G S SHETTY INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL

GRADE X- HISTORY
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Chapter No. 1 The First War Of Independence

I. Short Answer Questions:

1.) What was the nature of revolts against the British before the First War of Independence?
Ans:- The revolts against the British before the First War of Independence did not pose a serious challenge as
the rebellions were local, scattered and isolated. These revolts established a local tradition of struggle against
the British rule.

2.) Why was the “War of 1857” hailed as the First War of Independence?
Ans:- It embraced the whole section of society without any caste and creed. It was not localized one. In this
revolt, not only army personnel participated but Indian civilians also threw themselves into struggle to get rid
of the foreign rules. This revolt gave the real threat to the Britishers.

3.) Mention two political causes of the First War of Independence?

Ans:-a.) Policy of Expansion b.) Disrespect shown to Bahadur Shah Zafar. C.)Absentee Sovereignty of the
British. D.) Treatment given to Nana Saheb and Rani Laxmi Bai.

4.) Name the four ways in which the British expanded their territorial power in India.
Ans: i.) Outright wars. ii.) System of Subsidiary Alliance. iii.) By adopting the Doctrine of Lapse and
iv.) On the pretext of alleged misrule.

5.) What was Subsidiary Alliance? Name two Indian States brought under the British control using
Subsidiary Alliance.
Ans: a.) The Subsidiary Alliance was an agreement introduced by Lord Wellesley, by which the Indian States
agreed
i.) to surrender their foreign relations to the British East India Company and not to enter into alliance with any
other power and not to make any wars.
ii.) To maintain an army commanded by British officers within their territory
iii.) To accept a British Resident at their headquarters.
iv.) Not to employ any European in their service without consulting the company.
b.)The Two states brought under the British control using Subsidiary Alliance were Nizam of Hyderabad and
the ruler Of Mysore.

6.) Explain the term “Doctrine of Lapse”. Name the two states annexed by the British using the Doctrine of
Lapse.
Ans:- This was a policy of annexation followed by Lord Dalhousie. The Doctrine meant that when a ruler of a
dependent state died without a natural heir, the state is passed on to the English – Company.

7.) What was Nana Saheb’s main grievance against the British?
Ans: The British refused to accept Nana Saheb, the adopted son of the last Peshwa Baji Rao II, as the ruler of
the Maratha and was refused to get the pension which his father was getting.

8.) Why did Rani Laxmi Bai become a bitter enemy of the British?
Ans: Rani Laxmi Bai became an enemy of the British because after the death of her husband, her adopted son,
Ananad Rao, was not recognized as the lawful successor to the throne of Jhansi.

9.) Which announcement of Lord Canning adversely affected the Mughal dynasty in India?
Ans: In 1856, Lord Canning announced that after the death of Bahadur Shah Zafar, his successors would not be
allowed to use the imperial titles and dignities with their names.

10.) Under what pretext was Awadh annexed to the Company’s dominions?
Ans: Lord Dalhousie annexed Awadh to the Company’s dominions on the pretext of alleged misrule.

11.) Mention any two consequences of the annexation of Awadh.

Ans: The annexation of Awadh had the following consequences:
i.) It caused unemployment among nobles, officials and soldiers because of the dissolution of the
Nawab of Awadh’s army.
ii.) The estates of the zamindars or taluqdars were confiscated by the British and sold by auction to the
highest bidders.
iii.) The Indian soldiers from Awadh had to pay higher taxes on the land held by their families in Awadh.

12.) State one of the consequences of the disbanding of the armies of the annexed States by the British?
Ans: One of the major consequences was that thousands of nobles, officials and soldiers got out of jobs. The
disposed Zamindars became the opponents to the British rule.

13.) Give the meaning of absentee sovereignty. Why was it resented by the Indians?
Ans: Absentee sovereignty means that India was being ruled by the British government from England, at a
distance of thousands of miles. The Indians felt that India’s wealth was being drained to England and not
utilized for their welfare.

14.) What were the apprehensions of Indians about the introduction of the railways?
Ans: The introduction of Railways proved to be a major important religious factor that paved a way to the
uprising of Revolt of 1857. It was looked down upon as a means to break social order and caste rules. People
of all castes have to sit together in railway compartments. This was regarded as an attempt to interfere with
the caste rules.

15.) Mention any two social reforms advocated by the British which affected the religious traditions of the
Indian people.
Ans: The two social reforms advocated by the British which affected religious tradition of Indian people were:
(i) Abolition of Sati Pratha
(ii) Widow remarriage.

16.) Mention any three measures which point to the policy of social discrimination followed by the British in
India.
Ans: i.) British continued their policy of ‘divide and rule’
ii.) They believed in their racial superiority and they thought that a distance was to be maintained to preserves
their authority over Indians.
iii.) They cleverly used the attractions of Government service to create a split along religious lines among
educated Indians.
17.) Give an example to show how the British exploited resources of India.
Ans: India was forced to export at cheaper rates raw materials like raw cotton and raw silk as duty free to
British industries.

18.) Why didn’t the trade with England benefit the Indian economy?
Ans: The trade with England didn’t benefited the Indian economy as India was forced to accept price of goods
sent to British either duty free or at nominal duty rates. While products imported from England were
subjected to heavy duty.

19.) Give any two grievance of the peasantry against the British.
Ans: i.) The peasants were discontented with the official land revenue policy and the consequent loss of their
land.
ii.) It was the peasantry that bore the heavy burden of exorbitant taxes to provide money for trade and profits
of the company, the cost of administration and the wars of British expansion in India.

20.) What did the British do to reduce the landed aristocracy to poverty?
Ans: The British economic exploitation, decay of indigenous industries, high taxation, the drain of wealth,
stagnation of agriculture and exploitation of poor peasants reduced the landed aristocracy to poverty.

21.) In what way did the General Service Enlistment Act disregard the feelings of the Indian troops?
Ans: In 1856, the General Service Enlistment Act was passed by the British Parliament. According to this act,
the Indian soldiers could be sent overseas. The Brahmin soldiers saw in it a slander to their caste. According to
an accepted belief, if was considered a taboo for a Brahmin to cross, the seas. This Act disregarded the
feelings of the Indian troops, which led to a feeling of resentment among them. As a result, they were angry
with the British.

22.) Mention any two grievances harbored by the Indian soldiers which created an atmosphere favorable to
the First War of Independence.
Ans: i.) The Indian soldiers were paid low salaries, were ill-fed and badly housed.
ii.) They were not allowed to wear caste or sectarian marks, beards of turbans.

23.) What impact did the defeat of the British in the first Afghan War have on the morale of the Indian
soldiers?
Ans: The defeat of the British in the First Afghan War, in the Punjab Wars, and in the Crimean War, boosted
the morale of the Indian soldiers. It filled them with the confidence that the British were not invincible and
could be defeated by the Indian army.

24.) What was immediate cause of the First War of Independence?

Ans: The immediate cause of the uprising was the use of greased cartridges in the rifles after biting the end of
cartridge with their teeth. It was thought that the cartridges were greased with the fats of cow and pig. So
both Hindu and Muslim soldiers refused to use these cartridges.

25.) Who was Mangal Pandey? What did he do?

Ans: Mangal Pandey was Brahmin soldier, who refused to use the greased cartridges on 29 th March, 1857 and
killed two English officers.
26.) What was the result of the First War of Independence on the East India Company?
Ans: The First War of Indian Independence ended the East India Company’s rule in India since the British
statements thought it unwise to leave the Government of vast country in the hands of private trading
company.

27.) How was the Army organized after the First War of Independence?
Ans: The proportion of the British Indian soldiers was increased and different castes and creeds were mixed to
avoid any other revolt.

28.) Who became the first Viceroy of India under the act of 1858?
Ans: Lord Canning became the first Viceroy of India under the act of 1858.

29.) What impact did the uprising of 1857 have on the Mughal rule and Peshwaship?
Ans: The First War of Independence led to the abolition of Peshwaship and the end of the rule of the Mughal
dynasty.

30.) What assurance did the Queen’s Proclamation of 1858 give to the Indian people regarding
a.) religious freedom:-
Ans: The Queen in her Proclamation of 1585, promised not to interfere with the religious beliefs of the people
of India.
b.) appointment to public offices?
Ans: Regarding the public appointments, she declared that the appointments would be strictly on the basis of
education, ability and integrity.

31.) Mention any two drawbacks of the First War of Independence?

Ans: i.) The movement lacked common planning, organization and centralized leadership.
ii.) The uprising began before the fixed date which disrupted the whole movement.

Q.II. Structured Questions:-

1.) There were many causes for the uprising of 1857. In this context, state the following:
a.) Policy of economic exploitation
Ans: Economic Exploitation: The land-revenue system i.e., zamindari, Ryotwari and Mahalwari, introduced by
the British, reduced the peasants to misery and poverty. Poor peasants have to sell their produce at cheap
prices in order to satisfy the greed of moneylenders, Zamindars and the Government officials. British turned
Indian self-sufficient economy into an Agricultural Colony. India being an exporter of fine cloth became the
importer of finished goods from England. Handicrafts crippled under the policy of free-trade.

b.) Racial Discrimination

Ans: The British considered themselves racially superior to Indians. Educated Indians were not given
appointment to high posts. In Civil Services they could rise to the post of Sardar or an Amin, in military service
to the rank of a Subedar. They were hated and humiliated in their own country. Such acts of unjust
discrimination alienated the British from the Indian masses. Railway compartments hotels etc, reserved for
‘Europeans only’ were visible manifestations of this racialism.

c.) Social Causes

Ans: Some of the social reforms introduced by the British in India were aimed at improving the conditions of
the people. However, while introducing such reforms the feelings of the people were not taken into
consideration. The result was that even the abolition of Sati (1829) and the introduction of Widow Remarriage
Act, (1856) were not welcomed by the masses.

2) Economic exploitation of the country produced discontent, resentment and resistance among the people
that culminated in the Great Uprising of 1857. Examine this factor with reference to the following:
a.) The ruin of trade and handicrafts.
Ans: The East India Company was established in 1600 as a trading concern. Soon after 1668. Indian textiles
became so popular in England that an Act was passed in 1720 prohibiting the use of Indian silks and Calicoes in
England. The British deliberately crippled Indian handicrafts by:
i.) Imposing heavy duties on Indian silk and cotton textile in England.
ii.) British goods were imposed into India at a nominal duty.
iii.)The art of spinning and weaving became extinct.
iv.) Manufacturing towns of Dhaka, Murshidabad and Surat now looked desolate.
Hence, deplorable economic condition paved the way for Revolt of 1857.

b.) Impoverishment of the cultivators

Ans: The Cultivators improvised under the land-revenue policies of the English. Be it Permanent settlement in
Bengal and Bihar, Ryotwari system in Bombay or Mahalwari System, almost half the net produce was claimed
as land-revenue. Bad monsoon brought famines that further increased the poverty of the peasants. Unable to
pay land-revenue, the farmers were driven more and more in the clutches of money-lenders. What could
improvise asked other than driving the English out of India.

c.) Subordination of Indian economy to British interest.

Ans: After the Industrial Revolution, the British developed their own textile industry. Instead of Indian textile
goods, they bought raw material from India, and forced Indians to buy their product from the mills. This led to
monopolization of trade and commerce and the ruin of Indian handicrafts as they forced Indians to sell their
raw material at a lower rate and buy English goods at a higher rate.

3.) The Great Outbreak of 1857 brought about important changes in the character of Indian administration
and the future development of the country. In this context discuss:
a.) The changes introduced in the administrative set- up of the British territories in India.
Ans: Changes introduced in the administrative set-up:
1.) The war ended the East India Company’s rule in India and brought the Indian Empire under the direct
control of the British Crown. Queen Victoria became the Empress of India.
2.) The Act of 1858 abolished the Company’s Board of Control and the Board of Directors. All their powers
were transferred to a Cabinet Minister, known as the Secretary of State. He was to be advised by a council
consisting of 15 members.
3.) The designation of the Governor-General was changed to Viceroy. It was his duty to run the Indian
Administration on behalf of the Crown. He was under the control of the Secretary of State for India.
4.) It was decided that appointments to the civil service were to be made by open competition under rules
made by the Secretary of State and the Council.

b.) The changes in the Army.

Ans: The Indian army was reorganized after 1858, to prevent the reoccurrence of another uprising, in the
following manner:
i.) The strength of European troops in India was increased. The number of Indian troops was reduced.
Practically the same ratio was maintained till the First World War.
ii.) European troops were kept in key geographical and military positions.
iii.) The earlier policy of excluding Indians from the officer corps was strictly maintained.
iv.) Discrimination on the basis of caste, region and religion was practiced in the recruitment to the army.
v.) Newspaper, journals and nationalist publications were prevented from reaching soldiers to keep the Indian
army separated from the life of the rest of the population.

4.) Although the First War of Independence of 1857 failed it had important consequences for India. In this
context, answer the following questions:
a.) How did the uprising give rise to nationalism in India?
Ans: The First War of Independence gave rise to nationalism in the following ways:
i.)Although the uprising of 1857 failed, it gave the Indians the confidence that the British are not invincible and
could be driven out of India.
ii.) It unified all sections of Indians against a common enemy, i.e., the British.
iii.) The scarifies made by revolutionaries like Rani Laxmi Bai, Nana Saheb, Mangal Pandey and many more
aroused nationalistic feelings among the Indians and served as a source of inspiration to free India from
foreign domination.

b.) How did the end of the East Indian Company’s rule bring in grave economic perils in India?
Ans: In the words of Majumdar: India became the field of exploitation, not of a single trading concern, but of
the entire British people.
i.) Recruitment of English in both private and public was a large drain of the country’s resources.
ii.) India was reduced only to an Agricultural Colony exporting raw materials and importing finished goods.
iii.) Rapid rise of indebted of the peasants reduced them to poverty and slavery.
iv.) British invested their surplus capital in railways, plantation and coal mines in India, which was a total drain
on commercial interest of Indians. Even the dividends were distributed among the share-holders of the
company. On the whole the Indian were reduced to misery and poverty.

c.) State how the British Government tries to pacify the feelings of Indians with regard to:
i.) Their religious practices.
Ans: The British Government tried to pacify the feelings of Indians with regard to their religious practice by
declaring:
i.) There would be no interference in their religious beliefs and practices.
ii.) The British Government would not favor or disfavor anyone by reason of their religious faith and
observances.
iii.) All Indians, irrespective of their religion, would enjoy equal rights and impartial protection of law.

ii.) The Princely States.

Ans: The British Government took the following steps to divide the people of India:
i.) The British alienated the Indians from their rulers by giving them unfair concessions like reservation of seats
for the wars of zamindars.
ii.) They used the attraction of government service to create a split along religious lines among the educated
Indians. For example, first they discriminated against the Muslims in the services and favored the Hindus. But
later on they offered jobs to high class Muslims and instigated them against the Hindus.
iii.) They encouraged formation of parties along communal lines such as the Hindu Maha Sabha and the
Muslim League.