the early nationalists
(b) Methods of the early nationalists
(c) Important contributions made by the early nationalists to the national movement?
Answer:
(a)
The early nationalists believed that British rule had conferred several benefits on India. They felt that at that stage of history it was in their own interests to remain under the British since they were not yet ready to govern themselves. The early nationalists were convinced that the British could be persuaded to introduce necessary reforms and the government could be transformed to suit the interests of the Indian subjects.
(b)
The early nationalists had great faith in the sense of justice and fair play of the British. So they adopted peaceful and constitutional methods. They presented their grievances to the government and waited patiently for the government to pass laws to remove those grievances. They believed that the government would gradually give into their demands. They promoted unity, spread political awareness among the people and built up a strong public opinion through meetings, lectures and the press. They also sent delegations to England to persuade the British government to introduce necessary reforms.
(c)
Contribution of the early nationalists:

  1. The early nationalists established a solid foundation which served as a base for a more radical approach in later years.
  2. They spread political awareness among the people and instilled in them a sense of national unity. The people began to think of themselves as a members of one single nation the Indian nation. The path for a united national struggle was laid.
  3. The Congress under the early nationalists trained the Indians in political affairs. They educated them in political matters and familiarized them with ideas of freedom, government, democracy, secularism nationalism, etc. This knowledge and training in political affairs helped Indian nationalists to organize and raise the national movement to the next stage of development.

Question 2.
With reference to the rise of the assertive nationalists within the congress, discuss:
(a) The beliefs of the assertive nationalists
(b) The objectives of the assertive nationalists
(c) How the methods of the assertive nationalists differed from those of the early nationalists?
Answer:
(a)
The assertive nationalists had no faith in the British sense of justice and fair play. They believed that the British rule in India was not a blessing but a curse. They were convinced that the British had no honest intentions of introducing reforms for the welfare of the Indians. They realized that the British interests were different and clashed with the Indian interests. India could never grow and progress under British rule.
(b)
The goal of the assertive nationalists was not self­government in ‘gradual’ stages but immediate freedom (Swaraj) from British rule.
(c)
The early nationalists had great faith in the sense of justice and fair play of the British. So they adopted peaceful and constitutional methods. They presented their grievances to the government and waited patiently for the government to pass laws to remove those grievances. They believed that the government would gradually give in to their demands. They promoted unity, spread political awareness among the people and built up a strong public opinion through meetings, lectures and the press. But the assertive nationalists on the other hand, had no faith in the constitutional methods followed by the early nationalists. Twenty years of prayers, petitions, appeals and resolutions and representations had failed to yield any concrete results.

Question 3.
With reference to the Lucknow Session of the Congress of 1916, answer the following questions:
(a) What was the Lucknow Pact ?
Ans. The Lucknow Pact was an agreement signed by the Muslim League and the Congress to pave the way for a joint scheme of political reforms in India.

(b) What was the objective of the Lucknow Pact
Ans. Under the Lucknow Pact, the League jointly with the Congress put forward the demand for a Dominion Status for India. This was an important step towards Hindu-Muslim unity.

(C) What were the results of Lucknow Pact ?
Ans. The unity between the Muslim League and the Congress, on the one hand and the early nationalists and the assertive nationalists, on the other, aroused great political enthusiasm and strengthened the national movement.

G Picture study:

This is the picture of a national leader.
ICSE Solutions for Class 8 History and Civics - Struggle for Freedom (I) 11

1.Identify the person in the picture.
Ans. Muhammad Ali Jinnah.

2.Which political organization did he join and when ?
Ans. Muhammad Ali Jinnah joined the Muslim League in 1913.

3.When and by whom was this organization founded ?
Ans. The Muslim League was established in December 1906, under the leadership of Nawab Salimullah Khan in Dacca (now known as Dhaka).

4.What were the objectives of this organization ?
Ans.
The main objectives of the Muslim League were as follows:

  • To promote among the Muslims a feeling of loyalty towards the British government.
  • To protect and promote the political rights of the Muslims.
  • To prevent feelings of hostility towards other communities.

ICSE Solutions for Class 8 History and Civics – The Union Legislature

ICSE Solutions for Class 8 History and Civics – The Union Legislature

ICSE SolutionsSelina ICSE SolutionsML Aggarwal Solutions

APlusTopper.com provides step by step solutions for ICSE Solutions for Class 8 History and Civics. You can download the History and Civics ICSE Solutions for Class 8 with Free PDF download option. History and Civics for Class 8 ICSE Solutions all questions are solved and explained by expert teachers as per ICSE board guidelines.

ICSE Solutions Class 8 History & Civics GeographyBiologyChemistryPhysicsMaths

I. Fill in the blanks:

  1. The elections to the Lok Sabha are held by secret ballot.
  2. A person should have acquired the age of 25 years of age to become a Member of Lok Sabha.
  3. The maximum strength of the members of Lok Sabha is 545 members.
  4. The Rajya Sabha is the upper House of Parliament.
  5. The President can nominate 12 members members in the Rajya Sabha.

II. Match the contents of Column A with those of Column B.
ICSE Solutions for Class 8 History and Civics - The Union Legislature 1
Answer:
ICSE Solutions for Class 8 History and Civics - The Union Legislature 2

III. Tick mark (✓) the correct statements and cross mark (X) the wrong ones.

  1. The Rajya Sabha is presided over the Vice President of India.
  2. A money bill has to be moved first in the Lok Sabha.
  3. The Parliament meets at least twice a year.
  4. The members of the Rajya Sabha are elected for a term of six years.

IV. Answer the following questions:

Question 1.
Name the two Houses of the Union Parliament|
Answer:
The two houses of Parliament are

  1. Lok Sabha
  2. Rajya Sabha.

Question 2.
How are the members to the Lok Sabha elected?
Answer:
The members of the Lok Sabha are elected directly through a secret ballot by adult citizens for five years.

Question 3.
What is a bicameral legislature?
Answer:
Bicameral Legislature means a parliament has two houses-the Upper House and the Lower House. Our parliament consists of two Houses, therefore ours is a bicameral Legislature.

Question 4.
Mention the essential qualifications for a person to be a member of the Lok Sabha.
Answer:
Qualifications for Membership to the Lok Sabha:

  1. He must be a citizen of India.
  2. He should not be less than 25 years of age.
  3. He should be mentally sound.
  4. He should not be an insolvent, i.e., he should not be in debt and should have the ability to meet his financial commitments.
  5. He should not hold an office of profit under the government.
  6. He should not be a proclaimed offender.
  7. He should have his name in the electoral rolls in some part of the country.

Question 5.
What is the composition of the Rajya Sabha ?
Answer:
Rajya Sabha is the Upper House. It is also called council of states. The maximum strength of the Rajya Sabha can be 250 members. Of these 238 are elected by the elected members of the State Legislative Assemblies. The remaining 12 members are nominated by the President of India from among men of repute in various spheres of life e.g. science, technology literature and social work.However, at present, the Rajya Sabha consists of 245 members, out of which 233 are elected and 12 members are nominated by the President.

Question 6.
What are the functions of the Lok Sabha?
Answer:
The Functions of the Lok Sabha

  1. Legislative Functions: They pass bills and make laws. Any bill regarding subjects in the Union or the Concurrent List of the Constitution may be moved in this House.
  2. Financial Powers: The House of People controls the treasury. No budget or government expenditure can be made without the permission of the House. A money bill has to be moved only in the Lok Sabha.
  3. Control over the Council of Ministers: The council of ministers is responsible to the Lok Sabha. It may remain in power only so long as it enjoys the confidence of the Lok Sabha.

Question 7.
Describe the law making functions of the Parliament.
Answer:
The Union Parliament is law-making organ of the Union Government. Besides, it has to perform many more functions.

  1. It frames new laws and amends or cancels them, if necessary, on all the 97 subjects of the Union List and all the remainder subjects which have not found a place in any of the lists.
  2. In certain cases, it can make laws on the subjects of the State List also.
  3. The Parliament along with the State Legislature can pass laws regarding the 47 subjects on the Concurrent List.
  4. The Union Parliament has the sole right to amend the Constitution, although in certain cases, these amendments need to be ratified by a majority of the states.

Question 8.
How does the Parliament exercise control over the Government?
Answer:
The most important function of the Parliament is to exercise control over the government.

  1. The government is directly responsible to the Parliament for its acts of omission and commission. The government can be voted out of office by passing a vote of no confidence against the Prime Minister or the Ministry or any of its members.
  2. The Members of Parliament can also move adjournment motions. An adjournment motion is tabled when there is an urgent matter that needs the immediate attention of the government. If admitted, a time a set aside from normal business of the house for discussing the matters of urgent public importance.
  3. The members can ask any question relating to the administration of the state and the ministers are obliged to answer them. In this way, they can keep a check on the functioning of the various departments under different ministers.
  4. The Parliament can also hold the strings of the government tight by voting a cut in the annual budget.

V. Write short notes on the following:

Question 1.
Adjournment motion
Answer:
Daily business of the House is programmed well in advance and is considered accordingly. But if a question of immense public importance crops up, the members can demand adjournment of the discussion on slated business and discuss that matter immediately.

Question 2.
Universal Adult Franchise
Answer:
Adult Franchise means that the right to vote should be given to all adult without discrimination on the basis of caste, class, colour, religion or sex. It is based on equality which is the basic principle of democracy.

Question 3.
Secret Ballot
Answer:
Secret Ballot is a voting method in which a voter’s choice in an election or referendum is anonymous forestalling attempts to influence the voter by intimidation, blackmailing and potential vote buying. Printed ballot papers are provided with names of the candidates. Provisions are made at the polling place for the voter to record their preferences in secret and the ballots are designed to eliminate bias and to prevent any one from influencing a voter.

Additional Questions

EXERCISES
A. Fill in the blanks:

  1. The functions of the government are divided into three branches, namely, the Legislature, the Executive and the Judiciary.
  2. Subjects for legislation are divide into three lists-the Union List, the State List and the Concurrent List.
  3. The Union Parliament has two Houses-the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha.
  4. The Rajya Sabha is a permanent house. It cannot be dissolved.
  5. The Parliament is answerable to the legislature.

B. Match the following:
ICSE Solutions for Class 8 History and Civics - The Union Legislature 3

ICSE Solutions for Class 8 History and Civics - The Union Legislature 4
Answer:
ICSE Solutions for Class 8 History and Civics - The Union Legislature 5

C. Choose the correct answer:

  1. The President carries out his/her functions on the advice of the Prime Minister and the Lok Sabha/the Council of Ministers/the Rajya Sabha.
    Ans. The President carries out his/her functions on the advice of the Prime Minister and the Council of Ministers.
  2. Both the central and the state governments can make laws on the subjects in the Union List/State List/Concurrent List
    Ans. Both the central and the state governments can make laws on the subjects in the Concurrent List.
  3. The Lok Sabha/Rajya Sabha/Vidhan Sabha is also known as the Council of States
    Ans. The Rajya Sabha is also known as the Council of States.
  4. The President can nominates 2/10/12 members from the Anglo-Indian community to the Lok Sabha.
    Ans. The President can nominates 2 members from the Anglo-Indian community to the Lok Sabha.
  5. At present the Lok Sabha consists of 454/645/525
    Ans. At present the Lok Sabha consists of 545 members.

D. State whether the following are true or false:

  1. The State List includes subjects of national importance.
     False.
  2. A member of the Lok Sabha should be at least 30 years of age.
    True.
  3. The Rajya Sabha is a permanent House and cannot be dissolved by the President.
    True.
  4. The money bill has to be introduced in the Rajya Sabha.
    False.
  5. The Vice-President is the presiding officer of the Rajya Sabha.
    True.

E. Answer the following questions in one or two words/ sentences:

1. Who is the nominal executive head of the government of India?
Ans. The President of India, is only a nominal executive head of the government of India

2. How do we know that the Parliament has supreme authority in the government?
Ans. The Lok Sabha exercise control over the Council of Ministers which is responsible and answerable to the Lok Sabha for all its policies, decisions and actions. This makes the Parliament the supreme authority in the government because it has the final authority to accept or reject the decisions of the executive.

3. Which branch of government interprets and defines laws?
Ans. Judiciary defines and interprets the laws of the land and tries to prevent any person from violating the laws of the Constitution.

4.What is the minimum age qualification of an Indian voter?
Ans. All Indian citizens, 18 yeas of age or above, have the right to vote.

5.Who conducts the meetings of the Lok Sabha?
Ans. The Speaker conducts the meetings of the Lok Sabha

6. How are the members of the Rajya Sabha elected?
Ans. These members are elected indirectly by the elected members of the State Legislative Assemblies.
Twelve members are nominated by the President from among persons who have distinguished themselves in the fields of art literature, science or social service.

7. What is meant by the term ‘budget’?
Ans. The budget is an estimate of the annual income and expenditure of the government of India.

8. What happens when a vote of no-confidence is passed against the Council of Ministers ?
Ans. Vote of no-confidence is a move in the Lok Sabha to express a lack of confidence in the Council of Minister. If such a motion is passed, then the Council of Ministers has to resign.

9.Explain the meaning of the term ‘quorum’.
Ans. Quorum refers to the minimum number of members required to be present to conduct a meeting.

F. Answer the following questions briefly:

Question 1.
In the context of the Parliamentary form of government, answer the following questions:
(a) What are the main features of the parliamentary form of government?
Answer:
Features of the parliamentary form of government:

  1. Under this system there is very close relationship between the executive and legislature.
  2. All the members of the executive are the elected members of the majority party in the legislature.
  3. After the general elections the elected representatives of the
  4. people of India form the Lok Sabha.
  5. Subsequently, the council of Ministers is formed out of the elected members of the Lok Sabha.

(b) Name the three branches of government and state their respective functions.
Answer:
According to the Constitution, the powers and functions of the government are divided into three branches-the legislature, the executive and the judiciary.
The powers and functions are distributed among these branches in a manner that makes them equally balanced.
India is a parliamentary democracy. The Parliament, which is composed of the elected representatives of the Indian people, is vested with supreme power. The Parliament is the highest law making body and it makes laws for the entire country. Thus the Indian people enjoy supreme power through their representatives in the Parliament.

In a parliamentary form of government, there is a very close relationship between the legislature and the executive.
After the general elections, the elected representatives of the people form the Lok Sabha. The President appoints the leader of the majority party or the single largest party or group of parites within the Lok Sabha as the Prime Minister. Generally, the Prime Minister chooses his/her Council of Ministers from among the elected members of the Lok Sabha. He/she may also choose a Rajya Sabha members as a minister.

The Lok Sabha exercise control over the Council of Ministers which is responsible and answerable to the Lok Sabha for all its policies, decisions and actions. This makes the Parliament the supreme authority in the government because it has the final authority to accept or reject the decisions of the executive

(c) 
Why are powers distributed between the central and the state governments?
Ans. As India is a vast country, it is not possible for one central government to take care of the specific needs of people living in different parts of the country. Therefore, the country has been divided into different units, which are called states. Each state has a state government and the processes of the government are shared by the central government and the state governments.
The parliamentary form of government is also present in the states. The pattern is the same-the state executive is formed out of the state legislature, whose members are directly elected by the people

Question 2.
Give an account of the Lok Sabha with reference to:
(a) Its composition
(b) Basic qualifications of its members
(c) Its term
Answer:
(a) Composition:

  1. The maximum strength of the Lok Sabha can be 552 members.
  2. A maximum of 530 members can be elected directly by the people of India from different territorial constituencies.
  3. A maximum of 20 members can be elected from the union territories.
  4. The President can nominate two members from the Anglo-Indian community.
  5. At present, the Lok Sabha consists of 545 members

(b) Basic qualifications of its members:

  1. Should be a citizen of India.
  2. Should be at least twenty-five years of age.
  3. Should not be holding an office of profit under the government.

(c) Its term: 

The Lok Sabha is elected for a 5-year term. However, the President may dissolve it before the expiry of its term if the party in power loses the support of the majority. Its life can be extended for 1 year at a time in case of a national emergency.

Question 3.
Give an account of the Rajya Sabha with reference to :
(a) Its composition
(b) Basic qualifications of its members
(c) Its term
Answer:
(a) Its composition:

  1. The maximum strength of the Rajya Sabha can be 250 members.
  2. 238 members represent the states and the union territories. Seats are allotted to each state according to its population. These members are elected indirectly by the elected members of the State Legislative Assemblies.
  3. Twelve members are nominated by the President from among persons who have distinguished themselves in the fields of art, literature, science or social service.

(b) Basic qualification of the Members of the Rajya Sabha :

  1. Should be citizens of India
  2. Should be at least 30 years of age
  3. Should be registered voters

(c) Its term:
The Rajya Sabha is a permanent House. It cannot be dissolved by the President. Each member is elected for a period of 6 years. One third of its members retire every 2 years. Members can be re-elected.

Question 4.
With reference to the functions of the Parliament, explain the following:
(a) Law-making functions
(b) Control over the executive
(c) Judicial functions
Answer:
(a) Law making functions of the Parliament:

  1. The Parliament can frame new laws or modify existing ones on any subject in the Union or Concurrent List.
  2. In some cases the Parliament can also pass laws on subjects under the State List.
  3. Only the Parliament can initiate a Bill to amend the Constitution.

(b) Control over the Council of Ministers:

  1. The Parliament keeps a watch over the government. The Council of Ministers is directly responsible and answerable to the Lok Sabha for its policies and actions.
  2. The Council of Ministers has to resign immediately if a vote of no-confidence is passed against it by the Lok Sabha.
  3. The Members of Parliament can discuss government policies and question the ministers. Hence, they can exercise a check on the working of the government.
  4. The Parliament can move an adjournment motion to discuss and focus on any matter of public importance which requires immediate and urgent attention from the government, for instance, natural disasters such as earthquakes and unforeseen situations such as police firing or terrorist attacks, etc.

(c) Judicial Functions of the Parliament:

The Parliament can impeach or remove the President, the Vice-President and judges of the Supreme Court and High Courts if any of them violate the Constitution or misuse their authority.

G Picture study:

This is the picture of an important government building in India.
ICSE Solutions for Class 8 History and Civics - The Union Legislature 6

Question 1.
Identify the building.
Answer:
House of the People (Parliament House).

Question 2.
Which branch of the government functions in this building?
Answer:
Lok Sabha.

Question 3.
Who are the members of this branch of the government?
Answer:
Elected representatives of the people of India are the members of this branch. The lower house of the Parliament is the Lok Sabha. The maximum strength of the Lok Sabha can be 552 members.

  1.  A maximum of 530 members can be elected directly by the people of India from different territorial constituencies.
  2. Not more than 20 members can be elected from the union territories.
  3. The President can nominate two members from the Anglo- Indian Community.
  4. At present, Lok Sabha consists of 545 members.

Question 4.
What are the basic qualifications of the members?
Answer:
A member of the Lok Sabha:

  1. Should be a citizen of India
  2. Should be at least 25 years of age.
  3. Should be a registered voter

Question 5.
What is their primary function? Mention any two other important functions.
Answer:
The Primary Functions of Parliament house are:

  1. The Parliament can frame new laws or modify existing ones on any subjects in the Union or Concurrent List.
  2. No money can be raised or spent without the approval of the Lok Sabha.
  3. In some cases, the parliament can also pass laws on subjects under the State List.
  4. Only the Parliament can initiate a Bill to amend the Constituion.

The other two important functions are:
(a) Judicial Function
(b) Elective Function

ICSE Solutions for Class 8 History and Civics – The American Civil War

ICSE Solutions for Class 8 History and Civics – The American Civil War

ICSE SolutionsSelina ICSE SolutionsML Aggarwal Solutions

APlusTopper.com provides step by step solutions for ICSE Solutions for Class 8 History and Civics. You can download the History and Civics ICSE Solutions for Class 8 with Free PDF download option. History and Civics for Class 8 ICSE Solutions all questions are solved and explained by expert teachers as per ICSE board guidelines.

ICSE Solutions Class 8 History & Civics GeographyBiologyChemistryPhysicsMaths

I.Fill in the blanks:

  1. The Civil War in the USA lasted for four years.
  2. President Lincoln was assassinated in the year 1865.
  3. The Northern states were mainly industrialised but in the South agriculture was the most important occupation.
  4. The Southern farmers grew cotton and tobacco.
  5. The Southern farmers needed slaves to work in their fields.
  6. The anti-slavery people were called Abolitionists.
  7. An Underground railroad was created to help the slaves to escape to Canada.
  8. The election of Abraham Lincoln as President of America made the Southern states to separate from the Union.
  9. In January 1863 President Lincoln abolished slavery.
  10. The (Confederacy General Robert E. Lee surrendered to the Union; General U.S. Grant.

II.Match the contents of Column A and Column B:
                  Column A                                   Column B
ICSE Solutions for Class 8 History and Civics - The American Civil War 1

Answer:
ICSE Solutions for Class 8 History and Civics - The American Civil War 2
ICSE Solutions for Class 8 History and Civics - The American Civil War 3

III. State whether the following statements are True or False:

  1. Slavery was introduced in the United States in 1619.
    False.
  2. When the Civil War broke out, the whole country practised slavery.
    False.
  3. The Northern states considered slavery a blot on the fair name of the country.
    True.
  4. Uncle Tom’s Cabin, a novel, highlighted the ugly side of slavery.
    True.
  5. The Underground Railroad was a railway that carried slaves to Canada.
    True.
  6. The question of States’ Rights was also a cause of the Civil War.
    True.
  7. The Southern states established a new nation — the Confederate States of America.
    True.
  8. Abraham Lincoln is remembered for abolishing slavery and saving the Union.
    True.

IV.Answer the following questions:

Question 1.
Why was slavery important for the Southern States?
Answer:
The Southern states had large cotton and tobacco plantations. Slaves were a vital part of their economy. These plantations totally depended on slave labour. Without slave labour agriculture would suffer in the South.

Question 2.
Name the states which established the Confederation.
Answer:
Carolina, Mississippi, Alabama, Georgia, Louisiana and Texas seceded from the union and established a new nation i.e., the Confederate States of America. They chose their own President Jefferson Davis in February 1861.

Question 3.
Describe Abraham Lincoln’s role in the Civil War.
Answer:
As soon as Abraham Lincoln was elected President of USA in 1860, Southern states like Carolina, Mississippi, Alabama, Georgia, Louisiana & Texas separated from the union. They established the Confederate States of America. When the Confederates fired on Fort Sumter, President Lincoln declared blockade of Southern Ports and the Civil War began in 1861. The President made a proclamation for Emancipation of slaves. The War dragged on for four years and in the end the south surrendered. In January 1863, Lincoln abolished Slavery. Lincoln not only fought slavery but also fought for the preservation of the union. The seceding states were treated as rebels. This won the sympathy of foreign powers specially Great Britain. He fought a war to save the union and banish slavery.

Question 4.
Why did the North oppose slavery?
Answer:
The Northern states shunned slavery and considered it a blot on the name of their country. For one thing, unlike the Southerners they did not depend on slave labour for their economy. The Northern states were comparatively prosperous than the Southern states due to rapid industrial progress and trade. The Southern states were generally backward.

Question 5.
Describe the three main causes of the Civil War.
Answer:
Slavery was the main issue. The Northerners more prosperous and industrialised had abolished slavery. For southern states mostly agriculturists, slavery was a vital part of their economy. Anti slavery movements in the North made relations worse between North and South.The Southern states wanted no interference by the Federal Government in their state affairs. Lincoln’s election as President in November 1860 and Southern states seceding from the Union led to Civil War in 1861.

Question 6.
What were the main results of the Civil War?
Answer:
Nearly all the fighting had taken place on the Southern soil, so they suffered heavy damages. There was a period of reconstruction and it took a few decades for the Southern states to recover from the wounds of the Civil War. Slavery was abolished from the United States. The problem of secession also ended and the Federal Government became the Supreme Authority in the United States. The Civil War speeded up the economic revolution of the country on an unprecedented scale.

V.Picture Study:
ICSE Solutions for Class 8 History and Civics - The American Civil War 4
Question 1.
Identify and name the personality.
Answer:
President Abraham Lincoln.

Question 2.
Why is he considered one of the greatest presidents of USA?
Answer:
He was a great statesman. He was a great orator. His Gettysburg speech is one of the most quoted speeches in the world. His proclamation of Emancipation prevented foreign nations from helping the southern states. He ended slavery in USA and saved the union from breaking up. He served the nation with dedication and devotion.

Question 3.
Write a short note about his childhood.
Answer:
Abraham Lincoln was bom in 1809 in a log cabin in Kentucky. He lived a life of hardship doing manual work. He served in Illinois Legislature from 1834 for eight years. He retired from politics for some time and worked as a sucessfiil lawyer in Illinois. He re-entered politics in 1858 and contested foi the senate. He lost to Stephen A Douglas.

Question 4.
Do you agree with the definition of democracy as given by him?
Answer:
Slavery was abolished from the United States. The problem of secession also ended and the Federal Government became the Supreme Authority in the United States. The Civil War speeded up the economic revolution of the country on an unprecedented scale.

Additional Questions

EXERCISE
A.Fill in the blanks:

  1. In the first half of the 19th century the only available source of labour in the United States of America was slaves.
  2. The issue of slavery posed a serious threat to the integrity of the American nation.
  3. The famous book, Uncle Tom’s Cabin was written by Harriet Beecher Stowe.
  4. Abraham Lincoln, who became the president of the United States of America in 1860 was determined to save the slaves at all costs.
  5. The American Civil War was fought on the issue of secession

B.Match the Following
ICSE Solutions for Class 8 History and Civics - The American Civil War 5
Answer:
ICSE Solutions for Class 8 History and Civics - The American Civil War 6

C.Choose the correct answer:

  1. The anti-slavery movement began in the northern/southern/ eastern states of the United States of America.
    Ans. The anti-slavery movement began in the northern states of the United States of America.
  2. The book Uncle Tom’s Cabin exposed the horrors of slavery/ war/famine.
    Ans. The book Uncle Tom’s Cabin exposed the horrors of slavery.
  3. Jefferson Davis/Abraham Lincoln/Stonewall Jackson was appointed the president of the Confederate States of America.
    Ans. Jefferson Davis was appointed the president of the Confederate States of America.
  4. Abraham Lincoln/efferson Davis/Ulysses Grant abolished slavery in America.
    Ans. Abraham Lincoln abolished slavery in America.
  5. The northern/southern/eastern states decided to break away from the Union and form a Confederacy of their own.
    Ans. The southern states decided to break away from the Union and form a Confederacy of their own.

D.State whether the following are true or false:

  1. The southern states of America began an anti-slavery movement.
    False.
    Correct : The north states of America began an anti­slavery movement.
  2. Abraham Lincoln became the 14th president of the United States in 1860.
    False.
    Correct : Abraham Lincoln became the 16th president of the United States in 1860.
  3. The Civil War was fought over the issue of slavery.
    False.
    Correct : It was fought becuase the southern states had left the Union, i.e., on the issue of secession.
  4. The American Civil War (1861-65) was one of the most bitter wars in the history of mankind
    True.
  5. After the American Civil War Lincoln made plans to repair the damages of the war and heal the wounds of the South.
    True

E.Answer the following questions in one or two words/ sentences:

Question 1.
What were the two major developments that took place in the United States of America in the first half of the 19th century?
Answer:
The two major developments that took place during this period were:

  1. The great westward expansion and
  2. Industrial growth and development.

Question 2.
Why was raw cotton from the southern states in the USA sent to Lancashire in England?
Answer:
Cotton was shipped to the cotton mills in Lancashire in England, where the Industrial Revolution had created a huge demand for raw material.

Question 3.
Why were slaves considered a ‘necessity’ in the southern states of the USA?
Answer:
The southern states claimed that they needed slaves for their cotton and sugar plantations. Thus, slaves who provided cheap labour were considered a ‘necessity’ in the predominantly agricultural southern states.

Question 4.
Why is Abraham Lincoln described as the ‘Great Emancipator’?
Answer:
Lincoln was determined to save the Union at all costs-at the cost of war, if necessary. Civil war broke out in 1861. In 1863, Lincoln abolished slavery in the South. He remains enshrined in the hearts of free people as the ‘Great Emancipator’.

Question 5.
Why did Lincoln declare war on the Confederacy? .
Answer:
Abraham Lincoln was determined to save the Union at all costs so he declared war on the southern confederacy.

Question 6.
Why was the Confederacy defeated?
Answer:
North with its superior resources wore down the Confederacy. Lee surrendered to the Union general, Ulysses Grant, in April 1865. The Civil War came to an end.

Question 7.
What fact was permanently established as a result of the Civil War?
Answer:
It had established the fact that the American federation was an indestructible Union of States and no state had the right to secede.

Question 8.
Why had the Civil War impoverished the southerners?
Answer:
The war had been fought mainly in the South, and had resulted in the impoverishment of the southerners.

F.Answer the following questions briefly:

Question 1.
One of the great changes that took place in the United States of America in the first half of the 19th century was industrial growth and development. In this context, discuss:
(a) The serious problems arising from the cotton-growing industry in the southern states
(b) The anti-slavery movement leading to the growing tensions between the slave states and the abolition states
(c) The impact of Harriet Beecher Stowe’s famous book on the north-south conflict.
Answer:
(a) The cotton-growing industry gave rise to serious problems in the United States. As the plantations increased, so did the demand for labour. The only available source of labour in those days was the slaves brought in from Africa and living in America. The issue of slavery would eventually turn into an explosive problem that would threaten the very existence of the American Union.

(b) 
An anti-slavery movement began in the northern states of America.The industrialized northern states did not need slave labour in their industries and, on the whole did not approve of slavery. The southern states on the other hand claimed that they needed slaves for their cotton and sugar plantations.Thus, slaves who provided cheap labour were considered a ‘necessity’ in the predominantly agricultural southern states.The southerners were often needlessly cruel and harsh in their treatment of slaves. This outraged many northerners and the tension between the slave states of the South and the abolition states of the North began to grow.

(c) 
Harriet Beecher Stowe published her famous book, Uncle Tom’s Cabin, which highlighted and exposed the horrors of slavery and the miseries of the slaves. This book had a profound influence on the northern states and their anti­slavery campaign began to gather momentum. The southern states threatened to secede or break away from the Union and form a confederacy of their own.

Question 2.
Abraham Lincoln became the president of the United States during a very critical phase of American history. In this context discuss:

(a) Lincoln’s views on slavery
(b) The Gettysburg address in 1863
(c) The secession of the southern states and its consequences
Answer:
(a) Lincoln’s views on slavery were well known. He thoroughly despised slavery, which he believed was a vicious and brutal system. He was uncompromisingly opposed to slavery. Human bondage was a negation and gross violation of democracy.

(b) 
In the famous Gettysburg address in 1863, Lincoln justified the abolition of slavery on grounds of the cherished principles of liberty and equality of the founding father of the United States of America. ‘Four score and seven years ago,’ he declared, ‘our fathers brought forth upon this continent a new nation, conceived in liberty and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal. It is rather for us to be here dedicated to the great task remaining before us. . .that this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom and that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth.

(c) 
The southern states seceded from the Union and formed the Confederate States of America. Jefferson Davis was appointed the President of the Confederacy.Lincoln was determined to save the Union at all costs-at the cost of war, if necessary. Civil war broke out in 1861. The southerners fought with determination and courage. They had brilliant generals like Robert E. Lee and Stonewall Jackson, under whose leadership they initially won a number of victories.Gradually, however, the North with its superior resources wore down the Confederacy. Lee surrendered to the Union general, Ulysses Grant, in April 1865. The Civil War came to an end. It had established the fact that the American federation was an indestructible Union of States and no state had the right to secede.The war had been fought mainly in the South, and had resulted in the impoverishment of the southerners.

Question 3.
With reference to the American Civil War answer the following questions:
(a) Explain briefly the nature and fundamental cause of the Civil War.
(b) Give a brief account of the course of the Civil War
(c) State the positive and negative results of the war.
Answer:
(a) The American Civil War (1861-65) was one of the most bitter civil wars in history; nearly 7 lakhs people lost their lives. The Civil War, however, was not fought over the issue of slavery. It was fought because the southern states had left the Union, i.e., on the issue of secession. According to Lincoln, no state had the right to secede from the Union. Therefore, the Confederacy had to be defeated and the Union restored.

(b) 
Initially the Southern States became successful in the battle field under the president ship of Jefferson Davis, but afterwards Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation in 1863, for all slaves, so the South was deprived of the help of the slave population. Soon the Northern forces captured New Orleans followed by Vicksburg. So the Confederate States were cut into two parts and the Battle of Gettysburg in July 1863, proved a great blow to the Southern States and in 1865, General Lee was forced to surrender at Appomattox Court House. The Civil War came to an end in 1865 with the victory of the Northerns due to more wealth and resources along with the powerful Federal Navy.

(c) 
Civil War of America caused a great loss of Men and Money, so remarkable changes occurred in the history of America. Now the phase of rapid economic growth started both in the North and South. Both industries and scientific farming were started for solid material development. Development of roads and railways, settlement of Tariff policy, foundation of banking system, abolition of slavery and the national unity, etc. are the who some results and America became an active participant in international affairs. Democracy and Federalism became the main features of the destiny of America.

G Picture study:

This is a portrait of the 16th president of the United States of America.
ICSE Solutions for Class 8 History and Civics - The American Civil War 7
Question 1.
Name the president.
Answer:
Abraham Lincoln was the 16th President of the United States of America.

Question 2.
Discuss his views on the institution of slavery.
Answer:
Linclon thoroughly despised slavery which he believed was a vicious and brutal system.He was uncompromisingly opposed to slavery.

Question 3.
How did he define democracy?
Answer:
Lincoln defined democracy as “Government of the people, by the people and for the people.

Question 4.
Why did he declare war on the southern states?
Answer:
He declared War on the southern states because these states had left the union i.e., On the issue of secession. According to Lincoln, no state had the right to secede from the Union. Therefore, the confederacy had to be defeated and the union restored.

ICSE Solutions for Class 8 History and Civics – Great Reformers and Reform Movements

ICSE Solutions for Class 8 History and Civics – Great Reformers and Reform Movements

ICSE SolutionsSelina ICSE SolutionsML Aggarwal Solutions

APlusTopper.com provides step by step solutions for ICSE Solutions for Class 8 History and Civics. You can download the History and Civics ICSE Solutions for Class 8 with Free PDF download option. History and Civics for Class 8 ICSE Solutions all questions are solved and explained by expert teachers as per ICSE board guidelines.

ICSE Solutions Class 8 History & Civics GeographyBiologyChemistryPhysicsMaths

Time To Learn
I. Fill in the blanks:

  1. The impact of western education led to a great awakening in India.
  2. It was due to Raja Rammohan Roy’s efforts that Lord William Bentinck, the Governor General of India, banned Sati in 1829.
  3. Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar made a remarkable contribution to the education of girls and uplift of women.
  4. Ramakrishna Paramhansa believed that all religions were just different paths to reach one goal salvation or realisation of God.
  5. Swami Vivekananda wanted people of India to be fearless, self confident and self-reliant.
  6. Swami Dayanand’s slogan was back to the Vedas.
  7. Sir syed Ahmad Khan founded the Mohammedan Anglo-Oriental College at Aligarh in 1875.
  8. Jyotiba Phule was given the title of Mahatma for his work for uplift of the oppressed classes.

II. Match the contents of Column A and Column B:
ICSE Solutions for Class 8 History and Civics - Great Reformers and Reform Movements 1
Answer:
ICSE Solutions for Class 8 History and Civics - Great Reformers and Reform Movements 2


III. State whether the following statements are True or False:

  1. The reform movements took place in Bengal only.
    False.
  2. Raja Rammohan Roy’s religious beliefs were based on the Bible.
    False.
  3. Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar, as Principal of the Sanskrit College, allowed lower castes to join his college.
    True.
  4. Mahadev Govind Ranade advocated worship of Supreme God and condemned the rigidity of the caste system.
    True.
  5. Swami Vivekananda attended the Parliament of Religions held at New York in 1980.
    False.
  6. The Singh Sabhas founded at Lahore and Amritsar were the first to start a reform movement among the Sikhs.
    True.

IV. Answer the following questions:

Question 1.
What were the main aims of the reformers of the nineteenth century in India? Describe the reforms initiated by Raja Rammohan Roy.
Answer:
The impact of Western culture on India led to a great awakening in India. Many social reformers came forward and advocated changes in society and reforms in Hindu Religion. These reform movements played a major role in modernising India. Raja Rammohan Roy fought against the evil custom of Sati. It was due to his efforts that Lord William Bentinck banned Sati in 1829. He was a strong champion of Women’s Rights and was against child marriage and polygamy. He advocated widow remarriage and advocated that women must be given the right to inheritance.
He was a supporter of western education. He founded Vedanta college for teaching of western as well as Indian learning. He opposed Idol worship, caste system and preached worship of one God only

Additional Questions

EXERCISES
A. Fill in the blanks:

  1. Sati was banned by Lord William Bentinck with the support of progressive Indians like Bruhmo samaj.
  2. The first Indian school for girl was established in Calcutta in 1849 by Drinkwater Bethune with the support of Vidyasagar.
  3. Vidyasagar was a great champion of widow remarriage, which was legalized by Lord Dalhousie.
  4. The most ardent follower of Ramakrishna Paramahansa was Narendranath Datta, later known as Swami Vivekananda.
  5. Annie Besant started the Home Rule Movement in India.
  6. The Prarthana Samaj was founded by R. G Bhandarkar and Mahadev Govind Ranade

B. Match the following:
ICSE Solutions for Class 8 History and Civics - Great Reformers and Reform Movements 3
Answer:
ICSE Solutions for Class 8 History and Civics - Great Reformers and Reform Movements 4

ICSE Solutions for Class 8 History and Civics - Great Reformers and Reform Movements 5

C. Choose the correct answer:

  1. Swami Dayanand/Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar/Raja Ram Mohan Roy founded the Arya Samaj in 1875.
    Ans. Swami Dayanand founded the Arya Samaj in 1875.
  2. Veeresalingam/Sri Narayan Guru/R. G Bhandarkar was referred to as the ‘Vidyasagar of South India’
    Ans. Veeresalingam was referred to as the ‘Vidyasagar of South India’.
  3. Dadabhai Naoroji/Mahadev Govind Ranade/Syed Ahmed Khan was an outstanding social reformer in Parsee society.
    Ans. Dadabhai Naoroji was an outstanding social reformer in Parsee society.
  4. Swami Dayanand/Syed Ahmed Khan/Dadabhai Naoroji founded the Mohammedan Anglo-Oriental College at Aligarh in 1875.
    Ans. Syed Ahmed Khan founded the Mohammedan Anglo-Oriental College at Aligarh in 1875.
  5. The Sikh reformers launched the A kali Movement/Aligarh Movement/Arya Samaj against the corrupt management of the gurudwaras.
    Ans. The Sikh reformers launched the Akali Movement against the corrupt management of the gurudwaras.

D. State whether the following are true or false:

  1. Raja Ram Mohan Roy propagated widow remarriage.
    True.
  2. Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar supported Lord William Bentinck to banning sati.
    False
    Correct : Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar supported Lord William Bentinck on Hindu widow Remarriage Act.
  3. Dayanand Saraswati believed that the Vedas were the fountainhead of all knowledge and truth.
    True.
  4. Ramakrishna Paramahansa was a priest in the temple of Goddess Lakshmi at Calcutta.
    True.
  5. Swami Vivekananda believed that the regeneration of the society is the responsibility of every Indian.
    True.
  6. Jyotiba Phule was a social reformer in Maharashtra.
    True.

E. Answer the following questions in one or two words/ sentences:

Question 1.
Mention any two evil social practices against which the Brahmo Samaj launched a relentless struggle.
Answer:
The Brahmo Samaj launched a relentless struggle against the following evil social practices:

  1. Sati Practice
  2. Caste distinctions and untouchability
  3. Child Marriage
  4. Poloygamy

Question 2.
What effect would the social regeneration that took place in the 19th century have on India’s future?Answer:
Due to social regeneration there was rise of nationalism and the growth of the national movement.

Question 3.
Who established the Ramakrishna Mission and why?
Answer:
Ramakrishna Mission was founded by Swami Vivekananda to propagate the teachings and ideals of Ramakrishana Paramahansa. The main ideas of this Mission are

  1. Selfless social service
  2. Spread  of
  3. Removal of ignorance
  4. Social inequalities

Question 4.
Mention any two social reforms advocated by Syed Ahmed Khan.
Answer:
To introduce social reforms Syed Ahmed Khan focused on the backward condition of the women. He advocated the removal of education for women and opposed polygamy.

Question 5.
Why was the Singh Sabha set up in Punjab ?
Answer:
The Singh Sabha was set up in Amritsar and Lahore for religious and social reforms among the Sikhs.

F. Answer the following questions briefly:

Question 1.
The central figure in the Indian Renaissance was Raja Ram Mohan Roy-the pioneer of the Modern Age in India. In this context answer the following questions:

  1. Discuss briefly Raja Ram Mohan’s views and ideas on religious reform within Hindu society.
  2. What was the programme of the Brahmo Samaj?
  3. Explain Raja Ram Mohan’s views on education.

Answer:
(a)
To reform society, it was important to first reform religion.
He propagated the following religious ideas based on rationalism and the philosophy of the Vedas.

  1. There is only one God who is the creator and preserver of the universe.
  2. All men are children of the one god of all human beings and therefore equal.
  3. It was not necessary to worship idols and perform rituals and sacrifices. God could be reached through prayer and devotion.

Raja Ram Mohan Roy condemned the domination of the priests who were responsible for misleading the people and perpetuating ritualism and socio-religious practices like sati.

He published Bengali translations of the Vedas and the Upanishads to prove that all the ancient religious texts preached monotheism.
(b)
The Brahmo Samaj launched a relentless struggle against the following evil social practices:

  1. Sati Practice
  2. Caste distinctions and untouchability
  3. Child Marriage
  4.  Poloygamy

The Brahmo Samaj supported:

  1. Education of women
  2. Widow remarriage

(c)
Raja Mohan Roy was a great champion of Modem Western education. He believed it would serve as an instrument for the spread of progressive ideas and accelerate the pace of social change. He believed that the salvation of India lay in adopting western principles of reason and humanism and acquiring the knowledge of Modem science.

Question 2.
With reference to Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar, an outstanding social and religious reformer, discuss his contribution in the following fields:

  1. Education in Sanskrit College
  2. Women’s education
  3. Widow remarriage

Answer:
(a) Education in Sanskrit College:
Vidyasagar denounced caste discrimination and as the principal of the Sanskrit College he admitted non-brahmana students. He was strongly opposed to the monopoly of the brahmanas on the study of Sanskrit and the ancient Vedic texts.
(b) Women’s education:
Vidyasagar was a staunch supporter of women’s education and helped Drinkwater Bethune to establish the first Indian school for girl in Calcutta in 1849. As inspector of school he opened thirty five schools for girls.
(c) Widow remarriage:
The great misery and sufferings of the Hindu widows in Bengal pained him deeply. He started a bold movement advocating the remarriage of widows. His efforts bore fruit. Lord Dalhousie passed the widow Remarriage Act in 1856. The first legal Hindu Widow remarriage was celebrated in Calcutta in December 1857, with the support of Vidyasagar.

Question 3.
Many great humanists and social reformers propagated their ideas in an effort to arrest the stagnation of Indian society. In this context, discuss:
(a) The Arya Samaj
(b) Vivekananda’s belief and achievements
(C) The Prarthana Samaj
Answer:
(a)
Swami Dayanand founded a society known as Arya Samaj in 1875.
The Social reforms advocated by Arya Samaj are on the following practices

  1. Caste system and untouchability
  2. Child marriage

The Samaj supported and encouraged

  1. Education for Women
  2. Widow remarriage

(b)
Swamiji proclaimed the essential unity of all religions and emphasized the importance of religious tolerance, brotherhood, peace and harmony among Indians. He condenmed the caste system social and economic inequalities, superstitions and ritualism and urged Indians to act responsibly
(c)
It was founded in Bombay Under the supervision of R.G. Bhandarkar and Mahadev Govind Ranade. It worked on the same lines as the Brahmo Samaj and worked for the abolition of caste system, polygamy, child marriage.

Question 4.
Write short notes on the following:
(a) Ram Mohan Roy’s achievements in the field of education
(b) Jyotiba Phule
(c) Reforms among Parsees
Answer:
(a)
Raja Mohan Roy opened an English medium school which combined traditional Indian learning with Western knowledge. He assisted David Hare, a Scottish watchmaker, to establish the Hindu College in Calcutta. He also founded the Vedanta College which offered courses of study in Indian learning and Western sciences.
(b)
Jyotirao Govindrao Phule and his wife, Savitribai Phule, were dedicated social reformers in Maharashtra. Jyotirao was popularly known as Mahatma Phule. He challenged the superiority of the brahmanas and the authority of the scriptures. He took up the cause of the low-caste members of society. He organized Satyashodhak Samaj in 1873 to mobilize the low-caste members and oppressed sections of society in a movement for equality. He also pressed for the education of girls.
(c)
In reform movement among the Parsees an association was set up and it started a movement against religious orthodoxy. Modem ideas and changes were introduced to elevate the position of the Parsee women. Education of woman, raising the marriageable age of girls and widow remarriage were some of the major concerns of the reforms.

Question 5.
With reference to the reform movements in various parts of India, discuss:

  1. Reform movement in South India
  2. The Aligarh Movement
  3. Reforms among the Sikhs

Answer:
(a)
Veeresalingam, a prominent social reformer in South India, was deeply disturbed by the deplorable condition of Women in general and widow remarriage and education for women in particular .Sri Narayan Gum carried on a lifelong struggle against the caste system. His crusade was based on the principle of one caste, one religion, one god for mankind.
(b)
Sir Syed Ahmed Khan started a reform movement called the Aligarh Movement. He had a significant role in awakening the Muslims to the need to change with the times. He believed that only through Western education and knowledge of English, the Muslim community could progress and scientific temper be developed. His greatest achievement was the foundation of Mohammedan Anglo-Oriental College at Aligarh in 1875. This College later on grew into the Aligarh Muslim University.
(c)
The Singh Sabha was set up in Amritsar and Lahore for the religious and social reforms among Sikhs. It set up the Khalsa college in Amritsar and opened many schools and promoted the Gurumukhi script and Punjabi literature.

G Picture Study

This is the painting of the Indian social reformer considered to be the ‘Father of Indian Renaissance.’
ICSE Solutions for Class 8 History and Civics - Great Reformers and Reform Movements 6

Question 1.
Name the person.
Answer:
Raja Ram Mohan Roy

Question 2.
What were his views on religion?
Answer:
A comparative study of the Vedas, the Koran and the Bible (the old Testament and New Testament) convinced Raja Ram Mohan Roy about the basic unity in the fundamental truths of ail religions. According to him religion was central to an individual’s life. Every aspect of social life revolved around religious beliefs. He propagated the religious ideas based on the philosophy of the Vedas.

  1. There is only one God who is the creater and preserver of the universe/monotheism)
  2. All men are children of the ‘one God of all human beings’ and therefore equal (brotherhood of man)
  3. It was not necessary to worship, idols and perform rituals and sacrifices. God could be reached through prayer and devotion.

Question 3.
Name the society established by him in 1828.
Answer:
Raja Ram Mohan Roy founded a society’ called the Sabha Brahmo (1828) which later became Brahmo Samaj.

Question 4.
Mention the social practices against which this society- launched a relentless struggle.
Answer:
Brahmo Samaj launched a relentless struggle against the following social practices Sati. Caste distinctions and untouchability. Child marriage Polygamy

Question 5.
Mention two important social reforms supported by this society.
Answer:
Education of Women, Widow Remarriage.

ICSE Solutions for Class 8 History and Civics – The United Nations

ICSE Solutions for Class 8 History and Civics – The United Nations

ICSE SolutionsSelina ICSE SolutionsML Aggarwal Solutions

APlusTopper.com provides step by step solutions for ICSE Solutions for Class 8 History and Civics. You can download the History and Civics ICSE Solutions for Class 8 with Free PDF download option. History and Civics for Class 8 ICSE Solutions all questions are solved and explained by expert teachers as per ICSE board guidelines.

ICSE Solutions Class 8 History & Civics GeographyBiologyChemistryPhysicsMaths

Time To Learn
I. Fill in the blanks:

  1. All peace loving nations can become members of the United Nations.
  2. The present number of member-countries in the UNO is 193.
  3. One major goal of the UNICEF was Universal Child Immunisation against preventable diseases by 1990.
  4. The International Court of Justice settles disputes between member states of the United Nations.
  5. The UNESCO came into existence in 1946.

II. Match the content of column A with other of column B
ICSE Solutions for Class 8 History and Civics - The United Nations 1
ICSE Solutions for Class 8 History and Civics - The United Nations 2
Answer:
ICSE Solutions for Class 8 History and Civics - The United Nations 3

III. Answer the following questions:

Question 1.
Why and when was the UNO formed?
Answer:
UNO was established on 24th October, 1945 to work for world peace and for eradication of poverty, hunger, injustice and to save the world from still another catastrophe of the magnitude of the Second World War.

Question 2.
What are the objectives and principles of the UNO?
Answer:
The following are the objectives of the UNO:

Objectives of United Nations

  1. To save the suceeding generation from the scourge of war, which twice in our lifetime has brought untold suffering to mankind.
  2. To reaffirm faith in fundamental Human rights, in the dignity and worth of the human power in the equal rights of men and women, of nations large and small.
  3. To maintain international peace and security.
  4. To develop friendly relations among the nations of world based on respect for the equal rights of people.
  5. To co-operate in solving international problems of social,economic, cultural, and humanitarian character and to promote respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms.

Principles of UNO

The UN has laid down certain principles to achieve the above objectives. These principles are also enumerated in the Charter.

  1. The basis of the organisation shall be equality of all its member-states.
  2. The member-states shall fulfil their obligations honestly according to the charter of the UNO.
  3. All the member-states shall solve their mutual problems through peaceful means.
  4. States will not use force in solving their mutual problems.
  5. All the member-states shall be morally bound to offer unconditional services, military or otherwise, to the UNO for preventive and enforcement actions of the UNO according to the UN Charter.
  6. The members of the UNO shall see that even the non­members states work for the peace and security of the world.

Question 3.
Name the chief organs of the UNO    and list down theirNo member-state shall interfere in the internal affairs of any other member-state functions.
Answer:
Organs of the UN
There are six principle organs of   the UN.

1. The General Assembly Functions

  1. Admits new members to the UNO on the recommendation of the Security Council.
  2. Appoints the General Secretary of the UNO on the recommendation of the Security Council.
  3. Elects ten (temporary) members of the Security Council, members of the Economic and Social Council and members of the Trusteeship Council from amongst its own members.
  4. Receives and discussess the reports of its main organs and takes decisions for their improvement.
  5. Can draw the attention of member-states to provide human rights to their citizens.
    Passes the annual budget of the UNO and fixes the
  6. Passes the annual budget of the UNO and fixes the share of every member country in providing those funds.
  7. Draws the attention of the Security Council whenever it finds that peace in a particular part of the world is endangered by the actions of one or more states.2

2. The Security Council
Functions
The Security Council’s primary responsibility to maintain international peace and security.

  1. It can ask the fighting states to resolve their differences by bilateral talks.
  2. It may suggest mediation in the matter.
  3. It can suggest embargo (stoppage of trade) on the states who do act according to the directions of the Security Council.
  4. It can order military action against a state which persists in undermining the peace and security of the world.Besides this,
  5. It recommends the admission of a new member to the UNO.
  6. It recommends the name of person for his appointment as the Secretary-General of the UNO.
  7. It elects the Judges of the International Court of Justice concurrently with the General Assembly.
  8. It can ask for the cancellation of the membership of a state, if does not act according to the Charter.
  9. It can recommend to call a meeting of the General Assembly in an emergency.

3. The Economic and Social Council:
The main function of this Council is to promote economic and social operation,among the member states of the UN. There are several groups working under the council. They specialise in subjects like population money matters, international trade and equality of women, crime prevention and control of narcotic drugs.

4. The Trusteeship Council: Its main objective is to safeguard the interests of those territories that are not yet fully self- governing. Eleven such territories were brought under the UN Trusteeship Council after the Second World War. The Council helped ten of them to gain independence.

5. The Secretariat: The personnel of the Secretariat are recruited from all over the world. Attempts are made to have a balanced representation from all regions and countries. The Secretary General is the chief executive officer or the head of the UN Secretariat.

6. The International Court of Justice: The International Court of Justice settles disputes between the member-state of the United Nations. Even private citizens have the right to approach the Court whenever they have grievance against another state. The Secretary General holds a key position in the administration of the affairs of the UNO. He organises conferences, drafts reports, makes correspondence, registers treaties, prepares budget estimates.

Question 4.
Name the official languages of the UNO.
Answer:
The official languages of the UNO are – English, French, Russian, Chinese, Arabic and Spanish.

Question 5.
How does the UNO manage its funds?
Answer:
The UNO is financed by the contributions made by its member states. The amount is determined by the General Assembly on the recommendations of its committee on contributions.

Question 6.
Describe the UNO Flag. Draw and colour it.
Answer:
The flag of the UNO represents two bent olive branches open at the top over a blue background. The branches of the wreath symbolise peace.

Question 7.
Name the permanent members of the UNO.
Answer:
Permanent members of the UNO are five – USA, UK, France,’ China and Russia.

Additional Questions

EXERCISES
A. Fill in the blanks:

  1. The League of Nations was formed in 1920 after the end of the First World War.
  2. Each member state of the UN can send up to Five representatives to the General Assembly.
  3. The Security council is often referred to as the ‘Enforcement Wing’ of the UN.
  4. The five permament members of the Security Council are USA, UK, France, People’s Republic of China and the Russian Federation.
  5. The objective of the ECOSOC is to free the world from want.
  6. The WHO is a specialized agency of the UN.

B. Match the following:
ICSE Solutions for Class 8 History and Civics - The United Nations 4
ICSE Solutions for Class 8 History and Civics - The United Nations 5
Answer:
ICSE Solutions for Class 8 History and Civics - The United Nations 6

C. Choose the correct answer:

  1. 24 October/22 March/21 June is celebrated as United Nations Day.
    Ans. 24 October is celebrated as United Nations Day.
  2. The olive branches on the UN flag symbolize peace/wealth/ truth.
    Ans. The olive branches on the UN flag symbolize peace.
  3. The Economic and Social Council consists of 54 members elected by the General Assembly for a 3/4/5-year term.
    Ans. The Economic and Social Council consists of 54 members elected by the General Assembly for a 5-year term.
  4. The International Court of Justice is located in New York City in the USA/The Hague in the Netherlands/Paris in France.
    Ans. The International Court of Justice is located in The Hague in the Netherlands.
  5. The Secretariat/General Assembty/International Court of Justice is the chief administrative organ of the UN.
    Ans. The Secretariat is the chief administrative organ of the UN.

D. State whether the following are true or false:

  1. All the members of the UN are members of the General Assembly.
    True.
  2. French is one of the official languages of the UN.
    True. 
  3. The Trusteeship Council is the most important organ of the UN.
    False
    Correct: The Security Council is the most important organ of the UN.
  4. UNESCO and UNICEF are specialized agencies of the UN
    True.
  5. Most of the world’s problems have disappeared with the end of the Cold War.
    False.
    Correct: Most of the world’s problems have disappeared with the end of the Cold War. This, however, did not happen.

E. Answer the following questions in one or two words/ sentences:

Question 1.
Mention one important organ of the UN.
Answer:
The Security Council is the most important organ of the UN.

Question 2.
Who are the members of the General Assembly?
Answer:
All the members of the UN are members of the General Assembly.

Question 3.
What is a negative vote by one of the permanent members of the Security Council known as?
Answer:
Veto is the negative vote by any one of the permanent members of the UN Security Council which leads to the cancellation of the resolution.

Question 4.
Why was the Trusteeship Council established?
Answer:
When the UN was first formed, a large number of countries were not free. Many were affected by the war. The Trusteeship Council was established to look after the territories that were under foreign rule and to help them attain self-government.

Question 5.
Why did the UN impose economic sanctions against the South African government?
Answer:
By imposing economic sanctions against the South African government, it played a significant role in challenging the apartheid policy and liberating the South African people from apartheid.

Question 6.
What is the relevance of the UN in today’s world?
Answer:
The need of the hour is to reform and strengthen the UN and to make it strong and effective, capable of healing the wounds of our times and restoring sanity, balance and harmony to our strife-tom world.

F. Answer the following questions briefly:

Question 1.
The magnitude and scale of destruction during the Second World War created a great revulsion for war and a passionate yearning for peace.
In this context, explain:
(a) The signing of the Atlantic Charter
(b) The basic rights or the four freedoms guaranteed by the charter
(c) The San Francisco Conference and the establishment of the United Nations
Answer:
(a)
Winston Churchill, the prime minister of Great Britain, and Franklin D. Roosevelt, the president of the United States of America, met aboard a battleship off Newfoundland in the Atlantic Ocean. They signed a document called the Atlantic Charter on 14 August 1941.
(b)
It was agreed that when the war ended, humans must be guaranteed the basic rights or the four freedoms.
The basic rights included:

  1. freedom from want
  2. freedom of speech
  3. freedom of religious belief
  4. freedom from fear

(c)
In June 1945, 50 nations met in San Francisco to sign the Atlantic Charter. Poland, which was not represented at the conference, signed it later and became one of the original 51 member states. On 24 October 1945, the United Nations was established to save succeeding generations from the scourge of war and to reaffirm faith in fundamental human rights. 24 October is celebrated as United Nations Day.

Question 2.
With reference to the United Nations discuss:
(a) The UN flag
(b) Any four objetives of the UN outlined in the Preamble of the UN Charter
(c) The obligations of all nations that follow from these objectives
Answer:
(a)
The UN flag depicts two bent olive branches which are open at the top with a world map between them.
The white olive branches and the world map are on a light blue background. The branches symbolize peace.
(b)
The objectives of the UN have been outlined in the Preamble of the UN charter. They are:

  1. To maintain international peace and security.
  2. To develop friendly relations among nations on the basis of equality.
  3. To achieve international cooperation in solving, economic, social, cultural and humanitarian problems.
  4. To promote human rights and fundamental freedom for the people of the world.
  5. To act as a common platform for harmonizing the activities of various nations for the attainment of the objectives of the UN.
  6. To save succeeding generations from the scourge of war, which has twice brought suffering to humans.

(c)
This implies that:

  1. All nations, big or small, are equal.
  2. They must all obey the Charter.
  3. All disputes must be settled peacefully.
  4. No force should be used.

Question 3.
With reference to the General Assembly and Security Council of the UN, answer the following questions:
(a) Mention any four functions of the General Assembly.
(b) Explain the veto power of the permanent members of the Security Council. What happens when the Security Council cannot take any action because of the veto?
(c) State three important functions of the Security Council.
Answer:
(a)
Important functions of the General Assembly:

  1. To discuss international problems and make recommendations for their solution.
  2. To make recommendations for the peaceful settlement of disputes.
  3. To consider and approve the UN budget.
  4.  To elect non-permanent members of the security council members of the economic and social council (ECOSOC) and the trusteeship council.
  5.  To supervise the work of the other organs of the UN.
  6. To make recommendations for ‘collective measures, including the use of anned forces’ during a crises (Uniting for Peace Resolution)

(b)
A negative vote by any one of the permanent members would lead to a cancellation of the resolution. This right to prevent action from being taken is known as the right to veto.When no action can be taken by the Security Council because of the veto, the General Assembly can deal with the crisis. It can take whatever action may seem appropriate to restore and maintain world peace.
(c)
Functions of the Security Council:

  1. To investigate international disputes and recommend ways of settling such disputes peacefully.
  2. To call on member states to apply economic sanctions against the aggressor.
  3. To take military action against the aggressor, if necessary.

Question 4.
With reference to the organs of the UN, discuss:
(a) Any three functions of the Economic and Social Coucil (ECOSOC)
(b) The composition and functions of the Internatinal Court of Justice
(c) Any four significant achievements of the UN
Answer:
(a) Functions of the ECOSOC:

  1. To promote economic growth and social progress (z’z) To create a spirit of respect for human rights
  2. To solve problems related to health, illiteracy, drugs, employment, status of women etc.
  3. To supervise the work of various specialized agencies such as World Health Organization (WHO), United
  4. Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), International Labour Organization (ILO) Food and Agricultural organization (FAO), etc.

(b)
The International Court of Justice (ICJ) consists of 15 judges from different countries, elected by the General Assembly and the Security Council. Each judge has a 9- year term. Two judges cannot be from the same country.

Functions of International Court of Justice:

  1. To settle disputes brought to it by member nations.
  2. To give legal advice to the other organs of the UN, on request.

(c). Achievement of the UN

  1. Although it has not been able to prevent war, in many cases, it has taken effective action to restore peace, e.g., the Korean War, the Suez Canal crisis, the Gulf War, etc.
  2. Many countries like Indonesia, Algeria, Morocco, have achieved their independence with support from the UN.
  3.  By imposing economic sanctions against the South African government, it played a significant role in challenging the aparthied policy and liberating the South African people from aparthied rule.
  4.  It has worked consistently for the protection and preservation of human rights around the world.
  5. It has worked actively to end the nuclear arms race and encouraged the use of nuclear energy for peaceful purposes.
  6. It has achieved great success in the fields of labour, health, welfare of children and education by fighting poverty, ignorance, malnutrition, hunger and disease through its specialized agencies.

G Picture Study:

This buliding is the headquarters of an international organization which was established in October 1945 to maintain international peace and security
ICSE Solutions for Class 8 History and Civics - The United Nations 7

  1. Name the organization.
    Ans. United Nation (UN)
  2. Where are the headquarters of this organization located?
    Ans. New York City
  3. Mention four important objectives of this organization.
    Ans. The objectives of the UN have been outlined in the Preamble of the UN charter.
    They are:

    1. To maintain international peace and security.
    2.  To develop friendly relations among nations on the basis of equality.
    3. To achieve international cooperation in solving, economic, social, cultural and humanitarian problems.
    4.  To promote human rights and fundamental freedom for the people of the world.
    5.  To act as a common platform for harmonizing the activities of various nations for the attainment of the objectives of the UN.
    6. To save succeeding generations from the scourge of war, which has twice brought suffering to humans.
  4. Name three major organs of this organization.
    Ans.
    Organs of the UN:

    1. The General Assembly
    2. The Security Council
    3. The Economic and Social Council

ICSE Solutions for Class 8 History and Civics – Traders to Rulers (II)

ICSE Solutions for Class 8 History and Civics – Traders to Rulers (II)

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Time To Learn
I. Fill in the blanks:

  1. The British had to face the challenge of the rulers of Hyderabad and Mysore, Marathas after the conquest of Bengal.
  2. The new Nizam of Hyderabad, Salabat Jung initially had cordial relations with the English.
  3. Lord Wellesley made the Nizam of Hyderabad enter the Subsidiary Alliance system.
  4. The English fought four wars with rulers of Mysore, known as Anglo-Mysore wars.
  5. It took the British 43 years to defeat the Marathas in three Anglo-Maratha wars.
  6. Lord Dalhousie annexed Awadh on basis of misgovernance.

II. Match the contents of Column A and Column B:
Column A                                 Column B
ICSE Solutions for Class 8 History and Civics - Traders to Rulers (II) 1
ICSE Solutions for Class 8 History and Civics - Traders to Rulers (II) 2
Answer:
ICSE Solutions for Class 8 History and Civics - Traders to Rulers (II) 3

III. State whether the following statements are True or False:

  1. The Subsidiary Alliance system was started by Lord Cornwallis.
    False.
  2. The capture of the port of Mahe by the British led to the Second Anglo-Mysore War in 1780
    True.
  3. Tipu won a great battle against his three enemies, the English, Nizam and the Marathas in 1792
    False.
  4. The war of succession among the Marathas in 1772 gave a chance to the English to interfere in Maratha politics.
    True.
  5. The Second Anglo-Maratha war was fought when Lord Wellesley was the Governor General of India.
    True.
  6. Jhansi and Nagpur were annexed under the pretext of misgovernance.
    False.

IV. Answer the following questions:

Question 1.
What were the results of the First Anglo-Mysore War?
Answer:
The Marathas, the Nizam and the British marched towards Mysore. But Hyder won over the Marathas and the Nizam. The British were isolated. Haider won after some setbacks. He forced the British to sign a peace treaty in 1769, according to which both Haider and the British agreed to help each other in case of any attack by a third power.

Question 2.
How did the British force win the Third Anglo-Mysore War?
Answer:
In the Third Anglo-Mysore War (1790-1792) the company won the support of two other powers – the Nizam of Hyderabad and the Marathas. Tipu Sultan was completely defeated by these three joint powers and was forced to sign the Treaty of Seringapattam in 1792. According to the terms of this treaty Tipu had to surrender half of his territories which were to be shared between the British, the Nizam and the Marathas. Tipu also had to pay a war indemnity of ruppees 3.3 crore. Two of his sons were taken hostages.

Question 3.
What were the causes of the Fourth Anglo-Mysore War? What were its results?
Answer:
The Treaty of Seringapattam was short lived. Lord Wellesley, the Governor General wanted the ruler of Mysore, Tipu to accept the Subsidiary Alliance but Tipu refused to do so. Tipu sought French help. The British feared that the French might land in support of Tipu. So in 1799, the British went to war against Tipu. The Nizam joined the British but the Marathas remained neutral and the French support never came. Tipu was killed in the battle on 4th May 1799.

Question 4.
Name the four different centres of Maratha power.
Answer:
The four different centres of Maratha power were Bhonsle at Nagpur, Scindia at Gwalior, Peshwa at Pune and Holkar at Indore.

Question 5.
What were the causes and results of the First Anglo-Maratha War? When was it fought?
Answer:
In 1772, a war of succession followed for the seat of Peshwaship after the death of Peshwa Madhav Rao I between Raghoba and Madhav Rao II. The English sided with Raghoba. Marathas led by Nana Phadnavis supported Madhav Rao II. An indecisive war broke out and continued for seven years. It ended in 1782 with the signing of the Treaty of Salbai. Under this Madhav Rao II was recognised as Peshwa and the Marathas had to cede Salsette. Peace prevailed between the Marathas and the British for 20 years.

Question 6.
Who was the Governor-General of India during the Second Anglo-Maratha War? What was the significance of this battle?
Answer:
The Second Anglo-Maratha War was fought when Lord Wellesley was the Governor General of India. In 1803 Baji Rao II signed with the English East India Company a Subsidiary Alliance known as Treaty of Bassein. As a result the English installed Baji Rao II at Pune and helped to drive out the Holkars. The Maratha chiefs Scindia and Bhonsle refused to accept the system of Subsidiary Alliance and declared war against the British. But the British defeated the combined forces of Scindia and Bhonsle. They were forced to enter into the Subsidiary Alliance with the English. They ceded the territories of Ahmednagar, Broach, Cuttack and Balasore. This war gave a blow to the power and prestige of the Marathas.

Question 7.
Why was the Third Anglo-Maratha War fought? What were its results?
Answer:
The Third Anglo Maratha War was fought in (AD 1817-1818) because the Maratha chiefs were feeling humiliated after signing the Subsidiary Alliance with the British. Peshwa Baji Rao II began to make plans to unite the Marathas against the British. This war was fought during the Governor Generalship of Marquess Hastings. When Lord Hastings became aware of Baji Rao’s plans he forced him to sign the Treaty of Pune in 1817. According to it, Konkan was ceded and Baji Rao II renounced Maratha leadership. Scindia was forced to sign the Treaty of Gwalior and provide help to the British against the Pindaris.

The Marathas made their last attempt to regain their old prestige and independence. They declared war against English. Baji Rao II raised a huge army and attacked the British Residency at Poona in 1817. The war continued for about two years. Finally the Marathas were defeated and large parts of their territories were annexed by the British.

The Third Anglo – Maratha War led to the abolition of Peshwa’s hereditary office. The Maratha dream of building a Hindu empire was completely shattered and the British emerged as the unchallenged power in India.

Question 8.
State very briefly why the Marathas failed against the British.
Answer:
The Marathas were inferior to the English in material sources, military organisation, diplomacy and leadership. The Maratha state was despotic and feudal. It was a loose confederation of different powers – the Holkar, Bhonsle, Scindhia – headed by the Peshwa. The Marathas were careless about military intelligence whereas the British had superior espionage system. The Marathas did not possess any national sentiment. The internal jealously and selfish treachery among them triumphed over national interest. The Marathas lacked men of talent and leadership in later years. They were in disarray in all aspects.

Question 9.
Explain the doctrine of Lapse. Name the other methods used by Lord Dalhousie to expand the British power in India.
Answer:
According to Doctrine of Lapse if the ruler of a dependent state died without leaving a natural heir the state would automatically pass over to the British. The Doctrine of Lapse did not recognise adopted children as rightful heirs. Satara, Jaitpur, Baghat, Udaipur, Sambhalpur, Jhansi and Nagpur were annexed under the Doctrine of Lapse. Punjab was annexed through war. Awadh was annexed by Dalhousie on the basis of misgovemance.

V. Word Hunt

Given below is a grid. Look for names of places which Dalhousie annexed. You have to look vertically, horizontally and diagonally. In total there are 8 places. After you have found out these places, write down why these were annexed.
Answer:
ICSE Solutions for Class 8 History and Civics - Traders to Rulers (II) 4
VI. Picture Study –

This is a picture depicting the first Anglo-Sikh War.
ICSE Solutions for Class 8 History and Civics - Traders to Rulers (II) 5

Question 1.
What was the political condition of Punjab after the death of Maharaja Ranjit Singh?
Answer:
After the death of Maharaja Ranjit Singh there was a state of political instability in the Punjab. For six years there was conflict among various claimants to the throne.

Question 2.
When was the first Anglo-Sikh war fought?
Answer:
First Anglo Sikh War was fought in December 1845.

Question 3.
What were the causes and results of the First Anglo-Sikh War?
Answer:
The mother of the minor son of Ranjit Singh, Maharani Jindan Kaur instigated the Khalsa against the British. This led to the first Anglo-Sikh War.
The Sikhs were defeated and had to sign the Treaty of Lahore in 1846. The Sikhs lost territory and had to keep British Resident.

Additional Questions

Rise of British Power in Bengal

 A. Fill the in the blanks:

  1. Madras, Bombay and Calcutta became the headquarters of the British settlements in the southern, western and eastern regions, respectively.
  2. In 1717, the Mughal emperor granted the United East India Company the right to carry on duty-free trade in Bengal, Bihar and Orissa.
  3. The French East India Company was established in 1664 C.E.
  4. The British and the French fought the Carnatic Wars in India to establish their monopoly in trade.
  5. Bengal in the 18th century was the richest and the most fertile province in India.
  6. In 1757 Robert Clive recovered Calcutta which had been captured by Siraj-ud-Daulah in 1756.
  7. Mir Jafar was deposed because he was unable to meet the demands of the British.
  8. In 1765, Awadh was returned to Shuja-ud-Daulah but Kora and Allahabad were taken away and given to Shah Alam II.
  9. Shah Alam II granted the Company the Diwani of Bengal, Bihar and Orissa in 1765.
  10. Warren Hastings deposed and pensioned off the Nawab of Bengal and brought Bengal under the direct, and complete control of the Company.

B. Match the following:
ICSE Solutions for Class 8 History and Civics - Traders to Rulers (II) 12

Answer:
ICSE Solutions for Class 8 History and Civics - Traders to Rulers (II) 7

C. Choose the correct answer:

Question 1.
The English East India Company was established in the year 1600/1700/1800 CE.
Answer:
The English East India Company was established in the year 1600.

Question 2.
The English East India Company set up its first factory in Surat/Agra/Broach.
Answer:
The English East India Company set up its first factory in Surat.

Question 3.
The largest and the most prosperous European settlement in Bengal was the British settlement at Calcutta/Burdwan/ Murshidabad.
Answer:
The largest and the most prosperous European settlement in Bengal was the British settlement at Calcutta.

Question 4.
Alivardi Khan was succeeded by Mir Qasim/Siraj-ud- Daulah/Shuja-ud-Daula.
Answer:
Alivardi Khan was succeeded by Siraj-ud-Daulah.

Question 5.
Robert Clive hatched a plot with Mir Jafar/Mir Qasim/ Alivardi Khan to replace Siraj-ud-Daulah.
Answer:
Robert Clive hatched a plot with Mir Jafar to replace Siraj- ud-Daulah.

Question 6.
The Battle of Plassey was fought in 1757/1764/1772.
Answer:
The Battle of Plassey was fought in 1757.

Question 7.
The Dual Government in Bengal was introduced by Robert Clive/Warren Hastings/Lord Cornwallis.
Answer:
The Dual Government in Bengal was introduced by Robert Clive.

D. State whether the following are true or false:

  1. The Carnatic Wars were fought between the British and the French.
    True.
  2. The employees of the Company were entitled to both private trade as well as duty-free trade.
    False.
    Correct: The employees of the Company were permitted to carry on private trade but they were not entitled to the Company’s privilege of duty-free trade.
  3. The English East India Company was given the right to issue passes or dastaks for the free movement of their goods.
    True.
  4. The British army was defeated in the Battle of Buxar.
    False
    Correct : The British army won in the Battle of Buxar.
  5. The Treaty of Allahabad was signed between the British Company and Mir Qasim.
     False.
    Correct: The Treaty of Allahabad was signed between the British and Shuja-ud-Daulah.
  6. Warren Hastings laid the foundation of an organized system of government in Bengal.
    True.

 Answer the following questions in one or two words/ sentences:

Question 1.
Who granted the English East India Company the exclusive right to trade with the East ?
Answer:
The Queen of England, Elizabeth I, granted the Company the exclusive right to trade with the East.

Question 2.
Name the British trading settlements in
(a) Madras  (b)Calcutta
Answer:
(a)
Madras was given to the British by a local ruler. They established a trading settlement which they fortified and named Fort St. George.
(b)
Calcutta In 1690 CE, a British trading settlement was established and fortified in Calcutta. It was named Fort William.

Question 3.
What important right did the Mughal emperor Farrukhsiyar grant the English East India Company ?
Answer:
In 1717, the Mughal Emperor, Farrukhsiyar, granted the Company the right to carry on duty-free trade in Bengal, Bihar and Orissa (now Odisha). The Company made enormous profits.

Question 4.
Why were European traders attracted to the Bengal province inthe 18th century?
Answer:
Bengal was the richest and the most fertile province in India at that time. It was known as the paradise of the earth and this province attracted traders from many European countries.

Question 5.
What privileges did the farman of 1717 confer on the English East India Company?
Answer:
By the ‘Farman” of 1717, the English East India company was granted the right to carry on duty-free trade in Bengal. They were allowed to export and import goods from and to Bengal without paying any taxes to the government. They were given the right to issue passes or dastaks for the free movement of their goods.

Question 6.
Why did the farman of 1717 become a bone of contention between the nawabs of Bengal and the British Company?
Answer:
The Nawabs of Bengal wanted British company to pay taxes on trade like the Indians. But the Britishers refused to do so. This created conflict between both the parties and resulted in wars between both of them.

Question 7.
Why did the British fortify their trade settlement in Calcutta?
Answer:
Siraj-ud-Daulah ordered the British to pay taxes to him like all other Indian merchants. The British refused to do so. This angered the young nawab. In anticipation of a war with the French, who had a trading settlement in Chandemagore, the British began to fortify Calcutta.

Question 8.
Why did Siraj-ud-Daulah attack Calcutta in 1756?
Answer:
When the Britishers tried to fortify Calcutta, Siraj-ud-Daulah ordered both the British and the French to dismantle their fortifycations and not to fight private wars on his territory. The French agreed but the British refused. This enraged the Nawab and he attacked Calcutta with a large army and captured Fort William.

Question 9.
What important trading right was granted to the English East India Company after its victory in the Battle of Plassey?
Answer:

  1. The English East India Company was granted the undisputed right to free trade in Bengal, Bihar and Orissa.
  2. The Company was given the zamindari of the 24 Parganas.

Question 10.
State the political significance of the Battle of Buxar.
Answer:

  1. It gave them political influence and control over Awadh and the Mughal emperor.
  2. It laid the foundation of British rule in India.

Question 11.
Name the Indian signatories of the Treaty of Allahabad.
Answer:
Shuja-ud-Daulah and Shah Alam II

Question 12.
In which year was the Dual Government abolished and by whom?
Answer:
In 1772, Warren Hastings abolished the Dual Government.

F.Answer the following questions briefly:

Question 1.
The Battle of Plassey was a major turning point in the history of India. In this context answer the following questions:
(a) Give an account of the events leading from the conspiracy to replace Siraj-ud-Daulah to his eventual defeat in the Battle of Plassey.
(b)State the results of the Battle of Plassey.
(c) Why is this battle considered a major turning point in the history of India?
Answer:
(a)
A major part of the nawab’s army under the command of Mir Jafar did not take any part in the battle. Realizing that he had been betrayed, the nawab fled from the battlefield. He was captured and put to death.
(b)
Results of Battle of Plasey:

  1. The English East India company was granted the undisputed right to free trade in Bengal, Bihar and Orissa.
  2. The Company w’as given the zamindari of the 24 parganas.
  3. Mir Jafar paid the Company and its officials over 300 lakh rupees.

(c)
The Battle of Plassey was a major turning point in the histoiy of India.

  1. It paved the way for the establishment of British rule in Bengal and, eventually, the rest of India.
  2. It transformed a trading company into a political power.

It provided the British the vast resources of Bengal, which helped them to win the Third camatic war and other expeditions in India.

Question 2.
Mir Qasim was a competent ruler, determined to free himself from foreign control. In this context answer the following:
(a) What steps did Mir Qasim take to strengthen his position? Why did he abolish all duties on internal trade?
(b) Trace the events from the outbreak of war (1763) between Mir Qasim and the British up to the Battle of Buxar in 1764.
(c) Explain the importance of the Battle of Buxar.
Answer:
(a)
To strengthen his position, Mir Qasim improved the financial position of Bengal and raised a modern, disciplined and well-equipped army trained by the Europeans.The employers of the company misused their trade privileges. They sold their duty-free trade points to Indian merchants who also used them to carry on duty-free trade. This deprived the Nawab fo large revenues. To put an end to the corrupt practices of the British, Mir Qasim abolished all duties on internal trade.

(b)
The employees of the Company misused their trade privileges. They sold their duty-free trade permits to Indian merchants who also used them to carry on duty-free trade. This deprived the nawab of large revenues and was unfair to those local merchants who had to pay heavy duties.
To put an end to the corrupt practices of the British, Mir Qasim abolished all duties on internal trade. This made the British furious. They refused to accept an equal status with the Indian merchants.
In 1763, war broke out between Mir Qasim and the British. The nawab was defeated. Mir Jafar was reinstated on the throne.
Mir Qasim was determined to recover his throne. He escaped to Awadh, where he formed an alliance with Shuja-ud- Daulah, the nawab of Awadh, and the Mughal emperor, Shah Alam II.
The combined forces of the three allies clashed with the Company’s troops at Buxar in 1764, and were decisively defeated by the British.

(c)

  1. The victory of the British in the Battle of Buxar firmly established them as masters of Bengal, Bihar and Orissa.
  2. It gave them political influence and control over Awadh and the Mughal emperor.
  3. It laid the foundation of British rule in India.
  4.  At this time, Robert Clive returned to India as the governor of Bengal.

Question 3.
With reference to the Treaty of Allahabad and its impact,answer the following:
(a) Mention the terms of agreement between Robert Clive and Shuja-ud-Daulah in this treaty.
(b) Explain how the treaty between Robert Clive and the Mughal emperor Shah Alam II legalized the English East India’s Company’s control over Bengal.
(c) Give an account of the events that followed the death of Mir Jafar, leading to the establishment of the Company as the real ruler of Bengal.
Answer:
(a)

  1. Awadh was returned to Shuja-ud-Daulah. However, the two districts of Kora and Allahabad were taken away from the Nawab.
  2. The nawab of Awadh had to pay a war indemnity of 50 lakh rupees to the Company.
  3. The British agreed to defend the nawab of Awadh against his enemies. The nawab would have to pay for the cost of the British troops. Awadh became a buffer state between the British possessions in Bengal and the Marathas.

(b)
The British gave Shah Alam II the districts of Kora and Allahabad and an annual pension of 26 lakh rupees. In return, the emperor (the nominal head of the Mughal empire) granted the Company the Diwani of Bengal, Bihar and Orissa, e., the right to collect revenue from these provinces and judge civil cases. The Company’s control over Bengal was made legal.
(c)
After Mir Jafar’s death in 1765, his son was made-the nawab of Bengal. He had to sign a treaty with Clive,according to which he had to disband most of his army. He also had to transfer the ‘Nizamat’ powers (general administration and criminal justice) to a deputy nawab appointed by the British. The deputy nawab could not be dismissed by the nawab. The nawab was given an allowance of 53 lakh rupees which was subsequently reduced. Thus, the English East India Company became the real ruler of Bengal from 1765.

Question 4.
With reference to the establishment of Dual Government in Bengal (1765-72) answer the following:

(a) Why was the government introduced in Bengal by Robert Clive referred to as ‘Dual Government’?
(b) What were the advantages and disadvantages of this system for the Company and the nawab respectively?
(c) The evils of the Dual Government led to the collapse of the administration and the economy. Explain.
Answer:
(a)
Robert Clive introduced Dual Government in Bengal in 1765. Bengal now had two masters-the nawab and the Company. The Nawab was responsible for general administration, maintenance of law and order and justice (i.e., criminal cases). The Company had military power and the right to collect and use the revenue of Bengal. This arrangement was known as Dual Government.
(b)
The Company enjoyed power without any responsibilities. The nawab, on the other hand, was burdened with the responsibility of administration without the resources necessary for running it efficiently e., responsibility without power.The revenue was collected by Indian officials appointed by the Company. The greed, corruption and oppression of these officials reduced the peasants to conditions of utter misery. The Company took no interest in the welfare of the people.
(c)
The conditions of the people worsened when Bengal was hit by a terrible famine in which one third of the population perished. Nobody cared, neither the Company nor the nawab, who in any case had neither the authority nor the resources to lessen the miseries of the people. The Company, through its power to nominate the deputy nawab, only interfered in the general administration without assuming any responsibility.The evils of the Dual Government began to manifest themselves. The administration and economy collapsed. In 1772, the Court of Directors of the Company appointed Warren Hastings as the Governor of Bengal. In 1773, by the Regulating Act, he was made the Governor General of British territories in India. The Governor General was now the most important functionary of the East India Company.

G  Picture Study.

This picture portrays a momentous event in 1765, involving a British Governor and a Mughal emperor wherein the Mughal emperor is conveying the grant of the Diwani to the governor.
ICSE Solutions for Class 8 History and Civics - Traders to Rulers (II) 8

  1. Identify the Mughal emperor and the British governor
    Ans. Mughal Emperor – Shuja-ud-Daulah, British Governor – Robert Clive
  2. What is the significance of this grant of the Diwani?
    Ans. The significance of granting the company the Diwani i.e. the right to collect revenue from these provinces and judge civil cases.
  3. Give a brief account of the battle that preceded this event. When did it take place?
    Ans. Battle of Buxar in 1764.
  4. What is the importance of this battle?
    Ans. Mir Qasim was defeated and Mir Jafar was reinstated on the throne.

Additional Questions

Expansion of British Power in India
EXERCISES
A. Fill the in the blanks:

  1. The five centres of Maratha power were:
    Ans.
    The five centres of Maratha power were:

    • The Sindhias of Gwalior
    • The Holkars of Indore
    • The Bhonsle family of Nagpur
    • The Gaekwad family of Baroda
    • The Peshwa of Poona (Pune)
  2. The Governors-General during the First and Second Anglo- Maratha Wars were Warren Hastings and Lord Wellesley, respectively.
  3. The Second Anglo-Maratha War was a severe blow to the Sindhia and Bhonsle of the Marathas.
  4. Lord Dalhousie adopted three methods to make the British the paramount power in India.
  5. Jhansi was annexed by Dalhousie on the basis of the Doctrine of Lapse.
  6. Dalhousie annexed Awadh on the grounds of Maladministration or Misgovernment.

B. Match the following:
ICSE Solutions for Class 8 History and Civics - Traders to Rulers (II) 9
Answer:
ICSE Solutions for Class 8 History and Civics - Traders to Rulers (II) 10

C. Choose the correct answer:

  1. The First Anglo-Maratha War was fought during the Governor-Generalship of Lord Cornwallis/Lord Wellesley/ Warren Hastings.
    Ans. The First Anglo-Maratha War was fought during the Governor- Generalship of Warren Hastings.
  2. The Maratha chiefs were united under the leadership of Nana Phadnavis/Baji Rao II/Madhav Rao II during the First Anglo-Maratha War.
    Ans. The Maratha chiefs were united under the leadership of Nana Phadnavis during the First Anglo-Maratha War.
  3. After the Third Anglo-Maratha War the British placed a descendant of Shivaji on the throne of Nagpur/Satara/Jhansi.
    Ans. After the Third Anglo-Maratha War the British placed a descendant of Shivaji on the throne of Satara.
  4. Punjab was annexed by Lord Minto/Lord Dalhousie/Lord Wellesley in 1849.
    Ans. Punjab was annexed by Lord Dalhousie in 1849.
  5. The widespread resentment against annexations expressed itself in the Revolt of 1849/1861/1857.
    Ans. The widespread resentment against annexations expressed itself in the Revolt of 1857

D. State whether the following are true or false:

  1. After Hyder Ali’s death, his son Tipu Sultan continued the Anglo-Maratha Wars.
    True.
  2. The Subsidiary Alliance system was used by the British to bring Indian rulers under British control without any war.
    True.
  3. The Subsidiary Alliance proved very advantageous for the Indians.
    False.
    Correct : The Subsidiary Alliance proved very advantageous for the British.
  4. The adopted son of Peshwa Baji Rao II was denied the pension that his father used to get from the British.
    True.
  5. By 1856, the English East India Company had brought the whole of India under its control.
    True.

E. Answer the following questions in one or two words/ sentences:

Question 1.
What was the main objective of the Subsidiary Alliance system?
Answer:
The subsidiary Alliance system was a method perfected by Lord Wellesley to subjugate Indian powers without the cost and bother/ trouble of war.Any Indian ruler whose security was threatened was encouraged to seek help from and enter into an alliance with the British, who promised to protect the ruler from external attacks and internal revolts. The Indian ruler had to accept certain terms and conditions.                            ‘

Question 2.
What happened when the administration of a subsidiary state collapsed?
Answer:
When the administration collapsed, the British used it as an excuse for annexing the kingdom on grounds of misgovemment.

Question 3.
Why did Peshwa Baji Rao II sign the Subsidiary Alliance?
Answer:
In 1802, Peshwa baji Rao II, supported by Sindhia, was defeated by Holkar. Baji Rao II fled to Bassein where he signed the Subsidiary Treaty as a price for British protection and support. He was escorted back to Poona by British soldiers.

Question 4.
Why was Wellesley recalled from India during the Second Anglo-Maratha War?
Answer:
Wellesley was recalled from India because the government in England was unhappy with the enormous expenditure involved in Wellesley’s policy of wars and expansion.

Question 5.
How did the Subsidiary Alliance impact the
(a) economy
(b) administration in Awadh?
Answer:
(a)
Awadh had signed a Subsidiary Alliance with Wellesley. He had to protect the nawab from external invasions and internal rebellions. It made the nawabs complacent and unconcerned about the affairs of the state. The payement of annual subsidies to the Company exhausted the state treasury
(b)
When the administration was on the verge of collapse, Dalhousie struck. He brought charges of misgovemment or maladministration against the nawab. On those grounds he deposed the nawab and annexed Awadh in 1856.

F. Answer the following questions briefly:

Question 1.
With reference to the Subsidiary Alliance System perfected by Lord Wellesley, answer the following:
(a) Why did Indian rulers sign the Subsidiary Alliance? State two important military terms and conditions imposed on the Indian rulers by this treaty.
(b) The Subsidiary Alliance proved very beneficial for the British. Explain.
(c) Discuss the disastrous effects of the Subsidiary Alliance on the Indian states.
Answer:
(a)
Indian ruler whose security was threatened was encouraged to seek help from and enter into an alliance with the British,who promised to protect the ruler from external attacks and internal revolts. The Indian rulers had to accept certain terms and condition in return for
British protection under the Subsidiary Alliance like:

  1. British troops would be permanently placed in the territory of the Subsidiary state.
  2. The ruler would have to pay for the maintenance of the troops.
  3. He could not employ any europeans in his service or dismiss those who were already there.
  4. He could not form an alliance with any other power or declare war against any power without the permission of the British.
  5. He would acknowledge the British Company as the paramount power.

(b)
The Subsidiary Alliance proved very advantageous for the British like.

  1. The British maintained large armies at the expense of the Indian rulers.
  2. The British acquired valuable territories as subsidiary payment. This led to the expansion of the
  3. British empire in India and an increase in its resources.
  4. The influence of European rivals, especially the French, was excluded from the courts of the Indian rulers.
  5. The British controlled the foreign policy of the Subsidiary states.

(c)
The Subsidiary Alliance System had great effect on the subsidiary state like:

  1. British troops would be permanently placed in the territory of the Subsidiary state.
  2. The ruler would have to pay for the maintenance of the troops.
  3. He could not employ any Europeans in his service or dismiss those who were already there.
  4. He could not form an alliance with any other power or declare war against any power without the permission of the British.     ‘
  5. He would acknowledge the British Company as the paramount power.ses or dastaks for the free movement of their goods.

Question 2.
Dalhousie was a great expansionist and adopted a number of methods to build an all-India empire. In this context, answer the following questions:
(a) Mention the various methods adopted by Dalhousie and the territories annexed on the basis of these methods.
(b) Under what circumstances did a subordinate state automatically ‘lapse’ and pass into the hands of the British? How did the rulers react to this policy?
(c) Why did Nana Saheb become one of the leaders of the Revolt of 1857?
Answer:
(a)
Dalhousie adopted a number of methods to give the final touches to the work of empire-building in India. The methods he adopted were:

  1.  War-Punjab.
  2. Doctrine of Lapse-Satara, Jhansi and Nagpur.
  3. Annexation on grounds of maladministration-Awadh.

(b)
Lord Dalhousie brought several subordinate states under the direct rule of the Company by annexing them on the basis of the Doctrine of Lapse. According to the Doctrine of Lapse, all subordinate states (subsidiary states and states created by the British) where the rulers died without a natural male heir would automatically ‘lapse’, e., pass into the hands of the British. Rulers without heirs could not adopt sons, according to the age-old Hindu and Islamic traditions, without the permission of the Company.
(c)
Nana Saheb, the adopted son of Peshwa Baji Rao II, inherited his father’s personal property but was not given the pension that had been paid to his father. Nana Saheb became one of the important leaders of the Revolt of 1857.

Question 3.
With reference to the annexation of Awadh discuss:
(a) The effects of the Subsidiary Alliance on the administration in Awadh
(b)The political scenario in India by 1856
(c) Any three factors responsible for the success of the British over their Indian rivals
Answer:
(a)
Awadh had signed Subsidiary Alliance with Wellesley. He had to protect the nawab from external invasions and internal rebellions. It made the nawabs complacent and unconcerned about the affairs of the state. The payement of annual subsidies to the Company exhausted the state treasury. When the administration was on the verge of collapse, Dalhousie struck. He brought charges of misgovemment or maladministration against the nawab. On these grounds he deposed the nawab and annexed Awadh in 1856.
(b)
By 1856 the English East India Company had brought the whole of India under its control of the British. The British had eliminated all their rivals and established themselves as the paramount power in India.
(c)
The factors responsible for the success of the British are:

  1. Lack of unity among Indian rulers.
  2. Lack of organized and efficient administration in Indian states.
  3. Superior military resources of the company.
  4. Superior economic resources of the company.
  5. Naval supremacy of the British.

G Picture study:
ICSE Solutions for Class 8 History and Civics - Traders to Rulers (II) 11

  1. Name the Governor General.
    Ans. Lord Dalhousie
  2. What was the method adopted by him to subjugate the Indian territories ?
    Ans. Governor General Dalhousie was a great imperialist who annexed several states on the basis of the Doctrine of Lapse.
  3. Mention the terms and conditions under this method.
    Ans. According to the Doctrine of Lapse, all subordinate states
    (subsidiary states and states created by the British) where the rulers died without a natural male heir would automatically ‘lapse’, i.e. pass into the hands of the British. Rulers without heirs could not adopt sons, according to the age-old Hindu and Islamic traditions, without the permission of the Company.
  4. Did this method have any advantage for the Indian rulers? Why ?
    Ans. The annexation of these states caused widespread resentment among the Indian rulers and became a potent factor responsible for the outbreak of the Revolt of 1857.

ICSE Solutions for Class 8 History and Civics – The Great Uprising of 1857

ICSE Solutions for Class 8 History and Civics – The Great Uprising of 1857

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Time To Learn
I. Fill in the blanks:

  1. By his policy of Doctrine of Lapse Lord Dalhousie annexed Nagpur and Jhansi.
  2. Rani Laxmibai captured Gwalior with Tantya Tope’s help.
  3. In Lucknow Hazrat Mahal led the revolt.
  4. The rebels proclaimed Bahadur Shah Zafar as the emperor of India.

II. Match the contents of Column A and Column B:
ICSE Solutions for Class 8 History and Civics - The Great Uprising of 1857 1
Answer:
Column A                                          Column B
ICSE Solutions for Class 8 History and Civics - The Great Uprising of 1857 2

III. State whether the following statements are True or False:

  1. Awadh was annexed on the ground of malad-ministration.
    True
  2. The British supported Sati.
    False.
  3. The Indian soldiers were given lesser salary as compared to their British counterparts.
     True.
  4. The Revolt of 1857 did not involve the masses.
    True.

IV. Answer the following questions:

Question 1.
How were the economic policies of the British responsible for the Revolt of 1857?
Answer:
The British had changed the entire economic structure of India.

  1. Introduction of the new land revenue system which allowed the government to confiscate land and accept revenue in cash caused and suffering to the Indian peasants.
  2. Due to Industrial Revolution markets were flooded with machine made goods. Indian Industries could not compete with them and thus declined.
  3. When an Indian state was annexed, the administration was replaced by the company. This created unemployment and caused resentment.

Question 2.
Discuss the social and religious causes responsible for the Revolt of 1857.
Answer:

  1. British advocated many reforms such as abolition of Sati, female infanticide, child marriage, widow remarriage. This caused discontent all over. These reforms were interpreted by Indians as interference in their religious and social customs.
  2. Introduction of Railways and telegraph was viewed with fear and suspicion.
  3. Introduction of western Education was viewed as an attack on Indian social and religious customs.
  4. Policy of racial discrimination practiced by British led to anger and resentment.

Question 3.
Why do you think the Revolt of 1857 failed? Discuss four, causes for its failure.
Answer:

  1. Though it was wide spread it failed to involve all sections of the population.
  2. The revolt did not involve the masses. Only those people joined revolt who had been adversely affected by the British. Scindia, Holkar, Raja of Jodhpur did not join it. Instead they supported the British. Merchants, western educated middle class did not join it.
  3. The British soldiers were better equipped. Indians had outdated weapons. The British had experienced and competent Generals. Indian leaders lacked this expertise.
  4. The revolutionaries did not have enough resources. The British were stronger financially and militarily.
  5. The revolt was not planned and organised.
  6. The British had the advantage of post and telegraph. This helped them to communicate and exchange messages, plan strategies and act immediately.

Question 4.
Discuss the nature of the Uprising/Revolt of 1857.
Answer:
There are divergent view regarding the nature of the outbreak of 1857. British historians have called it a Mutiny – confined to the army which did not command the support of the people at large.
Same view was held by .contemporary Indians like Munshi Jiwan Lai, Moinuddin, (Both eye witnesses at Delhi) and Durgadas Bandopadhyaya. Others have described it as racial struggle for supremacy between the Black and White. Some describe it as a struggle between oriental and occidental civilisation and culture.
A few have described it as Hindu-Muslim conspiracy to overthrow the British rule. Some Indian have called it a “well planned struggle” and as “the first war of Indian Independence”.

V. Give reasons why:

1. State of Awadh was annexed by the British.
Ans. The state of Awadh was annexed on account of malad­ministration.

2. Indian artisans, weavers and craftsmen lost their means of livelihood.
Ans. With the coming of Industrial Revolution markets were flooded with machine made goods. Indian Industries could not compete

3.The Indian sepoys refused to bite the cartridges of the Enfield rifle.
Ans. The Indian sepoys refused to bite the cartridges of the Enfield rifle as it was rumoured that these cartridges were greased with the fat of cows and pigs. This enraged the Hindus and Muslims as the cow is a holy animal of Hindus and the pig is considered taboo for the Muslims.

VI. Picture Study –
The picture shows the revolt of 1857
ICSE Solutions for Class 8 History and Civics - The Great Uprising of 1857 3

Question 1.
How far were the greased catridges responsible for the Revolt?
Answer:
It was an immediate cause which supplied the spark to ignite diy firewood awaiting to be ignited. Other causes like oppressive economic policy, aggressive annexation policy, religious social interference by the British were already there waiting to be triggered into Revolt. This was provided by the rumour that cartridges were greased with the fat of cow and pig and hence this enraged the Hindus and Muslims.

Question 2.
Give your opinion as to how the Revolt would have been successful.
Answer:
It would have been successful if it had been well organised and well planned or if it had involved the masses. It would have been successful if merchants, educated middle class and zamindars had supported it and the Indian soldiers had better weapons and goods generals.

Additional Questions

EXERCISES
A. Fill in the blanks:

  1. Dalhousie annexed the states of Satara, Nagpur, and Jhansi on the basis of the Doctrine of Lapse.
  2. Prior to the outbreak of the Revolt, Bahadur Shah Zafar lived in Delhi as a Pensioner of the British.
  3. The Revolt of 1857 started as a Mutiny of the sepoys.
  4. The immediate cause of the Revolt was the issue of the greased cartridges.
  5. The Revolt ended the rule of the English East India Company.

B. Match the following:
ICSE Solutions for Class 8 History and Civics - The Great Uprising of 1857 4

Answer:
ICSE Solutions for Class 8 History and Civics - The Great Uprising of 1857 5

ICSE Solutions for Class 8 History and Civics - The Great Uprising of 1857 6

C. Choose the correct answer:

1. When Awadh/Nagpur/Jhansi was annexed, the estates of the zamindars and talukdars were confiscated by the British.
Ans. When Awadh was annexed, the estates of the zamindars and talukdars were confiscated by the British.

2. The rumour regarding greased cartidges started in Madras/ Calcutta/Delhi.
Ans. The rumour regarding greased cartidges started in Calcutta.

3. Mangal Pandey was a sepoy at Barrackpore/Nagpur/Satara, who refused to use the greased cartidges in 1857.
Ans. Mangal Pandey was a sepoy at Barrackpore, who refused to use the greased cartidges in 1857.

4.The Revolt in Lucknow/Meerut/Kanpur was led by Nana Saheb.
Ans. The Revolt in Kanpur was led by Nana Saheb.

5. Nana Saheb/Hazrat Mahal/Rani Lakshmibai led the Revolt in Lucknow.
Ans. Hazrat Mahal led the Revolt in Lucknow.

D. State whether the following are true or false:

  1. Indian rulers were quite satisfied with Lord Dalhousie’s expansionist policies.
    False.
    Correct: Indian rulers were dissatisfied with Lord Dalhousies expansionist policies.
  2. Peasants benefitted from the land revenue system of the British.
    False.
    Correct : Peasants were not benefitted from the land revenue system of the British.
  3. Social reforms such as the abolition of sati and female infanticide, and the Widow Remarriage Act caused deep resentment among the orthodox sections of society.
    True.
  4. The Doctrine of Lapse was abolished after the Revolt.
    True
  5. The Revolt of 1857 had come as a shock to the British.
    True.

E. Answer the following questions in one or two words/ sentences:
Question 1.
Why did Rani of Jhansi become a staunch enemy of the British?
Answer:
Dalhousie annexed the states of Satara, Nagpur and Jhansi by applying the Doctrine of Lapse. The annexation transformed the courageous Rani of Jhansi into a staunch enemy of the British.

Question 2.
Why did Nana Saheb fight against the British during the Revolt of 1857?
Answer:
Nana Saheb, the adopted son of Peshwa Baji Rao II (a pensioner of the British), was denied a pension after his father’s death. Nana Saheb became one of the leaders of the Revolt.

Question 3.
Why did the zamindars and talukdars became sworn enemies of the British?
Answer:
When Awadh was annexed, the estates of the zamindars and talukdars were confiscated by the British. They became sworn enemies of British rule.

Question 4.
What happened to the nawab’s army when Awadh was annexed?
Answer:
After the annexation of Awadh, the nawab’s army was disbanded. The soldiers lost their means of livelihood and their bitterness against the British increased.

Question 5.
When and where did the Revolt of 1857 begin?
Answer:
May 10, 1857 was a Sunday. The British officers at the Meerut cantonment in North India were preparing to attend church, while many other British soldiers were off duty.

Question 6.
Name any two main centres of Revolt.
Answer:
The important centres of the Revolt were Meerut, Delhi, Kanpur, Lucknow and Jhansi.

Question 7.
What step was taken by the British to reorganize the army after the Revolt?
Answer:
The army was reorganized and strengthened. The number of British soldiers was increased and the artillery placed exclusively under their control.

Question 8.
Mention any two important results of the Revolt.
Answer:
Results of the Revolt 1857

  1. The rule of the English East India Company came to an end.
  2. Treaties with Indian states would be honoured.
  3. The British government would not interfere in the social and religious customs of the people.

F. Answer the following questions briefly:

Question 1.
In the context of the Revolt of 1857, answer the following questions:

  1. Mention any three political causes of the Revolt.
  2. Mention the three economic factors that led to the outbreak of the great Revolt.
  3. Explain briefly any four social and religious causes that led to the Revolt of 1857.

Answer:
(a) Political Causes:

  1. Dalhousie annexed the states of Satara, Nagpur and Jhansi by applying the Doctrine of Lapse. The annexation transformed the courageous Rani into a staunch enemy of the British.
  2. Nana Saheb, the adopted son of Peshwa Baji Rao II (pensioner of the British), was denied a pension after his father’s death. Nana Saheb became one of the leaders of the Revolt.
  3. Bahadur Shah Zafar, the Mughal Emperor, lived in Delhi as a pensioner of the British. Dalhousie announced that Bahadur’s successor would not be allowed to stay on in the historic Red Fort. He would have to move to a place near the Qutb Minar, on the outskirts of Delhi. This was a great blow to the dignity of the Mughal emperor and deeply hurt the sentiments of the Muslims.
  4. (The annexation of Awadh, on grounds of maladministration, outraged the people of India, in general, and Awadh, in particular. Awadh had always been a triendly. faithful and subordinate ally. The Nawab of Awadh was exiled to Calcutta.
  5. The British showed no respect for the treaties they had signed with the Indians. Treaties were broken whenever it suited them to do so. This created a sense of fear and insecurity among the rulers of subordinate states. The axe could fall on them anywhere, at any time.

(b) Economic Causes:

  1. The land revenue system, introduced by the British, caused great hardship and misery among the peasants. Under the zamindari system, for instance, the peasants were oppressed by the Zamindars and exploited by the moneylenders. If the cultivators failed to pay the land revenue to the Zamindars or return the loans to the moneylenders on time, they were often flogged, tortured or jailed. The impoverishment of the peasantry led to numerous famines.
  2. Landlords also suffered from a sense of insecurity. Thousands of jagirs were confiscated by Bentinck and Dalhousie when they were unable to produce written title deeds of ownership.
  3. The interests of the Indian economy was sacrificed for the interests of British trade and industry. This led to the utter collapse of traditional handicraft industries. Indian artisans and craftspersons were ruined.
  4. The annexation of Indian states was followed by large- scale unemployment and economic distress. When Awadh was annexed, the administration was replaced by Company Administration. As such, hundreds of court officials and their subordinates lost their means of livelihood.

(c) Social and Religious Causes:

  1. Social reforms such as the abolition of sati, and female infanticide, the Widow Remarriage Act and the introduction of women ‘s education caused deep resentment among the orthodox sections of society.
  2. The efforts of the missionaries to convert people to Christianity caused great alarm. Some of the missionaries ridiculed the religious beliefs and practices of the Hindus and Muslims in their effort to convert people to their faith. This hurt the religious sentiments of the people.
  3. The introduction of Western education undermined the position and importance of the Pundits and Maulvis and was seen as an attack on ancient traditions and values. The office of the Inspector of Schools in Patna was referred to as the ‘shaitane dafitar’.
  4. The introduction of the railways and posts and telegraphs aroused grave doubts and fears, especially among the simple, backward villagers. They thought that the telegraph system was a form of Western magic. They grew fearful of the intentions of the British
  5. The British judicial system introduced the principle of equality. This was regarded as a threat to the existing caste norms and privileges of the upper classes.
  6. The British looked down upon the Indians and followed a policy of racial discrimination. They made no effort to interact socially with the Indians. They were convinced of the superiority of the European race and treated the Indians with great contempt.

Question 2.
In the context of the military causes of the Revolt of 1857, answer the following questions:

  1. Mention any three grievances that the sepoys had against their British masters.
  2. How did the Act passed in 1856 by the British hurt the sentiments of the Hindu sepoys?
  3. Explain the immediate cause of the great Revolt?

Answer:
(a)
The sepoys had numerous grievances against the British-masters:

  1. The sepoys had helped the British to establish their empire in India but they were neither appreciated nor rewarded for their efforts. On the contrary, they were treated with great contempt by the British officers.
  2. There was grave discrimination between the Indian sepoy and his British counterpart. A capable and dedicated sepoy could not rise above the post of subedar.
  3. In 1856, an Act was passed which made it compulsory for all new recruits to serve overseas if required. This hurt the sentiments of the Hindus because they belived that overseas travel would lead to a loss of caste. The sepoys interpreted the regulation as another attack on their caste and religion.
  4. After the annexation of Awadh, the Nawab’s army was disbanded. The soldiers lost their means of livelihood and their bitterness against the British increased.
  5. The Indian soldiers greatly outnumbered the British soldiers. In 1856, the number of sepoys in the British army was more than five times that of the British soldiers. This emboldened the sepoys to take up arms against their foreign masters.

(b)
In 1856, an Act was passed which made it compulsory for all new recruits to serve overseas if required. This hurt the sentiments of the Hindus because they believed that overseas travel would lead to a loss of caste. The sepoys interpreted the regulation as another attack on their caste and religion.
(c)
In January 1857, a rumour started at the Dum Dum cantonment (in Calcutta) that the cartridges, which the British had introduced, were greased with cow fat and pig lard. The rumour spread like wildfire among the Hindu and Muslim sepoys. They were convinced that the government was deliberately trying to defile their religion. A wave of indignation and anger swept through all the military stations. On 29 march 1857 Mangal Pandey, a sepoy at Barrackpore refused to use the cartridge and attacked his senior officers. He was hanged to death.

Question 3.
In the context of the Revolt of 1857, briefly discuss:

  1. The decline of the Mughal dynasty
  2. Any four results of the Revolt of 1857
  3. Nature of the Revolt of 1857

Answer:
(a)
On 11 May 1857, Bahadur Shah Zafar was persuaded to accept the leadership of the Revolt. He was proclaimed the emperor of Hindustan. There was jubilation all around. The restoration of the Mughal empire was proclaimed with the booming of guns.
The success of the Revolt proved to be shortlived. British reinforcements arrived from Punjab, and Delhi was recovered in September 1857.
Bahadur Shah Zafar was taken prisoner, tried and exiled to Rangoon. The royal princes (two sons and one grandson of Bahadur Shah Zafar) were shot and and their bodies displayed on the streets. The once great dynasty of the Mughals finally came to an end.
(b)
Results of the Revolt 1857

  1. The rule of the English East India Company came to an end.
  2. India came under the direct rule of the British Parliament and the Queen of England.
  3. Queen Victoria issued a Proclamation promising to look after the welfare of the Indian people.
  4. Treaties with Indian states would be honoured.
  5. A general pardon was granted to all the rebels, except those who had killed British subjects.
  6. The British government would not interfere in the social and religious customs of the people.
  7. Indians would be given opportunities to be associated with the administration. High posts in government services would be given on the basis of merit, not race.
  8. The army was reorganized and strengthened. The number of British soldiers was increased and the artillery placed exclusively under their control.

(c)
Nature of the Revolt of 1857

  1. The Revolt was the outcome of the accumulated grievances of different sections of people and not the sepoys alone.
  2. Those who joined the Revolt had different reasons and different motives but they were all united in their hatred of British rule and their determination to overthrow it.
  3. It had wide popular support of various sections of society.
  4. The struggle created a strong bonding and a sense of unity between the Hindus and the Muslims. They fought shoulder to shoulder, as single brethren against a common enemy.
  5. Of the estimated 1,50,000 people killed in the Revolt, 1,00,000 were civilians.

G Picture study:

This is the picture of the queen who led the Revolt in Central India
ICSE Solutions for Class 8 History and Civics - The Great Uprising of 1857 7

  1. Identify the queen.
    Ans. Rani Laxmi Bai
  2. Name the city where she led the Revolt.
    Ans. Jhansi
  3. What were the economic causes of the Revolt of 1857?
    Ans. Refer Answer F-l (b) above
  4. What was the major outcome of the Revolt of 1857?
    Ans. Refer Answer F-3 (b) above.

ICSE Solutions for Class 8 History and Civics – Struggle for Freedom (II)

ICSE Solutions for Class 8 History and Civics – Struggle for Freedom (II)

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I. Fill in the blanks:

  1. The Swaraj Party was led by CR. Das and Motilal Nehru.
  2. All India Trade Union Congress was founded by N.M. Joshi in 1920.
  3. The Quit India Movement took place in the year 1942.
  4. Congress Socialist Party was formed in 1934.
  5. The chairman of the Simon Commission was Sir John Simon.
  6. The Congress session of March 1940 was presided over by Maulana Abul Kalam Azab.
  7. Subhash Chandra Bose formed the Forward Bloc in 1939.
  8. “Diii Chalo” and “Jal Hind” were two slogans given to us by Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose.
  9. Lord Mountbatten came to India in 1947 as Viceroy.

II. Match the contents of Column A and Column B:
ICSE Solutions for Class 8 History and Civics - Struggle for Freedom (II) 1
Answer:
ICSE Solutions for Class 8 History and Civics - Struggle for Freedom (II) 2

III. State whether the following statements are True or False:

  1. The Charkha was a symbol of progress.
    True.
  2. The Congress participated in the first Round Table Conference.
    False.
  3. The Congress swept the polls in 8 provinces in the 1937 elections.
    True.
  4. Sir Stafford Cripps was an American officer sent to India.
    False.
  5. Netaji started the Quit India movement
    False.
  6. It was because of British presence in India that the country was made a target for Japanese attack.
    True.
  7. Netaji was the commander of the Indian National Army.
    True.
  8. In 1956, the British government announced its decision to quit India.
    False.

IV. Answer the following questions:

Question 1.
Discuss the main aspects of the Non-Cooperation Movement.
Answer:
The growing antagonism of the Indians towards the British led to Khilafat and Non-Cooperation Movement. Gandhiji looked upon the Khilafat agitation as an opportunity of uniting Hindus and Muslims as would not arise in a hundred years. The Non­cooperation Movement was named so because it decided not to cooperate with the Government by renunication of titles, boycott of legislature, resigning from government jobs, lawyers leaving courts, students leaving British schools and colleges, boycott of British Goods and other activities. People refused to pay taxes, no longer recognising government as legitimate.

Question 2.
How and when did the Civil Disobedience Movement start? How did the government suppress it?
Answer:
Civil Disobedience Movement was started on 12 March, 1930 when Gandhiji marched from his Sabarmati Ashram in Gujarat to Dandi (375 km from Ahmedabad). He carried on this march with 78 followers to break the Salt Law. He defied this law by picking up a handful of Salt formed by the evaporation of Sea water.

This gave a start to the Civil Disobedience movement all over the country. Women also participated in this movement. It spread as far as N.W. Frontier province where it was led by Khan Abdul Ghaffar Khan who is popularly known as the Frontier Gandhi. The Government tried to suppress it with a stem hand. The British declared the congress illegal. There was uprising all over the country followed by refusal to pay Chaukidari Tax and defiance of forest law. Lakhs of Indians offered Satyagraha. Foreign goods were boycotted and peasants refused to pay

Question 3.
Why did the Congress pass the Quit India Resolution? How did the government react to it?
Answer:
The All India Congress Committe met at Bombay on August 8, 1942 and passed the Quit India Resolution. After the Cripps Mission failed, this great Mass struggle for Independence was launched by the Congress. It was the greatest mass challenge to the British authority. It shook the foundations of the British Rule.

Gandhiji declared, “I therefore want freedom immediately, this very night before dawn if it can be had.” He also gave a mantra ‘Do or Die”. He said ‘We shall either free India or die in the attempt.’

The movement was the greatest mass challenge to the British authority. It shook the foundations of the British rule in India and showed the British that the masses had immense capacity to suffer and die for the cause of freedom. The government soon arrested all leaders and declared Congress illegal. The government resorted to stem measures to suppress the movement.

Question 4.
Discuss the main features of the Government of India Act, 1935.
Answer:
The Act provided for the establishment of an All India Federation. There was to be a bicameral federal Legislature.

  1. Only 14 per cent of the total population in British India was given the right to vote.
  2. The federal legislature was denied any real power. Defence and Foreign Affairs remained outside its control while the viceroy retained special control over the other subjects.
  3. A new system of government was to be organised in provinces on the basis of provincial autonomy. Ministers responsible to the provincial assemblies were to control all departments of administration.
  4. But the Governors were given the powers to veto any legislation and also to legislate on their own. Governors also retained full control over the civil service and the police.
  5. The Viceroy and the Governors were to be appointed by the British Government and were to be responsible to it.

Question 5.
Why did India accept the partition proposal even though it did not accept the two-nation theory?
Answer:
Lord Mountbatten came to India in March 1947 as the new viceroy. He presented a plan for the division of India into two independent states India and Pakistan. In 1946 there had been communal riots in Bihar, Bengal and many other places. When partition was announced, more riots took place especially in Punjab. Thousands of people were killed and many more were rendered homeless.
The Congress agreed to the plan of partition not because of any faith in the two nation theory but because it felt that there was no other way to achieve freedom and prevent and destruction.

Question 6.
Discuss the contribution of INA in the freedom struggle.
Answer:
The Indian National Army was formed with a aim to get freedom from British rule. It comprised Indian prisoners of war. Subhash Chandra Bose became the Supreme Commander of the INA. He gave slogan’ Dilli Chalo’ and ‘Jai Hind’. In 1943 Netaji proclaimed the formation of Azad Hind Fauj in Singapore. He proceeded to the Andaman and Nicobar Islands which the Japanese had taken ‘ from the British and hoisted India’s flag there. He then conquered Imphal and Kohima.But the victory was short lived. Britain reestablished control over Burma. The INA was defeated. Japan surrendered after the atom bomb attacks.

Question 7.
Discuss the main clauses of the Indian Independence Act of 1947.
Answer:
Main clauses of the Indian Independence Act of 1947:

  1. Two independent dominions, namely India and Pakistan, shall be set up on August 15, 1947 Pakistan was to be comprised of Sind, Baluchistan N.W.F.P, the West Punjab and East Bengal. Rest of the territories were to be included in India.
  2. The British Government was to have no control over the affairs of the dominions after August 15, 1947 and world transfer all powers to the Assemblies of India and Pakistan.
  3. The office of the Viceroy was to end forth with and replaced by a separate Governor- General for each dominion.
  4. The Constituent Assemblies of both the Dominions would frame their respective Constitutions and would decide whether to stay with the British commonwealth or not.
  5. The Constituent Assembly of each Dominion shall exercise the power of the Central Legislatures.
  6. The Legislature of each of the new Dominions shall have full powers to make laws for that Dominion.
  7. The right of the king to veto laws was given up. This right was given to the Governor-General.
  8. Till the new Constitution was framed, each of the dominion and all Provinces were to be governed in accordance with the Act of 1935.
  9. The states would have the choice to join with either of the dominions or to retain their independence.
  10. The Governor-General was given the powers to modify or adopt the Government of India Act, 1935 by March 31, 1948.
  11. The office of the Secretary of State for India was to be abolished.
  12. Agreements with the tribes of the NWFP were to be negotiated by the Dominion concerned.

V. Picture study : Look at the picture given below.
ICSE Solutions for Class 8 History and Civics - Struggle for Freedom (II) 3

  1. Which conference is in progress.
    Ans. Second Round Table Conference.
  2. When and where was this conference held?
    Ans. It was held in London in 1931.
  3. Who were the main participants in this conference?
    Ans. It was attended by Agha Khan, B.R. Ambedkar, Madan Mohan Malviya and Gandhiji among others.
  4. What was the result of this conference?
    Ans. There was no conclusion again at the conference and it ended in a failure

Additional Questions

 EXERCISES
A. Fill in the blanks:

  1. Gandhi spent about 22 years in South Africa as a practicing lawyer.
  2. Under Gandhiji leadership, the Indian national movement was transformed into a mass movement.
  3. To protest against the arrest of their leaders, a public meeting was held at Jallianwala Bagh in Amritsar in the year 1919.
  4. After the British brutalities in Amritsar, Gandhiji declared that it would be a sin to co-operate with the satanic government.
  5. At the Lahore session of the Congress in 1929, Poorna Swaraj. was declared as its goal.

B. Match the following:
ICSE Solutions for Class 8 History and Civics - Struggle for Freedom (II) 4
ICSE Solutions for Class 8 History and Civics - Struggle for Freedom (II) 5

Answer:
ICSE Solutions for Class 8 History and Civics - Struggle for Freedom (II) 6

C. Choose the correct answer:

1. Gandhiji studied law in England/South Africa/France.
Ans. Gandhiji studied law in England.
2. Gandhiji organized a workers strike against the exploitative Indian mill owners in Ahmedabad/Kheda/Champaran.
Ans. Gandhiji organized a workers strike against the exploitative Indian mill owners in Ahmedabad.
3. The Non-Cooperation Movement was launched by Gandhiji in 1920/1930/1940.
Ans. The Non-Cooperation Movement was launched by Gandhiji in 1920.
4. A resolution declaring ‘Poorns Swaraj was declared as its goal at the Lahore/Surat/Bombay session of the Congress.
Ans. A resolution declaring ‘Poorns Swaraj was declared as its goal at the Lahore session of the Congress.
5. The Non-Copperation Movement/Civil Disobedience Movement/ Quit India Movement was started with the Salt Satyagraha in 1930.
Ans. The Civil Disobedience Movement was started with the Salt Satyagraha in 1930.

D. State whether the following are true or false:

  1. Gandhiji did not have faith in the capacity of the common masses.
    False. Gandhiji have immense faith in the capacity of the common masses.       .
  2. In 1919, General Dyer had issued an order banning all public meetings.
    True.
  3. The Non-Cooperation Movement had ended in failure after the Chauri Chaura incident.
    True.
  4. Independence Day was celebrated on 26 January in 1930.
    True.
  5. Sarojini Naidu was one of the leaders of the Civil disobedience Movement
    True.

E. Answer the following questions in one or two words/ sentences:

Question 1.
What technique of resistance did Gandhji evolve in South Africa? What was its basic principle ?
Answer:
Gandhiji became the leader of a struggle against racial injustice in South Africa. During the struggle, he evolved a technique known as satyagraha which was later applied to the Indian National Movement.

Question 2.
Why did Gandhiji lead campaigns in
(a) Champaran (b) Kheda ?
Answer:
(a)
Champaran — Gandhiji championed the cause of the tenant farmers of Champaran district against the oppression of the British indigo planters. The movement was a success and the peasants received compensation.
(b)
Kheda — Gandhiji advised and convinced the cultivators of Kheda district to stop paying land revenue to the government because the crops had failed. The peasant’s demand for remission of land tax was accepted by the government.

Question 3.
Which incident marked the end of the Non-Cooperation Movement and when?
Answer:
The Chauri Chaura incident in 1922 marked an end of the Non­Cooperation Movement.

Question 4.
Under whose leadership was the Lahore session of the Congress held in 1929? What resolution was passed in this session?
Answer:
In December 1929, the Indian National Congress met in Lahore under the youthful and dynamic leadership of Jawaharlal Nehru.
The Congress passed a resolution declaring ‘Pooma Swaraj’ or ‘Complete Independence’ as its goal. 26 January 1930 was fixed as ‘Independence Day’.

F. Answer the following questions briefly:

Question 1.
With reference to Gandhiji, discuss his views on the following:
(a) Truth and non-violence
(b) Hindu-Muslim unity
(c) Social justice
Answer:
(a) Satyagraha is a combination of two Sanskrit words-satya (truth) and agraha (eagerness). Satyagraha is based on the twin principles of truth and non-violence. A satyagrahi was one who firmly believed in truth and non­violence and who would resist evil at all costs. A satyagrahi was peaceful, fearless and strong. He/She would have evil but not the ‘evil doer’. In the fight for justice and truth, the satyagrahi would willingly accept suffering and be ready to make sacrifices.

The suffering and patience of the satyagrahi was expected to bring about a change of heart in the enemy. The idea behind satyagraha was not to destroy the enemy but the transform and enlighten him.

Gandhiji insisted on non-violent methods of struggle. He believed that non-violence was the weapon of the strong and could be effectively used to resist armed attacks by the enemy. A satyagrahi was expected to follow peaceful methods even under extreme provocation.

(b) Gandhiji was a devout Hindy and a passionate believer in the equality of all religions. He was convinced that the path to India’s salvation lay in Hindu-Muslim unity. Gandhiji lived and died for the cause of Hindu-Muslim unity.

(c) Gandhiji was a great believer in social justice. He championed the cause of the poor and the downtrodden, the emancipation of women and improvement of the conditions of the lower caste ‘untouchables’ whom he called ‘Harijans’, e., children of God. He worked tirelessly to remove prejudices and change the mindest of the people. He believed that political freedom was meaningless without social reforms.

Question 2.
In the context of the Jalliamvala Bagh tragedy, answer the following:
(a) Why was a public meeting held in Jallianwala Bagh on 13 April 1919?
(b) Why did the troops open fire on the gathering? What happened as a result of the shooting?
(c) How’ did the entire nation and Gandhiji react to the events in Amritsar?
Answer:
(a) The British government adopted the policy of repression to crush the anti-British movement against the repressive Rowlatt Act passed by the government in 1919. In some places, particularly in Punjab, the hartals led to violence. Two popular nationalist leaders were arrested in Amritsar. To protest against the arrest of their leaders, a public meeting was held on 13 April 1919 in an enclosed space known as Jallianwala Bagh. General Dyer surrounded the Bagh with his troops, blocked the only exit and ordered the troops to open fire on the peaceful gathering in the Bagh.

(b) The people were unarmed and peaceful. Unfortunately, they were not aware of the fact that the military commander of Amritsar, General Dyer, had issued an order banning all public meetings. General Dyer surrounded the Bagh with his troops, blocked the only exit and ordered the troops to open fire on the peaceful gathering in the Bagh. The shooting continued till there was no ammunition left. Nearly 400 people were killed and over 1,000 were injured.

(c) Martial law was proclaimed in Punjab. During this period, people were humiliated and tortured. The brutality of the Jallianwala Bagh massacre and the humiliation and inhuman treatment of the Indians that followed shocked the entire nation. Gandhiji was horrified. He lost all faith in the goodness of the British government and declared that it would be a ‘sin’ to cooperate with the ‘Satanic’ government.

Question 3.
In the context of the Non-Cooperation Movement, answer the following questions:
(a) Discuss the programme of the Non-Cooperation Movement.
(b) Why did Gandhiji abruptly suspend the Non-Cooperation Movement?
(c) State the significance of the Non-Cooperation Movement.
Answer:
(a) Programme of the Non-Cooperation Movement:

  1. Boycott of foreign goods.
  2. Boycott of government schools, colleges, law courts, legislatures and all British institutions.
  3. Boycott of elections and government functions.
  4. Renunciation of titles and honours awarded by the British.

(b) Early in 1922, a procession of peasants were fired upon by the police at Chauri-Chaura a village in U.P. The people reacted violently and burnt down the Chauri-Chaura police station. Twenty-two policemen were killed. Gandhiji immediately called off the movement.

(c) 
The Non-cooperation Movement was a significant phase of the Indian struggle for freedom from British Rule. This movement which lasted from 1920 to 1922 was led by Mohandas Gandhi and supported by the Indian National Congress. It aimed to resist British occupation of India through non-violent means. Protestors would refuse to buy British goods, adopt the use of local handicrafts and try to uphold the values of Indian honour and integrity. The Gandhian ideals of ahimsa or non-violence, and his ability to rally hundreds of thousands of common citizens toward the cause of Indian Independence, were first seen on a large scale in this movement.

Question 4.
In the context of the Civil Disobedience Movement, answer the following:
(a) Give an account of the Salt Satyagraha.
(b) How did the government react to the movement?
(c) What impact did the Civil Disobedience Movement (1930-34) have on the nation?
Answer:
(a) The Salt Satyagraha began with the historic Dandi March.Gandhiji set out from Sabarmati Ashram with 78 followers, on a 385-km journey to the coastal village of Dandi. Thousands of people joined him on the way. On his arrival in Dandi, he picked up a handful of salt from the beach. This act symbolized defiance of the salt law. It was a signal for every Indian to violate the salt law. Throughout India, people began to manufacture salt and sell it openly,

(b) The goverment suppressed the movement with force and brutality, Gandhiji, Nehru and all other important leaders were arrested. Hundreds of people were injured or killed in lathi charges and police firing. Over 90,000 people were imprisoned.

(c) Civil Disobedience is the active, professed refusal to obey certain laws, demands and commands of a government, or of an occupying international power. Civil Disobedience is usually but not always, defined as being non-violent resistance. Civil Disobedience is one of the many ways people have rebelled against what they deem to be unfair laws. It has been used in many well-documented non­violent resistance movement in India.

G Picture study:
ICSE Solutions for Class 8 History and Civics - Struggle for Freedom (II) 7

1.Identify the person.
Ans. Mahatma Gandhi

2.What method did he use in the Indian struggle for freedom?
Ans. Gandhiji used ‘Satyagraha in the Indian struggle for freedom Satyagraha is based on the twin principal of truth and non­ violence.

3.What are the principles on which his method is based?
Ans. Gandhiji Method of Struggle ‘Satyagraha’ is a combination of two Sanskrit words: satya (truth) and agraha (eagerness). It is based on the twin principles of truth and non-violence. The suffering and patience of the satyagrahi was expected to bring about a change of heart in the enemy. The idea behind satyagraha was not to destroy the enemy but to transform and enlighten him.

4.Why is he called the leader of the masses?
Ans. Gandhiji had immense faith in the capacity of the common people to struggle against oppression. Under his leadership, the Indian national movement was transformed into a mass movement.

5.Mention the features of his non-violent struggle against the British.
Ans.

  1. Peaceful demonstration
  2. Defiance of unjust British laws
  3. Boycott of British goods, institutions and services.
  4. The use of the charkha and khadi to promote self-reliance and the swadeshi spirit.
  5. Non-payment of the oppressive taxes. The idea was to bring the government to a standstill.